Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

"Then... should we put them to work?" Samujin asked.

A total of six military police cavalrymen had arrived, exactly one tent of cavalry.

However, their combat ability was worrying. During the battle and chase, three were killed on the spot, and the rest did not escape; they all became prisoners.

On the way back to Wolf Town, the one who was seriously injured also died, leaving only Gulaxi and another slightly injured military policeman.

Winters was somewhat troubled, "I don't want them to come into contact with others."

"Just keeping them locked up without letting them work," Samujin said with some displeasure, "isn't that a complete waste of food? I think it would be better to kill them."

The sensation of hunger had seeped into the marrow of Wolf Town's militia. After all, even the militia had to work and hunt to have something to eat, and they were still not full.

Prisoners, on the other hand, could sit idle, waiting for food to be brought to them—although there were only two bowls of wheat porridge a day, it still felt somewhat unfair.

Looking at Samujin's naive and unsophisticated face, Winters felt a pang of emotion.

Less than a year ago, Samujin Priskin was a simple and honest farmer.

He worked from sunrise to sunset, went to church to worship on weekends, and one day in the future he would marry, have children, and eventually be buried in Wolf Town's cemetery by his descendants.

But now, Samujin could very naturally say something like, "If they can't work, I think it would be better to kill them."

And it sounded very convincing; even Winters had thought of simply killing them all—he was very hungry, too.

In times of chaos, human lives are indeed as insignificant as grass.

"No," Winters patted Samujin's shoulder, "We are not bandits; we are an army. Even if we have to kill, we must do it by the book, in broad daylight. The lack of food isn't a reason enough for the death penalty, much less does it stand up to scrutiny. Anyway, there are only three of them, just keep them locked up for now."

"Yes," Samujin nodded heavily.

He didn't quite understand the Centurion's meaning, but whatever the Centurion said, he would do without any hesitation.

Winters was struck with inspiration and said with a smile, "Since we can't give them iron tools, let's give them a few bundles of straw and tree branches. Have them weave baskets and straw sandals; no work, no food. If we have to go saw logs and split wood, and they get to eat for free, it's indeed very unfair."

Samujin also smiled, revealing a row of uneven teeth, "Yes, I'll get it done."

"Don't set the target too high on the first day," Winters advised with a smile, "Take it step by step, gradually build up."

"Yes, understood, don't worry," Samujin's eyes curved into crescents as he happily agreed.

Once Samujin had gone, Winters was left alone in the large tent.

His mind was filled with many unrelated yet connected matters that needed to be sorted out one by one.

A small frontier town that hasn't seen a new face in months suddenly had three groups of people coming in one day—more precisely, four groups.

Each group, taken alone, was enough to give Winters a headache for a long time, yet fate is so merciless that not only had they come, but they all converged at once.

The most pressing matter was Revodan's cavalry scouts, who had chased down to Wolf Town from the garrison, fortunately discovered by sentries arranged by Winters.

There was first a swift battle, followed by a relentless pursuit through the night; in the end, Winters resolved all six cavalry scouts without letting a single one escape.

Through interrogation, and coupled with previously fragmented information, Winters deduced two points:

First, the New Reclamation Legion's political stance was ambiguous, neither choosing the Blue Rose nor the Red Rose. Moreover, the Newly Reclaimed Lands Province remained united under the banner of the New Reclamation Legion;

According to the news Winters had heard, three forces had previously entered the Newly Reclaimed Land to seize grain and harvest wheat fields. Winters was puzzled at the time, wondering who the third party was—apart from the Red and Blue Roses. Now it seemed, it was General Adams's New Reclamation Legion.

Second, Revodan had not noticed the unusual activities in Wolfton and didn't even know he was still alive, naturally meaning there were no plans to attack Wolf Town—for now.

Winters's actions had been very cautious. Apart from "ambushing the grain requisition team," everything he did did not exceed the "Garrison Officer's" authority and responsibility.

Militia?

The Garrison Officer has the right to summon the militia.

Suppress bandits?

The Garrison Officer is supposed to maintain law and order, combat banditry.

Subject bandits to hard labor? Publicly try bandits?

The local judicial power is also in the Garrison Officer's hands.

Cross-border law enforcement?

Revodan really can't do much about that. To be involved, Blackwater Town would first need to lodge an accusation, yet Blackwater is more than pleased to see it.

In the lands controlled by the Paratu military, the Garrison Officer holds a status akin to that of a feudal lord, which is no exaggeration.

Based on what Winters has done, Revodan shouldn't punish him, but rather give him a one-ton medal—if that excludes hijacking the grain carts.

For now, the only point of conflict between Winters and Revodan is this: Revodan wants grain, and Winters doesn't want to give it, for if he does, the common people will have no way to survive.

There's also another subtle point of conflict that doesn't provoke direct confrontation: the land of the Paratu military which he had distributed to the refugee peasants for cultivation.

As for when Revodan might discover that the grain requisition party's robbery was related to Wolf Town?

Winters believed it was only a matter of time.

The convoy traveled on the main road; it was impossible not to leave some trace, and the villages along the way were all witnesses.

It's just that Wolf Town is so remote and Winters was careful in his "crime," so it has not been exposed so far.

Moreover, it is the time of year when the old harvest is consumed and the new has not yet come in, Revodan has not sent another grain requisition team to Wolf Town, avoiding a second confrontation.