I was given a lax pat down . .


    The kingdom of Oriana was in a state where war could break as early as tomorrow . They obviously don''t have time to spare for a mob like me . .


    .


    I had a mana sealing collar put on me and was taken to a large building . .


    Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting.


    .


    "You''ll be staying in this camp . ".


    "Camp?".


    "Lord Doem is in the process of purging the Royalists . Prisons are all full . ".


    "I see . ".


    .


    "Well, good luck, kid . Whether you can live or die in here all depends on your choices . ".


    "Huh, what choi—".


    The soldier guiding me put on a knowing grin, opened the large iron door and shoved me inside . .


    .


    The door was shut behind me with a thud as I took in my surroundings . .


    What I''d been imagining was some dreary, medieval-fantasy dungeon of solid stone, but this was certainly not that . .


    In very few words, it was a big courtyard surrounded by tall walls . .


    The floor was paved with stone, and the place was packed with prisoners . .


    .


    Some of them looked to be sleeping in tattered clothes, some just sat there with dead eyes and looked at me . Still others were standing in groups, discussing something or other . Seems they''ve made factions here . .


    Our jailors stood atop the tall walls, overseeing everything . .


    .


    Actually, those walls looked like they had rooms attached to them . The prisoners seemed to be granted free entry into them . .


    Not as rigid as I''d imagined . .


    .


    First of all, I needed to secure a place to sleep . I began walking with that purpose in mind . .


    And, "Ho, newcomer . ".


    Came a voice from the side . .


    I turned to see a tall, thuggish man with unkempt hair . My internal Bandit Radar began tingling right away . .


    I was 100% positive . This guy was a bandit . .


    .


    "You are…?".


    "The name''s Zack . Long story short, I''m a nice guy who teaches new blood like you how it works around here . " Said Zack, eyeing me like prey . .


    "M-my name''s Cid . Thank you so much, I really don''t know what to do…".


    .


    "I feel ya, buddy . Them fuzz catch you and throw you in here and there''s nothin'' you can do about it . I totally get that you''re scared . " Zack said while patting my shoulder . .


    He then closed in and whispered so only I could hear, "Listen, Cid . Food, bed, fun, none of that''s equal in this here camp . Look over there . ".


    Zack pointed at a group of people huddled in a corner . All of them looked thin, ragged . .


    .


    "The people in this camp are largely divvied up into 3 groups . Those ones you see over there are the worst off and also has the most people . They''re what we call the Trash . Useless trash who aren''t worth a d.a.m.n . They get a few gulps of water and even less food . Just waiting to die . They''re trash who have no power, or smarts, or even info… Now, look over there . ".


    Next, Zack pointed at a group of people who were standing and talking amongst each other . .


    "Those are the Royalists . They''re all idiots who went against Lord Doem and are now in here . They get the bare minimum food and bed . They''re also our targets . ".


    .


    "Our?".


    "Yeah, our group . The Doem Camp . We got people who betrayed the Royalists to people like me, actual criminals . Us in the Doem Camp gets good food, comfy bedding, and a few other, privileges . ".


    "… Privileges?".


    "I''ll give you and example . You see, they don''t give one d.a.m.n if he beat and kill any of the Trash— like this!" Zack kicked down a nearby man . .


    .


    The ragged man cried out and ran away, and the guards on the walls watched the whole thing happen . .


    They said not a word of warning to Zack . .


    Making a bemused smile, Zack once again came close and spoke into my ears . "It ain''t like fights and killing each other are allowed in here . But the guys up top will ignore it . Still, doesn''t mean we can go around killing every f.u.c.ker that gives us the stink eye . Even Trash can be useful once in a while . And needlessly antagonising them isn''t a good idea . You still with me, Cid? It''s curious right? How we can get away with all this . ".


    .


    "Y-yeah, it is . ".


    "Here''s how it works… it''s all ''cause we keep an eye on those Royalists and leak any info we get to the guards . Do that, and we easily get food, bed, and those nice privies . Sweet deal, yeah?".


    "By, uh, info…?".


    "Anything they don''t want us to know . Get us some good info, and you''re on the Doem side, p.r.o.nto . And if the info is really good, useful even, you can some fun too . We even got wh.o.r.es . ".


    "B-but, how am I supposed to…".


    "I get it, really do . How''re you supposed to know anything? Think . Jog that noggin a little . Only Royalist traitors have that kind of inside intel, right? Now, how did someone like me get in?".


    "I, uh…".


    "Honestly, there''s a lotta ways to go about it . One, you could try capture one of them and drag him in for some good ol torture . Well, they''re also on guard lately, so that might not be so easy . And the guards can''t ignore it if you go overboard . .


    "Two, you could try getting in their faction and gleam intel that way . They''re on guard for those too, so something like that can take some real skill . .


    "Three, eavesdrop . They won''t make it easy, but you can definitely try . .


    "And four, there''s that fact that they likely have people who''re pretty willing to sell . Really, anyone would get tired of it eventually . They''d want food, booze . They''d want to get their d.i.c.ks wet . But alas, they''re still Royalists and the guards aren''t exactly inclined to believe anything they''d say . That''s where we come in . We make it so that they can get that food, booze, and wh.o.r.es they''re starving for . ".


    .


    "I, understand…".


    "I''m sure you do, Cid . You now understand very well that if you do nothing, you''ll be part of the Trash . Useless, worthless trash . The only you can survive in here is either get us some info, or try to get the Royalists'' trust . ".


    "B-but, how…".


    "I''m a nice guy, Cid . So this is all I can do . Tell you what, you get anything good, and you come to me . I know some real nice guys among the guards, so we can definitely work something out . " Zack said, giving me an obviously shady grin . .


    .


    "Thank you, thank you so much, Zack!".


    "Best of luck, kid . ".


    .


    "Oh, uh, Zack, please wait!" I called as he was about to walk away . .


    "What''s up?".


    "I— Actually, I might know something really good . " I said in a whisper . .


    "… Huh . You know, if that info''s something bogus, those jailors won''t let you off with just a little beating . How about I hear you out, before you go to them . ".


    "Can we, uh… go something a bit private?".


    "Sure thing . Follow me . ".


    .


    Following after Zack, I went beyond the walls . .


    Inside were hallways of stone with cells on either side, containing prisoners here and there . .


    "The only guys who get private quarters are us Doem Camp and a small part of the Royalists . The Trash get to huddle down in the hallways, or just sleep outside . That said, we have our own territory in these halls and outside . You sleep there just cause it''s empty and… you might not wake up . Get it?".


    "… Of course . ".


    "In here . " We walked some ways into the hallway and Zack opened a door . .


    "This here''s my crib . Not bad eh?" Zack said with grin after closing the door . .


    .


    It was the size of an average bedroom . More than enough for one person to live comfortably . There was a clean bed, a few sets of clothes, books, a board game, and even p.o.r.n mags and a shelf with snacks . .


    .


    "Well, this isn''t the even close to what the big shots have . Heck, they say our boss held a stripper show at his place . " Zack sad with a dirty grin . .


    "There we go, complete privacy . Now, let''s hear it . ".


    .


    "Right, the real good info… yeah, I got nuthin . ".


    "Huh— wh!?".


    With a single step, I got into arms length of Zack, grabbed his neck and lifted him up . His feet now dangled in the air . .


    .


    "Fuh, ker, yer, gon, pay, for…" Zack croaked in pain . .


    "Can''t work the body without food . I mean, I can easily survive going on nothing for a month, but I''ll get a little weaker if I do . So I really don''t want to skip meals . I guess I can go out into town and eat . And, sleeping outside isn''t really a problem… Oh but, I don''t want to sleep outside in the rain, I guess . " I spoke while gradually tightening my grip . .


    "St-stahhhp…".


    "Mr . Zack, you have two choices . Live, or die . Choose wisely now . ".