The rapidly spinning wheels crunched over the gravel on the road, causing the carriage to jolt and bump.
Under normal circumstances, for passengers inside, if they don’t control their body balance, just this motion could make them stagger.
With worse luck, crashing into something sharp could even lead to a bloody head injury.
But Xia Nan sat steadily.
His body leaned against the cushioned back of the seat, hands folded resting on his abdomen, eyelids slightly closed as if taking a nap.
It was clear that he hadn’t anticipated the carriage’s jolt in advance, nor was he fully focused, deliberately controlling his muscles and bones to maintain balance.
It was as if "breathing" or "blinking," requiring no extra concentration, instinctively letting his body remain unaffected by external changes.
As for the reason why.
On one hand, it was due to his professional specialty, [Tidal Shaping].
One of its effects was to give Xia Nan stronger balance ability on unstable surfaces.
Previously, he understood this specialty as merely staying upright in battle, controlling body weight.
These days, through gradual testing, he has come to understand more about its capabilities.
To give a few simple examples.
If he could take this skill back to his previous life, regardless of other factors, Xia Nan should achieve considerable success in "skiing" and "surfing."
Not to mention winning multiple championships, at least achieving professional level effortlessly.
Standing on a skateboard, no ordinary person could push him down—it was almost too much of a cheat.
On the other hand, it naturally came from his eight-point agility attribute.
[Vortex Slash], Drip Dew, [Teeth Hunting], and [Fallen Blade Hunting] enhanced his physical fitness.
On the attribute panel, it might simply reflect numbers increasing from an initial "5" to "7" or "8."
About two to three points.
But the actual influence on his body was far more than that apparent forty or sixty percent.
To a certain extent, Xia Nan’s current body has increasingly departed from the human species’ understanding from his past life.
The so-called human limits, world records, no longer applied to him.
On the battle level, if combined with his combat experience and battle skills, the gap between Xia Nan and ordinary people was drastically incomparable.
Just like more than ten days ago when a band of bandits attacked the caravan at night.
They seemed numerous, even equipped with a few fully armed cavalry, in quite a proper manner.
But they could only bully those in the caravan who hadn’t attained a professional level as ordinary guards.
Once Xia Nan stepped in, the entire battlefield situation turned overwhelmingly one-sided.
The Beheading Longsword swung around a couple of times, and there were severed limbs and organs all over the place;
Trying to escape, but how could they outrun the wolf’s howl pursuing them;
As for those three cavalrymen, Xia Nan didn’t even bother to exert effort; he merely slightly altered their gravitational centers, making them fall from their horses.
Not one got away, and the battle concluded efficiently in less than ten minutes.
Not even breaking a sweat.
It’s worth mentioning that although all the bandits were killed, their horses remained unscathed, mostly intact, except for a one wounded during battle with a slightly injured leg.
Should fetch some Gold Coins.
And as Xia Nan temporarily worked as a guard in the capacity of a "passenger," he would naturally receive a corresponding share of the profits.
The caravan captain had already communicated the specific amount and would send it to the White Sparrow Tavern after settling the bandits’ equipment and other spoils.
According to experience accumulated from numerous tasks so far, this sum shouldn’t be large.
But it was more than enough to offset the travel costs.
Mollifying Xia Nan’s mood significantly, given his small treasury had recently dwindled due to forging equipment.
Suddenly, a loud knock interrupted his thoughts.
He vaguely saw a messy-haired, dirty little boy hopping alongside the carriage outside.
Holding up a stack of gray-white newspapers.
"Wakefield seriously ill, who will be the next City Lord of Neum?"
"Moon Feast approaching, five things you must note!"
"Sir, sir! For just two copper coins, you can..."
Before the boy could finish speaking, his noise caught the attention of the caravan’s escort guards.
"Courting death, daring to sell newspapers here!?"
As if he had done it countless times before.
As soon as the guard stepped off the carriage, the boy waving the newspaper at the window tucked them under his arm, turned, and ran without looking back.
Like a mouse suddenly caught in headlights, disappearing in a flash down the dimly lit alleyways on either side.
Gesturing apologetically at the window, the caravan guard indicated there was no need for concern.
Xia Nan put the two copper coins he had just withdrawn from his purse back in, feeling a sense of regret.
He had intended to buy a newspaper.
After all, as a newcomer, he was eager to understand detailed information about "Neum City."
Even tabloid news would have been fine, at least allowing him to get to know a few people.
Unfortunately, the carriage window was sealed, with no way to interact with the outside, requiring the door to open for any transaction with the newsboy.