Falanderie City was huge. Well, considering that it was the Main City of the Prefecture, and came only second to the Core City, it was supposed to be huge. The walls were so tall, that the guards on the top looked like ants to the naked eyes. It was made from the same silver-black fire-metal jade she had come across in the Chen Clan of Moon-Grave City. But since the city was huge, the length of the entire wall, circling around the entire city, and as thick as twenty people standing in a line, definitely spoke of the wealth and resourcefulness of the city.
But what caught everyone's attention was the large number of commoners camping on the deserted lands just outside the city. It seemed there really was no place to house these large hordes of commoners coming in from the neighboring country. It didn't look like the Gavarnum of Madsa-Tamu had any prior inclination or information of this mass migration of commoners. The more Rihanna looked at this strange and uncontrolled situation, the more she felt perplexed. It looked more like mass migration due to famines or epidemics...but surely the Gavarnum of Madsa-Tamu would not be careless in allowing jut anyone to pass through, even if they were commoners!
A large number of citizens of Madsa-Tamu, who wanted to enter the city, had slowed down as they passed these groups of weary travelers lying in make-shift cloth tents, seemingly uncaring about the people passing by. And there was a lot of gossip and speculations in the air. Rihanna didn't even have to actively let out her sensory perception...it was way too crowded around the city gates, and thoughts and ideas of various people started seeping inside her brains.
'Tsk! How ridiculous! Why are these people allowed to camp right at the foot of the North Gates of the city! Anyone would think our land is full of beggars and is suffering from lack of resources!'
'The Gavarnum is really losing their marbles! Is this some new way of promoting their upcoming Conquest! But why waste so much effort and resources on commoners from another country when there are plenty of commoners in our country itself! Truly....senseless!'
'It looks like the Gavarnum have increased the number of guards in the city. Wow! It looks like a chain of ants in armor up there on the wall! Tsk! Wish I had one of those Recording Stones. This is something worth sharing with the group back home!'
'Damn! Now we have to go all around the wall to reach the East Gate! How can they close down an entire gate just to accommodate the incoming commoners from another country?! What is the Gavarnum thinking, trying to accommodate people from another country while making the lives of the people from their own country difficult!'
'These people seem to be having a ball! Look at them! Eating, sleeping, chit-chatting....sprawling all over the grounds and making it difficult for us to pass through! They have really taken this place as their own home!'
'I can't believe how audacious these commoners are! I have never seen any of the commoners in our country behave so disrespectfully before us! Just shows how much the governance of Ruaan-Jamphu has degraded.'
'Tsk! The borders have seriously closed down! Marpolie said that our clans merchant convoy was not allowed entry no matter what they did. No amount of money or resources could buy of those gate guards! Something major seems to be happening behind the borders of the country!'
Rihanna paused, her forehead creasing in a deep frown, before she retracted back her sensory perception. This was very strange.....there was nothing going on in the commoners minds regarding the recent situation inside Ruaan-Jamphu! There were talking and laughing and gossiping, seemingly oblivious to the fact that now their fates lay in the hands of another country and its people. It was like...like someone had completely brainwashed their minds...or maybe deleted all memories and thoughts related to anything going on in their country or Parayasei!
The large gates were indeed shut, and being heavily guarded. It would open at intervals, and a small batch of commoners would be allowed out through the opening each time.
"Is Ruaan-Jamphu sending in all of their commoner citizens?"
"Why are you supposing that these citizens are being sent to Madsa-Tamu. Perhaps they are passing through the country...maybe they are being sent to Abarone-Tengai?"
"Tsk! Why would they need to travel all the way over to Madsa-Tamu, when they can simply cross over the outskirts of the Void River. Moreover, even if they wish to go to Feyin-Damaya, they can directly go from Ruaan-Jamphu. What is this great show and wastage of money and resources by travelling all over Madsa-Tamu just for going over to another country!"
"What she said is not entirely incorrect..."
Rihanna and Artreya both looked at Ye Luo silently, waiting for him to continue.
"You are forgetting that there are five countries. And if they wish to go there....then they will have to cross all over Madsa-Tamu, and then pass through Abarone-Tengai before they can reach the borders of the fifth country."
Rihanna frowned, feeling puzzled, whereas Artreya looked like he had been hit by some sudden realization.
"You mean...Oh....yes, that's true. But....they have been so quiet for so long. Why would they suddenly start making so much of chaos. So many commoners travelling all over the lands....isn't it too eye-catching?"
Ye Luo was about to answer when a low and deep voice cut through their words. Though the voice was low, the pressure behind it was not at all light.
"Hey....are you kids planning on setting up your camps alongside these commoners here?"
The three turned around to stare at Sarconei in surprise. The deep long scar running from the lower tip of his right ear to the top of his forehead, before merging into his hairline, and those pair of sharp eyes which could make you feel like a prey being stared at by a hungry and dangerous beast, gave him a fierce and unapproachable aura. Perhaps, this was also why he had risen to the ranks of Team Leader despite having entered the mercenary group only last year.
Covering up their surprise, they nodded to him. Rihanna glanced around and realized that while they had been too engrossed by their own speculations, the rest of their group had already started making way towards the Eastern Gate. Understandable. After all, it was pointless sitting and complaining about the decisions of the Gavarnum outside the gates. Not like their complaints were going to be heard, nor were the guards to hold pity and open the gates.
The selection of the Gavarnum was somewhat democratic.....and that's where the similarities ended. For all the rest of the matters, the Gavarnum didn't care whether the people were happy or sad with their decisions. Only the Major Clan's Clan Heads and the Guild Representatives had a voice when any decision was made. If you didn't like any of the policies, well you could just sit and cry. None of them gave a damn!
The three turned their beasts and once more continued on their journey. Since the city was very large, it took them more than an hour to reach the extremely crowded East-Gate. Apparently the Southern-Gates were also closed off. Expected. If those commoners were being sent out through the North-gate, they were definitely also entering from some other point.
And this had caused a stampede at the Eastern-Gate. There were too many carriages and beasts, the lines were too crowded, the alternating heat and cold and hailstone raining was becoming more and more oppressive, and all of this had caused the waiting people to turn temperamental and irritable.
The gates would open and allow a small batch of people to pass through before closing down again. This group of people would be thoroughly checked for identity and recorded before being allowed into the city.
But due to this, the lines were progressing at a snail's pace. And Rihanna had long noticed, cultivator's were more prone to battling out their differences and disputes unlike people on earth, where diplomatic solutions and strategies were preferred. Oh no....these people had power, and they were way too hot-headed and irritable.
So by the time their group reached the East-Gate, the crowd had become volatile. Most people were segregated in groups, while a lot of the travelers preferred being silent onlookers and stayed away from the chaos. The groups were squabbling and fighting with each other, and may were even openly attacking the guards on the wall and near the gates. The dissatisfaction and fatigue were now being released through their elemental attacks, and elemental energy and hidden weapons were flying all around.
Even the guards were having a tough time trying to suppress the ensuing disorder and rising tempers outside the gates.
Sarconei let out a low sound, and his beast came to a stop. The rest of the group followed his lead, and everyone sat back on their halted beasts, lazily watching the drama. Rihanna was surprised at how relaxed she was feeling. She caught sight of Ye Luo staring seriously at the scene at a distance, and her thoughts flew to the moment she had caught sight of a man dressed all in black, and fighting against a large, venomous snake.
Was it so long ago?! She had been so naïve about this world, full of blank curiosity, trying to understand what was what and why it was so. And now.....she glanced all around then glanced down at herself, chuckling inwardly. Even her way of thinking and accepting things had been influenced. This chaos and bloodshed happening right before their eyes would have made her run and hide and call the police on earth. Now it seemed so commonplace and acceptable to her, even the fact that the government wasn't going to care a damn about what was happening, as long as it happened outside the gates.