Night Watch, Digging a Pit

Late at night, Jiang Yan bid farewell to Tang Long and quickly returned to his lodging to rest.

He had returned late, and the courtyard was already quiet.

Lying on the bed, recalling the events of the evening, useful information flowed through his mind.

Tang Long had told him that because the official order couldn't be delivered immediately, he couldn't be given the treatment of a squad leader yet. He would still need to patrol for a few days. Once the order arrived and he was formally appointed as a squad leader, he would have other tasks.

In the patrol team, the work of a squad leader and ordinary patrol members was different.

Thinking this, he silently chanted Martial Arts Modifier.

The ability panel appeared.

Character: Jiang Yan

Martial Arts:
Chopping Iron Four Forms: First Form Mastered. Enhance (Available) Deduce (No)

Monster Value: 9

Divine light flowed in his eyes. That day, after he had mastered the first form of Chopping Iron Four Forms, he could have continued to improve, but he chose not to.

The Martial Arts Modifier was incredibly powerful. After mastering the first form of Chopping Iron Four Forms, he had advanced to Martial Apprentice.

The strength was real, and so was the martial arts experience.

However, he still felt a sense of familiar strangeness towards this strength and martial arts experience.

In his own understanding, he lacked a period of adjustment. He couldn't wield it skillfully yet and needed practice.

In fact, any martial artist who broke through to a new realm would have such a period to adapt to their rapidly soaring strength.

"Soon," Jiang Yan clenched his fist in the darkness, "I'll enhance it again in a day or two."

Early in the morning, Jiang Yan woke up early.

He slung his long sword at his waist and tucked the Blazing Flames Talisman and Ice Talisman into his embrace. Glancing at the sky, he strode out.

Today was the day for the patrol team to regroup.

The square was exceptionally crowded today.

After breakfast, Fei Shan began forming teams for the newcomers. They adopted a four-person team model, and the groupings were quite reasonable, with veterans in each group. This was to prevent newcomers with insufficient experience from making mistakes.

This looked the same as the previous few days: teams of four with veterans and newcomers, with little difference.

But after today, the veteran members would no longer specifically look after the new members.

Hearing his team assignment, Jiang Yan's lips curved slightly. The other three members of his group were Shan Renhu, Meng Sheng, and someone named Ying Cong.

Shan Renhu was still the captain.

Soon, Jiang Yan skillfully found Shan Renhu. Meng Sheng was also beside Shan Renhu and quickly greeted Jiang Yan upon seeing him.

"Brother Shan, hasn't the other team member arrived yet?"

Seeing Jiang Yan, Shan Renhu forced an ugly smile and shook his head.

"Brother Shan, what's wrong?"

Noticing Shan Renhu's unusual mood, Jiang Yan asked.

"Alas, Little Brother Jiang, Old Hu isn't very lucky this time."

He waved the slip of paper in his hand. He had drawn the night shift.

Jiang Yan's expression also fell. The night shift was much more dangerous than the day shift.

Meng Neng started stammering again, "Shan... Brother Shan, you you you..."

"Why is my luck so bad?"

Shan Renhu finished his sentence for him.

"Among the night shift groups, if there are any casualties, they can skip the draw and directly take the day shift. The rest will be decided by the group leader drawing lots for the night shift."

"Then Brother Shan, you really are unlucky this time."

Meng Sheng exclaimed.

"Heh."

Shan Renhu let out a cold laugh, his expression completely darkening. Ignoring everyone, he simply tidied his things, dropped a sentence, "Gather in the evening," and left.

Jiang Yan and Meng Sheng exchanged glances, not expecting Old Shan to be so short-tempered.

"Brother Jiang, you don't need to blame Old Shan," Fei Shan walked over at this moment. "Old Shan has it tough too."

Fei Shan already knew Jiang Yan had broken through, so he was very polite to him.

"What do you mean?" Jiang Yan was also a bit curious. Although Old Shan seemed cold-tempered, he had never seen him throw a tantrum like this before.

"Uh, you newcomers might not know, but Old Shan has been in the patrol team for over a year. Ever since he started leading a group, every time they draw lots, he gets the night shift."

"Every time!" Fei Shan emphasized with a serious face.

"Ah, then why is he on duty this time?" Meng Sheng asked blankly.

"Old Dan just said that if there are casualties during night watch, the group will be on duty." Jiang Yan said leisurely.

"Yeah, the more you're on night watch, the higher the chance of encountering monsters."

"So why is Brother Dan on duty this time?"

"A while ago, a ranked monster appeared near the village, and the village patrol suffered heavy casualties. Old Dan's team members were wiped out except for him."

After explaining, Fei Shan patted Jiang Yan's shoulder and said, "Let's grab a drink sometime," before arranging other matters.

Jiang Yan shook his head, never expecting to encounter such an unlucky person.

"No wonder he has a bad temper, turns out he's a non-chief."

Get back and rest well, night watch is very dangerous.

In the evening, Jiang Yan and the other three gathered. Ying Cong was a young man with a big head and big eyes, very talkative. He peppered Shan Renhu with questions, making himself at home.

"Brother Dan, I apologize for this morning." Jiang Yan clasped his fists and began to apologize.

Shan Renhu waved his hand, "No need to apologize, I'm just angry at myself." He seemed to sigh, "I've been on the patrol team for so long, and my luck has always been like this, I'm already... used to it."

"Night watch is very dangerous. I've partnered with many people, and now they're either dead or injured, sigh." Shan Renhu looked at the darkening sky and fell silent.

When he snapped back to attention, he found three pairs of eyes looking at him with an uncomprehending gaze. Meng Neng started stuttering again, "Dan... Brother Dan, you you you you you..."

"Are you saying that after so many times on night watch, your partners seem to have bad luck?" This time, Ying Cong finished Meng Neng's question.

Shan Renhu's face twitched, but he didn't deny it.

Jiang Yan: "..."

No wonder Old Dan has so much experience, turns out he's also a man who dances on the edge of death.

The group walked in silence towards another part of the village. This time, their patrol location was the orchard east of the village.

Rustle, rustle...

The sound of hurried footsteps.

Sun Fang was an ordinary fruit farmer in Yuyang Village. He still had a little work to do in the evening and decided to finish it so he could rest tomorrow, returning a bit late. But now, looking at the sky that had completely darkened, he regretted it. There was no one around, only the sound of wind rustling through the leaves. The night was cold, and Sun Fang felt an inexplicable chill, a shiver running down his spine. He quickened his pace, wanting only to return to the village quickly. Suddenly, he felt a coolness on the back of his neck and quickly looked behind him, but there was nothing.

"I'm really getting old, my courage is shrinking. The village is protected by talisman soldiers, and the patrol team is always on duty, how could I be so unlucky as to encounter a monster?" Sun Fang chuckled.

Turning a corner, he suddenly saw a small figure by the roadside, bent over and grunting as it dug at something. His steps faltered, and a chill ran down his spine. He forced himself to shout, "Whose child are you, not going home so late?"

The figure remained silent, still grunting and digging. Sun Fang paused, not daring to go closer, and turned onto another path.

"Really, not even saying a word, you scared me to death."

After walking for a while, his pupils suddenly contracted. By the roadside ahead, a small figure was bent over, grunting as it dug at something. Boundless fear surged from all directions. He trembled all over, spread his legs, and ran wildly. As he ran, he suddenly felt his body getting heavier and heavier, as if he were running with a mountain on his back. In front of him, a small figure walked over. Sun Fang felt the hairs on his back stand on end. "Uncle, have you seen my head? I've been digging for a long time, but I can't find it?"

Sun Fang's eyes snapped open wide, his face filled with terror. "Help me..."

Whoosh, the wind blew, leaving only a corpse behind.

PS: Please give me your recommendation tickets.