When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

#703 - Bloody May and the Dragon Underground

The "Heavenly Maiden City May Special Operation,” which terrified the Heavenly Maiden City's wizards, finally concluded in early June.

Compared to the strange name “May Special Operation,” the locals preferred to call it “Bleeding May.”

In these two and a half weeks, even if not all the gangs were cleaned up, at least eighty percent of the city's gang secret societies were arrested for labor reform or exiled to the Eastern County.

The constables' actions certainly couldn't be called procedurally just, such as torture, detaining people in the West City Tavern's underground cellar without food and beating them, or even dragging suspects' hands to put fingerprints on confession papers.

But from the results, they were basically just, because Mollyah helped with mind-reading; although no evidence could be found, arresting you was definitely not wrong.

Which of these gang-type secret societies didn't have several innocent lives on their hands?

Many wizards suffered from rough law enforcement during this public security campaign, but they had to admit that the atmosphere in Heavenly Maiden City was immediately cleared after this cleanup.

The illegal toll booths that used to block the roads between streets were removed, and the bullies who collected tributes and protection fees along the streets disappeared from the streets and the world.

A large number of rogues and hooligans who engaged in market manipulation but committed minor crimes were required to undergo labor reform, either repairing roads and building bridges on the streets, or going to the plantations outside the city to cut sweet branches.

The human trafficking and slave auction market in the South City was shut down and banned. The freed slaves who lived close to home were given a small amount of money to leave on their own, and those who lived far away temporarily served as municipal staff, helping to deliver letters and sweep the streets.

As for the vacant building, it is said that it will serve as the headquarters of the United Spice Company and the future commodity exchange.

However, Horn had to admit that, despite the great fanfare, it only cleaned up the gang secret societies in and around Heavenly Maiden City.

Further out, there were still a large number of gang-type secret societies in ordinary towns and rural areas.

The Ibe River needed God's Punishment Army escorts, and the ports and borders needed God's Punishment Army patrols. These gang-type secret societies were still attached to the Black Serpent Bay's economic arteries like bone spurs.

The Constable Corps only consolidated the Heavenly Maiden City base camp to prepare for next year's security war.

However, it was precisely because Horn limited this campaign to the vicinity of Heavenly Maiden City that it did not provoke opposition from gang secret societies in other regions.

These people would instead gloat. Weren't the gangs in Heavenly Maiden City always arrogant? Now they didn't see the situation clearly and were unlucky.

But they would soon have nothing to laugh about, because after the “Heavenly Maiden City May Special Operation” came the “Long Dike City June Special Operation,” the “Sora Fort July Special Operation,” and the “August Ibe River Joint Patrol Operation.”

If these gang-type secret societies do not transform, then their territory will probably only be in the countryside and smaller towns.

“But what about those unemployed gang combat wizards? We can't just expel them all to the Eastern County, can we? If we do, they will become bandits. If they become bandits and outlaws in the forest, it will be difficult for us to deal with.”

Holding a torch at the front, Ottatira led the way while discussing government affairs with Horn.

The current Black Serpent Bay Wizard Federation is still a fairly loose system. The three counties of the South, Central, and North can basically be said to be acting independently. Ottatira's greatest power as Speaker is to serve as the supreme judicial and financial oversight authority.

But if this problem is not handled well, it is very likely to trigger unrest and riots, because combat mages have both violence and numbers.

Following behind Ottatira, Horn and Jeanne felt a chill in their hearts as they listened to the hissing sounds of snake people moving along the walls.

“Political struggles are sometimes the same as military ones. Just as surrounding a city requires surrounding three sides and leaving one side open, we cannot force these secret societies to jump over the wall.” Horn carefully stepped on the slippery steps. “I will naturally provide them with a place to go.”

“What?”

“It's very simple, let heroes investigate heroes, let good men investigate good men…” Horn stroked the green moss and looked at the deep pit with some doubt. He seemed to hear something howling.

Maybe it was the sound of the wind? After reassuring himself, Horn continued: “…I plan to hire a group of unemployed gang combat mages as tax police, and they will be affiliated with the Holy Axis Road and Bridge Bureau.”

These combat mages may not be good at anything else, but they are quite good at checking accounts, fighting, and collecting protection fees.

Aren't those secret societies unwilling to pay taxes? Don't they like smuggling? Don't they always resist taxes with arms? Then let these combat mage tax police, who are also from gangs, deal with them.

In fact, not only will the Holy Axis customs ports hire tax police, but even the county governments in the Northern County and other places will hire combat mages as tax police.

Otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste that there are so many autonomous territories on the ground in Black Serpent Bay that don't pay taxes or people?

After clearing out these gang secret societies, Horn's next target will be these autonomous villages and savage tribes.

“I see.” Ottatira instantly understood. “With these tax police, we can not only disintegrate grassroots gang organizations, but also strengthen the power of the county government.”

“That's right.”

Seeing Horn and Ottatira chatting so happily, and all the content was something she didn't quite understand, Jeanne couldn't help but interject: “Ms. Ottatira, there is one thing I have always been unable to understand, can you answer it for me?”

“As long as I know, I will tell you everything.”

“Akatlan of the Scale Ascetics said that Master Cynthia was exiled to the rainforest in the Eastern County, why would she appear here? If she is conscious, why would she always be locked up and not see anyone?”

“To be precise, Grandma Cynthia couldn't leave in the first place, there is no such thing as exile, the one who was exiled was actually Grandma's, um, physical body, she controls it from underground, that physical body normally can't even leave Heavenly Maiden City.”

Horn suddenly stopped, his eyebrows furrowed: “Are you saying that Master Cynthia is a vampire?”

“Don't say that in front of her, she will definitely get very angry. Grandma Cynthia will then nag you for three or four hours about how vampires are thieves and traitors, blah blah blah…”

“Aren't there witches who know necromancy?”

“She's not a witch… Oh, you'll know when you get underground.” Ottatira didn't know how to explain it to Horn, so she quickened her pace.

But Jeanne was still unwilling to give up: “Then how did Master Sephalia and this Master Cynthia meet?”

“Grandma Cynthia's physical body seems to be some kind of deal she made with the Flesh Court, and Master Sephalia seems to have helped Grandma Cynthia repair her physical body, but it failed.” Ottatira carefully recalled the speeches of the party elders.

“Since Master Cynthia and Sephalia are so close, and you are her successor, why are you not very familiar with Sephalia?” Looking at the sunken abyss in the deep pit, Horn could vaguely see something shiny moving. It should be almost to the bottom.

“Grandma Cynthia said that Sephalia is a figure, but she is too dangerous, it is best not to get too close, I have never even seen her with my own eyes.”

Ottatira sighed: “And Sephalia always appears with masks and false names, and her whereabouts are strange. Not to mention the Scale Ascetics, even… Ah, we're here.”

As his soles stepped on the soft sand, Horn had just let go of his raised heart when he saw Ottatira put the torch into a groove.

In an instant, in the smoke of burning whale oil and spices, flames lit up in circles at the bottom of the pit.

In the blazing fire, Horn's pupils couldn't help but shrink, and Jeanne jumped up in fright, with lightning flashing from her palms and hair.

A slender neck raised, a triangular head shaking sand, a pair of golden eyes under dark red scales looked at Horn and Jeanne, with a vicissitude that seemed to carry not a trace of emotion.

Dragon, in front of him was actually a dragon, a red dragon!

“Ho ho ho!” Stretching out broken wings, an old and hoarse old woman's voice floated from the dragon's throat, “You witches are exaggerating, able to live even with your heads cut off.”