Discussing Cooperation

Bang, bang, bang...

The rhythmic sounds echoed through the courtyard.

More than two hours passed.

Lin Zheyu was gasping for breath, his face beginning to pale. He had more or less reached his limit.

He gritted his teeth and kept going.

Every time he broke through his physical limits, it was a dual trial and cleansing of both mind and body.

Another ten-odd minutes passed.

Finally...

Lin Zheyu collapsed limply onto the ground, gulping down air, a blissful and satisfied smile spreading across his face.

Amazing!

This feeling could become addictive.

Heaven Rewards Diligence

Name: Lin Zheyu

Source Power: 3

Skill: Wild Bull Fist (Beginner 46%)

After resting for a while, Lin Zheyu climbed to his feet and endured the sharp pain as he stretched his muscles and bones.

Effective stretching after training could make the fascia tougher and stronger, allowing it to unleash greater power.

Late at night.

The moon was full tonight. Its bright, clear light spilled down and illuminated the dark streets.

Three furtive figures made their way through the darkness to the outside of Lin Zheyu's courtyard, using the brilliant moonlight to guide them.

"Brother Yu, this is the place," Skinny Monkey said.

"He actually rented such a nice little courtyard. Looks like he's made quite a bit lately." Gao Yu chuckled. They would make another tidy sum tonight.

"Monkey, you're nimble. Climb over the wall and open the gate from inside," Gao Yu ordered.

"Alright, wait for me."

Skinny Monkey spoke with complete confidence.

Though he was dry and scrawny as a monkey, his movements were extraordinarily agile. Climbing walls and trees, he was as nimble as an actual monkey.

Gao Yu and their other companion crouched halfway down, clasping their hands together.

Skinny Monkey stepped onto them. With Gao Yu and the other man boosting him, he gave a light leap and landed atop the wall.

"Heh!"

"You built the wall so high—did you really think it could stop me?"

Skinny Monkey snickered and gripped the edge of the wall with both hands.

"Hm?"

"Hiss—"

A piercing pain shot through his palms.

Skinny Monkey endured the agony without crying out. He forced himself to let go and fell from the wall, then rolled about in pain.

"Monkey, what happened?!"

Gao Yu and the other man cried out in low voices, not daring to make too much noise.

If they were discovered, they were done for. They would definitely be thrown into prison as hard laborers.

"Damn it, that kid put a bunch of long sharp needles on the wall!"

Skinny Monkey cursed under his breath.

Blood seeped profusely through the gloves on his hands.

As an experienced thief, Skinny Monkey was extremely cautious. To guard against his target planting sharp objects atop the wall, he had even worn gloves.

But he had never expected that Lin Zheyu's wall would have not only all kinds of spikes, but also small blades and long needles.

Worst of all, the needles all had barbs!

"What do we do, then?"

Gao Yu frowned as he looked at the gloves soaked in blood.

"It's fine. I still have a way."

"I learned a secret lock-picking technique from an old friend in prison. Let me recover a little, then we'll go in through the front gate!"

Skinny Monkey bared his teeth.

It hurt too badly. His hands felt as though they were on fire, and the pain made him suck in cold breaths.

"Are you alright? Should we come back another day?"

Seeing Skinny Monkey's deathly pale face, Gao Yu asked worriedly.

"No need. I'm fine."

Skinny Monkey gritted his teeth. His consciousness was becoming a little hazy, and he assumed he had rattled his brain when he fell earlier.

The men did not know how many preparations Lin Zheyu had made in his courtyard to guard against Jia Yanyong possibly coming after him in the dark.

Those needles held far more than just barbs. They were also coated with poison Lin Zheyu had acquired through special channels.

Morning and night, he would specifically tend to them, ensuring that the poison did not lose its potency.

"Monkey, Monkey..."

"What's wrong with you?"

Gao Yu anxiously asked as Skinny Monkey's voice grew weaker and his twitching eyelids began to close.

"N-No... I'm... I'll be fine... in a bit..."

Skinny Monkey said in broken fragments.

"Woof, woof... Woof woof woof..."

Before he could finish speaking, the yapping of a puppy came from within the courtyard.

"Damn, he has a dog."

"Let's go back first. If we make too much noise and get discovered, we'll be in for it."

Gao Yu made the decision without hesitation.

The Inner City was not like Bai Shan District. Control here was far stricter, and patrols even roamed at night.

He hoisted the increasingly unconscious Skinny Monkey onto his back, called to the other companion, and rushed into an alleyway, vanishing from sight.

Inside the courtyard.

In the kitchen.

Lin Zheyu jolted awake.

A concealed space was hidden within the woodpile, and Lin Zheyu lay on the ground atop bedding.

"Someone came?"

Lin Zheyu immediately became alert.

To guard against Jia Yanyong possibly making a move against him, he had made many preparations.

Lin Zheyu had placed a dummy in the bedroom, then slept each night in the hidden sleeping space in the kitchen, lest someone sneak in during the night and deal with him.

He had watched plenty of television dramas in his previous life. Many people liked to come knocking in the dark, and he felt this would be safer.

Carefully getting up, Lin Zheyu gripped his wood-splitting knife and pressed his ear to the door.

Outside was utterly silent. Only the barking of the puppy he had recently bought could be heard.

After patiently waiting for more than an hour, there was still no movement outside.

He relaxed slightly, pushed open a crack in the door to look outside, and only fully let down his guard after confirming that there was no problem.

"A false alarm."

"None of the traps in the courtyard were triggered. Maybe someone, or some animal, passed by outside and startled Little Yellow."

Lin Zheyu mused to himself.

He rubbed Little Yellow's head and calmed it down.

Little Yellow was a native dog a little over three months old. It had two inverted-V-shaped brows that made it look perpetually melancholy—both amusing and adorable.

"Tomorrow, I'll go talk to Jia Yanming about working together. I can't keep living in constant fear like this."

Lin Zheyu pondered.

There were no eternal enemies in this world, nor eternal friends—only eternal interests.

Early morning.

Lin Zheyu stretched comfortably, only to bare his teeth when it pulled at his aching muscles.

After washing up, he wolfed down five large bowls of rice with braised meat.

His appetite was growing larger and larger, and his digestion and absorption were improving as well.

There were not many people at Yi Xiang Teahouse this early in the morning, though it was still better than Bi Dan Teahouse.

Yi Xiang Teahouse was more upscale, and some wealthy people enjoyed coming early in the morning to savor tea.

He entered the teahouse and chose a seat by the window.

Influenced by Master Liang Song, Lin Zheyu had gradually grown fond of sitting by windows. He could watch the passersby and enjoy the scenery outside.

"Waiter, bring me a pot of Immortal Mist Phoenix Tea. One plate each of Sesame Cakes, Da Na, Le Jiang..."

After ordering, Lin Zheyu continued, "Let Jia Yanming know that someone named Lin Zheyu is looking for him."

"Right away!"

the waiter replied.

He turned and hurried off to place the order.

"Lin Zheyu, Lin Zheyu... I think I've heard that name before?"

The waiter muttered, then his eyes suddenly lit up. "Isn't Lin Zheyu the storyteller from Bi Dan Teahouse?"

"Why would he be looking for Steward Jia? Could it be that he wants to tell stories at Yi Xiang Teahouse?"

"If that's the case, that would be wonderful. The teahouse's business will surely rise to another level."

The waiter was thrilled inside as he hurried to notify the steward.

The better the teahouse's business was, the more wealthy young masters it attracted. And the more young masters there were, the greater their chances as waiters to receive tips.

While waiting for the food to arrive, Lin Zheyu surveyed Yi Xiang Teahouse with interest.

Unlike the upscale Yi Xiang Teahouse, Bi Dan Teahouse could not be considered high-end. Those who came to listen to stories and drink tea were mostly people from the lower and middle classes.

But as Lin Zheyu's fame spread, and his stories became increasingly popular by word of mouth, more and more young masters had come to Bi Dan Teahouse these past few days specifically to hear him tell stories, stealing many of Yi Xiang Teahouse's customers.

"Mister Lin, hello."

Jia Yanming strode over, a faint smile on his face.