### Chapter 3: New Hope (4)
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“Eat slowly, don’t choke…
And don’t go thinking we’re stingy! After being starved for so long, your stomachs aren’t ready for a full feast. Otherwise, you might just end up with a stomach perforation and that’ll be the end of you in the cold!
Today, we’ll each have one steamed bun. When we head out tomorrow morning, you’ll get two more. Just bear with it!
We won’t reach Cold Wind City until tomorrow night.
Once we arrive, someone will take care of you. Only then can you gradually start to eat more, got it?”
Old Drill Wind’s booming voice echoed through the crowd, but at this point, the starving folks were fixated on the big, white buns in their hands. Why would they listen to that little black catfish monster yammering on beside them?
As they polished off their buns two bites at a time, they finally looked up, their eyes locked onto Old Drill Wind, with a gaze that screamed, “We will eat you alive!”
Under the intense stares, Old Drill Wind quickly had a lightbulb moment and hopped back, swiftly having several fully armed little demons jump in front of him.
Holy smokes! Anyone who made it to this transfer station was no stranger to human meat and bl**d.
Even if they hadn’t dabbled in that, they had probably hunted a few hibernating beasts along the way. Otherwise, they would’ve starved to d*ath on the roadside as someone else’s lunch.
When the Great King sent him to expand trade routes with the Human Race, Old Drill Wind had successfully swapped a decent amount of food using the local specialties from the Chaos Forest.
He planned to stockpile some at the transfer station for a return trip to Cold Wind City, only to get hit with the sudden storm of a million players pouring into the continent.
The Second Great King Cold Moon had him on standby, putting a temporary stop to trading with humans to avoid the transfer station being discovered by outsiders.
Once winter hit, she started rounding up the refugees according to orders given before the Great King’s departure.
So, the transfer station where Old Drill Wind was located became the go-to stop for players heading to Cold Wind City.
As long as those tired players found the transfer station, the rest of their journey to Cold Wind City was all up to the station’s arrangements.
“You scruffy lot! Not charging you for the ride is generous enough. Don’t give me those spooky looks!
I warn you!
Once you’re in the transfer station, you must follow the rules of Cold Wind City. If anyone gets the urge to be a killer, don’t blame the police brothers for leaving you no way out.”
After a few hollers, Old Drill Wind sprinted off to the heavily guarded transfer station office, too scared to come out again.
All that was left were a dozen little demons in matching black uniforms, weapons in hand, keeping a sharp eye on the several hundred refugees resting in the clearing, just arrived at the transfer station today.
“Did that black little monster just mention a police station?”
“Yeah, I heard that too!”
“Sounds so familiar… Waaaah… why does it make me want to cry?”
The crowd murmured among themselves.
Although they’d only received one bun, it was like finding cash in a snowstorm. Many who were feeling deathly weak slowly started to regain their senses after eating it.
Certainly, among them were a number of people who weren’t satisfied with just one bun.
In fact, a few even contemplated robbing the transfer station’s food supply; if they hadn’t seen the well-equipped little demons, each armed with crossbows, they might’ve just gone for it.
The saying goes, the bird that sticks its head out gets shot. If they dared to cause a ruckus, they’d probably find themselves six feet under before dawn.
Better to wait until they reached Cold Wind City and assess the situation before making any moves.
But who would’ve guessed that the name of the law enforcement agency in Cold Wind City would be similar to that of the real world, instantly giving them a sense of bizarre nostalgia?
This made them even more eager for the journey ahead.
The next morning, the folks, all bundled up by the campfire, wiggled their stiff feet and slowly got up.
Who would’ve thought that just over a month ago, these folks accustomed to city life would be experiencing the great outdoors’ tough survival?
And even scarier, most had already gotten used to this nearly barbaric lifestyle.
After all, those who couldn’t adapt became someone else’s meal.
Times had changed, but the law of nature—survival of the fittest—applied in every situation.
“Get ready to leave! Each person will receive two buns: that’s your ration for today. Save some for later.”
This time Old Drill Wind didn’t bother to show up. He’d lost interest in these almost barbaric creatures, not wanting to deal with them.
Even though Cold Moon ordered him to ensure the refugees were fed, he still squeezed the rations to the bone. In his eyes, these folks were already used to being hungry—giving them one or two more buns wouldn’t even begin to fill their giant appetites.
As long as he could safely get them to Cold Wind City and pass them off to someone else, he was off the hook.
The saved rations could be used for trading next year, so why waste it all on these dirty folks?
The Great King had ordered him to make money. As for the Second Great King’s orders… whatever, just give them the bare minimum. After all, she couldn’t do anything to him.
Exactly!
“Director Old Drill Wind!”
A little demon shouted from outside.
While Old Drill Wind liked hearing his title from someone else’s mouth, being disturbed during his beauty sleep that early in the morning rubbed him the wrong way.
“What is it? Why are you in such a flap?”
Old Drill Wind grumbled as he opened the door with a frown.
“We found a few sick refugees, and their symptoms seem a bit unusual.”
“Get lost! What’s unusual? There are doctors in Cold Wind City, just send them there and we won’t have anything to worry about, got it? Don’t go dragging work onto yourself for no reason.
Hurry up and stick to the plan; get them on the carts.”
“Yes, Director!”
The little demon had no choice but to leave Old Drill Wind’s room obediently.
“Come on, come on, get on the carts!”
A dozen horse-driven carriages slowly pulled up before the crowd.
The carriages were quite basic, but at least they had plenty of room, and the horses pulling them were not your average ones; they were muscular and tall, almost 1.5 times the size of regular horses.
These horses were Old Drill Wind’s prized possessions, but to cooperate with Cold Wind City, he had to painfully part with them.
The few players who were on the brink of fainting, covered in strange markings, prepared to board with the help of those familiar to them.
Just then, a clear voice rang out, “Wait!”
The little demon in charge of maintaining order looked up, only to see a girl with long, snowy hair, wearing a black-and-white knee-length skirt, holding an enormous black sickle, standing in front of the cart.
“Who are you? How dare you block Cold Wind City’s operations?”
Several black-clad police officers rushed forward, even drawing their bows and aiming at the unfamiliar girl.
“I am Liuli, captain of the Extermination of Immortals Liuli team.”
Liuli coolly pointed at one of the seriously ill players, “These people are problematic; they must not be allowed to leave.”
