Her Majestic Battle Cry

Chapter 1338 +25 BONUS Salvador promptly dispatched lan to personally oversee the riverworks. Upon arrival, lan found himself greeted by Cameron, who skillfully guided him through an inspection of the project's progress.

The riverworks had been ongoing for a while, and the reservoir was nearly complete. The quality of the reservoir was excellent, with the dam built solidly.

After inspecting the reservoir, they also checked the river channels. The dredging of the channels was complete, and the previously damaged dams had been repaired, raised, and reinforced.

lan also sent people to chat with the riverworks project workers. The rough men, tanned from the sun, seemed a bit shy in front of the officials. Basically, they answered every question posed to them. When asked if they had any complaints, they hesitated for a moment before asking if the food could be improved, requesting more fatty meat. Ian found them to be straightforward men with no signs of hidden resentment or malice.

Next, he inspected the temporary accommodations provided for the workers. The makeshift shelters, primarily constructed of wood and thatch, were modest at best. Each hut contained a communal sleeping area with large shared platforms, housing seven or eight men. The arrangements were untidy but functional.

There were no weapons in sight. Tools and equipment were stored in a large central warehouse, accessible only during work hours and meticulously returned at the end of each day.

After inspecting the area, lan found nothing suspicious. The workers seemed no different from the usual riverworks workers.

As for Cameron, he presented himself as a man of simple means. Clad in plain garments, he dined alongside the workers and spoke passionately about the riverworks project. However, when it cto court matters, he appeared shy and clueless, acting as if he didn't understand much.

After days of scrutiny, lan returned to the capital and presented his report to Salvador. His opinion was that neither Cameron nor the riverworks project workers seemed problematic.

Salvador furrowed his brow slightly. "Keep watching them. And ensure that the warehouse is closely guarded." "Do you suspect something is amiss, Your Majesty?" asked lan, confused.

"Caution is never misplaced," Salvador replied curtly.

In truth, the king had been uneasy ever since Carissa mentioned the head of the Waterworks Department. To cover all bases, Salvador had already ordered Galen to investigate Cameron and his subordinates.

Cameron was flawless in every way, but the officials under him were indeed living well, just as Carissa had said. In contrast, Cameron, their superior, lived very simply, almost to the point of poverty Of course, Salvador knew exactly how much salary they received each year.

With so few dependents in his household, there was no reason for Cameron to live so frugally-not to the point of denying his wife and children decent clothing. Though, this could simply be attributed to personal thriftiness.

But the subordinates' corruption was undeniable. Given Cameron's expertise in riverworks, he would know the exact costs of materials and labor. Every expenditure passed through his hands.

Could he truly be unaware of his subordinates' embezzlement? The most likely explanation was that he condoned their behavior. By allowing them to indulge in corruption, he could secure their loyalty and ensure their silence. Even if one of them noticed something amiss, they wouldn't dare report it.

1/2 Chapter 1338 +25 BONUS Of course, there was another possibility: that Cameron himself was embezzling funds on a grand scale. Those who were heavily corrupt were often good at hiding it, making their own lives appear extremely simple as a cover. Whether it was the former or the latter, the king needed evidence. This was why he had instructed lan to keep a close watch.

For now, with the project's completion imminent, Salvador was reluctant to disrupt the progress. If corruption was indeed at play, he would wait until the riverworks project was finished, then launch a full-scale investigation.

If the matter went beyond corruption-if this was part of a larger conspiracy to incite rebellion-then surveillance would reveal their next move soon enough.

As for Nicholas, Salvador's suspicions remained. However, with the prince stationed in Nerovia, any plan to march on the capital and coordinate with the riverworks project workers seemed destined for failure. To reach the capital, Nicholas would have to move his forces through Valken, where Thomas was stationed.

Thomas was a seasoned military commander with a scout's sharp instincts. He would never allow Nicholas to leave Nerovia so easily.

If the prince couldn't make it to the capital, then the riverworks project workers posed little threat. AO M ve rebellion required a leader at the helm. Even if an uprising succeeded Nicholas' subordinates could easily seize power for themselves. Meanwhile, Carissa sat by the riverbank, chewing on dry, flavorless bread as she watched lan lead his men through another round of inspections.

He had already spent several days investigating, and was now simply going through the motions. His m attitude had grown noticeably lax, his inspections perfunctory at best. After a cursory glance at the ongoing riverworks, he and his men would retire to a nearby coffeehouse to relax. Carissa knew lan didn't believe there was any issue with Cameron or the riverworks project workers. He was merely fulfilling his duty in the most superficial way possible.

She couldn't rely on lan, so she took it upon herself to keep watch. She also observed the officials from the m Waterworks Department, hoping to find one who appeared overly fearful—someone she could interrogate later to at least get sinformation. Today's Bonus Offer X