Don't Mess with That Dragon-Chapter 665 - 53: Disaster and Human Nature

The scorching sun hung high in the sky, like a massive furnace, shining in all directions, spreading intense heat.

The scorching heat was ravaging the withered yellow spreading over the hillside.

"It's been more than three months without rain."

Bill, with his calloused hands, held the wooden hoe, sat by the edge of the field, and looked at the withered land around him, letting out a heavy sigh.

In the fields, the drought-cracked soil had already caused the young crops to wither.

Even with more water for irrigation, this year's harvest would be at least halved.

His stomach growled,

hungry.

Originally, the drought made the harvest poor, the family's food intake was halved, and they still had to carry water to irrigate the crops, this kind of hard work drained the most energy, even with Bill's young and strong body, he couldn't take it.

How would they live in the coming days?

Bill's face suddenly became worried.

The weather had been highly unpredictable these past few years, making the harvest poor, and the family's grain storage was already low, now with another three months of drought, it was practically a death sentence for these low-ranking farmers!

Bill shouldered his hoe, and his tanned bare feet walked towards the village.

Something had to be done; in recent years, many families with thin foundations have been forced to become refugees due to these unpredictable natural disasters, even though Lord had slightly lowered the land rent from eight-tenths to seven-tenths, but it was of no use at all.

For example, now, the drought was making it hard for even Bill's slightly better-off family to continue living.

"This year's land rent probably can't be gathered, should I borrow money at high interest?"

Walking on the road, Bill pondered.

Yet, just thinking about the consequences of those who borrowed money at high interest made him shiver.

Worried, he seemed to forget even his hunger.

Soon, Bill reached home.

A not-so-big, shabby wooden house, his wife was already busy at the simple stove outside the door, casually cleaning the wild vegetables dug out from the forest, and mixing them with millet in the pot for a boil.

Outside, his little son was jumping around, running back and forth at the stove, eagerly watching the steaming pot.

"You're back, the weather is too dry, there's hardly any wild vegetables to be seen outside the forest, everyone is having a hard time, everything edible on the slope has been picked clean, but luckily today I went a little deeper, found a piece of kudzu, it should last a few meals."

Seeing Bill return, his wife chattered away.

"You went there again? That forest is very dangerous, even the old hunter Abel in the village doesn't dare to venture deep, your flaw..."

Hearing this, Bill wanted to say that the forest was dangerous and asked her not to take the risk again.

But thinking about the family's situation, he closed his mouth, sitting sulkily on a stone.

For a while, speechless.

The family's grain storage was already depleted, the crops in the field were not doing well, and who knows if the harvest would be okay if this continues, there's nothing to blame anymore.

A very depressing lunch was had.

Even the six or seven-year-old little Bill felt the heavy atmosphere, staying silent, quietly putting the green mush-like food into his mouth.

These things, mixed with kudzu, wild vegetables, and unpeeled millet, cooked together,

tasted not very good.

At this time, Bill even missed the taste of those dry and hard, woodchip-mixed black bread.

However, being able to have food to fill his stomach at this time was already a blessing from above,

couldn't worry about so much.

In silence, the green mush in the pot was quickly finished off.

Bill licked the old wooden bowl clean, but his stomach was only half-full.

In fact, the hunger in his stomach had not yet dissipated.

This won't work if it continues!

Simply couldn't survive through this drought-stricken year!

Seeing his wife tidy up the tableware, Bill made up his mind, stood up, and walked outside.

"Where are you going?"

Seeing him doing so, his wife inside the house hurriedly asked.

"This can't go on, I have to go ask old Abel about the situation. If there's no other way, we'll have to flee, wait for me to come back."

Recently, it was said that a group of Beastmen occupied the Border Great Wall in the south, defeating the King's army.

In fact,

Bill didn't know where the Border Great Wall was, nor which King's army was defeated.

He did know about the Beastmen. Decades ago, according to the elders, those Beastmen crossed the Border Great Wall, rampaging everywhere, killing and drying humans to make food.

In the past, when kids were mischievous, the elders would always scare them like this.

However, it's said that this group of Beastmen was very different. It's said to be a subordinate of a great His Highness Blue Dragon, and many humans serve under them. They are recruiting a large number of workers and farmers there, building houses or something, and it's said that as long as you have the strength, you can find a job there to fill your stomach.

Recently, many refugees have passed by the village, in groups of three or five, setting out to join that Beastman faction.

Disasters have been frequent in recent years, and the harvest hasn't been good.

Those farmers who were barely making it couldn't hold on anymore, unable to pay the land rent and taxes, thus becoming refugees, some became mountain Thieves, while more died on the road during aimless wandering, being eaten by wild dogs and beasts.

As there's a chance of survival in the south according to rumors, those refugees with no way out started to gather in the south.

With the once fierce Beastmen becoming a symbol of salvation, Bill still had some doubts in his heart.

So he needed to ask.

To ask the old hunter Abel in the village. As the only hunter in the village, old Abel often sold valuable game in town, and was considered a "well-informed" elder in the village.

Getting old Abel's opinion might be better.

Currently, with the drought,

the crops in the fields have no hope anymore.

The family's food was almost exhausted, and Bill had to find a way out for his family.

In Central Earth World's south, near the Border Great Wall region, scenes like Bill's family were occurring one after another.

Compared to Bill's cautiousness,

some families who had already run out of food were directly fleeing to the southern Border Great Wall, seeking that glimmer of hope.

The unpredictable disasters were bankrupting more and more lower-class citizens, and due to the threat from Blue Dragon Kingdom's armies, the Southern Countries had to gather troops, affecting production, and while raising military funds, not only didn't aid but instead increased taxes nationwide, further making the grassroots decay and wither, causing a large number of lower-class civilians to flee.

Yet, for those refugees who fled to the Blue Dragon Kingdom's side, they were not turned away, accepting them all, and organizing food aid and work opportunities.