Chapter 19: The Looming War

"Cole!"

Luo Xiu leaned out the window, calling out to the boy who was shouting the latest battle news. Hearing his name, the boy scurried over.

"Mr. Luo Xiu, did you call me?"

"Yes, good morning, Cole. Has something happened?" Luo Xiu feigned complete ignorance.

"It’s the battle news, sir." The boy handed a rolled-up piece of paper to Luo Xiu and said, "The garrison sent word this morning that the slimes are going to attack the town."

Luo Xiu took the scroll and asked, "Thank you. How many coppers for one?"

"No coppers needed, sir. It's free," Cole replied.

However, Luo Xiu took out two copper coins and pressed them into his hand. "Consider this a tip for all your running around so early."

Cole took the coins, looking hesitant. He was quite happy to receive them—on a normal day, he barely made three coppers running the small papers—but he felt it was somehow wrong to take them.

Sensing his thoughts, Luo Xiu smiled and said, "Take them. Think of it as me buying you a meat pancake."

"Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Luo Xiu." Hearing that, Cole happily pocketed the coins. He thought for a moment and added, "Mr. Luo Xiu, you should hurry and buy a departure spot on the west side of town. Everyone is rushing there now; if you don't buy one soon, it will be too late."

"A departure spot?" Luo Xiu paused, confused. "What is that?"

"It’s a spot on the caravans leaving Wheel Town. They claim they can transport people safely to Bantanda."

"Isn't there a garrison here?" Luo Xiu wondered. "Since they’ve received news of the slime attack, shouldn't they be able to resolve it quickly?"

"You don't know, Mr. Luo Xiu?" Cole’s expression was even more bewildered than his. "Slimes are formidable monsters. In recent years, whenever slimes have attacked other places, even though the kingdom eventually held them off, the losses were always heavy. There has never been a clean victory."

"If this war begins, the town will certainly be hit hard. You should make your plans soon, Mr. Luo Xiu." With that, Cole waved goodbye. "I still have other places to notify, so I must be off. Long live the Kingdom!"

The boy ended their conversation with that parting salute. Luo Xiu stood by the window, his heart heavy with complex thoughts.

He had assumed that since the garrison received early warning, they would simply arrange reinforcements and the slime threat would be easily handled. He hadn't expected that monster sieges in this world were so destructive, often resulting in mutual devastation. At this rate, Wheel Town might not be safe anymore.

But if that were true, where could he and Leila go? Bantanda was definitely out of the question; if they went there, they would never have a peaceful night’s sleep. But as for other places...

Luo Xiu sighed. He didn't want to leave Wheel Town so soon. He had grown accustomed to it, and he would miss his old friends—people like Dave or even the goblins.

He opened the parchment in his hand. It stated that the slime attack was confirmed and hostilities were expected to begin within ten days. It looked like it had just been written; the ink hadn't even fully dried.

After pondering for a while, Luo Xiu decided to head to the west side of town to scout the situation and see if it was truly as dire as Cole had described.

Leila had woken up by then. Luo Xiu explained the situation, telling her to first find Dave to let him know they were safe, then meet him at the west side of town. Leila nodded obediently.

They changed their clothes. Luo Xiu pulled the hood of Leila's cloak up to cover her ears and cautioned, "Be very careful. Keep a lookout, and if you see that red dragon, hide immediately. Do you hear me?"

"Mm-hmm," Leila replied sweetly.

Once Leila had left, Luo Xiu wrapped himself in a cloak and headed toward the west gate. When he arrived, the area was packed with a dense crowd, a stark contrast to how it had been just a week ago.

Among the crowd, Luo Xiu spotted many familiar faces: Miss Michelle from the dessert shop, Madam Laura from the clinic, and Uncle Glenn who sold meat pancakes. Well, it seemed Cole wouldn't be getting his meat pancake today. Everyone was haggling with the traveling merchants—the scene was absolute chaos.

After much effort, Luo Xiu finally squeezed his way toward a merchant who had just finished a negotiation. "Hello, sir, how much?"

"1,000 coppers!" the merchant declared, his tone high and firm. He immediately added, "Per person, non-negotiable."

Luo Xiu blinked, stunned. "You haven't even asked where I'm going."

"Where?" The merchant looked at him suspiciously. "Where else would you be going if not to Bantanda?"

"Are there any other places?" Luo Xiu asked, seizing the chance.

The merchant gave him a look as if he were insane. "West of Wheel Town is Bantanda, north is the Sunset Jungle, and east is where the war is happening. Where else do you want to go?"

"What about the south?" Luo Xiu’s eyes lit up. Wasn't there a road that way?

"The south is Red Mushroom Town," the merchant rolled his eyes. "That place has been plagued by sickness for months. I’m not going there!"

"I'll pay extra!"

"I don't care if you pay double, I'm not going! Next!" The merchant turned his back on Luo Xiu and shouted to the next person, "1,000 coppers! Per person, non-negotiable!"

Damn it, this was the market! Luo Xiu felt a surge of indignation, remembering how he had been a welcome guest when he first arrived. He asked several other merchants, but aside from a slightly better attitude, the answers remained the same.

Just as he was about to give up and look for another way, a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Dammit, this is the market! These dogs with coppers stuffed in their eyes act like every coin on the ground belongs to them! One day they'll lose everything!"

Luo Xiu followed the cursing and saw Old White sitting on the ground, looking disheveled, as if he had been trampled. Luo Xiu walked over and pulled him up.

"Thanks... little Luo Xiu?" Old White asked in surprise. "How are you still alive?"

"...I regret pulling you up, Old White."

Old White brushed the dust off himself. "You have to understand an old man. My only source of information is the daily paper. The 'Town Secrets' column recently reported that the great Goblin Slayer of Wheel Town has been missing for three days."

"I ran into some trouble," Luo Xiu said, brushing it aside. "How did you end up like this?"

As if touched on a sore spot, Old White’s temper flared again. "Some rumor started that the slimes are going to attack, that there’s a war coming, and they claim someone saw it with their own eyes."

"Hmph! I’ve lived long enough to know what a war looks like. Let me tell you, there is no war! I don't know which bastard started this rumor, but if I find him, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."

"I was just standing here saying there wouldn't be a war, and some blind fool shoved me to the ground—ow!!!"

Old White landed on his backside again. Luo Xiu reached out his hand with a sincere expression. "Why are you back on the ground, Old White? It’s just too crowded, I suppose. Come, let me pull you up."