As night fell, Xiao Xun, feeling restless, used his spatial ring to transport himself to a small town untouched by war.
Although the Scourge Legion hadn't reached this place, the inhabitants, gripped by fear, had fled at the slightest sound.
The echo of his footsteps on the street seemed unusually loud. A cold wind blew from behind, and soon, following the street, he arrived before a small tavern.
Xiao Xun had seen this tavern when he traveled from the capital to Jietegor for his march. The tavern's waitresses were beautiful women in long dresses, their faces adorned with warm smiles.
Now, the tavern’s sign had fallen from its lintel, lying overturned at the entrance, coated in a layer of dust. Xiao Xun stepped on it without a second glance, leaving a footprint.
Inside the tavern, the scene was chaotic. Pots and pans were strewn everywhere, with piles of debris. The original tables and chairs were also arranged haphazardly; on the tables and chairs that were still intact, one could see thick dust.
Yet, in this dilapidated tavern, on a relatively intact table in the center, sat a pot of wine and several wine cups. Beside them sat a young beastman, clad in a white cloak, his appearance fierce and terrifying.
At this moment, the young beastman also saw Xiao Xun. He remained seated without moving, but his expression seemed to freeze for a moment, clearly not expecting anyone else to appear.
However, he quickly regained his composure, smiled slightly, and nodded at Xiao Xun.
Xiao Xun was no less surprised than the young beastman. Moreover, his suspicion about the identity of this mysterious young beastman deepened. To appear in a tavern in such a desolate town, this person's origins were undeniably bizarre.
The young beastman patted the chair beside him and said courteously, "Meeting is fate. Why not come and sit? Let us have a drink and chat for a while."
Xiao Xun replied calmly, "That would be good."
Saying this, he walked over slowly, but instead of sitting next to the young beastman, he took another chair and sat on the opposite side of the table.
A faint smile played on the young beastman's lips. He reached out, picked up a clean cup, placed it before Xiao Xun, then refilled it for him, and said with a smile, "Your Excellency comes to this deserted and remote town. May I ask why?"
Xiao Xun did not answer. He looked at the young beastman and said sternly, "Then why are you here?"
The young beastman smiled slightly and said, "I am passing through. I saw that there was still some leftover wine to be found here, so I decided to rest for a moment and drink alone."
Xiao Xun said expressionlessly, "If I say I also came here to find wine to drink, do you believe me?"
The young beastman paused, then burst into laughter, clapping his hands. "I believe you, why wouldn't I! Come, come, let us drink this cup together. Life is inherently lonely, and it is rare to find a fated person who, in a remote corner at the ends of the earth, seeks wine together."
With that, he raised his cup to Xiao Xun and drained it in one gulp.
Xiao Xun looked at him deeply, then suddenly smiled. His smile was filled with the weariness of age. He raised his cup and drank it down in one go. A fiery warmth spread from his throat down to his belly. The wine in this desolate town was surprisingly potent.
The young beastman laughed and said, "How is it?"
Xiao Xun instantly realized. This was not the wine of this world. Although Xiao Xun had been in this world for less than a year, this place only produced low-alcohol beer and fruit wine; there had never been any strong spirits.
But Xiao Xun remained unperturbed. He raised his eyes, took the wine pot, and refilled their cups. "Good wine!"
The young beastman's smile deepened. He slapped the table and laughed heartily, "Good, indeed it is good wine."
As night deepened, the cold wind began to rise. A "woooo" sound echoed through the desolate town, like distant weeping, which was quite frightening.
Inside the tavern, it was pitch dark. Xiao Xun and the young beastman sat in the darkness, neither of them making a move to find a magic stone to illuminate the place.
Perhaps in the darkness, they felt more comfortable.
All day long, they sat facing each other, occasionally exchanging a few unimportant words, drinking a few cups of wine, and more often, lost in their own thoughts, reminiscing about their past lives.
On such a cold night, in a remote place at the ends of the earth, two strangers seemed to have known each other for a lifetime, coexisting in a state of quiet companionship.
The next morning, it was time for them to part ways.
The young beastman glanced at Xiao Xun and smiled, "It is rare to meet. We part ways today. I do not know when we will meet again. Take care, Your Excellency."
Xiao Xun, unfamiliar with the local customs, simply replied, "You too."
The young beastman seemed to recall something at this moment. "The world is in great chaos now, and the situation in the north is becoming increasingly tense. Does Brother have any interest in going north to see the excitement?"
Xiao Xun was slightly surprised and couldn't help but glance at the young beastman. He saw that the young beastman's expression was calm, as if he had no ulterior motive. After a moment of thought, Xiao Xun said, "We'll see. Why, are you also interested in these conflicts and battles?"
The young beastman smiled slightly but did not answer. He then cupped his hands to Xiao Xun, turned, and disappeared.
Seven days later, in the territories surrounding Jietegor, the number of Scourge Legion soldiers continued to grow. Within a hundred-mile radius, with Jietegor at its center, fleeing crowds could be seen everywhere.
It seemed that in this world, only that fortified city could offer a semblance of comfort and security. In reality, the true sense of security came from Xiao Xun's presence. With him here, there was a possibility of defeating the invincible Scourge Legion.
Amidst this throng of noisy people, the civilian district of Jietegor was the most chaotic place. Streets and alleys were crowded with people. The existing hotels in the city were already full, and more refugees had to sleep in the open. Under these circumstances, the food supply in Jietegor became extremely strained. Fortunately, because the city was located by the river, there was no concern about the water source.
Under normal circumstances, in such chaos, it would be difficult to prevent acts of looting and murder. Indeed, there were occasional rumors of such incidents; someone went missing yesterday, and today, someone else was reportedly found dead in the street. However, Jietegor was the main city of the Duke of Sangqiu, and the Duke had made preparations, dispatching a considerable number of soldiers to maintain order within the city. Thus, overall, these countless refugees had not suffered any untoward incidents during this catastrophe.
However, as the terrifying rumors of the Scourge Legion grew stronger with each passing day, no one could predict what tomorrow would bring. In this situation, an increasingly uneasy atmosphere permeated Jietegor, and the people were filled with anxiety.
As night finally descended, the people of Jietegor, who had been clamoring all day, finally endured another day under the fear of the catastrophe brought by the King of Arrogance. Tired, people in every corner of the city quietly fell asleep, filled with apprehension and uncertainty about the future. Who cared about what was happening around them anymore?