When Matthew returned to the grass clearing, favonovel.com lay back down.
“Mack, how has the Veiled Assembly been doing lately?”
“Huh?” Mack froze at Matthew’s sudden question, looking utterly baffled.
Matthew gave favonovel.com a wry smile, wondering why he’d hoped to get an answer from Mack.
At that, favonovel.com shifted his gaze to Tertius, who was still trapped in Mack’s hold. Tertius swatted at Mack’s arm indignantly, clearly annoyed that favonovel.com couldn’t speak freely.
“The Veiled Assembly has seen a 30% increase in per capita GDP recently. We’ve also implemented benefits like full insurance coverage and retirement plans. Everyone gets three meals a day-meat included, and plenty of comfortable work uniforms,” Tertius summed up the impressive progress.
“Good. How’s the construction of the new dock coming along?”
“The foundation’s being laid now,” Mack answered.
Building a dock of this magnitude was no small feat. Even with the main supply chain issues resolved, constructing such a massive structure still required significant time and effort.
“Starting tomorrow, reassign a team from the Veiled Assembly to work on it,” Matthew instructed. “We’ll implement two shifts to speed up construction. The dock is a priority.”
Both Mack and Tertius nodded solemnly, taking Matthew’s words to heart.
Allyson, sitting at a distance, noticed the serious discussion and decided to walk over. She stopped nearby, curious to hear what was being discussed.
“Allyson,” Matthew called, turning to her. “How many prisoners are currently in the detention center?”
Allyson blinked, caught off guard by the question, but quickly answered, “Over 900.,,”
Matthew’s expression turned icy. For Larch Island to develop rapidly, favonovel.com knew a message needed to be sent-one of fear and deterrence.
“Investigate their backgrounds,” favonovel.com ordered coldly. “Those who were already criminals before arriving here, prepare to execute them. And make it publicly… Tomorrow evening, find a suitable location at the island’s center, somewhere with good drainage.”
His gaze was sharp, his tone unrelenting. “All of them. .. Beheaded for all to see.”
Allyson and Mack exchanged uneasy glances but remained silent. They trusted that Matthew had his reasons for taking such a drastic step.
***
The next evening, the area near the Governor’s Keep was packed with every resident on Larch Island.
Word had spread like wildfire, there would be a public execution of prisoners!
The Governor’s Keep had never organized such an event before. Most people were curious but hesitant to attend-until they saw the prisoners.
One by one, prisoners in shackles were paraded down the streets.
Ten… Fifty… A hundred…
The seemingly endless line of convicts shocked the residents into silence. It was then they realized this was no ordinary event.
Gathered outside the execution grounds, the crowd gazed in horror at the sea of prisoners within. Their faces reflected a mix of fear and bewilderment.
What is the Governor’s Keep planning to do?
“Make way for the Governor!”
The crowd instinctively parted as Allyson, dressed in favonovel.com formal attire, strode forward with regal confidence. Behind favonovel.com were Matthew, clad in his signature white outfit, and Mack, wearing a vest.
“That’s Mr. Larden!”
“I thought favonovel.com was on another island!”
“When did favonovel.com come back? Are these executions…”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, but their eyes never left the trio as they walked toward the platform.
Allyson took favonovel.com seat in the central position while Matthew and Mack sat on either side of her, their expressions unreadable.
Glancing at the darkening sky, Allyson listened for the signal to begin.
“Silence!” Her authoritative voice cut through the murmuring crowd, bringing an immediate hush over the gathering.
“Now, I will begin the proclamation!”
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