"Relax, there's no need to be so nervous. If I wanted to make a move against you, you'd have been dead long ago!"
The woman's voice was as lovely as an oriole emerging from the valley, but her words made Ning Chuan's heart tighten.
Sure enough, this person was definitely an expert!
She called herself an official, and she was from the authorities.
Ning Chuan's vigilance immediately rose another three levels!
People from the authorities were even more capable of killing without spilling blood. Every last one of them was an old silver coin!
He immediately asked, "My lady, are you an official?"
"That's right. I am Leng Hanshuang, Battalion Commander of the Qingshan County Imperial Guard!"
The woman replied softly while standing sideways, seemingly gazing into the distance. Her voice was unhurried and calm.
Imperial Guard, Battalion Commander? Had he transmigrated to the Great Ming Dynasty?
Looking again at the woman's attire—the Embroidered Spring Saber, the Feather Uniform—weren't these the standard equipment of the Great Ming Dynasty's Imperial Guard?
Ning Chuan took three steps back, putting even more distance between himself and the woman. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
The Imperial Guard was famed for its brutality!
He had heard they had one hundred and eight kinds of torture, each more inhuman than the last. One of them was called Riding the Donkey!
It was not only used on unchaste women, but also on men who had committed crimes!
Sometimes, if they simply did not like the look of someone, they would drag that person up to ride it!
At the thought, Ning Chuan instinctively clenched his chrysanthemum, trembling slightly as he asked:
"This is the Great Ming Dynasty?" Ning Chuan asked.
"That's right!"
Damn it, he had actually arrived in the Great Ming Dynasty. He just did not know whether it was the Great Ming Dynasty from his memories.
"Zhu Yuanzhang? Xu Da? Chang Yuchun?" Ning Chuan probed cautiously.
"What Zhu Yuanzhang? What Xu Da? What Chang Yuchun? Who are those people?" There was a trace of curiosity in the woman's voice.
So this was not the Great Ming Dynasty from that other world!
It clearly had the Imperial Guard and Embroidered Spring Sabers. Could it somehow still not be the Great Ming Dynasty from that other world?
As he was mulling it over, he heard the woman say:
"Boy, you committed murder in broad daylight. What crime should that be?"
Her tone was lofty and overbearing. Sure enough, she had put on the official airs.
Ning Chuan's heart tightened again. Sure enough, officials changed their faces faster than flipping a book!
She ignored the bandits of Three Tiger Mountain, yet wanted to hold him accountable!
But what could he do?
He was merely an ordinary commoner, while the person before him was an Imperial Guard officer famed for brutality. If he were beaten to death for no reason, or taken away to Ride the Donkey, where could he possibly seek justice?
Forget it. He was only a weak chicken right now. Better to bend with the wind—survival came first.
At once, he hurriedly cried out:
"My lady, I've been wronged! I am a law-abiding citizen! This man was the Second Boss of the Three Tiger Mountain bandits. He chased me all the way here to kill me. I had no choice but to defend myself and kill him instead. I was also eliminating evil for the people!"
Ning Chuan put on an anxious expression, though he truly was anxious inside.
"Hmph, you dare deceive me? The Second Boss of Three Tiger Mountain was a martial arts expert. How could someone like you have killed him? Tell me your background."
Ning Chuan hurriedly explained, "My lady, I am Ning Chuan, a commoner from Ning Family Village. He really was the Second Boss of the bandits!"
"You practice Iron Shirt?" The woman did not press the matter further and instead asked another question.
"My lady's eyes are as sharp as a torch!"
"I heard that Ma San, the Third Boss of Three Tiger Mountain, also practiced Iron Shirt. What is your relationship with Ma San?"
Ning Chuan was struck speechless. He did not know how to answer. His Iron Shirt had come from the system's Sign In—how was he supposed to explain that?
"If I said I stole my Iron Shirt from Ma San, would you believe me?"
Though Ning Chuan explained aloud, his vigilance had risen to the utmost. A fierce glint flashed through his eyes.
From the side, the twin peaks of Kunlun and Wudang stood tall and proud.
If she did not believe him, he could only prepare to risk his life!
The two women before him clearly did not seem easy to provoke.
But even a rabbit would bite when driven desperate!
If they pushed him too far, he would abandon all defense and launch a suicidal attack at the twin peaks of Kunlun and Wudang. Even if he died, he would bite off a chunk.
He would make her remember that the desperate struggle of a little man could be terrifying too!
To strike an enemy most ruthlessly, one had to seize their weakness and savagely attack the vital point!
"I believe you!"
The woman's answer greatly surprised Ning Chuan, and he let out a breath of relief.
Seeing Ning Chuan become increasingly wary, the woman's lips curled slightly as she said:
"I see that you are a talent, and I am someone who cherishes talent. There just happens to be an opening for a Guard under my command.
I invite you to join my Imperial Guard and fill that vacancy. In the future, I'll lead you to eat fragrant food and drink spicy liquor. Are you willing?"
As the woman spoke, she slowly drew her Embroidered Spring Saber three inches from its sheath.
Ning Chuan immediately felt as though a blade were pressed against his back. A sharp saber intent seemed to stab into his heart, leaving him unable even to breathe!
"I'm willing, I'm willing!"
Ning Chuan felt that if he shouted any slower, he would be going to see his great-grandmother!
If you could not beat them, join them.
If you could not resist, then enjoy it!
In a single day, he had received two threatening invitations.
One from bandits, one from the authorities—their methods were exactly the same!
If he had dared utter even half a word of refusal just now, his head would likely have already fallen from his shoulders!
The woman slowly sheathed her Embroidered Spring Saber, then flicked a token toward Ning Chuan.
Ning Chuan caught it and looked.
One side of the token read: "Imperial Guard."
The other side read: "Leng Shuanghan."
The characters were exactly the same square-shaped writing as those of that other world.
"This is my token. Report to the Imperial Guard within one month to complete the formal procedures. If you are late or fail to come, it will be considered a betrayal of the Imperial Guard. Vast as heaven and earth may be, there will no longer be a place for you!"
Leng Hanshuang's tone was indifferent, her words cold enough to pierce the bone, just like her name!
After twists and turns, Ning Chuan finally lowered his guard a little.
"Very well. Until we meet again!"
With that, she turned and left, leaving Ning Chuan only her back.
Up to this point, Ning Chuan had not even seen her face head-on!
"Until we meet again!"
Ning Chuan watched the two women's retreating backs, rubbing the token in his hand.
"What the hell is this? I was fucking forced to join their gang!"
Watching the two gradually walk away until their figures vanished from sight,
Ning Chuan let out a long sigh, his expression shifting between light and dark.
Only after a while did he remember the most important thing to do: loot the corpse.
After searching the body, Ning Chuan's face was full of disappointment. He kicked the Second Boss's corpse flying.
"Pah, you poor bastard!"
"A dignified Second Boss, and he didn't even have a single coin on him!"
That could not really be blamed on the Second Boss. He had been sleeping soundly in the middle of the night when he rose in fury to chase Ning Chuan. Who would remember to bring money?
Ning Chuan felt around on his own body as well. He did not have even half a copper coin. The silver he had taken from Three Tiger Mountain had long since fallen away somewhere.
His clothes had already become strips of rags, and the silver he had seized had fallen into some unknown corner. He did not have even half a copper coin on him.
Ning Chuan had once again become a penniless pauper!
When he opened the system panel, he saw that killing the Second Boss, the BOSS, had earned him 5 Attribute Points. That gave him a little comfort.
He added 1 point to Constitution, bringing it to 108. As he felt a warm current flow through his limbs and bones, his exhaustion and hunger were swept away.
He did not add the remaining 4 Attribute Points for now, saving them to replenish endurance when needed.
He picked up the Second Boss's broadsword. The material seemed fairly good, so it should fetch some money.
"I'll first get some rations and water, then take them back to Ning Family Village."
"My dear Village Chief! Ning the Flayer!
I didn't die, so you'll be the one who dies!"
Before you continue