"Senior Brother, you're in luck. These streets are usually quiet, so the job's a breeze. At night, you only need to make a few rounds like this, then you can head home and rest when your shift is over."
Chen Huaijin walked alongside Chen Han, describing the perks of the assignment. "If you get tired, you can always sit down at a teahouse... Oh, and if you run into some petty trouble, just chase them off. If the Black Mountain Gang causes trouble, don't get involved—just report it to your superiors."
"Not bad. In times like these, this really is a cushy job."
Chen Han couldn't help but remark.
"Of course. My Chen Family is powerful and influential. How could we compare with those common rabble?"
A smug expression appeared on Chen Huaijin's face. He didn't care in the slightest that the commoners around them could hear him.
Chen Han had no words in response.
"High officials and nobles, peddlers and street vendors—survival of the fittest, the weak weeded out. That's the rule of this chaotic age. All I can do is take care of myself. What others do has nothing to do with me."
"By the way, Senior Brother, you're so young, yet you've already broken through to Dark Force. You're even on the verge of breaking through to Transformation Force. That's incredible! How did you do it?"
Faced with the admiration written all over his junior brother's face, Chen Han replied, "Just study hard and train diligently..."
Just then, three burly men approached, dressed in the same style of clothing as the Chen Family.
"You two junior brothers..."
The man in front was tall and burly, with a surly gaze. Wherever he went, commoners automatically made way for him. He was Chen Shanhe's grandson, Chen Shanzhen.
Chen Shanzhen had learned that Chen Han had accepted his grandfather's offer and then turned it down. He was furious, convinced that Chen Han had deliberately toyed with his elder.
As it happened, he had just spotted Chen Han patrolling the streets and decided to take revenge.
He looked at Chen Han with disdain. Seeing that Chen Han was half a head shorter than him, he felt all the more confident, and his voice grew more arrogant.
"Is this how you patrol the streets, dragging your feet? Can't you walk faster? And look at how lazy you are! What kind of behavior is that? You're going to disgrace the whole family!"
Chen Shanzhen lectured them without the slightest restraint, right there amid the passing crowds, spittle flying everywhere.
"Oh, it's Senior Brother Shan Zhen. Heh heh heh, this junior brother was slacking off. I'll pick up the pace right away, right away."
Chen Huaijin looked timid and cowered, not daring to raise his head. He was as meek as could be.
He didn't dare get into a dispute with this man. He was the grandson of Chen Shanhe, a powerful figure in one of the family's three major branches. Even with a hundred lives, Chen Huaijin wouldn't dare provoke him.
"Junior Brother Han, didn't you hear me?"
Chen Shanzhen turned his gaze to Chen Han. He was the real target of this attempt to put someone in his place.
"Idiot, who do you think you are, coming here to tell me what to do..."
Chen Han's expression was blank, his voice devoid of emotion. He didn't take this young master of the Chen Family seriously at all.
Chen Shanzhen's eyes flew open in fury. As the cherished grandson of Elder Chen Shanhe, he had never been insulted like this. For a moment, he was so enraged he could barely contain himself.
Seeing this, Chen Huaijin discreetly tugged at Chen Han's sleeve and spoke in a low voice.
"Senior Brother Chen Han, I know you're talented at martial arts, but this junior brother advises you not to pick a fight with him. He may be a Dark Force martial artist like you, but his family is wealthy. His sinews and bones have been nourished far better than ours."
His sinews and bones are better than mine?
Chen Han found it laughable. His body had been strengthened through the Health Preservation Technique, eating Exotic Beast meat again and again and using up every last bit of it each time. He had consumed at least a hundred jin in total, and only then had his sinews and bones been remade, transforming him completely.
His physical strength had long since been tempered by the repeated refinement of Exotic Beast meat, until it surpassed that of ordinary martial artists.
As for Chen Shanzhen, he did little more than practice his punches every day with medicinal broth and less than half a liang of Exotic Beast meat. He was nowhere near having it temper his body. And this was someone who thought he could compare himself to Chen Han?
What's more, Chen Shanzhen was already twenty-eight. Reaching Dark Force at that age was a talent that couldn't hold a candle to Chen Han's proficiency panel.
Chen Han remained unconcerned, his expression blank. It only made Chen Shanzhen look more like a clown putting on a show.
"Chen Han..."
Chen Shanzhen clenched his fists tight, veins bulging. He wanted nothing more than to punch Chen Han in the face right then and there, to show him what he was capable of.
"Senior Brother Shan Zhen, calm down, calm down. This isn't the place to fight. We can beat the kid up once we're back at the estate."
The friend beside Chen Shanzhen hurriedly stepped in to stop him.
"Fine. Once we're back at the estate, I'll come find you at your place and have a little chat. Let's see you act so arrogant then... Let's go!"
With that, Chen Shanzhen started to leave with the other two.
"Ah!"
As they turned around, they collided head-on with a little girl coming their way. She was carrying the lotus-seed soup she had just bought, and it all spilled onto Chen Shanzhen's clothes.
Yellow and green splattered across the fabric. The soup had just come off the stove, and its scalding heat made him suck in a sharp breath.
Chen Shanzhen flew into a rage. He had just threatened Chen Han, and mere seconds later, he'd lost face.
"You little brat, where did you come from? Don't you watch where you're going? Are your eyes stuffed in a dog's belly?"
He immediately roared at the little girl, his gaze fierce. The child burst into tears, wailing as tears poured down her face.
Chen Shanzhen showed not the slightest pity and continued yelling. "Why are you crying? Where are your parents? Do you know how many silver taels this outfit cost...?"
Seeing one of his own family members behave like this, Chen Han's eyes flashed with displeasure.
"So even among my own people, there are those who throw their weight around and bully others."
Chen Han couldn't stand by and let this go on. Just as he was about to intervene, a familiar voice rang out—ancient and chilling.
"Who are you calling a brat..."
It was the little old man Chen Han had seen a few days ago, fighting to the death with Aunt Xue'er using his palms.
At some point, he had appeared behind Chen Shanzhen. A wrinkled hand rested on his shoulder, and disheveled locks concealed most of his face, making his expression impossible to see. Only his eyes were visible, their gaze dark and eerie, like a demon's!
Chen Shanzhen froze, overcome by a sudden, inexplicable terror. His heart hammered wildly.
He tried to break free, but the old man's hand was like an iron clamp, pinning his whole body firmly in place.
In an instant, cold sweat poured from him. His soul seemed to have fled his body, and even his breathing stopped.
Clearly, the man behind him had already decided to kill. For the first time, Chen Shanzhen felt death so near that it seemed his life could be snatched away without mercy at any moment.
His opponent's strength had probably reached the peak of Transformation Force!
"Senior, I'm from the Chen Family, a martial arts family. I'm the grandson of Elder Chen Shanhe. My grandfather is a Martialist. You can't kill me."
Chen Shanzhen stammered. He had never weathered hardship growing up, so when had he ever faced a scene like this? He had only yelled at a little brat—who could have guessed he'd provoke someone he couldn't afford to offend?
The two men beside Chen Shanzhen had already been scared witless by the old man's imposing presence. They kept well away. Forget stopping him; they didn't even dare utter a single word.
"A Martialist?"
The little old man's voice was dark and playful. "Are Martialists really that impressive...? Yes, Martialists are indeed formidable. But you won't get the chance to complain..."
Before you continue