The explosion shattered the silence of the night.
People jolted awake.
Lights flared to life one after another as doors flew open and confused voices echoed through the streets.
The sound had traveled far.
---
The moment the blast went off, Mac sprinted toward a quiet alley on the western side of the city.
There was a shortcut there—one that led directly to the broken section of the city wall.
He ran with everything he had.
With the guards rushing toward the source of the explosion, **no one remained to guard the broken wall**.
---
Roberto didn't hesitate.
He urged the horse forward and drove the cart straight through the broken wall, exiting the city.
Once outside, he kept going, putting as much distance between them and the wall as possible.
After a while, Arim spoke from inside the cart.
"We shouldn't go any farther."
Roberto nodded and brought the cart to a stop.
They waited.
Not long after, Mac reached the wall.
He scanned the area carefully, making sure no one was watching.
Only then did he slip through the broken section and sprint toward the cart.
He jumped inside and finally let out a breath.
---
Meanwhile, Hasami, Moneru, and I were still running through the city center.
Suddenly, guards appeared ahead.
We froze—and hid.
Some of them were moving north from the center.
We waited in silence until they passed, then changed routes, heading south and then west toward the broken wall.
But again—guards.
They were searching for clues related to the explosion.
We melted back into the shadows.
*What are they doing here?*
*They should all be in the north…*
Time was slipping away.
I couldn't afford to think any longer.
So I decided to distract them—again.
---
### **Loid's Thought**
Before midnight, when I couldn't sleep, I had thoroughly checked the system.
That was when I found the **Sound Bomb**, along with several weapons.
Using Mac himself as a distraction was too dangerous.
That's why I chose the sound bomb.
---
> **SYSTEM — SHOP**
> **Points Available** **356**
>
> **Item Selected:** Sound Bomb ×2
> **Cost:** 40 Points
>
> **Confirm Purchase?**
> ▸ **Yes**
>
> **[PURCHASE COMPLETED]**
> **Points Deducted:** 40
> **Points Remaining:** **316**
>
> **[SYSTEM CLOSED]**
---
When we split up at the beggar alley, I handed one sound bomb to Mac and explained how and where to use it.
The second one—I kept for myself.
---
Hasami and Moneru whispered nervously, fear clear in their voices.
"What do we do…?"
"Don't worry," I said calmly.
"Everything is planned."
I took out the item bag and pulled out the sound bomb, placing it in Moneru's hand.
"Open the steel cap," I whispered.
"Then throw it north with all your strength."
Moneru nodded, took a deep breath, and hurled it exactly as instructed.
**BOOOOM!**
The explosion roared through the streets once more.
The guards rushed north instantly.
We didn't waste the chance.
We ran.
---
We sprinted toward the south-west wall.
By the time we reached it, our legs were burning—but we didn't stop.
The broken section was clear.
No guards.
We slipped through and scanned our surroundings.
Then we saw it—the horse cart waiting in the distance.
We ran with everything we had left.
Mac and Arim shouted for us to hurry.
We jumped into the cart, and the moment we were inside, Roberto snapped the reins and sent the horse charging forward.
"Are you all fine?" Roberto asked without looking back.
"Did everything go as planned?"
Hasami and Moneru were breathing heavily.
I caught my breath and answered,
"Yeah… it went as planned.
We sold the salt and escaped smoothly."
Roberto's expression remained unchanged.
"I didn't expect a second sound."
"It was a backup plan," I replied tiredly.
"I didn't think we'd need it."
Roberto nodded.
Despite his poker face, relief was visible in his eyes.
"In the end, everything worked," he said.
"As you said, we're heading north."
Everyone listened quietly.
Then Moneru asked hesitantly,
"This is my first time leaving the city… where are we going?"
I smiled, still catching my breath.
"Hainston."
Mac and Moneru stared in shock.
"Weren't we going to the capital?"
Roberto replied calmly,
"The plan changed. We're heading to the business city—Hainston."
I smiled.
"That's where we'll make our name."
---
The horse cart raced forward.
It was my first time riding one.
The same was true for Mac, Arim, and Moneru.
Hasami and Roberto hadn't ridden one in a long time either.
Everyone quietly watched the passing scenery.
Soon, the sun began to rise.
No one spoke.
We simply enjoyed the moment.
---
Then I broke the silence.
"Everyone, listen," I said.
"If we're going to be a merchant group, we need a name.
Someone choose one."
"Do we really need one?" Mac asked.
Hasami smiled.
"You should choose it yourself."
Roberto spoke calmly,
"Didn't the boss name us?"
"He told us to choose it ourselves," I replied.
Moneru frowned.
"Naming is hard… someone else do it."
No one could think of anything.
Arim smiled apologetically.
"Sorry, Loid. I've got nothing."
"Me too," Mac added.
Then Hasami spoke softly.
"I thought of something… may I say it?"
Roberto slowed the cart and looked back.
Everyone turned toward her.
"Why ask permission?" I said.
"Say it."
Hasami lowered her head slightly, smiling.
"We were beggars. Now we're becoming merchants.
To me, it feels like something huge.
Like we were featherless birds before…
and now we finally have wings."
Moneru smiled.
"I feel that way too."
Arim and Mac nodded.
Hasami took a breath.
"Then let's call ourselves—
**The Falcon Merchants.**"
---