Chapter 1392: Chapter 100: Rebuilding the Nation (27)

“Kai Morland.”

This name, which was forgotten by Maplestone City not long ago, is now well-known to everyone.

Thanks to the printing press operated with full force under the orders of a certain enthusiastic “bigwig,” at least ten thousand copies of “Escape from the Tiger’s Mouth”—a pamphlet detailing how Kai Morland narrowly escaped from Kingsfort—have been distributed in Maplestone City, outnumbering even the literate population of the city.

This saturation propaganda strategy led directly to two results:

Firstly, “Escape from the Tiger’s Mouth” quickly spread from Maplestone City to neighboring counties and even to adjacent provinces. Whether it was the patrols of the New Reclamation Legion or the checkpoints of the Kingsfort government forces, they increasingly often found those familiar sheets of coarse paper in travelers’ pockets and backpacks;

Moreover, Kai Morland, who had gradually been forgotten due to his “exile” to Kingsfort, suddenly became the most famous person in Maplestone City.

From military and political officials to street vendors, whenever there was a chance to chat, most likely they would talk about Kai Morland.

People gathered around tables, eagerly listening to their literate companions share the latest issue of “Escape from the Tiger’s Mouth,” arguing heatedly about which parts of the story were true and which were false, and secretly speculating about the purpose of someone generously “sponsoring” Kai Morland to publish this book.

Even free people from other counties who came to attend the assembly were influenced by this wave of public opinion, listening along with local citizens to stories of how Kai Morland repeatedly opposed the New Reclamation Legion in his early years and was eventually “exiled” to Kingsfort to sit on the cold sidelines.

However, “having heard of” Kai Morland is one thing, “knowing” Kai Morland is another.

At least when that medium-built, curly-haired, blue-eyed man walked down the steps and calmly stood at the tribunal, all the free people of the New Reclamation were taken aback by his unfamiliarity.

Generally middle-aged, the free people found it hard to associate the handsome young man in his early thirties, with bright eyes on the tribunal with the “Kai Morland councilor” from street talks, rumored stories, and the pamphlet.

Yet, at this moment, in this situation, the free people of the New Reclamation couldn’t help but believe—this person was indeed Kai Morland.

Astonishment mixed with delight, bewilderment mixed with sudden realization, Kai Morland’s unexpected appearance was like a lightning bolt piercing the night, causing a stir among many free people like Richard of Blackwater Town.

For the disgruntled free people with the New Reclamation Legion, there was joy in seeing someone who didn’t belong to the New Reclamation Legion and was clearly not part of the New Reclamation Legion’s plans.

Anything that could cause trouble for the New Reclamation Legion brought them a sense of revenge.

On the other hand, they didn’t understand why Kai Morland would come to the public trial, nor did they understand why Kai Morland would “volunteer for trial.”

But at the moment, the most important question wasn’t “why,” but “how was it done.”

Kai Morland, wasn’t he under house arrest by the New Reclamation Legion? How did he escape from the Legion’s custody? How did he get past layers of guards to enter this Grand Assembly Hall?

Quick-thinking free people immediately recalled the various rumors they had heard, especially the gossip about Kai Morland’s sponsor, and were taken aback, instinctively casting their gazes to the frontmost row of the Iron Peak County Seating Area, looking towards another rumored main character, a figure even younger and more legendary than Kai Morland—Winters Montagne, Blood of the Wolf.

The connection to the rumors wasn’t unique to the free people of the New Reclamation.

As soon as Kai Morland stepped into the venue, the monocular gendarmerie officer maintaining order looked to Colonel Gaisa, silently questioning whether to seize this unexpected guest.

However, the infuriated Colonel Gaisa ignored his subordinate’s inquiry and instead glared fiercely at the impudent kid sitting on the other side of the venue as if nothing had happened.

Facing Colonel Gaisa’s razor-sharp gaze, which could slice a face, Winters just nodded slightly, then continued sitting without acknowledging anyone’s questioning eyes.

Colonel Gaisa clenched his fists and then released them, finally grinding his teeth and nodding to his subordinate.

Receiving the signal, the monocular gendarmerie officer subtly waved his hand, calling off his subordinates, who were as tense as arrows on the string. However, the monocular gendarmerie officer himself did not relax, keeping a careful watch on the hall’s atmosphere, subtly holding his sword.

In the Grand Assembly Hall, undercurrents surged.

Some were seething with rage but, constrained by the occasion, couldn’t immediately speak out; some gloated, hoping for an internal conflict and a commotion among the Legion’s factions.

But most people’s emotions remained of surprise, bewilderment, and confusion.

The most caught off guard had to be Colonel Skur Meklen, the presiding judge.

Many years earlier, when Skur Meklen had just graduated from the Army Officer Academy, his file included “deep thinker, eloquent speaker” but had another mercilessly written comment: “good at planning, but lacking on-the-spot decision-making ability.”

Colonel Skur Meklen was sure that the name “Kai Morland” wasn’t on the list of those to be tried, nor did he have any contingency plans prepared for trying Kai Morland.

Colonel Skur looked at several colleagues in the venue:

Winters Montagne sat upright, calm as if he were a deep well, absorbing gazes from all around yet showing no ripples;

Gaisa Adonis clenched his arms, glaring with gritted teeth at the smiling Kai Morland on the tribunal, veins bulging on his scalp, pulsing with the muscles of his cheeks; if it weren’t for the packed assembly hall, Gaisa would likely have devoured Kai Morland on the spot;

As for Magash Colvin—he was also looking at Colonel Skur.

Meeting each other’s gaze, both saw the same surprise and unpreparedness in the other’s eyes.

Realizing that Colonel Skur was also unclear why Kai Morland appeared in the hall, Colonel Magash slowly but resolutely shook his head toward his senior.

Colonel Skur got the message, and Colonel Magash Colvin’s stance was clear: “Avoid entangling with Kai Morland, regain control of the situation as soon as possible, and complete the reading of the new charter.”

Seeing his senior Skur not taking immediate action, Colonel Magash decisively signaled his adjutant, intending to take matters into his own hands.

A soft cough interrupted Colonel Magash’s movement and redirected everyone’s attention back to Colonel Skur Meklen on the judge’s bench.

Colonel Skur signaled his junior to remain calm, then picked up a broken-handled gavel and tapped it.

His tapping was measured, neither light nor heavy, neither hurried nor slow, carrying no anger yet instilling a solemnity among the attendees beneath the dome.

To be sure, Skur Meklen self-acknowledged that he wasn’t someone adept at “quick decision-making and improvisation.”

However, he was no longer the green youth fresh from school.

Expecting to defeat him with one sudden attack would be underestimating Skur Meklen too much.

“Volunteering for trial?” Skur Meklen looked down at Kai Morland from above, asking coldly, “What is your crime?”