Wang Quan slipped through the night. Shadow Step let his figure almost merge into the darkness. He deliberately sought out places thick with Corpse Qi, and scattered members of the Corpse Clan fell one after another beneath his blade. Prompt chimes sounded intermittently in his mind, but after killing seven or eight, only six had granted Skill Points, for a total of 6 points. Two had shown no reaction after being slain; apparently, they did not even count as the lowest-grade walking corpses. He no longer lingered and returned to the group.
In the latter half of the night, the group encountered another three clusters of scattered Corpse Clan members. Wang Quan personally took action, his blade rising and heads falling, adding another 3 points. With 9 Skill Points credited in total, he nevertheless suppressed the urge to spend them for the time being. He needed to find an absolutely safe place first.
At dawn, the exhausted group dragged themselves back to the garrison. The training ground was permeated by the mixed smell of blood and sweat. Commander Chen hunched over as he counted the personnel. When it was Wang Quan's group's turn, Wang Quan stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said in a deep voice, "Commander Chen, we patrolled the eastern section last night and encountered eleven waves of the Corpse Clan. Their numbers had increased abnormally, but they've all been cleared out."
Commander Chen lifted his eyelids slightly. His murky gaze paused on Wang Quan's face for a moment before he grunted. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Understood. A new batch of people will be arriving soon, so you'll have to vacate Room Bing-7." He paused, then added, "You can go find a place to live on your own now. The surveillance... has been temporarily withdrawn. But you know the rules. Don't entertain thoughts you shouldn't."
Wang Quan clasped his fists. "Understood."
Hearing this, Wei Dayong came over and lowered his voice. "Brother, since you've got nowhere to go, why not stay at my place? It'll be a little cramped, but it's only one more pair of chopsticks. We can look out for each other, and have a couple of drinks to unwind when we get back at night."
Wang Quan pondered briefly. He did need a relatively stable place to settle down and cultivate. Although Wei Dayong's home was modest, it was better than the barracks, where all kinds of people were mixed together, and it would also be more convenient for gathering information. "Then I'll trouble you and Sister Xu."
"Aw, don't stand on ceremony!" A genuine smile spread across Wei Dayong's dark face as he gave Wang Quan's shoulder a hearty slap.
After his shift, Wang Quan packed up his pitifully small amount of luggage and followed Wei Dayong through several streets and alleys, arriving at the familiar gate with an old locust tree beside it. Wei Dayong pounded on the door. "Xingniang! Open up! We're back! Brother Wang will be staying with us from now on!"
Light footsteps sounded, and the door creaked open. Sister Xu, wearing an apron, poked her head out. She first glared reproachfully at Wei Dayong. "Why are you shouting? The whole neighborhood can hear you." She then turned to Wang Quan, a gentle smile blooming on her face. "It's good that Brother Wang has come. Come in quickly; I'm just tidying up the room. Make yourself at home. Don't be shy."
"Sorry to trouble you, Sister Xu." Wang Quan nodded.
"Daddy!" The little girl with two tiny bunches of hair and rosy cheeks ran out of the house like a cheerful little bird and flung herself at Wei Dayong.
"Oh, my good Nannan!" The weariness and weathering on Wei Dayong's face were instantly swept away by a smile. He bent down, scooped his daughter high into the air, and rubbed his stubbly chin against her tender cheeks, making the little girl giggle as she pushed at him with her small hands.
"Hello, big brother!" In her father's arms, the little girl showed no shyness. Her large, dark eyes gazed curiously at Wang Quan.
"Little one, call him Uncle Wang," Wei Dayong corrected her, his face full of indulgence.
"Hello, Uncle Wang!" The little girl readily complied, her voice clear and bright.
The lines of Wang Quan's face softened somewhat as he forced out a smile that was not especially practiced. "Hello."
The courtyard was not large, but it was neat and orderly. Sister Xu efficiently cleared out a side room on the western side that had been used for storage. Though simple, it had a complete bed, table, and chairs, and its bright windows and spotless floor made it a hundred times better than the garrison's shared bunks. Wei Dayong helped move things around, muttering without pause. "This table leg's a little wobbly. I'll find a wooden wedge and reinforce it tomorrow... The window paper's getting old too. I'll tear off some new paper and paste it over it soon... Brother, make do with the place for now. If you're missing anything, tell your sister-in-law. Don't be shy!"
At dinner, the table held steaming mixed-grain buns, a dish of pickled vegetables, a bowl of stew with only a few scattered beads of oil floating on top, and a small plate of thinly sliced cured meat, clearly added especially to entertain Wang Quan. The little girl held her own small bowl and ate with relish, chattering now and then about the new characters she had learned from her mother during the day or the games she had played with the neighbor's children. Wei Dayong listened with a beaming smile, occasionally adding a scrap of meat to his daughter's bowl and pouring Wang Quan some of his home-brewed rice wine, cloudy yet carrying a touch of warmth.
"Brother, I've noticed that lately... your cultivation has been advancing at an astonishing pace." Wei Dayong took a sip of wine and lowered his voice. His face held admiration and a trace of imperceptible probing. "It hasn't been long, but your footwork and saber technique both seem like they belong to a different person. It looks like you were born for this line of work. Truly gifted."
Wang Quan set down his bowl and said calmly, "Brother Wei is too kind. It's nothing more than a bit of ruthlessness forced out of me when fighting for my life, along with a little luck."
"Luck is strength too." Wei Dayong waved his hand, his expression growing more serious. "I haven't forgotten the cultivation method you asked me to look into before. It's just that the truly good stuff is all kept under wraps. Most of what circulates on the market is either junk or demonic cultivation that'll get people killed. Give me a little more time. I'll definitely find you something reliable."
"Thank you for taking the trouble, Brother Wei." Wang Quan raised his bowl and toasted him.
After dinner, the little girl actually tugged Wei Dayong into the courtyard to practice martial arts. She planted her feet in a crooked, wobbly horse stance, her small face flushed red with effort, and gestured with little punches and kicks while making a series of "heh" and "ha" sounds. Wei Dayong squatted beside her, his eyes narrowing into slits as he watched. Pride and affection could not be hidden from his face, and he occasionally called out pointers. "Keep your waist straight! Put some force into your punches! That's it! If my girl practices like this, she'll definitely surpass her old man someday!"
As Sister Xu gathered the bowls and chopsticks, she shook her head with a smile. "You spoil her too much. She's a girl—why teach her all this fighting and killing?"
"What's wrong with that? She's my daughter. What's wrong with learning a little martial arts for self-defense? In this Worldly Affairs, having one more skill means having one more path!" Wei Dayong stuck out his neck, perfectly self-righteous.
Watching the little girl, Wei Lingling, make childish punches and kicks with her face flushed red from effort, Wang Quan noticed a red plum-blossom-shaped birthmark on her hand. The corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. He stepped forward, his voice gentler than usual yet still carrying its habitual concision. "Your stance is wrong."
Wei Lingling stopped and tilted her head up. Her large, dark eyes blinked at him, filled with a child's distinctive curiosity and trust.
Wang Quan stopped in front of her, his figure straight as a pine. "Watch me," he said. He then spread his legs slightly, lowered his waist, settled his hips, and naturally assumed the opening stance of the most basic Bronze Armor Technique. The movement was not flashy, yet it was steady as a mountain, faintly exuding the bearing of something immovable as a mountain peak. He did not circulate his qi and blood, merely demonstrating the form. His right fist slowly thrust forward, plain and unadorned, yet just as the crest of his fist was about to arrive but had not quite reached its target, an extremely brief but clearly audible pop rang through the air—the sound of speed and power tearing through the air at precisely the right moment.
"Wow!" Wei Lingling's small mouth formed a round O as she exclaimed, "Uncle Wang, you're amazing! It made a sound!"
Wei Dayong's eyes lit up beside them. He knew what he was looking at and could see the solid foundation and explosive power contained in Wang Quan's simple movement. This was absolutely not an empty show. He hurriedly said to his daughter, "Lingling, quick, learn properly from Uncle Wang! This is real skill!"
Wang Quan withdrew his fist and looked at the little girl. "Do you want to learn?"
"Yes!" Wei Lingling nodded vigorously, her small face full of excitement.
"Good." Wang Quan squatted down so that his eyes were level with the little girl's, then patiently corrected her movements. "Spread your feet a little farther apart. Stand firmly. Keep your waist straight. Don't stick your butt out. That's it." He gently adjusted the little girl's shoulders and arms with his hands. "Clench your fist like this. When you punch, let the strength rise from the soles of your feet, pass through your waist, and reach your fist."
His instructions were direct and practical, with no unnecessary words, yet every sentence struck the key point. Wei Lingling understood only half of it, but she learned with extraordinary seriousness, her little face taut as she tried her hardest to imitate every detail of Wang Quan's movements.
Wei Dayong watched from the side, the smile never leaving his face and his eyes filled with relief. Rubbing his hands together, he said in a low voice to Sister Xu as she came over, "Just look at that. Brother Wang really has skill, and he's willing to teach her too. Our daughter's blessed."
Sister Xu wiped her hands on her apron and looked at the two figures, one large and one small, in the courtyard. A gentle smile rippled through her eyes. "Yes, Brother Wang is a sincere man. It's just... with all that murderous aura about him, won't he be too strict teaching a child?"
"Woman's thinking!" Wei Dayong said dismissively. "In this Worldly Affairs, learning some real skill is better than anything! Strict is good. A strict teacher produces outstanding pupils! It's better than her ending up... Ah." He did not finish. He merely sighed, his gaze sweeping over the courtyard wall as though he could see through it and behold the perilous darkness outside.
Wang Quan taught seriously, and the little girl practiced with equal focus. They repeated several simple movements over and over. Wang Quan did not lower his standards because of her young age. He corrected every mistake until her movements were more or less proper. Sweat beaded on the tip of the little girl's nose, yet she gritted her teeth and did not complain of fatigue.
"That's enough for today." When Wang Quan saw that her breathing had grown slightly labored, he stopped. "Practicing martial arts is not something achieved in a single day. Persistence is what matters. Hold this stance steadily for the time it takes an incense stick to burn every day, and throw a hundred punches. Remember?"
"I remember, Uncle Wang!" Wei Lingling answered loudly. Though tired, her little face brimmed with the excitement of having learned something new.
"Good girl." For once, Wang Quan raised his hand and gently patted the top of the little girl's head. The movement was somewhat stiff, yet it carried a trace of warmth.
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