Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 489: Chapter 311: Order_2

There are only two ways to handle this situation now. Either you have enough strength to break out—then you can grab anything you want, as easy as picking up money. Or, you can be honest, reduce your risks, and you won’t need to hold out for long—just longer than them, and you’ll be able to feed on their corpses.”

Walter spoke these words bluntly. It was as if he was already waiting to feast on the corpses of his fellow tradespeople or, perhaps, he was already doing so.

This was an open secret. If his identity hadn’t changed, he might have fallen into the same trap, just like when he was trapped in Hamlet—all because of greed.

He did this for another reason too: to follow the Lord’s instructions to control, even monopolize, the food supply in Ovando City.

His last return to Ovando City had been mission-driven. Unfortunately, the situation was more troublesome than he had expected; he had been absent for too long, and his influence had significantly waned.

Although his greatest opponent, Gene, had died inexplicably, the core of the trade guild remained intact. All it needed was for Gene’s son to step up, and it could still operate. Moreover, others had taken over positions during this time.

His acquisitions of those small trade guilds were a reluctant move because he couldn’t get a foothold in Ovando’s market.

But this was his chance to make a stunning comeback, to show them all that he, Walter, was back!

「 」

Although Lance had received news from the Romani, he was leading his Cavalry Troop along with the seized goods. This somewhat slowed their pace—a sweet trouble, at times.

Meanwhile, the single cart from the Seeker of Omens never stopped its mad dash. It actually reached Hamlet—the town that had so intensely occupied their thoughts—before Lance did.

However, as soon as they arrived, a shocking sight greeted them: refugees, hundreds of them, formed a long queue that stretched hundreds of meters out from the town.

Walter’s intelligence had mentioned Hamlet was accepting refugees, but they hadn’t paid it much mind, dismissing it as a casual remark. Now, however, the sight before them was profoundly shocking.

After all, how could a small town take in so many refugees?

The influx of refugees would disrupt the lives of the residents and create all sorts of conflicts. Chaos was sure to sweep across the place.

Otherwise, why would most Governors loathe these refugees, refusing to help, not letting them in, opting only to drive them away?

Could that man really be a savior? Otherwise, he wouldn’t be helping the refugees so selflessly, regardless of the cost.

”Let’s get off the cart and ask around.”

Their habit of collecting intelligence made them eager to learn more, hoping to gain insights into Hamlet and even that man’s thoughts.

The cart was out of place here, and its appearance had already drawn the attention of many refugees.

”Why have you come here?”

”They’re all dead, all gone. Only I escaped. They told me there was food here.”

His words were stark, yet they conveyed the terrifying situation he had faced.

The woman talked to the surrounding refugees for a while before realizing that most of them had migrated aimlessly, only wanting to get as far away from the war zones as possible to survive.

That was until they encountered an army. Those soldiers told them they would find safety and food if they came here.

Just then, some turmoil broke out in the queue, drawing everyone’s attention.

”Why did you grab me! What gives you the right to pull me! What gives you the right!”

A woman’s face turned crimson. Her already strange features twisted as she shrieked at the man behind her, her hands making bizarre, incomprehensible gestures, trying to hide the panic behind her feigned madness.

”What are you doing! What are you doing!” An old, white-haired man protectively jumped in front of the woman, hopping anxiously as he pointed at the young man, his face contorted like a fiend ready to devour someone.

But the man he was accusing looked helpless and tried to explain, ”You were clearly cutting in line. I was just reminding you.”

His words seemed to infuriate the woman. The silence of the people around her inexplicably bolstered her confidence, and she began to shout even louder, her expression growing more deranged.

”You think I’m scared of you just because you’re a man? I’ll tell you, I’m not someone to be trifled with! What I hate most are bullies like you who pick on the weak but cower before the strong!”

But the problem was, this wasn’t some tourist attraction; this was Hamlet!

The disorder instantly drew a squad of fully armed soldiers, who quickly suppressed the disturbance.

”What happened?”

The squad leader scanned the few people involved, his stern face unconcealed.

The process of receiving refugees absolutely could not have any problems. Anyone daring to cause trouble was an enemy.

”Those two cut in line. When I reminded them, they cursed at me instead,” the young man said. He didn’t want to cause trouble, worried it would affect his registration and inspection, so he honestly explained the situation.

So much for ’bullying the weak and fearing the strong.’ Just moments ago, these two women were arrogant and domineering towards the seemingly weak young man. But now, facing armed soldiers, they were struck dumb, merely stuttering in their defense against his accusations.

”Facts aside, it was wrong for him to lay a hand on anyone! Besides, we were just shifting our position laterally. How can that be considered cutting in line...”

The soldiers gathered testimonies from those nearby and quickly understood the situation. They immediately brandished their muskets in a show of force.

”Leave this place now. You have lost your eligibility to join us. We in Hamlet do not welcome those who do not follow the rules.”

At this, the two panicked completely. Their city had been overrun by refugees; their journey here had been a narrow escape from death. If they left, where could they possibly go?

”We’re teachers! We were teachers in the city! You said you give preferential treatment to literate people!”

”Am I supposed to entrust students to people like you?” The soldier’s face showed undisguised disgust. ”Hmph! ’Shift’ them out of here.”

Why did the woman dare to cut the queue? Because she was convinced she wasn’t like these other refugees. She was a city person, literate, and therefore entitled to special privileges. What was merely cutting in line in the grand scheme of things?

However, the soldier’s words crushed their hopes. They were directly driven out of the queue, met only by the sneers of those around them.

”You did well. We need people like you who dare to stand up. Mention this when you register later, and we will give you priority consideration.”

Hearing this, the young man could only nod, his heart brimming with elation.

He hadn’t expected his unintentional act to earn such appreciation. This place was different from others, different even from the cities where such an ethos was uncommon.

Meanwhile, a soldier took the opportunity to re-emphasize the point to the crowd using this incident.

”No matter your status, if you come to Hamlet, you must follow Hamlet’s rules. Otherwise, leave.”

No amount of talk could be more persuasive than the reality that had just unfolded before their eyes. Some who had been harboring certain ideas now quickly fell in line.

No matter their previous status, they were all refugees now.

”I recognize those two women. They seem to be school teachers. We escaped from the city together, and they’ve always been like that—acting with such a baffling sense of superiority. They truly got what they deserved,” someone among the refugees, who seemed to know the two, remarked with a hint of schadenfreude.

Indeed, over the past six months, the composition of the refugees had shifted from farmers from the central provinces to city dwellers affected by the war.

It was clear that many in the line were from cities, which is why they could recognize the two troublemaking women.

Elsewhere, the Seeker of Omens, having witnessed the recent events, gained a new understanding of Hamlet.

Everyone knew that a literate person was very precious in this era, let alone a professional teacher.

For a place eager to develop, these were valuable talents. Yet, they had been expelled for something as minor as cutting in line.

Amanda’s intelligence was correct. This place emphasized rules and enforced them unflinchingly, at all costs.

This also meant that the one who set the rules was powerful and possessed the executive strength to see them through.