Dare to provoke our Black Wind Stronghold, you're dead!

He looked at Asuma, his eyes full of admiration. "You two really aren't ordinary people!"

Asuma put away his kunai and lazily waved a hand. "Piece of cake.

So, brother, can we join now?"

The middle-aged man laughed heartily and nodded repeatedly. "Join! Of course you can join! Our caravan would love to have experts like you!"

He paused, his tone turning more sincere. "But I still have to charge the thousand ryo I mentioned earlier.

Those are the rules. Businessmen have to keep their word.

But I can promise this: if we run into trouble on the road and you have to step in, I'll pay back those thousand ryo double. How about it?"

Kawaki Aoba gave him a cold look, his tone as calm as ever. "Deal."

Asuma grinned and patted Kawaki Aoba on the shoulder. "See? I told you this would be easy.

Aoba, quit making that cold face all the time. Give us a smile!"

Kawaki Aoba glanced at him and said blandly, "No need."

The middle-aged man looked at the two of them and could not help but laugh. "You two—one as cold as ice, the other as lazy as a cat—you really are a perfect pair.

All right, enough talk. Get yourselves sorted and prepare to leave! Our caravan has to reach the next stop tonight, so don't hold us up!"

The caravan members scattered and began bustling about.

Some quietly discussed the performance from earlier, while others secretly sized up Kawaki Aoba and Asuma, their eyes filled with curiosity and awe.

Kawaki Aoba stood where he was, his gaze sweeping across the caravan as his brows furrowed slightly, as though he were pondering something.

Asuma leaned close and whispered, "Aoba, do you think there's something fishy about this caravan? That old guy looks