Iron Powder and Spellcaster

The weather is warm and the wind carries a slightly moist smell.

Winters sat on the wooden box and watched blankly as the felt tent he lived in was torn down by others.

The skin was removed, the frame was untied, and the warm felt tent instantly turned into a pile of sticks and several bundles of leather.

Many people suddenly appeared in the camp, and herders scattered for several kilometers suddenly came over.

Strangers speaking a strange language moved around, quickly dismantling, bundling, and loading the entire camp onto the backs of oxen.

Although it looks chaotic, in fact everyone knows what they should do and everyone performs their duties.

They know the process, needless to say—except for Winters.

Erlun was counting the items and couldn't pay attention to Winters for a while.

As for the little lion, he simply wasn't in the camp.

Winters sat dumbly among a group of strangers, feeling like a child who got separated from the adults in the square.

Coincidentally, there were several children with snotty noses standing a few meters away, looking at him curiously.

Winters turned his gaze, and the children ran away.

They felt safe leaving Winters with women, children and the elderly, and did not even arrange any guards.

Women and old men passed by him, nodding their heads and calling him "Hestas" with respect.

The few injured men in the camp looked at him with vigilant eyes and called him "Plathubala Bald" in awe.

Balatu'er is the honorific title of a warrior, usually placed after his name. It has a hard meaning, and may be translated as Plato’s tough guy.

The gossip spread like wildfire, and now everyone knew that Winters had killed Balatuer of the Terdun tribe in the Makgora ceremony, and everyone also knew that he had enmity with the Fire-Roasting Man because of it.

However, the pronunciation of "Plathubala Baltu" was too convoluted, and it was quickly reduced to a loud two-syllable word: "Batu!"

Erlun came over with a pot of hot mare's milk. His willow-leaf eyes smiled like a crescent moon: "Do you want to drink some hot milk?"

"No need." Winters shook his head: "I just drink water."

Drink milk in the morning, mare's milk at noon, goat's milk in the evening, and then adjust the order and do it again.

The three things come in turn, and even if the intake of dairy products by military officers is far higher than that of the average person, they can't resist eating this way.

What milky heaven? This is dairy hell.

"Drink a little, there is no time to make a fire on the way." Erlun coaxed Winters: "The doctor said that your injury needs to drink more milk to heal quickly."

After a fierce ideological struggle, Winters took the copper bowl and drank.

"That's great! I'll get you some more milk cakes to eat on the way." Erlun turned around and left, the beads on his belt turning away like flowers.

"Where are we going?" Winters asked.

Erlun turned back and explained with a frown: "Should we meet up with Laoying first, and then go to Hanlan River? Actually, I don't know..."

"It's okay." Winters reassured the other person.

"Don't think of me as a bad person, I won't hide it from you." Erlun was thoughtful and understood Winters's mood immediately.

She said with some sadness: "The little lion and I just returned to the tribe after seeing you two years ago. Neither of us understands migration very well."

Winters then remembered that the Erlun siblings had lived on the slave plantations in the archipelago for at least eight years, and Erlun could even speak fluent Common Language.

Coming home after such a long absence is actually no different from a stranger. I'm afraid she sometimes feels out of place, right?

"Don't be sad." Winters said softly: "How can I blame you? I am only grateful to you."

Erlun was even more sad. Her eyes were red and she left sobbing.

After a while she came back, brought Winters a bowl of milk cake, and left crying again.

…

Although Winters is not good at getting along with women, he is not slow.

On the contrary, he has quick thinking, keen observation, and can detect many subtle emotions.

He was not unaware of Erlun's thoughts, but he could only pretend to be ignorant.

Winters had no intention of staying in the wilderness for a long time. He didn't want to hurt this sincere and beautiful woman.

His heart was filled tightly with Anna and could not accommodate the second person.

What is Anna? Anna is a bonfire in despair.

When he gradually became numb and cold, it was those beautiful memories that protected his last trace of humanity: his family, his hometown, and Anna.

For Winters, Anna represents the best part of his life.

In the dream, he rested on Anna's lap countless times, and Anna gently stroked his forehead, driving away blood, death, broken limbs, and ferocious-looking enemies...

Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder: "Is Anna really as good as I imagined? Or am I constantly beautifying my memory? Inventing a fictional person who cannot exist in reality?"

He felt fear and anxiety because of this: "If this is really the case, will I be disappointed when I reunite with Anna?"

Winters' anxiety aside, there was no way he could accept another person anyway.

He didn't even dare to get close to Erlun, because Erlun was also very beautiful.

When Winters first saw her when he woke up, he felt that she was as bright and warm as the sun.

Although he didn't know what Erlun liked about him, he was flattered by this admiration.

Winters is "Winter" and he is afraid of being melted.

In fact, he discovered to his horror that he had developed a sense of dependence on Erlun.

If Antonio heard Winters' thoughts, he would definitely give him a lesson: "Childish! A fool who is carried away by his first love! How will he be the head of the family in the future?"

However, considering General Serbetti's family status, this sentence seems somewhat pale.

…

The few children sitting in the frame were carried by long-haired oxen.

There was no ceremony, no commemorative actions like breaking bottles or sprinkling holy water.

Just like going out for a walk on weekdays, the camp where Winters was located set out to "migrate".

The riders led the horses to clear the way ahead, followed by the long-haired oxen carrying all the belongings, and the huddled goats and goats walked at the back.

Adult men and women either rode horses or led cattle on foot.

Winters, whose left leg was fixed with a wooden mold, enjoyed special treatment and rode in an oxcart like several old ladies with almost all their teeth.

Ever since Lieutenant Mason led him astray, Lieutenant Colonel Jessica's most frequent order was: "Second Lieutenant Montagne! Be the vanguard!"

The old magic stick teased Winters because of this, and specially taught him a poem: "The Lord still favors tin, and he will advance forward when he suddenly succeeds."

It was the first time for Winters to ride in a "rear-driven" bullock cart.

He was a little ashamed, but he couldn't help but wonder: How are the lieutenant colonel, the old magician, and the others doing now?

But some old ladies were very happy. They muttered incomprehensible words and moved shakily, trying to make him sit more comfortably.

Winters made out only one word: Hestace.

He still doesn't understand why the Hedians call him "Hestas". Do they regard him as the successor of the old shaman?

He suddenly recalled the blood-staining ceremony of anointing, which answered some of his doubts and brought more doubts.

Winters' temper can be fierce at times, but he doesn't have a bad temper with the elderly. Even when faced with disrespectful people like the old magic stick, Winters was bullied most of the time.

So he shrank his body as much as possible so as not to burden the old man.

An old man looked at Winters for a long time, then suddenly grabbed Winters' hand and shouted.

Winters couldn't understand what the other party was saying, but Erlun heard the sound and rushed over.

Erlun's face became increasingly pale as he listened to the old lady's words.

"What are the old people talking about?" Winters also became serious.

"You don't want to know." Erlun said with difficulty, "I'll find you another car."

"Just tell me, it's okay." Winters felt a little happy that it had finally come.

He knew very well that he had killed so many people from the Chihe tribe, and sooner or later such a day would come.

"Grandma Tucha was also a slave of the Red Pine Manor. She has seen you and she wants to ask you." Erlun's eyes were full of tears: "On the day when the Palatu people killed the prisoners outside Bianli City, who were you?" Not present?"

"I was there." That was all Winters answered.

I was present, but I didn't do anything. Such words made no sense to Winters, and he disdained to say them.

"If you want revenge, come on." Winters thought to himself: "Everyone thinks that I have a blood feud with Monkey Butt Face. In fact, my hatred with the Chihe tribe is higher than the mountains and deeper than the sea."

Erlun translated Winters' answer truthfully.

The old man named Tucha held Winters' hand, placed it tremblingly on her forehead, and finally put it on her chest, mumbling something.

"She said that she knew she saw Hestas that day." Erlun listened and translated: "She knew that Hestas saved them, otherwise everyone would be killed. She said she all know……"

Winters retracted his hand as if he had been burned by a soldering iron, and his voice trembled slightly: "No, I can't save anyone. You should hate me!"

"I can't take this car..." He struggled to crawl out of the car and fell to the ground amidst Erlun's exclamation.

…

Erlun found another car for Winters.

It's said to be a car, but it's actually just like a bed board. One end is fixed on the cow's shaft, and the other is on the ground. It doesn't even have wheels, so it has to be dragged along.

Winters, who was deeply worried, lay in the car and couldn't calm down for a long time.

When he regained his composure, he had already come a long way.

He looked around and suddenly realized: "This turns out to be nomadic."

"Hud means herd. Hud people are people who herd large livestock. They live in pursuit of water and grass."

The words in the book are empty and cold, but Winters is inadvertently involved in them.

Compared with the knowledge learned indirectly, witnessing "nomadism" with one's own eyes is a different experience.

There is only such a group of creatures in the desolate wilderness, and there is no longer any human habitation.

The cattle and sheep sometimes dispersed and sometimes gathered together, and the riders used long poles to knock stray animals from time to time.

People and animals were walking with open legs, as if they knew where they were going, as if they could keep walking like this.

After walking and resting for about six or seven hours, the migration team stopped by a small lake.

The livestock were brought to drink water, people reassembled the felt tents, and the little lion was already waiting here.

Winters suddenly discovered that nomadism is not only not an endless horizon, but also has nothing to do with freedom and wandering anywhere.

It is more like a series of carefully planned limited journeys, rather than aimless luck.

This kind of life is very different from settled farming, and migration is an important part of it.

This life is no different from the life of farmers in Wolf Town that Winters has seen.

Hard work, simple, ordinary, not spectacular, not interesting, just a group of people trying to live.

Winters had a strange feeling: Perhaps human strength lies in the matter of "working hard to live."

Just as Winters was wandering around, the little lion came over.

The little lion knocked on the car panel and asked with a smile: "It's the first day of driving, are you still getting used to it?"

Winters came to his senses: "It's easier to ride in a car than to ride a horse."

"I heard that you are not used to eating? I was the same when I first came home." The little lion patted his bow bag and said happily: "I'm going to hunt two rabbits for you. After you recover from your injuries, let's go hunting , that would be fun!”

"Rabbit, don't worry, I have something to ask you." Winters looked serious.

"We'll talk about it when we get back!" The little lion laughed loudly, jumped on the saddle and galloped away.

…

When the little lion came back, in addition to carrying the rabbit, he also brought another person with him, although he seemed very reluctant.

The person who came was an old Hud man with a weather-beaten face.

He came with two gifts: a bag of flour and a beautiful machete.

Without the red feathers and green feathers, Winters couldn't tell the identity of the Hud people. But judging from the fabric and embroidery of the robe, he should be a leader with a high status.

The little lion was too lazy to act as an interpreter, but the man was not annoyed and called Erlun for help.

After a brief explanation, Winters learned that the other party's name was Tiefeng [Qi Tiejia], the uncle of the White Lion brothers and the leader of the Eagle Forest Tribe.

Of the two gifts, Winters accepted the flour but left the machete untouched.

Tiefeng said something, Erlun translated it:

"Don't worry about the flame-warmers seeking revenge. The Terdun tribe is a blood ally with us. You are safe with us."

Winters said nothing.

Leader Hud didn't beat around the bush and asked straight to the point: "[Hud] I heard that you are a two-legged Kota?"

When Erlun translated it, Kota was the transliteration.

But Winters knew that Cotta was a military aristocrat of Hurd society.

The little lion and Tiefeng had a big quarrel and left angrily.

Tiefeng said something to Winters again, and Erlun was stunned.

Tiefeng urged Erlun.

"Uncle asked." Erlun whispered: "Are you willing to train a new army for us? I can give you anything you want. Even me."

Winters looked at Tie Feng expressionlessly, no need to speak, his body language was the answer.

"[Hidden language] Do you understand? If you can really tie him up, I won't say a word." Tiefeng said to Erlun: "[Hidden language] Two-legged people look down on us, no matter how much effort you put into it , he doesn’t want you at all. This is the third time that the roaster proposed to the White Lion for you. The Red River Department is in the most dangerous time now, do you want to let your brother lose his most important ally? "

After saying that, Tie Feng didn't even look at Winters anymore, turned around and walked out of the felt tent.

In Winters' view, it was Tiefeng who gave Erlun a severe scolding and then left.

"Why did he do this to you?" Winters asked softly.

"It's nothing, it's okay." Erlun sobbed softly: "We have flour, I will make bread for you."

After a while, the little lion came back angrily. When he saw his sister crying, he understood everything.

"Don't cry! Erlun, you have to be happy." The little lion patted his chest and said, "With me and my eldest brother here, you don't have to be afraid of anything."

Erlun wiped away his tears and walked out of the felt tent carrying flour.

"Do you think my uncle and I are playing the 'good master, bad master' game?" The little lion scratched his hair and asked with a wry smile.

"No, I never felt that way." Winters replied honestly: "Because you have a bigger temper than me."

"I tell you, I really hope you can stay and help my brother." The little lion said sadly: "The current situation of our Chihe tribe... you may not know it well. Alas, the tribes won, and our Chihe tribe won. The Ministry lost."

The little lion was wrong. Winters knew very well. He knew very well that at least 30% of the losses in the Akagawa tribe were due to him.

Throughout the Battle of the Great Wilderness, Winters almost always had a head-to-head confrontation with the Red River Tribe... and the Torton Tribe of the Fire-warmers.

Everyone knows that his enmity with the Teldu tribe was due to the duel before the battle.

But Winters was always neatly dressed when he fought against the Chihe tribe, and the three-quarters of the centurions in the entire legion almost looked the same.

What's more, Winters now lives in the same camp with old, young, women and children, so it's even less likely that anyone will find out that he is "him".

"I want you to stay, but only if you are willing to stay. I will never force you to stay. As long as I live, you will be safe." The little lion laughed and said with great pride: "If you stay. You I will use the infantry, my brother will use the cavalry, which of the tribes can compete with us?"

"But..." Winters sighed: "I never want to fight again."

"Then what do you want to do?" the little lion asked strangely.

So what do you want to do? This question struck Winters hard in his heart.

A "loyal heir", a person who was destined to be a soldier from birth, a person who entered military school at the age of nine, a person who knew nothing but fighting, a person with blood on his hands.

Besides fighting, what else do you want to do? What else can you do?

He leaned on the pillow and looked straight at Qionglu: "Lie down."

Thanks to book friends for reading, reading, recommending votes, monthly votes, tips and likes, thank you all.

The content of this chapter about the migration of nomads comes from the documentary. "Nomadism is not just an endless horizon, nor is it freedom and wandering anywhere. It is more like a series of carefully planned limited journeys without a trace of luck." is the original quote.

White lion and blood wolf, this TM is simply a dream men's doubles [land team].

[Sea group] is the six-star god general Narexiao + E god Great Mospire.

But now... Winters just wants to lie down.

Through what Winters saw and heard in the wasteland, the Battle of the Great Wasteland from the perspective of Hurd's tribes can be shown.

Some book friends mentioned, "Why does the white lion always have a way?"

If you look at it from the Hedian perspective, it becomes "Why do the Platons always have the solution?"

Some book friends mentioned that the white lion's sneak attack success rate is 100%.

Is this right? This is wrong, because Winters’ sneak attack success rate is 100%

Some book friends mentioned that none of the Platoans worked as hard as Winters.

This is not true either. Many of the bitter battles were fought by the Platans. The people who died the most were not the Venetians, but the Platons.

Winters fought not for Plato, but because he felt a responsibility to his subordinates. A strong sense of responsibility, which is Winters' personality, is closely related to his adoptive father's education.

Antonio is a person with a strong sense of responsibility, and it is he who teaches Winters to "do his duty".

So even if Winters is involved in this war, if he is put in that position, he will try his best, and [being a traitor] is not an option for him. The number of words is limited, so we will summarize it at the end of the volume.