Chapter 156: Niumu

"Thump-thud."

The wheels spinning at high speed crushed the gravel on the road, causing the carriage to rise and fall with a bumpy ride.

Under normal circumstances, for a passenger sitting inside, if one failed to control their center of gravity, just this single jolt would cause them to stumble.

With bad luck, colliding with something sharp-edged would not be an exaggeration for a bloody head.

But Xia Nan sat rock-steady.

His body leaned against the soft-padded chair back, hands crossed and resting on his lower abdomen, eyelids slightly closed, as if taking a short nap.

It was clear he had not anticipated the carriage's bumps in advance, nor was he fully focused, concentrating his attention to control his muscles and bones to maintain his center of gravity.

It was like "breathing" or "blinking," requiring no extra allocation of mental focus; under the action of instinct, he subconsciously kept his body in a state of balance unaffected by external changes.

As for the reason behind this.

On one hand, it came from the professional specialty 【Tidal Stabilization】.

One of its effects was to grant Xia Nan stronger balance ability when on an unstable surface.

Previously, his understanding of this specialty was merely that he wouldn't easily fall in combat and could control his center of gravity.

Through gradual testing over these days, he had gradually gained a deeper understanding of its manifestation of ability.

Let's take a few simple examples.

If he could return to his previous life with this skill, regardless of other factors, Xia Nan should be able to achieve certain accomplishments in "skiing" and "surfing."

Not to mention winning how many championships, at the very least, a professional level should be easily within reach.

Standing on a skateboard, a normal person couldn't push him over even with force; it was truly a bit of a bug.

On the other hand, it naturally stemmed from his current Agility attribute, which was also as high as eight.

【Whirlwind Slash】, Dew, 【Fang Hunt】, and the physical attribute boosts brought by 【Blade Hunter's Roam】.

On the Attribute Panel, it might simply show the number rising from the initial "5" to "7" or "8."

A change of two or three points.

But the actual impact on the body was far greater than the forty or sixty percent that appeared on the surface.

To some extent, Xia Nan's current body had gradually detached from the previous life's understanding of the "Human" species.

Those so-called human limits and world records were no longer applicable to him.

In terms of combat, if combined with his own combat experience and equipped combat techniques, the gap between Xia Nan and ordinary people reached a level that could be described as a world of difference.

Just like the bandits who ambushed the caravan by night over ten days ago.

Seemingly numerous in number, they were even equipped with several well-armed cavalrymen, looking quite the part.

But they were only bullying the ordinary guards in the caravan who had not yet obtained a Professional Level.

Once Xia Nan took action, the situation on the entire battlefield almost became one-sided.

Swinging the Zhan Shou Chang Jian casually for a couple of turns resulted in a large pile of severed internal organs and limbs;

Wanting to escape, how could they outrun the wolf howls hunting from behind?

As for those two or three cavalrymen, Xia Nan was too lazy to exert effort; he merely slightly adjusted their Gravity center of gravity, and they fell off their horses on their own.

Not a single one was spared; the entire battle ended decisively in less than ten minutes.

He didn't even sweat a few drops.

It is worth mentioning that although all the bandits were killed, their horses were all left behind, mostly intact and unharmed, except for one whose leg was cut by a blade during the fight, appearing slightly lame.

They should be able to sell for some Gold Coins.

And as Xia Nan, who temporarily served as a "guard" in the capacity of a "passenger," naturally, he would also receive a corresponding share of the profits.

The specific amount had already been communicated to him by the caravan leader, and would be delivered to the Baishanque Tavern after the spoils, including horses and bandit equipment, were processed.

Based on the experience accumulated from so many missions, this sum of money should not be too large.

But it would be more than enough to offset the carriage fare.

This greatly eased the mood of Xia Nan, whose small treasury had shrunk significantly just recently due to forging equipment.

"Snap!"

Suddenly, a door-knocking sound that rang out abruptly interrupted his thoughts.

Vaguely visible was a messy-haired, dirty little boy jumping and following along outside the carriage.

In his hand, he held high a stack of gray-white newspapers.

"Wickliffe gravely ill, dark clouds gather over the position of Niumu City Lord!"

"The Moon Feast is approaching; five things you must pay attention to!"

"Sir, sir! For just two copper coins, you can..."

The boy had barely spoken half his sentence when the commotion he made attracted the attention of the guards accompanying the caravan.

"Do you want to lose your life, daring to sell newspapers here!?"

"Go, go, go!"

As if this had been done countless times before.

The guard had barely stepped off the carriage when the little boy waving the newspaper at the window tucked the papers under his arm, turned around, and ran off at full speed without the slightest hesitation.

Like a little mouse suddenly caught in a beam of light, he vanished in the blink of an eye into the deep, dimly lit alleys on both sides.

He waved to the caravan guard at the window, who wore an apologetic expression, signaling that the other need not worry.

Xia Nan put back the two copper coins he had just taken out of his money pouch not long ago, feeling regret in his heart.

He had actually wanted to buy a newspaper.

After all, being new to the place, he was eager to learn some detailed information about "Niumu Cheng."

Even gossip news would do; at the very least, it would allow him to get to know a few more people.

Unfortunately, the windows of this carriage were sealed and could not be opened or closed; to interact with the outside, one had to open the carriage door, making it impossible to complete a transaction with the newsboy inside the carriage.

But that was all.

It's just a newspaper; you can buy one anywhere by the roadside after getting off the vehicle, no need to rush now.

Xia Nan sat alone in the carriage, gazing out the window.

What met his eyes was no longer the fields and wastelands he had grown tired of along the long road, but rows of neat, orderly houses and wide, bustling streets.

His ears no longer heard only the creaking of rolling wheels and the annoying howl of wind sweeping across the plains.

Instead, there was added the clamor of passersby and street vendors moving about.

After a journey of stops and starts, spanning more than half a month of tedious travel, the caravan finally reached their destination:

——Niumu.

To be fair, this entire journey, even after that night, had encountered no further difficulties.

Neither monsters nor bandits had shown up.

But for Xia Nan, the experience was nothing short of torture.

No soft, comfortable bed in a hotel room, no steaming, milk-scented mushroom soup, not even training his combat techniques was easy—he could only practice a few moves during stops to rest the caravan.

Compared to life in River Valley Town, the only advantage of riding the carriage was that at night, it was slightly quieter, sparing him the noise from the tavern downstairs.

To some extent, because he had to remain constantly alert, vigilant for monsters that might appear at any moment, time felt as if it was flying by.

Even when adventuring in Mist Forest, he had never suffered this much.

Especially for Xia Nan, who came from a modern society that had enjoyed the convenience of technological transportation.

He had never in his life missed so dearly his garage's old, battered car, which had been running for years, nor the crowded subway car during morning rush hour, thick with all manner of smells.

Yet, based on his observations during this time, magic power in this world was highly advanced; "teleportation" technology likely existed.

It was possible that technological creations like trains or flying vehicles had already been developed and put into practical use through magical means.

Perhaps he simply lived in a remote rural area and had never encountered information about them?

As he pondered this, the carriage's speed slowed further after entering the city, until it finally came to a stop—slow enough for children to run alongside.

"Mr. Xia Nan, we've arrived."

A respectful voice came from outside the window.

Xia Nan packed his belongings and stepped down from the carriage.

"Sir, your loot, as we discussed, will be sold at market price and stored with Mr. Chaputun at Baishanque Tavern."

"Mm, just mention my name when the time comes," Xia Nan nodded. "I mentioned it to him before I left—perfect timing now."

After a brief exchange, he was about to leave when the caravan captain hesitated, then cautiously asked:

"No offense intended, but may I ask when you plan to return? If your schedule allows, perhaps…"

He understood—the captain wanted to pick him up again on the way back to River Valley Town.

He could fully understand.

Having a professional like Xia Nan as a passenger meant earning fare, doubling as a guard during danger, no extra pay required, and even keeping a portion of the loot as extra income.

It was almost entirely beneficial.

Xia Nan didn't mind, but the duration of this mission was uncertain.

If things went smoothly, he might return to the city tomorrow;

but if complications arose, staying in Niumu for ten or fifteen days was entirely possible.

So he shook his head and politely declined:

"Take care of your own business. Don't wait for me—I'll find another caravan to take me back."

With that, the caravan captain had no reason to press further; he offered a few more kind words and took his leave.

With his luggage in hand, Xia Nan stood on the street, orienting himself.

The caravan had entered the city as evening fell.

Though he knew his destination, going to investigate now would be inappropriate.

He planned to find a hotel, rest well tonight, regain his energy, and gather some information.

Then, when dawn broke tomorrow, he would head to the address on the note…

"Pata."

Suddenly, a light, fleeting footstep came from behind.

He instinctively shifted his body aside.

The next moment, a youthful figure swayed past him.

He was likely an Adventurer too, but clearly new—his gear looked crude and under-equipped.

He clutched a bundle tightly against his chest.

Xia Nan frowned slightly; he had a vague memory of this person.

The young man with the childish face had also been a passenger on the caravan.

He remembered another, slightly older man traveling with him—but he had been killed by bandits' blades.

It was unfortunate: in that battle, many in the caravan were injured, but only a few died—including that man.

That was precisely why Xia Nan remembered this man's companion.

Watching the figure vanish into the crowd,

Xia Nan turned his gaze away, shook his head, and dismissed the thought.

He walked toward the other side of the street.

…

Niumu,

as the core city of Pan Yun Xing Sheng in the Servia Kingdom.

One could only say it truly had the air of a big city.

Before this, apart from River Valley Town, Xia Nan had only visited Kalanfur, its satellite town, and held no concrete impression of large cities in this world.

At present, walking down the main street.

Even though he was still very far from the city's central district.

Merely looking at the rows of storefronts and shops on both sides, with the colorful light refracted by glass display windows showcasing various goods, one could already sense the prosperity within.

Often, a city's level of development can be gauged from the clothing, appearance, and demeanor of the common people coming and going on its streets.

There were certainly disheveled-looking vagrants, but they were only a minority.

At least, the vast majority of pedestrians Xia Nan saw were dressed quite decently, with patches rarely seen on country clothes being almost absent.

Moreover, because it was evening, it was precisely the time people got off work.

People who had finished a hard day's labor moved with noticeably lighter steps, and lines of customers filled the front of food stalls.

From time to time, one could even see a family of three holding hands, walking past along the street.

This gave Xia Nan a very good first impression of the city.

Of course, based on his understanding of this world, he guessed that the area he was currently in must be a relatively wealthy district within the city.

Places like slums, one need not even think about it; they certainly existed.

Perhaps just two streets over.

On the other hand, compared to River Valley Town and Kalanfur, there was a clear difference.

Adventurers like him, fully armed, were not commonly seen on the streets.

Only occasionally could one spot a burly man clad in armor with an Iron Sword hanging at his waist, hurrying through the crowd.

Instead, there were squads of guards wearing official standard-issue equipment, looking quite heroic on the surface, marching in step down the center of the road.

No rush.

Xia Nan simply took in the customs and atmosphere of the big city, walking slowly down the main street, his gaze sweeping over the shop signs on both sides, searching for a possible inn.

【Stone Furnace Bakery】 — "Still want to eat some meat tonight; I wonder if the taverns here serve mushroom soup, and how it tastes."

【Lao Huan You Deng】 — "Should be a shop selling candles and lamps, but there seems to be no one outside."

【Ye Ying Zhi Chao】 — "Hmm..."

【San Tong Ban Za Sui】 — "The sign name looks simple and clear, a cheap butcher shop, but are there really that many flies?"

【Ge Yu Tailor Shop】 — "The storefront is very new, must have opened not long ago, and the customers are actually quite..."

"Hmm?"

His gaze paused, and he unconsciously stopped walking.

A rather subtle expression suddenly appeared on Xia Nan's face.

Limping and bustling about inside the tailor shop was a familiar figure.

He was just thinking whether to go up and say hello.

But then he saw on the other side of the street several fierce men with rolled-up sleeves, half-open shirts, deliberately revealing flashy tattoos.

They walked straight into the tailor shop's main door.

"So classic?"

(End of this chapter)