"Me? Take down a squad of guards?"
"This is madness."
On the northern road, Halbarad rode a horse the three had seized from the messenger earlier, galloping all the way.
But no matter how he rode, he couldn't see any trace of messengers or imperial guards on this road.
This made Halbarad breathe a sigh of relief.
At least he didn't have to worry about how to deal with a squad of guards.
He recalled the earlier discussion.
"Well, the three of us working together to handle escort guards is fine, but having each person deal with a squad is indeed somewhat demanding."
"How about this? We'll do our best. Even if we can't intercept the army's mobilization orders, we can still gather some intelligence. This would at least let us know what the enemy plans to do, rather than walking like a blind man without a cane, relying only on luck."
That's what those two had said.
Whoa.
The horse stopped not far from the city.
To prevent the messenger's horse from having special markings he didn't recognize, Halbarad released the horse on the spot before entering the city.
Then, covering his face as usual and donning local-style robes bought who knows where, he openly walked into the city.
Compared to ordinary residents in the city, this appearance was still somewhat conspicuous. Some people paid no attention, some saw him and walked around, while others showed disdainful looks.
Wilderness hunter, vagrant, beggar...
Whatever he was taken for, at least no one suspected he was a foreigner.
That was already half successful.
"A port city built on the inland Sea of Rhûn. They say every outsider gets confused by the noisy markets and winding alleys here."
"That's certainly true."
In an alley, Halbarad looked up at the sky.
If only I could fly.
"The eastern people are in trouble..."
Just as he was walking, some discussion from a roadside tavern made Halbarad stop in place.
"I saw them, those imperial guards from the capital went to see the city lord."
Someone said while drinking: "Just some rebels. Our Golden Cavalry's iron hooves will soon trample that area flat!"
"The last kingdom that challenged us like this was called Rhovanion. Where is it now?"
"There's no comparison. That was at least a kingdom, but what these rebels built can only be called a bandit camp..."
Drinking and discussing politics. Whether in the West or East, this was an unavoidable form of 'entertainment' for residents.
You could tell these were regular customers of the small tavern. Even the owner was agreeing with what they said, making the scene quite lively.
But with someone's entry, a discordant voice soon appeared:
"I don't think so. I heard those traitors have quite a large army!"
Halbarad strode into the tavern with an 'I'm well-informed' attitude, refuting them.
"What does that little army amount to?"
Slam!
An Easterling in leather armor immediately put down his cup and said:
"Do you know who we're sending this time? Imperial guards, each with gold inlaid in their armor, led by a great commander with white aurochs horns from Araw on his helmet. Ten wilderness hunters like you together couldn't match the commander's single hand!"
"I don't believe it."
The 'wilderness hunter' whose face couldn't be seen was obviously angered by these words. He said: "What do you know? I have some inside information. They say the rebels took away a large group of people and have a very strong commander..."
"Bullshit!"
Another person directly interrupted him: "I think you disreputable hunter got your brain damaged by an aurochs horn. We have powerful imperial guards and Golden Cavalry, personally led by a Two-Horn Commander. What does that little force amount to?"
The hunter argued somewhat excitedly: "But I heard they also have an evil wizard, very terrifying. He can release lightning with a wave of his hand, striking down several people at once."
"Pft."
This quickly drew scoffs from several people.
"What kind of trashy wizard? Where did you hear such unreliable rumors?"
"Besides, even if these rumors were true, so what if they really have an evil wizard's help? I heard the capital recently developed a new weapon called 'fire bombs.' One thrown down can set several people on fire."
"No matter how powerful an evil wizard is, there's only one of him. But we have hundreds and thousands of bombers. What can he compare with us?"
The hunter said weakly: "Fine, even if, as you say, they can't win, can't they still run? Run to their strongholds and defend. Can those fire bombs burn down walls too?"
"You're really poorly educated with shallow knowledge."
Someone pointed at him and scolded: "You bow-carrying hunters can't catch anything outside, so you come back spreading rumors heard from who knows where, just to make yourselves look important."
"They can't escape."
The hunter wanted to argue more, but every sentence was rebutted by the tavern's residents, who loved political discussion. They spoke reasonably with quite detailed evidence, even mentioning which squad had left the city in which direction and what they might be doing.
In the end, the hunter had nothing to say, and the tavern was full of voices against him.
"Alright, you're right."
He hurriedly ran out, obviously unable to stay any longer.
"Ha! At least he knows to repent!"
The people in the tavern clinked glasses.
In an alley somewhere, as soon as he left the tavern, Halbarad quickly pulled out paper and pen, recording everything those people had said.
There wasn't a trace of embarrassment on his face.
The first piece of intelligence from the harbor city was thus obtained.
Sometimes, if you ask directly for intelligence, others probably won't tell you and will suspect your motives.
But if this intelligence is volunteered by the other party without their awareness, the credibility greatly increases.
"Great commander, cavalry, army that left through the south gate, fire bombs that can ignite people..."
Halbarad recorded these things and continued toward the city center.
The larger and wealthier a city, the more shadows it often hides.
Hundreds of years of life experience had proven to him that as long as someone was human and had emotions, they would definitely have weaknesses, and these weaknesses were usually common.
The gold coins seized earlier would come in handy...
"Can't let those two look down on me."
For a Ranger, whether lurking long-term in uninhabited wilderness or blending into lively crowds was already routine.
But this was also true for wizards.
"Still too late."
In a town east of the Easterlings.
Alatar watched helplessly as a carriage drove within the city walls. Moments later, he also walked in.
"An old vagrant in tattered robes."
The guards didn't pay much attention to this old man who needed a staff to walk.
However, arrogance and laxity always bring destruction.