Rumors

Zhao Si put away his blade and sat down on a rock.

Helena came over from beside him with a flask in her arms and handed it to Zhao Si.

It held hot water. Zhao Si drank a little, then returned the flask to Helena.

"I've heard some bad rumors lately," Zhao Si said. "About us."

"What rumors about us?" Helena asked.

"They say we're carrying out massacres, killing people who've fled here," Zhao Si said.

"Someone must be saying that deliberately." Helena frowned slightly.

Zhao Si nodded. "Most likely, they came from Rykard's side."

There was no need to give it much thought. Among the hostile forces, who besides Rykard would think of such a dirty trick?

Target identified with precision.

"Then what should we do?" Helena asked.

Zhao Si thought for a moment. "Mobilize the residents of the Mountaintops of the Giants."

"Have them report people?" That occurred to Helena.

"No, not that. Use them to counter the rumors." Zhao Si sighed. "If we open the floodgates for reports, things beyond our imagination might happen."

What could possibly go wrong with reporting people?

The first thing Zhao Si thought of, instead, was a witch hunt.

The residents of the Mountaintops of the Giants would report people over anything and everything, while petty officials would indulge such behavior to gain promotions and wealth.

They might not investigate properly or distinguish truth from falsehood. Instead, they would go after whoever received the most reports.

After all, the dead could not testify. It would all count toward their achievements.

Once the floodgates opened, there would inevitably be petty people settling private grudges.

Friction between neighbors was inevitable, followed by mutual accusations. As that atmosphere spread, people from hostile forces with ulterior motives would fan the flames.

If it turned into a