Chapter 11: Tax Collection

"But it's not yet the time for tax collection, sir," a farmer cried pitifully.

Wildcat replied expressionlessly, "Because of the corrupted corpses invading, protecting you is exhausting, and we need more supplies. If you have any complaints, we can send you straight to hell."

Field had tasked him with collecting taxes. If they were discovered, it didn't matter—they could just resort to plundering. After all, these weren't people from Nightfall Territory. Who knew who was who?

Of course, collecting taxes was the safest option. The slaves were weak in combat, and if they clashed with the militia, things could go south quickly.

"We'll pay! We'll pay the full tax!" the village chief gritted his teeth and immediately ordered the villagers to bring out their livestock and grain. He even put on a flattering smile. "And the young girl the baron requested, we'll offer her as well."

A young girl?

Wildcat frowned. Baron Field hadn't mentioned this. It was clearly something Baron Bull had demanded.

One of the slave soldiers was about to refuse, but Wildcat stopped him. Refusing would blow their cover.

"Fine, bring her along."

Soon, Oxhorn Village was in chaos, like boiling water poured over an anthill.

Two cows, four sheep, several chickens and ducks, five carts of grain, and a total of seven gold coins, twenty-three silver coins, and fifty copper coins were taken. The village was scraped clean, leaving behind only cries and pleas. A year's worth of wealth had vanished overnight.

"Nobles are terrifying," Wildcat thought to himself. He had become a slave because he couldn't pay his taxes.

As for whether the villagers had evaded taxes, it didn't matter. This was just a windfall.

"Wow, so much livestock?"

Field was still directing the slaves to move weapons and magical items. In another bunker, he had found the fog-dispelling lamps the bearded officer had mentioned—three of them—along with a large supply of magical potions, mostly for healing wounds. Their total value was incalculable, but certainly no less than 200 gold coins.

Even with such a haul, Field was still shocked when he saw the taxes Wildcat had brought back.

Field hadn't expected a small village to yield so much. The tax rate must have been terrifyingly high. Wildcat had only plundered one village, and the twenty men could barely carry it all.

They even had cows and sheep. It seemed he wouldn't have to worry about meat for a while in the cursed lands.

The only thing that made Field uncomfortable was the fact that he had essentially pillaged a village.

"Don't be a saint. Survive," Field reminded himself, tapping his head. The advanced moral values of his homeland didn't apply in this dog-eat-dog medieval world.

He was struggling to survive himself. Why should he care about others? Only by surviving could he achieve anything. Besides, Nightfall Territory was located in front of Bull Territory, acting as a buffer. These "contributions" were his due.

Feeding his own people was the top priority!

"Good job. Everyone gets a silver coin," Field said with a smile, generously rewarding Wildcat with someone else's wealth. "As long as you gather a gold coin for me, I'll grant you freedom and make you free citizens of Nightfall Territory."

The slaves erupted into cheers, feeling genuine hope for the first time.

"Sir, let's go collect taxes from the other villages!" Wildcat's enthusiasm soared after receiving Field's "incentive." His eyes gleamed, and he fully embraced Field's cause, tossing any sympathy he had into the trash.

Why should we, people of Nightfall Territory, feel sorry for the villagers of Bull Territory?

Field raised his fist. "Of course, squeeze every last coin out of them! Try to finish by tomorrow morning. We're pressed for time. Go, keep pretending to be Bull Territory soldiers collecting taxes. I'll reward you."

But they had to move quickly. The other cities of the empire weren't as weak as Richard. They would soon notice the crisis in Bull Territory and send armies to eliminate the corruption. Field couldn't afford to be caught.

"Uh, sir, there's also this little girl," Wildcat said, pulling forward a girl in plain robes, about twelve years old.

Do I look like some creepy uncle? Bringing me a little girl!

Field's brain short-circuited for a second. He wanted to scold Wildcat, but seeing the man's fearful expression, he suppressed his anger and asked, "What's the situation? Why did you bring back a child?"

"The villagers offered her to Baron Bull. I figured it wasn't anything good and didn't want to cause trouble. But to avoid raising suspicion, I brought her along. Please punish me."

"No punishment. You were clever, Wildcat. You'll lead the guard from now on," Field said, relieved he had kept his patience.

The girl was nothing special, just a bit pretty. Field asked her a few questions and decided to keep her. She already knew too much, and sending her back wasn't an option. Besides, her life would likely be worse if she returned.

The next morning, gentle sunlight streamed in. Aishna, hearing the cacophony of chickens, ducks, and cows outside, fluttered her eyelashes and lazily yawned.

The fatigue from yesterday's battle had vanished. Aishna felt she had slept incredibly well, the soft bedding beneath her carrying a faint scent of gardenias—a far cry from the damp, cold iron cages she was used to.

"Ah, I'm so glad the master chose me to be a Chosen One. Lord Field is truly a good man."

Her long, shapely legs rubbed together, making a soft, tempting sound. She wanted to sleep for another hour, but Aishna quickly got up. Field had said they would enter the gray mist this morning.

"How did you rest last night?" Field asked as the mature, elegant woman ran toward him, her bunny-like movements almost making him lose his composure. "No need to rush. I'm still planning our route."

"I rested well, my lord."

Aishna nodded obediently and stood by to wait.

The Northern Frontier Province was vast, including Nightfall Territory. Once home to prosperous cities and villages, it was now corrupted and filled with monsters. At the heart of Nightfall Territory was a once-thriving manor, belonging to a female baron: Sophia Starnight. Her city, Starnight City, was visible from the manor.

"With my current strength, building a castle from scratch is a pipe dream. The best approach is to take the manor and use it as a base to slowly reclaim Starnight City."

The map in Field's hands was seven years out of date.

Back then, many pioneering knights, dreaming of reclaiming the Northern Frontier, had set out with their servants and retainers, full of ambition. Few returned, and those who stayed in the North undoubtedly became monsters.

"Probably even boss-level ones. Just adding to my troubles," Field muttered to himself. "So, the strategic plan sounds great, but the risks are absolutely hair-raising."