Chapter 60

“No. Nine times out of ten, they scream at the officers for not arriving sooner. ‘Why weren’t you here faster? If you had been, my family would still be alive.’”

The younger man’s face paled at the thought.

“But that’s not fair…”

“Fairness doesn’t matter. People don’t want justice—they want someone to blame.”

“But we’re not like Lucas’s crew. Why would they treat us the same way?”

“Because to them, we’re still pioneers. The same breed. And even if they do understand the difference, that won’t stop them from unleashing their frustration on the easiest target.”

The room fell silent.

“People will always judge you by the group you belong to, not your personal character. And worse—when it comes time to lash out, they’ll pick the ones who seem weakest.”

“…That’s messed up,” Nathan muttered.

“It is,” Justin agreed. “But it’s reality. The only way to stop them from turning on us is to keep them too scared to try.”

No one argued after that.

Deep down, they all knew he was right.

“The real issue is that people always take out their frustration on those who let them.”

Justin leaned back in his chair, his voice steady, as if stating a universal truth.

“They yell at the kind-hearted cops who do their jobs. But when a corrupt officer with power gets in their face? Silence.”

Nathan’s face tightened, the implications slowly settling in.

“Most people are like that—weak against power, brave against kindness.”

“But these villagers already know the strength of pioneers,” Nathan argued. “They’ve been through hell under Lucas’s rule. Shouldn’t they have learned their lesson by now?”

“It’s not about power,” Justin shot back. “It’s about perception. The real question in their minds isn’t how strong are we—it’s will these guys kill me or let me get away with a little defiance?“

“Even if they know we’re stronger, once they think we won’t kill them, some idiot will test the waters. Just to see how far they can push it.”

Nathan looked unconvinced.

“But wouldn’t that be suicidal? They know how dangerous we are.”

“People are dumb like that. Especially when they think the system will protect them. They’ll take tiny steps, testing boundaries. A snide comment here, a little disrespect there. Before you know it, someone’s going too far.”

Derek let out a low chuckle, arms crossed.

“And that’s when I crack their skull open. Doesn’t matter if it’s some family man or a beloved son. If they act like a piece of trash, they’ll die like one.”

“…!”

The cold certainty in his voice made Nathan visibly flinch, a shade of red creeping up his neck. Yet, beneath his discomfort, he seemed to understand something vital—this world wasn’t the one they’d known.

“But…” Rachel finally spoke, her voice low and conflicted. “We can’t keep this up forever. If you completely crush their hope, someone will eventually kill themselves. The whole village’s morale could collapse after that.”

“I know,” Justin replied with a nod. “That’s why we’re going to establish order—and fast. We’ll impose a class system, clear-cut rules, and defined expectations. Before anyone has the chance to resist.”

“A class system?”

“Exactly. Right now, there’s no clear boundary between what’s allowed and what’s not. If we draw that line ourselves, people won’t bother testing it.”

“And if someone does?”

“We kill them. By that point, it’ll be seen as an individual’s mistake, not a sign of systemic oppression.”

The room fell into a tense silence as the weight of his words sank in.

“Let’s face it,” Justin continued, voice softer but no less determined. “We’ve all suffered under chaos—extremes of power and weakness. It’s time we built something stable. A real society with clear laws and clear consequences.”

Their eyes lit up with a strange mix of dread and anticipation. The idea of creating their own hierarchy, their own system of control, stirred something primal in them.

The Next Morning:

The village square was filled with exhausted, broken people. Despite their dead eyes, they obeyed the summons, fearful of what the new ruler might demand of them.

“Listen up!” Justin’s voice echoed across the square. “Starting today, this land will follow new laws!”

Whispers rippled through the crowd—laws? After the chaos they’d endured, the idea of structured rules was as alien as it was terrifying.

“These laws apply to everyone—even us pioneers. If you don’t listen carefully, you might break them and suffer the consequences.”

The villagers looked skeptical. Laws that applied to pioneers too? That sounded impossible.

Unfazed by their doubt, Justin began reading from the scroll in his hands.

“First: This land will operate under a class system. Nobles will hold all political power.”

Murmurs grew louder, the weight of those words settling on the villagers’ shoulders like iron chains.

“Second: All pioneers are nobles. All villagers are commoners. And for those who step too far out of line, there will be a slave class.”

The crowd stilled, accepting their grim reality—nothing would change.

“Third: The leader of this land will be titled ‘Lord’ and referred to with the utmost respect. Address nobles as ‘Nari.’ Bow deeply when you see one, or face punishment.”

Some villagers swallowed hard, already imagining the humiliation and fear that would follow.

“Fourth: Taxes are set at ten percent of all earnings—for both commoners and nobles.”

A sigh rippled through the crowd, not out of relief but resignation. Another system of oppression, just like before.

But then the shift came.

“Fifth: Every villager is the property of the Lord. Harming a villager will be treated as destruction of property.”

“…?”

The villagers blinked in confusion, unsure if they had heard correctly.

“Sixth: Killing a villager without cause will be considered treason against the Lord and punished accordingly.”

Now, their eyes widened.

“Seventh: Any theft from a villager will result in a fine three times the value of what was stolen, paid directly to the Lord.”

The weight of realization hit them all at once. This wasn’t oppression—it was protection.

“Eighth: All wealth beyond taxes will belong to the individual who earned it.”

A glimmer of hope began to flicker in their eyes. It was faint, but real.

“And lastly: The Lord stands above the law, with the power to alter these rules at will.”

The square fell into a thick silence.

Then, from the back of the crowd, a weak voice whispered:

“Long live the Lord…”

The dam broke.

“Long live the Lord!”

Cries of loyalty and hope burst forth from every direction.

‘They’re just trying to curry favor,’ Justin thought with a faint smirk. ‘But that’s fine. Fear, respect, and hope—they’re all useful.’

This was the foundation of his rule: a society of order, defined by power and law. A kingdom where the lines were clear, and everyone knew their place.

As the chants of loyalty continued to echo through the square, Justin’s gaze drifted toward the distant horizon, toward the neighboring territory.

‘Your turn’s coming soon.’