How can you steal food?

 Upon arriving in Green River Town, you become a person of Green River Town; this statement is not an empty phrase.

The common people who escaped from nearby Willowbrook Town and Greenwood City truly felt the benefits of being residents of Green River Town.

Settling in Green River Town not only meant free medical care, but they also received a subsidy of premium rice upon registration. No one had ever seen officials treating the people so well.

Michael Harris hurriedly squatted down and asked the little boy, Jack Parker, "Kid, where is your sister? Is she sick? We adults will find someone to treat her. Take us to her quickly. If her illness worsens, it will be harder to manage."

Jack recognized the man who didn't charge him and his sister an entry fee into the town.

Jack and his sister Alice had been to several towns, but without exception, they had to pay an entry fee, except in Green River Town.

This made the boy mistakenly think Michael Harris was being kind, so he still had a good impression of him.

Seeing the big brother so concerned about his sister, Jack immediately stopped crying and choked out, "Sister... sister is sick, she... she fainted."

Magnus Valorion heard this and immediately instructed, "Michael Harris, since this child trusts you, take Sam Wilson and George Mitchell to treat them."

"I heard the child say his sister is ill. Make sure to find a woman to care for her! A man wouldn't be appropriate; don't tarnish the girl's reputation."

Michael Harris nodded immediately and agreed, "Rest assured, sir, I'll have my sister-in-law take care of his sister."

Magnus Valorion then thought that the boy and his sister must be lacking food and clothing after escaping to this place, so he instructed people to send some food and supplies to them.

The boy, who had been cursing Magnus Valorion as a corrupt official, suddenly saw him as a shining and upright figure.

After giving these instructions, Magnus Valorion turned to have the bodies of Tuco and "the one-eyed man" disposed of, reminding them to be careful of the blood on the bodies, as it contained his deadly poison.

Magnus knew that prolonged exposure to Paraquat could be fatal.

He wasn't sure if the Paraquat in their blood would be lethal, but it was better to be safe than sorry; every laborer in the town was a valuable asset to Magnus.

About three days later, another group from Willowbrook Town, who had followed Magnus in attacking The Crimson Vultures, returned to Willowbrook Town with the looted goods, horses, and rescued villagers.

"The main force that attacked The Crimson Vultures is back," a guard on the city wall shouted excitedly.

This good news spread quickly, and soon the entire town knew that the victorious force had returned.

Many people climbed the city walls or ran outside the city to welcome the 'triumphant army.'

Margaret Wilson, the mother of Eric Wilson, was overjoyed to see her daughter on a cart, tears streaming down her face.

Many other citizens were just as overwhelmed with emotion.

On such a joyous day, some citizens started beating the gongs and playing the suona that Magnus had ordered to be prepared.

The entire town of Green River was buzzing with excitement.

Magnus also directly ordered that today, every citizen would eat dry food, specifically pickled vegetable fried rice.

It wasn't that Magnus was unwilling to give them fish and meat, but Green River Town was too poor.

The people's chickens and ducks were still small, and the potatoes had only been planted a month ago and were not yet mature.

Even though Magnus had more than 100,000 taels of silver, nearby Willowbrook Town and Greenwood City couldn't provide much.

In other words, the pickled vegetable fried rice was the best Magnus could offer at this stage.

However, Magnus didn't realize that even just eating pickled vegetable fried rice made the people of Green River Town, including his city guards, feel they were living a blessed life, thanks to Magnus's benevolence.

Once again, large pots were set up throughout the town.

The last time there was such a scene was during the construction of the city walls, and this time, the whole town was celebrating the defeat of The Crimson Vultures.

In the evening, the young girl Alice, who had been in a coma for many days, woke up.

As soon as Alice woke up, she saw her brother, Jack, bringing in a large bowl of fragrant fried rice.

Jack, seeing his sister awake, excitedly said, "Sister, you're awake! Try this pickled vegetable fried rice, it's delicious!"

Although the rice smelled wonderful, Alice knew they had no money and couldn't even enter other towns without paying. Her brother couldn't possibly afford such a large bowl of rice; the only explanation was that he had stolen someone else's food.

Stealing food was like cutting off someone's livelihood. They used to be a prominent family, but because their father offended the treacherous Chancellor Alp Arslan, he was executed by the foolish Emperor of the Great Latium Imperium, and their family's assets were confiscated. It was a tragic fate, and their mother died of grief.

The unfortunate siblings also encountered a drought in Fierce Lion Province. Without any stored food, they had to leave home and head south to seek their aunt, whom they had never met.

However, the siblings lost their way and, after a month of hardship, ended up in Green River Town.

"Brother, where did you get this food? Did you steal it from someone?" the groggy Alice asked angrily.

"No, it's from the Sheriff. He gave it to everyone in town today!"

Alice looked at the bowl of rice, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She struggled to move the bowl of fried rice aside and then pulled her brother close.

Slap!

She spanked him hard on the buttocks.

Alice scolded her brother while spanking him, "I told you not to lie, not to steal food."

Alice knew that even if a Sheriff provided relief, it would only be thin porridge with visible grains or a thick, murky porridge made from bran, sand, and chalk. It would never be a bowl of dry rice.

Officials who could provide the first two types of relief were already rare. If they could eat their fill of dry food, the official must be a deity.

So, in Alice's eyes, the only possible explanation was that her brother had stolen someone else's food.

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