Chapter 189: Return
Sam really had his dinner at the town hall. Since it is a border town the in charge of the town are from military as well and this made things easier.
As Sam was eating, he looked at the town, it is just a little after sunset and a lot of people are packing their things to move.
Many of them didn't want to stay in this place as they felt a sense of belonging for their country. Generally, the cultivator wars are not so small and the citizens wouldn't have much choice. After all, humans are also an important resource in the eyes of the people at the top of the pyramid.
That is the reason the law is still in place and the people are given some rights.
Otherwise, this world would have already been in chaos.
But that is not the reason Sam let them go, he just felt that it is highly impossible for these people to be loyal for the new rule. From his experience, the emperor is not much of a great ruler and even the southern star Duke is not much.
It is almost impossible to get the loyalty of these people with their rule and they can only force them, Sam just wanted to leave these people a way out.
The person from the nearest military came faster than he thought. Apparently, he rode a level 3 beast and came. He is a battalion commander. After hearing that Sam has cleared the town in a day and he wants to go back to the dukedom, the nearest military post who didn't make the preparations for the new town occupation can only send this person as a representative.
Sam just let him handle the details with the help of the authorities of the Red rock town and he started his journey back to the southern star city along with his soldiers and the remaining war prisoners.
He didn't hand over them to the battalion commander who came to him, but rather brought them back.
He is going to exchange them from the points.
And after another twenty-seven days, he reached the southern star city. He is no the first one to arrive in the southern star.
Many people who cannot take the heat of the war or some candidates who thought their achievements are enough returned on level 4 beasts arranged for their transportation specifically.
But out of all of them his entrance was the most spectacular. As spectacular as his departure. The first thing he did was to enter the camp and settle his soldiers, he gave them a huge amount of bonus and even arranged a feast with Mackey and his staff cooking.
He didn't go out, rather he studied the situation in the camp.
He is estimating on when this phase would end.
Right now, nine months have been completed since this phase began. Sam was deployed to border in the seventh month by the end of eight month he was back. His war only took him one day.
But the candidates assigned to other regiments were deployed earlier for the people stationed in farther borders and some were deployed later for those who are stationed closer.
Sam is the only candidate who came back on his own without the help of Duke's arrangement of level 4 beasts.
The main reason is that he has time and he can also stay with the soldiers as respect to their effort for fighting the battle. As far as he knew being in a commander position, he shouldn't just discard the soldiers after he the battle and return alone.
As he was celebrating his return with his soldiers, he was called for a meeting from the Duke.
He leisurely visited the Duke's palace.
In the meeting room, there was the familiar scene. The Duke, the General and Sam. Only the rest of thunder wolf squad are not there.
Sam didn't wait for the Duke to speak and passed him two scrolls.
One of them is the agreement of the deal about the competition and the second one is the deed of the transfer of the new town and for Sam's surprise that town in called Red Canyon town. He didn't care much though.
As Duke looked at the scrolls, Sam said.
"According to our agreement, if I win this war, I will get 1000 points. Apart from that, I don't have any casualties, which I believe will qualify as a military merit, I killed an enemy commander, around two hundred soldiers and caught around three hundred war prisoners.
I hope the Duke will maintain his 'impartiality' which you have been showing all this while. "
Sam particularly emphasized the word impartiality clearly implying that he knew of Duke's little tricks which made the Duke gulp in nervousness.
He received the information on the war and he also received the news about the impact cannon. He doesn't know how to react. He berated himself for being stupid enough to save General Spark's ass so as to get that old man's loyalty and favour.
But that bit him in the back.
Now Sam seems to be holding a grudge.
Before he could sort these thoughts out and speak, Sam spoke again.
"My four hundred million spirit stones which the military owes me. I need them by today evening. The deadline was over a month ago."
Duke's words stopped and then only he remembered the agreement of the debt that Sam shown them.
This became even more of a headache.
���Sam, about the war. I heard that you have a new weapon…" Duke started speaking, but Sam interrupted again.
"I do have the weapon and I am the one who made it."
"About that…" But Sam interrupted again.
"If you want to buy it, I am sorry I am not selling it and can you please settle my account first?"
Sam is not giving any face at all. He lost all the respect he had for the duke.
Duke only shook his head helplessly and tallied the military points. The two hundred soldiers killed will be counted as two thousand points and the commander was three hundred points, the fact that there are no casualties gave him another two hundred points and three hundred war prisoners will be four thousand five hundred points. These points are solely for Sam as he was the commander.
Apart from them, his thousand points are also given according to the agreement. The total of eight thousand points which will be more than the whole sum of the remaining ninety-nine candidates.
And the soldiers will be receiving their merits separately but since all of them performed equally good, it is difficult to judge, but the Duke has other plans. This battalion is too good and even the thunder wolf squad was a piece of trash compared to them.
Duke also grudgingly gave the four hundred million stones.
After that, Duke explained. Within three days the time limit will be over and all the candidates will arrive here and from then on they can start the business phase and the current business phase candidates will start the military phase training.
Sam didn't wait after that and looked at General coldly and asked.
"How is Jim doing?"
His question made the two Nascent stage cultivators feel their eyes twitch in irritation. He is clearly gloating and he is doing it so openly.
"Sam, we can settle our grudges ourselves, can you just let Jim off?" General asked with a pleading tone.
He is indeed pleading. More than six months wasn't even enough to the pharmaceutical tower head wasn't convinced.
"Why should I? Do I have an obligation to let him off?" Sam said nonchalantly. He then looked at the general who closed his eyes and has a face full of regret.
Then he turned around to leave.
But Duke stopped him.
"Sam, I have something to discuss."
"Sure, please tell me."
"About the weapons…"
As I have mentioned, I have no interest in selling them, after all, I am not a businessman for now and don't wish to talk business now."
Duke immediately understood what Sam meant. Sam is planning use this sale as the part of his business deal. So, he didn't ask further. The Duke then looked at the general and hesitated before speaking.
"Can we work on a deal about Jim?"
Sam thought for a bit and said.
"I suppose."
"What do you need?" General was the one who asked this, he was anxious at the same time excited.
"Your most fabled and the mighty military seemed to held the Dragon Hawk tribe members as hostage and is blackmailing them to supply the soldiers to you to act as meat shields. I want the whole Dragon Hawk tribe including the people who are forced to join the military.
Send them to my estate and then Jim can get himself treated."
Sam said these words and without waiting further left the palace.