The Harvest, Continued

Sean had barely passed Phil, who was struggling to drag a heavy wooden chest, when hurried footsteps echoed from deep within the passage. Before long, Torr and Vinson came running up to him.

"Young master, we're here..." Seeing Sean and Phil there, Thor immediately spoke.

"Thor, you came at just the right time... Hurry, help Phil carry it..." Sean was slightly surprised, then smiled. He pointed at the chest in front of Phil, signaling for them to help together.

"Yes, young master. Leave the carrying to us. You rest for a while; we'll be done soon..." Thor replied, stepping past Sean and moving forward to help.

Seeing this, Vinson immediately followed Thor and joined the other two in lifting the chest with all their strength. Deep down, Vinson was extremely happy. He was glad to be involved in something so secret and important. Although he was unlikely to receive any tangible reward from Sean for this huge haul, he had successfully integrated into Sean's small circle, which meant that from now on, he would have Sean's trust.

Of course, there could still be hidden dangers. But as long as Vinson kept his mouth shut and demonstrated his loyalty afterward, Sean presumably would not develop any unfavorable thoughts about him.

"You go back to the ship and wait first. I'll be there shortly..." Sean said with a smile as he watched them struggle to move the chest.

When people were happy, time often passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, more than an hour had passed. Sean and the other three sailed the fast boat the Water Bandit leader had prepared in advance back to the warship they had arrived on. Sean ordered them to tie the fast boat they had brought back together with the four captured Water Bandit Speedboats behind the Garrison warship, so they could be towed back to Linshui City during the retreat.

As for the two chests of wealth they had found, Sean did not intend to tell anyone besides the four who had discovered them. He hid the two chests in the lower hold of the Water Bandit Speedboat and had Phil and Vinson guard them. He then took Thor with him, carrying the letters they had found earlier as he went to seek out Lieutenant Colonel Merkel.

At that moment, Lieutenant Colonel Merkel was handling official business in the Flagship's captain's cabin. With the letters in hand, Sean knocked and entered after Sergeant Jason announced him. Only Lieutenant Colonel Merkel was inside. He immediately smiled, rose, and stepped forward in greeting. Sean also smiled as he quickly took several steps forward.

"Ha ha... Sean, how was your rest?" Lieutenant Colonel Merkel asked warmly as he embraced Sean.

"Very good. Thank you for your concern, sir..." After the embrace ended, Lieutenant Colonel Merkel warmly took Sean's hand, and the two sat down. Only then did Sean smile and thank him. Afterward, Sean handed the letters in his hand to Lieutenant Colonel Merkel.

"What are these?" Lieutenant Colonel Merkel asked doubtfully after taking the letters Sean handed him and giving them a quick glance.

"Sir, you'll understand once you read them." Sean smiled and made a gesture inviting him to continue.

"Sean, where did you get these... letters?" Lieutenant Colonel Merkel asked emotionlessly. After hearing Sean's words, he casually skimmed several of the letters in his hand. The expression on his formerly gentle face gradually turned cold, and sharp glints occasionally flashed through his eyes.

Sean had already read the letters and knew what they were about. With these letters alone as evidence, the merchants involved could be punished. But Lieutenant Colonel Merkel also understood that these merchants had ties to certain nobles in the city. Some might even be directly controlled by nobles in secret, with the merchants out front serving merely as puppets or shields.

Within the Empire, any matter involving nobles had to be handled with extreme caution. Once mishandled, one would inevitably suffer their backlash. It was no wonder Lieutenant Colonel Merkel looked so grave; it was simply part of his duty. If he had not known, that would have been one thing. But now that he did know, he had no reason to pretend nothing had happened.

However, Sean had not given the letters to Lieutenant Colonel Merkel to cause him trouble. Given Sean's current status, these letters were nothing but a potential disaster to him. Lieutenant Colonel Merkel, on the other hand, had other ways of handling them and could use them to gain some unexpected benefits.

"Sir, this afternoon, under Vinson's guidance, I accidentally... discovered these letters." Sean spoke calmly with a faint smile. Then he tapped one of the letters and said, "After finding these letters... I noticed that this one was related to our campaign against the Water Bandit Group, so I immediately came to find you..." The letter his finger pointed to was the bounty notice from the Max Bandit Group.

Lieutenant Colonel Merkel gave a slightly surprised "Oh..." before picking up the letter Sean had indicated and reading it. In only a moment, he had quickly gone through it. After reading it, he had to admit that it was indeed somewhat related, just as Sean had said.

"Sir, as for the other letters..." Sean wore a smile, but his eyes were strangely calm.

As Lieutenant Colonel Merkel pondered this, Sean suddenly spoke again. Upon hearing Sean's words, he immediately felt somewhat displeased. Only then did he look up and notice the strange expression on Sean's face.

After an instant, Lieutenant Colonel Merkel suddenly remembered that when Sean had previously explained his plan to rescue the hostages and eliminate the Water Bandit Group, he had worn precisely this same expression—a faint smile that suggested everything was under control.

"If you have something to say, say it quickly. Do I have to drag it out of you?" Lieutenant Colonel Merkel said with a smile, pretending to scold him.

"Sir, not every merchant mentioned in these letters has someone backing them..." Sean remained unmoved by Lieutenant Colonel Merkel's rebuke and offered the reminder with the same faint smile.

"You mean... I should only pursue..." Lieutenant Colonel Merkel asked with a slight frown, his tone uncertain. If he truly handled the matter as Sean suggested, his reputation would inevitably suffer greatly afterward. After all, such a thing could not possibly be concealed from those who were paying attention.

"Sir, not only pursue... but pursue first." Sean ignored the subtle frown Lieutenant Colonel Merkel had shown earlier. He lightly shook a finger as he corrected him. Seeing that Lieutenant Colonel Merkel still looked at him doubtfully, he had no choice but to continue, "Sir, you have just won a brilliant victory against the Water Bandit Group. Your merits are great, and the soldiers are exhausted as well. They need time to rest properly. In that case... it would naturally appear that you are short-handed, leaving you no choice but to arrest only some of the merchants involved in Collusion with Bandits first. Then... purely by coincidence... Yes, it would all be nothing more than a coincidence."

After a pause, Sean continued with a smile, "If, at this time, some rumors were to accidentally spread, what do you think... those lords would choose to do?" After saying that, Sean smiled and gave Lieutenant Colonel Merkel a meaningful nod.

"You mean... those who are implicated... will deal with... all the remaining trouble themselves." Lieutenant Colonel Merkel asked, half guessing and half certain. The displeasure in his heart had vanished completely, replaced by delight and admiration for the man before him. He faintly sensed that this matter was not as simple as it appeared. Perhaps afterward, he might even receive some unexpected benefits...

"Yes, sir. You only need to arrest a few merchants without backing first, then ask the Linshui City Local Court to hold a trial for their crimes. By then... the fact that you obtained these letters by accident will naturally become known to certain interested parties." Sean smiled as he confirmed Lieutenant Colonel Merkel's words, even laying out a reasonable method for the rumors to spread.

Then, under Lieutenant Colonel Merkel's increasingly bright gaze, Sean continued with a smile, "Once those people hear the rumors, they will naturally deal with the loose ends cleanly and decisively. Afterward... whether the merchants involved die unexpectedly or disappear without a trace, you can close the case smoothly..."

"Of course, if someone uses this to attack your reputation, you can simply say that you need time to investigate them one by one. It is merely a matter of who is dealt with first and who is dealt with later... And those lords who received the warning will immediately understand that this is a favor from you. Naturally, they will bear you goodwill..." After catching his breath, Sean smiled and added his final point. Then he looked at Lieutenant Colonel Merkel with bright, intent eyes.

"Ha ha... Good, good... That is indeed how it should be... Ha ha... The soldiers have just fought a battle. They really should get some proper rest." Lieutenant Colonel Merkel said with a delighted laugh. After laughing, he winked at Sean and gently flicked the letters in his hand.

"Sir, there is one more matter for which I would like to ask your permission." Sean immediately took the opportunity to make his request.

"Oh? What is it? Go ahead and say it." Lieutenant Colonel Merkel's eyes flashed with an unreadable meaning. He smiled directly at Sean, though there was a trace of uncertainty in his tone.

Sean knew that if he made an excessive request now, it would certainly make others feel disgusted, as though he were demanding repayment for a favor. With that thought, he no longer hesitated. "Sir, when we carried out the infiltration mission earlier, I promised Vinson and the other two Water Bandit prisoners that if they cooperated actively and the mission was completed successfully, I would allow the three of them to follow me afterward..."

"Oh... I see. Hmm... They were your prisoners to begin with... Since you already promised them, would I object?" Lieutenant Colonel Merkel's brow immediately relaxed after hearing Sean's request. His tone returned to its warm friendliness as he spoke with a smile. Sean's request had clearly surprised him, but it was surprisingly simple...

"Thank you, sir." Sean smiled as well, as though he had not noticed the earlier strange atmosphere at all.

"Speaking of which, your infiltration and rescue mission was carried out beautifully. Once we return to Linshui City, I will personally request credit for you..." Lieutenant Colonel Merkel praised Sean with a smile, then made him a promise, as though he had never felt any distance from Sean before.

"Thank you, sir... It was mainly because of your excellent command. How could a mere Water Bandit Group possibly be a match for you..." Sean immediately replied modestly with a smile. Of course he knew he deserved some credit, but a little flattery never hurt anyone.

"You... We will break camp and return to the city tomorrow. Go back and make your preparations." Lieutenant Colonel Merkel waved a hand helplessly, then changed the subject with a smile. At the same time, he felt excited. As the supreme commander of this campaign against the Water Bandit Group, he had not only ensured the noble hostages' safe rescue, but had also successfully wiped out the entire bandit force.

No one could erase those merits. Once he returned to Linshui City, he could announce them far and wide. Not only had he gained military achievements, but they would also add weight to his smooth succession as commander of the Garrison. It was a classic case of gaining both fame and profit. How could he not be pleased?

"Yes, sir. I'll begin preparing as soon as I return." Sean was also quite happy after hearing Lieutenant Colonel Merkel's words. At last, they could return to Linshui City. He wondered whether Alice and the others were all doing well...

Afterward, Sean and Lieutenant Colonel Merkel chatted casually about a few amusing matters before Sean finally took his leave. Once he returned to his cabin, Sean told Thor the good news that they would depart for the city tomorrow and had him notify Phil and Vinson, who were still guarding the two large chests aboard the Water Bandit Speedboat.

After Thor left, Sean was alone in the silent cabin. He could not help thinking that handing those letters over to Lieutenant Colonel Merkel would certainly bring the man enormous benefits, but Sean himself had not gained nothing. After all, some matters could not remain secret forever.

When those nobles who had been "fortunate" enough to escape later "unexpectedly" learned that Sean had given the letters to Lieutenant Colonel Merkel, and then "coincidentally" heard some of his advice, they would surely feel grateful toward him, and that gratitude would gradually turn into goodwill.

As for the "unexpectedly" and "coincidentally," he could control them entirely. Even if he later had to give them up to avoid making Lieutenant Colonel Merkel suspicious...

But if he became too greedy and wanted to personally hold the nobles' leverage in his hands... At that thought, a faint cold smile appeared at the corner of Sean's mouth. Then another thought flashed through his mind: one could only have an appetite as large as one's capabilities. Those who could not see clearly, could not let go, and only wanted to swallow all the benefits before them would have only one possible end—being stuffed to death...

As for keeping it secret... Heh... Many things did not require evidence. Mere suspicion was already enough, especially when there was a vast disparity in strength. Then it seemed only natural...