Chapter 1442 - 774: Current Situation (2)

Chapter 1442: Chapter 774: Current Situation (2)

According to past custom, they would likely be sent for reform labor. However, here most were conscripted and hadn’t participated in battle, so the troublemaking soldiers were singled out and ordinary people were given a sum of money to return home.

For them, not having to fight in a war was the most important thing, let alone the new Lord gave them money. Although it wasn’t much, it was enough to leave a good impression.

Lance and Lawrence went to meet those nobles and explained the current situation in the Hamlet Region, letting them know what happened.

In four days, the Baron’s Domain was easily toppled, and in one battle, six thousand were defeated. Some recalled the glory of Hamlet and knew they couldn’t resist, so they surrendered.

Yet some refused to yield, questioning why their land and power should be taken away. They were appointed Lords by the Earl; what did it have to do with Hamlet?

And then... there was nothing.

Some things don’t weigh much without a scale, but on the scale, they’re a thousand pounds.

Defiance? You’re not the only one unlucky, your whole family will suffer.

Lawrence understood the Lord didn’t care about noble systems and rules, yet such easy disposal made him a bit fearful.

"Come on, let’s go meet Bruce."

Lance didn’t waste much time on those so-called nobles. Not long after, he and Lawrence rode out of the camp, heading to another military camp closer to the city.

Lawrence then witnessed a rather miraculous scene, for there were Hamlet’s soldiers here as well.

He knew the Lord was powerful, capturing those noble camps with his aid wasn’t difficult since he controlled the personnel.

But silently seizing two camps was truly terrifying.

"You know Francis, that bureaucrat the Earl sent to ransom you, like you, he’s my man."

Lance casually explained, recalling when Vick ventured to inform Francis of the trouble in the city, helping him escape.

Francis was then sent to re-infiltrate, posing as an assistant beside Bruce with his previous identity from being near the Earl, acting as a vice-hand was more than enough.

However, they lost the city, and the army needed food and various resources. In this crisis, Vick volunteered to procure grain from Ovando, quickly ingratiating himself with Bruce’s logistics.

If there’s no action, Bruce is fine, and both men handled matters well. But when Lance’s intentions were revealed, Bruce’s fall wasn’t surprising.

Lawrence didn’t know the details, but understood Bruce’s prestige within the Order of Knights or army was high, so others dared not act without reason; otherwise, they would have long taken action.

Then Lawrence saw those burly knights being carried out like dead pigs by soldiers.

It seemed, however, the so-called Order of Knights was of no use before the Lord...

"Sir, these knights..."

"No problem, a sleep is good for them."

Knights only posed a threat when armored on horseback charging; what laid them low was a pot of doctored hot soup in the cold wind. Without these two conditions, they were just ordinary flesh.

"No, I mean wouldn’t it be a waste to have these knights repair roads like those soldiers? They’ve been trained since childhood and their skill is excellent."

Lawrence certainly could discern if one was dead or merely unconscious; he had served as instructor to those knights and hoped to spare them from high-level conflicts, wishing to find a way out for them.

As road repair entailed likely having toes clipped; otherwise, keeping watch on trained knights was difficult, but this completely cripples them.

The statement was true. Though their strength meant little to Lance, for ordinary people, they were still formidable elites.

More than a decade of rigorous training wasted was indeed regrettable.

But... this battle aimed to arrange for some soldiers to retire and shift into farming mode.

Where did he have resources to feed those knights? Wouldn’t it be better to invest in infrastructure, factories, technological development?

However, sending them to road work was wasteful, and these weren’t the landholding nobles, rarely guilty of wrongdoing, more likely the Earl’s henchmen.

"How many among them do you think still show loyalty to the Earl or Bruce?"

Lance posed a question, leading Lawrence into silence.

The Earl held the knights in high regard, so each was carefully selected and cultivated, their loyalty deemed trustworthy, of this Lawrence was well-aware.

Even heard Bruce escaped from an evil cult’s assassination thanks to knights’ selfless rescue.

For a lord, if loyalty isn’t absolute, it’s absolutely disloyal.

These staunch loyalists were unlikely to shift allegiance, so naturally, their fate was sealed, and Lawrence couldn’t help feeling sorrowful at this thought.

Yet Lance seemingly perceived his thoughts, smilingly emphasized.

"I won’t trouble them; keep the wrongdoers, the rest you speak with: those wanting to go home may return, those willing to join can be arranged for jobs, as for those wanting to leave, let them leave."

"Truly release them?" Lawrence was surprised at this remark, contemplating what ’leave’ meant.

Anyone unexpectedly choosing to leave must be a staunch Earl loyalist, their existence a threat.

"Hahaha! This isn’t the age of knights now." Lance laughed, dismissing knights entirely with such unrestrained presence.

Lance spoke truth, only the battle wasn’t fought, not known to Lawrence.

Not to mention cannon crushing knights’ charge, with Stimulant Potion developed by Beggby, muskets soon would explosively evolve. Further refining rifling and breech-loading aimed, even Transcendents couldn’t stand against an armed commoner.

If Lance truly wished for war, the so-called knights here couldn’t withstand a few cannon rounds, nor endure several lines of shots.

"Just release, don’t overthink." Lance tossed an instruction and marched onward, not caring at all.

Lawrence finally realized why people said the Lord was kind...

Upon entering the camp, he found it rather populous, besides Bruce, several leaders were captured, a clean sweep indeed.

Reynard and Balistan were also present, their talents unmatched against the burly figure prominently standing out within the tent; his muscle surging attested to undeniable strength, yet at this moment only able to be restrained.

To control him, not only were drugs used, but Reynard had to intervene before subduing him.

From childhood, indulgence in precious potions, coupled with equipment boosting corporeal might to impressive levels, Bastia championed indeed.

Back then, to endure attacks by evil cultists and even sorcery while escaping proved his skill.

Yet, he hadn’t systematically accessed Supernatural Power, indicating Bastia Family’s ill-prepared foundation; formerly minor nobles, with true Earl’s rise only two generations.

"Lawrence, I’ve always doubted father’s suspicions of you, now proven correct by him."

When Bruce saw the pair entering, his gaze mercilessly locked on Lawrence, and his words unmistakably placed blame entirely on Lawrence.

Lawrence didn’t know how to respond to this; he simply shook his head slightly, reflecting sorrowfully, "Your father was ever suspicious, trusted no one, hence he gained no one’s trust."

"Hmph! Don’t sugarcoat betrayal."

"Then why did your father embed so many spies around me? Then, after the incident, send the Eagle Flock to assassinate my daughter? Was it you?"

Lawrence retorted bluntly; he didn’t want to squabble with someone younger, yet ignited fury over this matter, losing wife, only left with a daughter and they targeted her!

Bruce momentarily fell silent, he knew about embedding spies, but the plot against Margaret was news to him.

But truth be told, could his father have done such a thing?

Hard to say...