The Martial Unity

He hadn't even spent more than ten minutes in Ferendul, but he had managed to gain a good understanding of the nation with keen observation and his sharp intellect.

He glanced at the ravaged infrastructure. 'This isn't due to poor civil engineering. The structures are extremely simple, it is harder to mess them up than to get them wrong in the first place. Furthermore...'

He glanced at the ground. 'This nation is blessed with a solid bedrock that flatly extends indefinitely across the entire nation and even region. It is highly conducive to infrastructure and civil engineering.' 

There was only one conclusion to be drawn. 'The cause of the infrastructure was ruined by man. I suppose it could be an earthquake, however, the port of entry was unharmed and pristine in comparison. So that doesn't make sense.'

That combined with the state of the people of the nation and it was painfully evident that the reason for the state of this nation was definitely a combination of political and economic.

He wagered it was the former. The state of the nation indicated a lack of governmental aid of any kind whatsoever. He had already judged that the buildings were not recently ruined or damaged, and yet he was unable to spot even the slightest bit of disaster relief governmental initiative whatsoever.

That indicated a corrupt or incompetent government.

VROOOOM!

Rui hid as he detected the first motorized carriage in the nation. 

A military carriage carrying a bunch of soldiers bearing elementary muskets traversed the roads vigilantly. Their uniforms were pristine in comparison to the tattered clothes of the citizens of Ferendul.

'A military dictatorship...?' He did think he was on the money. There was no shortage of that on Earth throughout its history. Militaries could overwhelm any resistance through force and could not be stopped as long as they were unified under a single leader.

His senses caught another presence approaching their general area.

A Martial Apprentice.

Also in military attire.

'A Martial military dictatorship eh?' 

The fact that the government bothered on patrols of these sorts that did nothing more than enforce their authority in the minds of the citizens when they were suffering so much due to deprivations of basic fundamental needs told Rui everything he needed to know.

Most likely, this was a nation where Martial Artists were integrated into the military. The Martial Senior of the Ferendul nation probably rallied the military and tried to take over the nation in a coup leading to civil war that ravaged the nation, leaving the citizens in this state.

That was a guess. Several details could easily be different, but he understood the core gist of the matter.

Regardless, perhaps he should have skipped this nation. He was concerned about leaving an impression that he didn't care about the common folk if he used force simply to barge through anybody who stood in his way. He was sure that the Beggar's Sect would learn about everything.

'I should just focus on getting to the Derimon Bazaar.'

Rui quickly weaved through the many alleyways as he avoided attention. He did not want to get into any trouble. 

However, he needed some information.

"What's the matter? Don't have any money? Tax fraud is a serious crime you know?"

Rui paused as he heard a certain voice, extending his senses in that direction.

"Mama!"

"P-Please spare us. T-There's no money anywhere in town." He heard a woman's quivering voice as she hid her son.

"Then how do you plan to pay the taxes? You have to pay the taxes you know?" The man asked.

"T-That..."

"If you can't fess up the money up-front, then... you'll have to pay with your body." The Martial Apprentice grinned as he started taking off his belt. "Taxes need to be paid, you see?"

One moment, the woman was preparing herself for the worst under his sickly gaze.

The next moment.

THUD

He fell, unconscious. Behind him loomed an even bigger masked figure.

The woman and her son stared dumbfounded. He didn't have the horrifying sense of peril that Martial Artists generated in her. Yet when she looked into her eyes, instincts told her that he was profoundly more powerful than any Martial Artist she had ever seen.

"You ok?" Rui spoke in the international language, hoping she would understand

She nodded profusely, before bowing. "Thank you. Thank you so much. but..."

"Don't worry," Rui reassured her, glancing at the Martial Apprentice. "This one will disappear forever. They won't know what happened."

"...I don't have any money to pay you. Please forgive me." She remained bowed, profusely apologizing. 

Rui understood her misunderstanding. It wasn't surprising she expected him to squeeze her for money in exchange for saving her if she lived in a country with these kinds of Martial Artists. She was probably terrified that Rui would pick up what the Martial Apprentice was about to do to her.

"I don't need money," Rui told her. "Though I could use some help. Information. How do I contact the Beggar's Sect in the Derimont Bazaar?"

She winced at that name with a melancholic expression. "...You do not find them. They will find you. If you are looking for them then they already know. If they are interested in contacting you, then it will happen. otherwise, it won't ever happen."

Rui recalled that the Beggar's Sect was pretty much comprised of ordinary people. He couldn't help but wonder if the woman before him was a member of the sect. Although the sect as a whole was very powerful, individual members could not leverage the authority and power of the sect, so maybe she was as helpless as the other citizens.

He doubted he would ever know if she was a member of the sect.

"I see..." Rui murmured. "Thank you. You should get out of here."

He suddenly disappeared from her vision leaving but the slightest gust of wind behind. The Martial Apprentice had also magically disappeared as well.

She heaved a sigh of relief as she lifted her child before running away from the area. A knowing glint flashed in her eyes as she narrowed them.