Alien world

Chapter 1708, Section 341: The Annam War Tribunal

Oulin turned her horse around and rode away, never saying whether she would come to pick him up or not.

The person in charge of the commercial district, who had been watching from a distance, finally dared to approach: "Lord Annan, I am the person in charge of the Montreal Hills region..."

“Sak, right? I know you.”

Annan looked at the petite woman beside the person in charge, whose eyes were fixed on him without blinking: "Are you Moni?"

Moni, who was about the same height as Anan, nodded vigorously, revealing her joy that Anan knew her. Clearly, she was Anan's fan.

The person in charge is one of their own, while Moni is an aristocrat from the Montreal Hills. Having a local makes it easier for them to deal with the local community.

"Is nothing wrong on the shopping street?"

"No, no, everything is normal, it's just..."

Sak hesitated, but Annan gestured for him to speak. He then asked tentatively, "Did you... send Lord Smo?"

"No."

"That's fine, that's fine..."

Sack knew the reputation of the Free Blade and was most afraid that Little Smo would be sent over, which meant that Annan would cause a big incident.

However, it's not a small matter now. Annan said he would most likely have to antagonize the court and let Liberty Street have time to examine itself to see if it has evaded taxes or committed any illegal acts, so as not to be caught red-handed.

"Don't worry, Your Excellency Annan, there's definitely no such thing!" Sak patted his chest and assured him.

You should know that the Imperial Code is very simple—stealing means chopping off your hand, causing trouble means chopping off your foot, whatever you do wrong means you get chopped off. On average, there is a mound of heads at every intersection. If you are a sheriff and you haven't chopped off a few people's heads, you can't even hold your head up when you go out.

How many heads do they have to cut off when they're petty thieves from the Empire?

"What's the situation now?" Annan asked again.

Sack then recounted the information he had gathered, which was similar to what Olin had said: Blackwatch was imprisoned in a dungeon, and no one was allowed to visit him.

"What are you going to do?"

"Not ready yet."

"Haven't...haven't thought it through?" The person in charge was dumbfounded.

"It happened so suddenly, there was no time to plan. We could only come here first and then make some arrangements. Do you have any suggestions?"

“Giving gifts…?”

"Pretend I didn't ask."

On the way, Annan stopped by the Moonlight Opera House to visit Celita Denar and Tribulus. The two ghosts were managing the opera house very well, and even managed to rebuild the glory of opera against the tide of magical images. They performed an opera at the opera house every night and had earned the reputation of "Midnight Phantoms".

Annan gave them an idea: since they planned to have magical images during the day and opera at night, they should go all the way and have the singers from "The Singer" form a performance troupe to perform at the Moonlight Opera House.

"May I!"

Tribulus circled around Annan with delight. She loved "Singer for All" and knew many of the contestants by heart.

“Why not? They don’t get many performance opportunities in Liberty City either… Stop spinning me.” Annan was getting dizzy from being spun around.

"I'll spin it then!"

The caltrops rose into the sky in circles.

"Are you going to save Blackwatch?" the pale ghost Celita Denard asked Annan.

"You know it too?"

“Those audience members were talking about it, and people from the family also came to talk about it.” “Family? Aren’t all your family members…” If Annan remembered correctly, the Denar family was gone, and he had to sort out the family relics himself.

“Some branches survived and returned after they knew things were over. I’ve arranged for some of my people to work at the opera house and in the shopping district. Do you mind?”

"Of course, I only care about ability, not status."

How could Anan bear to be harsh on a ghost girl who could earn him several thousand gold dollars every month?
After strolling around and pretending to understand the ledgers, Anan left Moonlight Street to make sure the commercial street wouldn't be affected, heading straight for the courtroom.

……

"He's leaving! He's leaving!"

"Who's going?"

"Annan Reeves is going!"

Similar conversations were relayed through informants on the street to the powerful figures and departments keeping an eye on Annan.

This includes the Protocol Department.

The entire protocol department was in a bind. They had all guessed why Annan had come to Montreal Hill. Everyone who came to Montreal Hill was on tenterhooks, afraid of causing trouble. Only Annan, only Annan, seemed to be there specifically to cause trouble. If he made a mess in Montreal Hill, they would have to clean up his mess.

However, the Protocol Department not only cannot refuse, but also has to express welcome.

"its not right……"

At that moment, a clever official suddenly spoke up, "What is our Ministry of Protocol responsible for?"

“What do you want to ask?” Deputy Minister Derek Kasen asked.

"Lord Derek, Annan is a guest, and we are responsible for everything he does within the Empire..." Seeing his superior's grim face, the shrewd official quickened his pace: "But if he causes trouble for the Black... for the Inquisition... then it's none of our business, right?"

The lobby of the Protocol Department was quiet.

Although the Tribunal is nominally equal to departments such as the Ministry of Ceremonies, the Military Department, and the Royal Magic Academy, its special nature and law enforcement powers grant it the privilege of "being half a rank higher" when dealing with powerful and influential individuals. In other words, if the Ministry of Ceremonies, the Military Department, or the Royal Magic Academy are suspected, they can even arrest the ministers and deans.

In addition, if the court intervenes in cases that are being investigated by other departments, it will trigger the "exclusionary right" and the case will be transferred to the court.

So nobody in Montreal Hills likes the courthouse. Everyone who sees it secretly curses it as a black dog. Even the courthouse itself doesn't like itself.

So as long as Annan and the tribunal clash, and the "exclusionary" stance is triggered, Annan's hot potato will become the tribunal's!
So the question is, is it possible for Annan to confront the court?
That's what he came for!
The officials from the Protocol Department, who had just been looking worried, exchanged glances, and smiles gradually appeared on their faces.

The entire Montreal Hills have long suffered under the courthouse.

After thinking it through, the members of the Ministry of Protocol were not only not afraid of Annan's visit, but also hoped that Annan would make a big fuss about it!
If they can uncover the scandals within the Inquisition, they'll make sure it spreads throughout the Empire in a day!
“But the tribunal is not to be trifled with. What if they arrest Annan?” Deputy Minister Derek Kaysen asked with a worried expression.

The astute official looked at the deputy minister and cautiously asked, "Does anyone in your family also like—"

"no!"

At that moment, Annan was on his way to the courtroom.

……

The bottom nest, the treasure layer.

Annan's intervention transformed the once filthy underground den. With a way out, people naturally no longer wanted to live a miserable existence in the dark underground and left the den one after another.

However, even the darkest corners of the earth will find a way out. Those shady organizations have moved from the surface to their underworld, allowing evil to continue.

In Xiaqu, in a dusty shack with its doors and windows nailed shut with wooden planks, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Annan Reeves has arrived."

(End of this chapter)