The whole thing took two days to resolve. After all, it involved not only robbers but also a captain who had been in the Military Police for eight years. The revelation that he had colluded with robbers also shocked many people.
However, the Branch Commander washed his hands clean. The ledger only contained information about Woermann; there wasn't a single word about the Branch Commander himself. Clearly, he hadn't participated directly but had just ordered Woermann to do it. In this way, he wouldn't be implicated if something went wrong, and there was nothing Rayan could do about it.
In addition, when Rayan and his group returned, they were met with arrest warrants. However, because there was concrete evidence, and this evidence had been shown to many civilians and even reporters who had caught wind of it on the way back, the captain's actions were confirmed as a crime.
Therefore, the Branch Commander had no choice but to report the matter, adding some of his own opinions. The reply from above, however, was beyond his expectations.
He had originally thought that even though the captain was dead and couldn't testify, it was clear that he hadn't been killed by robbers but by Rayan as the mastermind. Even if the responsibility of his subordinates, the new recruits, wasn't pursued, Rayan should at least be dismissed from his post.
However, the reply he expected didn't arrive. Nile's reply to him was to maintain the status quo, treating it as neither meritorious nor demeritorious. This was clearly somewhat strange. And Nile specifically indicated in his reply that there was a reference opinion from President Zackly, so the Branch Commander also speculated in his heart: could it be that Rayan had a personal relationship with President Zackly?
If there was such a layer of relationship, then he really couldn't touch Rayan. Not only couldn't he touch him, but he should also try his best to build a good relationship with him...
Thus, there was the invitation card Rayan held in his hand at this moment.
"The Straussman Family cordially invites Mr. Rayan Kafka to a banquet at 3 PM tomorrow afternoon. Formal attire is requested. We look forward to your arrival. - Elliot G. Straussman"
"The Straussman Family?!" Marlo, who shared the dormitory, also saw the invitation card, his expression extremely surprised.
"Do you know this family?"
Although Rayan knew some of the main plot points, he was basically ignorant of the rest of the world within the walls.
There weren't many families that appeared in the manga, and most were just briefly mentioned as stereotypical figures. But in this "reality," there were hundreds, if not thousands, of families within the walls. These guys were no longer a string of numbers in the manga but actually existed they were the ones who often caused trouble for the Military Police by racing their carriages on the streets.
"Of course, I know them!" Marlo took a breath, looking at the gold-embossed invitation card, his eyes somewhat fiery. "He's the chairman of the Marlein Trading Company! Marlein is the largest trading company in our Stohess District!"
"Tell me about it in detail."
"Oh, okay!"
Marlo organized his thoughts. "This trading company used to specialize in buying and selling goods, bringing things from Wall Maria to sell in Wall Sina and making huge price differences! But... after the fall of Wall Maria, their business shrank a lot, but they're still very rich, although I don't know how they make their money now."
"Hmm..."
"Also, the Marlein Trading Company is one of the largest taxpayers in the Stohess District, so in many things, the Military Police will 'do them a favor.'"
Rayan understood what this meant and looked at him curiously. "Marlo, you and I are new recruits from the same batch, right? How come you're so familiar with these things?"
"Uh..." He scratched his head. "I occasionally try to learn a bit. After all, if you want to climb up, you'll inevitably have to deal with these people in the future." As he spoke, he looked at Rayan enviously. "But Rayan, you've already received an active invitation from them!"
"Is there anything to be happy about? A banquet is rarely just a banquet."
"Don't say that. It's good to get to know some families; that way, they'll support you in the future." As he said this, he suddenly thought of something. "Oh right, 3 PM tomorrow seems to be... Baker and Wilson's funeral."
...
Funeral.
As soldiers, after death, they could be buried in the soldiers' cemetery. Of course, if the family had objections, they could also take the body away for burial themselves.
Of the two who died this time, Wilson had no relatives. Baker, however, had both parents alive and a seven or eight-year-old younger brother. At this moment, his parents had arrived and were weeping bitterly in front of the grave. The little boy stood to the side, blankly looking at the stone with his brother's name on it, seemingly unable to accept this.
"How pitiful..."
The new recruits nearby couldn't help but empathize. Several of them thought that if they were the ones who died in action this time, their parents would probably be like this too.
"Those robbers were too hateful!"
"Speaking of which, it's all Woermann's fault..."
"Of course! That guy was useless!"
"Hasn't the captain arrived yet?"
"The captain probably won't come, he seems to have gone to a banquet..." Roberts, whose shoulder was still bandaged, had just finished speaking when he felt his injured shoulder being patted twice. The pain made him grimace and turn his head to curse, "Which ba... uh... Captain?"
Standing behind him, patting his shoulder, was indeed Rayan. The latter was wearing a black suit, and his hair was styled, making him look a bit more mature.
Roberts was a little embarrassed, remembering his earlier words, and quickly pretended nothing had happened, asking, "Captain, weren't you going to a banquet?"
"What banquet could be more important than a comrade's funeral?"
"..."
Everyone was somewhat moved by his words. At this moment, the weeping parents saw him and immediately ran over, grabbing his clothes. "You... you are Captain Rayan, right? Baker mentioned you to me. A soldier who received an audience with the king and has the 'Warrior's' medal..."
"That's me."
The woman, in her fifties, had cloudy eyes and a sallow complexion that showed she was a farmer who had toiled for many years. She asked, word by word, "Captain, why... why did my son die...?"
"I'm very sorry. He fought bravely against the robbers."
Baker's father grabbed Rayan's collar, his eyes wide with anger, and demanded, "Why didn't you save him! Why!"
"Hey! Uncle and aunt, what's the point of making things difficult for our captain?"
"That's right, Baker was killed by robbers, there was nothing we could do!"
"All of us almost died back then!"
The new recruits hurriedly pulled Baker's parents away from Rayan. Rayan looked at the two of them and sighed inwardly.
"Baker's sacrifice led to the destruction of a large robber gang and exposed a cancer within the Military Police... his sacrifice was meaningful," Rayan said. "The two of you don't need to worry. The government's compensation is substantial enough to support your family of three until... until that young man comes of age."
He was referring to Baker's younger brother, who now looked up at Rayan. "Big brother, I want to avenge my brother. Should I become a soldier too?"
"..."
"No, don't become a soldier! Don't!" The woman's face changed drastically upon hearing this, and she hugged the boy tightly, muttering, "Don't, we only have one left, we won't join the army anymore..."
The family of three left after a moment. Roberts, seeing them walk away, asked Rayan, "Captain, there isn't that much compensation, is there? The government only gave... that little bit. The box of money we kept last time has also been almost entirely given to the victims. Speaking of which, this batch of robbers also had a lot of good stuff. How much wine and medicine did we confiscate? All sorts of things, the commander sent people to transport it all away! Originally this..."
"Alright, deduct the compensation from my monthly salary."
Rayan stopped listening to Roberts' chatter and walked to Baker's grave. Looking at the name on it, many thoughts went through his mind.
Life is often helpless. You are, and so am I. Even if I hadn't made a move, once Woermann was caught and the truth was exposed... how could you have faced it? I could have let you go, but could you have left? Could your family have left? Would the Branch Commander have spared your life?
"The robber's knife was really fast."
A voice sounded from beside him. Rayan turned his head and saw Annie. She stood to the side, looking at the tombstone, her expression calm, as if she hadn't spoken at all just now, and the cold voice was just Rayan's hallucination.
"A single cut to the throat," she added.
"...Yeah."
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Need More Chapters
Every 300 Power Stones
2 Bonus chapter
Every 500 Power Stones
4 Bonus chapter.
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