12: Chapter 12: Not only are they not paying wages, but they're also deducting them!

Levi's pupils contracted slightly. The faint joy that had just risen from the successful assembly-line enchantment was instantly replaced by a surge of icy, high-voltage-like excitement.

Far from panicking, he felt that familiar, hyper-focused state from his past life—staying up all night to meet project deadlines and handle emergencies—rapidly returning.

The air inside the warehouse seemed to have solidified into blocks of lead, pressing down and making it hard to breathe.

Sophia's chest heaved violently, shame and anger flushing her young face crimson.

She felt she had betrayed the lord's trust, causing such a major blunder on her very first day as Director.

Morey, meanwhile, looked terrified, staring at Levi in a state of utter helplessness, as if the sky had fallen.

'No need for panic.' Levi's voice was not loud, but exceptionally steady, like a stabilizing pillar that instantly quelled the chaotic emotions in the room.

He didn't look at Sophia, but instead stared directly at the onlookers craning their necks at the warehouse entrance, their faces filled with horror. His gaze was like a scanner, precisely capturing each person's micro-expressions.

He turned to Sophia, speaking at a measured pace, but with each word crystal clear: 'At the quarry, how many can Gam incite? How many able-bodied men do we have? What's the comparison of weapons?'

This series of questions, so calm they bordered on coldness, instantly snapped Sophia out of her emotional state.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to recall the scene, her mind racing: 'R...report, my lord! There are roughly seventy-plus prisoners at the quarry. Aside from a few injured, almost all have been incited by Gam. We... our overseer guard squad only has ten men. They're blocked outside, not daring to act rashly. Weapons... they only have chisels and iron picks. We have swords.'

'Good.' Levi nodded. This gap in information was still within a manageable range.

'Relay my orders, Sophia. Take the remaining members of the guard squad immediately, full mobilization. Block the only mountain path from the quarry to the castle, control the upstream creek—that's their only water source. Remember, your task is physical containment. Corral them there like a bunch of diseased chickens. Do not initiate an attack without my direct order. Understood?'

'Understood!' Sophia nodded emphatically, her eyes regaining their firmness.

With clear instructions, she was no longer a headless fly.

She turned and rushed out of the warehouse without hesitation, beginning to muster the men.

Levi's gaze then shifted to Evelyn, who had been standing quietly in the shadows.

The half-blood succubus had shown no surprise from start to finish, merely observing everything quietly with her violet eyes.

'Evelyn.'

'My master.' Evelyn gave a slight bow.

'Your Surveillance Department needs to start operating now. I need you to utilize your... racial talents.' Levi's wording was careful. 'From the peripheral refugees and the prisoners who haven't joined the rebellion, find me the three most influential, most persuasive individuals in the quarry besides Gam. I need their names and what each values most. Is it women, gold coins, or a nebulous position of leadership. I want answers before sunset.'

'As you wish.' The corner of Evelyn's mouth lifted in an enchanting curve. Her figure flashed and she melted silently into the panicked crowd outside, like a drop of water merging into a stream.

Finally, Levi's gaze fell upon Morey, who seemed almost petrified.

He walked over, took the rough shield still emitting a faint magical glow from Morey's trembling hands, hefted it, then shoved it back into Morey's arms.

'Director Morey.' He emphasized the word 'Director.' 'The situation has changed. Your previous performance task has now been upgraded.'

Morey looked up blankly, his lips moving but no words coming out.

'It is now an

Emergency Military Production Order.

Levi's tone brooked no argument. 'I don't care how you do it, assembly line or traditional enchanting. Before sunset, I must see ten shields identical to this one here. Remember, ten! Complete it, and the Magic Laboratory's budget doubles. Whatever materials you want, Klaus will approve them. Fail to complete it...'

Levi paused, leaned close to Morey's ear, and said softly in a voice only the two could hear: '...the lab will be disbanded on the spot, and you will join those prisoners, using your Mage Hand to break rocks.'

A threat, naked and blatant, yet more effective than any incentive.

Morey's body shuddered violently. His eyes, somewhat clouded from magical study, were instantly filled with immense fear and a desperate will to survive.

He clutched the shield in his arms as if it were his only lifeline, nodded frantically at Levi, then turned and practically scrambled on all fours towards the three equally terrified apprentices, letting out a hysterical roar: 'What are you all standing around for! You idiots! Draw the runes! Soak it! Now!'

Watching Morey instantly transform into a 'devil foreman,' Levi's face showed no expression.

He turned and walked out of the warehouse. Old butler Klaus was already waiting to the side, his wrinkled face etched with worry: 'Young master, this... what should we do? Should I immediately send someone to the nearest town to request support from the lord's guard?'

'No need.' Levi shook his head. 'That would be too slow and too expensive. Besides, this is our family matter. We'll solve it by our own rules.'

Under Klaus's utterly bewildered gaze, Levi walked alone towards the direction of the quarry, now heavily blockaded by the guard squad.

On the mountain path outside the quarry, the atmosphere was tense as drawn swords.

The guard squad members led by Sophia held their swords, forming a sparse but resolute human wall, blocking the road to the castle completely.

Opposite them, dozens of shirtless, muscular former bandits, armed with iron picks and stone hammers, led by Gam, were constantly jeering, their foul language unceasing.

'Make that pretty-boy lord come out!' Gam, the former second-in-command of the bandits, stood on a large rock, waving his iron pick, spittle flying. 'We shed blood and risked our lives, not to be laborers here! Gold coins! Women! If you don't give them, we'll go take them from that shabby castle ourselves!'

His words drew a chorus of supportive roars, but these roars were clearly lacking in vigor.

The midday sun beat down mercilessly on the earth. Without food, and more importantly, without water, after just half a day, these burly men accustomed to eating and drinking heavily were already feeling unbearable thirst and hunger.

Just then, they saw Levi walk out alone, unhurriedly, from behind the mountain path.

He wasn't even wearing any armor, still in his clean noble attire, looking utterly out of place in the dusty surroundings.

'He's out!'

'Just him alone?'

The crowd stirred. Seeing Levi, Gam thought this young noble was an utter fool to dare come alone into danger.

'Pretty boy! You finally dared to show yourself!' Gam shouted loudly. 'Kneel down and beg for mercy now, hand over the treasury keys and the women, and maybe I'll leave your corpse intact!'

Levi acted as if he hadn't heard him. He calmly walked to the front of the guard squad's defensive line, stopped, and swept his gaze over the face of every prisoner before him.

That gaze was calm, without anger or fear, like a factory owner inspecting his malfunctioning machinery.

'I announce one thing.' Levi's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

'For maliciously violating Blackstone Territory's labor regulations and willfully damaging territorial property, all personnel participating in this strike will have their work points deducted for today. Effective immediately, your food and water rations are canceled until all of you return to work and compensate for all losses caused today with double the labor.'

These words caused an uproar.

No pay was bad enough, now they were deducting wages? No food or water either?

This was worse than killing them!

'Bullshit!' Gam roared furiously. 'Brothers, don't listen to him! There are so many of us, we'll charge over and tear them apart! The castle has everything!'

However, those who responded to him were few and far between.

Thirst and hunger were mercilessly eroding their will. Levi's icy, emotionless pronouncement pressed down on their hearts like a mountain.

They began to hesitate, to waver.

Just then, Levi's voice rang out again. This time, he called out three names.

'Hogg!'

'

Butcher

Ben!'

'

Monkey

Sam!'

The three men whose names were called stiffened noticeably in the crowd, their faces showing suspicion and uncertainty.

They were precisely the three core instigators, besides Gam, most active and influential in this rebellion, whom Evelyn had just unearthed.

Levi's gaze locked onto them precisely.

'You three, now, immediately, lead the men under you back to work.' His voice carried an irresistible allure. 'I can pardon you for this offense. Your work points will not be zeroed. Furthermore, I appoint you as official

team leaders

of the Production and Construction Corps, entitled to the same food rations as guard squad members. In addition, I will advance each of you three days' worth of double work points, redeemable for ale and dried meat from Steward Klaus at any time.'

The crowd exploded.

All eyes focused on those three men, filled with complex emotions—envy, suspicion, and also anticipation.

The three men's minds went blank. The terms Levi offered were like smashing their most coveted desires right into their faces!

Status, preferential treatment, and tangible benefits!

Gam's face changed dramatically. He roared in shock and fury: 'You dare! Anyone who moves is a traitor!'

However, morale had already collapsed.

'Butcher' Ben, a burly, muscular man, was the first to crack.

He licked his parched lips, threw his stone hammer to the ground with a clang, and shouted gruffly to a few familiar companions beside him: 'Damn it, I'm dying of thirst! Gam, you go crazy on your own! Brothers, come with me, let's work! There's meat to eat!'

'Right! What's the point of being a boss? A full belly is more important!' 'Monkey' Sam, a wiry man, rolled his eyes and immediately chimed in, calling for his own men to turn around.

Hogg hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose to yield as well.

In an instant, only about a dozen of Gam's most die-hard loyalists remained by his side.

The tide had turned. On his contorted face, the flame of hope gradually extinguished, finally replaced by boundless madness and resentment.

'Aaargh! Levi! I'll kill you!'

Gam went completely berserk. Like a beast driven into a corner, he let out a desperate roar.

He grabbed an abandoned iron pick at his feet, his leg muscles tensing violently, and shot out like a cannonball straight towards Levi, who stood unarmed behind the defensive line!

He would take this lord hostage. It was his last, his only chance!

'Protect the lord!' Sophia's face changed drastically as she screamed sharply. The guards instinctively raised their crossbows.

But Gam was too fast. Like a raging bull, he instantly broke through the sparse defensive line!

Just as the cold-gleaming iron pick was about to smash down on Levi's head...

At this critical juncture, the sound of hurried footsteps and heavy panting came from the side of the mountain path.

'Lord! Catch!'

It was Morey!

With two apprentices, using a crude wooden stretcher, he was carrying a freshly finished enchanted shield, charging forward like a madman.

When he was still five or six steps away from Levi, he mustered all his strength and directed the apprentices to shove the shield forward!

The heavy shield slid across the ground, kicking up dust, and finally thudded to a stop, standing upright with uncanny precision right in front of Levi.

Almost at the same moment, Gam's iron pick arrived!

*CLANG—!*

A deep, resonant boom, utterly unlike the sound of wood striking iron, echoed throughout the valley!

The tip of the iron pick struck the center of the shield with brutal force.

The expected scene of splintering wood did not appear. Instead, the crude runes on the shield's surface suddenly erupted in a blinding burst of earthy yellow light!

A visible shockwave rippled outwards from the point of impact.

Gam felt an irresistible, immense force transmit from the iron pick, instantly splitting his palms open, blood gushing.

The heavy iron pick was sent flying high into the air, spinning several times before clattering down onto rocks in the distance.

And he himself, thrown off balance by the recoil, stumbled backwards and landed hard on his rear, his face a mask of stunned disbelief.

Dead silence fell over the scene.

All eyes were fixed on that shield.

After such a violent impact, the seemingly ordinary wooden shield, aside from a shallow white mark at its center, was completely unscathed!

This supernatural, near-miraculous sight was like a merciless hammer, utterly shattering the last vestiges of resistance in the hearts of all the rebels.

They looked at the glowing shield, then at Levi, whose face remained calm as if everything was under his control, their eyes now filled only with deep fear and awe.

Levi slowly stepped out from behind the shield, looked down at Gam sprawled on the ground, his voice icy and devoid of any warmth.

'Drag him away. Lock him in the water dungeon.'

The rebellion was quelled.

That night, in the castle study, the lamps burned brightly.

Levi sat at the desk, one hand rubbing his slightly throbbing temple, the other flipping through the territorial inventory Klaus had just compiled.

On the parchment, charcoal pencil detailed the castle's remaining stores of grain, cloth, tools, and the quantity of spoils captured today.

Behind each item was a staggering number.

His finger slowly traced down the list, finally stopping on an inconspicuous entry.

It concerned the belongings left by his cheap father, the former Byron lord.

The list read: 'Late Lord's Effects: Miscellaneous trunks, three (sealed).'

Levi's brow furrowed slightly.

In such a barren territory where even iron nails were counted, anything specifically sealed away seemed rather unusual.