While others were discussing him, Guo Kang was still in the ghetto, and the team was preparing to go to the next place.
Father Mikhail and others had already placed their victims when they ambush their pursuers. After these thugs were repelled, the surrounding residents returned one after another.
Obviously, they are already very familiar with the process of fighting between different forces. There were even brave people who ran to the square where the battle had just taken place and tried to take something away from the slain minions.
However, when Father Mikhail walked out with a few people, the people who came to watch were still a little surprised. However, the leading people still seemed a little more relaxed. A gray-haired man stepped forward and said hello to everyone in unfamiliar Greek.
"We thought some gang came to seek revenge, and the fight was so fierce." He explained: "It turned out to be the priest. Who are the others...?"
"We are the joint law enforcement team of the Ministry of War and the church." Guo Kang told him: "The gang members here violated military discipline and interfered with the normal activities of the clergy. There were also reports that they were suspected of illegal slave trading and smuggling of important supplies. We were originally We wanted to investigate this series of vicious cases and arrest the suspects, but as soon as we arrived, there were violent confrontations and attempts to attack law enforcement officers."
"Don't worry, this is not a gang fight. We will handle it properly."
After he finished speaking, he thought for a while and added: "By the way, we are going to find Sergey, the leader of this gang. Those who were innocent victims before can follow us to confront him directly and identify his crimes. We will put it on record and ask him to make compensation immediately. Anyone in need, please go to Father Mikhail to sign up."
The gray-haired man hesitated, nodded, turned around, walked back a few steps, and whispered to a few people next to him.
"This will definitely not work." Guo Ponu glanced at Guo Kang in surprise and reminded: "They have been ruled by the Sergei gang for a long time. If you ask them to confront the gang boss directly, how many people can there be? Are you so brave?"
"That's not necessarily true." Guo Kang shook his head: "It's just that the time is not ripe. I believe that everyone is willing to resist."
"Those who are willing to resist are even worse off. I guess all of these victims have resisted. If they could succeed, Sergey would have fallen long ago." Guo Ponu disagreed.
"Isn't that better?" Guo Kang said with a smile.
He did not continue to explain to Guo Ponu, but asked Father Mikhail to explain it to everyone again. The old priest then took his apprentice to the square and shouted loudly in Greek and native dialect.
Father Mikhail seemed to have some prestige here, and some onlookers came closer and started discussing. However, no one came forward yet.
Guo Kang then walked over again and came to Father Mikhail's side.
"Don't worry, everyone, the Patriarch has entrusted me with an in-depth investigation into this matter. No criminals must be allowed to escape." He said loudly: "We believe that these criminals have been doing evil for many years and there is a lot of evidence, and it will take time to collect and sort it out. Therefore, There is no need to rush, we have plenty of time to investigate slowly. If you find evidence, you can report it to us at any time."
Father Mikhail translated for him again. Hearing these words, the people around him relaxed a little more. After everyone was quiet for a while, Guo Kang continued: "By the way, there are still a few people in this cell. We interrogated the minions who were captured alive and found that they were all innocent people. We have to continue to move forward, and there is no way to stay. Here. But their current physical condition is not suitable for movement. Can you please help take care of them?"
He said it very politely, and the leading people nodded repeatedly. The few unlucky ones caught here were all their neighbors and acquaintances, so someone quickly ran in, carried out the victims in a hurry, and quickly disappeared among the shacks.
Guo Kang also walked back and told everyone that they were ready to go.
"Look, isn't this a kind of resistance?" He also specifically turned around and told Guo Ponu: "The ancients said, 'The people return to benevolence, just like the water falls.' As long as they are given a chance, everyone will naturally know what to do. What."
Guo Ponu was speechless for a moment.
"Hey, it would be great if you could really succeed." She hesitated and sighed.
At this time, Guo Kang was busy changing equipment.
He threw the matchlock pistol back into his bag, thought about it, and took out another one that was obviously a bit larger.
The barrel of this gun is very thick and looks more like a hand cannon. The holding part at the back seemed to be specially designed. Guo Kang twisted the tail bar a few times and tightened the torsion spring.
Then, he carefully took out a thick cylinder with a strange shape.
This thing has a pointed cone on the head and a short tail on the back with four metal fins. It looks like a rocket. However, Guo Kang first filled the barrel with a small bag of gunpowder pellets and then put it in. Since the barrel of the gun is not too long, after loading it, the head of the rocket is already close to the muzzle.
Guo Ponu had seen some flechette-fired firearms before, but now people don't use such things very much. I don't know what he is doing. She reminded Guo Kang not to build unreliable things, but Guo Kang told her that this thing was more reliable, and then hung it around his waist.
Guo Ponu thought for a while, decided to keep an eye on him, and followed him closely. The two of them left here together with everyone.
The prisoners captured just now took them to the headquarters of Sergei's gang. Apart from this, only Vladimir and his wife followed the team. Guo Ponu looked back and found that the people who had just been talking to Father Mikhail had taken out some tools such as axes and hammers from nowhere and followed them from a distance.
"I really followed..." She muttered: "Are your words really useful?"
Guo Kang also looked back. Those people did not deliberately conceal their whereabouts, but it seemed that they did not dare to follow them directly.
"Trust is accumulated gradually." He said to Guo Ponu: "If these priests hadn't been active here before, people wouldn't have listened to what I said, let alone saying they didn't believe it."
"The government here must have given them a lot of talk back then. It's not like they haven't said similar things to what I said. These people still have some hope and want to get closer and wait and see. I'm afraid they are already Mikhail. The priest lost face. What I said was just to smooth things over and give both sides a step down so that everyone would be motivated to give it a try."
"...Suddenly I feel self-aware again." Guo Ponu complained: "I often don't know how to describe you..."
"That's probably because your cultural knowledge cannot keep up with my depth of thinking." Guo Kang thought for a while and said seriously.
"..." Guo Ponu choked again and was speechless.
Guo Kang walked towards the team to talk to Father Mikhail and Vladimir and his wife.
Seeing him coming over, Vladimir was a little cautious. Guo Kang did not go to comfort him and asked directly: "There is something I want to ask about. When were your son and daughter taken away?"
"My daughter was born a week ago." Vladimir's expression changed immediately. Although he was still a little nervous, his words became fluent: "At that time, Sergey's men said that we couldn't afford to raise the child anyway, so why not give it to him? If they adopt me, they can also reduce some protection fees. If I don't like it, they will just beat me."
"Both the city mayor and our cobbler's guild had received benefits from Sergey and were unwilling to help me, so I had to go to Father Mikhail for help. As a result, before we could do anything, about four days Before, they also arrested my son. This time it was even more difficult. Even Sergey himself came and brought a group of thugs to the door to rob people. They didn’t even listen to my explanation and just arrested him. gone."
Guo Kang listened and nodded.
He already knew most of these things. The reason why I asked specifically is that Vladimir and his wife are the only ones currently willing to follow them.
The other residents are afraid of Sergei's gang, and Vladimir is just an ordinary cobbler, not much better. The reason why he dared to stand up was that his concern for his children and his hatred of gangsters outweighed his fear of the gang's power.
In this case, letting him say it again can show his serious attitude and reassure him; and letting him retell the gangster's evil process can remind him to remember his hatred for the enemy and his unfinished goals. Although it seems that Vladimir has been very determined so far, Guo Kang has to try to encourage him to prevent him from feeling guilty again halfway through the action.
From the perspective of the commander of this team, Vladimir can be regarded as a subordinate under his command: if he is not determined, he must be made firm through encouragement; if he is already firm, then he must be made more firm through approval and support. firm.
All in all, the firm belief of my subordinates is not something that needs to be doubted and verified, but the result that should be pursued. Especially when the two parties have just met and do not understand many things, it is very important to set a basic attitude.
On the other hand, he also believed that the "curious people" dotted far behind must be more than just these people on the surface. More people are watching with suspicion.
Moreover, Guo Kang was sure that the onlookers were not only looking at how his group behaved - because no matter how enthusiastic they were and how they upheld justice, this group of people would definitely leave. Vladimir, a person whose background and situation are similar to theirs, and who knows each other, is more worthy of attention.
Therefore, Vladimir's attitude is more likely to infect the residents here than Guo Kang's own attitude; what he will encounter is also a direct display to the people around him.
If you want to restore order, you need to reestablish authority. To reestablish authority, you need to convince people. To convince people, you need to let them see tangible examples. And this breakthrough that can be used as an example has happened to have been prepared by Father Mikhail and others. Of course, what you want to do is very clear.
(End of chapter)
