Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 927 - 25: The Old Man and Dusack_2
Chapter 927: Chapter 25: The Old Man and Dusack_2
The old man grinned, “You can’t really call it ‘framing’ because I deserved my punishment.”
“What exactly happened?”
“Nothing complicated, I went to Cold Crow Town and managed to get enough money to clear my debt. The day after I paid my creditor, someone went to the city official claiming a burglary took place at their home, losing an amount of money. The amount was neither more nor less, precisely as much as the debt I owed..”
Pierre narrowed his eyes: “An inside job?”
“Who knows?” The old man scooped another cup of hot soup and handed it to Pierre, “Have a bit more… Anyway, when the city official asked me where the money to repay the debt came from, I couldn’t say.”
Pierre took the cup and held it in his hands.
“Coincidentally, an ‘old acquaintance’ exposed my identity. So, everyone found out—I am the son of a thief. Is there anything simpler than believing a thief’s son is a thief?” The old man laughed carelessly, “But he wasn’t wrong, I indeed am a thief.”
“Didn’t you defend yourself?”
“At that time, there was a war, and the sentences were severe. Death if you pleaded not guilty, no death if you admitted guilt.”
“Did you confess?”
“Yes, I confessed,” the old man repeated, “They weren’t wrong, I am indeed a criminal.”
There was a pause of silence around the campfire.
“You aren’t deceiving me, are you?” Pierre suddenly laughed, “Where did you hear this story?”
“I wish I was deceiving you,” the old man also laughed.
Another pause of silence.
“Then what?” Pierre asked.
“Then?” The old man stood up, brushing dust off himself, “Then I was punished with hard labor and enlisted. There was a war, and the army needed laborers.”
“You served as a soldier?”
“Never held a weapon, just a laborer, chopping trees, driving carts, moving things.”
“Oh.” Pierre sounded somewhat disappointed. He lifted the cup and took a small sip of the hot soup, casually asking, “What about your wife and your father-in-law?”
“They are both dead.” The old man exhaled, “My father-in-law hanged himself, and my wife soon died of illness after him.”
Pierre stayed silent for a long time, hoarsely saying, “If I were you, I would have killed all who framed me..”
“You are Dusack, you have the ability,” the old man gave a bitter smile, self-mockingly, “Me? I am just a commoner, at most a thief, I don’t have the ability to kill. Besides, I am originally a criminal, it’s all deserved.”
Pierre snorted disdainfully.
“When I returned home,” the old man broke branches one by one to feed the campfire, rambling on, “I found my home gone, my daughter missing, and then I started searching for my daughter. After finding my daughter, days just passed by, aimlessly, without knowing how they just passed…”
“Hold on.” Pierre suddenly coughed violently, “You have a daughter?”
“Yes.”
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“Where is she?”
“Where?” The old man seemed puzzled, “Where else could she be?”
Pierre had a sudden revelation, “Xiaolu City? Your daughter is in Xiaolu City? So that’s why you were in Xiaolu City?”
“Yes.”
“What about you?” Pierre couldn’t bring himself to finish the question—”So why did you sit in that dark prison so long? Why didn’t she come to redeem you?”
The old man saw the confusion in Pierre’s eyes and shook his head, “My daughter is married, has her own children, and is living well. She doesn’t know I am still alive. Why would I tell her? To have her pay for my redemption? And then what? To have a thief father again? Actually, just being able to watch her from afar, I am already satisfied…”
Pierre stared at the fire, sighing deeply. He didn’t have children, couldn’t fully understand the feelings of a father, but he thought of his own dad.
“That what.” The old man scratched his head, “Thank you for getting me out.”
Pierre didn’t look up, “Without your care, I would’ve died in that prison long ago.”
“We’ve talked enough about me. We’ve been squeezed together in that cell so long, I still don’t know why you were locked up. I asked you before and you wouldn’t say, can you tell now?”
Pierre sipped the hot soup a little, “My matter isn’t as convoluted as yours.”
…
…
Winters sent Pierre to find [Berlion], [Gerard], and others because this task could only be accomplished by Pierre.
Others either lacked the ability to make decisions on their own—like Tamas, Bart Xialing at that time; or couldn’t spare the time—like Bard, Mason.
Pierre also felt the same way.
When Herd Raiders invaded the territory of Parlatu, the “overreacting” Parlatu Army immediately issued a mobilization order to all Dusack reserves.
The temporarily recruited Dusacks were organized into a separate Cavalry Corps, commanded by the Expeditionary Force headquarters.
After the bloody night at Kingsfort, the Expeditionary Force transformed into a military government. In desperate need of combat power, the military government could certainly not let the Dusacks return home; the [First Reserve Cavalry Corps] was naturally incorporated into the Third Republic’s order of battle.
After winter began, the fighting temporarily ceased. To reduce logistical pressure, the Parlatu military government dispersed its troops across various towns to find food and winter over.
This move also had another benefit: to deter potential rebels, enhancing the military government’s control over the interior.
Since there were benefits, naturally there were drawbacks, such as: dispersing for the winter meant dispersing forces, in case Red Rose suddenly attacked…
For instance: Jiangbei Province had a large group of discontented old Dusack soldiers.
