Chapter 1992 - 539: The Hyena Follows Up (Part 4)

"The lions have feasted. Now it's our turn to dine."

"Remember your current status, follow me!"

...

After the lions devoured the juiciest piece of meat, the hyenas followed closely behind.

The dust by the Rushing River had just settled, and the workers on the docks were still picking through the scattered barrels, trying to salvage some losses.

However, just then, the earth-shaking sound of hooves echoed once more, and a shining flag appeared again at the end of the road.

"It's the Knight Order!"

"They're back!"

The Ryan merchants by the river harbor looked up in terror, barely recovering from the last raid, when the second wave of "nightmares" was already upon them.

Brennan was riding on a tall warhorse, wearing a war robe that didn't quite fit, holding a terrifying battle axe in hand.

Even though his demeanor didn't quite match a knight's, for those Ryan people who were already scared out of their wits, it no longer mattered what he was.

That battle axe was reason enough!

"Whoa!"

Brennan pulled the reins, and the warhorse neighed, its front hooves smashing down on the wooden barrier at the checkpoint, crushing it to pieces.

"By the order of Heigmer Devalu!"

His rough voice boomed like thunder across the dock. He intentionally mimicked the tone of those arrogant nobles, even if he was far from getting it right.

"For the preservation of the Kingdom, to fend off those damned Campbell people in the North, all the resources in this river harbor now belong to the Devalu family!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone in the river harbor was in an uproar.

"Wait a minute — what do you mean by that?!"

"Aren't the Campbell people in the South? I remember... the Rhode people are in the North."

Hmm?

Is that so?

Brennan touched his nose, feeling a bit embarrassed, but he had no intention of explaining, instead giving a fierce glare at the fellow who tried to complain.

The crowd was furious.

How is this different from robbery?!

The merchant who previously stood against Heigmer also didn't dare to step forward now, even quietly tossing his paperwork into the river.

He had a gnawing feeling that this bunch wasn't quite right, not like people from the Devalu family, but rather a group of bandits from the Twilight Province...

However, what it was no longer mattered.

Even if he knew the truth, he absolutely wouldn't explain a thing for another pack of detestable wild dogs.

A merchant staggered forward, trying to negotiate one last time.

"Sir... Lord Heigmer just took all the grain! We really have nothing left!"

Brennan snorted, looking down on the fat merchant who bore a certain domineering resemblance to Heigmer.

"Nothing left? I see the gold ring on your hand seems nice, and the robe you're wearing looks decent too, take them off for me!"

The merchant stumbled and fell to the ground, screaming like a stuck pig as the grinning soldiers approached.

"Leave me alone! That's my stuff!"

But, his resistance was in vain.

The soldiers, dressed in the attire of the Lion Heart Knight Order, eventually took everything from him except for a single piece of clothing and a pair of underwear.

Under the scorching June sun, the humiliated Ryan man was trembling and speechless, his face turning nearly purple with anger.

Yet the soldiers didn't take his life, as they still needed him to spread the royal family's infamous name and couldn't just kill him.

Watching the knights' rough actions, the onlookers fell silent, despair written all over their faces.

"Everyone, I'm just following orders. If you feel wronged, go to Roland City and confront Lord Heigmer in person! Ask him why he only bothers to feed himself and doesn't leave a drop of soup for his brothers behind!"

With that, Brennan waved his hand nonchalantly.

"My apologies!"

At the very instant his voice fell, the "knights" following him surged forward with wild whoops, like a pack of beasts with green-eyed hunger.

Though the earlier knights had been rude, they at least maintained some semblance of military decorum and refrained from openly looting the merchants.

But these newcomers were different; they took everything that could be taken, leaving only bare earth behind.

"Enough talk! Hand everything over to me!"

"Even His Majesty the King is starving; lending you some stuff is your honor!"

"What are you looking at! Never seen the royal family collect taxes? If you want to complain, go to Roland City! Remember, it's Lord Heigmer's order!"

Among them, it was clear there were not only humans but also "pseudo-men" who had infiltrated. At this moment, they acted with theatrical exaggeration, finally venting their frustration of not being able to raid NPC houses.

In just half an hour, the docks and the town were thoroughly swept clean, like locusts leaving nothing behind.

The people were furious yet dared not speak, helplessly watching as the lion flag swaggered away once again, while the last bit of reverence they had for the royal family completely crumbled.

At this moment, Heigmer was unaware that as he returned triumphantly to Roland City with his men, his infamy had already spread like a plague across the southeastern corner of the Golden Plain.

From then on, wherever he went, the "knights" of the Salvation Army would follow, like an unshakable shadow.

Rayden couldn't do such things, but Brennan had no mental burden whatsoever.