Our Family Has Fallen

”Enough!” Gene, having witnessed their debate, seemed to have found the answer and called a halt to it.

The two sides that had been fiercely arguing fell silent, involuntarily turning to wait for Gene to finalize the subsequent transaction.

”The war has left the Empire fragmented, but it has also brought forth many opportunities—a rare chance for us to break free from being a minor commercial group and grow strong. Therefore, I have decided to commit fully to transporting grain, investing the money we get in bolstering the strength of our commercial group. By then, Walter will be nothing but an ant we can crush at will.”

Gene’s ambition was actually greater than he let on. Having witnessed the power of true magnates, he no longer considered matters of the Ovando region a priority. Neither Walter nor Ovando held any significance for him anymore. He now desired only to seize this opportunity to ascend, willing to pay any price.

His listeners were not surprised by his stance, as Gene had always been aggressive. This was evident from the two initiatives he had implemented since taking over the Gene Commercial Group. However, he had succeeded, earning a substantial profit for everyone twice in succession. Now, Gene’s prestige was at its peak, and no one wished to contend with him.

With a unanimous internal consensus, the Gene Commercial Group continuously drew grain from their warehouses to form an even larger caravan bound for the front lines. At the same time, they intensified their purchase of grain from the surrounding areas, nearly exhausting the supplies from several farms near Ovando City. This move made the already inflated grain prices in Ovando soar once again, causing severe turmoil…

Meanwhile, the Walter Conglomerate seemed relatively quiet, undertaking no drastic actions, with everything proceeding methodically. Walter was stationed in Ovando overseeing management, while Vick controlled the caravans, placing personnel in the towns along the commercial routes per the Lord’s orders and gathering intelligence.

Of course, their most important focus remained business activities. At this moment, Vick was escorting a large shipment of goods back, but instead of going directly into the city, it was first taken to a farm on the outskirts.

Having operated in Ovando for many years, Walter had undoubtedly established a solid footing. This farm on the city’s outskirts was one of his assets.

This wasn’t Vick’s first visit to the farm. He knew it was originally a place Walter used to settle the families of the Conglomerate’s members, giving them a place to live. After all, not everyone could establish themselves in the city; only by tilling the land could they feel secure. This was likely one of Walter’s ways of winning people’s loyalty. Otherwise, despite Tiffany’s frequent mistakes that had nearly doomed the Conglomerate, the fact that she still had supporters proved this approach was somewhat effective.

This place was also one of Walter’s strongholds, a fact evident from its layout: large fields on the perimeter, brick and stone buildings in the center, surrounded by rammed earth walls, watchtowers, and arrow towers. Elsewhere on the grounds, militiamen clad in leather armor and armed with spears patrolled.

This was not a simple farmstead but more like a makeshift castle; anyone attempting to take it by force would pay a significant price. Vick, however, was indifferent to all this. After completing the handover of the caravan, he found Walter, who was also at the farm.

”I heard there was another protest in the city when I got back? Some factories have started to strike? Even the docks have issues?”

Vick hadn’t completely lost touch with local information despite his absence; in a short time, he had gained a rough understanding of the city’s recent situation.

”That’s right,” Walter replied. ”The price of grain has increased drastically for the fifth time, far beyond what ordinary people can afford. Many can’t even buy black bread anymore. If this shipment of grain were to enter the city and be seen, it would likely be looted instantly. So, it’s no longer safe to store grain in the city.”

Hearing this, Vick fell silent. Walter, seeing his expression, began to explain the historical situation in Ovando.

”There are some things you don’t know… In fact, the drought in the Central Plains began two years ago, leading to signs of reduced local grain harvests, which caused a slight rise in grain prices. However, Hamlet was also a grain-producing area, and its abundant supply meant it wasn’t significantly affected at the time.

By last year, when the disaster had spread widely, some severely drought-stricken regions experienced not just reduced harvests but total crop failure. It was then that Walter sensed the fluctuations in grain prices and began planning to store grain, only to unfortunately walk right into the old patriarch’s trap.

At that time, the Hamlet Region still had enough grain. However, the changing situation still led to a rise in grain prices, though it remained within a range the general population could accept.

By the first half of this year, continuous droughts had pushed several central provinces to a breaking point. This powder keg finally exploded, and refugees began to flee—that was when Lance arrived in Hamlet.

The influx of refugees into the Hamlet Region caused another surge in grain prices. At this point, ordinary people complained but could still barely afford them.

Now, with the outbreak of war, grain prices have soared again. Ordinary people can only bear it by gritting their teeth, and even some respectable workers have to scrimp and save.”

Others might not see the signs, but Walter was an expert in the grain trade. A single glance at the market told him Ovando City wasn’t actually short of grain. In reality, the warehouses of major grain merchants were full. It was just Gene, taking advantage of the situation and colluding with these merchants, orchestrating a scheme to fleece the common people.

”And now,” Walter concluded, ”the Gene Commercial Group’s large-scale diversion of grain to the front lines is genuinely causing a shortage.”