227: Visitors on a Rainy Night

Chapter 223: Visitors on a Rainy Night

In the evening, heavy rain began to fall.

The entire Mist Town was firmly enveloped by the curtain of rain.

Damp moisture mixed with the scent of earth permeated the streets and alleys.

The Townsfolk gathered in the tavern, Row House, and barracks.

As per Arthur's instructions, these three locations had already been equipped with warm stoves, and the Townsfolk could go there to eat and warm themselves.

Additionally, two patrol teams of Fanatics, led by Drax and Philip respectively, would be responsible for the safety of the entire town.

Arthur did not return to his office in the Row House, choosing instead to dine at the tavern.

As before, the kitchen remained his exclusive dining spot.

Heads of various departments also arrived one after another to report to him.

“The lower-lying west district of the town has been submerged by floodwaters,” Vanka reported first. “However, that area was originally a slum.

Since you led the Fanatics away, very few people have lived there.”

“Most residents’ homes are still safe, and those living in dangerous or dilapidated houses have all been relocated to the Row House and barracks.”

Arthur nodded slightly and then asked Moonbrook, “How is the temporary hospital?”

“The workers have built a temporary drainage ditch, and everything was normal when I left,” Moonbrook replied.

“That’s good. Be sure to keep an eye on the water level changes at all times,” Arthur instructed.

“I understand, My Lord.”

After Vanka and Moonbrook withdrew, Louis and Lanny rushed in.

Before even sitting down, Louis eagerly called out, “My Lord, My Lord.”

“We implore you to reconsider the matter of food supply.”

“What, you don’t believe I can bring back food?” Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.

The Guildmaster quickly shook his head: “No, no, it’s not like that, My Lord.”

“It’s mainly that we really don’t know when this rain will stop.”

“Even if you have a way to obtain food, such heavy rain would probably hinder your plans.”

“Reducing the food supply is also a way of preparing for a rainy day.”

“Don’t worry, this rain will lessen tomorrow, but it will still drizzle for another seven or eight days.”

“By then, there will be plenty of fish in the Paw Claw River for fishing, and I’ve already had Flora organize the manpower in advance,” Arthur explained.

Louis finally relaxed a little and then pressed, “You also mentioned a hunting ground before, didn’t you?”

“That’s right, it’s in the northwest direction of the forest. Do you have any impression of it?”

Louis nodded to Lanny, who then quickly walked out of the kitchen.

The Guildmaster handed a stack of parchment deeds to Arthur: “My Lord, please look at these contracts first.”

The young Baron quickly scanned them and said, “When I have free time, I will sign all of these.”

Arthur’s proposal regarding land was to reclaim all the land in Qingfeng Valley.

However, anyone could lease these lands for use, and the rental fees were extremely low.

All output from leased land belonged to the individual, requiring only timely payment of corresponding income tax.

Arthur was actually unsure whether this plan could be successfully implemented.

In Louis and Lanny’s eyes, this was practically charity.

Because according to their original plan, everything in Qingfeng Valley, even the air, sunlight, and water, should belong to Arthur.

In their words, this was in accordance with the laws of western Amn, and even every person in Mist Town was considered Arthur’s asset.

These people could not own any private property; they could only receive a portion of their labor’s output, and this portion would still be subject to heavy taxes.

Arthur naturally would not agree to such a plan.

For this reason, the usually calm Lanny even debated with him passionately.

He believed that given the current situation, all assets should be uniformly allocated by Arthur.

Only then could embezzlement and profiteering be avoided.

However, after Arthur patiently explained the principles of macroeconomic regulation and market freedom, Lanny reluctantly accepted it all.

“As for the distribution of farmland, I am still in the process of drafting it,” Louis added. “In addition, there are also forest lands, Plantation lands, and so on.”

“Good, one step at a time. Prioritize meeting the needs of the Townsfolk.”

“Remember, soldiers and those with significant contributions have priority,” Arthur instructed.

Louis nodded in response: “I understand, My Lord.”

“Oh, by the way, is there any wine left?” the Baron suddenly asked.

Mist Town’s wine supply was not abundant to begin with, and even with restricted alcohol distribution, reserves were quite tight.

Most of the caravan’s transport space had to be reserved for food, so the wine reserves had been continuously decreasing.

But Arthur knew very well that wine was the easiest analgesic for the residents of Mist Town to obtain.

The Fanatics could rely on their faith to forcibly abstain from alcohol, living a Puritan-like life.

Others, however, could not do the same.

Therefore, alcohol was an important item for maintaining stability in Mist Town.

“There’s no need to worry about the wine,” Louis said, pulling out his notebook. “We found quite a bit of wine in the Plantation, enough to last for a while.”

“Moreover, the Warthog Merchant Caravan has already agreed to meet with us in the next few days, and we can purchase some cheaper alcohol from them.”

Hearing this, Arthur curiously pressed, “Haven’t the winery and mansion at the Plantation already been destroyed?”

“And there’s still so much wine left?”

Louis could not hide his joy when mentioning this: “Yes, My Lord.”

“The supply search team found quite a bit of wine in some small warehouses. Although most of it had spoiled, they still retrieved eight intact barrels.”

At this point, he suddenly paused, lowering his voice, “The quality of these wines is quite good; using them as rationed wine would be too wasteful.”

“I want to exchange them for cheaper, high-proof spirits.”

“This way, we can dilute them with water to make more rationed wine.”

Looking at the Guildmaster before him, Arthur always felt that he was quite similar to Catherine.

Their stingy personalities were practically identical.

Jessica had previously reported to him about the complicated warehouse withdrawal process.

Not only did it require detailed withdrawal proof, but also Arthur’s signature approval.

And throughout the process, Louis would send someone to follow, carefully counting the goods, fearing they would take even a tiny bit extra.

Jessica complained that she had finally gotten rid of Catherine, only to encounter another miser.

And a smiling miser at that, which made it hard to say anything more.

Yes, this was Louis’s unique quality.

He could greet almost anyone with a smile, and his work was meticulous, leaving no room for fault.

Arthur was very glad that such a person could be his subordinate, rather than an enemy.

“Leave two barrels,” Arthur said. “They can be used as rewards.”

“Of course, My Lord, that goes without saying.”

Afterward, Louis reported on the town’s material shortages and other miscellaneous affairs.

During his report, Lanny returned, accompanied by Snake Eye and Brussian.

The Druid performed a society salute to Arthur.

He did not interrupt Louis’s report, waiting until the other party finished before speaking: “Regarding that hunting ground you mentioned, it’s quite interesting.”

“I’ve lived in the forest for so many years and have never heard of any hunting ground, let alone talking ancient trees.”

“Perhaps I don’t know that forest well enough, and of course, this also has to do with my limited knowledge.”

“So, My Lord, the advice I can offer in this area is quite limited.”

“Snake Eye is the best hunter in town; he might be able to offer better suggestions.”

Arthur raised his hand, signaling Snake Eye to speak.

The young hunter immediately straightened his back and replied, “Mist Town’s two original main hunting grounds were within the Plantation.”

“Because the pollution there was minimal, and the degree of animal mutation in the forest was relatively low.”

“But the Candy Family never allowed the Townsfolk to hunt there, so we used to sneak in.”

“Until the appearance of Night Mist, those two hunting grounds were an important food source for the town.”

“So, those two hunting grounds no longer exist?” Arthur confirmed.

Snake Eye nodded: “Scorpion Tail and I took the time to check those two hunting grounds. They have been polluted, and it’s hard to find living creatures there.”

“So, if there could be a new hunting ground, that would be truly wonderful.”

“It would alleviate the food shortage somewhat,” Lanny interjected.

“It won’t alleviate it much,” Brussian retorted. “To feed nearly three hundred people, it’s not something that can be solved by hunting deer and wild boars for a few days.”

“But meat can make people happy and bring hope.”

“This is the same principle as wine; it can make the public feel at ease.”

Arthur agreed with the Druid’s statement.

Just like the previous crab feast, it greatly boosted public morale.

If hunters could bring back wild boars or wild deer, no matter the quantity, the public would be happy.

“It’s just that that hunting ground is deep in the forest, and I’m not sure if there will be Blight monsters there,” Arthur worried.

“Ah, Blight monsters,” Brussian sighed. “Those disgusting creations.”

“If that’s the case, we’d best first ascertain the safety of that hunting ground.”

“I was just planning that,” Arthur said. “I plan to have Airo and Ismark lead people to scout it out.”

“Anyway, most of the supplies from the Plantation have already been moved.”

Snake Eye immediately chimed in: “Please let me join the reconnaissance team, My Lord.”

“I am familiar with the forest and can definitely help.”

Arthur nodded in agreement: “Do you want to bring Scorpion Tail along too?”

Snake Eye shook his head: “The Merchant Guild still has a lot of things to do, so let him stay. One guide is enough for me.”

“Then it’s settled.”

Arthur made the final decision, then dismissed everyone else, leaving only Louis to continue reporting on affairs.

By the time the Guildmaster finished reporting all the necessary information, Arthur had mostly finished his dinner.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Is everything alright with your wife?”

Faced with this sudden question, Louis was momentarily stunned.

But he quickly reacted, hastily replying, “All good, all good.”

Arthur furrowed his brow and said in a deep voice, “I’ve heard some discordant voices, and I thought you should know something.”

“Since your answer is like this, then I’ll just have to go talk to your wife.”

“No, My Lord,” Louis immediately became restless. “In fact — in fact —.”

“You are loyal to me, Louis,” Arthur reminded him. “You swore allegiance to me that day, so where is your loyalty?”

“You are hiding something from me; I can see that.”

“I’ll give you one more chance. I don’t like lies.”

Louis sighed deeply and finally confessed: “Some of her subordinates do not recognize your rule.”

“See, telling the truth isn’t so hard,” Arthur said, standing up. “I never thought my rule could satisfy everyone.”

“If that were truly the case, I would feel uneasy instead.”

“So, what exactly are their demands?”

“My Lord, I believe you should ask Lord Grey about these matters,” Louis said. “He is fully responsible for this investigation and can provide an objective and impartial opinion.”

“Can’t you offer any opinion?”

“No, My Lord. Many of them are my relatives and friends.”

“I can only say that they are not entirely evil people.”

“But if I were to articulate their opinions, I would subconsciously favor them, and that would be a lie to you.”

“I understand,” Arthur nodded. “Go fetch Grey to see me.”

Louis bowed and withdrew.

Arthur watched his retreating figure, thinking that perhaps asking Flora would be a better choice.

After all, she had always been responsible for investigating the troublemakers, and this zealous believer seemed particularly keen on eliminating opponents.

Unfortunately, Flora was currently holding down the fort at the Row House and couldn’t come immediately.

At the same time, the tavern door was suddenly pushed open, and Philip entered with four Fanatics.

They were drenched, as if they had just been pulled from the water.

The Townsfolk dining in the tavern quickly rushed forward to help: some brought towels, some brought hot water, some offered wine.

Perhaps due to the cold, Philip stammered a bit: “The — the west side, three — three houses were by the water —.”

Moonbrook quickly draped a blanket over him, gently comforting him, “Don’t rush, come with me to the fireplace to warm up first.”

“The houses collapsed,” Philip managed to finish the latter half of his sentence.

The Townsfolk’s attitude towards the Fanatics had long since changed.

The other four Fanatics were also brought to the fireplace.

The four said nothing, just kept praying, and the fire gradually dispelled the chill from their bodies.

“The houses collapsed?” Moonbrook asked, handing him a cup of wine. “How many collapsed? Was anyone injured?”

Philip was about to gulp down the wine but was stopped by Moonbrook. “Drink it in small sips.”

The girl then repeated the instruction to the other four.

The four stopped praying and all smiled at her.

“Three, no, four houses,” Philip recovered. “One of them had already collapsed before we arrived; we can’t say whether it fell before or after the rain.”

“Fortunately, there were no casualties, but I think My Lord needs to know about this.”

Moonbrook nodded.

At this moment, Grey came down from the second floor and began to maintain order in the tavern.

After the situation calmed down, Grey walked over to Philip and asked, “Can you still stand?”

Philip nodded.

“Follow me,” Grey said. “I was just about to see My Lord.”

So, Philip followed Grey into the kitchen.

Arthur had the tavern proprietress bring each of Philip’s group a bowl of hot soup to drive away the cold.

He keenly sensed that things were probably not that simple.

The west side was already a dangerous area; Iron Shovel had long said that most of the houses there would not withstand this heavy rain.

He had already informed the patrol team of all these situations.

Philip would never be so foolish as to run through the rain to report merely because he found a few collapsed houses.

“What exactly happened?” Arthur asked directly.

Philip exhaled a murky breath and said in a deep voice, “Frogmen, they’ve arrived.”

Arthur frowned deeply: “Faster than expected, and the invasion location is also different from what we estimated.”

Grey, who was beside him, immediately said, “My Lord, please rest assured, we have already made thorough preparations.”

“No matter where those beasts attack from, we can handle it calmly.”

Arthur nodded and ordered, “Go, issue the notice, and have everyone enter combat readiness.”