Chapter 720

In the Northern Plains, cold winds blew and snow covered the sky.

Close to the infamous danger zone, the Glacial Abyss, there were originally no signs of human habitation. But now, there was a dense mass of mortals and cultivators working hard.

In this world of ice and snow, their hands were covered in frostbite and they were emaciated from hunger. Yet, they still had to transport baskets of ores out.

Occasionally, there would be people who fell to the ground due to exhaustion. They would either be whipped and scolded by the patrolling soldiers who happened to pass by and struggle to get up to continue working, or they would simply fall asleep in the wilderness.

And in the wilderness during winter, if no one woke them up after falling asleep, it would mean death.

Every day, as baskets of ores were transported out, there would also be people turning into corpses. Then, they would be discarded like old shoes and thrown into the bottomless Glacial Abyss.

"Quickly finish your meal and continue working. If you can't complete the mission today, you'll suffer!"

In a corner of the vast mining area, Shen Xudong's hair was disheveled as he staggered. With the support of his grandson, Shen Yanhong, he lined up and waited for food to be distributed.

"Grandpa, I told you not to do so much work. Just leave it to me." Shen Yanhong, this strong-looking boy, had grown much more capable than before.

"Don't worry, Grandpa will be fine." Shen Xudong smiled. The cultured and refined scholar of the past, the Imperial Preceptor of the Central Plains, no longer looked like a scholar. He looked like an old man who did not care about his appearance.

However, there was a kind of calming power in his eyes that made people subconsciously unite around him.

"Dad, it's our turn."

The people in front of Shen Pengyuan were all empty. He hurriedly went forward to collect food for his aged father and son.

The soldiers were expressionless as they poured porridge into their bowls. The porridge was so bland that there were almost no grains of rice.

"Next," the soldier said after pouring the porridge.

"Wait, we haven't received the steamed buns yet," Shen Pengyuan hurriedly said.

In such a cold day, he was worried that his family wouldn't be able to take it if they only had a few mouthfuls of porridge.

"There are no more steamed buns. Please come early tomorrow," the soldier said impatiently.

"Aren't there more over there?" Shen Pengyuan couldn't help but retort. He pointed to the pile of shriveled and wrinkled steamed buns behind the soldier.

"Hey, that's not for you to eat. Look at all of you, you're all old, weak, sick, and disabled. You don't even have the strength to truss a chicken. What great Confucian? What scholars? All of you do so little work, yet you still have the nerve to ask for so much food? "

The soldier sneered. Although there was food, it would be a waste to give it to them!

"You …"

Shen Pengyuan's face turned red. He wanted to argue, but Shen Xudong, who was behind him, spoke in time. "Peng Yuan, if there's only porridge, then so be it. Don't be so ungrateful."

When Shen Pengyuan heard his father's words, his eyes shone with sorrow and humiliation. He carried the bowl of porridge and silently walked to the side.

The whole family gathered together and drank the light and thin porridge. No one said anything, seizing the time to rest.

"Imperial Preceptor Shen, everyone from the Shen family, these are for you."

A few simple and honest farmers stepped forward and brought out a pile of steamed buns from god knows where. They stuffed them into Shen Yanhong's arms and hurriedly ran away.

"Wait, everyone, take the food away!" Shen Xudong hurriedly said, wanting to stop them, but they ran even faster.

"Grandpa, here." Shen Yanhong took the steamed buns and handed them to his grandfather, secretly swallowing his saliva.

"Why did you just accept the food? Don't you know that those steamed buns were saved by the commoners? If they gave them to us, they would starve! "Shen Xudong said angrily.

"They ran away as soon as the food was stuffed. I couldn't react in time." Shen Yanhong's face was full of grievance.

"Alright, Father, just eat a few bites. These are the commoners' good intentions. Don't let them down."

"They are the same as us. They are afraid that your body won't be able to take it. One day, you will bring everyone back to the Middle Earth. "

Shen Pengyuan hurriedly said. The other Shen family members also nodded, their eyes full of worry.

"What do you know? When the heavens are about to bestow a great responsibility on a man, they must first suffer his will, tire his muscles and bones, starve his skin, empty his body, and mess up his actions. Therefore, they have to be patient and do what they can't! "

"The Old Man's body is fine. He can't take it if he keeps receiving favors from the commoners!"

Shen Xudong let out a long sigh.

"The food has already been given to us. It would be a waste if we don't eat it, right?" Shen Pengyuan said with a bitter smile. His father was always like this.

"Grandfather, everyone is looking forward to the day when Cousin can come back and save us. You are the Overlord's biological grandfather. How can we let you starve? To many people, Cousin is their only hope. If you starve to death, it will be a huge blow to them. "

Shen Yanhong hurriedly said and pointed to the many commoners who were praying in the distance.

They took advantage of their leisure time to murmur. One could vaguely hear words like 'Overlord' and 'Celestial Emperor' in their words.

Shen Xudong heard his grandson's words and finally sighed. He took the steamed bun with a face full of guilt and took a bite.

Seeing that his grandfather had eaten, Shen Yanhong only dared to pick up the driest piece and carefully ate it.

When he was thirsty, he drank it with snow water. He was only a teenager, but he had already gotten used to this way of living in the past six months.

"These idiotic mortals keep talking about the Overlord all day long. What is the Overlord?"

A group of soldiers who had finished distributing food gathered together to chat. They talked about a strange phenomenon among the countless laborers.

There were people starving to death in the mining area every day. Under such cruel conditions, anyone would have given up hope long ago.

However, for some reason, many ordinary mortals from the Eastern Wastelands, the Central Plains, and the Northern Plains, and even some of the Fiend Race, held onto hope. They often mentioned the same name in their free time, treating it as their religion.

It was as if as long as this person was around, they would not completely lose hope.

"Tsk, he seems to be a famous person in the Kunlun Continent. It is said that when he was in his teens, he led the five major tribes of the continent to defeat an evil emperor, bringing peace to the Kunlun Continent."

"There are rumors about him everywhere. Some absolute genius who caused stars to appear in daytime, some Celestial Emperor of the Dark World. I walk in this mining area every day and have heard so much that my ears have already grown calluses!"

A soldier said with disdain.

"Could it be that these people think that the Overlord can save them again?" The other soldiers did not know whether to laugh or cry.