As usual, he carried a load of vegetables on his shoulder, sweat streaming down his head as he slowly made his way toward the city gate, one solid step at a time.
At that moment, he looked up and noticed that something was different at the gate.
There were more guards than usual, along with several massive devices erected at the entrance. It seemed that everyone had to pass through them before entering.
He paid it no mind. He was infiltrating through a dream, and with the identity of an old farmer, there should not have been any problem.
When he reached the gate and was about to enter from the side, someone beside him shouted, "Hey, old man, come over and line up for inspection."
The middle-aged man pretended not to hear and continued walking inside. Then his back suddenly tightened as someone grabbed him and forcibly dragged him back.
His face flushed red as he cursed, "Who is it? Stop pulling me!"
The guard behind him chuckled. "Neil, quit pretending. Hurry over for inspection. The City Lord ordered that everyone entering the city these days must be checked. Old people, children—no exceptions."
Neil's heart gave a violent jolt.
After everyone from the intelligence department had vanished here, he had exhausted every possible method without managing to get in. He had succeeded several times by working from the outside, but his identity had always been exposed. This time, he had specifically chosen an old farmer in order to avoid the high chance of a professional being discovered.
Was Dole really this cautious?
"Alright, alright, sir, be gentler. Let me put down my vegetables first."
The guard did not insist. He let the old farmer down, unconcerned inwardly. This old farmer came every day, and he had long remembered him.