In the third day, the door-to-door visit of city officers continue. The said movement were now already known by the whole city. The moment they appear in front of commoners house, unless the commoner is grumpy in nature, the people would open their door. Some even serve some tea to officers.
At the same time, as what Cole instructed, Dian skim the survey form in the whole night and pick out households that had their source of income cut off due to sudden circumstances.
In the morning, people gather outside of the city.
It was a house of commoner family that decided to leave the city. Dian find a property outside of the city first thing in the morning according to instruction Cole gave last night.
Naturally, the place is where Cole intend to post process all the produce he accumulate in several spatial rings.
He rode his noble carriage pulled by Fergie from the city lord mansion into the farmhouse. He's finally trying to show his himself to the public so that everyone will know him, their current city lord.
When he arrived at the farmhouse, he was greeted with more than two thousands of people. They were the commoners that Dian pick out from many that has extreme needs for source of income.
Despite the huge number, the area were silent as it could be. The commoners try not to make any sound, even thier breaths were suppress.
Commoners have strong self awareness, probably cultivated by the unfair environment of this harsh world.
In just a glance, Cole's carriage were apparently owned by someone they can't afford to offend. It wad extremely noble and sophisticated in their eyes that even the most beautiful carriage own by powerful families in the city can't be compared to it.
But what intimidate everyone the most were the extremely strong in a glance, blazing horse that pull the carriage. Eventhough their worldview is limited, every commoners could tell that the horse is a powerful beast.
They try not to make a sound that could possibly attract the attention of the powerful beast.
Even Dian were the same. He don't know the exact strength of the horse beast but it should be a powerful one.
In his estimation, the beast might be a peak Tier-2 tamed beast or might even be a Tier-3 beast. Tier-3 is equivalent to human's Core Formation-Stage cultivator and it was a level that human cultivators of the city don't have. Fatty, the former city lord, is the most powerful person in the city but he was just a Ninth-Level Mana Gathering-Stage cultivator.
When Dian thought of this matter, he can't help but feel secured. Just the horse that pulls Cole's carriage is enough to be a guardian of the city.
Furthermore, the fact that the powerful beast were just pulling the carriage is enough to indicate of how powerful its owner.
With quiet environment, Cole exit the carriage.
Although not everyone saw Cole's appearance but he was already quite famous in the city since he was now the Lord of the city. Those who manage to see him already spread the word about him.
And fortunately, it was a positive word.
Not only his appearance, temperament and aura subdue the commoners, the door-to-door visit of the city officers were also known in the city. It was those that makes him reputable specially for commoners.
When Cole came out, all the eyes focus on him. And the moment he did, all the commoners eyes turn wide in shock. Although most of them did not see Cole before, there were already information that circulated in the whole city regarding his appearance.
First of all, the city lord garbs himself with full white cloth designed with feather patterns. It makes him look noble and pure.
Secondly, he exude a peaceful aura that makes him likable.
And lastly, he looks compassionate, something every commoners hope for their new leader.
"City Lord, welcome." Dian step forward and greeted.
Cole nodded his head to Dian as response and face the more than thousands of commoners, "Hello everyone, I'm the new city lord of Towering Tree City, Cole. I have called you all here in order to help me in something important." He pause and face a direction of wide expanse of land.
He raise his hand and hills of unprocessed crops appear. The crops were familiar to everyone since it was their staple food.
"I'm pretty sure that all of you are aware of the drastic increase in prices of basic commodities in the city, specially the staple foods. This produce are the one I intend to use to help you commoners from impending citywide starvation. Everyone only need to post process the crops exactly the same as you know." He said to the crowd of commoners.
At the same time, two city guards arrived and appear in front of Cole.
"City lord, we're here."
Cole nodded his head and took out eight Magic Pouch and gave the two guards four each.
"The main thing the two of you have to do is to store the corn fruits and its body seperately in this Magic Pouch. You also have to do the same with the rice. In addition, you two will also help Dian supervise the workers and maintain order."
The two city guard can't hide their surprised when the pouches Cole giving to them were actually a rare treasure Magic Pouch. And not just one but four each with a total of eight Magic Pouches.
Not even the powerful family of Towering Tree City have one of this.
With slightly trembling hand, the two guards receive the four Magic Pouches and said solemnly, "City Lord, we'll make sure to do the task with best of our abilities."
"Good. I'll make sure to reward the two of you if you do your job well."
He then face Dian and said, "I'll entrust this important task to you. Make sure that everything proceed smoothly."
"Rest assure city lord."
Cole nodded his head, raise his hand again and a small summoning circle flash and Bell came out of it.
Ding~~
A melodious sound reverberates in the area when Bell came out, which attracts the attention of everyone.
Elemental Spirits were extremely rare in this area. Not to say about seeing one of its kind, all the person in the area weren't even aware of their kinds.
Without awareness, everyone only thought that Bell is cute.
Telepathically, Bell asked, "Young master, you call me?"
"Yes. I call you so that you could protect them." He said and look at the group of humans in vicinity. "In addition, subdue anyone that'll try to steal the crops." He then pointed at the several hills of harvested produce.
"Leave it to me!" Bell exclaimed in agreement before he flew on top of the farmer's house.
Afterwards, Cole walk back into the carriage and enter.
He then said to Dian before leaving, "Make sure that not even one of crops main body got discarded. It was a body of spiritual crops and it still has many uses."
Dian stood rooted on his spot due to shock. He can't help but look at the casually placed on ground precious spiritual crops!
...
On the first day that Cole took control of the city, all the citizens were in shocked. Day passed that day peacefully.
On the second day, it was still peaceful as everyone were trying to digest the fact that the city were now not a part of the empire.
But on the third day, which was that day, chaos have finally appear in the city.
That was because by now, those who have discerning eyes will see that the city officers that is visiting the house of every commoners carry a precious equipment—Magic Pouches and even Spatial Rings.
Those were spatial equipments that usually at the hands of the rich and powerful, someone that definitely has the capability to protect such precious treasure.
However, there were now ants that wield and use those precious equipment.
In addition, those spatial equipments also contains a rich amount of gold.
As long as they manage to snatch one, not only they could take the equipment, they could also get a rich amount of gold coins.
Therefore, those who think themselves as expert and powerful don't manage to suppress their greed and decided to make a move. They probably thought that the new city lord just take control of the city and have yet to secure the martial force of the city.
They only need snatch one and they could get an amount enough to increase their cultivation.
Most of them were confident. At the least, the moment they snatch the equipment, they'll immediately escape outside of the city. As long as they enter another city, they'll be safe since the expert of the Towering Tree City won't be able to chase them. Otherwise, they'll acquire the ire of the whole empire. It was something a newly announced independent territory don't want to happen for the meantime.
The cultivator family can't deny that they weren't attracted at the spatial equipments. However, since they have a whole family to think of, they can't just casually make a move without disregarding the new city lord. Although the new city lord is young, it was apparent that he's not an average and mediocre cultivator. If they want to steal the spatial equipments, they first have to make sure that they could face the power of the mysterious city lord.
Rogue cultivators, on the other hand, don't have much to consider. The only thing they have to consider after they steal the spatial equipments is how to escape from Towering Tree City. And as a rogue cultivator, escaping is one of the aspect they were confident about.
The first one that don't manage to suppress their greed and make the first move is a rogue cultivator that happen to rest in the city when it was announced as independent state. When he has the intention to leave, he decided to take a Magic Pouch with him.
And perhaps Lucky look harmless and is a child, the group he was in is the one that get targeted.
At this time, Lucky, who was sealed and isolated by his loving father for the greater good, looks at everything outside with great novelty. He was finally acting his age as a child.
He was following a group of city officers that visit the commoners house and he was the one that holds the Magic Pouch that contain gold coins.
Almost everyone that manage to see him have a gold impression of him. Not only his sweet and neat child appearance, but also because of his naive attitude. Mother and fathers instinctively like the child.
The group of city officers Lucky included to adore him so much. Eventhough they knew that the child is much more powerful than them, that didn't stop them to treat the child with care.
Lucky were like a naive child that carries a pot of gold while walking in the city.
The rouge cultivator specifically look for him and using an incredible speed, he snatch the Magic Pouch from Lucky's hands.
"A thief!" One of the city officers exclaimed.
Lucky, who don't have experience about the cruelty of the world, just look at his empty hands with blank gaze.
It was a sight that arouse the maternal and paternal instinct of every human in the vicinity.
Lucky was about to chase the thief when a hand hold him and stop him from leaving.
"Just stay here. That guy is extremely dangerous." The head of their city officer's group said worriedly.
Lucky felt aggrieved and his cute cheeks puff out adorably.
Although Lucky is confident that he can stop and catch the thief, he chose not to chase and listen sensibly to the sincerely worried human.
However, when he raise his head and look at the direction of the thief, a thick black cluster of cloud flew and out and stick on the Magic Pouch thief.
Hunter, who was with Lucky, just look at the surrounding scene with bright eyes.
The same as Lucky, Hunter were also a child mentally. It don't have much experience about the world. It didn't know that it has to retrieved the Magic Pouch and while the latter is a treasure, that level was something that don't have value on its eyes. Its standard in treasure become sky high that even though a treasure got stolen in front of its face, it didn't care at all.
...
The thief smile while looking at the Magic Pouch he holds.
In case he attracts attention, he immediately store the Magic Pouch inside his cloth.
However, what he didn't know is that he was currently heading into someone he don't want to encounter.
Bam!
Puchi~
As though he was still a commoner, the thief didn't feel that there's someone in his way. Coincidentally, it was the time were he store and hide the Magic Pouch which split his attention for a moment.
"Urgh~~" The thief cried in pain after bumping into someone. He was sure that according to his sensation, he bump into a person but he felt like he bump into sturdy wall.
"Who the hell are you—" The thief started to berate in pain but he instantly stop when he saw that the one he bump into was a beautiful lady.
The lady, although still unripe, already show a unparalleled beauty. It shocked the thief.
But what stop him were the fact that he was the one that got hurt, an adult man with base cultivation of Sixth-level Mana Gathering-stage, instead of the little beauty. This just means one one thing.
And as thought he was doused with bad luck today, the Magic Pouch fall from his inside pocket and fall exactly in front of the little lady.
The little lady were exactly Celia. Since she can't and don't want to decline Cole's instruction, she decided to just roam city, thinking that consider it as broading her horizon.
However, the city itself lack management while the citizens were like uncivilized people. Both the surrounding and the people were dirty in her eyes. With her sensitive senses, the smell is enough to overwhelmed her entire being.
Eventhough she didn't expect anything, a frown still appear on her face after a while of exploring.
And just when he was about to explode, one of the dirty commoner bump into her. She can't help but get shocked inside as the man manage to evade her senses and bump into her.
He face the man and about to check him when it immediately stand up and run.
Celia frown.
But when she saw the pouch in front of her, she exhale a gust of breath that immediately enclose the thief into thick block of ice.
She use the Ice Cold Heavenly Flame. Although the thief look very much alive while enclosed in thick block of ice, it was more deader than dead. After all, the cold property of Ice Cold Heavenly Flame could even kill a peak Nascent Soul stage cultivator like Fernan and Mikoes when they were exposed in its surrounding and the thief was just a Mana Gathering stage small fry.