Chapter 20 General Administration
The crowd surged, and angry responses rose and fell until they formed a deafening roar and shouting.
Soon, some people brought hard objects such as harpoons, wrenches, and crowbars from their homes and joined the angry crowd, like cold drops of water flowing into a river - and this river was rushing violently towards the Port Security Headquarters.
"We want an explanation for the deaths of Benny's family!"
“No damn dirty air tax!”
"—cancel those sons of bitches' taxing power!"
"Professor." Azuka's face darkened slightly, and he pressed the black-haired young man's shoulder: "It's too dangerous to go out like this."
When a stranger, whose attire is completely different from that of the people on Yuwei Street, meets a crowd that has lost their minds due to grief and anger, something unpredictable is likely to happen.
Captain Scarpo also came to his senses: "Professor, please stay here and don't go out!"
The black-haired young man avoided the hand of the God-Favored One, leaned sideways at the corner, and stared calmly and sharply at the figures flashing past the door.
"Because of the Dawn Celebration, the Port Navy and the Public Security Bureau have been on edge lately," he replied coldly. "What will happen if the rioting civilians, losing their minds, face the well-prepared regular army equipped with magic light cannons and guns?"
Expulsion, suppression, stigmatization, and then unilateral massacres and large numbers of casualties.
A bloody tragedy.
Nova Brody is a cold man who doesn't care about many things. But if revealing his identity might help calm the conflict and save lives, even if it's just out of arrogance and vanity, why not do it?
Damn nobles, he mocked himself mercilessly, saying that he didn't need it, but at the same time relying on this skin to bully others.
——None of this should have happened.
He casually picked up the tattered clothes from the captain's house and prepared to put them on. "Besides, I have to go to the Public Security Bureau. I need their help in contacting Baita University. Don't frown at me. I'm not a reckless fool."
“…”
The God-favored One stared at the black-haired young man's profile for a while, and suddenly sighed helplessly.
"Please come here - I don't mean to stop you, but we need to make some preparations." He softened his voice.
Nova approached the other person in confusion, but saw the person waving his hand in front of him, whispering a few words, and then a gentle breeze blew across his cheek.
There were no shining magic circles or spells, nor any special spell effects seen in games or movies - but Captain Scarpo suddenly looked in their direction in confusion.
"Wait, where's the professor?" he asked nervously, his tone like someone who had discovered a cat had suddenly sneaked out on its own: "Oh my God, could he have already left?!"
Seeing that Captain Scarpo was about to burst through the door, the God-Favoured One grabbed the confused Nova, raised his right hand and shook it - so stupid, the professor immediately glared at him - and smiled, "Don't worry, the professor is still here."
"Wha-why is there suddenly someone in the house?!"
"A little trick to confuse perception." Looking at the black-haired young man's eyes that were shining with brilliance and almost full of "I'm very interested", Azuka nodded slightly and gracefully, looking like a magician who had successfully performed a magic trick.
In the previous life, the Saman family and the port navy jointly went to the Asachi Valley to massacre the Natalin people. The port's armaments were lax, and Azuka had not heard of any large-scale suppression of riots in Gray Bridge Port - perhaps the Public Security Bureau's attention was elsewhere, and they did not propose the "dirty air tax" that could be called the "last straw", or perhaps the resistance of the people of Fishtail Street forced them to compromise.
There were subtle shifts in the storyline, and the person behind the scenes might reveal something. Regardless of the reason, he should go and take a look.
…
Chief of the Graybridge Harbor Police Department, Nit Saman, has been in a very good mood lately. The Dawn Festival was a success, and the prominent figure from the Radiant Church seemed pleased. Even the head of the Saman family, General Butterfield Saman, has been in a much better mood. He took the opportunity to complain about the huge expense and manpower involved in patrolling the Dawn Festival day and night. The other party generously handed him a sealed document, assigning him the responsibility of collecting the tax.
As long as things are done well, why worry about not having money?
Nobles with noble silver blood have tax-free privileges. Nobles with their own fiefdoms even have partial taxation rights within their jurisdiction. As long as the royal parliament approves it, the tax policy of the fiefdom can be adjusted.
Is it expensive to hold a celebration? Then add more tax items, increase the tax rate, there are so many ways to do it. If you don't squeeze those cheap bones, you really don't know how much money you can squeeze out.
However, his subordinates recently reported that some untouchables dared to resist and clashed with the security team. Nit Samman was not too worried. The untouchables were cowardly and stupid. As long as those who dared to stand out were arrested and executed, the rest would be as docile as sheep.
Besides, the guns of the security team and the magic light cannons of the navy are not vegetarians - especially the magic light cannons. It is said that one shell of it is almost as powerful as a full-strength attack from a light apostle warlock.
That rumor had spread from the Royal City. While the Saman family had long guarded the westernmost point of the Silver Iris Empire, effectively a border garrison, Gray Bridge Harbor was surrounded on three sides by the sea, like the tip of a shoe jutting into the ocean. Beyond its borders lay the boundless, unpredictable, and dangerous ocean. Aside from pirates, there was no need for any significant defense. If it weren't for that great figure, they would have rarely had the opportunity to equip themselves with such a treasure.
"Director! Something happened!" The deputy suddenly rushed in panting. Nite Saman's eyebrows jumped and he kicked his subordinate on the knee, making him stagger.
"What are you so flustered about? You don't look like anything at all!"
The deputy didn't even bother to cry out in pain, and quickly replied, "Those untouchables on Fishtail Street are really rioting. A lot of them are rushing towards the Public Security Bureau. There are probably more than a hundred people, no, more than two hundred people - and they have weapons in their hands!"
Nit Samman was immediately furious. "What an ungrateful bunch! How dare they do that?! That lord hasn't even left Greybridge Harbor yet—who knows about this now?"
"Everyone nearby knows about it. They came all the way from the main road!"
The fat on Nite Saman's face trembled. He took a deep breath and said, "Pass the order to the security team to disperse them. If anyone dares to resist, just shoot them. If this can't drive them away, then the pirates around here are really rampant. They actually dared to besiege the Security Bureau!"
"yes!"
The deputy understood and turned to leave, but was stopped again.
"Wait," Nit Saman's narrow eyes, hidden by fat, flashed with a cruel gleam. "How long does it take to dispatch a magic light cannon?"
——Dealing with a group of daring "pirates" is a good opportunity to test the power of the magic light cannon.
The Sheriff's Office was completely surrounded by an angry crowd. The armed sheriffs looked nervous. They wanted to find someone who started the riot to make an example of him, but every dirty and vulgar face they saw was filled with the same anger.
Azuka protected the professor and came to the front of the crowd like a swimming fish. The others only felt vaguely as if they were blown by the wind, and when they turned their heads, they could only see the figures of their companions.
"What are you going to do?"
He lowered his eyes to look at the professor, who had half of his face hidden under the dirty hood of his cloak - the other party had insisted on wearing it, saying that it was to prevent the spell from malfunctioning, and he also wanted to put it on his head to cover up his dazzling golden hair.
The alien visitor from the materialistic world was naturally wary of magic. The savior was a little unhappy about his strength being questioned, but he did not show it on the surface. He just smiled and rejected the other party's proposal.
He wouldn't let that thing touch his hair, ever.
"The Saman family, headed by Marquis Butterfield Saman, is also one of the admirals of the Port Navy." Nova quickly recalled the intricate network of aristocratic relationships. "The Saman family is behind the Port Security Bureau. I'm just the son of a viscount, an ordinary person. My influence carries little weight. They're likely to send me away and massacre the civilians, smearing anyone who resists as a bandit or pirate."
"So simply declaring my noble status isn't enough to quell the conflict—but I'm also a professor of theology at White Tower University and a guest of the Glowing Church. Plus, this year marks the once-in-a-decade publication of the Divine History. The Glowing Church will do their best to avoid conflict with the White Tower University Seminary, which is under the auspices of the Oakenselle Society."
"As for the Saman family..." the black-haired young man sneered. "Back then, they were stationed at Graybridge Harbor because they lost the political struggle, which was equivalent to exile. They are called marquises, but their treatment is far inferior to that of the lesser nobles in the central city. Butterfield Saman is eager to return to the Royal City, and he will definitely try to curry favor with the Glowing Church. The magic light cannon is one of the feedbacks the Glowing Church has given him in recent years. It is said that a cardinal from the Royal City Church will attend this Dawn Celebration. Strangely enough, the Glowing Church seems to be attaching too much importance to this. I personally suggest that you pay attention to that cardinal. The Saman family should not lose face because of this matter."
Azuka listened intently. He'd been tormented by this kind of thing many times in his life, but few could explain it so thoroughly and dissect it like the professor did. So, was this how his nemesis gained such a terrifying grasp on people's hearts and such a prophetic style of action? He suddenly had the uncanny feeling of witnessing history.
"The situation is now clear." The professor held up three fingers. "First, we must define this riot before the Public Security Bureau does. Second, we must clearly identify ourselves as nobles and scholars and ask them to contact the White Tower University Seminary. Third, we must force them to cancel the 'dirty air tax' and release the arrested civilians. In the worst-case scenario, if the negotiations fail... the death of an invited theology professor in Gray Bridge Harbor would be a definite provocation. All we have to do is—"
The God-favored One suddenly interrupted him.
"Do you want to put your life on the line again?"
His voice was soft, but if you listened closely you could detect a chilling undercurrent of anger.
"...I told you, I'm not some big shot, just an ordinary person. I can only use this to force the other party to weigh the pros and cons." Nova blinked, looking at him in confusion. "Besides, I'm not really going to die. I must negotiate first. This is a backup plan for the most extreme situation, and the possibility of it happening is very low. Besides, according to our deal, won't you protect me?"
"Please don't interrupt me while I'm analyzing something. It's so rude." He scolded her with some dissatisfaction. "Another point. Why are you all so prejudiced against this method? It's obviously very useful."
This is a scoundrel's move, shameless, but very suitable for a madman like him who doesn't care about reputation or pursue a career.
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