From Corsica to the Fourth Rome

"Hey, Ajaccio hasn't changed much in the past two years."

On the streets of Ajaccio, Captain Haled was leading a dozen patrols, including Old Sean, walking arrogantly through the streets and alleys in front of everyone's eyes.

In the past two years, although Captain Halide lived in the countryside, he had also heard about Lawrence's reputation in the patrol team and the two backers behind him, Carlo and Paulie.

Therefore, the bully Captain Halide had the good sense not to go to the city to cause trouble.

However, this does not mean that Captain Halide will swallow his anger at occupying the magpie's nest. In his eyes, this captain's official position was bought at a high price.

This Bonaparte kid straightened out the discipline of the team as soon as he came on, and cut off all his gray income at once. This made Captain Halide not get a single silver coin from the patrol for two whole years.

Now that he has received an order from Paulie to return to the patrol and take charge, Captain Haled's first thought is to let everyone in Ajaccio see who is in charge of the current patrol.

"Hey, old Sean, what do you think I look like in this outfit?"

Captain Halide proudly turned to Old Sean and asked, and tugged hard on the patrol uniform that was the same style as Lawrence's.

Old Sean glanced at Harald, who was broad-shouldered and round-waisted. His protruding belly and fat around his waist were almost as wide as his shoulders. Even the belt around his waist was tied at its widest point. It seemed that he was usually very nutritious. One piece of truth is not missing.

"Oh, of course it's very appropriate." Old Sean endured the condemnation of his conscience and said with an apologetic smile.

"That's pretty much it." After hearing this, Captain Halide became even more complacent. He raised his head and hummed a tune before leading the patrols towards the market.

He wanted to tell all the citizens in that most lively place that he, Harald, was now the master of the patrol.

"Look, it's the patrolmen and the others."

"Yes, old Sean is here too. Wait, who is the fat man next to him?"

"I don't know. He's also wearing a uniform. It seems to be the captain's uniform. This can't be..."

The people in the market quickly noticed the patrols approaching, and the sudden appearance of the unfamiliar face of Captain Halide immediately aroused many people's whispers.

Compared to the puzzled citizens, many of the older vendors present quickly showed frightened and panicked expressions. Captain Haled's fat head and big ears were once a lingering nightmare for them. .

The patrol team before being reorganized by Lawrence would often come to traders like them to extort a large amount of money. The reasons for extortion were endless, ranging from protection fees to back taxes, and it would not be the same for most of the year.

And if anyone dares to defy this extortion, Captain Haled will be very happy to open the Corsican law, select the one he likes from the dazzling array of crimes in it, and put it directly on that person's head.

"That's Haled! Why did he return to the patrol team again!"

An elderly vegetable farmer pushing a flatbed truck blankly picked up the towel on his shoulder and wiped the cold sweat. Then he couldn't help but pointed at Captain Halide and shouted in surprise.

After screaming, the old farmer couldn't help but touch a frightening dark red scar on his abdomen, which was the punishment he received after he was late in paying a fine required by Captain Halide a few years ago.

"It turns out to be Harald!"

"Oh God, how could it be him."

"What is Governor Pauli thinking? How could he let such a person take the place of Monsieur Bonaparte?"

As the old farmer shouted out the identity of Captain Halide, many citizens who had never seen him in person, but had heard of this notorious villain, began to discuss among themselves.

Captain Halide's face turned cold instantly. He had also heard the discussions of these citizens, especially what someone said about him replacing Lawrence, which made him even more furious.

"you!"

Captain Haled took two steps forward, pointed at the old farmer's nose and shouted:

"You stupid bitch, what are you shouting about?!"

"me."

The old vegetable farmer was as thin as a bamboo pole, and his figure was even more rickety due to old age. He couldn't even lift his head in front of Captain Haled.

The old farmer's body was slightly curled up, and he hesitated for a long time without daring to say a word. He could only push the flatbed truck filled with vegetables and retreat in fear.

"Damn it, did I tell you to leave?"

Captain Halide took two steps to catch up. He raised his leg and gave a heavy knee strike to the old farmer's creaking flatbed truck that was about to fall apart.

Just listen to a clang.

This old farmer's strength was nowhere compared to Captain Halide, who weighed more than 200 kilograms. He and the car rolled over and fell onto the muddy ground.

The old farmer struggled to get up from the mud, but he didn't care about the scratches on his body that had begun to bleed.

He stared straight at the muddy ground in front of him. A dozen fresh and green cabbages were lying in the mud, all covered with dust. Many of them had been crushed by the falling flatbed truck. Rotten in the ground.

"My food, my food. These can be sold for four silver coins."

This is the busiest market in Ajaccio.

But at this moment, it was the quietest place in Ajaccio, and the helpless and pitiful murmur of the old farmer clearly reached the ears of every citizen present.

"What bullshit."

Captain Halide took two steps forward with his lips curled up. He looked at a cabbage that was still in good condition, raised his right foot wearing leather shoes, and stepped on it hard.

Phew.

Broken vegetable leaves mixed into the soil, making an uncomfortable sound.

"That's enough! Captain Halide, that's enough!"

Old Sean stepped forward quickly, helped the vegetable farmer stand up, and shouted sternly at Captain Halide:

"Anyway, these vegetables are his property and you have no right to do this!"

"Property? Okay, I'll compensate him."

Captain Halide was about to get angry, but suddenly paused, then nodded with a sneer and said.

After saying that, Captain Halide took out his bulging purse from his arms, took out a gold coin, squatted down and shook it in front of the old farmer, and then said:

"Nishanzi, I will compensate you for this gold coin."

The vegetable farmer looked at the gold coin in front of him dreamily. It seemed that the wounds on his body no longer hurt. He stretched out his hand to take the gold coin.

But Captain Halide suddenly sneered, held the gold coin in his palm like a magic trick, and said jokingly:

"Wait a minute, I haven't finished speaking yet. I will compensate you with one gold coin, but your fine will be two gold coins."

"Fine? What fine? What did he do?!" Old Sean snapped unbearably.

"snort."

Captain Halide stood up, kicked the flatbed truck that had completely fallen apart, and said in a cold voice:

"He pushes a cart and sets up a stall here. Doesn't this affect the appearance of the city? Isn't it occupying the road for business? If you ask me, two gold coins are considered too little."

As soon as he finished speaking, Captain Halide turned to look at the other vendors, licked his lips, and seemed to have smelled the coins, and said loudly:

"And you all, please stay where you are and prepare your fines. I'll come right away to check if you have any violations."

"you!"

Old Sean's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but hold his right hand on the handle of the knife. He took several deep breaths to endure it, and then took out a few gold coins from his wallet and secretly gave them to the vegetable farmer.

And the onlookers, under the power of Captain Halide, had no choice but to hurry up and leave.

However, they will never forget the look of the pitiful vegetable farmer lying in the mud. When they think of the scene of Harald raising his right foot and trampling those cabbages, even a saint will gnash his teeth.

Even because of this, the seeds of dissatisfaction with Pauli have been planted in the hearts of many citizens. After all, it was Governor Pauli himself who ordered the replacement of Lord Bonaparte with the brutal Captain Haled.

Of course, no one noticed that among the crowd, a young man hidden under a linen cloak watched all this happen silently, and then followed the dispersing crowd and disappeared around the corner of the street.