Chapter 240: Scheming

Chapter 240: Scheming

What a great scheme! Bran sat there quietly and sighed softly. All of this had planted the seeds of trouble from the moment the royal family of Green was taken from the Anya Kingdom.

Just when Bran thought he had intimidated the Anya People, he fell into their trap in his pride and arrogance. The Anya People left cleanly and decisively; the troubles here had nothing to do with them anymore. Any negative consequences had to be borne by the people here now.

Even the White Robes might have been schemed against. After all, Pachu had not hidden his intention to seek refuge with them at that time. If an accident occurred, it would inevitably sow discord in their hearts.

As Bran learned more about this country, he found that Green’s Royal Family was quite capable. When they were around, although there were struggles among the higher-ups, the order below remained stable. The country was also relatively prosperous, and the population continued to grow steadily.

But at this moment, Bran wished that Green’s Royal Family or nobles were a bunch of incompetents. Even if they made the people’s lives miserable, the situation would not have collapsed to this extent. The huge population had now become a source of chaos.

Bran even felt pity for Green’s Royal Family and nobles, thinking they were born at the wrong time. If the combat power of the Northlands and the Dragon Riders had not been so overwhelmingly strong, this place might have been a different scene.

However, Bran always felt something was off. It seemed like these refugees appeared instantly, with no buffer at all, and the local nobles acted too incompetently.

Unable to figure it out, Bran stopped thinking about it. But at that moment, a piece of news reached his hands: the territory of the Niels Family had been attacked, and they were currently holed up in their Castle, holding out and waiting for reinforcements.

This made Bran frown. The Niels Family? He couldn’t help but hesitate. Was someone trying to force me to act?

Looking at the many Wizards in the city and the White Robes still busily working on their headquarters, Bran felt a headache. He and these people were just a group born for Mana. While pursuing Mana and gaining power, their minds had also become simpler. They were not a group suited for scheming and plotting. Letting them handle this kind of matter would probably cost many lives.

For a moment, Bran even had the thought of solving the problem once and for all.

He didn’t want to be led by the nose, nor did he want to be dragged into such a vortex. If he gave in today, what about the future? Wouldn’t these people and their descendants end up riding over his head?

The Dragon Riders had not been happy for many days when they received a letter from Bran. The letter said: He did not want to see any half-dead people emerging from the East Coast again.

The nobles in the Royal Capital also received a letter from Bran: He did not want any refugees appearing at the Twofold Mountain pass. He hoped these nobles would not force him to seek justice for these refugees. Hearing that the Niels Family had been violated, he did not want to see this family suffer too much damage.

The Wizards of Northland City were still sent out. According to Bran’s requirements, they did not participate in direct rescue efforts. They only supervised, reported, and, for some people and some matters, made an example by killing one to warn a hundred.

Bran would not directly intervene because he did not have the ability. He knew he was not good at managing relationships. He could take care of three or five people thoroughly, and with twenty or thirty, he could still express his goodwill. Any more than that, and Bran believed he would make a mess of things. But some words, when spoken from his mouth, carried a different weight.

Mortal affairs should be left to Mortals to solve. As Wizards, they only needed to look down upon the world and let everyone stay in their proper place.

The actions of Northland City greatly disappointed the nobles. Northland City became more aloof, even treating them as servants—servants of the Wizards.

Since you want a new order, then I will give you a new order. Having vaguely guessed the nobles’ purpose, Bran acted extremely cold-blooded. He did not care about the refugees, did not care about the still-comfortable nobles, and even openly began killing without concealment.

Faced with Bran’s madness, everyone became afraid. Several brave nobles in the Royal Capital, along with their entire families, had been hanged at the city gates. Those among the refugees who were not afraid had also been nailed to wooden stakes. The corpses swaying in the wind and the moans of the dying brought much more order inside and outside the Royal Capital.

The Wizards from Northland City, traveling around various places, acted even more decisively. They used their actions to tell some people: either live together, or die together.

Green had enjoyed favorable weather and bountiful harvests for many years, so its grain reserves should be able to handle this man-made disaster. As long as order could be restored and someone could take charge in the middle. The powerful figures in the Royal Capital still controlled the lifeblood of the country. Various institutions had not been abolished, and their corresponding powers and responsibilities were still being exercised. The only thing missing was some overarching righteousness, which made many people have inappropriate ambitions.

Many lives became sacrifices to these ambitions. Bran didn’t know if these people regretted it, but he was determined to make this group learn a sufficient lesson. He wanted to make them understand that Green was their own home. If they didn’t care about their own lives, then he cared even less.

I am just an outsider, a Wizard without much patience.

Most of the White Robes, along with some new disciples, were out busy and on the move, making Northland City much quieter. In the White Robes’ headquarters, Baz was directing people who kept working tirelessly. Compared to the White Robes, Baz’s planning and coordination brought order and efficiency there. Seeing Baz’s performance, Bran began to doubt some of his own plans.

Wizards were not a group of qualified rulers. For a new order to be born from the hands of Wizards, who knew how many twists and turns it would take. And once they became embroiled in the struggles for worldly power, would these Wizards still receive Mana’s favor?

Once they lost Mana’s favor, how much strength could these people retain? How much intimidation could Wizards who were not strong enough wield? And how many would become tools in the hands of others again?

Bran felt a bit helpless. He had originally wanted to wait another two years.

He called for Earl and asked, “Do you want to take charge of a region?”

Hesitantly, Earl probed, “Could you allow me to stay by your side and learn for a few more years?”

Bran sighed. “It’s only temporary. You first go to the Royal Capital and hold the fort for a few months. Half a year later, I will have someone else replace you and bring you back. No one here is more suitable than you.”