Medieval: Kingdom Come: Deliverance

The next day, Peter gathered his men, ready to take advantage of the weak.

That is, to take down the little finger of the Five Fingers Alliance—Handsome Charlie.

Peter stood on the large rock and began to select his men.

"Tom, you will accompany me on this campaign as the chief archer. Your reward is a set of scale armor, a Cuman bow, and a scimitar."

Peter took out the spoils from killing the Cumans from his storage space and handed them over.

"Thank you for your generosity, sir!"

The honest-looking Tom bowed and took the complete set of fish-scale armor, put it on, tied the scimitar to his waist, and replaced his simple bow with the Cuman recurve bow, instantly giving him the appearance of an elite soldier.

It was the first time Bodina and Pavlyna had ever witnessed Peter conjure objects out of thin air, and they couldn't help but whisper "God!" and bow their heads to make the sign of the cross.

"Jerry, as my chief intelligence officer, you will accompany me on this expedition. Your reward is a set of scale armor, a pair of Cuman bows, and a scimitar."

Peter took out another set of equipment from the weight compartment and handed it over.

"Thank you for your kindness, sir. My eyes are your eyes, and my ears are your ears!"

Clever Jerry accepted the equipment, not forgetting to utter a few flattering words he had just learned. Lord Peter truly is blessed by God; he can conjure equipment out of thin air.

"Romeo, as my chief apothecary, you will remain at the camp and work with the chief herbalist Bodina and the chief weaver Pavlina to guard it. You will be rewarded with a set of fish-scale armor and a scimitar."

Peter took out another set of equipment from the weight compartment and handed it over.

"Thank you for your kindness. I will definitely protect the two ladies and guard the camp."

Romeo stepped forward and accepted the equipment, solemnly declaring, "This is the third set of equipment that Lord Peter conjured up out of thin air. It seems I've truly chosen the right person to follow."

"Martin, you will accompany me on this campaign as my chief monk. Here is a cross for you."

Peter reached behind him, pulled out a wooden stick more than two meters long, and handed it to the dazed old hermit Martin.

"Oh my God, I can't believe it. I'm still a patient who has just recovered, and you're sending me to the battlefield, and all you're giving me is a wooden stick to disguise as a cross? I'm just sick, not blind."

The old hermit kept rambling on, weighing the wooden stick in his hand. "It's still missing a crossbar, isn't it?" he said.

"Besides, you give everyone else armor and curved swords, so why am I only left with a stick? Do you have some kind of grudge against me?"

The old hermit expressed his dissatisfaction.

"Martin, Martin, this is a sign of your impiety. As a knight blessed by God, I must criticize you."

Peter stood on the large rock, his hands raised to the sky in a pious gesture, and said, "You think it was my decision to give you the wood root, but actually, it was the opposite; it was your own will that brought about this."

"What? Do you want to hear what you're saying?"

The old hermit was even more dissatisfied.

"Matthew 17:24: The Lord says that the Lamb must receive the blessing with reverence. Carelessness and casualness are disloyalty to Him. In other words, I, as God's messenger, gave the cross on behalf of God, but some people doubted it, causing the cross to lose its cross and become a mere stick. Martin, Martin, you should not doubt my blessing, but examine yourself. Did you have any doubts or complaints about me in your heart just now?"

Everyone in the camp had pledged their loyalty to him, even Bozhenna surrendered to him last night, revealing her character panel. Only the old monk he had carried all the way back from rescue hadn't fallen for the trap yet.

Show your loyalty and reveal your status panel; from then on, you're one of my own. I can check your loyalty at any time to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.

But your reluctance to surrender makes me feel very insecure. How can I trust you to work with me?

Perhaps it was because the old monk had seen much of the world, having served as the second-in-command of a knightly order in a capital city like Prague, that he held a high position of power and influence, and was difficult to subdue. He had been fooled by the claim that he could see his brother's "ghost," but after calming down, reason prevailed. Therefore, today he had to use the "blessing" incident to give old Martin another warning.

Old Martin was indeed torn. His reason told him that Peter's actions were all a trick played by an imposter posing as God's messenger. But his emotions told him, what if it were true? What if Peter was the one blessed by God who could save his and his brother's souls? Why not believe Peter? What did he have to lose?

Old Martin was conflicted. He looked at the wooden root in his hand and wondered if it was indeed because he wasn't devout enough.

"Martin, Martin. I see your lost soul, and this is God's test for you. Hold on to the stick God gave you. When it transforms from a root into a cross, it means you have emerged from the fog and embarked on the path of light."

Peter recovered from his charlatan state and gave Martin another hint. As for when the stick would turn into a cross, that was just a matter of him "switching the beams and pillars."

"Alright, I'll take it and obey your orders."

Martin chose to compromise.

Peter nodded to himself. Once he compromised, there would be countless more times, and eventually he would be molded into the person he wanted.

After the troop roll was completed, the group packed their belongings, took their dry rations and water, and headed towards the charcoal burners' camp where handsome Charlie was stationed.

The charcoal burners' camp is located near the village of Dravico.

The village of Dravico is located in the northwest corner of the Troski Territory, about two to three kilometers from Devil's Canyon, where Peter is hiding. The village straddles Lake Dravico, hence its name, and has only about fifty households.

Because arable land is scarce, the mountains and forests are dense, and there are many lakes and tidal flats, more than forty households in the village are engaged in logging and charcoal making in the mountains, while more than ten households use the lakes and rivers for grazing horses, sheep, and fishing. There is also a leather craftsman in the village who processes and tans the hides of cattle, sheep, horses, and deer sent from various villages to make leather armor for combat or leather clothing for keeping warm in winter.

Every month, they would transport the charcoal, fish, and leather produced in the village to Trossky Castle by horse-drawn carts, where the head steward would take inventory. It was a typical economic village.

In the Middle Ages, charcoal was generally not used for heating, but rather for metal smelting. Charcoal burners would first go into the forest to cut down trees, then saw them into small pieces, bury them in specially made charcoal kilns, and smolder to obtain high-quality charcoal. Because of the high value of charcoal, charcoal burners were well-paid. This also made them targets for rogues.

Handsome Charlie was the leader of this gang of seven thugs. They did no work at all, but lived an easy and pleasant life by exploiting the hardworking charcoal burners.

But their good days are over.

Peter and his four companions were already in position on the north side of the charcoal-burning camp. The area was shrouded in smoke, with piles of charcoal standing everywhere, creating a complex environment. However, Charlie's group was easily recognizable because the charcoal burners all wore straw hats and linen clothes stained black with dust. Charlie's group, on the other hand, was a stylishly dressed "fashionable team."

Especially Charlie, who wore a flashy bright purple velvet coat and carried a small bronze mirror with him, checking himself over every now and then.

His six underlings fawned over him, showering him with attention.

"Target confirmed: handsome Charlie, and his... well, 'fashion advisory group.' Remember, capture them alive! Camp construction needs manpower."

Peter began assigning tasks, telling Tom and Jerry, "You two go around to the rear to prevent them from escaping. The monk and I will launch a frontal assault. You two, when you hear any commotion, provide support from the rear and harass them with arrows. Don't actually kill them. Dead bandits are just fertilizer; we don't lack fertilizer for now, but we do lack working animals."

"Understood, sir! Capture them alive! Like catching wild boars, tie them up tightly so they can't escape!"

Tom and Jerry nodded to indicate that they understood, and crouched down to sneak behind the charcoal burning camp.

Martin clasped his hands together and prayed softly, "May the Lord forgive these lost sheep... and grant them redemption through labor. Amen."

A few minutes later, Tom made a cuckoo call, a signal that he had arrived.

"Battle begins!"

Peter and Martin burst out of the charcoal smoke like tigers descending a mountain.

"I am Peter Griffin, the Knight of God, handsome Charlie! Your mistreatment of the charcoal burners has been exposed, and I will bring you to justice!"

Peter drew his sword, its blade gleaming with a chilling light, aiming directly at the handsome Charlie.

Handsome Charlie, used to his leisurely life, was so startled by the sudden attack that he dropped his little mirror: "What?! Who came from here! Protect me! My hairstyle! My new coat! My little mirror!"

Two obsequious underlings were shoved forward, and Peter flicked his wrist, slapping them hard across the face with the blade of his sword. The two men immediately felt their heads buzzing.

Martin also jumped out, brandishing his "wooden stick," shouting, "Lost children! Lay down your weapons and come back with me! Only logging can cleanse your sins!"

The four henchmen were stunned for a moment, then their anger surged as they cursed, "We became bandits precisely because we didn't want to suffer! You, a rogue cultivator, dare to ask us to atone for our sins!"

Driven by rage, the four men unleashed tremendous courage, brandishing their rusty axes and charging towards Martin with howls.

Martin easily dodged to the side, then grabbed one of their wrists with a firm grip of faith, saying, "Violence is the original sin, child."

With just a slight twist, the underling cried out in pain as if his wrist had been broken.

"Ouch!!! My hand! It's broken, it's broken!"

"It's just a dislocated shoulder; the Lord will heal you... after you've chopped down a hundred pieces of wood."

Martin turned his gaze to the other three.

Seeing this, the other three henchmen realized that their opponent was a master, and their newly gained courage vanished instantly. They turned and ran without a second thought.

"Cowardice is also a sin, child, stay."

Martin swung his long stick and struck the slowest runner in the back of the knee, causing the man to collapse to the ground.

The other two underlings were just congratulating themselves on running fast when they were suddenly confronted by Tom and Jerry, who were wearing scale armor and carrying bows and arrows.

"Hey! You with the 'unique' hairstyle! Hold on! We have a logging job that includes room and board! Want to give it a try?"

Jerry whistled and teased.

"No way, I..."

"call out!"

Before the man could finish speaking, an arrow pierced his baggy trouser leg precisely, pinning his pants to the muddy ground.

"Sorry, it was a slip of the hand. Now, put your hands behind your head and squat down! Reorganize your thoughts and answer my question about the career plan I gave you."

Jerry chuckled and nocked an arrow, then slowly drew the bow.

"No, don't kill me, I'm willing, I'm willing."

One of the underlings couldn't withstand the pressure and knelt down first.

"And you?"

Tom pointed with his arrow.

"I'm willing too, I'm willing too."

Another henchman also knelt down and begged for mercy.

By the time Martin, Tom, and Jerry had tied up the four henchmen, Peter's fight was over.

The two henchmen who tried to stop him were knocked unconscious by the sword, and Charlie was kicked over by Peter, who also stomped his little bronze mirror into the charcoal ash and muddy ground.

Handsome Charlie stared in disbelief at the corner of the mirror at Peter's feet, letting out a high-pitched scream: "My mirror!!! Good heavens! Do you know how precious this mirror is?! It makes me look three times more handsome than I am!"

"Snap"

Peter swung his sword and struck Charlie hard on the left cheek, causing it to swell up immediately.

"You vulgar brute! Do you know the enormity of your mistake? How dare you harm my handsome face! I am..."

"Snap"

The sword struck his right cheek, and both sides finally swelled up to the same size.

"It's over...it's all over...my stunning beauty...who...who are you? Haven't you heard of the Five Fingers Alliance? Damn it, you've even dirtied my beautiful clothes!"

Charlie got up from the ground, touched his swollen face, and saw the large gray footprint on his chest. He shouted, his voice trembling with fear.

"Clothes are external things; it's the filth of the soul that needs cleansing... And I am here to bring you salvation! Bind me!"

Peter waved his hand, and Tom and Jerry, his two henchmen, immediately stepped forward and tied up the wailing Charlie tightly.

The battle went surprisingly smoothly.

The entire group of seven, led by Charlie, was captured and looted. Over a hundred Grossings were found in handsome Charlie's trunk, along with more than forty silver coins from the other six. In addition, there were some fine clothes and six rusty axes.

Damn it, you'd rather spend money on fancy clothes than buy armor and weapons. You deserve to be defeated so easily!

Should Charlie return the money he plundered to the workers? What a joke! I seized the spoils from the bandits through my own skill; why should I return them?

Having made a small fortune, Peter, in a good mood, looked at the workers in the charcoal-burning camp, their faces flashing with surprise, gratitude, and fear. These men felt a surge of satisfaction at seeing Charlie and his gang, who had always oppressed them, so easily defeated. But they were also filled with apprehension, fearing that the new gang would exploit them even more.

Peter noticed their unease and laughed, "Gentlemen, I am Peter Griffin, the Knight of Justice. From now on, no one will charge you protection money anymore, and life will get better. These guys, we'll take them back for 'labor reform.' If any other gangs come to bully you again, please come to Devil's Canyon and tell me, and I will once again stand up for you."

After saying this, he led the prisoners back to the camp.

All that remained were the grateful gazes of the charcoal burners and the small mirror of handsome Charlie, trampled into the charcoal ash, which seemed particularly...educational.