Chapter 383 Army Arrived
An army was quickly assembled.
Five thousand strong soldiers quickly marched south under the leadership of Wilmot Aymer.
Departing from Balkes, these soldiers were fully equipped, well-trained, and brimming with eagerness to finally see some action.
This would be their first operation since the war had concluded, and they were itching to make their mark.
It only took them a short amount of time to reach the intersection of two roads.
An officer inquired, "Should we split, General?"
"Hmm," Thoughtfully rubbing his chin, Wilmot fell into a moment of deep contemplation.
To the right, the road led to Dalfos while the path straight ahead, on the other hand, led to Vofors.
Both places were embroiled in the throes of unrest, riots and secession movement.
Eventually, Wilmot made his decision. "Let's go to Vofors," he stated.
In his estimation, Vofors was the more vulnerable of the two cities.
Situated in close proximity to Cerdueaxia, it made the city to receive assistance from external forces.
....
The army under General Wilmot Aymer's command finally arrived at the outskirts of Vofors.
As they drew nearer, their eyes were drawn to a flag fluttering in the wind, a flag that did not belong to their kingdom.
Tension mounted among the troops, and many whispered amongst themselves.
Multiple questions came to the minds of the soldiers, causing concern to etch across their faces.
They had been dispatched to restore order but the situation on the ground appeared more complicated than they thought.
Had the city already fallen to the chaos of rebellion?
Had they arrived too late to prevent it?
And most pressing of all, where was the governor of this province?
"Where the hell are those agents?" Wilmot said with a deep sense of frustration, stoping all the murmurs behind him. "How did they allow this to happen?"
He recognized that flag.
The flag, though unexpected, was familiar to him. It belonged to Vofors Republica and its presence here caught him off guard.
He feels surprised to see someone still keep it.
Putting the flag issue aside, Wilmot didn't rush headlong into the city, even though they had the capability to do so.
He was no fool, and he knew that diving into the unknown without a clear understanding of the situation was a recipe for disaster.
Instead, he ordered his soldiers to lay siege to the city's perimeter, effectively sealing it off from the outside world for the time being.
Before plunging into danger, he needed to gather information to figure out who was in control. And so, a scout was dispatched.
Riding his horse, the scout cautiously entered the city unhindered.
What greeted his sight was nothing short of unbelievable, a scene of absolute chaos.
Buildings marked with the scars of violence like shattered windows, walls marred by graffiti, and the remnants of hastily constructed barricades.
Smoke billowed from numerous fires that had been set, and the acrid scent of burning debris filled the air.
Shops had been looted, and the contents of the once-bustling market now lay scattered and abandoned.
It was a disorienting tableau of destruction, with overturned carts and debris-strewn roads.
Graffiti and flags of the Vofors Republica were displayed prominently.
"What the hell...," Words slowly escape his mouth. It was as if the rule of law in this city had crumbled.
The scout urged his horse forward before he eventually stopped in front of a young man he happened to see.
"Stop right there!" the scout ordered sternly.
The young man, carrying a rifle in his hand, halted and glanced up at the scout.
His eyes scrutinized the scout.
Chill began to grip his spine as he recognized what uniform the scout was wearing.
It's as though the scout could read the young man's thoughts, he promptly warned, "Should you try to run, I won't hesitate to shoot you."
The young man nodded mildly, realizing that there was no easy escape from the scout.
Seeing the young man's compliance, the scout nodded before he continued with a serious tone, "Alright, first question. What has happened to this city? How did it come to this?"
The young man began to explain with no intention to gloss over anything. "People rallied because of the grain prices. Some people stepped forward, introducing the idea of breaking away from the kingdom and reestablishing the Republica. But before they could do that, rumours started spreading out of nowhere, saying that the people who had led them to rally were actually involved in this grain problem. The citizens became even angrier, leading to the current state of the city."
"Hmm... I see," the scout nodded, taking in the young man's explanation.
He already knew a huge part of the story and it didn't derail from the briefing he got.
"Next question," the scout continued, "Where did you get that rifle?"
"T-this..." The young man stuttered.
His eyes darted around nervously as he tried to formulate an answer. He was clearly unsure of how much he should reveal.
However, the scout's patience was wearing thin, "So? Where did you get it?" he repeated.
"Someone gave it to me..." The young man finally answered, though, his voice was slow and shaky.
Hearing this, the scout couldn't help but feel surprised, "Someone gave it to you? Wow! Who would be generous to do so?"
"I... I'm not sure. They handed out guns to many people." The young man stammered due to immense fear.
"Many people, you say?" The scout's face darkened.
As the scout continued to interrogate the young man, the unsettling sounds of sporadic gunfire and shouting nearby disrupted their conversation.
Without further ado, the scout reached out his hand towards the young man, saying, "Give me the gun."
"Eh?!" The young man seems hesitant at first. But the words that followed after made him concede.
"Boy, give me the gun before I arrest you." the scout threatened.
With the gun in the scout's hand, he promptly returned to the outskirts of the city.
He didn't forget to tell the young man, "Stay at home and don't come out until you see the Republica's flag no longer fluttered in the wind."
"Y-Yes..."
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