Who taught him to restore the country like this

Chapter 125 Chaos
Baimu City, the reception room of the City Lord's Mansion.

The air still lingered with the cool scent of alchemy and river water. Ron, dressed in plain casual attire, sat at the head of the table, his expression calm and composed. St. Regis and Tallulah stood on either side of him, their expressions solemn.

The messenger at the bottom was dusty and exhausted, his armor stained with mud and soot betraying the hardships of his journey. His lips were chapped, his eyes were bloodshot like spiderwebs, and his entire figure was like a taut bowstring.

When Ron nodded slightly, the messenger stood up from his chair almost like a catapult. His hoarse voice seemed to be burned by flames, and every word was scorched:

"Mr. Thomson! By order of Lord Leo, I implore you to move to Silver City to fight the powerful enemy together!"

"Are you doing this again?"

Before Ron could respond, Byron, standing beside him, could no longer contain his excitement. His suspicious gaze pierced the messenger's body like a knife. "Are you another bait sent by Ian?"

The last "Silver City Meeting" almost cost them their lives, and their memory is still fresh.

"Captain Byron, please understand!" the messenger argued eagerly, his voice trembling with anger. "Ian... that damned coward! He took away the money and food of four major cities last night and fled!"

"Abandon the city and flee?"

Byron's brow furrowed, his confusion deepening. "Since you've driven him away, what 'big enemy' are you asking us to deal with?"

"He wasn't driven away by Lord Leo. Instead, he got terrified when he heard the news that the Ziyang Kingdom was attacking him!"

The knight's chest heaved violently, filled with immense anger and fear. "Before he fled... he burned all the food that couldn't be taken away from the four main cities... and destroyed the city gates and walls."

"Even more viciously, he spread rumors that Lord Leo was colluding with the Ziyang Kingdom and intended to sell the civilians of Thorn Territory to the Ziyang Kingdom in exchange for protection."

"He has now made the Thorn Territory a mess, and the people's hearts are..."

"and many more!"

Byron suddenly interrupted the messenger's accusation against Ian, his pupils shrinking slightly, "You just said... the Ziyang Kingdom is attacking?"

"Absolutely true!" The messenger nodded gravely, as if the news itself was of great weight. "The Ziyang army invaded the Lionheart Kingdom's territory yesterday morning. Now... they are heading straight for the border of the Thorn Territory and may break through at any time!"

When Leo learned in the early morning that Ian was planning to escape with the money, he wanted to give chase, but after learning from the rumors spread by Ian that the Zi Yang Kingdom was invading, he had to retain his troops to deal with the threat from the Zi Yang Kingdom.

Since the other two dukes had not yet attacked the royal capital at this time, Leo did not know the real purpose of the Zi Yang Kingdom's invasion.

He believed that the Zi Yang Kingdom was coming for the Thorn Territory and wanted to take advantage of the situation.

Therefore, he did not have the same idea of ​​escaping from the Thorn Territory as Ian.

He believed that as long as he recruited soldiers from all the territories surrounding the Thorn Territory, resisted the Purple Sun Kingdom for a day or two, and waited for reinforcements from the capital, he could resolve the crisis.

He had no idea that the royal capital itself was about to fall into the quagmire of siege by the two dukes and had no troops to send.

"Mr. Thomson." The messenger looked at Ron and pleaded cautiously, "The defenses of Thorn Territory are currently weak. Silver City and Whitewood City are far apart. If the enemy attacks, it will be difficult to protect both ends. Lord Leo implores you to move to Silver City and take command so that we can fight this formidable enemy together."

He was nervous, knowing that Ian's few thousand troops had already made them exhausted. Now facing the enemy's army of tens of thousands, the danger would be more than doubled.

Most of the people in Baimu City are Tiantu mercenaries, and they have limited sense of belonging to the Thorn Territory. If they follow Ian's example and leave, it will be like adding insult to injury for the Thorn Territory.

It would take time for Leo to gather troops from the surrounding areas. If the Zi Yang Kingdom took advantage of this opportunity to launch a fierce attack, considering the dilapidated defenses of Baiyin City and the uneasy public sentiment, it would be very dangerous.

"I understand the situation." Ron slowly stood up and said in a steady tone, "Please ask the messenger to tell the Duke's eldest son that I will lead the Whitewood City guards to Silver City as soon as possible."

"Thank you, sir!" The messenger felt relieved and bowed in gratitude.

After the messenger disappeared outside the door, Byron immediately frowned and asked, "Are we really going to Silver City?"

He had no desire to hold on to the Thorn Territory, and Leo's earlier decision to abandon Whitewood City had left him disheartened. Now that his mercenary group had hundreds of members, they could easily find another place to make a comeback.

"Since we've agreed, of course we have to go," Ron said calmly.

Evacuating from the Thorn Territory at this time is indeed the safest option, but the goal he has been planning in the Thorn Territory for so long is not to preserve the Tiantu Mercenary Group.

"Rigi, gather four hundred people and go out with me," Ron ordered.

"Aren't we all going to Silver City?" Reggie looked puzzled.

After a few days of rest, Baimu City has more than 700 guards, including the recovered wounded and newly recruited guards.

What does it mean that Ron only wants 400 people?
Since you have agreed to the Duke's eldest son's request to fight the enemy together, shouldn't you bring all the guards of Baimu City with you?

"What are you going to do with so many people?"

Ron's lips curled up slightly, an elusive smile flashing across his face.

In his chess game, the army of Zi Yang Kingdom could not reach Silver City at all.

This trip to Silver City is not so much about assisting in the war, but more about... persuading Leo to evacuate the Thorn Territory so that he can take over this land with full legitimacy.

If it weren't for the fact that he wanted to appease the other four main cities that were in panic and chaos because of Ian's atrocities, win over the hearts of the people, and gain reputation - all of which would become important cornerstones for the future restoration of the country - he would even want to go alone.

Reggie couldn't guess Ron's intention and could only do what Ron said.

"Byron, take your men to investigate the movements of the Zi Yang Kingdom army." Ron said to Byron again.

"Don't you want me to go with you?" Byron asked worriedly.

"No need, I'll be back soon."

……

The gate of Baimu City slowly closed behind the four hundred guards.

Ron rode on a shiny black horse, with Reggie and Tallulah following closely on his left and right.

The team headed northwards along the main road at a leisurely pace. Their target was not directly Baiyin City, but Baihe City, the main city closest to Baimu City.

The autumn wind blew up the dead leaves on the roadside, bringing with it a burnt smell, which was the ashes drifting in from the burning granary in the distance.

The scenes along the way confirmed the description of the messenger. The scattered refugees were dragging their families with them, their eyes numb and terrified. When they saw this well-equipped and well-flagged team, they all retreated to the sides of the road in fear.

Not only the four main cities were poisoned by Ian, but also many small towns.

"Mr. Thompson, aren't we going to Silver City?" Reggie awkwardly steered the horse closer to Ron and asked in a low voice.

She gazed at the road that deviated slightly from the direction of Silver City, her doubts deepening. "They went there."

Ron's eyes swept calmly over the refugees huddled on the roadside: "But not now."

"Ian has retreated, and Silver City is currently safe. Compared to Silver City, these places..." He raised his hand and pointed to the vague outline of White River City in front of him, "are the ones that need to be dealt with immediately."

"What Ian left behind wasn't ruins, but fear in people's hearts and a vacuum of order. If we leave this unchecked, before the Ziyang Kingdom attacks, we'll collapse internally, giving rise to countless bandits and thieves. That would be a true disaster."

The main reason is that the person ran away, which affected his reputation gains.

"Yes, we must first stabilize the country before we can resist foreign aggression."

Tallulah looked at the panicked civilians with sympathy.

Winter is coming. If they cannot find the next place to stay as soon as possible after fleeing their homes, death will be waiting for them.

Reggie did not comment.

In fact, given the current situation in the Territory of Thorns, there is no way to take care of these civilians.

If other lords were to come, they would probably give up the civilians because it would be easier.

But Ron was an exception.

She discovered that Ron seemed to have a special liking for civilians... No matter what the situation, Ron regarded civilians and even slaves as more important than soldiers and nobles.

Nonsense, can the base number of civilians be compared with that of nobles?
"arrive."

The Shiraki City team stopped in front of Shirakawa City.

At this time, the city gate was in a mess. The huge bolt was violently broken, and half of the city gate was hanging crookedly. Crying and shouting could be faintly heard from inside the city.

Without the slightest hesitation, Ron's eyes flashed, and he swung his arm down: "Clean up!"

The three hundred guards of Baimu City rushed into the open city gate like tigers out of the cage, with murderous intent.

Their goal is clear and ruthless - to suppress all thugs who take advantage of the chaos to commit crimes and harm civilians.

Ron's order was concise and iron-blooded: regardless of status, anyone who kills someone will be executed immediately!

The purge was swift as the wind.

Several wealthy merchants and their small bands of mercenaries, who were brazenly capturing young men and women in the city with the intention of selling them as slaves, were killed on the spot in a flash of cold light before they could even react. Blood splattered on the chaotic streets, cruelly but effectively heralding the advent of a new order.

Under this thunderous move, the noise and violence within the city were extinguished as if by ice water. The cries of terror gradually subsided, replaced by a sense of bewilderment and a rapidly spreading awe after surviving a catastrophe.

Ron didn't stop at suppressing the rebellion. He quickly united the city's spontaneously organized but leaderless defense forces and gave them a formal identity. Then, he led his soldiers to raid the mansions of the wealthy merchants who were taking advantage of the situation to loot.

Ian evacuated too hastily, and he only robbed and burned the money and food in his own hands and the hands of the civilians. He had no energy to attack the wealthy merchants in the city.

Bags of precious food were brought out and distributed fairly to the civilians in the city under Ron's personal supervision.

At the same time, young and strong laborers were organized to clear the ruins in the streets, repair the damaged city gates and gaps in the city walls, and strengthen the crumbling city defenses.

From the iron-blooded purge that broke into the house, to the comfort of distributing food, to the order to rebuild their homes... Ron's figure was like a monument of order rising from the ruins of chaos. With his unquestionable strength and will, he was deeply imprinted in the eyes of every civilian in Baihe City.

Fear gradually faded, replaced by a mixture of awe and gratitude. This "Lord Thomson" from Shiraki City announced the end of chaos and the arrival of asylum in the most direct and shocking way, becoming the new, solid cornerstone of order in Shirakawa City.

After doing this, Ron left Reggie and eighty guards to supervise in Baihe City.

Then he took the remaining 300 people, circled the city, and rushed towards the next main city.

The same scene was repeated over the next twenty hours. They would arrive at a chaotic city, quell the chaos, leave behind dozens of guards to supervise and maintain order depending on the situation, and then rush to the next place without stopping.

When the setting sun dyed the sky blood red again, only the last fifty guards were left by Ron's side, and the road ahead of them finally pointed to the majestic city shrouded in a huge shadow - Silver City.

From afar, the tall walls of Silver City were crowded with people and were on high alert, but the scene below the city was a heart-wrenching one.

The endless, black mass of refugees, like a swarm of desperate ants, surrounded Silver City, completely blocking all escape. Cries, pleas, and curses mingled together, forming a suffocating wave of sound that crashed against the city walls.

Countless hands reached out to the closed city gates and the walls, begging for shelter and food. The air was filled with the stench of sweat, filth, and a faint hint of panic.

On the city walls, the soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, their faces solemn, even tinged with reluctance and fatigue. They had to guard against a possible riot below the city walls, while also being wary of the Ziyang army that could appear at any moment in the distance. One can only imagine the immense pressure they faced.

Tallulah gasped. The scene before her was even more shocking than the messenger had described. This wasn't just a military threat, it was a horrific humanitarian disaster!

Ron reined in his horse, his deep gaze sweeping across the sea of ​​despair below the city, then up to the tense faces on the city walls. His face remained expressionless, but Tallulah could sense that beneath his calm exterior, his mind was racing, weighing the incredibly complex chess game before him.

"Teacher, how... do we get in?" Talulah looked at the city gate that was blocked by refugees, her voice a little hoarse.

Disperse them by force? That would lead to greater chaos, stampede, and even bloodshed.

Ron didn't answer immediately.

It was not difficult for the guards of Silver City to wipe out these unarmed refugees.

But doing so would be equivalent to confirming the rumors left by Ian, and the Territory of Thorns would become even more chaotic.

So, should we take in these refugees to dispel the rumors?

Even more unrealistic.

Taking in so many refugees at once would only cause chaos in the order of Silver City.

Besides, who knows how many of these refugees are people Ian left behind to cause trouble?
Leo certainly doesn't dare to open the city gate now.

Ron thought for a moment and instructed Tallulah, "Summon your giant stone golem and go to the city wall to announce that Thompson of Whitewood City has been ordered to complete the defense of the four main cities and request food and medicine support from Silver City."

Giant stone golems, used to deter chaos and declare power.

This notice makes our position clear - I am trying to find a way out for you, do you still want to block my way?
"Remember, speak louder," Ron instructed.

"Understood!" Tallulah did not hesitate at all and had absolute trust in the teacher's instructions.

She immediately turned, found a relatively open area, and began to set up the alchemical array with a focused expression. Complex runes flowed from her fingertips, embedding into the ground. Magical energy began to gather, and the air was filled with the uniquely rich scent of earth and stone.

(End of this chapter)