Pangtuo City

Twenty li southeast of Pangtuo City, a merchant caravan flying the banner of the Land, Sea, and Air Merchant Guild was slowly making its way north.

Hundreds of carts, laden with grain and other supplies, made for an impressively long procession.

Numerous knights, armed and armored, guarded both flanks. Hundreds of keen eyes scanned the surroundings through their visors. This was the Gannan Province grain convoy, escorted by logistical troops.

Their destination was clear: Pangtuo City.

Halfway along the route, the lead knight suddenly signaled for everyone to stop and stand on guard.

In an instant, all the knights rode forward and formed ranks.

Before long, clouds of dust rose in the distance, and the sound of hoofbeats drew closer.

When the lead knight saw that the approaching riders were scouts he had sent out, some of his tension eased. He did not let his guard down completely, however, because several unidentified knights were accompanying them.

When the two groups were two hundred meters apart, one of the scouts shouted, "Brigade Commander! Don't worry! These men are scouts sent out by Pangtuo City to patrol!"

As he spoke, more than twenty riders drew near, then reined in and stopped ten meters away.

Two scouts from each side rode forward to greet the logistics brigade commander in charge of the convoy.

One of the Pangtuo City scouts hurriedly dismounted and ran up to ask, "Are you the officer in charge of transporting grain for the Land, Sea, and Air Merchant Guild?"

The logistics brigade commander was named Merman. He had once been a member of the Blood Knight Mercenary Group and was Old Walker's distant cousin.

Thanks to that connection, he had landed a lucrative, low-risk post in the logistical troops.

Of course, Renard hadn't simply hired him out of favoritism.