Squatting down beside the ruined bodies of the bandit crew, Kai picked up their leather purses and shoved them into his palm to check the weight.
Seeing a few shiny gold coins mixed in with the copper brought a genuine smile to his face, though a quiet part of his mind acknowledged these thugs had probably killed some poor, innocent travellers to get them.
Taking their boar-skin coats briefly crossed his mind, since they offered a decent layer of protection against the cold evening air, but the leather was already soaked with fresh blood and smelled terrible.
Letting one of those grunts escape into the dark forest meant the bandits would probably come back with reinforcements, making the idea of dragging around highly identifiable bloody pelts a terrible survival strategy.
Standing completely dumbfounded by the wreckage scattered across the dirt road, the surviving merchants looked genuinely surprised that their saviour was not preparing to beat them senseless and steal the rest of their cargo.
"Ah, thank you for saving us, young man," a fat merchant finally managed to speak out, wiping heavy sweat from his forehead.
Moving with cautious urgency, the other uninjured travellers picked up the beaten old man and carefully loaded him into the back of the wooden carriage while casting nervous glances toward the guy who just slaughtered six people.
"It is alright, because I actually needed a ride to the nearest city anyway," Kai replied casually, leaning into a slightly cocky posture just to indicate that he had simply stumbled upon them while out on a stroll.
"Would you be willing to take me there as payment?"
"Of course, you saved our lives and our livelihood," the fat man agreed quickly, gesturing toward the passenger seat of the cart with a shaky hand.
'Alright, free transport acquired,' Kai thought to himself, pulling his tired body up onto the wooden bench and settling in for the ride.
Starting down the uneven dirt road, the cart creaked loudly under the weight of the recovered goods.
Riding on a wooden board without any suspension was far from a luxury experience, yet it was infinitely better than walking on blistered feet for another ten kilometres.
Watching the dense trees slowly begin to thin out as they rolled forward, Kai leaned over toward the fat merchant who had introduced himself as Boros.
"So, Boros," Kai started, keeping his voice relaxed so he would not spook the poor guy any further.
"What is the name of the nearest city we are heading toward?"
"It is Kravengard, sir," Boros replied respectfully, keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead on the tired draft horses pulling them along the trail.
'Oh, Kravengard,' Kai thought, letting a small smile creep onto his face as his memory of the game's lore neatly supplied the missing details.
That particular place was a heavily walled city boasting a population of around eighty thousand people, serving as the very first major human hub players encounter in the early stages of the campaign.
Boasting a layered layout, it made it a very interesting place to explore, considering the lower docks usually reeked of rotting fish and cheap ale while the central bazaar remained constantly electric with trade and shouting merchants.
Towering far above the grime of the lower districts sat the upper tier, where pristine marble towers housed the corrupt nobility and wealthy guild leaders who actually ran the local economy.
Kravengard was exactly the kind of place where a guy with no background and a handful of looted gold could easily blend in and start building a real foundation.
Bringing the carriage to a halt right outside the stone gates of the city, Boros clearly wanted to avoid dragging a blood-covered stranger past the strict municipal guards.
Stretching out in both directions, the high stone walls looked far more imposing in reality than they ever did on a flat computer monitor.
"I can only take you this far without causing trouble with the watchmen," Boros explained apologetically, reaching into his pocket and handing over a small wooden token.
"But if you need a safe place to sleep, you should go to the Hollow Moon Inn located near the merchant quarter. It is run by a widow named Greta who has bright green hair, and she basically knows everyone's secrets in this town."
Hopping down from the wooden bench, Kai gave the merchant a polite wave goodbye.
Tossing his newly acquired coin pouch lightly in the air, he joined the long line of travellers and walked through the stone archway into the city proper.
The bustling environment assaulted his senses with the smell of roasting meat and the loud haggling of hundreds of vendors operating in the electric bazaar.
Drifting up through the narrow streets, the salty stink of the nearby docks contrasted sharply with the clean, white marble towers that stood proudly in the upper district.
Walking through the crowded market square required him to constantly dodge wandering shoppers and stray dogs, but a very familiar mechanic triggered as he navigated the busy thoroughfare.
[System Ping: Minor Affection registered]
[System Ping: Minor Affection registered]
A series of low-level non-playable character bond meters began pinging quietly in his peripheral vision.
These persistent notifications were triggering simply because various local women were throwing appreciative glances at his somewhat rugged, blood-spattered appearance.
Farming easy points was always nice, but right now, prioritising actual survival over grinding relationship stats with random street vendors took immediate precedence.
Ignoring the pleasant notifications, Kai focused his attention entirely on finding a proper blacksmith, eventually stepping into a hot, smoky shop filled with rows of polished steel weapons.
Dealing with the gruff shopkeeper took a bit of haggling, mostly because the man tried to overcharge for basic iron gear.
Slapping his looted gold coins onto the wooden counter ended the debate, allowing Kai to walk out holding his very first real weapon in this world.
It was a mid-tier short blade called a Fang Sword, featuring a slightly curved edge and a solid leather grip that fit perfectly in his hand.
[Item Acquired: Fang Sword]
[Status Update: Attack +12]
'This is definitely a huge step up from throwing frozen water at people,' Kai thought, sliding the cool steel into a leather sheath secured at his hip.
Navigating the winding streets for another twenty minutes finally led him to the Hollow Moon Inn, revealing a cosy, three-story wooden building tucked away near the edge of the merchant quarter.
Pushing open the door exposed a warm, dimly lit tavern filled with the murmur of drinking patrons and the comforting smell of spiced cider.
Standing behind the polished bar was a surprisingly beautiful older woman, wiping down a collection of glass mugs.
She possessed striking green hair that fell elegantly past her shoulders and a very generous figure that completely distracted him from his lingering fatigue.
'So this is the famous Greta,' Kai thought, walking up to the bar and offering her his most charming smile.
'Boros was right, because she definitely looks like she knows exactly how to handle herself in a place like this.'