Chapter 16: Urgent Recruitment

After completing a round of body forging, it was already late at night.

Wang Xi lay sprawled on the bed, drenched in sweat, gasping heavily.

“Huff, huff...”

He rested for a while but still felt intense pain all over, as if his body was about to fall apart.

He hadn’t expected that using the cultivation technique card would require going through such a grueling personal ordeal.

Fortunately, the data provided by Carus was reliable.

On the card interface in his mind, it clearly displayed:

“Randall Body Forging Method (Technique Card / White One-Star): 51/100”

After nearly three hours of forging his body, the card had gained one experience point. Although it had been extremely tough and drained much of his strength, Wang Xi felt it was worth it.

His power was gradually improving, which invigorated him.

“So tired, so sore, so sleepy…”

He fought off the exhaustion, wiped himself off briefly, and immediately fell asleep.

After a short while, just as Wang Xi was drifting in and out of sleep, he caught a faint sound outside the door.

He snapped his eyes open.

“Someone’s here!”

It was very late; muffled snores came from neighboring rooms and upstairs.

Anyone moving around at this hour was likely up to no good.

The inn was notorious for frequent crimes, and Wang Xi instantly lost the desire to sleep.

Clang…

He rolled off the bed and quietly drew his long sword.

Barefoot, he cautiously approached the door.

Click.

The door opened from the outside, and a furtive figure slipped inside.

Wang Xi’s expression hardened as he prepared to grab the intruder by the neck and subdue them.

“Hm?”

His outstretched hand froze mid-air. “Godariel?”

“Ah!”

The girl was startled by the young man behind the door.

Seeing the sword in his hand, she shuddered with lingering fear. Fortunately, Gai recognized her, or else the consequences would have been dire.

“Sorry, Gai,” Godariel said, lowering her head in shame. “I was scared and couldn’t sleep, so I came to find you.”

“...”

Wang Xi stared at her without speaking.

He first closed the door, then sheathed his sword.

Then, pulling the stunned Godariel, he gently pushed her onto the bed and lay down outside the bed frame himself.

“You can sleep with me tonight,” Wang Xi said.

“You sleep inside, I’ll sleep outside. That way you won’t be scared.”

“...”

In the darkness, only the girl’s heavy breathing was audible.

After a while, she blushed and whispered softly:

“Thank you, Gai.”

With that, Godariel moved closer, wrapping her arms tightly around Wang Xi from behind and burying her head against him.

Wang Xi was too exhausted to resist.

So much so that when the girl called softly later, he didn’t even hear it… Godariel stopped unfastening his clothes and looked at him with a hint of grievance.

...

The next morning.

At dawn, Wang Xi woke up.

Godariel was still sound asleep behind him. Not wanting to disturb her, he quietly dressed and slipped out of the inn.

Wang Xi wandered briefly around the town, inquiring about the situation.

As a trading town, Buchanan indeed had many caravans, but most operated only in surrounding areas, shuttling between the Duchy of Dunkirk and several other counties.

There were caravans heading to the royal capital, but those belonged to large merchant guilds that passed through only once every few months.

Hearing this, Wang Xi was disappointed.

When he returned to the Three Trout Inn, Godariel was already awake, having finished washing and waiting quietly in the room.

“Did you find a caravan going to the royal capital?” the girl asked eagerly.

Wang Xi shook his head.

“It’s okay, we’ll keep looking,” Godariel said, stepping forward to comfort him. “If nothing works, we can leave Buchanan and head to Chalk Fort.”

“Chalk Fort is about eighty kilometers from here, maybe five or six days on foot. It’s a bustling place, definitely has caravans bound for the capital.”

Wang Xi nodded, feeling somewhat better.

Seeing his tension ease, Godariel smiled as well.

“Wow! Twenty gold coins!”

“Typical Spindle Guild, so wealthy!”

“Maybe you should try—it’s possible you could be selected.”

“With your skills, you’d be trampled by a wild boar! Don’t go embarrass yourself, hahaha…”

At that moment, a commotion came from downstairs.

Wang Xi and Godariel exchanged glances.

“Let’s check it out,” he said.

The two went downstairs to the courtyard.

A group of idle men were drinking and chatting, seemingly discussing some novel event.

Wang Xi scanned the crowd.

He noticed the innkeeper, a tall, thin middle-aged man wearing an apron, leaning against a wooden post.

“What are they talking about?”

Wang Xi approached and asked the man.

The innkeeper glanced at him, eyes briefly resting on his collar and the sword at his waist. His casual expression shifted slightly before he forced a respectful smile.

“Sir, it’s about the Spindle Guild. Their caravan just arrived in Buchanan this morning and posted a notice in the town square, offering high pay to recruit guards…”

Seemingly recognizing Wang Xi’s noble demeanor, the innkeeper detailed the matter thoroughly.

After listening, Wang Xi raised an eyebrow.

The Spindle Guild was a major merchant association headquartered in the royal capital. This caravan passing through Buchanan had apparently suffered heavy losses among their hired guards on the road and was urgently recruiting skilled fighters.

They even offered a high price of twenty gold coins.

Within the kingdom, one gold coin could be exchanged for forty to fifty silver coins and could buy a cow or several horses. This payment was exceedingly generous—equivalent to a peasant family’s income for several years, or even over a decade.

Wang Xi intended to give it a try.

He wasn’t chasing the high pay but because the caravan was returning to the capital—the timing was perfect.

“Thanks.” Wang Xi pulled out a silver coin and handed it to the innkeeper. “By the way, the bathing maid in your inn is excellent.”

“Sir, you are generous. We look forward to your next visit.”

The middle-aged man smiled warmly as he accepted the coin.

Wang Xi turned and left the inn with Godariel, heading straight to the town square.

Soon, he located the caravan.

A large crowd had gathered in an open space beside the wall, bustling with activity.

Wang Xi pushed through and stepped inside.

Several men who were pushed aside glared angrily but stopped themselves upon noticing Wang Xi’s attire and sword belt.

“Good day, sir.”

They bowed respectfully and stepped back.

Wang Xi nodded slightly, offering a faint apology.

At the center, two men were sparring.

One clad in armor wielded a sword; the other wore a waistcoat and held a hunting knife.

Clang, clang!

The armored man looked like a guard, wearing a surcoat emblazoned with the Spindle emblem. His attacks were fierce, pressing the other man back with several sword strikes.

Clang!

With a powerful stroke, he broke through the knife’s defense and kicked the opponent hard in the chest, sending him sprawling.

Thud!

“That’s enough,” the armored man said, shaking his head with disappointment.

His face, framed by a mustache, showed regret.

The opponent covered his chest, stood up embarrassed, and quickly left.

“Ninth one today!”

“Most are defeated within a few moves.”

“Truly the Spindle Guild—any guard here is that formidable.”

“This swordsmanship rivals knights, doesn’t it?”

At that moment, the armored guard sheathed his sword and approached a thin middle-aged man wearing a hat, whispering something.

Around the man were seven or eight guards.

Wang Xi thought for a moment, then stepped out of the crowd and walked toward them.

His movement immediately attracted attention.

Both the caravan’s managers and guards, as well as onlookers, turned their gazes to him.

“Another one showing up!”

“He looks so young.”

“Not an ordinary person. A noble?”

“A noble wouldn’t come here to be a guard…”

The crowd buzzed with speculation.

Godariel glanced left and right, clutching her clothes nervously, silently praying for Gai.

“Young man, here to apply as a guard?” the man with the hat stopped talking and examined Wang Xi with a smile.

He wore a silk waistcoat and an embroidered wool apron, appearing quite distinguished.

“Yes, may I try?”

Wang Xi nodded, glancing at the guards beside him.

“Spindle Caravan Guard Captain Bennett (Yellow/Two-Star)”

“Spindle Caravan Guard Wao (Yellow/One-Star)”

“Spindle Caravan Guard Polk (Yellow/One-Star)”

“...”

Yellow denoted neutral units.

Among these guards, Captain Bennett was the strongest, the mustachioed man who had just fought.

Wang Xi wasn’t sure of his current strength level or rank in this world, but even without protective gear or a chainsaw, he felt confident against this captain.

“Alright,” the man with the hat considered, then said to the side, “Polk, you’ll test this young man. Be careful not to hurt him.”

“Yes, Lord White.”

The burly guard called Polk bowed and strode to the center, drawing his sword and gesturing to Wang Xi.

Wang Xi stepped forward and drew his sword as well.

“Begin,” he said.

Polk immediately advanced with a plain vertical chop.

Following the manager’s orders, he restrained his force.

Wang Xi held his sword with both hands, lowered his stance slightly, and flicked the blade to parry.

Clang!

The swords clashed with a ringing sound.

Sparks flew as Wang Xi launched his counterattack.

Switching from defense to offense, two diagonal slashes descended, blocked precisely by his opponent.

Then, a swift upward flick and horizontal sweep forced Polk to retreat several steps.

Clang, clang!

Polk’s expression darkened immediately.

This young man’s swordsmanship was more refined than expected, and his physical strength was formidable.

The force and vibrations transmitted through the blade left his wrist and thumb numb.

He found no chance to counterattack!

Clang!

Wang Xi advanced two steps, gripping the blunt part of his sword with his left hand, swinging it horizontally to break Polk’s defense with an advanced technique.

Following through, he flipped the blade and struck Polk’s chest with the pommel like a serpent’s strike.

Thunk!

Even with leather armor, the blunt blow caused Polk internal pain.

Stumble, stumble!

The guard lost balance and fell hard to the ground.

Covering his chest, he admitted with respect:

“I lost.”

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers.