That evening, Kino's caravan arrived at Shirin Town.
News spread swiftly, from one to ten, from ten to a hundred. The soldiers, upon hearing the news, rushed out. They had learned that Kino not only brought back live poultry and livestock, fine weapons, but also many unfamiliar faces, prompting a throng of onlookers to gather.
It was evident that these mercenaries, well-fed on alcohol and meat, differed greatly from the malnourished border soldiers. Aside from Lugo, who was somewhat lean, the rest were burly men. The only ones who could match their imposing stature were the centurions, including Paladin and Baisa.
Among the mercenaries was a towering man with an axe slung over his back. After dismounting, he cast a contemptuous glance at the emaciated soldiers of Shirin Town, his face contorted with scorn. "Look at these monkeys; a single breath from me would snap them in half!"
Paladin and the others seethed in silence, their anger stifled. After all, these were Kino's men, and it was not their place to intervene.
Seeing the soldiers remain mute, the brute mistook their silence for submission. With a derisive spit on the ground, he sneered, "heh~tui!"
Kino, engaged in counting supplies with the quartermaster, did not even turn around. "Take off your cloak and wipe up that spit on the ground."
The giant's temper flared, his muscles tensing as he glared at Kino, his eyes widening. "What did you say?!"
Kino met his gaze, amber eyes glistening with a smile. "Or you can lick it up."
The brute's fury erupted like a volcano, and he stormed toward Kino, his eyes ablaze with rage.
Paladin instinctively reached for his blade, but then realized something, sneering as he remained rooted to the spot. He signaled to the soldiers with a glance, silently instructing them to stay still.
The soldiers did not move, nor did the remaining 31 mercenaries, for they were eager to test the waters.
Veterans like Lugo could sense the danger Kino posed, though how perilous it was and where the threat lay were unclear—these things couldn't be discerned in mere words.
It was possible their instincts were mistaken, for intuition was not always infallible.
Now, with someone daring to challenge Kino's authority, they were curious to witness his abilities firsthand.
Wild dogs are far more difficult to tame than house dogs; to control them, one must both feed them well and be stronger than they are. Both conditions were essential.
The giant reached Kino's side, crouching slightly to match his height. He gathered saliva in his throat, preparing to spit in Kino's face. "he~"
Suddenly, a slender, nearly imperceptible black line flashed through the air, tracing a perfect arc before vanishing in an instant.
The blade gleamed with a dark light, its hue blacker than the night itself.
Kino wiped the dagger with a napkin before sheathing it, never sparing a glance at the frozen brute, and resumed his business with the quartermaster.
Without warning, a line of blood appeared on the side of the giant's neck.
"Fff!" The tiny incision, torn open by the pressure of the artery, caused blood to spurt several meters, and the giant's body crumpled to the ground, his limbs twitching before stilling.
In that moment, all the mercenaries, particularly Lugo, felt their blood run cold.
He didn't know if anyone else had seen clearly, but he had.
What Kino had done wasn't merely a killing—it was a feat of terrifying speed. The most obvious proof was the napkin he had used to wipe the dagger, which showed no trace of blood.
Because the dagger had sliced through the giant's artery so swiftly that the blood hadn't had time to stain it.
And that wasn't all—under such a terrifying speed, Kino had perfectly controlled the angle of the cut, directing the blood to spray outward, ensuring not a single drop splattered on him. It was a precision so exact it could have been a surgical procedure.
As Lugo recalled bargaining with this man in the tavern, cold sweat broke out all over him.
The silence stretched on, until the giant's corpse formed a pool of blood beneath him. Only then did Lugo drop to one knee, pounding his chest with a rhythmic, steady force.
*Thud! Thud! Thud! ...* Soon, the rest of the mercenaries followed suit, their heavy, resonant strikes reverberating through the air, a sound that tugged at the heartstrings, echoing above Shirin Town.
This gesture, within the culture of Doguland, signified submission.
No words were necessary; the wild dogs had been tamed.
...
After settling the 31 mercenaries in their quarters and finishing the inventory with the quartermaster, Kino approached Paladin. "Did anything noteworthy occur while I was away?"
Paladin shook his head. "No, my lord, all has proceeded smoothly."
"Good."
"Um..."
"Speak."
Paladin scratched the back of his head. "Well, nothing major, really. Just a merchant caravan—two men—whose leader asked after you. He inquired when you'd return and where you'd gone... He talked a lot. But their goods were fine, so I let them through."
Kino pondered for a moment before asking, "What sort of men?"
Paladin, blunt as ever, replied, "Two men."
"Shirin Town has over 5,000 residents, and you're telling me to find two men? Be more specific."
"Um... two... very ordinary-looking men."
Kino raised an eyebrow.
Noticing Kino's furrowed brow, Paladin slapped his forehead repeatedly, trying to jog his memory. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Oh! Yes! The leader wore a ring—I'd never seen one like it before. Not sure if it's a craft from the Far East. They came from Xizhou."
With the clue of the ring, the search became far simpler.
Rings and similar jewelry were considered luxuries, typically settled through Silver Moon trade. Few in Shirin Town could afford such adornments.
But if the two men had already left town, or removed the ring, finding them would be like searching for a needle in a haystack—an impossible task.
Shirin Town was not a secluded village; situated on the border, it saw constant population movement. Outsiders could easily vanish among the crowd.
Kino wondered: What might their true identity be?
If they were people Kino had known from before, or on official business, they would likely have left a message, or at least informed someone of their departure. They wouldn't simply leave without notice.
Or perhaps they were just ordinary merchants, prone to excessive chatter?
Or...
Kino instinctively glanced at the mark of the Rejector.
[241:23:11]
The countdown was clear—there were still 10 days before the Reincarnation Squad's invasion. It couldn't possibly be scouts from the Reincarnation coming in advance.
Kino paid the matter little heed, as the Reincarnation invasion remained the foremost concern.
He gave an order: "Paladin, intensify the soldiers' training, especially with crossbows and swords. Change the meal schedule to five times a day, ensuring at least four meat dishes at every meal. Increase the guard shifts from three to six, ensuring everyone gets adequate rest."
Paladin hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "You seem particularly focused on the strength of the garrison here in Shirin Town. Is there something you foresee coming?"
Being too secretive now might arouse suspicion, so Kino put on a carefree smile. "What? Can't I be a diligent civil administrator, looking after Shirin Town and you all?"
Paladin scratched the back of his head, offering a smile of appreciation. "It is our honor. Thank you, my lord."