Baron Antayas also found it hard to believe that Ars堡, which had become a bandit lair, had so little gold and silver. For an entire afternoon, he searched everywhere for hidden treasures the bandits might have stashed and interrogated the surviving bandits one by one about the whereabouts of the gold and silver. However, even after beating two bandits to death, he couldn't get the answer he wanted, and Baron Antayas had no choice but to accept this reality.
After an inventory, the gold and silver valuables recovered from the fortress amounted to less than twelve thousand fenny. However, while gold and silver were scarce, supplies were abundant. The fortress held fifteen thousand pounds of grain, eight miscellaneous horses, six oxen, over thirty pigs and sheep, and more than seventy pieces of weapons and armor. Additionally, there was a batch of valuable goods plundered but not yet consumed, such as velvet, porcelain, tea, spices, and linen.
That evening, Baron Antayas held a military council with the leaders of several teams in the lord's wooden house. A circle of leaders sat around the long table in the wooden house, including Art and Internal Affairs Knight Druid, who were the main attacking forces.
Baron Antayas sat at the head of the table, cleared his throat, and motioned for everyone to be quiet, saying, "Everyone knows the results. After confirmation by several bandit minor leaders, it is true that only this much gold and silver remains in Ars堡. It is said that the loot the bandits plundered over the years was used by the bandit leader to recruit Soldiers, purchase weapons, and supplies. They intended to hold out in Ars堡 long-term. There isn't much money in the fortress, but there are still quite a lot of supplies. I've gathered you now to discuss how to distribute these spoils."
Upon hearing that the Baron wanted to settle the distribution of spoils, several knights who had previously fought over privately dividing the loot began to make a fuss again. Sir Croy was the first to speak. He stood up, raised his left arm, which had been injured by a battering ram, and said, "My Lord, in this assault, we were the first to climb the fortress wall, killing and wounding five bandits. And our losses were also very heavy. Three of my farmer-Soldiers died, and one of my retainers was scalded by boiling feces and is basically beyond saving. Therefore, I should receive a larger share of these spoils."
As soon as the distribution of spoils was mentioned, Knight Druid, who was usually humble, also became agitated. "If we're talking about casualties, our Guards launched the first fierce assault, with three Soldiers killed and four severely wounded in the siege and fortress gate battles, and many more lightly wounded. Shouldn't we take the largest share?"
Seeing this, several knights immediately began to discuss animatedly. Some said they had deployed more troops and suffered greater losses, while others claimed they had killed more enemies and earned higher merits.
"Big Nose, how dare you claim to have killed the most enemies? What kind of enemies did you kill? They were all bandits who had already surrendered!"
"That's still better than you, a coward who hid under the wooden ladder and didn't dare to charge up..."
The more they spoke, the more agitated they became, almost slamming tables and throwing stools in a fight.
Baron Antayas's eyes blazed with anger. He sprang from his seat, drew his longsword, and slammed it onto the wooden table with a 'smack,' shouting, "Everyone, be quiet! When it's time to fight, you make excuses, but when it's time to divide money, you fight like hungry dogs over shit."
Everyone quieted down slightly. Baron Antayas sat back down, regulated his breathing, and looked at Art, who was sitting at the far end, saying, "Patrol Officer Art, you have the greatest merit in recapturing Ars堡 this time. How do you think we should divide it?"
Everyone in the room looked at Art simultaneously.
Art adjusted his armor, looked at the crowd, and said, "Honorable Lords, our ability to capture Ars堡 this time is inseparable from your heroic fighting and even more so from the Baron's coordination and command. However, you have all witnessed the strength of Ars堡 and the stubborn resistance of the bandits. If not for the Patrol Team Soldiers' sneak attack on the fortress gate, even if we sacrificed all our Soldiers' lives, we might not have taken it. Two Patrol Team Soldiers involved in the sneak attack died on the spot to allow you to enter the fortress as early as possible. The rest are all injured, and a few don't know if they can be saved. Furthermore, the Baron had previously promised me a quarter of the spoils as military expenses for my assistance..."
There were leaders of six teams present, and Art alone wanted to take a quarter of the spoils. Of course, no one would agree, so another argument ensued...
It was late into the night when, after Baron Antayas's combination of tough and gentle persuasion and mediation, a distribution standard was finally determined, primarily based on military merit, while also considering the number of troops deployed and casualties. According to this standard, Art could receive nearly one-sixth of the spoils. He himself made concessions on the money, horses, and armor, which were the focus of everyone's attention, taking less of those but securing more grain, livestock, and other supplies.
Art's Patrol Team ultimately received twelve hundred fenny in money, six thousand pounds of grain, two miscellaneous horses, one ox, three carriages, and fifteen bolts of linen, as well as a few bags of spices and salt. Among the captured weapons, the good armor, swords, and strong bows and arrows naturally couldn't be contended for against those Knight Lords. However, Art, citing the Patrol Team's excessive weapon damage and lack of resupply, requested two sets of damaged leather armor, seven short spears, four short swords, one cotton armor, and a batch of fragmented military supplies such as uniforms and boots from Baron Antayas. Additionally, Art sent people to collect the severely damaged weapons.
An agreement was largely reached regarding the distribution of spoils, and everyone left the wooden house to return to their respective camps inside and outside the fortress to rest.
Seeing everyone leave, Art walked over to Baron Antayas and leaned in to ask, "My Lord, how do you plan to deal with these captured bandits?"
Baron Antayas picked up the wooden cup on the table, took a sip, and said, "What else can be done? Drag all those fellows back to Andermatt Fortress and kill them to deter the restless fellows around the territory."
Art said, "My Lord, since you're going to kill them anyway when you take them back, how about handing those captured bandits over to me?"
"Hand them over to you? What do you want those Bastards whose souls have been possessed by devils for?"
"Lord Pierre of Tinietz once promised me that I could exchange the heads of bandits and marauders for money at his place, but you'll have to write a letter proving they are the bandits who attacked Ars堡, and I also need serfs..."
"You can exchange them for money?"
"Yes, I can."
Antaias pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement.
Thus, all the captured bandits in Ars堡, except for one who died from severe injuries, were handed over to Art for disposal.
The next day, after dealing with the receive of supplies and the placement and care of the wounded, Art took a few Soldiers to the livestock shed where the prisoners were held and took custody of the prisoners from the Guards.
"Ron, bring the villagers up." Ron obeyed and brought four or five surviving original villagers of Ars堡 to the front of the livestock shed.
Art stood in front of the villagers and said loudly, "Everyone, don't be afraid. These demons have now been defeated by us. Today, I've asked you to come here to identify any major or minor leaders among them, or any fierce bandits who oppressed the innocent and committed many evils. Identify one fierce bandit and receive one fenny; a leader, two fenny."
The villagers whispered to each other for a while, then came forward one by one to identify them.
After a round of careful screening, among the twenty bandits, four were Ars堡 villagers forced to join the bandits by the bandit leader. Eleven were vagrants and bankrupt farmers recently rounded up from the surrounding areas by the bandit leader; most of them had not committed overly evil deeds. Among the remaining, there were two minor leaders and three old fierce bandits; they were the instigators of the attack and plunder of Ars堡.
Art had all the captured bandits escorted to an open area outside the fortress. He ordered the Patrol Team Soldiers who had remained outside the fortress to cover the assault and had not personally experienced the battle to behead the five leaders and fierce bandits in front of all the prisoners. This was to train the Soldiers' courage and also to deter the remaining prisoners.
The execution took place at noon. The open area outside Ars堡 was surrounded by Soldiers and farmers who had come to watch. Art stood in front of the open area, armored and with a sword at his side, with Knight Druid, representing Baron Antayas, standing behind him to supervise the execution. Patrol Team Squad Leader Kazak was in charge of this execution. He directed a dozen Soldiers to drag the hooded, gagged, and bound bandit leaders and fierce bandits to the center of the open area and forced the remaining fifteen bandits to watch the execution under the supervision of Soldiers.
Jason was one of the five Soldiers chosen for the execution. He stood beside a fierce bandit whose hands and feet were bound, lying prostrate on the ground, holding a broadsword. The fierce bandit in front of him was already trembling with fear, and a stench of feces and urine wafted from between his legs.
To be precise, Jason was different from the other Soldiers participating in the execution. He had participated in the Winston Manor battle and had killed an enemy, though that fellow had impaled himself on his short spear and died. During the siege, Jason hated these bandits. These devils had caused many brothers to die outside the fortress, including two bunkmates from the Patrol Team with whom he had spent day and night. The killing intent and ruthlessness of wartime gradually faded as the battle ended. Now, looking at the fierce bandit trembling and prostrate before him, he felt a little unbearable. He quietly looked up at the other executioners; their hands, gripping swords and axes, were also trembling slightly.
Before Jason could think further, Patrol Officer Art's voice already rang out, "I, Art Wood Wells, Southern Border Patrol Officer of Burgundy County, representing Lord Antaias Berg of the Falcon family, guardian of the southeastern border of Tinietz, Burgundy County, and Baron of Burgundy County, declare your sins and bestow upon you the final judgment on behalf of the gods."
After speaking, he nodded to Kazak, who was organizing the execution.
"Prepare, raise swords!" Kazak's voice rang out.
Jason tightened his grip on the broadsword and slowly raised it. At this point, the prostrate fierce bandit was already making terrified whimpering sounds.
"Aim for the neck." Kazak's command continued.
Jason's raised hand trembled violently. He had to clench his right hand with his left to stop himself from shaking.
"Chop!"
Jason aimed at the fierce bandit's head, gritted his teeth, and brought the sword down fiercely. He felt a jolt in his hand; the broadsword got stuck in the fierce bandit's neck bone, and the head was not severed. The fierce bandit, not yet dead, struggled on the ground, kicking and flailing, his body twisting in agony.
Jason, having failed in one strike, was panicked. He dropped his weapon in fright and retreated repeatedly.
Squad Leader Kazak's roar rang out. He saw that three of the five executioners had failed to kill with one blow. He yelled at the executioners, "You Bastards, all of you go back and finish them off! If you don't kill the fierce bandits, I'll kill you!"
The various squad leaders waiting nearby also stepped out of their ranks, kicked the retreating Soldiers back, pulled out the swords and axes from their waists, and threw them to them, forcing the executioners to stab or hack the fierce bandits on the ground to death or into a bloody pulp with repeated sword and axe blows.
Many of the friendly Soldiers and farmers around the open area, who had originally intended to watch the spectacle, had experienced direct combat and seen dead people in yesterday's battle, but they were still stunned by the scene before them. These ruthless fellows, who called themselves the Patrol Team, left an indelible impression on everyone present.
