Separating the Sheep from the Demons

In the autumn morning, a crowd gathered outside the workshop building after the morning meal.

Chu stood on a bench, as his gaze passed over the residents of the farm. Some had firm faces, and steely eyes, others had red sleepless eyes that darted to the side when facing his gaze.

"Nothing has changed since last night. We would either end up as servants or slaves to a powerful house or killed during a Goblin raid or ambush. The chances we might continue our current ways of living has become slim."

He glanced at the bowed heads and some slightly trembling bodies.

"There is no shame in leaving to protect your life. Farmer Thomas has always maintained an honest reputation, so those who decide to leave can collect one gold coin for your efforts from the Trading Post Master. He will serve as the creditor, until we pay by harvesting our fields."

Chu had never revealed that he had money stored on the farm. No one knew that Amanda received another chest of gold coins and ledgers that she and Sakura spent their time auditing. He would never move like an idiot and flaunt his wealth. As far as everyone knew, the farmer's son credited money from Master John at the Trading Post.

"Those who want to leave, please grab your belongings and meet Jim here. He will drive you to the village, and also have Master John supply you a gold coin for all your troubles."

He shook his head slightly as the crowd opened up for some to pass. Nobody commented, since fleeing to safety, along with the lure of a Gold coin proved enticing. A little time after, another group broke out, hustling to the dormitory for their belongings. Apparently, holding an elusive gold coin meant much to these fellows.

Chu watched on in disappointment as the deserters walked over to the waiting wagon. Some had their heads bowed, while others held their heads high with smiling faces. Jim sat on the wagon, about to depart.

"Wait!"

A shout came from the crowd, as Doug and Chong burst out. On the wagon sat a burly teen they had once conversed with during work out in the range. Given that only Jim drove the wagon, then loads of gold would be exchanged in the village. This proved a golden opportunity, for their group. Doug winked at the teen, before turning to Chu.

"Boss, let us escort Jim in the wagon. It's safer that way on the return trip."

Doug said.

Chu looked at the group that sported some concerned faces. He sighed before agreeing. The wagon lumbered off, packed with Doug and his entire group, along with the nine deserters. Two couples, four girls and one teen. He turned to Sakura.

"What positions did they hold?"

"One of the couples worked in the fields with Clod, the husband of the other, and the boy, worked in the forest with Jim while the wife worked with Sherry. Two of the girls worked in the vegetable garden and the kitchen, while the last two had shown a keen interest in their studies, and learned very fast."

Sakura replied. The little girl knew exactly where everyone worked since she had helped in placing them. Chu looked towards the crowd, trying to pick out Sherry. The young wife stood on the front row, and easily felt his gaze. She answered his question without hesitation.

"She helped in cutting the bales of cloth, but all the rest of the sewing and additions, I personally handled with Shine and Jill. As for the mixing, and applying, its all done by Stavia."

Chu nodded in reply. Past work experience, told him some of those who left, had worked here for working sake. They did not show interest in learning new things but performed enough to keep their benefits. When the family business met tough times, they bailed.

The next type in Chu's mind would have been the most dangerous. Those who easily folded from threats, or love of wealth, might end up toppling him before he even started. Having Managers or those with knowledge of his secrets defecting with his inventions-- too destructive.

"There is no turning back for us now. I do know some of you might have concerns for your family. This farm, however, is more secure than the village. Our traps are second to none, and our defense strong. Once we do our task right, nothing will stop us."

***

"Did you see his face? Man, I swear he never saw it coming."

Doug snickered.

"Haha... serves him right, boasting and talking like if he owned the place, but what are we going to do about this old man?"

Chong laughed, as he replied. He turned and glanced at the Jim lying sprawled out on the wagon between the others.

***

In the late evening, Chu gathered everyone outside the fence at the butcher shed.

"To ease your minds, Halter and Bon have decided to demonstrate their invention. I want you all to take pride in your new home."

Chu said.

The two men walked out from the crowd, towards a structure covered by a quilt. With solemn faces, they then unveiled the device. On a wooden platform, what looked like a table with two broken legs lay while pointing at a forty-five-degree angle towards the south. Something that looked like four large longbows seemed to have been melded onto it, creating an unusual sight.

"First, we would like to thank the Boss for this design, also Old Hodge and Bella for the dried sinews and for testing it, our family who stood..."

"Yes, yes. We all know. Save the speech for later. Hurry before the sun goes down."

Chu interrupted them.

Cough, cough...

On the instructions from Halter and Bon, the residents moved to the side in an orderly manner. From there the crowd watched every move of the two men as they checked the device.

"Perfect. All this is for today only. Since the firing and loading normally take only a few breaths. This weapon will ensure, nothing comes close to attack us."

"Fire!"

The crowd watched as the taunt strings made a high-strung noise as they released the stored energy. With a whizzing sound, a swarm left the weapon, slowly spreading out as it dotted the sky. Somewhere to the edge of their vision, a rain of long arrows pierced the open grasslands.

Bump.

In the silence before the erupting chatter, Lucy turned to the group that walked through the south gate. Doug and Chong had their mouth open wide, forgetting about Jim who slumped to the ground. Singh and the rest walking behind had become rooted to the ground, gawking at the demonstration, their eyes bulging.

"One of this multiple shot weapon can fire fifty arrows in a general direction."

Bon said smugly.

***

"How was I supposed to know Jim couldn't hold his liquor?"

Doug said like he had been wronged.

"You idiot, you had the old man drinking on an empty stomach. Jim did not eat this morning, because he went to handle the wagon. Not to mention the stale booze from yesterday."

Chu sighed.

He eyed the guards in front of him. This damn group of idiots had the same mindset as their little Boss. They held grudges well, and never missed the opportunity to capitalize. Listening to their story only served to give him a headache.

Out of everyone they interacted with, the teen who left apparently harbored some evil thoughts. Doug and company considered themselves no saint. As reformed individuals, they also believed in second chances. However, on further picking, this guy belittled their little Boss.

Everyone who resided or visited this farm would have witnessed and felt pangs of envy, watching the little girl strut around with those three pets. Having ferocious wolves of that nature follow at your beck and call is a power even nobles would dream.

Very, very few would have seen what went on in the obscure butcher shed, and the back-breaking work that happened in there.

But how could this squad of reformers not know?

They had witnessed this little girl, with only a face full of determination and hands moving by sheer willpower, sweat and tremble in fatigue. Cracking bones and retrieving marrow, breaking backbones and draining fluids from large and heavy Jagas. Using bloodied hands to strip and process poisoned flesh, and with callused fingers, pounding dried bones to dust.

With their own eyes, Chong and the rest witnessed her catch and feather pheasants, sent to the Trading Post to buy ingredients. How many times did they see this girl dragging a weary body through the gates, hands filled with bundles of herbs, only to throw most of them away when checking a huge book.

All through this, those beasts toiled with her, panting and accompanying her, foot to foot. She and they never complained, never cried from frustration or rebelled from overwork.

This was their little Boss.

So when some brat chatted with them, talking as if she had just gotten lucky, and as if those wolves fell from the sky to become an obedient beast, he invited a world of retribution. Worse yet, he had no idea of the opportunity that backward farmer he scorned, opened for undeserving slum dwellers like themselves.

After Master John had kicked up a fuss, he then made a big deal of Farmer Thomas placing himself in more debt. John then distributed the gold coins from the pouch Jim handed to him earlier in secret. Some of the recipients took it with a guilt-ridden face, others just grabbed it and left.

Doug and his group then offered the teen a drink at the local tavern. They encouraged the brat to get Jim drunk so as to steal the horse and wagon. The plan went down without a hitch. Jim got drunk, and Doug carried him back to the wagon. Singh soon followed afterward, leaving the drunken teen passed out in the tavern.

Of course, he made sure to empty him of his finances, and also his clothes, mentioning to the tavern owner that the sleeping friend would pay and if she encountered problems, to take him along with her to the Trading Post Master.

Chu could only pity the victim since he knew what would happen during the talk with John. These bast*rds had drunk nearly fifty silvers of booze and left the guy penniless. He turned to glance at Dyna and Ms. May standing beside him. Both showed him frowning faces, but when he looked away, he glimpsed the smiles and sneers.

'This batch of family members are vindictive like hell.'

"Check Jim's schedule for tomorrow, and take it over. Ride over to the outpost and make a check before dark. In the evenings, have Mr. and Mrs. Thomas teach you about etiquette. You six are going to have to act as guards when our visitors arrive. I want you all, and Ming bonding and squeezing out information from those suckers."

Chu walked from the swing to the butcher shed. Bon busied himself making adjustments, while his similarly plump wife wiped the sweat from his forehead. Halter stood to the side, chatting animatedly with his family. Halter had brought his wife as well as his son and daughter-in-law with him. Besides these two families, one other had been purchased outright from Kip the slaver.

He looked towards the grassland where three girls had ridden out to collect the fired arrows. With three more of these weapons, they could launch the arrows from behind the safety of the walls. Enough to deter daylight or maybe a moonlight raid.

"Halter, I want to build six small lodges. As neat and equal distance at the edge of the hill, overlooking the forest. Build them in a straight line some distance from the wall so it does not obstruct our view. Get everyone to help, I want it prepared for our guest from the Capital."

"Ok Boss, but won't that put them in danger from the Goblins?"

Halter asked.

"Think about it. With that group and their contingent, what better way to stave off a raid. We can even have some of their guards help us out in the forest."

Chu snickered

"What better place to have a noble romp around for wonderful memories, than the Great Western Forest."