Once ready, Han Yu retrieved his horse from the stable, tossed another silver to the boy, and rode out of Harrow Edge Town.
He did not go directly toward the mountain path.
Instead, after riding for several minutes, he veered off into the forest. He guided the horse toward a dense cluster of trees and tied it to a sturdy branch. The horse snorted quietly as Han Yu patted its neck.
"Stay here," he murmured. "You will be safe."
Han Yu leaped upward, grabbing a branch and settling into the canopy. He crouched on a sturdy limb and scanned the forest with his spirit sense. The clearing where he had left the horse was empty.
But Han Yu was not looking there.
He was looking for anyone following him.
He suspected someone might try. Rumors spread fast in towns like this. People vanished. Travelers were ambushed. It was common knowledge that the moment someone left the safe borders of town, they were fair game for bandits lurking in the forest.
So he waited.
