Our Family Has Fallen-Chapter 38: Calculations_1

Lance handed the people over to Balistan to manage, which was ideal for maintaining order on site. He then had someone erect a sign in the middle of the square, posting the new policies for all to see. If people couldn’t understand them, it wasn’t an issue; he had already arranged for individuals to read and explain the policies nearby. freēwēbnovel.com

Meanwhile, Lance set up his booth and began to conduct detailed registrations in the registry and also handle job applications.

Only those with documents he issued could participate in work and receive payment.

For those who had truly helped him these past few days, like the prostitutes, Lance arranged better jobs for them, enabling them to survive on their own strength and break free from their past.

All of this was conducted in an orderly fashion, with Lance displaying boundless energy in handling everything, meeting and getting to know each person.

In doing so, he was further strengthening his own prestige and consolidating power. This also allowed the townspeople to recognize and understand him.

He let the townspeople know that everything they now had was given by the Lord, and without the Lord’s approval, nothing else mattered.

This situation continued until evening fell, when a huge bonfire was lit in the square. Several large pots were arranged around it, filled with stewed food, accompanied by baskets of dark bread.

Lance had even ordered the slaughter of a pig for this meal. Though there wasn’t enough to go around, the meat was minced and stirred into the porridge, while the offal was finely chopped and mixed with vegetables to make a stew.

Each person received a bowl of meat porridge, a bowl of mixed stew, and a piece of dark bread. The previous three days had offered just enough food, but tonight they could eat their fill and even taste some meat.

This led them to believe that Lord Lance could guide them to a better life, and they looked forward to tomorrow with even greater anticipation.

Meanwhile, Lance and his companions dined separately, serving up large portions of roast pork. The group quickly divided up the meal among themselves.

After a meal replete with wine and food, they began to discuss the day’s events.

"My Lord, how did you know those townspeople would cause trouble?" Dismas asked. He admired Lance’s clever stratagems all the more. Lance had arranged for him to disguise himself and infiltrate those people early in the morning, which was why Lance had been able to accurately pinpoint the ringleaders.

"Because corruption has spread. Although you can’t feel it, I can see that many among them have been influenced," Lance said with a mysterious affectation, uttering words that seemed profound yet ambiguous.

Of course, he couldn’t actually see the so-called spread of corruption; it was all based on his conjecture of human nature.

With over eight hundred people, it was impossible that there were no troublemakers among them, especially since none of them were used to getting free meals. Having been fed by him for three days, they would definitely be unwilling to go without food and return to their previous state. Therefore, it was certain that they would make a fuss, the only question being the intensity of the disruption.

By intentionally removing those maintaining order, Lance purposefully indulged them, longing for the troublemakers to act out. Only by doing so could he identify the restless individuals hidden among them and have a pretext to capture a group of laborers to replenish the farms.

This was a very practical problem, as he had pulled all the workers from the farms to the town, leading to a labor shortage there. This meant he needed to find a way to replenish the Serfs for the farms, and these criminals, who didn’t require payment, were the best choice.

In essence, this was a trap set by Lance, simply waiting for those individuals to surrender to temptation.

Similarly, to control the intensity of the unrest, they were suppressed with thunderous measures as soon as they showed their heads. Everything was under Lance’s control.

The unruly troublemakers were cleared out. His authority was consolidated, policies were implemented, and the security of the territory improved. Meanwhile, the farms could also supplement their labor force.

But these calculations couldn’t be told to them. Lance directly shifted the topic and posed a question.

"The town has temporarily stabilized. Now, who do you think is our main enemy?"

"Of course, it’s those Heretics. They are behind all of this," Dismas blurted out, desperately needing the blood of enemies to wash away his disgrace.

"No," Lance slowly shook his head. "I believe bandits are our biggest threat right now."

Lance’s point of view prompted them to think, and before they could say anything, he began to explain.

"Those Heretics are busy dealing with the Seal and have no time for us, but the bandits’ previous retreat was only temporary.

Now, more than ten days have passed, and the supplies they looted are about to run out. With no caravans on the old road, the bandits, without replenishment, will certainly plunder the town again.

Moreover, to confront the Evil God, we need more people and more equipment. These necessities require further economic development of the town. However, with bandits entrenched on the old road preying on passing merchants, proper development is currently impossible.

So, whether it’s for the safety of the town, to better develop the economy, or to fulfill my promise to avenge the deceased townspeople, the bandits must be eradicated."

As the saying goes, ’To get rich, build roads first.’ Thus, to develop the town, I must clear the old road, the only path to the outside world. Otherwise, with my current consumption, no amount of money would be enough, as I would eventually run out.

Furthermore, I also need more sacrifices to receive gifts to strengthen my power. My own people cannot be killed, but bandits certainly can.

Bandits must be eradicated, no matter what!

Once the enemy was identified, all topics converged.

"Balistan, you participated in that war. Let’s start from there. Tell us about the situation at that time."

Although he had heard about the war twice before, the perspectives were significantly different.

Balistan, as a veteran, could provide Lance with a valuable military analysis of the battlefield.

In his recounting, Balistan had not been involved from the start but had come voluntarily from a nearby town upon hearing of the bandit trouble here. When he arrived, the war had not yet fully begun, and those bandits did not have cannons.

In his memory, the strength of the bandits was uneven. Most were at the level of ordinary bandits, but some who were draped in white fur were particularly formidable.

These elite close combatants wore armor. The Musketeers were precise marksmen and favored taking sniper shots, making them difficult to locate, though their numbers seemed few.

There was a Church Knight unit in the town. The Mercenary Guild also had plenty of strong mercenaries, along with various merchants’ Guards and militiamen. Together, their strength was comparable, so the two sides were in a stalemate.

This lasted for some time until, suddenly, one day, a large number of Gunners appeared. They also rolled out several large cannons, directly breaking through the defensive lines and invading the town to burn, kill, and loot.

"Where did these people get cannons from? Generally, bandits have no means to obtain such things," Dismas said, his voice laced with skepticism. "I used to be in this line of work, and I’ve never heard of any bandits capable of stealing cannons."

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