“Anyway, the terrain may be rough, but the path itself is not complicated. You need only follow the military road that winds along the valley.”

Even after the merchant finished explaining the shortcut, the inn’s errand boy, Deokchil, still stood there with the tray of noodle bowls in his hands, staring blankly at the table.

“Deokchil, what are you doing? You can set it down now.”

“Ah! Yes, sir…”

Kwak Yeon cast a sidelong glance at Deokchil as the boy hastily placed the noodles down and withdrew.

The boy’s brisk pace as he retreated was wholly different from when he had first taken the order. Seeing that, Kwak Yeon became certain that the errand boy’s occupation was not limited to serving tables.

As expected, he belongs to the Hao Sect.