After all, this was rations prepared for Ursus' grey cattle. How good could it actually taste? It was enough just to fill one's stomach.
Seeing Xia Yu's expression, the people around her realized something was wrong. It made sense; she was such a kind person. How could anyone have the heart to eat such a fine meal while she sat aside gnawing on dry rations?
"Doctor, please eat. Don't worry about us," FrostNova said, realizing the issue. She had been so happy she lost her head. How could she drag the Doctor over to eat like this? She should have sent the food to her tent.
"Yes, yes, Doctor. You don't need to mind us. You must look after your health..." The surrounding people chimed in with persuasion.
Talulah and the chef exchanged a look. Damn, we messed up.
Truthfully, they had considered this. Although they told the chef to prepare a good meal for Doctor Xia Yu, they assumed she wouldn't be up for a while. The plan was to cook it, keep it warm, and bring it to her once she woke. They hadn't expected her to get up so quickly. Coupled with the long meeting about future development, Talulah had momentarily forgotten and led her straight here.
The chef was even more excited. His life had been ruined by Oripathy; Doctor Xia Yu's treatment was nothing short of a second chance at life. In his agitation, he had simply served it up.
It resulted in this awkward situation.
Xia Yu sighed. How could she possibly eat? The more sincere these people were, the more embarrassed she felt. If they were being sarcastic or trying to exclude her, she could have just dug in. But they were genuinely heartfelt.
After some thought, she reached into her inventory and pulled out the remaining deer carcasses one by one. Inventory management is so inconvenient; I have to do this manually.
"Today is a day worth celebrating," Xia Yu stood up and spoke loudly to the crowd. "Chronic illnesses have faded, and new life has arrived. Honestly, according to the customs of Yan, everyone should have a hearty meal together."
"But resources are limited. I know you care for me, but it feels wrong for me to eat alone."
She turned to the chef. "I'll trouble you. Take these deer and prepare them. Make a stew for everyone. Not just for me—you all need to nourish yourselves as well."
Stew was the only option. Five deer for over a thousand people... it was hard to distribute otherwise.
"Ah, we can't possibly take yours—" The chef instinctively tried to refuse, but FrostNova interrupted him.
"I remember there's still some meat in the warehouse. Let's cook that too," FrostNova said as she stood up. "The Doctor is right. Today is a happy day. Everyone should eat well."
"There will be more meat in the future," Talulah added, standing beside them. "There will be bread, too. Once we return to the tundra, we will reclaim the land and farm it ourselves."
"And those Ursus outposts and mines—we will visit them all. we'll find food."
"Come, everyone, lend a hand! Inventory the meat in logistics. We feast tonight!"
"As for tomorrow? I recall we passed an Ursus outpost the day before yesterday. We were in a hurry to go south then, so we ignored it. Now that we're heading north, we need supplies."
She turned her gaze toward Patriot.
"Then we take it tomorrow!" As the current leader, Patriot naturally wouldn't object. "Winter is coming. Those tundra outposts are usually packed with supplies to support the mines. The harvest will not be small."
FrostNova immediately led the Shieldguards toward the logistics warehouse. The Infected began a celebration. They brought out food and even proper alcohol, beginning the festivities.
"Teacher, can we eat meat too?" A group of children clung to Alina.
"Of course you can. Everyone can!"
Xia Yu slowly drifted toward that area with her bowl of stew. She didn't like drinking, so sitting at the "kids' table" was her best bet.
"The Doctor is here." The children grew quiet at her arrival. Even at their young age, they knew the Doctor held immense authority in this group.
"What's wrong? Am I that scary?" Xia Yu smiled as she saw them peeking from behind Alina. She took out her staff and spun it in the air. A speck of soft blue light gradually manifested.
[Glintstone Magic: Starlight]
A perfect companion for exploring the night or basements, its brilliant glow was enough to illuminate any darkness. While researching her spells, she discovered that a Tarnished's sorceries and incantations weren't as rigid as they were in the game. She could now control the movement of the starlight. The azure mote drifted toward the children, darting away quickly whenever they grew bold enough to grab it.
The children couldn't take their eyes off it. Kids this age loved such novelties, and they began chasing the light with excited shouts. Xia Yu amused herself by guiding the starlight around like she was playing with kittens. To be honest, she enjoyed teasing children—especially other people's children. It was great fun.
"What spell is this?" Alina asked curiously, leaning in.
"Starlight. It's for illumination," Xia Yu replied with a smile. "A very basic spell."
"Alas, I can't learn those complex Origin Arts," Alina said enviously. "It looks so useful."
"Actually, this isn't an Origin Art," Xia Yu shrugged. "It's Glintstone Magic."
"Oh? Can I learn it?" Alina's eyes lit up.
"About that..." Xia Yu's face turned awkward. "I'm afraid..."
She didn't even know how to teach it herself.
"I'm not exactly an orthodox mage," Xia Yu sighed. "Using these spells and incantations is pure instinct for me. I know how to do it, but not why it works. Asking me to teach would be..."
"So this isn't an Origin Art?" Talulah walked over, having overheard the conversation. "I've been curious for a long time, but I was worried it might be offensive to ask."
"Of course not," Xia Yu shook her head. "These are heritages lost to history. They belong to a completely different field than modern Origin Arts."
"Like Sarkaz witchcraft?" Patriot joined them. "Modern Origin Arts also exclude Sarkaz witchcraft."
"Exactly. Magic and Incantations rely on my own mana," Xia Yu explained. "Origin Arts, on the other hand, involve communicating with Originium to manipulate surrounding particles. They aren't the same concept at all."
"One's own mana?" Talulah paused. "Isn't that just like the Sarkaz? A unique racial talent?"
"You could understand it that way," Xia Yu nodded meaningfully. "I am likely the last person in this world to inherit these arts."
"Is that so? You're the only one left of your race..." Talulah looked downcast, feeling a sense of empathy. "Then you're just like me."
"Actually, not quite," Xia Yu corrected her. "I'm not the only one. According to my information, there is another compatriot in slumber. There's also a group of others sleeping, but they likely won't wake. They've slept too long."
"Can we go wake them?" Talulah asked excitedly. "If we do, you won't be alone, Doctor! Not like me..."
"You aren't alone either." Xia Yu tapped the table, adopting a recollecting expression. "Dracos... I recall seeing two children in Victoria a few years ago. A pair of sisters named... I believe they were Eblana and Reed?"
"What?! I have kin?" Talulah nearly jumped. "But I thought my father was the last..."
"It's another branch," Xia Yu shook her head. "The lineage from Tara. Not the same branch as your Victorian Red Dragons, but certainly kin."
"Are those sisters... doing well?" Talulah asked nervously.
"Not particularly," Xia Yu sighed. "You know what a Draco's existence means to Victoria. The elder, Eblana, has grown twisted—scheming and manipulating hearts. The younger, Reed, has become a soulless doll, moved around by her sister's arrangements. But even if they don't say it, they care for each other deeply."
Hearing this, Talulah immediately thought of herself and Ch'en. As a fellow Red Dragon, she could empathize with what those unknown kin had suffered. Kashchey had tried to mold her into the same thing. She had chosen to resist, while that kinswoman had likely compromised.
"If there's a chance... I must take that younger sister away," Talulah said, taking a deep breath.
"Give it a rest. She's currently the confidante of a Victorian Grand Duke," Xia Yu laughed. "Talulah, what do you have that can fight his fleet?"
"...The Grand Duke." Talulah fell silent. She knew of the Duke's legendary military exploits.
"However, it's not like there's no chance," Xia Yu said, striking while the iron was hot.
"What chance?"
"We develop on the tundra for a few years, raise our banner, and unite everyone," Xia Yu said with a smirk. "Then, a fire will burn through all of Ursus, overthrowing the nobles and the Emperor to remake the nation. By then, you'll have the strength and the confidence."
"You certainly think highly of me," Talulah gave a bitter smile. "I'm afraid I don't have the capability for such a grand undertaking."
"No one is born knowing everything." Xia Yu patted her shoulder. "Learn slowly. But you must have a goal. If you don't even dare to dream it, why bother running a guerrilla force?"
"You're right," Talulah nodded. "I should have a goal."
"As long as you understand." Xia Yu smiled and looked away.
Her words weren't just for Talulah. The Black Snake... its existence was quite interesting, dividing itself into several individuals to explore how to sustain Ursus. The individual possessing Talulah wanted to maintain the tradition of external expansion to stabilize the country. For this fragment, Xia Yu had to crush it. Even if she couldn't kill it, she had to ruin its plans. But the other fragments... they might be worth contacting.
So you want to make Ursus great again? I'll just show you how it's done. After all, it only needed Ursus. Whether it was an Ursus ruled by nobles, oligarchs, or the people made no difference to the snake. As long as Ursus remained strong.
Simultaneously, the Black Snake parasitic within Talulah narrowed its eyes. This person is wrong. Terribly wrong. She must be suppressed!
On the other side, Xia Yu saw FrostNova approaching with a bottle of alcohol and immediately felt a jolt. She didn't like drinking, but she didn't mind those who did. If you offered a toast, she'd happily clink glasses with juice, provided you didn't get rowdy or force her to drink.
'An alcohol allergy is truly a great excuse.'
FrostNova snuck a swig as she walked, narrowing her eyes as she enjoyed the warmth. For people in high latitudes, strong liquor was indeed a boon, helping them survive the harsh winters when infrastructure was lacking. Alcohol and sugar were the essential currencies of the north.
But Xia Yu didn't want to touch it. She looked at Patriot.
"Want to go a round, Buldrokas'tee?" Xia Yu issued a duel challenge. "To be honest, I haven't moved my muscles in a long time. In this camp, only you can satisfy me."
Patriot hadn't expected her to challenge him now. He asked instinctively, "Doctor, is your body alright?"
"There's a problem, a big one," Xia Yu said with a smile. "I haven't moved in so long I'm starting to rust. As a powerhouse, you should understand that feeling. If you don't swing a weapon for a few days, your heart gets itchy. You just want to find an opponent and cause a ruckus. Besides, don't you want to test your peak body now that the weight of Oripathy is gone? In a sense, I'm the doctor accompanying the patient through rehabilitation."
"I would be honored." Patriot laughed, grabbing his halberd. He followed Xia Yu out of the camp. If they fought inside, the small space wouldn't survive them.
Hearing that the two were going to fight, everyone except the cooks ran to the entrance to watch. Patriot held his greatshield and halberd, looking at Xia Yu.
"Doctor, will you not change into your armor?" This thin armor couldn't compare to the set he had seen before. While it was good for stealth, it lacked significance in head-on combat.
"No need. It's just a spar." As Xia Yu spoke, a Greatsword appeared in her hand. "No need for a signal. Let's just start!"
"Fine!" Patriot raised his shield and halberd, advancing steadily toward Xia Yu like a heavy mountain. Xia Yu knew he was holding back. In serious combat, no one marches slowly toward their enemy.
She raised the Greatsword. A brilliant, ice-blue starlight coated the blade. With a swing of her right hand, a wave of moon-like energy flew toward Patriot.
[Skill: Moonlight Greatsword]. It was her favorite weapon.
Patriot suddenly accelerated, his massive frame leaving afterimages. He charged, slamming his shield into the moonlight and shattering the energy blade. But his charge was momentarily halted, and he was met by wave after wave of brilliant moonlight.
Yet, Patriot did not retreat a single step. He tanked the hits head-on, his charge growing faster until he reached Xia Yu.
"Well done!" Xia Yu showed no fear. The invincible Fingerprint Stone Shield appeared in her hand as she activated a skill.
[Shield Crash]
The move's name was plain, but Xia Yu's "quality build" stats made up for it. In a flash, the two greatshields collided. The thunderous impact made people hundreds of meters away at the camp entrance cover their ears.
At the center of the collision, the surrounding snow was completely blown away by the wind pressure. The spectators could only see two figures through the swirling mist. Compared to Patriot's massive, armored body, the petite Xia Yu hadn't retreated an inch.
After the impact, Patriot retreated sharply. "Doctor, watch out!"
He gave a warning as he swung his halberd downward. The stone shield in Xia Yu's hand vanished instantly, replaced by the Dark Moon Greatsword in her right hand. She swung upward to meet the halberd's edge, refusing to yield.
In the blink of an eye, they traded dozens of blows. Every clash of metal sent out blinding sparks which, combined with the falling snow, was mesmerizing.
Seeing that ordinary moves wouldn't take Xia Yu down, Patriot braced his shield and crouched slightly. He thrust his halberd upward with eighty percent of his strength. He could tell Xia Yu's disadvantage was her mass. Although her light body could trade blows with him, she was constantly being pushed back. This wasn't about strength—her strength was not inferior to his—it was simply a matter of weight.
He intended to break her balance.
Xia Yu saw through his plan in an instant. She didn't dodge or counter-attack. Instead, she held the Greatsword vertically in front of her to block, smiling at Patriot.
'You chose this.'
Patriot's heart sank when he saw her response, but his momentum was already committed. With a deafening boom, Xia Yu's small body was sent flying into the air by the nearly full-strength blow.
Yet, she remained expressionless. This was her plan all along. Don't forget, she was playing a Mage build—she had just dumped enough points into all stats to use a Greatsword.
In mid-air, Xia Yu sheathed her sword and pulled out a staff, casting instantly.
[Loretta's Mastery]!
A giant bow made of magic appeared in her hands. It was almost as tall as she was. Four giant arrows formed on the string, growing larger as the spell charged.
Boom!
Facing the arrows falling from the sky, Patriot could only raise his shield and endure. By the time he weathered the attack, two more dazzling Comets arrived. The starlight and exploding glintstone obscured his vision.
Not good! Patriot knew exactly what it meant to lose sight of a powerful sorcerer. He immediately tried to relocate.
But it was too late. Xia Yu descended from the sky like a glowing meteor, staff in hand.
[Glintstone Magic: Rock Blaster]
It was a mining spell, but that didn't mean it lacked power. A drill of pale blue magic formed at the tip of the staff as she slammed it into Patriot's greatshield.
The spell detonated. Patriot's tall frame was forced into a half-kneel. Xia Yu pressed her advantage, raising her staff again before he could recover.
[Glintstone Magic: Gavel of Haima]
A massive hammer formed of glintstone struck Patriot's shield with sheer force. One hit, two hits, three hits...
By the time Patriot finally stabilized himself and swung his shield to create distance, he realized she was no longer in front of him.
[Night Magic: Unseen Form]
The sky had already darkened. In the night, Patriot couldn't find her.
Bad! Relying on instinct, he prepared to swing his halberd behind him, but a light tap on his neck armor made him freeze.
"I lose."