End of an Endless Cycle

Even though Yale City already sent troops to exterminate the bandits, the merchants in the city continued to crowd outside the city hall, interrogating them over the past few days.

It wasn't an exaggeration to describe them as interrogating. Since the city hall had promised to help them, they should be responsible until the end.

The last expedition didn't entirely stop the bandits from robbing merchants of their goods. On the contrary, the merchants lost even more.

At that moment, the merchants were unable to import and export any goods at all. Without goods, the merchants couldn't obtain any benefits. Their living condition became even worse than that of ordinary residents.

Wang Lun sent out soldiers to deal with the bandits several times, but when they arrived at the destination, they couldn't find any trace of the bandits, let alone wipe them out.

These bandits were as though able to read Wang Lun's mind. As soon as the army was dispatched, the bandits vanished from the face of the earth. But whenever the merchants imported goods, the bandits appeared out of nowhere again.

It was yet another day to eliminate the bandits. In the city hall, Wang Lun patiently waited for news from the returning soldiers.

In recent days, this matter made him anxious. As the city lord, it was embarrassing for him to fail to resolve this issue. However, he was increasingly sure that one of the merchants was tipping off the bandits.

"Is the baron available?" a masked man in a shadowed corner asked the guard by the city hall entrance.

"Yes," one of the guards said.

"Okay, take me there!"

The masked man followed the guard's lead.

The route led them to the courtyard where Wang Lun lived.

Wang Lun was currently sitting in the courtyard and drinking tea.

"My lord, the man has been brought in," the guard reported.

Wang Lun turned and looked at them. He nodded and said, "All right, you may leave!"

The guard saluted, turned around, and left.

At the same time, the masked man took off his mask.

It was a middle-aged man who had the appearance of a merchant.

"Take a seat!" Wang Lun pushed his tea cup aside.

The merchant nodded, bowed, and sat down. "My lord."

The merchant lowered his head and gazed at the tea cup, afraid to face Wang Lun.

"How is the situation?" Wang Lun asked.

The merchant remained unmoved.

"Still no clue?" Wang Lun knitted his brows.

The merchant nodded and whispered, "Yes, my lord. All the merchants are behaving normally and haven't given the game away."

Wang Lun swallowed the tea in his mouth, sighed, and said, "It seems that the suspect also knows that we are looking for him."

"My lord, please forgive me. I have given my best," the merchant said with his head bowed.

Wang Lun patted the merchant's shoulder and said, "It's fine. This isn't something you can influence. It seems that I'm trapped in an endless cycle."

"My lord, perhaps you can solve this matter by giving the merchants back their benefits!" the merchant lifted his head, looked at Wang Lun, and boldly said.

He knew that there was a high chance that Wang Lun would berate him. However, the fear in his timid eyes seemed to be prepared for it.

But if he succeeded, he would also be able to receive the corresponding benefits. This risk that he took didn't involve death, and that was the source of his courage.

Wang Lun looked at the merchant. The former, who should have been angry, laughed. "Nothing needs to be changed as long as the merchants' benefits are enough. We need to consider the interests of the public to be able to survive."

Wang Lun stood up, patted the merchant's shoulder, saying, "Head back first! Be wary to not reveal your identity to them."

The merchant also stood up. He had long been used to such a simple conversation after countless times.

Wang Lun walking inside the room meant that the merchant's hope of regaining previous benefits came to naught.

This baron is too stubborn. Does anyone in this world still care about the life and death of the untouchables?

Do you really think you are God?

The merchant shook his head with a helpless expression. Then, he wore back the mask and returned the way he came.

A while later, Wang Lun stopped outside the room and headed in the direction of the main hall.

"My lord, where are you going?"

Wang Lun was lost in thought when a man called him. The former looked up and saw a stout soldier standing in front of him.

Wang Lun said, "You are? Oh, I remember you."

"My name is Griffin, my lord."

"Of course I know your name, soldier."

Wang Lun wasn't perfunctory. This soldier was highly regarded by Hallmark. In the last battle against the bandits, Griffin's comrade sacrificed himself to save him.

For the following expeditions, Hallmark didn't let Griffin participate.

"This time, I have come to seek permission to participate in the expeditions against the bandits," Griffin said with a pleading tone.

Wang Lun spoke. "I understand how you feel, soldier, but since you have violated the rules, you need to accept Hallmark's punishment. For that, not even I can call the shots."

"Then what if I say I have a way to locate the enemy, my lord?!"

The moment Wang Lun walked away, Griffin yelled out.

Wang Lun's reaction was exactly as Griffin imagined. Wang Lun came to a halt and turned around.

"Really?" Wang Lun said.

Griffin approached Wang Lun. "Yes, my lord. I have a way to deal with the bandits."

"Follow me," Wang Lun said and stepped away.

Griffin closely followed, walking through several buildings before entering one of them.

They entered Wang Lun's study.

"Sit, soldier!"

Griffin gazed at Wang Lun and sat down.

"Speak. What kind of plan do you have in mind?"

From his chest pocket, Griffin took out a piece of paper that looked like it hadn't been used for a long time.

"This is what I have researched in the past few days."

Wang Lun carefully analyzed the content on the paper and said, "Deal with the bandits in the dark?"

Wang Lun read.

Griffin nodded and said, "Yes, my lord. The bandits know that when we send out our soldiers, we will disguise ourselves as merchants and have some crossbowmen hide in the shadows. When the bandits appear and rob the goods, the crossbowmen will fire their bolts and destroy them in one fell swoop. And with the other soldiers in the shadows, even if a bandit gets away, we will be able to track their nest in time."

"What do you think, my lord?"

Wang Lun pondered, before excitedly slamming the table. "Now I finally know how I entered an endless cycle. Soldier, you've done a great job!"

Griffin was puzzled. "So, my lord, you agree to my participation in the next expedition?"

Wang Lun stood up and headed out of the study. "When Hallmark returns, I'll make him agree to your participation in the expeditions. But now, I have something very important to do."

At the next moment, Griffin was left alone in the study, and silence returned.

What's wrong with the baron? What endless cycle is he talking about?