Chapter 326: Chapter 238: Strike Hard!_1
But William could not stand by and watch things spiral out of control. He quickly ran out, called Fergus back at the first opportunity to prevent any accidental harm, and simultaneously pulled back the sheriffs guarding those people.
There were just a few of them, and since they couldn’t use force against the townspeople, the only stable option was to withdraw.
After all, those individuals had all been registered; they couldn’t escape.
Indeed, once the restrictions were lifted, those temporarily detained outside all stood up and merged with the crowd, fueling an even more intense argument.
"Release them! Release them!"
William directly ordered everyone to retreat and then shut the doors of the police station firmly, adopting a stance as if ready to defend to the death.
"Someone is using innocent and ignorant people to pressure us. This is a challenge from corrupt powers to our security forces, and it is a desecration against the Lord!" William looked at the sheriffs and said in a deep voice, "Are you prepared to fight for justice, to fight for Hamlet?"
"Hamlet Must Win!"
These men were all military veterans who had undergone rigorous training; their capacity to withstand pressure was far greater than that of ordinary townsfolk.
After facing unchecked Ascension Cultists and the corrupted Parasite Army, the current minor disturbance was hardly enough to shake their loyalty to the Lord.
"Immediately protect the witnesses! We will never submit!"
William quickly rallied everyone and then arranged the internal affairs of the station.
However, the reactions of those under arrest varied. The foreman, upon hearing the noise outside, realized that his superiors were trying to rescue him. Thankful that his perseverance had not been in vain, he even started to shout.
"If you know what’s good for you, let me go at once! Otherwise, when this blows up, none of you will escape!"
William simply glanced at him, unfazed by his threats.
The victim’s family members, however, were beside themselves with grief and could only weep, wondering why suffering always befell them.
Seeing this, William’s frown deepened, a hint of ruthlessness in his heart as he rebuked loudly, "No one can escape the judgment of justice! No matter who is behind you, I will ensure they face punishment!"
Despite William’s words, the commotion outside only grew fiercer, even causing the doors to shake under the impact.
"Hahaha, what can you do?" The foreman laughed arrogantly. "Hamlet is the territory of Hamlet’s People, not for you outsiders to meddle with!"
Watching the foreman’s insolent behavior, William gripped the rope in his hand tightly, fearing he might lose control and set a dog on him...
「Across the street, in the government building that once was the Mercenary Guild, the person in charge looked down with a smirk at the police station, now surrounded by an angry populace.」
Trying to fight him? Still too young.
He controlled the town’s construction projects. Since many townspeople were involved, detaining those workers was the perfect opportunity to stir their families’ anger. Leaking just a bit of information was enough to spur them to storm the police station.
The commotion quickly alerted the military. Although some troops had been dispatched to guard posts elsewhere, a couple hundred could still be mustered.
Soon, with reinforcements continually arriving, the passages around the plaza were completely cordoned off by soldiers. Those besieging the police station found themselves, in turn, surrounded by the advancing military forces.
Seeing this, the person in charge was momentarily shocked, his guilt written all over his face before he managed to suppress it.
He didn’t believe these troops would dare to act against ordinary people, especially not so many of them.
As long as he waited for them to be in a bind, he could then step in to mediate, bringing the situation to an end. By saving the foreman and teaching those outsiders a lesson, he would naturally become the leader of the local people.
He had planned well. Unfortunately for him, Reynard and the others, who had experienced war, showed an extremely tough stance in this situation, especially during this sensitive time when the Lord was absent.
"BANG! BANG! BANG!"
A series of gunshots rang out. As smoke rose, silence fell over the scene. The frenzied populace snapped back to reality, disengaging from their madness.
Who am I? What am I doing? Where am I?
But Reynard and his men paid no heed. They were responsible only to the Lord; anyone threatening Hamlet’s safety was an enemy.
They had to strike hard!
"Listen up, all of you! Get down on the ground! Anyone who dares resist will be killed on the spot!"
Reynard declared his stance, unconcerned about how these words might negatively impact his reputation.
The powerful deterrent of the military instantly controlled the situation. No one dared to resist. Even the loudest agitators from before obediently squatted down—the quickest among them trying to hide in the crowd.
Once Reynard had fully secured control, he began to investigate the cause of the incident. He pointed to one man. "You, tell me what exactly happened here. What were you all doing?"
The man Reynard addressed froze for a moment, then stammered, "The sheriffs arrested my family for no reason, demanding they work at the most dangerous sites. If we refused, they wouldn’t release them."
On hearing this, Reynard frowned and scolded sharply, "Idiots! Haven’t you seen the public notice in the square? The places you’re supposed to work have already been cleared of danger by the military. Who told you this nonsense?"
He might not have known about other matters, but the development of the western wilderness had to be coordinated with the military. This, he knew for certain.