The Night Before

Jost coughed twice. He could feel the changes in his physical condition. The damage to his internal organs was irreversible. They would gradually die, become deformed, and lose their original functions. They might even produce things that would destroy his other organs.

In modern terms, this was no different from cancer.

Those internal organs and cells, altered by external radiation, disease, and other factors, had ultimately become pathological cells that multiplied without limit. They continued spreading and corroding his bodily functions, eventually causing death.

Part of Jost's lungs had already been removed, his kidneys had been gone for a long time, and most of his digestive system relied on magic to function. From the perspective of modern medicine, the fact that his body could continue operating at all was already a miracle.

He knew he did not have much time left. He might even drop dead before the Demon Tide arrived.

Recently, he often went to the top of the Gray Tower.

From there, Jost could look out over the Black Forest. That deep and silent forest was home to countless monsters. They attacked humans for no reason, slaughtered living beings, and ravaged the land.

The night wind was cold. With the Blood Moon approaching, the climate was the first thing to change.

The Night Country did not have clearly defined seasons. Generally speaking, the days when the Demon Tide arrived were the coldest. Because of this, many crops could not grow normally, especially here on the outskirts of the Black Forest.

Only in the heartland of the kingdom, at the place farthest from the Black Forest, did the word "harvest" have any real meaning.

Jost looked down at the lights below. He felt a trace of relief, along with some concern.

What relieved him was that the city had