Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Dustwind Clan (part 1)

Even with outdated walls, the terrain made it easy to defend and hard to attack. Whoever built it had known what they were doing.

Smoke rose from chimneys inside the town. He could see people moving along the walls, guards most likely. Not heavily armored like city soldiers, but armed enough. Spears. Bows.

Normal.

Ordinary.

Aiden stared at the town quietly, calculating.

“Looks like I just found a place to build my home,” he said under his breath.

The thought came naturally.

A base.

A place to gather strength.

A place where he wouldn’t have to keep hiding in forests and caves.

His expression darkened slightly.

If they found out what he was… if they saw him summon undead in the open… they would react the same way Breim City did.

Charging into a guarded town blindly would be suicide. Even if the walls were old, there were still watchmen. There could be ten body tempering practitioner inside.

He needed information first.

As he descended the hill toward the town, he adjusted his clothes to hide any remaining bloodstains. He made sure his expression was neutral, tired, but not suspicious.

For now, he would observe.

Learn their strength.

Understand their structure.

If the town was weak, he would take it.

—

By the time Aiden reached the town gate, the sun had already begun to lower slightly, casting long shadows across the road.

Up close, the walls looked even older than they had from a distance. The stone was chipped, some parts patched with wooden planks and iron braces. The gate itself was thick timber reinforced with metal strips. Functional, but far from impressive.

Before he could step any closer, a sharp voice called out from above.

“Stop! State your business in this town!”

Aiden lifted his head slowly.

On the watchtower above the gate, a guard leaned forward with a bow in hand, an arrow already nocked. Another guard stood beside him, watching carefully.

Aiden lowered his shoulders slightly, letting his posture sag as if fatigue had finally caught up to him.

“I’m a traveler,” he called back, voice hoarse but steady. “I’ve been on the road for days. I just need food and a place to rest. Please… let me in.”

He even let his breathing sound uneven, as if he was barely holding himself upright.

The guards didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, they whispered to each other. One disappeared from the tower. Aiden stood still, resisting the urge to look impatient. Inside, his mind remained calm, alert.

A full minute passed.

Then another.

Finally, the heavy wooden gate creaked open slightly. Not wide, just enough for one person to pass through.

Two armed guards stepped out.

“Hands where we can see them,” one of them ordered.

Aiden raised his hands without hesitation.

They didn’t let him walk freely into town. Instead, one guard stayed behind him while the other gestured forward.

“You’re coming with us.”

Aiden nodded quietly.

They escorted him through the gate, which closed immediately after he passed. The sound of thick wood slamming shut echoed behind him.

Inside, the town was modest. Dirt streets. Simple wooden houses. A few stone buildings near the center. People glanced at him with cautious eyes before quickly looking away.

He was taken to a small stone structure near the inner wall. It looked like a guard post or administrative office.

Once inside, the questioning began.

“Name.”

“Aiden.”

“Where are you from?”

“South of here. Passed through Breim City weeks ago.”

“What’s your trade?”

“Nothing special. I do odd jobs. Carry goods. Hunt when I need to.”

“Why are you alone?”

“Safer to travel alone than with the wrong company.”

The questions came one after another.

Where had he slept?

Had he seen any large groups on the road?

Did he encounter bandits?

Did anyone follow him?

They watched his face closely with every answer.

Aiden kept his responses simple. No unnecessary details. No dramatic stories. Just enough truth mixed with careful omissions.

After nearly ten minutes, one of the guards leaned back slightly, studying him.

“You picked a bad time to show up,” the man muttered.

Aiden frowned slightly, as if confused. “Why?”

The guard exchanged a glance with his companion before answering.

“Bandits.”

The word carried weight.

“They’ve been rampant these past few weeks. Hitting caravans. Testing our walls. Two nights ago, they even tried to breach the eastern side.”

Aiden listened quietly.

“They attack small towns like ours because they think we’re easy targets,” the other guard added. “We can’t afford to let just anyone walk in without checking.”

That explained the tight security.

This town wasn’t just cautious, it was under pressure.

The first guard studied him for a few more seconds, then jerked his chin toward the door.

“You’ll be allowed to enter,” he said. “But don’t mistake that for trust.”

Aiden gave a small nod. “I understand.”

The second guard, who had been silent until now, crossed his arms and spoke in a firmer tone.

“And one more thing.”

Aiden looked up slightly.

“This town belongs to the Dustwind Clan,” the guard continued. “They own the land, the shops, the walls, everything. Their word is law here. You cause trouble with them, you won’t just deal with us.”

Aiden tilted his head faintly. “Understand.”

The second guard stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly.

“So show respect. Don’t talk back. Don’t get involved in clan matters. If they summon you, you go. If they question you, you answer. Understand?”

Aiden let a brief pause hang in the air, just enough to seem thoughtful but not defiant.

“…Understood,” he said calmly. “I’m not here to cause problems.”

“Good,” the first guard replied. “Because right now, with bandits circling us like wolves, the last thing we need is another headache.”

Aiden gave a tired half-smile. “Trust me. I’ve had enough trouble on the road. I’m just looking for a place to rest.”

The guards exchanged one last glance.

“Fine. You can head inside. There’s an inn near the central square. Don’t wander near the inner estate, that’s Dustwind territory.”

Aiden dipped his head slightly in acknowledgment.

As he stepped out of the guard post and into the streets of the town, his expression remained neutral.

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