Entering the City

Porter spoke very directly, almost explicitly acknowledging Matthew's value and hinting at a potential mutual alliance in the future.

There were no polite pleasantries or condescending promises; it was more like an understanding between peers.

Matthew met his gaze and nodded slightly.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Porter said no more. He raised his hand and patted Matthew's shoulder—this gesture lacked the heavy-handedness of a senior encouraging a junior, feeling more like a gesture of respect between equals.

He then turned and walked toward the preparing caravan, his back looking sharp and resolute in the morning light.

Matthew stood where he was, watching Porter walk away, understanding dawning on him.

His performance yesterday had made this experienced guard captain view him as someone worthy of equal treatment and even cautious friendship.

It seemed that strength truly was the ultimate passport.

“Even if I confessed to Regg right now about killing Brody...”

Matthew thought to himself.

“Regg might not only withhold his anger, but he might even trust me more due to my honesty, allowing our relationship to progress further.”

While Matthew was deep in thought, Aidan's voice called out from nearby. “Brother Matthew, the caravan is about to depart.”

Snapping out of his thoughts, he nodded to Aidan and mounted his horse. His gaze swept over the caravan—everyone had finished packing, and the damaged carriages had been temporarily reinforced, though their numbers were now two fewer than when they had set out.

His heart sank slightly, and he reminded himself: while strength was indeed a passport, life only came once. He must never allow a temporary victory to make him arrogant.

Moreover, he possessed his attribute panel and could grow continuously.

Fortunately, this actual combat had also given him a clearer understanding of his current combat strength.

His harvest was also much more substantial than expected.

With these thoughts in mind, he tightened his grip on the reins and urged his horse forward to catch up with the group.

The wheels rolled over the short grass and gravel of the grasslands, making a dull, continuous sound. The damaged carriages creaked and swayed as they moved, requiring frequent stops for reinforcement.

Along the way, the group remained mostly silent. Yesterday's fierce battle and casualties had cast a heavy shroud over the atmosphere, and even the usually talkative adventurers only focused on keeping their heads down and moving forward.

Regg would occasionally ride to the front of the caravan to inspect the path, his expression calm, as if the bloody battle on the grasslands had been nothing more than a minor interlude in their journey.

Porter continued to steadily coordinate the guard formation, though his unhealed injuries made his movements slightly stiff.

Aidan followed closely behind Matthew's horse. Having experienced a life-or-death situation, much of the childishness in his eyes had faded, replaced by a sense of calm and focus.

The days slipped by in this repetitive journey.

The vastness of the grasslands was gradually replaced by rolling hills. Scattered fields and farmhouses began to appear along the roadside, and wisps of smoke could even be seen rising from the distant horizon—signs of human habitation were becoming increasingly prominent.

Finally, half a month after leaving that blood-stained meadow.

The long, snake-like silhouette of a city wall slowly emerged on the horizon.

The greyish-white city walls were tall and majestic, casting a coarse and solid sheen under the sunlight. Banners were faintly visible atop the walls, and a steady stream of carriages and people flowed through the city gates. Even from afar, the faint hum of bustling noise carried over on the wind.

“We've arrived! Abilan County!”

Someone whispered softly.

The atmosphere of the entire caravan seemed to ease, with faint sighs of relief and quiet chatter breaking out.

The caravan came to a halt about a bowshot's distance from the city gates.

Matthew glanced at the inspection lines faintly visible at the distant gates, his brow furrowing slightly in thought.

With a sudden thought, he chose the right moment to ride forward and whispered a suggestion to Regg:

“Most of our people are wounded, and our carriages are damaged. If we go over directly like this, the inspection might bring unnecessary complications and attract unwanted attention.”

He turned his gaze toward a local merchant caravan not far away, which consisted of several carriages loaded with goods preparing to enter the city, and continued,

“It would be better to find a local merchant caravan with familiar faces. We can pay them some money to let our people blend in, using their travel permits and connections to pass through the checkpoint. That would be much safer.”

Matthew had proposed this suggestion mainly out of two considerations:

First, he did not want to attract unnecessary attention.

The city gate checkpoints were filled with all kinds of people, and there were highly likely scouts from other families or factions. If Regg, the Eldest Young Master of the Fiery Lion family, entered the city with a visibly damaged caravan,

it would inevitably draw the attention and suspicion of various factions.

If they dug deeper and discovered the death of that half-step Gold Rank middle-aged man, curiosity would certainly run high.

When that time came, those nobles might not be able to do anything to Regg, but it would spell immense trouble for Matthew.

He was unwilling to expose himself to the nobles and various factions too early, as he wanted to avoid falling into a passive situation of being monitored and scrutinized, which would limit his freedom of movement later on.

Second, this would also ensure a smooth entry.

Most of the caravan members were injured, and the carriages were in ruins. If they underwent direct inspection, it could easily arouse the suspicion of the gate guards or lead to harassment, delaying their entry and causing further complications.

Under the cover of a local merchant caravan, they could use their travel permits and connections to pass through the checkpoint much faster and more smoothly, minimizing unnecessary trouble.

Hearing this, Regg smiled. He had originally intended to use this entry to display some of his noble authority.

But when his eyes met Matthew's and he saw the calm yet serious expression in them, his heart stirred slightly.

He fell into contemplation, and after a moment,

his smile faded, and he nodded. “You are right. This is indeed not the time to be flashy.”

He then straightforwardly ordered his guards to arrange the matter, saying no more.

After spending this time together, Matthew had formed a clear judgment of Regg's character.

He could see that Regg was not one of those arrogant and spoiled noble scions.

On the contrary, this Eldest Young Master of the Fiery Lion family acted with caution and knew how to assess the situation. He was capable of listening patiently and weighing options calmly when presented with advice, displaying a composure and foresight that surpassed his years.

This trait carried the distinct bearing of a legitimate noble heir.

It was precisely because of this that Matthew dared to propose a suggestion that seemed like “keeping a low profile” before entering the city.

He knew that Regg would not reject a reasonable plan out of pride or empty bravado; instead, he would understand the practical considerations behind it.

This was both Matthew's trust in Regg's character and his choice based on a clear evaluation of the situation.

A moment later, the guard who had gone to negotiate with the merchant caravan rode back to report to Regg. “Young Master, it has been settled with that merchant caravan.”

Regg nodded slightly and hesitated no longer, immediately raising his hand to order, “Everyone, follow the merchant caravan into the city.”

As soon as his voice fell, the members of the caravan packed up their gear, drove their horses and damaged carriages forward, and slowly merged into the local merchant caravan preparing to enter the city.

The wheels rolled once more. Amid the flow of the merchant caravan, everyone headed toward the towering gates of Abilan County Seat.

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