Chapter 14: The Calamity of the Wolf Bandits

[Douluo Calendar, September 3, 2024: Zhou Sheng'an completed the land survey and publicly judged the nobles who had seized farmland, oppressed the people, and committed countless crimes.]

[That day, other nobles hired the most famous lawyers in the kingdom to defend the accused nobles.]

[Zhou Sheng'an engaged in a battle of words, overpowering the lawyers. The scene erupted in thunderous applause, and no one dared to speak for the guilty nobles again. The nobles were beheaded, restoring clear skies to Barton City.]

[Zhou Sheng'an ruled for the people, adjudicating accumulated crimes with justice that left no room for dissent.]

[A month later, remnants of the punished nobles attempted to assassinate Zhou Sheng'an but were eradicated by the secretly stationed Snake Spear Douluo.]

[Zhou Sheng'an began purging the bureaucracy within Barton City, gathering evidence of crimes and either demoting or executing officials who had committed severe offenses and colluded with the nobles.]

[With that, governance in Barton City became just and transparent!]

[Zhou Sheng'an expanded trade routes, offering generous incentives to attract businesses, enriching the city's commercial landscape.]

[Zhou Sheng'an prioritized education, promoting scholars to teach in rural areas. All children within and around Barton City received free education until the age of twelve!]

[Zhou Sheng'an restructured the military, recruiting retired veterans to eliminate surrounding bandits and robbers.]

[...]

[A year later, Barton City was completely transformed. The people lived in peace and prosperity, praising Zhou Sheng'an endlessly.]

[Zhou Sheng'an earned the title of "Upright Magistrate"!]

[During the annual governance assessment, Zhou Sheng'an ranked first in the entire empire, his name resounding across Heaven Dou Empire!]

Reading the long string of records, Qian Renxue's mouth was slightly open in surprise.

She had thought Zhou Sheng'an was merely a strategist, skilled in national policy. She never expected that as a local governor, he would also be the most outstanding!

When Zhou Sheng'an first took office, she had visited Barton City. At the time, it was a dark, impoverished place.

Yet, under his governance, not only did the people reclaim their farmland, but the administration also became clean and upright, and the city even prospered! It had become the most renowned commercial hub in the Balak Kingdom!

Merchants from all over the Balak Kingdom would travel there, using it as a transit point!

How could it not be prosperous?!

"As expected of my Sheng'an! And right now, the situation is at its best! Sheng'an hasn't been pushed into the limelight, and I am still accumulating power. Perhaps, by the time I usurp the throne, Sheng'an will already be a top-ranking minister!"

Qian Renxue thought excitedly.

Suddenly, another entry appeared on the light screen, making her frown.

[Douluo Calendar, August 14, 2025: Wolf bandits emerged. A group of them followed a merchant caravan to the outskirts of Barton City. After being scattered by the city guards, they hid in the surrounding villages.]

[The people of Barton City grew anxious as the number of victims killed by the wolf bandits surpassed ten.]

[Zhou Sheng'an personally led his soldiers and issued a 'Kill-the-Wolf' decree, calling upon soul masters in the city to exterminate the bandits. Each slain bandit would be rewarded with ten gold coins!]

The scene shifted, showing Zhou Sheng'an in a vast wheat field, riding a tall horse as he gazed over the golden crops.

A deputy general cupped his fists and reported, "City Lord, that small group of wolf bandits is extremely cunning. They are most likely hiding nearby!"

Zhou Sheng'an nodded slightly and said, "Wolf bandits are sly. Once they familiarize themselves with the terrain, they will be difficult to catch. Instead of chasing them in vain, we should lure them in and trap them."

"City Lord, you mean...?" The deputy general was momentarily stunned.

Zhou Sheng'an stated, "These wolf bandits are not a natural disaster but a man-made one. They recognize me. So, let's make me their target."

"This... this is too dangerous!" The deputy general's face turned pale with shock.

"Enough talk. Every day we delay means another life lost. I will take ten men to the village entrance to lure them out. You all lie in ambush outside."

With that, Zhou Sheng'an began his arrangements.

Unlike the last time he simulated governance, his reputation this time was mainly within the empire's official and civilian circles.

Although he wasn't yet an enemy to nearly all nobles like before, his relationship with the nobles around Barton City remained strained.

After all, he stood entirely on the side of the common people.

Regarding the calamity caused by the wolf bandits, Zhou Sheng'an had a lingering suspicion—it might not have been an accident but a deliberate attempt to harm him.

Zhou Sheng'an led twelve knights into an unremarkable village.

Smoke still curled from the chimneys, and the air was filled with the scent of cooking.

As they approached, a few elderly women sitting at the village entrance spotted them and immediately stood up, running away in fear.

Zhou Sheng'an continued forward at a steady pace. By now, his soul power had reached Level 54, putting him on par with the Golden Generation. This was impressive, considering his innate soul power had been merely half a level!

His sensory abilities were exceptional as well. The moment he dismounted and set foot on the ground, the Blue Silver Grass within the village swayed lightly.

At that instant, the village relayed information back to him.

The message was simple—it conveyed the disturbances caused by footprints.

If the trampling was heavy and widespread, it indicated the presence of outsiders, which meant the wolf bandits had indeed arrived.

However, they were hiding within the villagers' homes, as there was no Blue Silver Grass inside courtyards.

Even knowing this, Zhou Sheng'an couldn't engage in direct combat yet. A battle within the village would undoubtedly endanger the villagers!

As he led his knights into the village, an elderly man with a white beard hobbled over with a cane.

"Sir... Sir, why have you come to our village? What can we do to serve you? I am the village chief," the old man panted, forcing a smile.

Noble oppression of commoners was the norm in this world.

Seeing Zhou Sheng'an and his men, the villagers' first instinct was to flee.

The village chief, however, stepped forward to stall for time and negotiate with the nobles.

Zhou Sheng'an deliberately adopted an arrogant demeanor and said coldly, "I heard your village has a beautiful woman? Bring her to me, or I'll slaughter your entire village!"

"What?! Sir, you can't do this! Lord Zhou has issued strict orders—if you act this way, you'll be punished by the law!" The old village chief paled with fear.

"Shut up! If you don't want your village to be wiped out, hurry up! Bring all the women here—I only need one!"

Zhou Sheng'an snorted coldly, his voice fierce, yet a trace of worry flashed through his eyes.

The wolf bandits had just hidden in the village. He needed to act quickly and present enough temptation; otherwise, they wouldn't reveal themselves but would instead massacre the village!

"Hurry up! If you keep dawdling, we'll start killing!" one of the knights threatened.

The old village chief sighed in resignation. "No..."

But what could a frail old man do to stop a group of fierce knights?

Holding their spears, the knights stopped at every house, shouting threats for the women to come out and serve the noble.

The long-standing fear of the nobility ran deep—no one dared to resist.

A line of women soon stood at the village entrance.

Zhou Sheng'an then said, "Now, inform on each other. If someone is missing, whoever reports it will have their family spared—"

"You despicable scoundrel! I'll go with you!"

A crisp voice rang out.