When a crowd gathers, there's always a chance that some peculiar individuals will emerge. These people often fail to read the room, relying on past experiences to judge the present.
For example, the group of thugs quietly trailing the burly man who had carried the log. Despite Ivan's public warning, they were still willing to risk it all for the 20 gold coins.
Openly defying a noble was out of the question, but sneaking in under cover of darkness, stealing the coins, and then setting the place on fire to erase all traces? That was a different story.
They were professionals when it came to theft, fraud, murder, and arson.
As night fell and they prepared to sneak into the man's home, a group of guards surrounded the area, their torches illuminating the scene.
These guards weren't clad in traditional knight armor. Instead, they wore strange black-and-gold robes adorned with intricate embroidery, each carrying a longsword at their waist. They moved swiftly and silently, like shadows in the night.
They were known as the "Embroidered Uniform Guard," the new lord's personal force.
Leading them were Douglas, the former leader of the Fierce Dog Gang, and Huck, the former leader of the Falcon Gang. Both had been thoroughly tamed by Ivan's combination of force and rewards, becoming his loyal hounds.
Huck stepped forward, his voice sharp. "What are you sneaking around for in the middle of the night?"
"Uh, sirs…" The leader of the thugs quickly tried to smooth things over. "We're just out for a walk. Ate too much at dinner, so we're trying to digest."
Their plan to break in had clearly failed, but fortunately, they hadn't actually started picking the lock yet. There was still room to maneuver.
Without evidence, the guards couldn't do much to them. Still, to be safe, the thug leader gritted his teeth and decided to offer a bribe.
"You guards must be tired from patrolling all night. I happened to find something earlier. Could you take it to the lost and found?"
He pulled out all the money he had and tried to hand it to the guards. To his shock, they didn't even glance at it. Instead, one of them slapped him across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Don't insult my intelligence with such nonsense!"
Douglas sniffed the air, his expression cold. "I can smell the stench of crime on you. You're planning to defy Lord Ivan's orders and go after those 20 gold coins, aren't you?"
The thug leader clutched his rapidly swelling cheek, crying out in protest. "It's a misunderstanding! We were just passing by, I swear!"
But the Embroidered Uniform Guard had no patience for his excuses. They moved swiftly to arrest the thugs, killing anyone who tried to flee on the spot.
The thug leader, splattered with blood, trembled on the ground, muttering, "You're killing innocent people! You have no proof! We were just out for a walk…"
"Still refusing to confess, huh?"
Douglas frowned, finding the idea of interrogating them tedious. Besides, Ivan had given him the authority to act first and report later. He made a slashing motion across his throat.
"Kill them all."
After all, these thugs were no saints. What else would they be doing sneaking around the burly man's house in the middle of the night if not planning a crime?
And as Ivan had instructed… even if no one had tried to steal the gold coins, they were to find some troublemakers in the city, execute them, and hang their heads on the walls as a warning.
Vinewall wasn't like Leafshatter City. With the demon invasion wiping out nearby villages, it was hard to root out corruption in tax collection. This was another way to establish authority.
The thugs' dying screams woke the nearby residents, who peered out their windows to see what was happening.
Douglas seized the moment to announce, "These thugs tried to violate Lord Ivan's decree by sneaking into the home of the man who received the reward! They've been dealt with. You're all safe now, so go back to sleep!"
Thud.
Thud.
At the sight of the thugs' severed heads, the onlookers quickly retreated, shutting their windows and disappearing from view.
Time to scram.
◇
The next morning, Ivan rode out of the city in high spirits, followed by his Embroidered Uniform Guard. He carried a bucket and a fishing rod, ready for a day of fishing.
He happened to run into Humphrey and invited him along. Ivan was eager to win over the man who had managed Vinewall so well despite the former lord's incompetence.
As they chatted, they soon reached the city gates.
Humphrey noticed a group of citizens pointing at the city walls. When he turned to look, his eyes widened in horror. Dozens of heads—belonging to the thugs and their families—were neatly displayed, their lifeless eyes staring into the void.
"What… what is this?"
"They're hung much more neatly than before," Ivan remarked, admiring the display. He turned to Douglas. "Was this your idea?"
"No, my lord. It was one of my subordinates, Xiao Hu. Let me bring him over to explain."
Douglas quickly pulled over a young man, who looked nervous but wore a shy smile.
"Lord Ivan, with the weather getting warmer, I thought the usual method of preservation would lead to rot. So, I drained the blood first, stuffed the cavities with straw to prevent collapse, and then preserved them with lime. This way, they'll last much longer. I also cut off their eyelids to make them look more… intimidating."
Ivan nodded in satisfaction, pleased to see such talent among his ranks. He rewarded the young man with a gold coin and a fishing rod, granting him the honor of joining the fishing trip.
Turning to Humphrey, Ivan smiled. "See? This is what it means to be professional."
"Ha… haha," Humphrey replied, his expression stiff. "Your subordinates are truly… remarkable."
"If you were to pledge your full loyalty to me, I'm sure we'd see even more talent emerge."
"You are the lord. Naturally, I am loyal to you."
"Is that so? Then why do I feel your loyalty isn't absolute? Last night, you attended a small gathering, didn't you? Anything interesting happen there?"
"…"
Humphrey realized Ivan was forcing him to choose a side—completely and without reservation. His mind flashed to the row of terrifying heads on the city walls.
Vinewall's western side faced the sea, and the cool ocean breeze should have been refreshing. Yet, beads of sweat formed on Humphrey's forehead, trickling down his aging face.
"Lord Ivan… there's something important I need to report to you."