Countermeasures

The state of the mansion was in disorder but under the leadership of Agnes everything went back to normal.

Elizabeth and Adam decided to keep Leon close during this time so slept in a room close to him.

Ki sat in front of Agnes while they both looked over the documents of the workers within the mansion. "So do you know what the reason for their betrayal is?"

Agnes nodded and placed the documents onto the desk. "Some are minor workers who handle tidying up the mansion and tend to the gardens and one was a guard we had employed recently. Some have connections to the villagers who are supporting the village head while a couple of them must of been approached during their time wandering around the village. But why did they focus on kidnapping you and Leon first? Couldn't they just open the mansions gates and let everyone in during the night if they had this kind of control over the people in our mansion?"

"They are grooming the villagers by having them complete small tasks which are smaller crimes at first and then building them up. If they told them to kill us all at first some would hesitate and drop out but as they commit more crimes the more comfortable they will become with the idea of even killing someone. To these people their goal may be to take what is ours but what is most important to them is recruiting new members. The village is the perfect breeding ground for to spread their influence without worrying about other outside influences interfering because the village is quite secluded within the forest and the villagers haven't had much contact with the outside world so are easily tempted by their words." Ki quickly explained while tapping her finger on the desk. "Our display with the heads of the criminals will be a warning to the villagers and make them hesitate to act since they probably never expected such an aggressive stance from us all. Those behind it will not be deterred by such a display though, in their minds they have more power supporting them and our acts are merely an act of desperation to intimidate them and put up a front."

"Then why would they want to expand their group within the village so much more than their original objective?" Agnes frowned.

"As the saying goes 'misery loves company' and 'unhappy people drag you down', the moment they fell to the path of evil they could not help but want to corrupt those who may seem good." Ki explained with a frown on her face. "Those hiding in the darkness hate how much those within the light shine brightly as if to illuminate their corruption and darkness. Since they cannot escape their life after joining the group they continue to walk further down the road of desolation and when they see good people they can't help but wish to corrupt them as if to prove that those good people aren't so innocent either."

"I see… so what should we do about them?" Agnes asked with a serious look on her face.

"We will try to capture as many as possible but if they resist and try to resist even after being subdued and become a danger then we will have no choice to kill them." Ki's eyes flickered with a cold look and her lips tilted up slightly. "While we do need to capture some key members and some villagers to get some proof of their actions and goals we do not need all of them for that. Once Isaac has contacted the people of the martial alliance we will begin our plans to subdue them when things start to get out of hand."

Agnes nodded upon hearing the words of her granddaughter. "Hmm… when did he send out someone to contact them?"

"We started the moment we found out your sisters family had been caught. We included our speculations on how things could turn out along with a list of the people involved. We have also provided a place for several witnesses to hide out until they arrive." Ki continued. "Isaacs friends within the capital would happily jump upon such a chance to get a promotion within their role for bringing something like this forward."

Agnes nodded and then began to collect her documents on the list of workers within the mansion, a chilly look appeared in her eyes. "You do not need to worry about the mansion, this kind of thing will not happen again.

Ki smiled to her grandmother and then left the room to go train.

Within the capital a letter finally arrived after a little more than a week of being transported as the fastest speed possible.

An assistant working within the law department of the martial alliance building checked his letters and carefully opened them.

His eyes caught the name of the sender and frowned. "Isaac? I thought he went mad? I wonder what he is writing for…"

He merely read the letter out of curiosity since he had not spoken to Isaac in a long time after his downfall within the capital.

After reading the information along with other letters from witnesses and seeing all of their their signatures, the assistant frowned and placed the letters down on his desk deep in thought. 'Although Isaac has been missing over the years he has finally reappeared and in such a manner. It is a little unlike him to pass off his achievements to others but I cannot pass up on this opportunity. My boss has been putting more focus on the new recruits and I am slowly being given less important tasks and opportunities. I will have to gamble on this.'

He quickly went to his bosses room with the documents and began to make his case, carefully reporting the situation which was happening within Wolfden city and the village along with the suspects behind it being members from the blood sect who was trying to spread their influence.

He finished reading the letters and gave a brief conclusion. "Boss, I believe we need to act on this immediately before the situation gets any worse. This level of corruption has even spread to the nobles within the city and their actions have become more cruel and wicked. Their next target will be the Bombyx family from the northern parts of the central lands, they are responsible for trading and providing 100% of the silk to several large clothing businesses. If they disappear from the world because of this there will be a severe loss and collapse of the businesses that have relied on them for years. Many of those families that own the clothing businesses are influential within the capital so this would severely affect their interests if the supply of silk is stopped."

The boss nodded. "I will put you in charge, I will assign you 10 third rate, 5 second rate and 2 first rate martial artists to escort you to the site along with some investigators. If you can get some good results then you can expect to be given more important tasks in the future, I will give you a letter of authority to seize any property from those who have been found guilty. Put everything on auction and the money raised can be contributed to the martial alliance under both of our names. This will help to promote the achievements you have made and show that you can work with others and do not forget the people above you. If someone recruits you later it will be a good thing that will make them want to take you under them."

"Yes boss!" The assistant quickly bowed in gratitude. "I will not let you down."