"What did you do that for?"

An old lady wearing a full desert covering with a thin headwrap approached the old man as he made his way back to the merchant caravan. Seeing the old lady blocking his path, the old man lightly smiled and replied succinctly.

"Do I need a reason to help someone?"

"I didn't know you were a chivalrous person."

The old lady raised her eyebrows and continued to question him, ignoring his deflective question.

"Then, clearly you don't know me well enough."

Ignoring her frustration, the old man brushed past the old lady and walked to the front where the mercenaries and the caravan leader were presenting their identification and having their goods checked by the city guards.

"You have to treat your wife better, old man Shi."

One of the mercenary guards grinned and addressed the old man with familiarity. Old man Shi showed a wry smile and responded lightly.

"You starting to miss the old hen at home?"

Laughing heartily, the bearded guard firmly patted the old man on the back and gripped his shoulder. The gruff voice was lighthearted and joking as he gave his reply.

"Nothing treats me better than a freshly brewed coffee in the morning. It's like the touch of a mistress, gives me something to look forward to as I push through the day."

"Don't let the Madame at home hear that."

Old Man Shi smiled and gave a joking response. The guard let go of the old man.

"You've been good company, old man. I really appreciate everything you've done for us."

The bearded guard turned serious and held a deeply appreciative gaze. The old man looked at the guard with a humble smile and said his part.

"I'm merely a retired mercenary. You'd do the same for me if we had switched positions."

"That may be true, but that doesn't make me any less grateful. I really mean it, old man Shi. If you ever need anything, I'm here."

The guard thumped his hand against his chest over his heart in a gesture of respect before saying his words of farewell.

"Well, I won't hold you any longer. Employer Yi will help you with anything that you need at the front. May the God of Travels keep your health."

Picking up a handful of sand and letting it slowly drain out with his knuckles parallel to the ground, the guard gave his well-wishes with a symbolic request to the God of Travels. Old man Shi smiled and bent down to grab a handful of sand to give the same gesture in response.

"May the God of Travels keep your health."
 

Both of the men smiled and went their separate ways. Old Man Shi made his way to the front where he was greeted by the caravan leader.

"There you are. Guard, this man here is my savior! A retired mercenary with the strength of men in their prime! It was only with his help that we were able to turn the tide against those bandits."

A plump man dressed in fine linen and a high-pitched voice said excitedly as he gestured toward old man Shi. He had his other hand placed on the shoulder of a city guard that was holding an awkward smile. The guard took the opportunity to escape the plump man's grasp and extended his hand toward old man Shi.

"Nice to meet you, sir. I'm Sergeant Adib. Good to see that you're still in great shape despite your age."

Grasping the guard's extended hand, old man Shi gave it a firm shake before identifying himself.

"Everyone knows me as old man Shi. Feel free to call me as such, Sergeant."

Sergeant Adib nodded appreciatively at old man Shi's respect and humility. Coughing lightly into his gloved fist, the Sergeant continued on to the more relevant subject.

"Merchant Yi was telling me that you had lost your identification… Usually, this would be a problem, considering the current circumstances… But Merchant Yi has decided to vouch for you, and I believe that you are an honest man. I just need you to follow me to the clerk's office so we can get you a new identification plaque."

"I'll have to thank you for your generosity, Sergeant."

Cupping his fist, old man Shi saluted Sergeant Adib respectfully.

"I hope to see you in the future, old sir!"

The plump merchant waved goodbye to the old man and made his way into the carriage. Old man Shi waved back before following hastily in the Sergeant's footsteps. As the pair made the way through the towering gates, old man Shi was finally able to witness the inside of the sprawling city for the first time.

"Wow."

Although he was awed by the sights of the dense busy streets, the old man kept his composure; his steps didn't falter as he followed Sergeant Adib. The Sergeant smirked as he heard old man Shi's exclamation and inquired.

"First time in the capital, old sir?"

The old man nodded slightly while taking in his surroundings. After a short moment, he responded to the Sergeant.

"I've always wanted to come here, but responsibilities for my family and my job never let me go too far."

"Well, I've been here all my life. If you stay long enough, the appeal fades away."

As Sergeant Adib finished his words, they arrived in front of a medium-sized clay building. A well-maintained but aged wooden sign held the words: "IDENTIFICATION OFFICE"

The main entrance was just an arch opening with no door. Inside were a few clerks behind clay desks doing paperwork and handing out wooden identification plaques. Sergeant Adib nodded toward a few clerks and walked toward a wooden door on the right with a small sliding window in the middle. Holding his right hand up, the Sergeant knocked on the door three times before taking a step back. The sliding window opened and closed before the door opened. A frail scholarly man was revealed behind the door wearing a warm smile.

"Sergeant Adib! What brings you from the gate to my humble abode?"