"Can we eat all of these?!"
Huena was completely attracted by the food and asked in disbelief.
The food left behind in Leda's bag included fruit, candy, wrapped meat skewers, and several boxes of ready-made bentos.
Little Lin opened his eyes wide and pointed at the fruits and vowed, "I know that one. It's a fruit from a tree. I've seen it before!"
"Don't talk so much. Hurry up and eat. It's natural to eat when you're hungry. How can you not eat?"
A trace of pain appeared on Leda's face, but she still urged.
But so much food made the three children limp. They wanted to get it, but they didn't dare to touch it.
"If I tell you to eat, then eat. Why don't you move?" Kuro asked.
"No…"
Suzhan shook his head and said in fear, "It's too much, it's really too much. We, we don't dare to take it."
"Take it."
Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from behind.
A thin old man appeared and said, "If it is them, there is no problem."
"Grandpa Ueda!" The three children shouted.
The old man was wearing a patched hemp garment and carrying a hoe. Although he was very thin, his eyes were very bright and full of energy.
"Is it Marine? I haven't seen him for a long time."
The old man walked over and glanced at Kuro, then looked at Kuro and bowed. "Thank you very much for the Marine Master's food!"
"Really, Grandpa Ueda!"
Suzhan said excitedly. He glanced at the food, then looked at Leda and Kuro on the other side. He took a deep breath and made a 90-degree bow to them. "Thank you very much for the food. We really need it!"
The other two children also bowed and the three of them began to pick up food.
"Old man, you know us. I thought this village knew nothing."
Kuro bit his cigar and looked at the old man.
"We met when I was a child, Marine Master, you can just call me Shangtu."
Utopia said as he looked at the dead deer brought by Marines behind him. When he saw the arrow stuck in the deer's head, he paused and said:
"Marine Master, are you here for the little stork?"
"Grandpa Ueda!" Suzhan called. "How can you say such a thing!"
Uto shook his head and said: "It doesn't matter, I saw it just now, they saved you, such a Marine, I believe they won't do anything bad to Little Stork."
Kuro glanced at them and looked at the unusually quiet village and said, "Old man, tell me about the situation here."
"Please follow me." Utopia turned around and walked forward.
"Hey, kid, why don't you eat?"
Leda asked in confusion when she saw the three children holding the food without eating.
"There are many of us. We can't just eat them ourselves. Besides, these things are for Sister Stork."
The little girl, Huina, sniffed the food in her arms and swallowed her saliva. She hugged it a little tighter as if she was afraid that the food in her arms was fake.
The group of people walked into the village. It was almost dusk and the red sun was dim, illuminating the village and making it golden.
The buildings of the village seemed very dim. There was no movement inside, as if there was no one.
"Marine Master, there are very few adults here, and there is no one in our village."
Utopia said slowly: "Because of the war, strong men were sent to the front line, and the rest were sent out by the Nation of Insects as labor, so there are only us in the village."
"Then how do you live normally, old man?"
Kuro glanced around. "I don't think any of you are full, doesn't the Country of Insects care?"
"That's the rule of the Bug Country, Marine Master."
Utopia smiled and said, "Everything here belongs to the nobles. We have no right to do these things, but there is no harvest in the fields, so she also took the risk to hunt. If you really want to blame me, then take me away. I ordered it."
"I don't have the time. I just want to take a look and return her things to her."
Kuro pointed to the dead deer behind him and said.
"Eh? Really?!"
At this time, Suzhan said in surprise, "Are you really not here to catch Sister Stork? Sure enough, you saved us and gave us food. Marine, you are a good man!"
"Uncle…"
"Hey, don't call me uncle!"
Kuro raised his eyebrows and was about to speak when Leda shouted first. She gave Suzhan a fierce look and glared. "Do you know how to talk? If I am a big sister, how can he be an uncle!"
"It hurts!"
Suzhan's head shrank and he touched his head and said unhappily, "What's the problem? He is an uncle. I have an uncle who is about the same age as you."
He said with some anticipation, "But my uncle will come back. Generally, it only takes three years to be a laborer. This year, they will come back and they will bring a lot of food. At that time, Sister Stork won't be so dangerous and tired every day. I will bring a lot of food to thank Sister Stork!"
"Me too, me too. When my parents come back, I will also bring a lot of things to thank Sister Stork." Huina said firmly.
"I also…"
Kobayashi's voice was much softer than theirs, but his demeanor indicated that he also had this idea.
Utopia looked at them and said with a smile, "My son went out as a laborer. When they all come back, the village will return to its former state and it will not be like this."
There was hope in his eyes.
The light in his eyes made Kuro fall silent.
"We're here, Marine Master."
He went to a big house and said to Kuro.
The house was also very old. As soon as Kuro stuck his head out, he saw the situation inside through a hole.
In a hall, the woman in white and red pants knelt there, surrounded by a group of children.
"Sorry, I didn't catch any prey today."
The woman said to the children apologetically.
"It's okay, Sister Stork, it's too dangerous to hunt for us."
"That's right, Sister Stork, we're fine, but you have to take care of yourself."
The children spoke around the stork.
Stork shook his head. "I'll go out again tonight. For now, just bear with it."
"Tsubaki."
Suddenly, Utopia said.
As if she did not hear it, Stork touched the head of a child and smiled gently.
"Cricket!" Uto continued to call.
The stork still didn't seem to hear it.
Utopia took a deep breath and shouted, "Baitu!!!"
"What? You want to eat too much? Well… I'll think of something." The armadillo paused and looked at the child.
"I, I didn't say anything."
The child was a little confused. He turned his head and pointed to the soil outside the door and said, "It's Grandpa Ueda."