Sandboat Gang

Evening was drawing near.

Wu Ming did not continue training.

He walked to a corner of the martial courtyard, where several large water vats had been placed for the martial artists to drink from while training. Wu Ming first gulped down a great deal, quenching his thirst, then left the courtyard to return the long spear in his hand.

As he returned the ox-tendon spear, Wu Ming considered whether he ought to buy it. But after thinking it over, he abandoned the idea. The weapons and equipment provided by the Seven Martial Alliance were all rough blanks, meant only for training. If one truly wanted to use them, they still had to be sent to a smithy for further polishing. It was far too troublesome.

Besides,

with his martial plaque, he could clearly rent one for free. There was even less need to buy one. Training itself wore down those rough blanks, so he might as well wait until his spear technique was nearly complete before considering the purchase of a suitable long spear.

After leaving the Seven Martial Alliance Outer Hall, Wu Ming made his way to its main gate. This was where he was to meet Wu Qu, but Wu Qu was nowhere in sight. Either he had arrived too early, or Wu Qu had been held up by something.

Wu Ming was not in a hurry, so he waited there.

A moment later.

Wu Qu had yet to arrive, but a man in coarse linen clothes came over and greeted him of his own accord.

"May I ask if you are Brother Wu Ming?"

The man approached and cupped his fists toward Wu Ming. "I am Zhao Si, from the Sandboat Gang..."

Zhao Si looked much older than Wu Ming, yet he respectfully addressed him as "Brother Wu." After a brief exchange, Wu Ming learned Zhao Si's purpose. He wanted to recruit him into the Sandboat Gang, offering seven taels of silver each month. Normally, Wu Ming would not need to do anything; only at certain critical moments would he be asked to go over and hold the fort.

The Sandboat Gang dealt in the fishing trade, and a stretch of riverbank near Jingye City belonged to them.

After hearing Zhao Si out, Wu Ming found it rather strange. This was his first time entering the city today—how had the Sandboat Gang managed to find him so precisely? But with a turn of thought, he immediately understood.

When he had joined the Seven Martial Alliance, he had gone through a series of procedures: testing his aptitude, registering his name, and so on. Quite a few servants of the Seven Martial Alliance had been present then. Most likely, those servants had leaked news of the newly joined martial artists. Perhaps they could earn a little silver from it; it was a way of making a living.

Seven taels of silver a month, without having to do anything in particular.

Was this the treatment afforded to a Blood Forging martial artist?

His father, Wu Qi, worked himself to the bone for an entire year and still could not earn thirty taels of silver. More than half of that had to be paid away in all kinds of taxes for the family. The difference was laid bare as clear as day.

However,

though Wu Ming was tempted by the silver, he was still utterly in the dark about taking jobs and knew nothing of the specifics. Naturally, he would not agree lightly. Just as he was considering how to respond, a familiar voice suddenly rang out.

"Who are you? What are you doing?"

Turning his head, he saw Wu Qu walking over with a bundle on his back, his gaze flickering as he looked at Zhao Si beside him.

Zhao Si was not a Blood Forging martial artist. When Wu Qu fixed him with that sharp stare, his heart involuntarily tightened. He hurriedly forced a smile and said, "I am from the Sandboat Gang. I wanted to ask Brother Wu Ming to hold the fort for us."

Upon hearing that, the sharpness in Wu Qu's eyes receded somewhat. He waved a hand. "Wu Ming has already joined the Seven Martial Alliance. If you have business with him, discuss it through the Alliance. Do not make private arrangements!"

"Yes, yes."

Zhao Si gave an awkward smile and hurriedly took his leave.

Wu Qu watched Zhao Si depart before turning his gaze to Wu Ming. His expression softened as he said, "You've become a martial artist and joined the Seven Martial Alliance. Word will spread quickly. I reckon quite a few factions will come looking for you in private."

"Is it acceptable for them to come to me like this, without going through the Seven Martial Alliance?"

Wu Ming asked curiously.

Wu Qu shook his head. "The Seven Martial Alliance does not forbid private jobs, but you should know that anyone seeking you out privately generally does not have much of a relationship with the Alliance. If you take their work and something happens, the Seven Martial Alliance will not intervene. Even if they forcibly withhold your silver and refuse to pay, you will have nowhere to seek justice."

"But if you take work through the Seven Martial Alliance, it is different. You receive your silver from the Alliance, and every payment will truly reach your hands. Moreover, work that passes the Alliance's review generally has no major problems."

After hearing Wu Qu's words, Wu Ming understood at once.

"So that's how it is."

Private work could avoid the Seven Martial Alliance's commission, but no one knew what twists and turns lay hidden within. If anything happened beyond the agreement, there would be nowhere to seek justice. Work taken within the Seven Martial Alliance, however, was checked by the Alliance and was far more secure. Even if trouble arose beyond the agreement, the Seven Martial Alliance would not simply stand aside. Both sides were under the Alliance's protection.

After all, this fell within the Seven Martial Alliance's line of business.

"In any case, it's best for you not to take any private black jobs at all."

Wu Qu said it succinctly.

In truth, there were people who took private black jobs, and quite a few of them at that. Some black jobs even paid extremely generously. But such work came with no guarantees. No one knew what traps might be concealed within; one had to rely entirely on one's own judgment. Wu Qu himself had taken several black jobs in his younger days. Once, an accident had nearly cost him his life. From then on, he had become exceedingly cautious.

Wu Ming had only just entered Blood Forging and had only begun to touch the world of martial artists. Distinguishing the twists and turns hidden within all sorts of black jobs would undoubtedly be difficult for him. Since it was difficult to tell, the best method was to refuse them all and avoid every one of them.

"Mm."

Having heard Wu Qu's warning, Wu Ming nodded in agreement.

"Let's go. It's getting late; we should head back. Tomorrow, when you enter the city, you'll have to come by yourself."

Seeing Wu Ming's manner, Wu Qu's brow relaxed. "You've only just joined the Seven Martial Alliance. For now, focus on training. There's no need to deliberately seek work. Once your fundamentals are steady, find a job like guarding a residence at night. You'll have somewhere to stay and avoid the trouble of running back and forth, while it also won't delay your training."

Wu Qu's suggestion suited Wu Ming perfectly. He too felt that such work would be fitting. Still, such jobs were not something one could take merely by wishing for them; he could only keep an eye out slowly. In any case, he still had enough silver on him for now, so there was no need to rush.

For the moment, practicing the spear was what mattered most to him.

Among martial artists, differing strength naturally brought vastly different treatment. Someone who had only just entered Blood Forging, had yet to learn how to exert force, and had not even reached the level of Scattered Hand received the lowest tier of treatment. Wu Ming had even noticed earlier that most recruitment notices posted in the Seven Martial Alliance clearly stated that they required Blood Forging martial artists of at least the Scattered Hand level.

Clearly, those who had not reached the Scattered Hand level were not particularly welcome outside.

Thinking of it this way, the Sandboat Gang privately asking a young martial artist like him, who had only just entered Blood Forging, to sit in command of some boat gang might truly conceal something strange. But even without Wu Qu's reminder, his cautious nature would not have allowed him to agree lightly.

At the same time.

In a certain corner.

Zhao Si stood there nervously, his head lowered, as though he scarcely dared to breathe.

"...He didn't agree?"

A figure draped in a rain cape and wearing a bamboo hat shook his head slightly. In a calm tone, he said, "No matter. We'll just find another."