You are getting closer to the goal of your journey to the west.

On the third day of your journey, you reached lands that were controlled by the Free City of Alma.

Oncoming armed patrols stopped you several times and questioned you. Your answers and your scars on your shoulder, which depict the silhouette of a spider, allowed these armed warriors to understand that you were a representative of a friendly tribe. Therefore you were allowed to continue your journey towards the city.

On the fourth day of your journey, you were able to notice one lizardmole, which had not yet managed to scurry into its hole. You reacted with lightning speed. You threw your spear. The tip of the spear stunned the lizardmole as it struck its head, which was covered in dark green scales. You quickly ran up to the small body of the lizardmole (its body was the usual size for these animals, about 50 centimeters long). You struck a powerful blow with your iron dagger into the mouth of this animal, so that the tip of the dagger pierced the brain of the lizardmole.

You picked up the corpse of this animal and you carried this corpse with you. Of course, you didn't like having to carry the extra weight. But you knew, thanks to the stories of people from your tribe, that in the city of Alma you have to pay for the opportunity to go inside the city. I think this custom is called "payment of duty."

After a couple of hours you reached the city of Alma. You've never been here before. Therefore, you looked with surprise at the huge space, which was enclosed by a high wall (its height was about 5 meters!). This wall was partially composed of large ancient devices (your grandfather told you that these devices were called the word "car", that these devices made a loud roar like an angry baribal and that these devices moved faster than firelynx). The rest of the wall consisted of large stones. On top of this wall were visible sandbags that covered places for guards with small arms.

The large size of the city impressed you.

You thought: “This is incredible! Our entire tribe of Spiderscars numbers about 600 people, if you count women, children and old people! Judging by the size of this city, 3 thousand people live in this city! And perhaps even more!”

You have arrived at the city gates. You see that the gate is raised and that in front of the wall there is a ditch about 3 meters deep.

At the top of the wall you see a group of guards with weapons in their hands. You see that most of these guards are holding crossbows in their hands, and one of them is holding a double-barreled shotgun. You look at this double-barreled shotgun with envy. You would really like to have such a powerful weapon, but it is a very expensive item. In your tribe, only the strongest warriors of the tribe are allowed to have firearms. In most cases, hunters of your tribe use edged weapons, bows or crossbows.

You shout to the guards who stand on the wall: “I come in peace! May I go into the city?”

One of the guards says: “Why should we let some savage into our beautiful city? The free city of Alma is a place where civilized people live, not dirty savages!”

The guard with the double-barreled shotgun, who looks more experienced, says: "It's okay, Johnny! Look at the left shoulder of this savage. Do you see the scars that depict a pattern similar to a spider? So this savage is from the Spiderscars tribe. This tribe is friendly. The President concluded with alliance with this tribe. These savages can be useful. Lower the gates. Let the savage pay the toll and enter the city."

The gate slowly lowers, making a grinding sound. When the gate is completely lowered, it forms a bridge over the moat. You cross this bridge and you give the guard with the double-barreled shotgun the carcass of the lizardmole you recently killed.

The guard grumbles: “Well, of course! An animal carcass as payment of duty! It’s a pity that your wild tribes cannot conduct normal trade relations with the help of money. Okay! The scales of this lizardmole are quite a valuable craft resource. And the meat will also be useful to us. Go into the city, savage! Hurry up! We need to raise the gates!"