Iron Power And Sorcerer

Iron Power And Sorcerer Chapter 221

2021-01-23

Chapter 221 Galloping Horses
Gold was still too weak to support the long journey.

Winters is also injured and needs a place to catch his breath.

While Shire sutured Winters' wound, the three had already decided their next step: going to Wolf Town.

If it is purely for recuperation, it is best to hide nearby.

But they are unfamiliar in the Land of Galloping Horses, and the accent alone will reveal their identity as outsiders.

There are no friends or relatives to provide hiding places for the three - except for the folks in Wolf Town.

Winters can't go to Consul Veneta for help either, because the city is probably under martial law, and it's too risky to enter the city again.

Chasers will come at any time, so they must get away from the castles as quickly as possible, as far as possible.

And, of course, the most important reason: Winters wanted to take a look at Wolfstown.

Without further ado, the three of them changed their clothes and set off immediately.

 …

Winters learned his anti-tracking skills from the giant bear in Wolf Town.

He did not take the main road, but entered the fields, first detouring toward Northwest.

When he saw creeks and rivers, he would run in the water to remove the smell;

Do these methods work? Winters can't guarantee it either.

But thanks to these measures, giant bear once got rid of the tracking of the most powerful old hunter in Wolf Town, and it should not be difficult to get rid of a few kings fort militiamen.

After nightfall, the three slept in a woodland camp.

Because Winters' wound was still bleeding and Gold needed rest, they didn't work all night.

They rested until the evening of the second day, after confirming that no one was catching up behind them, they turned to the southwest by taking advantage of the night.

The new land is located at the southwest end of Palatu, and Wolf Town is located at the southwest end of the new land.

The sausage-slicing war between Palato and the Heard tribes resulted in a gap in the control areas of the two sides, but roughly maintained a 100-kilometer unmanned buffer zone.

No man's land is defined by natural dividing lines such as mountains and rivers, and is constantly changing.

However, because of the remoteness of Tiefeng County, where Wolf Town is located, it has already reached the northern foot of the Golden Peak mountain range, so Palatu has not expanded its territory from this location over the years.

The three Winters traveled at night and rested during the day, eating jerky and meat floss brought back from wasteland, avoiding villages and towns as much as possible.

When shopping for necessities, let Shire do the shopping too.

After walking out of the Zhuwangbao area and Xilin Province, and reconfirmed that there were no chasing troops, the three Winters returned to their normal work and rest and returned to the main road.

Winters also bought a horse for forty ducats, and it wasn't a good horse.

This price has nearly doubled compared to last year, and the war has ignited, and the price of horses is also as the tide rises, the boat floats.

But Winters desperately needs a new horse. They have three people, but only four horses, which are expensive.

In the beginning, Winters was on his way to Wolf Town with a bit of ease.

But the further he went, the heavier his heart became.

The destructive power of war on society was nakedly displayed in front of him. There were no longer endless caravans, and no more farmers selling fruits, vegetables and eggs.

When the few travelers on the road saw each other, they silently wrapped their cloaks tightly and held their weapons. They could not breathe a sigh of relief until they were far away.

Most cities have raised the red rose flag, especially the area south of the Ember River. They levied labor, built fortifications, collected supplies, blocked roads, and severely checked passers-by.

It is said that not long ago, Blue Rose's troops crossed the Cinder River, ruthless sweeping these areas of allegiance to the Red Rose.

The Winters trio had to be extra careful.

 …

A new land province, a village without a name on the map.

"No living people were found." Xia Er trotted back and whispered, "I didn't find anything to eat either. There are several new graves in the west of the village. The villagers who are still alive should have buried the bodies. , flee."

Winters nodded.

In front of you is not a village, but the ruins of a small village.

This was originally a very small village, with only seven or eight households looking at the courtyard.

Perhaps there were men and women who worked hard and tenaciously in the surrounding farmland year after year.

But it's gone now, only the ruins that were burned by the fire.

"Let's go." Winters climbed into the saddle and said to Shire and Gold, "Let's go to the next village and see if we can get something to eat."

The three galloped away, and the charred ruins returned to dead silence.

Winters doesn't know what the hell people are going through because he's just on the go.

But he had an intuitive feeling, that is, the number of merchants on the road could not be less, but the number of robbers and robbers could not be more.

It was getting harder and harder for him to get supplies, and even the smallest villages closed their doors and refused to welcome strangers.

After leaving the direct jurisdiction of the Kings Castle and the Xilin Province - the actual control area of the Red Rose force - Winters almost every day will encounter roadblockers.

By the time he entered the new field, the frequency rose to two or even three times a day.

Most of the robbers were horrified peasants, their hands shaking with pitchforks and hatchets as they terrorized Winters.

There are also many gangs who are robbers who have seen blood, and farmers who don't even have shoes wrapped around the rout soldiers.

For the former, Winters couldn't bear to kill, but only knocked out the opponent's weapons; for the latter, he only killed the leaders who were obviously habitual bandits.

"get lost!" Winters doesn't know what to say: "Go home!"

The robbers are gone, but they'll be back.

"Wolftown must be fine." Winters told himself over and over again: "With Mayor Girard here, Wolftown is still so remote, it must be fine."

He tried not to think about it. terrifying things, hurry up.

 …

The sun was setting in the west, and it was getting dark.

Crossing the black liquid river and following the rammed earth road over two hillsides, you can see the spire of the bell tower of the Wolf Sect Protecting Hall.

This road is very familiar to Winters because he has walked it many, many times.

Winters has only lived in Wolf Town for less than half a year, but for him, Wolf Town has a home-like intimacy.

When he left here, he was a high-spirited and vigorous youth. The young men of Wolf Town sang songs and followed him to war.

When he came back here, the young men in Wolf Town, who were laughing and making trouble, passed away, and Winters only brought back scars all over his body.

When he went through all kinds of hardships and once again stationed his horse on the hillside, he could not see the spire nailed with brass skin.

“Did I go wrong?” Winters asked Shire, a quiver in his voice.

"Yes, this is Wolf Town."

"Go!"

Winters stabbed the horse's ribs, rushed down the hillside, moved towards Wolf Town Galloping the square.

Wolf Town was right in front of him, but he couldn't recognize it.

The church, ruined.

The white-painted exterior was charred, the bell tower collapsed, and the bell was sadly half-buried in the rubble.

Only the original stone structure remains of the church. The stone wall stood alone, and the wind whimpered through the holes in the wall.

Old Misha's blacksmith shop, ruined.

Archie's grocery store, ruined.

The town hall and police station have also been burnt to scorched earth.

Many graves in the cemetery were even exhumed, and the bones were scattered around the tombstones.

"This...this..." Ciel was surprised, angry and sad, his hands shaking while holding the reins: "How could this be?"

"It must have been Thief." Gold whispered, "Dug up the coffin, steal the funerary stuff..."

Winters suddenly whipped his horse and ran towards Mitchell Manor.

He thought of the outspoken and generous Gillard, of the gentle and kind Mrs. Mitchell, of the same age as Ella, like his younger sister, who hugged the Mitchells tightly when they quarreled. Scarlett on his arm.

"Don't die." Winters prayed: "You don't die."

If there really is a supreme being somewhere, he prays to Him for the first time.

The thriving Mitchell estate has completely changed.

The tobacco fields covering the mountains and plains are now overgrown with weeds, and the fences all around the estate have collapsed in the wind and rain.

I can't see the working people, only flocks of birds are flying up and down.

Luckily, Winters saw a plume of smoke rising from the Mitchell mansion.

A glimmer of hope ignited in Winters' heart, and he galloped his horse, leaping from the damaged fence straight into the manor, heading straight for the house behind the oak tree, startling the birds along the way.

People in the house also heard the series of hooves.

They ran calmly inside and out of the house to hide jewelry and poultry and livestock.

A thin silhouette ran out of the house from the main entrance and ran towards the bullpen.

But when the thin silhouette saw who was running towards them, she was stunned.

Winters reined in his mount before the steps, jumped off the saddle, and the tiny silhouette threw itself into his arms, crying.

It wasn't until then that Winters realized that the skinny boy was actually a soft girl, Scarlett, the pearl in the palm of Mitchell Manor.

"They said you were dead." Scarlett cried, "mother! Mr. Montagne is back!"

Winters didn't know what to do, he patted Xiaomi lightly Ms. Chell's back: "It's alright, it's alright."

Mrs. Mitchell also became thinner, but her temperament did not change, and her waist was still straight.

Mrs. Mitchell smiled heartily, but she couldn't be as reserved as her daughter.

She bowed her knees in greeting to Winters: "It's very good to have you back..."

Winters also bowed back: "Madame."

Ciel A good distance from Gold by Winters, which will finally catch up.

The two were delighted to see the Mitchells safe and sound.

"Mr. Shire." Mrs. Mitchell bowed one after another: "Mr. Gold."

"Mrs." The two took off their hats and nodded in return. .

The old pirate was equally respectful in front of Mrs. Mitchell.

"Mrs. Medellin." Mrs. Mitchell greeted the others in the room: "Please boil some water for the three gentlemen to bathe."

One of the heads The woman, wearing a black veil - which means she is a widow - nodded, turned and returned to the house.

Gold scratched his head and laughed: "You're still very thoughtful. Listening to you, I'm a little itchy too."

"What are you talking about? Three or four!" Ciel kicked the old pirate in dissatisfaction: "Respect!"

"Isn't it just taking a shower." The old pirate unfathomable mystery.

"Scarlett, you take Mr. Montagne back to his room to settle down." Ellen didn't ask any further questions, she settled the three calmly: "I'll arrange rooms for the two gentlemen. , prepare dinner, and I'll help you in a while."

"No, no." The old pirate shook his head desperately: "I'll just live in the servant's room with this kid."

"Then How can you, please come with me."

The hostess always keeps everything in order and everyone is busy.

The desolation and desertedness are gone, and it suddenly returns to the vibrant Mitchell Manor.

Scarlett wiped away her tears and took Winters' arm with a smile: "Come on, Winters, no one has touched your room. I'll clean it for you every day."

Winters has a wonderful sense of intimacy, as if he is returning to Hai Lan's home, and in a trance, Scarlett's face becomes Ella's face.

He was led up the second floor, back to the den where he was staying at the Mitchells.

Nothing had changed, and the setting sun filled the room from the west-facing windows. The same bed, the twill bed, the oak table.

Winters stood in the doorway, afraid to step in.

Ella pushed him in and said with a smile: "You rest first, wait for the water to heat up, and I will tell you to take a bath. You are sore, you need to take a good bath. Wash."

After speaking, Ella closed the door.

Winters step by step Moved to the edge of the bed and sat on the bed.

He smelled the familiar smell of saponin, and Rhett cultivator walked into the room with a cane stick and explained to him what "politics" was just now.

Oh, by the way, Rhett cultivator also passed away.

He brought back the ashes of the Rhett cultivator.

Winters cautiously took out Rhett's cultivator's urn and placed it securely on the table.

"Relax, Old Guy." Winters meditated, "I'll take you home, sooner or later."

Dongfeng tapped on the window lattice, as if the old man was laughing .

"Winters!" Scarlett called him downstairs: "You can come down and take a shower."

Winters took off his shirt, took out the items he carried, and placed them on the table.

The broken jug.

One hundred and sixty-four wooden awls that could not be used.

Erron's knife.

Anna's locket and wood carving.

Finally, he found a small tin box from the inner pocket of his jacket.

Winters broke open the small tin box, and inside was a tuft of silver-gray bristles.

He gently stroked Qiangyun, and suddenly the tears couldn't stop flowing down.

After escaping from the dead, he never cried again, not once.

But at this moment, as if the inner dyke had finally collapsed, Winters cried like a helpless child.

He leaned against the wall and sat little by little on the ground, crying more and more fiercely, and finally almost crying.

Ellen and Scarlett downstairs noticed something strange upstairs. Scarlett wanted to go upstairs to check, but was stopped by Ellen.

Ellen quietly sent away all the servants in the family.

Ciel and Gold also went back to the first floor--Ciel, too, sobbing in a low voice, Gold sighed and led him into the courtyard.

Then Ellen took her daughter out for a walk.

The Mitchell Mansion was empty, leaving no one else.

As Ellen and Scarlett returned from their walk, Winters came downstairs.

His eyes are still red, but there is no serious problem, and his appearance has returned to his previous appearance, except that his left leg is still a little inconvenient.

"I'm crying again," he said.

"Eat my good chicken stew tonight." Ellen replied, "After you shower, please go and chop some wood."

...

It's another Sunday, early in the morning.

It is customary for Catholics to rush to church in town early in the morning for a ceremony.

But since the town center was changed beyond recognition by a gang of rout soldiers, no one went there.

The gold and silver sacrificial utensils in the church were looted, Father Anthony died of anger, the church itself was burned to the ground, and even the fallen soldiers were not spared.

Coffins were dug up, burial objects were taken away, and the bones of the deceased were scattered throughout the cemetery.

After only three months of war, all the tragic signs were exposed.

"Just live." People say, "A day is a day."

In the corner of Mitchell Manor, a man is chopping wood.

He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of trousers, revealing scars that were horrible to see on his arms and chest.

Every time he slashed, the muscles on his body surged like mercury.

It looked like he didn't use much strength, but the thick piece of wood that hugged him was also split in two in front of him.

The chopped firewood under the eaves is almost a hill.

But the man was still chopping wood tirelessly,
Gold came quietly from behind the man, the old pirate was at a loss, hesitated, and finally said to the man's back: "Sir, You don't need to blame yourself."

Winters continued chopping wood without speaking.

"You chop wood enough for Mitchell's family for a hundred years." Gold found a tree stump and sat down, rambled:

"Me too You can't speak, as long as you can understand me.

Think about it, if you don't come to Wolf Town, the war will not be fought?
If you don't come, who will bring Wolf Town The militia was drafted? Isn't that Mr. Mitchell?
Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Mitchell, can you lead the army? Wouldn't the end be worse?

Just like I did When I was a pirate, I told myself, if I don't rob them, they won't be robbed by others? Damn, they will die sooner or later. When they meet me, it means that God has plans for them..."

said After speaking, Gold suddenly spat and complained to himself: "Hey! What I'm talking about... You can understand what I mean, don't blame yourself. They are lucky to meet you."

"I don't blame myself, Gold." Winters picked up a piece of wood and placed it on the stump: "I was thinking of something else."

The wood "peng" It was split in two with a bang.

"That's good." The old pirate stood up embarrassedly: "We can almost leave. The affairs of Wolf Town will be left in Wolf Town, and we will go back to Veneta."

"Gold." Winters asked without looking back: "Why are you helping me?"

"Me? I don't know." Gold sat back on the stump and thought about it for a long time. , then said in a sullen voice: "I... I'm the youngest son in the family, and both parents are tenants. If they couldn't support me, they sent me to the ship to be a sailor. Life on the ship was very bad, the captain bullied people, the sailor Bullying, too. I'm on board, the meanest one.

If the captain could see me as a person, I'd rather die than follow him to the ends of the earth. If other sailors could treat me Better yet, I wouldn't betray them anyway. Then the ship was robbed, and the pirates asked if anyone wanted to join the crew, and I didn't hesitate when I said yes.

That's what happened anyway, I don't know why I came here. Even with your jug of water."

Winters chopped wood in silence, Gold sighed, and turned away.

After Winters returned to Mitchell Manor, word of "Montagne's Magistrate is back" spread in the villages.

Many villagers came to visit him.

It is also from the mouths of the villagers that Winters was able to understand the hardships that Wolf Town has experienced in the past few months.

When Girard Mitchell was mayor, only the villages of Hedong, Hexi, and Dusa respected him, and the two Protestant villages often had trouble with Girard.

When Gillard was drafted and replaced with Big Bentine, even the Protestants began to miss Mayor Mitchell.

First, there was the urging-like collection of land funds and taxes, and then there were rounds of levies and grain levies.

The landless hired laborers fled one after another, and if they couldn't catch enough people, they forcibly took the peasants away.

Men are afraid to sleep at home and hide in the woods at night.

In mid-May, an officer who came to recruit Ding disappeared, Big Bentine fled to Gervodin overnight, and Wolf Town was completely out of order.

The great character fights on the horizon, but the defeated soldiers run into the new field.

Without the mayor, there is no security in the town of Wolf. The villages could barely protect themselves, but they could not protect the town, and the town center was burnt to scorched earth during that time.

April and May are the seasons when the green and yellow seasons are no longer available, and the surplus grains are scraped away again. Farmers are waiting for the harvest of winter wheat in early June.

It has been hard until June, but an even bigger disaster awaits.

Three groups of people came to the new land to collect grain and people.

What's more terrifying than the grain levy is that they harvest their wheat fields before the farmers.

If the farmer dares to show up to stop him, he will be charged on the spot instead.

Two groups of people would fight each other when they met, and many wheat fields were burned to ashes.

For farmers, they don't understand the difference between red roses and blue roses.

For them, it's just groups of people coming to snatch their rations.

Even the yeoman farmers could no longer survive, some nailed their doors and windows and fled.

Their plank sheds were left open empty, and their dilapidated courtyards became increasingly desolate and unbearable to see.

The remaining farmers, reluctant to leave the land, planted barley, prayed for the autumn harvest, and struggled tenaciously.

The war has not yet burned the newly cultivated land, but the devastation to the people of the newly cultivated land has not diminished in the slightest.

Because they don't belong to any party, no one cares about them.

Hearing the broken stories of the people of Wolf Town, Winters became more and more silent.

The people of Wolf Town have been scratched and bruised by round after round of expropriation, but I heard that the Montagne town officer had a wound on his leg, and brought him precious eggs, flour and even the only leftovers at home. a small strip of cured meat.

Winters can only persuade the villagers over and over to bring their things back.

He remembered that Mrs. Mitchell made chicken stew on the first night he returned to Mitchell Manor.

It was delicious at the time, but in retrospect, it was the hen that the Mitchells laid eggs.

Winters chop wood silently, tirelessly.

He hauled logs from the woods, sawed them into sections, chopped them into wood, and the chopped wood was almost piled up into a hill.

He repaired one by one the broken fences of Mitchell Manor.

He wanted to leave money for Mrs. Mitchell, but was the Mitchells short of money? The world has become like this, what is the use of money?

 …

Winters’ new wound had scabbed and swelled, and Gold was recovering quickly.

The day of separation finally came.

Mitchells and daughters packed up and prepared food for Winters.

“Sorry,” Winters said to Mrs. Mitchell.

"Don't say that, Mr. Montagne." Ellen lovingly adjusted Winters' collar: "Pierre would not have come back alive without you. You are the benefactor of the Mitchells, forever. forever."

Scarlett's eyes were slightly red, and she reluctantly stood behind her mother, but did not say a word of retention.

“Sorry.” Winters lowered his head.

Ellen gave a rare hug to the young Veneta, turned her head and told her daughter: "Dear, please go and bring Botayun out."

Scarlett has already advanced get ready. She nodded, leading a cloud-white horse from the back of the house.

"The fate of Qiang Luck...I'm sorry." Ellen didn't need Winters to say anything, she saw that Luck hadn't come back and saw Winters' cane, she understood it all: "This Please bring your horse back to Veneta. Don't ride it or get tired of it on the road. It's my husband's best stallion and Gillard wants to give it to you too."

"No." Winters shook his head desperately, "I can't."

"You must take it." Ellen whispered, "She's got a bloodline of luck."

Winters froze completely, body shuddering involuntarily.

Scarlett also gave Winters a hug, then she wiped away tears and tucked the reins into Winters' hands.

Winters got on his horse and left Mitchell Manor. He didn't dare to look back, he just walked forward.

Ciel and Gold followed silently.

The trio rode silently and just walked.

Continue to the fork to Hexi Village and Wolf Town.

A shaggy-haired Old Lady stood at the fork, wrapped in dirty rags.

She leaned on a stick and stared straight at the road to Wolf Town.

"Come on, my lord," Gold whispered. "That's a lunatic."

Winters recognized who the Old Lady was, who had been sitting in the fight. Next to Tanichang, with his little granddaughter on his back, he was doing laundry while talking and laughing, while watching the men practice the javelin.

Winters took out all the money he had, dismounted, and walked over to the Old Lady.

The stone-like Old Lady suddenly reached out and grabbed Winters' arm. She stared at Winters' face as if she recognized who was in front of her.

The rays of light of hope appeared in her eyes.

"My lord." The Old Lady asked, "Have you seen my son?"

Tears welled up in Winters' eyes.

"Come on, my lord," Gold whispered.

Winters thought of Aquamarine, Kesa, Antonio, Elizabeth, Great General and Little General.

He remembered what Rhett cultivator said: "This is the easiest and easiest way, I have already pointed it to you, why are you hesitating?"

He remembered Anna's smile and hair.

He remembered everything about his hometown.

…

…

“Boom.”

“Boom.”

“Boom.” "

Three knocks, Scarlett sobbing opened the door.

Winters is standing outside the door.

"I'm not leaving," he said.

Scarlett cried and hugged Winters.

Above the field, a rider is galloping toward Veneta, with two other slave horses strapped to his saddle.

The rider's name is "Good Luck" Gold.

There are four letters in his backpack.

The recipients of the first three letters were Kesa Serbia, Antonio Serbia and Elisabeth Serbia.

The recipient of the fourth letter is Ana Navarre.

There is only one sentence above.

"I'm still alive, sorry, don't wait for me."

[Second Volume is over]
[Second Volume is over! ]
[This chapter says there is a portrait of Anna, please remember to check]
[Tough choices. After all, Winters took a more difficult road according to the wishes of Rhett cultivator]
[Thanks to book lovers for their collection, reading, subscription, recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, rewards and comments, thank you all]


(end of this chapter)