A Level One Awakened is considered a strong individual no matter where they are, and they aren't common, at least not in a border town like Ximu Town.

Even under Lord Leighton, the number of Level One Awakened is limited. Lu Wen is just an Apprentice Awakened, far from the power of a true Level One.

Yet even with just his status as an Apprentice Awakened, he's important enough to Lord Leighton to have gained considerable authority and to work for him.

Lu Wen was even more intrigued when he heard Duke's straightforward admission.

He dismounted from his horse, his large frame clad in polished scale armor, a heavy Warhammer hanging at his waist, exuding an aura of iron and blood.

He approached Duke, slightly restraining his aura. He could act haughtily towards others, but when facing a true Level One Awakened, he had to show some respect.

The surrounding pedestrians unconsciously took a few steps back. They didn't know how powerful a Level One Awakened was, but they knew how tragic it could end if they angered Lu Wen.

"Level One Awakened, not common in this border region." Lu Wen's voice was deep, "I'm called Lu Wen, a Guard Captain under Lord Leighton. Are you interested in joining us?"

Duke shook his head, "I'm used to being free and unrestrained."

"The forests have been restless lately. Lord Leighton is eager for talented individuals, especially Awakened like you. Instead of taking your chances at Goose Peak Castle, why not serve directly under the lord? You won't be shortchanged, and the need for manpower is urgent now."

His gaze brushed over the patrolling soldiers. They wore standard leather armor and looked in good condition, indicating the treatment was indeed decent.

For an Awakened like Duke, the treatment would naturally be better than that of ordinary soldiers.

Lu Wen was eager to invite Duke into the fold; having such a powerful Awakened join Lord Leighton would earn him a handsome reward.

Duke felt no stirrings in his heart; he had no interest in so-called treatments or rewards.

Joining the lord's ranks might grant quicker access to the power core and intelligence, but it involved too many constraints, and his identity would be easily probed, with risks outweighing benefits.

For Duke now, obtaining intelligence was just a means to an end; his more important goal was reaching the Fifth Outpost.

Joining Lord Leighton also implied being unable to leave the territory for a while, which was the opposite of his goal.

Duke still refused Lu Wen's invitation, his voice steady, "Thank you for the offer, but I'm used to being on my own, unaccustomed to too many restrictions. Going to Goose Peak Castle is about seeing more of the world, not aligning with any side for now."

Lu Wen could hear that Duke truly had no intention and had to give up; he couldn't insist.

He dared not offend Duke; currently, there was no Level One Awakened in all of Ximu Town, and crossing Duke would only bring catastrophe to them.

"Everyone has their goals, and Goose Peak Castle is indeed a good place with more opportunities. But..." he switched his tone to deliberately remind, "the road isn't safe lately; some wandering Gray Forest Thieves and some demons have been active recently. Traveling alone, you must be cautious."

"Thank you for the reminder." Duke slightly nodded.

"Hmm," Lu Wen said no more, waving for the soldiers to let him pass, while he himself led his horse toward the barracks in the town.

Duke could feel Lu Wen's gaze linger on his back for a moment before moving away, his intentions unclear.

Entering the town, he was greeted by the noisy aroma mixed with sweat, leather, roasted meat, and cheap tobacco.

Duke did not linger in the square, reflecting on many things during his conversation with Lu Wen, constantly pondering in his heart.

Walking along the muddy main road towards the other end of the town, near another crude exit, he saw several merchant caravans organizing their goods.

Mules and horses snorted, and drivers shouted as they moved goods, the air laden with the smell of dry hay and livestock.

Duke paid no mind and didn't pause much, intending to head straight north.

At that moment, in one merchant caravan, a lean middle-aged man glanced at Duke, somewhat timidly, finally gathering the courage to approach.

"Sir, if you are heading to Goose Peak Castle, you can travel with us. We can pay you a fee as compensation," Hawke said somewhat nervously.

He had seen many Awakened before; generally, they weren't easy to get along with, requiring caution.

However, Awakened were powerful, and having one escort a merchant caravan could significantly increase safety on the journey.

Duke's gaze swept over Hawke's caravan; it was indeed large, with a dozen or so wagons of varying sizes, numerous pack animals, and over a hundred people including laborers and drivers.

The escort team had about twenty people, wearing somewhat worn leather armor, their weapons fairly complete, though most looked tense, their skills considered good among ordinary people.

Only two people had unusual auras; they were probably Awakened, though they hadn't reached Level One power.

Such a convoy, traveling long distances during turbulent times, faced considerable risks.

Duke quickly weighed the options in his mind; traveling alone was faster, but it presented a singular target, drawing attention and lacking continuous local observation opportunities.

Integrating into such a large, goal-oriented caravan better concealed his identity, like a drop of water merging into a river.

Observing the native society along the way and gathering information was also more conveniently natural, and since the convoy contained two Apprentice Awakened, it was a good opportunity for observation and recording of Awakened behavior.

These were good intelligence pieces and would help earn contributions when arriving at the Fifth Outpost.

Duke was silent for a few seconds, a brief pause that made Hawke's heart nearly reach his throat.

"How much is the pay?" Duke finally spoke, his voice calm, revealing no emotion.

Hawke felt relieved, straightening up a bit but still not daring to fully raise his head, respectfully answering, "In reply, sir! We offer ten Lion Coins!"

He named a price far above that for a regular guard, as Lion Coins were well-circulated gold coins among the nearby city-states.

Duke slightly nodded; the price was high for a caravan but merely a bonus for him, the key being the identity cover.

"Alright, call me Jelot."

"Yes! Thank you, Lord Jelot, thank you for your grace!" Hawke's voice was altered by excitement, bowing repeatedly. "I'm called Hawke, the overseer of this caravan. Sir, please follow me; I'll arrange the most comfortable place for you right away!"

He led the way, loudly instructing the laborers to quickly clear out a relatively lightly loaded, centrally positioned wagon, carefully laying down clean hay and blankets.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.