Today, Caesar received word that in half a month, their camp would need to reach the town of Laimosa, located just before Enter City. The war had dragged on long enough, and the military command had issued a strict order: Enter City must be captured within half a month to completely dismantle Shiloh's remaining forces.
In the evening, Caesar summoned Tom and gave him instructions. Shortly after, Tom led a squad of soldiers away.
The midnight atmosphere in Giza Town was ghostly and oppressive. Broken houses and collapsed buildings were scattered everywhere. The faint sound of rustling hinted that some people were still alive in this desolate place.
Hagen had been living quite comfortably lately. He never expected his wife would attach herself to a high-ranking figure, and he was reaping the benefits as well. He had always been nothing more than a tavern owner, but his ability to read people was exceptional. He had long sensed Shiloh's impending defeat and switched allegiance to the Garrel forces. However, without strong backing, he was well aware he could be discarded at any moment. But now? Hagen was full of confidence.
Drunk, Hagen staggered down the streets of Giza Town, heading towards one of his lovers. The war had destroyed much, but his life was still better than most. The uneven roads tripped him up once already, and he cursed as he walked, occasionally kicking at beggars and refugees who crossed his path.
Suddenly, a shadow collided with him. "Watch where you're going, you blind—!" Hagen started to shout but fell silent. Moonlight revealed a tall, muscular figure holding a short dagger. Tom's expression was cold as he looked down at Hagen, whose throat had been slit.
"Uh...uh..." Hagen gasped, his eyes wide, pointing weakly at the figure before his head fell lifelessly to one side.
Behind Tom, a group of men emerged. They swiftly cleaned up the scene, and under the cover of darkness, both the shadow and the squad disappeared, leaving only a headless corpse.
Slowly, beggars and refugees crept out from the shadows. After determining there was no immediate danger, they swarmed the body, stripping it of whatever little clothing remained.
One beggar smiled triumphantly as he pulled a coin from the corpse's clothes, only to have it snatched away by a stronger beggar. After a brief scuffle, the ground was left bare, and the half-corpse was kicked into an unknown corner.
In an underground basement in Giza Town, dozens of gaunt figures huddled together for warmth. A small pile of wood crackled on the ground, barely providing enough heat. The people, clad in thin and tattered cloth, included men, women, elderly, and children.
Tom and his men entered the basement and surveyed the scene. They had seen such sights many times before and remained unfazed.
Some of the people recognized them and shrank back in fear. A thin middle-aged man, seemingly the leader, stepped forward hesitantly.
Tom wasted no time on pleasantries. He tossed Hagen's severed head onto the ground. "From now on, you'll be running the underground affairs of this town. But the monthly tribute will increase by 20%. If you fail, you'll end up like him!"
The middle-aged man seemed unable to process what he had just heard. Stammering, he asked, "S-Sir... he won't blame us anymore?"
"As long as you perform well, we won't bother you. But make sure you deliver results. Or else..." Tom's voice was icy.
The middle-aged man shuddered and immediately replied, "It will be done. We'll hand over 20% more each month."
Tom snorted coldly and led his men out without another word.
When the group had fully left, the middle-aged man slumped to the ground, as if his strength had been drained. His followers, however, were overjoyed. "Boss, we've struck it rich this time!" they said excitedly. Even the elderly and women cracked weary smiles, while the children looked on in confusion.
This middle-aged man was once part of the group that had robbed Chassie's tavern. After being punished by Caesar's men, they had struggled to survive. When Caesar became a captain, more people targeted them.
The middle-aged man had once been a small-time merchant. He had some smarts, which is why he became the leader of this ragtag group. His only wish was to lead his people to a better life, even if it meant using less-than-honorable means.
These refugees had all fled from the same town. After Shiloh's defeat, bandits roamed the countryside, forcing them to flee. Desperation had driven the middle-aged man to robbery, and Chassie's tavern had been one of the few establishments still open at that time.
It was during that ill-fated robbery that they had crossed paths with Caesar.
The middle-aged man still harbored no resentment toward Caesar. Survival had been cruel, with many elderly and children among their group dying of hunger. Now that they had a chance to improve their lives, even if it meant serving under their former enemy, they would not squander it.
The man resolved to do his best—he could not end up like Hagen.
When Phalanx City halted military patrols, the city streets finally grew quiet. Some Shiloh citizens dared to venture out, though their movements remained cautious, still haunted by the brutality of Garrel's soldiers during the city's fall.
For ordinary Shiloh civilians, Garrel soldiers had little reason to cause trouble—they simply didn't need to.
Caesar and Chassie strolled through Phalanx City, taking in the foreign ambiance. Chassie, who had never been to such a large city, was even more curious than Caesar. However, the city was far from bustling. The few shops open were run either by Caesar's camp or Baron Kashir's camp, and they primarily sold food.
These shops accepted everything—jewelry, coins, even weapons and armor scavenged from the battlefield—in exchange for food. The most common food item was something called "coal cakes." These black, grainy cakes were made from the leftovers after producing grain husk bread.
Caesar had eaten coal cakes before. They were dry and gritty, causing a burning sensation in the throat, and prolonged consumption resulted in stomach pain and weakness.
Still, the people of Shiloh had no choice. In rural areas like Giza Town, one could at least forage for food in fields and forests. But in the city, aside from a few fruit trees in private courtyards, there was nothing edible.
Merchants from Caesar's camp greeted him warmly, while those from Kashir's side were overseen by familiar faces, including Sean, who had once shared drinks with Caesar.
"Big Brother Caesar, what brings you here today?" Sean asked, pausing from scolding a starving refugee who had tried to steal food.
Caesar grinned. "Just out for a walk."
Sean waved over one of his men. "Dack, bring out that silver bracelet we got yesterday!"
A young man hurried over with the bracelet. Caesar examined it briefly before handing it to Chassie. Her face lit up with joy—it was her first piece of jewelry, and it was beautiful.
Caesar then retrieved a pair of exquisite earrings from his coat and handed them to her. "Do you like them?"
"I love them!" Chassie exclaimed and kissed Caesar on the cheek, ignoring the stares of passersby.
At that moment, Caesar felt that perhaps he had been neglecting her needs. But as Chassie admired her new jewelry, he smiled faintly, knowing he had made the right choice.