NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Interrogation of Prisoners
TL: Etude
News of the bandits’ repulsion quickly spread through Lakeheart Town, prompting residents to flood the streets and gather at the town center square to celebrate.
The next day, Lord Count ordered a victory parade. The troops, organized in companies, formed square formations and marched in unison along the main street towards the square. A temporary review stand was erected at the north end of the square, where Paul, along with Schroeder, Blaise, and other senior military officers, reviewed the troops.
As the troops passed by the review stand from west to east, their formations swiftly changed to a march on command. Each young soldier walked with his head held high and chest puffed out, a mix of pride and solemnity on their faces.
The onlookers gasped in amazement, followed by waves of applause and cheers. The old knight on the review stand nodded in approval. This peculiar marching style indeed imbued an unstoppable aura. The troops’ discipline and quality were unmistakably evident, surpassing even what he had seen in his previous service, which couldn’t be achieved without prolonged training.
Following the troops, the captured pirates were paraded, receiving not flowers and applause but rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables. The townspeople of Lakeheart had suffered greatly due to the pirates, with farmers and fishermen constantly in fear.
Recognizing the significance of this victory, on the afternoon of the pirates’ defeat, Paul and his senior officers hastily devised a temporary system of rewards and compensations, announcing it during the parade:
Those granted temporary military ranks were now made permanent, and based on their performance in the battle, those who sacrificed themselves were awarded first-class merits, those severely wounded received second-class merits, and nearly a hundred others displaying outstanding performance were awarded third-class merits. Material and monetary rewards varied according to the level of merit.
Families of those who were killed or severely injured, losing their ability to work, could receive five Ordo gold coins or an equivalent amount in other currencies from the lord’s mansion. For families in the Northwest Bay area, this was a substantial sum.
…
“You damned nobles…” The bearded pirate, hands tied behind his back, was dragged into the hall, struggling and cursing. Two soldiers forcefully pushed him to the ground.
“So, you’re the ‘great’ Quik I, I presume?” Paul looked at the defiant pirate leader with interest. In the previous battle, this big-bearded man had been knocked unconscious by his own retreating men. Just thinking about it brought a sense of deep satisfaction.
“It’s ‘grandfather’!”
“Make him speak more respectfully.”
The slapping sounds echoed in the hall as a soldier struck Quik’s cheeks back and forth, rapidly swelling them up.
“You… you…” The pirate leader’s curses gradually faded.
“Spill everything you know. How many are you? How much have you stolen? Where are the other pirates?”
“I’d rather die… hiss… than reveal… hiss… a single thing.” Quik’s face was swollen, making it difficult for him to speak clearly.
“Quite a tough nut, aren’t you? Gentlemen, any ideas on how to make him talk?”
The officers brainstormed and suggested various methods of persuasion, turning the hall into a stage for a grim play.
They started with whips and clamps, then moved to the tiger bench, chili water, and water torture, giving Quik a thorough ordeal. What? Still not talking? If force doesn’t work, let’s try gentler methods. Tickling his armpits, scraping his feet… one by one, these tormenting tactics were used on Quik.
“Ah! Oh! Ha ha… ha ha… ah… oh!!! Ha ha ha!!!”
With a mix of harsh and soft tactics, Quik was tossed between heaven and hell.
“I’ll talk… I’ll talk…” After enduring a long ordeal, Quik finally gave in.
“It’s like refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. If only you had spoken up sooner, none of this would have been necessary,” the young Count chuckled sinisterly, much like a villain in a movie.
“Soldiers, continue interrogating the other prisoners in the jail. Did you note down the methods we just used? Let’s see if their boss is as tight-lipped as his underlings.”
“Yes, Lord Count!” Two soldiers saluted with the newly implemented hand gesture, eagerly rubbing their hands together before excitedly departing.
After his sinister laughter, Paul slowly said to Quik, “So, great Quik I, tell us everything you know. If your story conflicts with what your men have said, remember, we in Lakeheart Town are known for our warm hospitality. You’ll receive even more ‘wonderful’ treatment.”
The bearded pirate on the ground shivered upon hearing this.
…
After compiling the testimonies of the pirates, Lakeheart Town finally understood the enemy’s situation.
There were three groups of pirates involved in the invasion.
The first group was Quik’s gang, which had just suffered a major defeat in Lakeheart Town.
The second group was the Shark gang, led by a pirate named Shark. They were the ones who ambushed old Paul.
The third group was the newly landed ‘Mudfish’ Gadden gang, the suspicious group in the recent battle who, after seeing Quik’s gang’s defeat, quietly slipped away, living up to their ‘Mudfish’ moniker.
The Shark gang landed first, looting along the coast, and, fortunately, defeated the forces of old Grayman. Upon learning that only a young child remained in the Grayman family, they grew more brazen, occupying the small port town of Fran and coercing the locals into building defenses, planning a long-term settlement.
Quik’s gang landed later, finding the coastal area already pillaged by the Shark gang, so they headed inland. After plundering some villages and towns, they decided to hit big and headed straight for Lakeheart Town, only to meet their downfall.
Regarding the ‘Mudfish’ Gadden gang, Quik had just recently joined forces with them and knew little.
However, what worried the people of Lakeheart Town was that these three pirate factions, though small, were all affiliated with a more powerful force dominating the northern seas: the notorious pirate, Walker Edward.
Twenty years ago, Walker Edward rose to power, gradually absorbing various pirate groups in the North Sea. The united pirates caused headaches for the lords of the Northwest Bay. They joined forces in an attempt to eliminate Edward.
However, the campaign was far from successful. The pirates used hit-and-run tactics on the water, making it difficult for the noble coalition to counter. Whenever the coalition’s forces retreated, the pirates would raid the shores, and when the coalition’s main force arrived, the pirates would withdraw to sea.
The nobles tried building a fleet to combat them at sea, but their newly formed fleet was no match for the seasoned pirates, resulting in repeated failures.
Eventually, the exhausted nobles negotiated a truce, paying a substantial sum to the pirates as ‘protection money.’ They also ceded a coastal area (including part of Paul’s family lands) for the pirates to ‘resupply’ every few months. In return, Edward agreed to restrain his subordinates from venturing too deep inland or near the capitals and surrounding areas of the various territories.
Thus, for twenty years, the lords and pirates coexisted in this uneasy truce, with the designated ‘resupply area’ suffering under the dual exploitation of nobles and pirates.
When Quik revealed this, Lord Count, infuriated, slammed his glass of water, exclaiming in a curse identical to Quik’s earlier outburst. Not only was Quik kneeling below taken aback, but the others involved in the interrogation also exchanged glances.
The butler leaned in and quietly reminded Paul, “Ahem… Lord Count, please be cautious with your words. Your grandfather was among those who negotiated this agreement. Most lords of the Northwest Bay, including the Graymans, though dissatisfied, had no choice but to agree.”
Paul coldly asked, “So, if the pirates hadn’t overstepped this time, would you all have continued to turn a blind eye?”
The people in the hall fell silent, heads bowed, the quiet broken only by the sigh of the old knight, Schroeder…
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