Chapter 020 Recruitment and Expansion
Along the way, Mario carried Russell on his back for a long distance. The long trail and the dry and hot dead trees made Russell feel as if he was in another world.
When he was young, he and his brother often sat under a tree and played sandbags together. At that time, natural disasters in summer were not too serious, and there was still greenery even in summer.
He tried hard to pull the corners of his mouth and whispered to Mario: "Thank you for all the time."
When a man is about to die, his words are good, he thought.
"It's my pleasure." Mario's back stiffened, then relaxed. "It's hot, just bear with it. I'll treat you to ice jelly later."
"Well, I'm looking forward to it." Russell suppressed his emotions, even though he didn't even know what ice jelly was and didn't care.
Russell felt that this journey was as long as his own life.
I don’t know what happened to the girl he failed to save.
He sighed.
When we arrived at the town center, the surrounding roads were already completely blocked. People were chattering and craning their necks to look forward. They were all discussing things about Lin Muqiu and Bob, as noisy as crows:
"Have you heard? The mayor said he's going to put Bob and his accomplices on trial and encouraged everyone to report any wrongdoing. He also said he'll give an explanation and compensation to previous victims."
"Well, if you ask me, Lin Muqiu is still the best. The mayor's been busy all over the place, Medea hasn't been settled here long, and no one dared to provoke Bob, which is why this cancer has been around until now. Humph, if you ask me, I should have taken action like Lin Muqiu a long time ago! Oh, and did you hear that he's a dual-cultivation mage of ice and space?"
"Wow, so awesome?!"
"Tsk, you ignorant people. I'm not surprised anymore. After all, Lady Lin Muqiu can even develop food to resist summer disasters. No matter what miracles happen to her, I think it's natural: the world of a big boss should be so simple and unpretentious!"
"I agree. With Medea and Lin Muqiu in charge, our town will surely prosper. The lord election is approaching soon. I used to favor Medea, but now I still think Lin Muqiu is more suitable."
"Well, who knows what Lord Lin Muqiu will arrange! Let's not talk about this anymore. Shall we go eat some potatoes later? I've been craving them for a while now."
"Go! I heard that Master Lin Muqiu will expand the building soon! Seats won't be so tight anymore, thank God!"
“…”
Russell quickly wrote down the key words. For the first time, he felt that this town was different. Perhaps Lin Muqiu was also different. However, he had not had a detailed understanding of it before, so he had to prick up his ears and look into the innermost part.
Unfortunately, all I could see was a sea of people.
His heart began to beat uncontrollably, and at this moment he actually felt a little bit of anticipation:
I am looking forward to what this town is like. I also want to see Lin Muqiu’s shop and see with my own eyes what kind of person Lin Muqiu is. I want to try how delicious the potatoes are.
Even though this expectation was fleeting, he could clearly feel the strong plant-like vitality that was suddenly infected and emanated from his chest.
This vitality is truly terrifying, he thought.
His awkward movements alerted Mario, and Mario felt relieved to find that he was looking up. He supported his lower back with both hands, lifted him up, and let him sit on his shoulders so that he could see more clearly.
Mario even started promoting it, "I told you it's a no-brainer! Wait until you try Lin Muqiu's restaurant and you'll see, it's delicious! All your worries will vanish!"
He exaggeratedly tried to make Russell laugh, and Russell tried to open his mouth and smile back, but he paid more attention to the stage set up in the town center.
His vision instantly widened, and from a distance he could see many people kneeling on the stage, including the familiar Bob, the kneeling archers, swordsmen, and assassins, and many others...
The person standing next to him seemed to be the mayor, who was listing the collected information and crimes one by one and making them public, and encouraging everyone to have the courage to stand up.
However, after a long time of instigation, many people looked hesitant. Some wanted to see which way the wind was blowing, some wanted to report privately, but no one dared to criticize Bob to his face.
Russell smiled helplessly, his eyes sweeping across the stage one by one until he reached the corner, and his smile suddenly disappeared - he saw a familiar figure standing in the corner, trembling all over, like a pitiful little thing.
He was shocked and trembling all over.
Isn't that the girl he failed to save?!
Suddenly, an idea struck him, "Mario! Who's that person standing in the corner on the stage?"
Mario thought his attitude was a little strange. "That's Bob's wife, Sophia. They've been together since they settled down, but Sophia is always timid. Well, they're husband and wife, and Sophia has probably helped Bob do a lot of bad things. It's only natural that she's being arrested and investigated now."
"No, no..." Russell felt that he couldn't speak clearly. "She must have been forced. Take me to the front, take me there!"
Mario didn't have time to ask any more questions, so he quickly carried him forward.
There was a whipper standing on the stage, probably intending to whip Bob and the others first to appease the public anger and serve as a warning to others.
The whipper was about to reach Sophia and raise his whip when he spoke:
"The whip will save others!"
"Mr. Mayor, this is inappropriate."
Two voices sounded at the same time, startling Russell who was shouting at the top of his lungs. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the voice was coming from a woman.
The woman had a rosy face and looked gentle and harmless, but she seemed to have the ability to attract everyone's attention. Even if she just whispered a word, she would attract everyone's admiring glances. Her aura was so strong that it even drowned out his shout.
The woman spoke slowly, "Mayor, the others' guilt is already established, but this one isn't. Even if they're married, there's absolutely no reason to convict them based on that. We need a more thorough investigation, not torture right now."
Mayor Kedro gave her a look of approval and said, "Yes, well said."
Just this one sentence was enough to make Russell feel a lot of favor.
In this era when aristocrats are in power and overstep the boundaries of law, it is rare to find people who still attach so much importance to procedural justice.
"Oh, right," the woman slowly spoke again, "Mayor, I just heard a little brother trying to say something, right?"
As soon as the words fell, everyone's attention shifted to Russell.
Russell swallowed his saliva. After years of not wanting to talk to anyone, he was no longer the high-spirited young man he once was. Therefore, he found it increasingly difficult to speak. "I..."
"When Lord Lin Muqiu asks you a question, just tell the truth." Mario reminded in a low voice.
This turned out to be Lin Muqiu? !
Russell was surprised, but secretly felt that it was very reasonable. Yes, Lin Muqiu was supposed to be such a kind and clear person, and everyone's praise for her was worthy.
He quickly replied, "My name is Russell, and I used to be a fellow resident of another town with Bob, and he was so arrogant back then.
At that time, slave traders came to the town, and Bob bought Sophia on the spot. I didn’t know her name at that time... Anyway, Bob was whipping and ravaging her in public... and... My brother and I couldn’t bear to see it, so we stood up and were seriously injured by him.
Later, he offended many people and moved to this town. Coincidentally, after I ran out of money, I couldn't afford the resettlement fees in other towns, so I had no choice but to buy an apartment in this town and live there. Now it is what you see."
After hearing this story, many people couldn't help but let out a long sigh or sigh.
I didn’t expect Bob to be so cruel, what a scumbag!
Mayor Kedeluo was also somewhat moved after hearing this. "I see. Thank you for your hard work in providing evidence. You can go to Medea to register it. After verification, I will send someone to give you compensation and rewards."
Hearing this, Russell's eyes became slightly moist, and he couldn't help but think of the past.
He had reported the matter to the mayor of that town, but after all the trouble he'd gone through to gather evidence, he only received a cold glance from the mayor. "How dare you trouble me with such a small matter? And how long has it been since you paid your residency fee?"
After he became discouraged, he never tried to report it again even after arriving in this town.
It turns out that there is still justice in the world.
His mind was in a mess, and he had forgotten how he had been able to register under the care of the people around him. In the end, he just opened his mouth and asked towards the stage, "Master Lin...then, what about Sophia?"
The subconscious mind cannot deceive people.
At this moment, he only trusted Lin Muqiu, just like a bullied person finally found shelter.
Lin Muqiu and Yukedro looked at each other, exchanged glances, and got the answer.
Kedero waved his hand and said, "Before the evidence came out, she was just an ordinary townsperson."
"That's good." Russell trembled slightly, trying hard to hold back the tears in his eyes.
Brother, did you see that? I finally saved the girl.
When Sophia heard this, she suddenly raised her head. In fact, she knew it was him when Russell said the first sentence.
He was the man who haunted her mind day and night. In her dirty and despicable life, he was the only one who spoke up for her, like a ray of light, making her look forward to and desire.
But she didn't dare to look up at him, because she was a slave and could only be nailed in the book of shame for the rest of her life. Moreover, she was the one who ruined Russell's life, so how could she dare...
But just now, Lin Muqiu said that she was a townsperson, even though she herself didn't think so.
But just now, Russell said with a trembling voice, "That's good."
That's good.
Doesn't he blame her?
When these words were spoken, not only Sophia was shocked, but also everyone present was shocked.
For the first time, they clearly saw the justice being done by ordinary people in the world of the aristocracy, and saw the rule of law and humanity amidst power and turmoil.
Someone was encouraged and raised his hand tremblingly, "Mayor, I also want to seek justice..."
"Me too……"
Once one person took the lead, more people followed suit. For the first time, encouragement overcame fear, and the fire of hope and justice spread in everyone's hearts like mushrooms after rain, forming a prairie fire.
From then on, Lin Muqiu was no longer just a simple name in their hearts, and Lin Muqiu's store also represented more meaning in their hearts.
Everyone had only one thought in their mind:
Her store should become popular and she should make the money.
*
Russell and Sophia were led by Mario to sit in Lin Muqiu's small ice house and ordered food. They still couldn't recover when they saw some delicious food being played on the big screen in the store.
There were so many things that shocked Russell that day: Lin Muqiu, the trial, Sophia, the ice house, the screen, and the ice powder. For the first time, he felt that this town seemed to have changed a lot.
Even if it seems like just one more store.
Because the people around him no longer had the sad look they had during the summer disasters. Everyone had a smile on their face, whispering and discussing, and eating mashed potatoes that he had never seen before. The potatoes seemed so delicious and fragrant.
Even the trees around Lin Muqiu's shop are evergreen. Perhaps because the ice house is too cool, the trees also benefit from it and grow lush and green, standing straight and proud like a guard.
There's only one thing that's not good.
Awkward, so embarrassing.
It was okay with Mario, mainly because he was not familiar with Sophia. There were a few times when he wanted to speak, but as soon as he looked into Sophia's eyes, Sophia would avoid him, and he would immediately feel embarrassed.
Especially now that I look like neither human nor ghost.
He was just glad he had shaved his beard.
After much hesitation, Russell finally decided to speak first to break the deadlock:
"How have you been all these years?"
"How have you been all these years?"
Two voices came at the same time. He looked at the girl who had just spoken in surprise, and the girl also looked at him in surprise.
In an instant, the scene returned to the state of staring at each other.
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