Chapter 1017: Chapter 568: Operation Ovando

The next day, in Ovando.

Walter welcomed a special guest today at his estate on the outskirts of the city.

"I didn’t know you had such a comfortable place; it’s almost like a small town."

Lance stood at a high point of the estate’s architecture, overlooking the area, and took it all in.

The main structure is a three-story brick-and-stone villa resembling a small castle, with a well-arranged cluster of residential buildings surrounding it, occupied by tenant farmers of the estate, and beyond that, golden wheat fields.

Finally, an earthen wall separates the interior from the exterior.

Originally, there weren’t many people here, but due to the chaotic situation, it has become a relatively safe place, where caravan activities primarily take place.

The families of those caravans have also relocated here from the city, along with select individuals from the refugees, as the caravans have instead grown during this time.

A scale of several hundred people genuinely surpasses some remote towns, resulting in a lack of housing, with parts that are clearly newly built, appearing crowded and chaotic.

Additionally, guards can be seen training on the open grounds. Since Lance pulled the army away, Walter has been training guards to not only protect the estate but also the caravans.

After all, many are eyeing the grain, because the caravan warehouse is here rather than in the city, leading to more than one refugee siege, and it’s obvious who instigated it.

Walter showed no mercy then, directing the guards to use crossbows to kill quite a few, only then repelling them.

Walter even mentioned some greedy individuals acting like rats, who ended up directly hanged, with their bodies now hanging as skeletons on the arrow tower.

You can see the constructed arrow towers, where guards are patrolling to fend off external intrusions, equipped with breastplates and crossbows, comparable to city defense troops.

Or rather, these people’s equipment came from Ovando’s city defense arsenal—it’s how things work in this world. Don’t expect bureaucrats to have any ethics; money only counts when it’s in their pocket.

This is why Lance insists on breaking up the chaotic order and rebuilding Hamlet, both physically and ideologically.

Walter remained silent beside him, feeling uneasy rather than pleased by Lance’s praise, his gaze reluctantly tearing away from the letter in his hand.

The caravan’s management was handed over to him, as his children couldn’t hold it themselves; he has no complaints there.

But, could you be eyeing my retirement spot now?

Walter’s imagination wasn’t unwarranted because just now his daughter Tiffany’s letter asked for money again, reaching him.

Don’t you know my pension has been taken by you? Now all this money is on the caravan’s books, what’s it got to do with me?

He wanted to use the money for business expansion, now’s the time to expand and swallow up Ovando.

"What’s the matter? Did Tiffany tell you something troubling? She didn’t seem to have any difficulties when I saw her, she was quite happy."

Lance turned around and saw Walter’s strange expression holding the letter, though he hadn’t seen its content and disdain to do so.

It’s all complaints and asking for money, nothing secretive about it, Walter handed the letter over nonchalantly.

Lance glanced quickly and immediately burst out laughing.

Tiffany speaks so seriously about needing money, someone might think Hamlet is on the verge of collapse.

"She’s just crying poverty because she doesn’t want to approve the funds for the caravan’s expansion. No need to worry, let’s proceed according to the original plan."

With that, Lance handed the letter back, turning to gaze far into Ovando City, chuckling: "There’s money, it’s just that I haven’t had the time to collect it."

This left Walter speechless; Tiffany had even schemed against her own father.

The issue is, he couldn’t get a hold of this money himself; he’s just the manager, and most of these caravan folks are Hamlets People, acknowledging only the Lord.

Ironically, sometimes Walter wonders: if he hadn’t had trouble before, when the Empire erupts in chaos, could he have seized the opportunity to rise?

He thought a lot, but Walter is no longer a child, aware of how unrealistic this is. The caravan’s ability to quickly grow is due to being backed by Hamlet.

Without his support, he’d be just a piece of meat, not seeing how Gene appeared to catch a big break, was thriving, and then vanished.

The guy took away an elite troop plus a hundred city defense soldiers to collect grain, along with a prominent figure.

Yet it proved worthless; so many went into Hamlet and didn’t even make a ripple.

If his children had ambition, Walter wouldn’t comply so easily, at least trying to free family from Lance’s control.

But come on, amidst war and famine, there’s nowhere safer than Hamlet across the Empire.

Not to mention his son’s weakness, and his daughter... better left unsaid, seemingly possessed by magic.

Better to honestly ride it out till retirement; at least Lance is respectable.

Soon, a third person came to ease the awkward atmosphere.

"My lord!"

Vick approached, appearing much more mature, with a rugged demeanor hinting a fierce aura.

Without this appearance, he wouldn’t be able to suppress those gang members and refugees.