Chapter 528: Rules

“Ninth, no Drawn Weapons in Protected Spaces.”

Kael continued.

“No weapon will be drawn in protected spaces mentioned before. Anyone drawing a weapon there will have it confiscated and will be confined.”

Once again, the crowd accepted this rule. They knew that if blades came out near food, people would die even without an enemy attack.

“Tenth, no Armed Groups.

No armed group larger than four will move together unless assigned as patrol or escort.”

This was self-explanatory, so Kael didn’t have to waste too much time here.

“This prevents mobs, it prevents revenge groups, it prevents panic from becoming blood. Organizers will be punished by confiscation and confinement.”

Just like before, no one argued. There were people who did not like this idea, but they understood why it was important.

“Eleventh.”

Suddenly, Kael’s voice became much heavier and… colder.

“Violence will be met with zero tolerance.”

He looked at the crowd with a gaze that did not allow misunderstanding and—

“Threats and intimidation will result in confinement and work duty.

Assault with no injury will result in confinement and hard labor duty.

Assault with injury will result in long confinement and hard labor duty.”

He announced with a solemn look on his face, and then he paused—people could sense it. This pause was different.

The square grew even quieter. Everyone could sense what was coming.

“Murder.”

Kael began, his blue eyes observing everyone.

“Will be punished by direct execution.

And attempted murder… will be punished by execution as well.”

A deep wave passed through the crowd.

Some gasped, some stiffened, some nodded like it was obvious, but Kael did not stop.

“If the intent to murder is clear, there will be no mercy.”

His voice dropped slightly.

“Because mercy in this situation kills more people than it saves.”

And the instant those words were said, the murmurs stopped, and once again—

There was silence. Heavy silence.

Kael let the silence settle again. He wanted people to understand that this was serious, that there would not be any warnings. This was the one rule he would never break, since this would be the very foundation of this alliance.

People exchanged nervous glances, not liking the environment that was created—and this was when the Stonefangs hadn’t even arrived yet.

They had no clue what would happen when the enemies actually came and lived with them.

Finally, after a few seconds of silence,

“Twelfth, No Retaliation Raids.”

Kael spoke. His gaze moved across the front rows, where the most anger lived. These were the people who were the loudest whenever the muttering began.

“There will be no ’we attack them because they attacked us.’

No ’they deserve it.’

Organized violence will be punished harshly.

And if it causes serious harm, be it the leaders who organized it, or the members who were influenced by those leaders—

Everyone will be executed.

Remember, if you join such a group, you share their fate.”

Kael announced with a certain look on his face, once again letting the silence settle. Then again, after a few seconds of silence, he continued—

“Thirteenth, there will only be one ration ledger. Food will be recorded under one system for the whole city.

Priority will go to children, the injured, the elderly, and those on frontline duty.”

The moment food was mentioned, there were uncertainties; the people began looking uneasy. Kael understood it and he nodded—

“And yes, the Divine Rations and Elderlies’ kitchen will continue to run. These two will follow different rules that will be announced later.”

The instant he said those words, some faces eased—not all, but it was still better than before.

“Fourteenth, work duty will be mandatory for the able-bodied.”

A ripple passed through the square, and Kael just shrugged.

“This remains the same. The situation in the Heights hasn’t improved; in fact, for us, it has only gotten worse. We cannot afford those who refuse to carry their share.”

He lifted his gaze.

“Refusing work duty will lead to household ration cuts for a short period and doubled duty for repeated refusal.”

This was the only rule the Velmourns actively liked. After all, these people were already used to working every single day. If anything, they were more worried about the Stonefangs being the deadweight they would be forced to carry.

It was one thing to live with the enemies, but having to clean up their mess and essentially work for them? That was entirely different.

Kael nodded at the people’s reaction and then—

“Fifteenth, trade will only be allowed in approved areas. There will be no hidden midnight markets, no secret deals that might put the unity at risk.

Breaking this rule results in confiscation and confinement.”

Again, people nodded. They had no intention of trading with the Stonefangs anyway.

“Sixteenth, theft will obviously be punished.

Minor theft means return the item and work duty. Theft of food, medicine, or weapons means confinement and ration cut.”

He didn’t mention exile. He didn’t need to. The city did not throw people outside in winter unless it was truly necessary.

“Seventeenth, Emergency Tribunal.”

Kael continued.

“Justice will be decided quickly.

An emergency tribunal will sit every three days, and I, as the Warden of Vigilance, will lead it. All matters will be investigated thoroughly and justice will be served in one hearing.

This prevents one side from judging the other alone, and prevents lies from ruling.”

Again, these words got mixed reactions. People like Vandra nodded—they had absolute trust in their god; they trusted his judgment.

People like Draksis, on the other hand, were now even more concerned about Kael’s power growing stronger.

There were also some who were neutral, some simply worried about how it was possible to deliver justice in just one day. But while different people thought differently, Kael continued further,

“Eighteenth, false accusation is a crime.”

Those words made people blink. As for Kael, he didn’t explain too much.

“If you knowingly lie to punish someone, you will receive the punishment you tried to cause.”

There was no need to waste any more time on this, so Kael continued further.

“Nineteenth, there will be no collective punishment. No family or quarter will suffer for one person’s crime.”

Kael commented something obvious—something that made people nod—but then his eyes turned sharp and—

“Unless they helped hide it,”

He added, and without waiting any further:

“Twentieth, each quarter will have mediator stations. Minor disputes go there first. If you refuse mediation and start violence, your punishment increases.”

Kael took a small pause before continuing.

“Twenty-first, children are protected.

Children are our future; they will be the ones holding the fort when we turn into dust. Threatening, harming, or trying to take a child will be considered the highest crime.”

Kael took a brief breath and then—

“And the punishment of such a crime should be obvious—

Execution.”

He declared. Hearing those words, a mother hugged her child tighter, a light smile appearing on her face. Another father clenched his jaw; he did not have a positive opinion regarding Kael, especially after he found out that Elder Draksis—the man who once saved his child by giving him his rations—was attacked and kicked out of the Council by him, but even he liked this particular rule.

“Twenty-second, Healer Neutrality,”

Kael continued.

“Healers treat whoever is injured. Attacking healers will be counted as attempted murder. The punishment is execution.”

Kael spoke. The rule was harsh; even he thought that when he first read it, but he could see how it was necessary.

“Twenty-third, Weekly Review.”

Kael took a brief pause as he lifted the papers and stared at the people again.

“All these rules will be reviewed weekly.

The Council Elders had one day—no, not even a complete day. They created these rules after overworking themselves for hours.

As thorough as these rules may look in our eyes, the Elders understand that these rules are not perfect.

So every week, these rules will be reviewed. If there are any gaps, those gaps will be filled—either by modifying the existing rules, adding new rules, or deleting the existing ones.”

He then looked at the crowd and—

“But until they change,

you will follow them.”

The people nodded. Kael then took a deep breath and—

“That is all.”

He announced, ending the long list of rules.

But he still wasn’t done.

“Understand that these are merely temporary rules, rules created during a time of crisis. Once the crisis is averted, the question of what to do next will arise.

As for how we will react to it, only time will tell.

Till then, all our focus will be on one and one thing alone—

Survival.”

Kael announced. The people looked at him with determined eyes and nodded.

“Now, if you have any questions, do ask.”

He spoke, and just as the people prepared to ask the questions they had been holding all this while, Kael added one last thing—

“Another thing.

After this is over, I will personally bring the Stonefangs through our gates and place them in the assigned quarters today.

So prepare yourselves for that.”

Kael announced suddenly, as if it wasn’t important, but people—

They froze, their eyes widened in shock.

As for Kael—

“Now,

Please ask your questions.”

He nodded lightly.

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