Batsaikhan continued toward a quieter part of the city, maintaining the pace of an ordinary merchant who had finished his business for the day.
He did not look back, nor did he make any obvious attempt to escape the two men following him. Instead, he deliberately chose a street with fewer pedestrians, passing several closed shops before turning into a narrow lane between two old buildings.
Rene and Deric followed without hesitation.
"Are you certain about this?" Deric whispered as they approached the entrance to the lane. "We don't even know who that man is."
Rene kept his gaze on the merchant's back.
"That's exactly why I want him. Did you see how he moved? He looks like an ordinary merchant, but his body is far too controlled. He watches every intersection, adjusts his pace whenever someone approaches, and never allows anyone to get too close to his blind spots. Even his breathing is unusual."
Deric glanced at the man ahead of them. "You think he's a trained warrior?"
