Chapter 1

Under the continuous drizzle, Redwood County was damp and melancholic, shrouded in a misty haze, much like a mistress who had just enjoyed a passionate encounter, her skin still glistening with fine beads of sweat.

Dozens of farms, like scars, were scattered across the countryside, growing sparse oats. The summer breeze blew, causing the golden ears of wheat to bow.

Downton checked the leather-wrapped mail once again, ensuring it was not wet. He wiped the raindrops from his face, tightened his cloak, and quickened his pace.

Every year during the summer harvest, trolls, goblins, and Wolfweres from the Dragon Hills would band together and raid the border towns like locusts, robbing and plundering.

If caught, one wouldn't even become a prisoner, for humans were merely food to these races.

The outline of Red Pine Watchtower came into view, bringing a sigh of relief to Downton. As he got closer, he even saw two soldiers in Drankfurt-standard armor standing on the tower, pointing at him.

Two soldiers who had been hiding from the rain in the tower, without even their weapons, grumbled as they came out, shouting at Downton, ready to extort a few silver coins, a common occurrence.

"Damn, I knew I couldn't avoid it."

Downton felt depressed. While he cared about the silver coins, he was more worried that they would open the mail. After all, these soldiers were as corrupt as their reputation as the Western Border Worms.

"Bad news, a dozen ogres attacked Pizza Town and are moving towards Morning Fog Town. The constable asked me to inform the mayor to prepare the militia."

Downton pulled down the hood of his cloak, ensuring his face was not visible, and suddenly ran, his voice filled with panic and helplessness, as if being chased by death.

The two soldiers who had come out stopped in their tracks, exchanging glances, stunned by the sudden news.

"Should we inform the centurion?" one soldier shouted toward the tower.

"Where are the ogres?" The captain, who had been napping shirtless, scrambled up, not bothering to put on shoes, grabbed his greatsword, and rushed out.

"They are... " The soldier realized he didn't know and was about to question the messenger when he saw a swift figure dash past the checkpoint and quickly disappear into the rain.

"Idiot, you've been tricked." The captain, enraged, swung his sword and struck his subordinate. "Chase him!"

"Sir, the road is too bad. Even if we catch up on horseback, that guy will have already run into Morning Fog Town and hidden himself." The soldier looked helpless, quickly promising, "Next time, I'll definitely catch him and extort more."

"Bullshit!" The captain slapped his subordinate. "You didn't even see what he looked like, how can you extort?"

The soldiers fell silent. Without seeing the person, how could they extort anything?

"I remember, recently, other colleagues mentioned a hooded guy who uses all sorts of strange methods to get past the checkpoint. He always manages to slip away, and no one has managed to extort a single copper coin from him." The captain walked a few steps, then clenched his teeth and cursed, "Sharpen your eyes. Next time we catch him, we'll frame him with a crime and hang him on a pole for three days."

Only when he saw the outline of Morning Fog Town did Downton stop. He sighed, looking at the mud on his legs. Fortunately, the mail was undamaged; otherwise, the harsh clerk Baumer would find all sorts of reasons to dock his pay.

Downton was only sixteen this year but had been a mail carrier for three years, making him a seasoned veteran. However, two months ago, a new clerk took office and constantly found trouble for the mail carriers, making their lives increasingly difficult.

"Just thirty-seven gold coins more, and I can buy an Orleans Highland horse. Then I can carry more letters and deliver them faster, earning more pay."

Downton daydreamed about his future, a smile spreading across his face.

"Once I save enough, I can pay for my sister's tuition and living expenses, and I can also save for the journey to the Secret Hero Corridor."

Thinking about his growing savings, Downton ran excitedly over the water-stained cobblestone road, splashing water droplets everywhere.

Morning Fog Town, the largest town on the border of Redwood County, had a population of ten thousand. Nearby mail would all converge here before being sent out. However, the post office was eerily quiet on rainy days.

Running up the steps, Downton took off his cloak, folded it, and placed it by the door before pushing open the peeling door. He would avoid any behavior that might earn the clerk's wrath.

In the hall, sixteen young mail carriers were sorting the mail, their faces filled with gloom, and one was even muttering curses.

"Justin, if you don't want to be fired, you'd better keep quiet. I could feel your resentment from outside the town." Downton lowered his voice, warning his friend.

"What's there to fear? Baumer can't hear us anyway!" Justin slammed the letter on the table, complaining, "Things have been really bad lately."

"I have it worse. The clerk has found all sorts of reasons to dock half my pay. If this continues, I'll starve to death." Matt sniffed, his small eyes quickly scanning the ink on the envelopes, subtly picking out the ones with closer destinations.

Mail carriers were paid based on the number of letters they delivered. Matt's little trick allowed him to earn at least two Drankfurt gold coins more each month.

This was a technique only experienced veterans knew, and Downton was even more skilled at it than Matt.

"It's not just you. Everyone except Downton has been docked pay."

The mail carriers grumbled, cursing the clerk.

"If we worked as hard as Downton, Baumer wouldn't have any excuses to dock our pay." Matt's eyes darted, shifting the topic to Downton.

"Impossible. If the boss is determined to find trouble, you can't avoid it." Justin shook his head. "I think Downton is in for trouble. He's seen as a loyalist of the previous clerk. The new clerk needs to suppress him to establish authority."

Downton silently walked to his workstation, opened the leather mail bag, and began working.

"Look at his attention to detail. Not a single letter is wet. No wonder he's the best and highest-earning among our hundred mail carriers."

The mail carriers looked at the dozens of wet letters drying by the window, feeling inferior. Those were the ones they had accidentally soaked.

Every month, people would specifically request Downton to deliver their letters. This regularity had caught the attention of the previous clerk, who had greatly appreciated him. If not for his young age, Downton would have been promoted long ago.

"How do you plan to deal with the clerk? If you can get rid of him, you'll do a great service to us mail carriers." Matt flattered Downton, a topic that excited the others, who looked at him expectantly.

After all, Downton was the top mail carrier, having mentored many new recruits.

"I'm worried about how to avoid being fired, and you all, be quiet and focus on sorting the mail!" Downton feigned distress, his eyes glancing at Matt.

Downton's refusal to take the bait disappointed Matt. The kid was too cautious, always slipping through his fingers.

"Matt is likely the one who informed the clerk, leading to Duran's firing." Downton frowned. This guy was relentless in betraying his colleagues to curry favor.

The door burst open, and Will, covered in mud, threw his mail bag to the ground.

"What happened?" Justin was startled.

Will's left eye was swollen to a slit, his mouth split, and blood stained his chest. He walked with a limp.

"Next time, just give the soldiers what they want!" Downton sighed. "Unless you reach the Soul Stage and activate your talent to become a Magic User, don't resist."

"How do you know he was beaten by the soldiers?" Justin was confused. "It could have been bandits!"

"If it were bandits, he wouldn't have any clothes left." Downton pointed to the mail bag. "Besides, do you think bandits wouldn't open the mail? What if there was something valuable inside?"

The mail carriers nodded. Desperate bandits weren't gentlemen; they would strip every last bit of value from their victims, given the high risks involved.

"Have some water!" Downton stood up and poured a cup of hot water for Will.

"Any other reason?" Melissa, from the personnel department, sauntered over, bending down to wipe Downton's chin.

She was a famous beauty in town, and many young boys often sneaked to her house to spy on her. A smile from her could make them boast to their friends for days.

Melissa wore a fashionable low-cut, tight-waisted dress, exposing most of her chest. Leaning down, her breasts almost spilled out.

Justin and Matt's eyes widened, and they swallowed hard.

"If it were bandits, Will would have gone to the constabulary. The time needed for filing a report would have been enough for his clothes to dry, not be this wet!"

"Really extorted?" Melissa's seductive gaze fell on Will's face.

"Yes, the soldiers took all my money!"

Will had never been so noticed by a woman before. It felt like being caressed by a lover's hand, making him squirm uncomfortably.

"Poor you!" Melissa reached out.

Gulp. Watching the beautiful woman's red-nailed fingers approach, and the scent of her perfume, Will's heart raced, almost leaping out of his throat.

"I'll help you take a leave. Go wash up, and be more careful next time." Melissa removed a small twig from Will's head, a smug smile on her lips, pleased with her charm.

Will was too flustered to speak. After all, these mail carriers were all fifteen or sixteen-year-old boys with little life experience.

"Truly the best mail carrier in Morning Fog Town!" Melissa's gaze shifted to Downton, and she couldn't resist leaning in to kiss his cheek.

Downton quickly blocked her lips, feeling the moist, soft touch, but remained alert, wary of her reputation in town.

"Little guy, still shy? Okay, see you later, I'm going to lunch!" Melissa chuckled, swaying her ample hips, and left the post office with her parasol.

"Why are you dodging her?"

The mail carriers were envious but secretly relieved that Melissa hadn't kissed Downton.

"Her hips are so big, I want to touch them!" Justin's eyes followed Melissa's curvy back, his mouth dry.

"I heard she's a baron's secret mistress in town. If you don't want to die for no reason, forget about it!" Matt licked his lips.

"Were you also extorted?" Will, heartbroken over his lost silver coins, tried to find some solace in his comrades.

"Of course! Do you think the Western Border Worms got their name for nothing?" Justin rolled his eyes at Will.

"No, I think Downton definitely got past them. He's known as the craftiest Fox of the Western Border!" Matt, using Downton's nickname, asked eagerly, "What's your trick? Please share!"

The mail carriers' eyes lit up, like discovering a new secret, and they pestered Downton, convinced he had a way to avoid the soldiers' extortion.

"Stop it!" A rough voice broke the hall's atmosphere. Clerk Baumer pushed open the office door, glaring at the mail carriers. "Who told you to slack off? Everyone loses a silver coin!"

The mail carriers lowered their heads, their faces ashen. A silver coin was enough for three days' living expenses, but no one dared to complain, meek as lambs.

"What are you standing around for? Get back to work!" The short, fat Baumer, with his large belly, walked out, his iron-soled shoes clanging on the floor.

"Will, stay!"

Will froze, knowing trouble was coming.

"Look what you did? You dirtied the floor, another silver coin deducted." Baumer stood in front of Will, arrogantly scolding him.

"I, I didn't mean to!" Will was so scared he couldn't speak clearly, not even daring to wipe the spittle on his face.

"Still talking back!" Baumer kicked Will in the stomach.

Will stumbled back, fell to the ground, curled up like a shrimp, clutching his stomach, and sweating profusely.

The mail carriers could do nothing to help, suppressing their breaths, used to the clerk's brutality, only hoping to avoid drawing his ire.

"What are you lying there for? Clean the floor. If it's not spotless, you're fired!" Baumer was using this as an excuse to assert his authority, determined to remove any lingering influence of the previous clerk and ensure the mail carriers never disobeyed him again. He wasn't worried about a shortage of workers; there were plenty of young men in the nearby towns eager to be mail carriers, a respectable job, and he could make a fortune from bribes during recruitment.

"No, I'll do it!" Will's face drained of color. If he was fired, his father would beat him to death.

"Hmph, I only care about results!" The clerk ignored his pleas, determined to fire him.

"Sir, as you can see, he was injured on duty, and Melissa agreed to let him leave early." Downton stood up, knowing Will's family's dire economic situation. If he lost his job, his younger sisters would go hungry.

"Who asked you to speak?" The clerk shouted, slapping Downton across the face.