Shen Yanchuan slightly raised the corners of his eyebrows: “What do you mean?”
Lian Zhou paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, “When I watched those men walk, they stood upright with brisk steps; they really seemed to be… people from a military camp!”
Shen Yanchuan’s gaze hardened, and a cold light flashed in his eyes: “Are you sure?”
“Almost certainly,” Lian Zhou replied with certainty.
He himself came from the military and was very familiar with such things; he would never make a mistake in judgment.
Although those men were dressed in simple clothes and looked no different from ordinary civilians at first glance, there were still subtle differences to be noticed.
Those trained in a military camp would more or less carry the unique habits of soldiers. Even if they tried their best to disguise themselves, there were certain traits that were not so easy to change.
Shen Yanchuan lowered his gaze in deep thought.
Shi Tan City was a small place, nestled against mountains and by water, with beautiful scenery and simple, honest folk customs.
If it weren’t for the sudden downpour, they might not have chosen to rest there at all.
Yet, by chance, they discovered such a mystery.
“Are those men in the prime of their lives?”
“Not exactly. Three of them are just over twenty, and that leader seems to be around thirty.”
Lian Zhou had some suspicions, but he wasn’t entirely sure, so he said hesitantly:
“However, working in a iron mine is indeed physical labor; it’s possible they specifically hired veterans, after all.”
Shen Yanchuan asked in a calm voice, “Do you think those men have any disabilities?”
Lian Zhou recalled for a moment before shaking his head: “No. All of them have complete limbs and look quite robust.”
Shen Yanchuan slightly raised his thin lips, but the corners of his eyes and eyebrows seemed to carry a hint of frost.
He said calmly, “Although there haven’t been major wars in recent years, we are still surrounded by hostile forces, and guarding the borders is a tough task. Not many soldiers are able to retire in good health, especially at such a young age.”
Lian Zhou’s expression tightened: “What do you mean, master?”
Shen Yanchuan looked out the window; the night was deep, with no stars or moon in sight, only dark clouds pouring down rain.
The leaves on the trees swayed in the wind and rain, making the bare branches seem even more desolate and chilly.
After a moment, he let out a light laugh and said with interest, “This Shi Tan City is indeed interesting…”
It’s just a wonder whose hand has already reached here…
……
The rain continued unabated the next day as well.
Shen Yanchuan decided to stay on.
Xu Jie didn’t send anyone else over; presumably, realizing that his plan hadn’t succeeded, he had retreated for the time being.
Finally, in the afternoon, the rain began to subside a bit.
Shen Yanchuan put on a bamboo hat and quietly climbed out through the window on the second floor.
By the time he reappeared on the main street, he had transformed into a completely different person.
Một khuôn mặt trẻ tuổi bình thường, mặc một bộ áo choàng đen rộng thùng thình; đầu hơi cúi xuống, chiếc mũ lông che khuất một nửa khuôn mặt. Trong đám đông, anh ta thực sự không hề nổi bật chút nào.
Nước đọng trên mặt đường có chỗ sâu có chỗ cạn; những giọt mưa tạo ra những vòng sóng nhỏ, làm xáo trộn bóng dáng thẳng tắp của anh ta trong làn nước.
Anh ta tiếp tục đi về phía đông thành phố.
Theo thông tin mà người bạn đồng hành mang về, mỏ sắt nằm ở hướng đông nam của Thành phố Thạch Tản.
Trước đó họ cũng đã đi từ hướng đông đến đây, nhưng lúc đó trời đang mưa to; họ không để ý đến những chi tiết khác.
Trên đường phố không có mấy người, chỉ thỉnh thoảng có vài người qua lại vội vã.
“Cô gái ơi, chúng ta nên về nhanh hơn nữa; nếu trời lại mưa to thì không tốt đâu!”
Cô hầu nhỏ cầm ô nói lên với giọng nói lo lắng.
Người phụ nữ đi cùng cô ấy cười và đáp lại: “Được.”
Nghe thấy tiếng đó, Shen Yanchuan dừng bước lại và quay đầu nhìn lại.
