The Coming Chaos

"Greetings, Master Yun. I'd like to rent a spot to do business today," Zhong Lin said with an ingratiating smile.

Yesterday, Zhong Lin had learned in the Black Market that the gatekeeper was named Yun Ye, a Seventh-Rank Bone Forging Realm expert whose tremendous strength was unmatched. It was precisely because he guarded the place that the Black Market remained peaceful and no one dared cause trouble.

"Stall fee is two Big Coins per night," Yun Ye said casually.

"Yes."

After paying the market entry fee and stall fee, three Big Coins in total, he received a palm-sized wooden tag bearing the words "DingYou Eighteen."

Zhong Lin had already inquired about the process. After entering the Black Market, he found the corresponding spot and placed the wooden tag somewhere conspicuous.

There was another wooden sign standing beside the stall where one could write the name of the goods being sold. Of course, some people could not read and did not bother with any of that, simply laying out their wares without a care.

After thinking briefly, Zhong Lin wrote the four words "Blood Strengthening Secret Medicine" on the sign, then set packet after packet of medicinal powder before him.

The words Blood Strengthening Secret Medicine were inherently targeted, and before long, passersby who could read were drawn over to stop and look.

Seeing business arrive, Zhong Lin took the initiative to introduce it. "This is Eight Treasures Blood Replenishment Powder, an excellent medicine for replenishing qi and blood. Its effects surpass even the secret medicines sold by martial arts schools. One packet lasts three days."

"How much?"

The speaker was a man wearing a monkey-head mask. His face could not be seen, and only his somewhat hoarse voice could be heard.

"Five taels of silver per packet."

Zhong Lin held up five fingers.

"Too expensive," the monkey-masked man said in a deep voice. "Even martial arts schools only sell theirs for three taels of silver."

"Then you can buy it from a martial arts school," Zhong Lin said with a half-smile.

The monkey-masked man instantly fell silent. Clearly, he was the sort who could not show his face in public. He did not even dare enter the County Town, much less go to a martial arts school.

"I want to inspect the medicine first."

"Of course."

The medicine packet was opened. The monkey-masked man pinched out a little with two fingers and tossed it into his mouth. After a moment, he nodded in satisfaction.

"The effects are good. I'll take them all."

"Straightforward."

Zhong Lin was delighted as well. He had not expected to sell out everything the moment he opened for business.

The monkey-masked man pulled a pouch from his waist and tossed it over. Zhong Lin caught it, and from its weight and the sound of silver rubbing together, he judged that it contained fifty taels of silver. Still, he opened it and checked.

Not bad. It was all loose silver, and the weight was sufficient.

Ten packets of medicine meant fifty taels of silver. After deducting the twenty taels for Xu Lewu, Zhong Lin had made a net profit of thirty taels.

"Will you be selling medicine again tomorrow?" the monkey-masked man asked quietly before leaving.

"I will."

"Good."

With that, he left without looking back.

Zhong Lin wiped the words from the wooden sign and got up to leave. Before long, he departed the Black Market with a pained expression. Twenty taels of silver had been exchanged for two Blood Replenishment Pills.

"Damn it. These next few days, I need to grind through more medical books. I refuse to believe I can't crack the Blood Replenishment Pill."

Zhong Lin viciously set himself a goal. In the blink of an eye, those twenty taels of silver had vanished before he could even warm them in his hands. It hurt too much.

On the way back, he still carefully took detours, but all the way to Black Mountain County, he did not discover anyone following him.

"No trouble... how nice."

With that thought, he made his way back along the familiar route.

The next morning, Zhong Lin made a hearty breakfast, and the two brothers ate to their hearts' content.

Zhong Lin had also noticed that as his martial cultivation steadily improved, his appetite kept growing. Still, that was a good thing.

After sending Little Shi to Teacher Liu, Zhong Lin first went to Xu's Clinic and gave the twenty taels of silver to Xu Lewu.

Xu Lewu beamed so broadly upon receiving the silver that he could not close his mouth. He did not even open the clinic, instead immediately setting to work making more Eight Treasures Blood Nourishing Soup.

After returning the copy of "Materia Medica Primer" from last night, Zhong Lin grabbed a copy of "Essentials of Diet and Nutrition." He intended to empty out every book in the clinic as quickly as possible, then try to crack the Blood Replenishment Pill and achieve Blood Replenishment Pill freedom.

After checking in at the County Yamen, Zhong Lin headed straight for the storeroom where Old Zhou was.

"Old Zhou, did something happen outside?" Zhong Lin asked directly.

Old Zhou's expression changed. He glanced outside, and only after confirming no one was there did he speak in a low voice. "You heard the news too?"

"What news?"

"Heh! You little brat, you tricked me."

Old Zhou's eyes widened as he laughed and cursed.

Zhong Lin smiled as well. "I noticed something was off in the city. There are far too many refugees, and the price of rice at the grain shops has more than doubled. Old Zhou, tell me the truth. Did something happen outside?"

Old Zhou pondered for a moment. "Kid Zhong, haven't you noticed that ever since you entered the County Yamen, you've never seen the County Magistrate or Secretary Zhang?"

Zhong Lin's heart stirred. He had actually wanted to ask about this for a long time. The highest-ranking official in the County Yamen was the County Magistrate, yet ever since arriving in Black Mountain County, Zhong Lin had only seen County Commandant Du exercising authority. The County Magistrate and Secretary Zhang had never appeared.

"The outside world is already in chaos. There was a severe drought this summer, grain harvests fell, and the number of refugees keeps growing. Some people with sinister intentions have also taken the chance to gather bandits and stir up rebellion. It's only because our Black Mountain County is backed by Black Mountain and the White Sand River that things have not already erupted into chaos. At this rate, it won't be long before the County Magistrate returns to conscript soldiers," Old Zhou said with a sigh.

The coming chaos.

Those four words suddenly sprang into Zhong Lin's mind. History from his previous life had long proven that natural disasters and man-made calamities generally arrived hand in hand. He just did not know how vast the reach of this drought and military disaster would be.

"Zhong Lin, if you have spare money, hurry and buy some grain to store away. I reckon grain prices will keep rising," Old Zhou advised.

"I understand. Thank you, Old Zhou."

"Ah, what are you thanking me for?"

After hearing that chaos was coming, Zhong Lin remained somewhat dazed all morning. He could not focus on the medical book in his hands, so he went straight home to practice martial arts.

A Blood Replenishment Pill entered his stomach. Once its medicinal effects erupted, Zhong Lin leaped and shifted through the courtyard, his fists sometimes heavy and forceful, sometimes like a fierce tiger descending the mountain.

Late autumn had arrived, yet Zhong Lin only felt as though a ball of fire burned within him. His breathing method shook his internal organs, wisps of hot mist rising from the top of his head, while the sound of blood surging through his body could be heard clearly.

Only after a full hour did Zhong Lin slowly stop. Brilliant light spilled from his eyes, sharp as a tiger's.

He could even feel the tendons and membranes within his body tingling and itching, as though he were developing for a second time.

Time drifted by.

Over the next few days, Zhong Lin went to the Black Market every night. Most of the silver he earned each day from Eight Treasures Blood Nourishing Soup was used to buy pills, while the smaller portion was exchanged for grain.

The cellar where Little Shi had once hidden was expanded again. Every night, Zhong Lin carefully disposed of the excavated dirt, then scattered insect-repelling and moisture-removing medicinal powder inside. A small air-raid shelter was thus completed. Even if war broke out outside, it would be enough for the two of them to hide there for a month or so.