1 Chapter 1 Madman_1

"Finally, I've arrived at Changfeng City."

Seeing the sprawling city ahead and the ancient city walls, Lu Yan found himself on the verge of tears.

He'd been in this world for half a month, drifting along with a large group of refugees for the same amount of time. During that period, he had nearly died several times but had miraculously survived each time.

Once, he was almost beaten to death by other refugees over a few wild vegetables.

More than once, he had thought himself one of the unluckiest transmigrators.

Yes, he originally came from Earth. He was an unsuccessful writer, working during the day and writing at night. One night, he was so exhausted from work that he fell asleep while writing. When he woke up, he found himself in an alien world, inside the body of a teenager with the same name and surname.

His original host's home had been devastated by a natural disaster, leaving the land barren and vegetation dead. With no crops or even tree bark or wild vegetables to eat, they had no choice but to leave their home and migrate to another city.

The original host had contracted a severe illness while fleeing with his parents and was on the verge of death. Lu Yan took over his body just in time, inheriting most of his memories which helped him to blend in.

"I wonder if the feudal lords of Changfeng City will take us in," an elderly man everyone called Uncle Wu wondered out loud. His skin was dark and cracked, his hair was white, and he was thin to the bone. Even though he was only about fifty, he looked much older than a seventy-year-old man on Earth.

His voice was filled with worry, his eyes reflected the uncertainty of the future and a sense of helplessness.

"It's hard to say," replied Lu Yan's father, Lu Qingshan.

Lu Qingshan, who was around thirty-five, had a square face. He had been a hunter, and although he had been living rough as a refugee for some time now, his body remained strong.

At least, he seemed stronger compared to the other refugees.

Looking around, Lu Yan estimated the number of refugees to be in the tens of thousands, an indescribable stench permeating the air, making him nauseous. Thankfully, he quickly grew accustomed to the smell.

The refugees looked anxiously towards the city in front of them, awaiting their fate.

It was common for refugees to be turned away. Some feudal lords not only refused to aid the refugees, they would send soldiers to drive them away. If the refugees didn't leave, the soldiers wouldn't hesitate to strike them down.

If the feudal lords of Changfeng City refused to let them in, they would have to migrate again to another city.

But given their stock of provisions and their physical health, most of them wouldn't make it to the next city before dying on the road.

Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, the ground trembled slightly, and a rumbling noise echoed from Changfeng City.

That noise grew louder as it approached them, and the refugees saw a cavalry of about a hundred riders. Even though they were few, the sight was as imposing as an army of thousands.

"It's the feudal lords' armed forces."

Someone shouted, causing everyone's hearts to race. They would soon find out whether they would be allowed to enter the city or not, and that decision would determine their fates.

The cavalry stopped neatly in front of them– the ranks well maintained, proof of their disciplined training.

"Majestic horses, steadfast riders - such a fearsome sight."

Lu Yan looked at them curiously, unable to suppress his awe.

The horses were tall, almost all of them over two meters in height. The riders wore red iron armor, held long spears, and their robust bodies loomed like massive bears.

Lu Yan quickly gauged that these men were all over one meter nine in height, a stark contrast to the refugees.

He made eye contact with one of the riders, and suddenly, his whole body felt prickly, and his heart was pounding. He felt as if he'd been eyed by a ferocious beast.

In his previous life, he'd visited the zoo and had seen a Siberian tiger from up close. But that experience was nothing compared to the intimidation of this rider.

Lu Yan quickly lowered his gaze, not daring to meet the intense stare.

Suddenly, a middle-aged horseman broke from the ranks, his sharp gaze scanning the crowd as he announced, "Our Family Head orders that all of you refugees who have come here will henceforth be considered as citizens of the Liu Family. Food will be distributed soon, and dwellings will be arranged for you."

What?

The thousands of refugees were first stunned. Then, their faces broke into exhilarated smiles. They were not only being allowed entry but were also being promised food and shelter. They had hope.

Soon, large wooden barrels filled with rice porridge were slewed over from the city. The aroma wafted over, and Lu Yan's stomach grumbled involuntarily.

"We will now distribute the porridge. Everyone, line up! Anyone who breaks the queue will be executed," one of the riders commanded, his voice resonating like a gong and reaching clear across the crowd.

Immediately, a long queue of refugees formed. Lu Yan, with his parents, joined in. After waiting for what felt like two hours, they finally got their share of the porridge.

The porridge had cooled by the time Lu Yan received it, but he quickly finished it off in a few gulps.

The porridge was made from coarse rice and watered down. Truthfully, it was substandard compared to the plain rice porridge on Earth, but at that moment, Lu Yan found it to be incredibly delicious.

For the past few days, they had only survived on some dried ration stored by his parents, wild vegetables, and grass seeds. The food was so bad that it often caused constipation, making bowel movements an ordeal.

"Dad, Mom, why aren't you eating?" Lu Yan asked, noticing his parents just holding their bowls of porridge.

"Yan, I'm not hungry right now. You take my share," his mother, Wang Cui, handed him her bowl.

"That's right, we're not hungry yet. You're still recovering from your illness, and you need to grow. Eat more," Lu Qingshan chimed in.

Although Lu Yan had been single in his previous life, he was an adult and understood the love and sacrifice of a parent fully well.

"Dad, Mom, I'm full. You should eat. We still have to find a place to live later," he insisted.