The Wind's Wanderer

DARKNESS OVER THE CITY

CHAPTER 4: DARKNESS OVER THE CITY

The midday sun was still shining down into the dead-end alley, casting light on the old, moss-covered stone walls.

I crouched down and poured out all the money I had just taken from that guy Andrew into my palm. 2 shiny gold coins, 10 silver coins, and 30 copper coins.

I still didn't know the exact exchange rate, but just holding them I could feel their value. With this amount, I wouldn't starve.

"Alright, first thing I need to do is change out of this outfit."

I looked down at the rough, dirty burlap dress I was wearing. Walking around like this was no different from holding up a sign that said "I am an escaped slave" on my chest.

I slunk out of the dark alley and blended into the bustling crowd on the street.

This city was much larger and more developed than I had imagined. Stone and wood buildings with Western-style architecture stood close together, with domes and ancient pillars mixed among bustling shops. Passersby wore all kinds of clothing, from long cloaks and simple armor to luxurious fabrics.

The air here was both lively and somewhat stifling.

I walked while looking around, trying to adjust my gait to look as much like a local as possible. After wandering around and asking for directions for a while, I finally found a second-hand clothing store in a small alley.

"Welcome, customer."

The owner was a slightly chubby middle-aged man with a rather kind-looking face. He glanced at my appearance but didn't ask many questions.

I pointed to an outfit hanging in the corner. It was a set consisting of an undershirt and an outer coat made of rough ash-gray fabric, with a pair of long pants, looking quite loose and convenient for moving around.

"How much for this set?"

The owner calculated for a moment and then replied:

"Hmm, that set is second-hand but the fabric is still very good, if you want it it's 30 copper coins."

30 copper coins?

I took a silver coin out of my pocket and gave it to him to make change, ready to learn the exchange rate of this world. The owner gave me back 70 copper coins.

1 silver coin could be exchanged for 100 copper coins, so this outfit only cost less than one-third of a silver coin.

So cheap!

Then the amount of money I have right now is truly a huge fortune!

After buying the clothes, I spent a few more copper coins to buy a small cross-body leather bag to conveniently hold my money and dagger. Then I slipped into a hidden corner to change clothes and cut my hair.

I pulled out the dagger and quickly made a few slashes, cutting off my long, jet-black hair that reached down to my back. The cut was short, a bit ugly and uneven, but it looked much more masculine, good enough to hide my gender quite well.

"Now I look a bit more like a boy."

I examined myself in a puddle of water on the ground. Satisfied!

The sun gradually set behind the rooftops, the sky turned orange-red and then completely dark. The city lit up, oil lamps from shops and eateries shining brightly.

A fierce hunger attacked me. From yesterday until now I hadn't had a proper meal.

I found a cheap tavern-eatery in the night market area, where all kinds of people gathered, making it very easy to hide my identity.

I sat in a corner and looked up at the wooden board:

Wild boar skewers - 6 coins

White bean soup stewed with bone - 3 coins

Black bread - 2 coins

Rabbit stewed in apple wine - 12 coins

Oatmeal porridge with scallions - 2 coins

Crispy fried river fish - 8 coins

Salted boiled eggs - 2 coins for a pair

"Give me one plate of grilled wild boar, one bowl of hot soup, and one loaf of bread!"

Filling my stomach was the top priority.

While waiting for the food to be brought out, my ears accidentally caught the conversation of a few men sitting at the table next to me. They were speaking in low voices but with an excited and panicked tone.

"Hey, did you hear about the slave trading district?"

"Don't even mention it, all morning every customer coming into my shop has been talking about it."

"I heard the guys in black armor cut down soldiers like cutting grass."

"Don't believe everything. Rumors get exaggerated after passing through a few mouths."

"Exaggerated my ass? The city gates are really closed, and the streets are full of patrol soldiers."

"Yeah, that's true. I just passed the square and got stopped and questioned twice."

"I heard they even killed innocent buyers too. The slaves who took advantage of the chaos to run are all now criminals or dangerous slaves..."

My hand holding the grilled meat suddenly froze.

I didn't expect the attack to be so earth-shattering and cause such a huge shock. Not only were those black-armored guys formidable, but now the entire city was on red alert.

Those criteria... seemed to perfectly match my current situation.

If I were caught now, nothing good would definitely happen.

"I didn't expect the situation to be this serious..."

I hurriedly finished my dinner, paid, and quickly left the eatery.

Outside it was pitch black. The streets were gradually becoming deserted.

I couldn't go anywhere else at this time. The city gates were closed, and patrol soldiers were as numerous as fish in water.

The only thing I could do right now was...

I looked at a blurry sign in the alley next to me: "Peaceful Inn".

I need to find a place to sleep for the night first. I'll figure out the rest tomorrow.