The soldiers held down their line of defense firmly and pushed back anyone who got too close to the barricades. The official squinted into the crowd and tried to find the people who were stirring up the crowd. There was, unfortunately, no way for him to have them arrested because the soldiers would not be able to get through the crowd.
One man shouted, "What are we waiting for? Let's get out of here!"
The crowd surged forward, and the soldiers unsheathed their weapons in response. The glinting metal blades made the peasants hesitate. Yes, there were a lot of them, but they would surely die if they just ran towards the spears and swords with nothing but their mortal bodies.
"Remember, anyone who dares to try and leave will be killed on the spot—no exceptions!" The official bellowed.
