Entering

After leaving the reception hall, Jiang Ping and the other three strong men were led by a servant to the Inner Courtyard.

They crossed a long corridor and arrived at a fork in the road.

"The left side is where all the big shots of the Escort Agency live. You'll be staying on the right. Remember, do not trespass."

The servant pointed at the imposing courtyards on the left as he spoke.

The men all shrank their necks. They were poor folk of low status and little strength, and they feared big shots most of all.

After all, such people could crush them as easily as ants if they wished.

"If you have the chance to become martial artists in the future, you may live on the left."

"Martial artists..."

The four of them fell into thought. Jiang Ping naturally yearned for it, but the other three did not indulge in such fantasies. They had come for the money, hoping to use it to support their households.

Compared with the grand houses on the left, those on the right were somewhat dirtier and messier.

"This may be your Residential Area, but quite a few Senior Drafters live here as well. Some of them have bad tempers. Do not provoke them. Endure what you can," the servant reminded them again.

The men nodded. They had come to take on Escort Missions and earn silver, not to seek trouble.

Before long, the four were brought before a room.

One of the three strong men immediately pushed open the door, only to find that people had already moved in.

Only then did Jiang Ping realize that they would be living in a Large dormitory.

The room was three zhang long and two chi wide. Taking up most of the space was a large kang built against two walls, fitted with upper and lower bunks for ten people.

Candles burned inside. The young men who had arrived first seemed to be chatting, and when the door was pushed open, they all turned to look.

The four newcomers entered, nodded in greeting to those inside, and then began choosing their beds.

Some liked the upper bunks, while Jiang Ping preferred the lower ones. He chose a bed in the middle.

Just as he was about to sit down, a foot stretched over from the neighboring bed. Jiang Ping turned his head and saw a face as dark as his own. The other man smiled. "Sorry, someone's taken this spot."

Jiang Ping felt a little regretful and could only climb onto the Upper bunk, since all the other lower beds were already occupied.

The bedframe creaked. A wobbling wooden plank and a straw mat—that was his lodging now.

It was as different as heaven and earth from the grand residence he had left behind, with its soft beds and silk quilts.

Yet Jiang Ping did not regret it. This was the road he had chosen. No matter how bitter it was, he had to keep walking.

"I saw that those Senior Drafters all live in rooms of their own. Are we going to stay in this Large dormitory forever?"

Not long after lying down, Jiang Ping heard a complaint. From the sound of it, it seemed to be one of the strong men who had come with him, Luo Tiegen.

"Once you practice the technique and begin taking on Escort Missions, you will naturally be assigned a Single House. For now, you can only endure it."

"We signed ten-year agreements. We'll definitely take on Escort Missions in the future, so can't those rooms be assigned to us in advance?" Luo Tiegen asked, even more confused.

"Not so." The person who had spoken later shook his head and said:

"This time, the Escort Agency has recruited a Hundred People from outside, but only a small number will truly be able to take on Escort Missions. Some may leave the Escort Agency after only half a year."

"What? Didn't we sign ten-year agreements?" Luo Tiegen's eyes widened, but the man smiled and said:

"This contract applies to true drafters. If you cannot meet the Escort Agency's assessment requirements, you naturally cannot take on Escort Missions. You may remain behind to do odd jobs, or you may be eliminated outright. At that point, the contract will naturally become void."

"What assessment requirements?"

"Isn't it obvious? They'll assess our achievements in the Nourishing Life Technique. As far as I know, the Nourishing Life Technique has nine levels. As long as we reach the Fourth Level, we'll have passed the assessment and can take on Escort Missions to earn silver."

"Is this technique difficult to master?" another strong man who had come with Luo Tiegen could not help asking.

"I hear it's very difficult. The servants here say that many drafters can reach the Fourth Level in half a year, yet remain stuck at the Sixth Level for decades without advancing any further."

"Come to think of it, if it were easy, the Escort Agency would not offer it to us for free."

"That's true. After all, the entry fee for Martial Arts Halls in Yang City is twelve taels of silver."

"I hope we can pass the assessment and become drafters."

On the Upper bunk, Jiang Ping listened to his roommates' discussion, and unease began to stir in his heart.

He had long known how difficult the Nourishing Life Technique was to practice, but he had not understood the exact process of becoming a drafter. This was also the first time he had heard of an assessment.

Now it seemed that even officially joining the Escort Agency would not be so easy.

Take it one step at a time.

Jiang Ping did not dwell on it.

He turned over, and the bedframe creaked.

He had thought it would be a Sleepless night, but before long his eyelids grew heavy.

When Jiang Ping opened his eyes again, it was already the next morning. Bright sunlight streamed through the window.

He stretched and yawned. It had been a long time since he had slept until he woke naturally.

Though calling it waking naturally was a bit of a stretch—it was still early, around the hour of the dragon.

After getting out of bed, Jiang Ping left the room and found a water vat not far outside.

He used a Wooden ladle to scoop up some water and splash it over his face. Then he took a little salt from his clothes, put it in his mouth, and quickly scrubbed his teeth.

This was ancient times. Naturally, there were no toothbrushes or toothpaste, and rinsing with salt was a very good and effective way to clean one's teeth.

Jiang Ping had deliberately brought some with him when he left home.

"Brother, lend me some salt. I'll return it next time."

A hand suddenly reached into the coarse cloth bag holding the salt.

Jiang Ping, who was rinsing his mouth, had wanted to stop him. After thinking it over, however, he ultimately nodded.

He did not want to argue with someone over such a trivial matter. They were in the same dormitory anyway, so he would treat it as forming some good karma.

It was Luo Tiegen, the strong man who had come with him.

"Thanks." Luo Tiegen thanked him, then began washing up as well.

"I'll be going first."

After washing up, Jiang Ping quickly wrapped the salt and tucked it into his clothes, because he saw another young man from the dormitory approaching.

It was not that he was stingy. Salt was not exactly cheap even in these prosperous times.

Besides, he did not have much silver on him.

Rinsing with salt was already the greatest luxury he could afford after leaving home. It was difficult for him to be generous to others.

When he returned to the dormitory, Jiang Ping found that a servant from the Escort Agency had brought over two new faces.

"Brother Qian!"

One of the newcomers looked around, then warmly greeted a tanned man on a lower bunk. They were clearly acquainted.

"You finally made it, brother. Come over. I've already picked out a bed for you." Qian Dele patted the empty bed beside him and smiled.

"Brother Qian, you've been thoughtful." The newcomer put his luggage on the bed, then clasped hands with Qian Dele as they chatted enthusiastically, like old friends reunited.

Watching it all, Jiang Ping felt somewhat bitter.

Why?

Because the bed the newcomer sat on was the very one Jiang Ping had taken a liking to yesterday, only for Qian Dele to tell him it had already been taken.

Now he understood. The man had deceived him, deliberately claiming the empty bed belonged to someone else so he could save it for an old friend.

Jiang Ping shrugged and paid no further attention. It was only a bed; it was not worth confronting anyone over.

It was better to be steady in life. There was no reason to let unnecessary disputes grow bigger.

This was also the first creed of his life after crossing into this world: be cautious and keep a low profile. Only then could one live longer.

Jiang Ping had never been an overbearing person.

At that moment, the servant returned, bringing the final owner of the last bed in the dormitory.

At the same time, he delivered an important notice.

"Everyone, all recruits have arrived. Head Escort Liang asks you to gather at the dining hall beside the Training Ground in the Outer Courtyard after one incense stick. Latecomers will not be waited for." After relaying the Head Escort's words, the servant left.

"Is it beginning?" Hearing this, Jiang Ping could not help but feel expectant.