The next morning, Lübeck bid farewell to his family and boarded a horse-drawn carriage driven by an orderly, heading directly to the town hall in the center of town. The weather was still quite cold, and his navy coat provided ample protection from the cold as he sat in the carriage. The journey wasn't far, as Sanctuary itself had only been established for a little over twenty years, and the city hadn't yet grown significantly. However, the growth of a new generation was enough to transform interpersonal relationships and social structures. During the boring journey, watching the passing scenery, Lübeck reflected on the changes over the years.
The town hall was a simple two-story wooden building. Not all officials worked there daily; only those in need would gather there when necessary. Normally, only ordinary administrative staff were present. That morning, when Lübeck walked in, Fritz Miller, the town hall secretary, came forward and greeted him.
"Good morning, Captain Lübeck."
"Good morning, Miller. Could you bring me a portion of your lunch today?"
"Of course, I'll be there in a minute."
"Has work been going well these days?"
"Fortunately, the farmers haven't given me any problems, but..."
"What's the problem?"
"Just the other day, there was another dispute between different communes over farmland demarcation."
"Is it serious?"
"Not serious, just some injuries, but the problem is that someone used a firearm."
"Oh," they said, as they reached the mayor's office and took their seats. Lübeck flipped through the monthly reports from various grassroots officials on the desk. He searched and found the report on the peasant brawl in the commune, sent by the sheriff. After reading it, he handed it to Miller. What else could he say? He sighed.
"Ah, this is a long-standing grudge. We've talked to them before, but the problem is that this time, the security guards were also affected, and they were shot."
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Lübeck said this with some dissatisfaction, looking at Miller.
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Miller hesitated and said,
"Actually, this is already treason."
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Lübeck and Miller exchanged glances and said,
"How about giving Krause a temporary leave of absence and having his deputy, Koch, take over for a while? He can also emphasize the strictness of law enforcement and give a public lecture."
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"Yes, that's a good idea." Miller nodded and said, "Look, could you please draft this administrative order and pass it on to them?"
"Okay, I'll get to it shortly."
"Who are the injured members of the security force?"
"Ah, please take a look. It should be in the report. There's also the hospital's injury report."
"Oh, all right," Lübeck smiled at Miller, then lowered his head to search through the documents.
"Hey, that should be it. Take a look. This is the report from the hospital," Miller said, leaning over to watch Lübeck search, pointing.
As the two were talking, they heard a woman shout from the lobby downstairs.
"Mr. Miller, are you adding an extra person to lunch today? Well, I'll just add a few staples from today's menu. That should be enough. Is that okay, Mr. Miller?" Her voice was gruff and casual, very much like a working-class woman's. Miller smiled with shame. The people he led truly couldn't keep up with his pace. Despite what he'd just said, it was clear they weren't always working with their heads in their heads. He had no choice but to tell Lübeck, "I think I should go down and make some arrangements."
"Okay, go ahead. I'll wait and see." Lübeck understood his frustration.
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Miller then left, closing the office door behind him. Lübeck could still vaguely hear their conversation.
"The mayor is coming today. You shouldn't stick to the daily menu so rigidly."
"Oh, oh, oh..." the woman replied as she left with him.
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Lübeck continued to flip through the documents, jotting down the names of the injured members of the security detail. He might find them useful when he visited them at the hospital. He then flipped through some administrative meeting minutes. Seeing nothing important, he left the office and took a carriage to the hospital.
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In pre-industrial society, medical institutions didn't seem to hold much significance. Those who came were generally those who had sustained physical injuries while working, seeking simple disinfection, bandages, or sutures. The hospital wasn't crowded, so Lübeck was quickly escorted by staff to the rest room for the injured security guards.
"Lie still,"
Seeing someone trying to stand and salute, Lübeck quickly stopped him.
"Yes, sir."
Lübeck checked their condition. One had a thigh scrape, superficial, alright. Another had a more serious shoulder blade injury, though probably not life-threatening. However, the third looked gravely ill, with a penetrating abdominal wound. Seeing the blood still seeping through the layers of gauze wrapped around him, Lübeck felt a pang of pain. For a moment, he wanted to take him to a more modern hospital, but he was worried he wouldn't be able to withstand the bumpy ride. After a few words of comfort, he went to ask the other two about the day's situation and hurried off.
Back at the city hall, it was lunchtime. Only a few people were at the table: the secretary, two clerks, and a member of the support staff. Lübeck sat on either side of the long table. Looking at his colleagues, Lübeck spoke first.
"First of all, thank you, Mr. Miller, for organizing this wonderful lunch today. I don't come here often, but he made it a special arrangement."
"Haha, you're welcome," Miller said, sitting across from Lübeck.
"Well, thank you to the ladies who prepared lunch for us today. Thank you," Lübeck extended his arm, directing everyone's attention to them and nodding again.
"Thank you."
The women in charge of cooking were a little shy, nodding with smiles on their faces without replying.
"Okay, let's eat," Lübeck said, scanning the room.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy."
During the casual conversation, Lübeck inquired about the source of food supplies. They shared their own insights, regarding supply channels, food quality, timeliness, and storage. Lübeck was also curious about the individuals in the communes they interacted with, and asked about their families, their appearance, and other issues. Seeing the City Hall clerks also present, he asked them if they were familiar with the individuals mentioned earlier, as they were responsible for the population records.
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But the two young men seemed unconcerned, hesitating and unable to articulate anything. Lübeck didn't bother them, saying that after dinner, he would go to the archives to review details of population growth and the families of the injured security guards, and asked them to accompany him.
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Lübeck then discussed with Miller some issues regarding the partial public ownership and specialization of the crop and livestock industries. To reduce disputes and facilitate comparison and valuation, the specific boundaries of farmland and pastures needed to be demarcated. Previously, these fields had been developed gradually by farmers during production, and the records only contained approximate locations and areas. Now, after so many years, it would be better to clarify the current situation to avoid any dissatisfaction during transactions and compensation.
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Miller agreed, and they discussed some details. As they chatted, the working lunch at the city hall quickly came to an end. Lübeck jokingly told the women in charge of cooking to ask their supply chain partners for any feedback or suggestions, and he earnestly urged them to do so, as if he valued everyone's opinion.
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After dinner, as planned, Lübeck asked the clerk who held the key to the archives to go with him to check some demographic and family records. However, once inside, he didn't request an escort; he was well-versed in the town and the sanctuary.
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and then Add to home screen.