Chapter 46: Messages on the Road

By midday, a room finally opened at Blackstone Inn.

Fang Yu kept her promise.

The man who had spent the previous night beside his wagon moved his belongings upstairs, then returned to the entrance with a cup of tea.

He still watched the eastern road.

Lin Yuan noticed him while crossing from the tavern.

"Still nothing?"

The man shook his head.

"Not yet."

"How late is he now?"

"Two days."

Lin Yuan glanced down the road.

Two days wasn’t necessarily unusual.

A broken wagon, bad weather, spirit beasts, or simply joining a slower caravan could delay someone for much longer.

That didn’t make waiting any easier.

Lin Yuan left him there and returned to Wandering Cloud Tavern.

The lunch crowd had already begun arriving.

Since the tavern reached Middle Spirit Grade, customers had started staying longer.

A group of cultivators occupied the table near the window. Their meal had ended some time ago, but none seemed eager to leave. One slowly drank tea while another rested with his eyes closed.

The stronger Qi Gathering was noticeable.

So was the comfort.

Su Mei came from the kitchen carrying a fresh pot of tea.

"Table three wants another one."

Lin Yuan glanced toward the cultivators.

"They’ve been there since lunch started."

"They ordered twice."

"Then they can stay."

Su Mei nodded and carried the tea over.

Business continued steadily until hoofbeats sounded outside.

Several customers looked toward the entrance.

Three wagons approached from the east, accompanied by seven cultivators.

The man outside Blackstone Inn stood immediately.

Hope appeared on his face.

Then disappeared.

Not his brother.

The caravan entered Blackstone and turned toward the rough wagon area Lin Yuan had marked the previous day.

The lead merchant studied the wooden posts and the simple WAGONS sign before directing the other drivers toward it.

A short while later, one of the newly arrived cultivators entered the tavern carrying a rolled piece of paper.

He was a thin man in his thirties, his robe covered in road dust.

"Owner?"

Lin Yuan looked up.

"That’s me."

"Can I leave something here?"

"What is it?"

The man unrolled the paper across the counter.

A name had been written at the top.

Seeking Han Bo

Male, twenty-seven

Scar beneath left eye

Last seen traveling west along the Blackstone route

Below it was the name of a merchant company in Green River City.

Lin Yuan read the notice.

"Missing?"

"His family hasn’t heard from him."

"For how long?"

"Nearly two weeks."

Lin Yuan’s expression changed slightly.

"Where was he going?"

"West. He was supposed to meet a hunting group beyond Blackstone."

"Did he reach them?"

"No one knows."

The cultivator tapped the bottom of the notice.

"His family is offering a reward for useful information."

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"Why bring this here?"

The man glanced through the open doorway.

Qiao’s General Goods stood across the road.

Farther away was Duan He’s Beast Materials.

Travelers moved between the shops, tavern, and inn.

"People in Green River said most travelers using the western road stop at Blackstone now."

Lin Yuan paused.

Only a few months ago, someone could cross the wasteland without knowing Wandering Cloud Tavern existed.

Now people in Green River were directing travelers here.

"Leave it with me."

"Thanks."

The cultivator joined his companions for lunch.

Lin Yuan carried the notice outside.

The man waiting for his brother noticed it immediately.

"Another road warning?"

"Missing traveler."

He read the description.

After a moment, he shook his head.

"Never seen him."

Lin Yuan continued toward Qiao’s shop.

Qiao Ren was stacking bundles of rope near the entrance.

Lin Yuan held out the notice.

"Recognize him?"

Qiao read it once.

"No."

He handed it back.

"Apparently Green River merchants are telling people to leave notices here."

"That makes sense."

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"It does?"

"Yesterday someone asked whether Chen Wei’s caravan had passed through."

"What did you tell him?"

"That I hadn’t seen him."

Qiao returned to his rope.

"Then two hunters asked Duan whether another group had returned from the west. People ask Fang Yu about rooms. They ask you about the road."

Lin Yuan looked around.

A cultivator was speaking with Duan He outside the beast-material shop.

Two travelers stood near Blackstone Inn.

Another group had stopped at Qiao’s entrance.

Qiao nodded toward the notice.

"Put up a board."

Lin Yuan considered it.

"Just a wooden board?"

"What else do you need?"

Nothing, really.

Lin Yuan returned to the tavern and searched through the timber left from previous repairs.

He found two straight posts and several broad planks.

Xiao Lan noticed him carrying them outside.

"What are you making?"

"A notice board."

She glanced toward the road.

"We need one."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Apparently."

He chose a spot between Wandering Cloud Tavern and Blackstone Inn, close enough to the road for passing travelers to notice.

The work was simple.

Two posts.

Three broad planks.

Enough room for several pieces of paper.

Fang Yu came outside while he was finishing.

Lin Yuan handed her the missing-person notice.

She read it.

"People have asked me about caravans three times since the inn opened."

"Three?"

"One was looking for a merchant. Two were waiting for other groups."

She handed the notice back.

"This will help."

Lin Yuan attached the western-road warning to the left side.

The missing-person notice went beside it.

Plenty of space remained.

Not for long.

A trader approached shortly before evening carrying another sheet of paper.

"Can I put this up?"

Lin Yuan read it.

Buying Rockhorn Deer Antlers

Good condition preferred

Payment negotiable

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"This was supposed to be for road information."

The trader pointed toward the empty space.

"Nobody’s using that part."

Before Lin Yuan could answer, Duan He’s voice came from across the road.

"How much are you paying?"

The trader turned.

"Depends on quality."

"What size?"

"Adult antlers. Undamaged."

Duan walked over.

Within moments, the two were discussing prices.

Lin Yuan looked at the notice in his hand.

Then he pinned it to the board.

By sunset, another appeared.

Eastbound Caravan

Departing in two days

Seeking two cultivators to travel together

Lin Yuan hadn’t even seen who put that one there.

Travelers stopped to read while moving between the tavern, shops, and inn.

One hunter thought he might have seen Han Bo several days earlier, although he wasn’t certain enough to claim the reward.

Another cultivator asked around about the eastbound caravan.

By dinner, two strangers were sitting at the same tavern table discussing whether to travel together.

The next morning, a shout came from outside.

The man waiting for his brother nearly overturned his chair.

Lin Yuan looked toward the entrance.

A young man was walking beside a merchant wagon approaching from the east.

Dust covered his clothes, and a bundle of dried medicinal herbs was tied behind his shoulder.

The waiting traveler rushed outside.

"You’re two days late!"

"The wagon broke an axle!"

"You couldn’t send word?"

"With who?"

His brother opened his mouth.

Then stopped.

The younger man followed his gaze toward the notice board.

He laughed.

"Maybe next time."

"There better not be a next time."

They headed toward Blackstone Inn together.

Lin Yuan watched them go before returning to work.

Near noon, another caravan arrived from Green River City.

It carried cloth, preserved food, tools, and several wooden crates.

The caravan leader ate at Wandering Cloud Tavern before stopping at the notice board.

After reading the notices, he pulled a folded sheet from his storage bag.

Lin Yuan happened to be nearby.

"Another notice?"

"From the Western Trade Association."

The merchant unfolded it.

A small seal had been stamped across the bottom.

Green River Western Trade Association

Merchants traveling the western route are organizing a regular gathering before departure.

Interested caravans may register through participating association merchants.

Lin Yuan read it once.

Then again.

"Where are they gathering?"

"That’s the problem."

The merchant pinned the notice to the board.

"They haven’t chosen a place yet."

Lin Yuan’s attention returned to the paper.

"How often?"

"If enough merchants are interested? Maybe every ten days at first."

"What happens at the gathering?"

"Whatever needs doing before a crossing."

The merchant counted on his fingers.

"Trade between caravans. Find escorts. Combine smaller groups. Exchange information about the road."

His gaze moved around Blackstone.

Two wagons occupied the area south of the tavern.

A customer entered Qiao’s shop carrying an empty sack.

Several hunters stood outside Duan He’s business.

Across the road, Fang Yu was checking a traveler into Blackstone Inn.

The merchant looked back at Lin Yuan.

"You already have most of what they’d need."

"Why not gather in Green River City?"

"They already do."

The merchant shrugged.

"But not everyone starts there. Some caravans come from smaller settlements. Some arrive too late to leave with the group they wanted. Others want to reorganize before crossing the wasteland."

That made sense.

Green River City could remain the larger market.

Blackstone only needed to be useful in a different place.

A regular gathering would feed business into the tavern, inn, and shops.

Merchants would trade among themselves as well.

Lin Yuan’s interest sharpened.

He already knew what that meant for Territory Revenue.

"When are you returning to Green River City?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Can you contact the association?"

The merchant nodded.

"I’m one of the participating caravans."

Lin Yuan looked toward the open land beside the road.

Blackstone already had food, rooms, supplies, space for wagons, and a road every western caravan had to consider.

That was enough to make an invitation worthwhile.

"Then tell them Blackstone is interested."

The merchant raised an eyebrow.

"You want the gathering here?"

"I want them to come look."

A slight smile appeared on the merchant’s face.

"I’ll pass it on."

The merchant returned to his caravan.

Lin Yuan remained beside the notice board.

A few months ago, he had waited for travelers to notice a lonely tavern in the wasteland.

Now merchants in Green River City were considering Blackstone as a gathering point.

Lin Yuan smiled.

That was progress.