Liquidation

“I agree, Lord Demon Lord.”

Aria nodded firmly.

“Good thing As already has the Shadowmoon wolves watching Baron Bal’s manor.”

“He secretly met Rem’s envoy last night. The wolves recorded it on image crystals.”

“Our shadow scouts also discovered Bal has been handing out grain to lure idle villagers, likely preparing to sabotage the water pipelines.”

“Grain?”

Lucia’s brow furrowed sharply.

“All Evernight grain reserves are managed centrally by the lord’s house.”

“As a former noble, Bal should only have some old private stockpiles left.”

Vivian’s eyes darkened—she saw the truth instantly.

“Rem supplied it.”

“Not only is he enforcing the trade embargo, he’s funding the old nobles to sabotage us from within.”

“He’s willing to spend real grain as bait.”

“He’s genuinely terrified our new policies will take root at the grassroots.”

Aria immediately volunteered.

“Lord Demon Lord, shall we seize Bal right now?”

“His manor is already surrounded by Shadowmoon wolves.”

“With your order, we can have his entire household under control in half an hour.”

“No rush. We will arrest him—but not just him.”

Vivian’s gaze sharpened like a blade.

“His cousin Victor is still active, which means there’s an entire network of old nobles behind this.”

“If we strike, we rip out the whole web at once.”

“No more constant little bites that disrupt our construction and farming.”

Aria sought confirmation.

“You mean follow the vine to the melon—drag out every old noble connected to Victor who’s still colluding with Rem?”

Vivian nodded.

“Immediately expand shadow scout surveillance.”

“Every noble related to Victor by blood or marriage, every one who’s been pretending to comply while undermining the new policies—watch them all.”

“Record every communication, movement, and private meeting. Miss nothing.”

She turned to Lucia.

“Lucia, pull their tax records.”

“I want to see if they’ve been taking lordship compensation with one hand while passing intelligence to Rem with the other.”

“Tax evasion plus treason? That doubles the crime—perfect excuse to confiscate everything they own.”

Lucia’s eyes lit up.

“On it! Recent tax files are all archived. I’ll work overnight and dig up every financial trick they’ve pulled.”

“Thank you both.”

Vivian’s tone softened slightly.

“But speed and secrecy are critical. No alerting the prey.”

“We need ironclad evidence they can’t deny.”

Over the next three days, Aria’s shadow scouts infiltrated the grounds of every targeted manor and intercepted dozens of encrypted messages.

Lucia, meanwhile, unearthed proof that three nobles had been systematically evading taxes and embezzling compensation funds.

By the fourth day, a detailed Arrest and Liquidation Plan lay on Vivian’s desk.

It listed seven primary offenders and twelve accomplices, complete with manor locations, private troop numbers, even the exact rooms where their wealth was hidden.

Local residents’ committees had helpfully provided “optimal raid routes.”

“Beautiful work.”

Vivian flipped through the pages, a cold smile forming.

“They thought hiding in their manors made them safe.”

“They never realized our grassroots network already knows their every bolt-hole.”

“Lucia, your tax evidence is the killing blow—paired with the treason proof, they won’t have a word to say.”

Lucia rubbed her red-rimmed eyes and grinned.

“Aria’s scouts deserve most of the credit. They even found Bal’s secret ledger hidden under his bed.”

“Oh—the residents’ committee contacts say the nobles’ private troops have been moving a lot lately. They might be planning something. Should we move early?”

“Tonight.”

Vivian decided instantly.

“Dark and windy—perfect for spring cleaning.”

“Split the new army into seven teams.”

“Each gets two shadow scouts and one residents’ committee guide for precision strikes.”

“No harming innocent civilians.”

“Prioritize protecting granaries and supply warehouses—those resources belong to Evernight, not them.”

Aria saluted.

“I’ll assemble the troops and assign tasks now.”

“Thirty minutes to surround, one hour to secure every target.”

That very night.

Seven new-army squads, guided by residents’ committee members, silently encircled the targeted manors.

Inside Baron Bal’s estate, the man himself was frantically burning documents.

“Just you wait, Vivian.”

“When Lord Rem’s army arrives, I’ll have my revenge!”

The front gates suddenly crashed open.

New-army soldiers poured in, spears leveled.

“Baron Bal, you are under arrest for colluding with foreign enemies and inciting rebellion!”

Bal’s face drained of color.

He lunged for an escape scroll in his drawer, only to be instantly pinned by a shadow scout.

“Unhand me! I am nobility! Vivian cannot treat me like this!”

“Nobility?”

The scout sneered, pulling a half-burned deployment map from the fire.

“Traitors don’t get to call themselves nobles.”

“Here’s your evidence. Anything to say?”

At another manor, a group of private soldiers charged the granary, intent on torching the grain and sowing chaos.

They never expected to be met at the doors by a solid wall of civilians wielding improved mana farming tools.

These were the grain-protection teams organized by the residents’ committees.

Mana hoes and crystal sickles weren’t weapons, but under mana enhancement they were more than enough.

“You traitors dare try to burn our food?!”

A former s*ave roared, blocking the path with his glowing hoe.

“We finally have full bellies—no one will let you ruin that!”

The private soldiers stared at the sea of angry civilians and the approaching new army in the distance.

They were used to bullying the weak.

They had never faced united commoners.

Moments later, weapons clattered to the ground in surrender.

The scene was almost comical—a crowd of farmers with tools had captured trained, armored private troops.

In under two hours, every targeted noble across Evernight Territory was in custody.

Private troops either surrendered or were subdued.

Not a single innocent was harmed.

Every granary and warehouse remained intact.

The next morning, Central Square in Evernight City overflowed with people.

Citizens poured in from every direction, packing around the hastily erected judgment platform.

Vivian stood atop it, clad in her black Demon Lord robes, silently waiting for the crowd to gather.