But one passerby alone told Ogre that he had seen a boy in the area on the night the Gathered Heroes Group was attacked. That, however, was all.
"This doesn't amount to any evidence at all..."
A faint smile appeared on Ogre's lips, and he headed back toward the guard station.
"No evidence is wonderful, actually. Now I can report this to my superiors and collect the reward. Even pocketing it all would be perfectly justified!"
He had walked less than a few hundred meters when the street's quiet was broken by the rapid rumble of wheels.
In a run-down district like this, even in the area controlled by the Gathered Heroes Group, mud, sand, and pebbles covered the ground, making the sound of carriages especially grating.
"Which noble could it be? Or is it a freight wagon? No, none of that matters..."
Ogre was about to turn around, but the sight that met his eyes forced them wide open.
A boy who looked only in his teens was racing forward, pulling a wooden cart.
His astonishing speed was not the main point. What mattered more was the meat loaded on his cart-
The sheer weight was staggering!
How could he move so swiftly while hauling such a heavy load?
As Ogre saw it, although the boy's arm muscles were powerful, they were nowhere near as developed and thick as those of a soldier like himself, who trained day and night.
"Could he be an Imperial Arms user? Impossible... He must simply have been born with tremendous strength. There have been prodigies with exceptionally dense muscles before."
Ogre worked to convince himself as he continued watching the boy.
The boy ran from the foot of the mountain to a restaurant, where several employees came out to greet him and led him inside.
He appeared to be an employee of the restaurant.
With strength like that in his arms, working at a restaurant was something of a waste of his talents.
Although Ogre loved money as much as life itself, he also had a side that cared for his subordinates.
Having taken notice of Lin Feng, he walked straight into the restaurant.
"Where's that boy from just now?"
Without waiting for an employee to greet him, Ogre came straight to the point.
"Sir, who are you looking for?"
Ogre looked around. There were quite a few sturdy young men and boys in the kitchen.
"I'm looking for the boy who just pulled a cart into your establishment."
Although Ogre's wording was rather overbearing, his tone was firm and resolute, completely unlike the impression those thugs gave.
Hearing this, Lin Feng was rather baffled. He took two steps forward and stepped out.
"That's me."
"Good."
This was exactly what Ogre wanted. A straightforward answer could reflect the potential to be a soldier.
"I'm Ogre, captain of the Imperial Guard's Thirteenth District. I'm giving you this, and I hope you'll give it serious consideration."
Ogre took a creased sheet of stationery from inside his clothes, then strode away.
The armor on his shoulders gave a dull clank with every step, echoing through the little restaurant long afterward.
Lin Feng unfolded the paper. It turned out to be a letter of invitation.
"You possess the qualities of an imperial soldier. I hereby invite you to join the Imperial Guard. You can be approved for admission after passing a simple test. This is a privilege granted through my recommendation."
"If you have confidence in your strength and believe you can accept harsh training and challenges, you are welcome at any time. Change your destiny!"
"Deliver this letter of recommendation to the Thirteenth District guard station before tomorrow, then simply wait for me to arrive."
That was what the letter said, and it was signed by Ogre, captain of the Thirteenth District Guard.
Ogre rarely took an immediate liking to a prospective subordinate, but the monstrous strength Lin Feng had displayed today was truly hard for him to forget.
"So it's a recommendation letter from a guard captain! Lin Feng, if you join the Guard, there's no imagining what your future could hold!"
"Exactly! There's no better organization than the Guard, is there? In this empire, military power is everything!"
"Other people fight tooth and nail and still can't get in, yet he came here specifically to invite you today. Could it be a trick?"
"Lin Feng has the strength for it. Let him decide for himself!"
The restaurant workers all began talking at once.
Looking at the letter, Lin Feng pondered for a long time, filled with an indescribable feeling.
Gratitude for the opportunity? Suspicions of a conspiracy? Reluctance to part with his coworkers?
In truth, it was more an unease about the future.
But Lin Feng was by no means someone who would remain trapped in his present circumstances.
He would never miss an opportunity within his grasp. Although he did not know whether the guard captain's attempt to recruit him had anything to do with his wiping out the Gathered Heroes Group,
Lin Feng was certainly not afraid of trouble!
"Manager, everyone, and especially you, Sheele-I have to give this a try. Manager, do you remember the agreement we made as men?"
"Of course!" the manager said with a smile.
The gold coins Lin Feng had brought them earlier were enough for them to close the restaurant and live without worrying about food or clothing for half a lifetime.
The manager was already deeply grateful that Lin Feng had stayed to work in his restaurant. He had to let this boy fulfill his ambitions!
Sheele blinked her clear, limpid eyes. Beneath her long lashes, her purple eyes were filled with an inexpressible attachment.
"Lin Feng, if you join the Guard, does that mean we'll have to part?"
"Well..."
Lin Feng went over and stroked Sheele's head. Sheele did not respond with any particular playfulness. She was simply far too unaccustomed to a life without Lin Feng.
And how could Lin Feng bear to be without this girl he had grown up with, who was like a little sister to him?
"Sheele, you can't bear to leave me, but can you bear to leave the restaurant?"
"I..."
Sheele looked at everyone in the restaurant. Their faces were all full of determination.
Their determination was entirely unanimous: they had to get Sheele out of there as soon as possible. They could not let her keep breaking plates!
"Sheele, go with Lin Feng! If you really can't find work, come back to the restaurant, and we'll help you out!"
"Make sure you live the life you dream of, Sheele! We're bound to meet again somewhere!"
Everyone's enthusiasm left Sheele at a loss for what to do.
With everyone's encouragement, Sheele finally decided to follow her heart.
"-Yes!! Lin Feng, I really do want to go with you after all!"
"Then I'll have to ask you to help bring me my meals."
At Lin Feng's words, Sheele's eyes curved into smiling crescents, and the unease and bewilderment on her face vanished completely.
Under the yellowish lamplight, her face looked so fair and lovely, adding a touch of warmth to Lin Feng's heart.
"Lin Feng, come here a moment."
The manager took Lin Feng into the kitchen and spoke a few words to him in a low voice.
"I've seen this officer before. He really does hold a prominent position. It doesn't seem like a trick."
"I've heard that the Imperial Guard is extremely corrupt inside, with officials colluding with local powers. Danger lurks everywhere, so you must be careful!"
"Manager, I understand what you mean."
Lin Feng's eyes were filled with a maturity and resolve beyond his years.
"If this turns out to be a trap, I'll repay the suffering of being deceived twofold someday. If officialdom is corrupt, then we can only change it through our own strength-"
"In this turbulent world, where even running a little shop to make a living brings unprovoked bullying, running away simply isn't something I can do."
Hearing Lin Feng's words, the manager patted him on the shoulder and said nothing more.
Early the next morning, Lin Feng set off with Sheele.
The two changed into their most presentable everyday clothes and walked forward side by side, pushing open the guard station's doors amid the bleak north wind.