Chapter 341 - 126: I am Lynch, and I’ve Become Stronger

Chapter 341: Chapter 126: I am Lynch, and I’ve Become Stronger

"Okay, okay." Lynch nodded profusely, his expression making it clear: ’You’re the boss now, Aus. Everything is up to you.’

Countless matters, both big and small, cropped up in Lakefront Town every day, and Aus was the one holding it all together. ’If I really piss off this dedicated, conscientious steward,’ Lynch thought, ’all he has to do is go home and take a few days off. I’d be completely swamped by trivial matters. Forget about getting any cultivation done!’

Seeing Lynch like this, Aus could only sigh helplessly. He continued his report, "There is one other matter that requires your personal decision, my lord. It concerns how we should handle the prisoners."

As he spoke, he produced a thick file—a summary of the interrogation records—and placed it on Lynch’s desk before continuing. "Following the method you’ve used before, we isolated and cross-interrogated the elite Blue Scarf captives and the goblins from the venture capital company. We also encouraged them to ’report’ on their comrades’ crimes and any intelligence they had... This is the final consolidated report."

Lynch took the report and began flipping through it quickly.

The report detailed each prisoner’s name, strength level, faction affiliation, and a litany of crimes, including raids, massacres, and illicit trades. It also contained other secrets they had exposed about one another.

Lynch’s brow furrowed as he read.

Many of the Blue Scarf members were hardened bandits with rivers of blood on their hands. They thought nothing of slaughtering entire villages and wiping out families. When they raided caravans, they spared no one—not the elderly, the weak, women, or children.

The goblin leaders were even worse, driven solely by profit. They had instigated multiple tribal conflicts, secretly dealt in contraband weaponry, and even had a hand in the dirty business of the slave trade.

"Single out the seven Blue Scarf captives with the most heinous crimes, along with the goblin airship captain and his main gunner." Lynch closed the report, his decision made. "Announce their sentences in front of all the other prisoners and execute them on the spot. As for their bodies... turn them into Skeleton Servants right then and there. It’ll serve as an example to the rest~"

"As for the rest, sentence them to varying terms of ’labor reform’ based on their specific crimes. Shackle them all and send them to the West Ridge mining district to work."

Lynch paused for a moment before adding, "Oh, and one more thing. You can put Fritz—the one with the mustache—in charge of managing this new batch of prisoners and arranging their labor reform. He’s been getting quite a feel for ’labor reform’ in the West Ridge mines lately, hasn’t he? And his performance has been good? This is the perfect chance for him to put his talents to use, pass on his experience, and continue to atone for his crimes."

A flicker of amusement crossed Aus’s eyes. He nodded and replied, "Yes, my lord. That’s an excellent arrangement. That young master Fritz has indeed made remarkable ’progress’ lately. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to accept such a challenging new assignment."

The two of them then discussed other miscellaneous matters, such as training for new recruits, expanding trade routes, and the details of their material exchanges with the Stone Hammer Giants.

Aus didn’t depart until dusk, carrying the stack of handled documents with him.

＊＊＊＊＊＊

「A few days later.」

「West Ridge Mining District.」

Fritz, the once-pampered young master from the Imperial Capital with his delicate skin and dandyish air, was now a completely different man.

He still sported his signature little mustache, but the look in his eyes had transformed from frivolous and arrogant to steady and focused.

Relying on a smattering of knowledge gleaned from miscellaneous books he’d read out of boredom back in the Imperial Capital and various bits of hearsay he’d picked up, Fritz had gradually risen from the rank of a common miner to become a minor supervisor in the mines.

He was now primarily responsible for designing the mine’s tunnels, planning the drainage systems, and establishing safety protocols. He even occasionally dabbled in the preliminary appraisal of minerals.

However, the deeper he delved into his work, the more acutely he felt the inadequacy of his knowledge.

The fragmented bits of information in his head had long since been exhausted. On several occasions, his imprecise assessment of the geological structures led to flawed drainage plans. This resulted in flooded tunnels and, once, even a minor cave-in.

Fortunately, no humans were harmed, but several Kobold miners were buried in the accident. By the time they were dug out, they were already dead.

Whenever this happened, the Kobold chieftain, Golden Fang, would always console him. "Brother, you do good. Much better than before. Before, cave-in, flood, miners die often. Now, very rare. Very rare."

But Fritz couldn’t accept such comfort with a clear conscience.

He had received too much kindness and care from the Kobolds during his time here.

Seeing Kobold miners die in the mines because of his own mistakes filled him with a special kind of self-loathing. He hated himself for having neglected his studies back in the Imperial Capital.

That evening, after a long day of surveying tunnels and recording data, Fritz dragged his exhausted body back to his private room—a privilege for the mine’s technicians.

But he didn’t rest right away. Instead, by the light of a dim oil lamp, he began to voraciously read several books: *Basic Geotechnical Engineering*, *Principles of Mine Water Supply and Drainage*, and *Minerals and Geology*.

He had spent more than half of his "labor reform stipend" to acquire these books through Aus.

In the past, he wouldn’t have bothered to even glance at the covers of such dry and tedious material. But now, to him, these books were a Holy Scripture—a beacon to light the mines and prevent more deaths.

Fritz was lost in his reading when, suddenly, he heard footsteps outside his door, accompanied by the characteristic yapping of Kobolds.

But mixed in with these familiar sounds was the distinct clanking of shackles.

Fritz frowned and looked up.

He set down his book, pushed aside the curtain flap of his doorway, and stepped outside. He saw Golden Fang and a few other Kobolds leading a squad of fully armed Soldiers from the Ninth Battle Battalion toward him. Trailing behind the group were a ferocious-looking Purple Zombie and seven or eight Black Corpses.