I, who was eager to retire, became an Imperial General.

Chapter 87 Governance is a Troublesome Matter

An hour later, in the mayor's office of the town government in Bahamut.

He looked at Siegfried, who was respectfully reporting to him the details of his Keller's Beer Hall speech.

Major John, sitting in the mayor's chair, was filled with complex emotions.

He really wanted to ask the other person how their brain worked, and why, after coming into contact with that damned Maslow's quotes, they had grasped the fighting spirit that he hadn't even explained in detail in less than a day.

In addition, what's with the other party's ability to incite others, comparable to that of a mustache?

Siegfried didn't showcase his artistic or public speaking skills in the game, did he?

How come when it comes to me, the other party went from being an army marshal to a top speaker?
"In conclusion, under your wise leadership, I have now formally conveyed the great Maslow's philosophy to the townspeople through a speech, making these commoners, who have been oppressed by Micah Hardman, understand the greatness of the Empire."

"And I believe that when you have formally tried Micah Hardman's crimes and issued new governance policies, the people of the town will show unprecedented support, sir!"

Major John, who couldn't help but wonder if he had a villainous streak, snapped out of his reverie and gave Siegfried a complicated look.

Considering that the other party's speech took a rather large step, directly putting him in opposition to the nobility in one fell swoop.

If this matter gets out in the future, I'm afraid I'll be met with cold shoulders from local nobles wherever I go, and it's even possible that they might try to harm me.

However, it is ultimately a good thing for ordinary people.

Moreover, when they promote the reform bill in the future, they will be able to gain better public support and recognition.

After a moment's thought, John reluctantly praised the other person:
“…Very good, Siegfried, you did a good job this time. I knew I hadn’t misjudged you.”

"It's all thanks to your wise leadership, sir!"

Upon hearing John's praise and realizing that his actions had been approved by his superior, Siegfried's eyes lit up.

However, after realizing that many of the onlookers would still have only a vague understanding of the speech at its end, he immediately had a new idea:

"Sir, after this discussion with the local residents, I discovered that the residents of Bahamut harbor deep prejudices against our Seventh Air Force, which may affect your future governance missions, so I think..."

No, you don't want to.

One such dangerous speech is enough. If you do it a few more times, won't you just put a yellow robe on me and make me start a rebellion?

Upon hearing this, John's face immediately turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Before Siegfried, seemingly possessed by Adolf and eager to become a speaker, could continue his self-recommendation, John interrupted him, saying:

“Siegfried, I understand your thoughts, but in my personal opinion, we should postpone the speech for now. What we need to do first is to eliminate the underground forces in Bahamut and the henchmen left behind by Baron Micah.”

"Only by eliminating these people and things that oppress the residents of Bahamut can the townspeople truly recognize the greatness of the Empire and cooperate with our work. That is the most important thing."

Seeing Siegfried deep in thought, and fearing he might cause further trouble, John directly instructed Hawke, who was smiling silently to the side:
"Sergeant Hawke, I hereby appoint you as the interim head of the anti-gang operation in Bahamut. In a moment, take this authorization and deploy fifty, no, one hundred army soldiers to carry out the eradication of local criminal gangs. I want you to complete it thoroughly before sunset and send those parasites to jail without leaving a single one alive. Any questions?"

"No problem, Battalion Commander, I guarantee the mission will be accomplished!"

"If there are no problems, go carry out the mission. By the way, Siegfried, you and your temporary team will come along too. If Hawke can't handle it by himself, you should lend a hand. If he resists too much, you can kill him on the spot."

"In short, my requirement is that no criminal organizations are allowed in this town, understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

Hearing John's instructions, Siegfried felt a little regretful, but he didn't say much. Instead, he gave a respectful bow with a serious expression and then quickly followed Hawke out.

"Squeak!"

"Phew... finally some peace and quiet." Looking at the empty office in front of him, John couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

He then rubbed his throbbing temples, got up to pour himself a cup of coffee, and then picked up the stack of documents on the table again to examine them.

These documents were found in a safe in the mayor's office.

After successfully occupying the town, John learned the backgrounds of most of the officials who served the local nobility.

That very night, troops were dispatched to imprison these people in the town's jail, with the intention of trying them later when Micah Hardman was tried, in accordance with the principle of sentencing the guilty and releasing the innocent.

However, looking at the documents in his hands filled with numerous records of corruption, coupled with the dire state of life in the town of Bahamut, he was deeply troubled.

John felt that if judged by his standards, none of these bastards would survive.

So, I've done something to rid the people of a scourge?
Shake your head, letting go of the thoughts in your mind.

I briefly looked at the records of bribery involving the town mayor and others, and then went to the Ministry of Finance to check the budget of less than 2 yuan.

After gaining a concrete understanding of the funds currently available for operation in the town of Bahamut, a preoccupied John went to the courtyard, where he examined the layout of the town's existing industries while smoking and pondering.

Thanks to his work in real estate projects in his previous life, John had a lot of dealings with public institutions and government agencies, and thus learned a lot from what he saw and heard.

In addition, John knew very well that governing a town in reality was not as simple as issuing a few tax cuts or launching a few projects as it was in a game.

Instead, it needs to be judged based on the specific local circumstances.

Otherwise, if he leaves after completing his mission, he will only leave a mess for the newly appointed mayor of Bahamut.

If they were to get a new town mayor who only takes a salary and does nothing, then the residents of Longyanling would be truly blessed for life.

Regarding the town's governance, John was actually quite clear about Dormammu's demands.

All he needs to do is win over the hearts and minds of the people and get the townspeople to accept the presence of the Imperial Army, and then Domam will give him an excellent rating.

After all, the so-called governance task is essentially a comparison with other towns that have been conquered by the empire.

Compared to the resistance of the residents of other towns to the Imperial Army, if John could win the hearts of the people of Longan Territory, it would be a great achievement.

But when you think back to the impoverished lives of the villagers of Stone Village, and then compare them to the extravagant lifestyle of the Baron's Mansion, it's a stark contrast.

John felt that in governing, he either shouldn't do it at all, or he should do it well.

Although the price would be a reduction in the amount of his hard-earned savings.

But isn't money meant to be spent?

"Moreover, after the economy and public morale of the town of Bahamut were boosted, Emperor William, having witnessed the effects of the reforms, would be even more eager to implement the reform bills he would later propose, and would spare no effort in carrying them out."

"So this is a very wise move for my own better retirement!"

John kept brainwashing himself, just as he was gritting his teeth and deciding to take a sum of money from his savings to invest in town development and improve the lives of the local people.

With the sound of footsteps, Sergeant Wendy's goofy, chubby face came into view, followed by some unexpected news:

"Captain, there's a group of people outside claiming to be from the Tongxin Society looking for you, and they've brought quite a bit of money. They say they're here to ransom you. Do you want to go see them?"

……

(End of this chapter)