The tax collector's arrival took you by surprise.

[You have never thought that in the border area where demons are becoming more rampant, and in the current situation where Daqian is becoming more turbulent, there are still tax collectors coming to collect taxes from people who have nothing.]

[You stopped performing martial arts]

You stopped practicing.

[As winter approaches, the chilly wind blows through the branches, and the moment it touches you, it is blown away by the invisible aura]

[The young girl was filled with rage, much more impulsive than you, and declared that she would use a spear to poke a hundred holes in the tax collector’s body]

[You let the girl stay for now and rush to the town gate alone]

[You saw the tax collector riding on a green-scaled horse, showing off his power and scolding the people of Qingniu Town fiercely]

[You notice that familiar faces are trembling with fear]

You beat the tax collector down, but you know that's not enough.

[In the eyes of the people of Qingniu Town, in the eyes of these poor people, the "tax collectors" are still showing off their power and oppressing everyone's heart]

[Simple people cannot understand the truth, and do not know what is high and low]

[You don't intend to say anything too far-fetched and empty.]

[You just spoke the cruel reality in a calm tone, telling people that the tax collectors came to take away the little food they had, and everyone would starve to death.]

It's normal for people to be afraid.

Fear, shrink, tremble.

When facing something that is "stronger" than themselves, people will always be subconsciously timid, but when hunger comes and their dry stomachs twitch and hurt again and again.

In the face of death that is approaching step by step.

The fear in people's hearts will dissipate.

Death is the nothingness of everything. People who are about to die will not be afraid of other things.

Stay alive.

People just want to survive.

But now, the tax collectors are going to take away their last food, which is the last food that every household leaves for their children and for the people they cherish.

Even though their throats were surging, no one thought of eating it.

But it is this last bit of humility.

This last bit of stubbornness.

The tax collectors also wanted to snatch it away.

Inexplicably, after realizing this, Ah Niu's throat became hoarse and hot, as if there was an invisible flame burning it, causing Ah Niu to shiver continuously.

That simple and honest face revealed a grievance that Xu Xi had never seen before.

And indescribable anger.

Not only that, several more people stood up and walked towards the tax collector who had fallen to the ground.

"I won't allow you to do that! I'm saving that rice porridge for mom, not for you!"

"It's all your fault. I remember you. It's you who ruined my sister!"

"You stole our food!"

Those who stood up were once farmers with their feet on the mud, or blacksmiths who worked on iron all day.

Among them there were even merchants who came from wealthy families but had their property confiscated and were exiled to the border because they offended the county officials.

And now.

They have a common identity.

Hungry people, people who are about to die of hunger and are about to die.

"You, you, what do you want to do!" The tax collector seemed to be frightened. He crawled up from the ground in panic, but fell down again because of his hasty movement.

There is a sense of cruelty in the funny and a sense of irony in the ridiculous.

Tax collectors are not ordinary people.

He is also a warrior, even though he is only at the second level of physical training, but he is also a genuine warrior.

Logically speaking, when a warrior faces off against a mortal, the warrior is bound to gain an overwhelming victory. However, when the tax collector faces people's gazes, faces those dung forks, hoes, and sickles.

For some reason, he was afraid.

It was not until this moment that the once high-handed tax collector suddenly remembered a fact.

He is also a human being. He will bleed if he is cut by a knife and will die if he is stabbed in the heart by a sword. He is not an immortal monster, but a human being like these villains.

“Wait a minute!”

The tax collector tried to say something.

But it was too late.

The despair caused by hunger and the anger caused by being deprived of hope of survival surged towards the tax collectors.

Someone held down his hands, someone tied up his feet, someone punched him on the head, and someone kicked the third leg hard.

…

"Sir, is this really okay?"

A familiar voice came from behind Xu Xi.

The girl couldn't help her curiosity and sneaked out of Xu Xi's house.

But things have come to this.

Given the situation in Qingniu Town, there is no need to continue hiding.

Wu Yingxue frowned slightly and looked at the figure of the tax collector who was surrounded by the crowd and would be beaten up again no matter how many times he struggled:

"Once the imperial court finds out, Qingniu Town might be in trouble..."

The girl hesitated to speak. She had previously threatened to expose the tax collector, but now she was worried about the consequences of his death.

The cold autumn wind was biting and chilly, and it stung the wounds even more. The tax collector's wails became more painful, and gradually, he began to beg for mercy.

He bowed his head, which had never been noble, to the lowly person he had identified.

"Yingxue, that's not important."

Xu Xi understood what Wu Yingxue meant.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the girl: "The people of Qingniu Town can no longer survive, and the border troops of Daqian have never set foot outside the pass."

Someone who is dying.

They will not consider what kind of retaliation they will suffer in the future.

Wu Yingxue's eyes dimmed slightly: "There has been no progress in the Yang Yuan Gong. If this continues, everyone in Qingniu Town may not survive the winter."

Xu Xi replied: "I think I know what to do."

…

[You uncovered the true face of why the people of Qingniu Town have always been hungry]

[They swing their fists, weak and powerless, but each punch hits the flesh]

[One punch, another punch, and another punch]

[The tax collector was beaten with bruises all over his body, and he endured the rage that had accumulated over countless years until he was on the verge of starvation and finally erupted.]

[You stepped in to stop this mass fight]

[It’s not that you sympathize with the tax collector. The crimes committed by the tax collector are so many that even children are afraid of them.]

[You just want to learn about Daqian’s recent situation and the latest intelligence of the rebels from the tax collector]

[The tax collector begs you for mercy while telling you the information you want]

【Great chaos】

[You are surprised. The increasingly fierce demonic waves have affected not only Qingniu Town, but also the entire border of Daqian.]

[This caused many people who could not survive and were hunted by demons to madly attack the troops stationed at various checkpoints.]

[At the same time, within the Thirteen States of Daqian, some counties and prefectures that could not bear the high taxes also showed resistance one after another]

[Despite the suppression of Daqian’s army]

[Even though the people of Daqian have the power to move mountains]

[But the shaky feeling of impending storm makes you suddenly realize that the people who want to survive are not just the people of Qingniu Town.]

[You look at Ah Niu and the people behind him, their skinny bodies, and the dirty hoes and sickles in their hands]

[You vaguely understand how the "Yang Yuan Gong" will be deduced]