MoP: Ch. 182

---Third POV---

The man hesitated for two seconds.

"Pay... pay the robber's medical bills?"

"Next."

"No, I'm joking." The man struggled to protest. "Send Bob to work as a laborer at the blacksmith's for three months?"

Child coldly shoved him aside.

"Next."

"Kill Bob."

"...Next."

"Bob acted in self-defense and even captured the robber. Not only should he not be punished, he should be commended instead."

Child suddenly raised his head, delight lighting up his face as he looked at the scrawny old man leaning on a cane in front of him.

"Correct."

Finally, someone got it right. He helped the old man aside to make room and shouted excitedly toward the back.

"One seat in the open-air dining area inside."

The crowd began whispering among themselves.

"Someone got it right?"

"That's really what the notice says?"

Several people quietly slipped out of the line and went to read the announcement posted on the city wall. The odds of guessing correctly were too low. Rather than lining up for half the day only to be kicked out, it was better to memorize the notice first.

Child slapped his iron rod and continued shouting. "Next."

A voluptuous woman stepped forward, slightly tugging open her collar.

"Sir, may I answer the previous question instead?"

Child was cold and merciless.

"Trying to bribe a public official at a legal education event? Get out of the line too."

"Bob defecating in the street is punished by three days of street cleaning, not by kicking his ass."

"N-e-x-t."

"..."

Although the first hour of promotion was complete chaos, as more people gradually answered correctly or encountered similar questions, the responses in the line came closer and closer to the right answers. Finally, after reheating the mixed oatmeal twice, the morning food relief event came to an end.

"Wrap it up, wrap it up."

"Washing the pots is the responsibility of water players."

"Damn it, water users are about to change classes into janitors."

---

On top of the city wall.

Viktor stood at the highest point with Edgar and David, quietly overlooking the crowd as it gradually dispersed.

Edgar asked, "You're using food as a reward to get them used to the new laws?"

David commented, "If that's the case, we merchants have much simpler methods. No need to consume this much food."

Viktor spoke calmly and unhurriedly, "Of course, that's not the only purpose. I'm establishing The Watchers' authority."

"Authority?" David felt speechless. "Isn't the name 'Watchers' authoritative enough already?"

"The authority I'm talking about," Viktor said, "is not just about intimidation. It also needs to be convincing."

Viktor looked at the few citizens still lingering by the city wall, each having found a notice and silently memorizing the laws.

"What do you see from this?"

"Deep down, they don't agree with the ten laws you set. They're just memorizing them mechanically, forcing themselves to understand them for the sake of food."

A look of realization flashed through Edgar's eyes.

"They're preparing for the lunch you've promised."

Viktor gave Edgar an approving glance.

"That's right. Some people already believe that we will definitely provide lunch. Yesterday, the first group in line were all starving people on the brink of death. They didn't believe in us. They simply had no other choice. Under the church's relentless brainwashing, The Watchers' reputation is terrible. To win public support and govern Nary Town more smoothly and conveniently, we must first build credibility."

Relief for refugees and the distribution of free food, this was Viktor's first step in helping The Watchers accumulate trust.

As long as ordinary people believed that no matter how unbelievable the good fortune seemed, The Watchers would always keep their word, then future reforms could proceed smoothly.

He revealed a confident smile.

"In three days, this city will truly belong to us."

David listened with great interest. "An excellent plan. Let's hope their return is worthy of your investment. Don't tell me you plan to carry all these people through the winter tide."

Viktor asked in return. "Why not?"

David's eyes widened as he looked him up and down repeatedly.

"You're insane. Do you have any idea how many vagrants are nearby? Even if you didn't feed or house them and just let them sleep on the streets, Nary Town still couldn't hold them all."

The number of vagrants was at least four or five times that of the town's residents.

Managing a population was not as simple as adding or subtracting space. Edgar took the initiative to interject. "Isn't there another town? The city walls over there haven't been built yet. It can be expanded."

Viktor nodded. "I've sealed off their other escape routes. I have to give them another path to survive."

Otherwise, with the winter tide approaching and the road to Ironstone City completely blocked, no one knew what these vagrants, driven into despair, might do.

David watched the two of them for a long time.

"Forget it. Why am I bothering to give advice? Once the other divine fragment shipments arrive, my leave will be over and I'll head back anyway. Do whatever you want."

Shaking his head, he turned away.

"Watchers..."

---

The first day quickly came to an end.

The potential humans unleash in order to survive is limitless. Driven by food incentives, over 95% of the populace managed to understand the ten laws on the notice, laws that initially seemed absurd to them. After the evening food distribution ended, Viktor appeared again and increased the number of laws on the notice to twenty. Everyone was furious but kept their mouths shut. They could only spread the new laws by word of mouth, memorizing them and slowly trying to understand them once they returned.

On the second morning, the refugees, dark circles under their eyes, stumbled through the test. Breakfast ended half an hour earlier than the previous day. At the same time, they received news at the city gate. The Watchers were short-handed and recruiting helpers to prepare food.

Wages were paid daily, settled in magicoins.

These coins could be used to pay the entrance fee or for transactions at shops and restaurants marked with The Watchers' insignia. Since the players had taken over all the former mayor's authority, magicoins could buy almost anything in town, and were even cheaper than paying with Sol.

In the end, sixteen people took the job. All of them were homeless vagrants from outside the city. By noon on the second day, the residents who had fled Nary Town finally realized they couldn't seek help from other cities and returned in disgrace.

Unfortunately, leaving the city was easy, but entering it was hard. They could only join everyone else, leaning against the city wall and memorizing laws.

By evening, the notice added ten more new ordinances.

On the third morning, the same helper recruitment attracted the maximum number of 256 people.

In the afternoon, the food carts, which should have appeared at dusk, arrived nearly an hour early.

Moreover, breaking the previous rule of adding new laws only after food distribution ended, new regulations were announced once again. The regulations were short, but they concerned arrangements for matters of faith and religious customs. The ordinary people who had stayed nearby memorizing laws were caught completely off guard, their hearts thrown into turmoil.

"So this is their true nature at last?"

"The Watchers really are just like the rumors. Devils obsessed with brainwashing and imprisoning souls."

"I will never abandon the great Goddess of Spring."

The conciliatory attitude the crowd had begun to adopt vanished.

Suddenly, someone with sharp eyes noticed something behind one of the food carts. The restless crowd fell abruptly silent, everyone turning to look in the indicated direction.

Lux stepped out from behind the cart, smiling faintly as she waved.

"Long time no see."

After she spoke, the surroundings were so quiet that even the distant sound of the wind could be heard.

People exchanged bewildered glances.

What was going on?

Why was a nun of the Radiant Church working for The Watchers?

Was she a traitor to the faith as well?

Sally pushed her way through the crowd, her eyes fixed on Lux in white robes. Her cracked lips trembled.

"Sister Angie, you betrayed the Lord of Light?"

In the crowd, someone suddenly collapsed, clutching their head and squatting down.

"How is that possible? She is so kind. How could she be an apostate?"

Others began speaking up one after another.

"Just the day before The Watchers arrived, I saw her treating people in the slums for free."

Someone rushed up to Lux, pounding hard on the barrier and shouting themselves hoarse.

"No, I might be able to go against my conscience, but how could she possibly do this..."

Although Lux hadn't been in Nary Town for long, her presence was far from insignificant. Even farmers from nearby villages and drifters who occasionally came into town knew of her. The fact that she had joined The Watchers was harder for people to accept than their wife being taken by another man.

---

On the city wall.

Watching the wailing crowd below, Edgar couldn't help but speak.

"Is your plan really foolproof?"

As a classic case of apostasy within the Radiant Church, he was all too familiar with scenes like this.

"Of course," Viktor replied calmly.

Lux had been summoned by him precisely to solve Nary Town's faith problem. Nothing was more convincing than a "true religious figure," in their eyes, publicly standing on The Watchers' side. To maximize the effect, Viktor had even deliberately had her stay hidden behind the scenes for two days.

"The new laws in Nary Town place restrictions on various religious activities, but they don't ban them outright."

"With room for negotiation, she has plenty of space to operate."

Since Luminaris could fuse with other gods' divine fragments and cut off the possibility of their revival, Viktor had readjusted his approach to the god-faith system.

Respect their beliefs, but do not encourage their spread. Use a slow, gradual method, and rely on time to influence them subtly.

Once basic needs were met, people would naturally begin to think about the meaning of faith.

Viktor looked down below.

"Just keep watching. They understand public opinion far better than you do."

Edgar, who had once been chased and beaten by civilians he had saved in the past because of apostasy, fell silent.

---

Below.

The townsfolk, feeling betrayed, went mad, hammering furiously at the magical barrier in front of the food cart. Spit splattered against the barrier like falling snow.

"Damn apostate, come out here."

The frenzied crowd, even after being wounded and warned by the players, still refused to stop, even trying to seize the players' weapons.

Child finally managed to snatch his iron rod back, staring at the bloodstains on it.

"Have these people lost their minds?"

They had more fighting spirit than the soldiers they'd encountered three days ago.

Shivering, he couldn't help but turn his head back. "Hey, are you done yet? Don't screw up at the critical moment."

Lux replied casually, "Relax."

After a quick scan, Lux took a deep breath and strode forward.

---

Half an hour later, Lux went offline from mana exhaustion and was carried back by the players.

Behind her, the crowd was in tears, with none of the hatred from before.

"Sister Angie is truly a good person who sacrifices herself for others..."

"She joined The Watchers so she could better save ordinary people."

"The Watchers don't seem as terrifying as the rumors say. They allow us to keep our faith and don't dig out people's brains..."

"Sister Angie, I always believed in you."

On the city wall, Viktor revealed a smile, just as he had expected.

"The matter is perfectly resolved."

He didn't even need to step in personally today.

---

The faith-management regulations, the hardest part for people to accept, were smoothly implemented with the players' help.

After three days of free food distribution ended, Viktor began recruiting large numbers of workers.

Nary Town was in ruins and waiting to be rebuilt. Conscription, household registration, formal implementation of the law, hiring workers to repair the city walls, all of it required manpower.

It could be said that as long as one was willing to work hard and make a living under The Watchers, at the very least they could secure food and shelter. There were no restrictions on status. Even drifters could join.

In fact, because the food cooked by the players during those three days was simply too delicious, once people heard that The Watchers were recruiting and providing meals, even mercenaries who already had no worries about food and clothing came over just to join the fun.

In front of the statue in Nary Town's church.

Viktor upgraded Cobb's NPC level to blue.

"From today onward, you are the new mayor of Nary Town. Your salary will be 2,000 magicoins per month."

Cobb was stunned by the favor.

"Me? Really me?"

A mayor's position with real authority, plus a monthly salary of 2,000 magicoins, this was far higher than the pay of a mission officer.

Could such a good thing really fall into his lap?

Viktor nodded.

"From now on, affairs in Nary Town will mainly be handled by you and the wasteland leader. I will regularly inspect your work results. You can issue five quests per day. If there's anything you're unsure about, you can ask them for assistance."

Viktor had no intention of handling everything personally.

As a local, with a sufficient level of education, someone on their side, and who had contributed significantly during the players' siege, Cobb was the most suitable candidate at present.

As for the wasteland leader, Viktor had already spoken with him and received a clear willingness to submit, entrusting him with managing the drifters who joined The Watchers.

Cobb placed a hand over his chest and bowed respectfully.

"I will follow your orders."

With the backing of the new laws, this position was an absolute prize. He would definitely do his best and not let Viktor down.

Viktor gave a slight nod. The task of pacifying Nary Town's native residents was basically complete.

Next, all that remained were the players.

---

Viktor took a walk through the siren's infirmary and, along the way, settled the rewards.

[Quest: Rescue the Siren from Afar! (Completed)]

[Quest: The New Nary Town! (Completed)]

[With the underground city destroyed, Nary Town has welcomed a new order. Even if the people are temporarily confused, the road ahead will ultimately lead to the light.]

[New Features Unlocked: "New Nary Town" and surrounding wasteland area map reputation system; "Nary Town - Hollow's Edge - Honeyvale Town" intermediate teleportation array, 50 magicoins per one-way trip;]

[Congratulations to player "Garble" for obtaining 5,145 contribution points!]

[Congratulations to player "NeverShowOff" for obtaining 4,621 contribution points!]

[Congratulations to player "Lux" for obtaining 4,300 contribution points!]

[Congratulations to player ...]

[In addition, three limited-time reward pools are now open, lasting for one day.]

Most players, having long received hints, logged in right as the rewards were settled.

"Damn, the rewards are a whole digit higher than the goblin run."

"Well, the difficulty was on a different level..."

"Garble's the MVP? Congrats, congrats. Well deserved for sacrificing himself for everyone."