Groups of mercenaries surrounded the convoy of carriages in the middle. A few light riders were several hundred meters ahead of the convoy, responsible for scouting the path. Apart from them, Billger had arrived here more than an hour earlier. Unless they encountered a large enemy force, he would continue to scout ahead and leave marks for the caravan behind.
When Laine first came to this world, he once thought that Wanderers were like ninjas, killing enemies unseen and always lurking in the shadows, emerging at the key moment to deliver a fatal blow, appearing and disappearing like a dragon.
Well, there were indeed such Wanderers, but they had advanced from being Wanderers to become Shadow Assassins or even more advanced beings. Ordinary Wanderers were not much different from Warriors; they too were exposed to the enemy’s sight, using simple weapons like crossbows, rapiers, cudgels, short bows, and short swords in combat. However, they rarely engaged in frontal attacks, preferring instead to use hit-and-run tactics.
In adventurer squads, Wanderers mainly played a role in scouting traps, assessing enemy situations, picking locks, crafting materials, and preparing for decisive strikes. On the battlefield, Wanderers often had a lower survival rate than Warriors, being too fragile.
Furthermore, due to their occupational characteristics, Wanderers were prone to disputes with teammates over the distribution and acquisition of spoils. They often had the opportunity to access loot first and might secretly stash away some of it. Due to the extreme danger and necessity of their work (such as needing to pick locks to advance or encountering traps), Wanderers liked to hike prices, using their rhetorical skills and deception to emphasize how important they were to the team, insisting that without them, things would go awry, all to secure a larger share of spoils (even if they had already stashed more).
Although Laine didn’t much like them, he had long passed the age of impulsiveness (psychologically), and he admitted that sometimes the strength of these Wanderers was indispensable.
"The most frightening enemy is not the one who brandishes a weapon and duels you face-to-face but the friend who, while shaking your hand, hides a dagger behind his back."
——"Savior" Ludwig, Emperor of the Empire.
"We’re almost there!" Imperial Merchant Oliver took out a roll of map from inside the carriage: "This is one of the rest stops."
"Yes, this is a map produced by Marinburg, detailing mountains, rivers, towns across the Continent, and major trade routes. Any merchant frequently traveling between Marinburg can get this map. In exchange, we report new routes and situations we’ve discovered back to Marinburg." Oliver displayed the map to several people; indeed, as the Imperial Merchant mentioned, the map was densely marked with major towns, roads, and possible rest stops in the wild. Official source is Nove1Fire.net
Lighting up torches, Laine noticed that some trade routes were marked green, some yellow, and some red, and so were the rest stops.
"Green means safe. Yellow indicates small potential threats, while red... represents business opportunities and the chance to make a fortune." Oliver stroked his beard. The resting spot for tonight was marked yellow.
"Danger always accompanies opportunity. Didn’t the first human to set foot on Xiankong Island also strike it rich for it? Hahaha~ If there were no risks, why would we come to Nord carrying so many goods?" Mats laughed heartily.
How can you make money without taking risks?
Investments with both low risk and high returns are always a scam unless Laine’s strength had already reached a level where he could partake in the games of the gods.
The convoy continued forward, and after dusk, the guards and mercenaries lit torches. Around 4:30 PM, the convoy finally arrived at the rest stop mentioned by Estelle.
In the snow and mist, a dilapidated village appeared before everyone. The village was tiny, with about a dozen houses, most of which had leaky roofs. The village’s walls consisted of log skeletons, with mud and bricks forming a base, standing at less than three meters tall. The village gates had been destroyed, seemingly smashed open with brute force. Moreover, several sections of the walls were damaged, the most severe breach wide enough to accommodate at least two carriages through. The forest was not far, only about two hundred meters away, and the path to ascending Hodalen Mountain required passing through it.
"We’ve arrived. Nord brothers, get off the carriage and unload the goods. Fake, take a few people and chop some wood nearby to plug the gaps. Mather, take three people and get a few barrels of water from the nearby river," Rost commanded immediately.
"Post a few sentinels. Estelle, gentlemen, come with me," Laine waved his hand, signaling to the Half-Elf and the Wandering Knights to follow.
"I’ll come too." A long leg in black high-top leather boots emerged from the carriage. Teresa, clad in black combat leather armor with a white fox fur mantle draped over her shoulders, holding a magic staff, joined the group.
The female sorcerer’s shimmering black hair reached her waist. Her exquisitely beautiful face shone brightly even in the night. Her sapphire earrings glimmered subtly, and the violet crystal on her staff illuminated the path ahead.