The bandit raid on Section 3, resulting in the loss of valuable materials and a three-day delay on the Critical Path, was an unacceptable system failure. Alex didn't see it as a crime; he saw it as an external vulnerability that required an immediate patch.
"They exploited our predictability," Alex declared, pacing in the study. "Our fixed schedules are a magnet. We need a security force that operates with the same logic as our finance department: centralized control with distributed, superior assets."
He couldn't rely on the Duke's slow, feudal guard. He needed a private solution.
He sent a message via the semaphore to Commander Elric, the pragmatic logistical hero, who was currently bogged down in supply issues for the main army. Alex asked to purchase the services of ten former Royal Army scouts—men trained in discipline and combat, but dismissed due to lack of noble connections or a dislike for slow bureaucracy.
Alex hired the ten veterans, not as guards, but as Security Foremen. He immediately established the Arren Guard Corps (AGC), treating it like a specialized, for-profit division of the Syndicate.
He armed them not with swords, but with a new weapon Garth and his apprentices had already perfected: the standardized crossbow.
Crossbows were much faster and cheaper to mass-produce than longbows. They required less specialized training to use effectively, lowering the human capital expenditure on security.
Every stock, trigger mechanism, and steel bow was identical, ensuring easy replacement and repair.
Most critically, the AGC was supplied with the Syndicate's new high-carbon steel bolts—far superior to the brittle iron arrows of common bandits.
"Your mission is not to deter," Alex told the ten veterans. "Your mission is to eliminate the risk. We will not rely on patrols. We will rely on targeted, quantifiable superiority."
***
Alex applied his Critical Path Analysis to security: he didn't guard the entire rail line; he guarded the most vulnerable points at the most critical times.
* Dynamic Deployment: Security Foremen were deployed based on the real-time status codes flashed by the semaphore. If Section 7 reported a 505 (Material Shortage), that meant a supply wagon was en route, making that section a high-risk target. AGC teams were dispatched instantly to escort that single wagon, rather than idling in barracks.
* The Incentive System: AGC members were paid a high salary, but they received a massive risk bonus for every successful bandit capture or neutralization. They were also offered Syndicate Shares, aligning their self-interest with the company's protection. They were, quite simply, mercenaries with stock options.
To break the bandits' surveillance pattern, Alex introduced the "Decoy Protocol." He had Silas's men build three fake Efficiency Carts—empty wagons covered in dark cloth—and sent them down different roads on random schedules. The bandits wasted days tracking empty wagons, confusing their intelligence and forcing them to strike targets they weren't prepared for.
***
The next attack came within a week, targeting a highly visible shipment of rails near Section 5.
The bandits, expecting the slow, disorganized resistance of typical manor guards, were blindsided by the AGC. The ten veterans, using their standardized crossbows and superior steel bolts, engaged the bandit group with disciplined, focused firepower.
The combat was brief and decisive. The bandits' outdated leather armor and soft iron blades were no match for the speed and penetrating power of the Arren steel.
The lead Security Foreman, a dour man named Kael, reported back via the semaphore line: 250 (Bandit Activity Confirmed) followed by 265 (Threat Neutralized – 100% Asset Recovery).
Alex didn't celebrate the victory; he analyzed the report.
"Hemlock, update the Risk Matrix," Alex commanded. "Bandit activity confirmed only near settlements and rivers. Conclusion: They cannot operate far from water or civilian cover.
We adjust the next 50 miles of rail construction to bypass these high-risk geographic features, and we increase security deployments near known water sources by 50%. The data dictates the defense."
The bandits, facing disciplined resistance, superior weaponry, and a constantly shifting security profile that tracked their own weaknesses, quickly realized the Arren Syndicate was not worth the risk. They were forced to revert to attacking softer, less efficient targets, stabilizing the Syndicate's supply chain and ensuring the Critical Path was secure.
Next priority: The new rail line is attracting migrants and settlers hoping to work for the wealthy Syndicate. We need to manage this population surge and protect our proprietary technologies from theft. It's time to invent the patent system and urban planning.