...
As time passed, his senses overcame his initial fear, and he began to mock himself for feeling threatened by such a young man. Smiling, the older man straightened up once more. "Little brother, we're here to help all merchants and craftsmen, but when someone like you refuses to join us, how can we offer assistance? After all, everyone travels together, so we need everyone to pay their share."
"Not my problem; we're not interested," Yan Xiaobao shrugged and finally stood up from his seat, facing the group of experts. He gently shook his hands to warm them up, then stretched his neck. His eyes remained as patient as before, but his actions drew the attention of many merchants and craftsmen who had been forced to pay abnormally high safety fees earlier.
