Led by Baron Bishop, the two made their way through the village and arrived at the baron's castle.
Because of the Scourge's rampage, vast numbers of towns and villages had been destroyed, leaving countless commoners homeless. As one of the remaining human settlements, this small village's population density had reached several times its usual level.
Yet that could not conceal the village's crude conditions.
Between hastily built wooden and stone houses ran simple dirt roads that had been trampled flat. Quite a few raggedly dressed commoners passed through them. Most were grimy and pale with hunger, sitting in small groups by the roadside or against walls, clearly in poor condition. Rather than farmers, they looked more like refugees and beggars from somewhere else.
In fact, they were considered fortunate. At the entrance, Ye Ting had seen even more refugees who could not enter the village at all. Threatened by spears and swords, they were turned away. According to the baron, it was because there was not enough food stored.
Yet these pitiful people did not dare stray too far, lest they place themselves under threat from the Scourge. They could only put up crude shelters around the wooden walls, enduring wind and rain. With no food, they could only risk entering the forest each day to forage. The soldiers patrolling the walls did not drive them away entirely, instead allowing them to remain there. On one hand, it was out of pity; on the other, they were being used as free scouts and human shields.
If the Scourge truly attacked, they would know at once. And when the undead launched their assault, these people would become the first wave of cannon fodder.
Seeing so many pitiful people, Ye Ting believed that if he had not stopped her, Calia might have