Meeting Li Jinbao

When Li Jinshui woke, sunlight was already streaming through the window lattice and spilling across the bed.

He squinted, letting his eyes adjust to the light, then looked down at the arms. Yun Niang was still asleep in them, her long black hair spread across the pillow, her breathing as soft as a cat's.

He didn't move. He simply lay there, enjoying this rare moment of peace.

A soft bed, a warm quilt, a beauty.

Three months ago, he'd still been hauling corpses.

Now—

The corner of his mouth curled into a smile.

Worth it.

Yun Niang seemed to sense something. Her lashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. When she saw Li Jinshui staring at her, her face flushed slightly, and she burrowed under the quilt.

"Officer... you're awake..."

Li Jinshui reached out and pinched her cheek. "I am."

Blushing, Yun Niang nestled closer against him like a cat begging for affection.

Li Jinshui let her nuzzle against him for a while, then sat up and began getting dressed.

Yun Niang quickly climbed out of bed too, helping him dress and fasten his belt. Her movements were practiced and gentle. Li Jinshui let her tend to him, occasionally glancing down at her, his gaze lingering on her.

Once he was dressed, he reached into his robes, took out a small piece of silver—about two taels—and pressed it into Yun Niang's hand.

Yun Niang froze for a moment. Then her eyes grew slightly red, and her voice trembled. "Officer, this... this is too much..."

Li Jinshui waved a hand. "Take it. Next time I come by, I'll look for you again."

Yun Niang clutched the silver tightly and nodded with all her might.

Li Jinshui turned to leave. At the door, he looked back once more—Yun Niang stood beside the bed, sunlight falling on her as she smiled, her eyes curved into lovely crescents.

He smiled, then pushed open the door and went out.

Downstairs, Qin Lie and the others were already there, gathered around a table eating breakfast. When Li Jinshui came down, Zhao Tieniu greeted him with a knowing grin. "Tenth Squad Leader Li, have a good night?"

Li Jinshui walked over, dropped into a seat, picked up a bun, and took a bite. "Pretty good."

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Yun Niang's a star at Gentle Haven. Most people can't even book her!" Qin Lie clapped him on the shoulder. "You lucky dog!"

Li Jinshui chewed his bun without answering, only smiling.

The bun was packed with meat, juicy and delicious—better than anything he'd eaten in the past three months.

After breakfast, the group left Gentle Haven.

The sun was already high, and the streets were far livelier than they'd been last night, crowded with people coming and going. The men swaggered along as usual, and passersby hurried out of their way when they saw them.

"Where are we eating lunch?" Zhao Tieniu rubbed his belly. "I'm still hungry."

"All you ever think about is food!" Zhou Tai scolded him, then couldn't help asking Qin Lie, "Brother Qin, got any plans for lunch?"

Qin Lie thought for a moment. "We've already eaten at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant. Let's try somewhere else today. I know a place called the Gathering Worthies Restaurant. The food's good, and it's not far."

"Let's go!"

The Gathering Worthies Restaurant stood in the eastern part of the city. It was also three stories tall. Though it wasn't as imposing as the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, it was still a respectable establishment.

When the group entered, the waiter hurried to greet them. The moment he saw their tokens, his face broke into a huge smile. "Officers, right this way! We have private seats upstairs!"

They went up to the second floor and sat at a large table by the window. The waiter soon brought tea and snacks, then handed them a menu.

Qin Lie took it, glanced through it, then slapped it down on the table. "Bring us all your specialties. Pick the expensive ones, and bring two jars of your finest wine!"

"Right away!" the waiter replied, hurrying off.

Li Jinshui leaned by the window and looked down at the street.

People thronged the road, selling and buying things, haggling over prices. It was all lively and bustling. His eyes swept over the crowd, taking it in without any particular focus.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened.

At the street corner, a constable in black stood talking to a vegetable seller. He was tall and thin, with pale skin, and a wooden badge engraved with the character "Constable" hung at his waist.

As Li Jinshui stared at that face, his hand tightened around his teacup without him realizing it.

Li Jinbao.

That good cousin of his.

Three months had passed, but that face hadn't changed at all. He still looked every bit the same pompous, rotten bastard. Standing there, he pointed and gestured at the vegetable seller, saying something with that sickening smile on his face.

"Tenth Squad Leader Li?" Qin Lie's voice pulled him back. "What are you looking at?"

Li Jinshui turned his gaze away. His expression was calm again, even carrying a slight smile. "Nothing. Just looking around."

The food and wine soon arrived, filling the table. Braised pork hock, steamed sea bass, oil-braised prawns, soy-braised beef, roasted lamb ribs, and two large jars of wine.

"Come on, let's drink!" Qin Lie raised his bowl. "To celebrate Tenth Squad Leader Li's promotion!"

Everyone raised their bowls and drained them in one go.

After several rounds of wine and a few courses of food, the atmosphere grew livelier and livelier.

Zhao Tieniu's face was bright red. He slung an arm around Zhou Tai's shoulder and boasted, "Let me tell you, I killed five Di People all by myself that day! Five! My blade was whooshing through the air!"

Zhou Tai rolled his eyes. "Bullshit. I saw you almost get hacked to death by one Di soldier. Tenth Squad Leader Li was the one who saved you."

"Bullshit! I was luring the enemy in!"

The two began arguing, and everyone roared with laughter.

Li Jinshui laughed too, drinking as he did. Every so often, his gaze drifted to the window. Li Jinbao was gone from the street corner.

He looked away and kept drinking.

After a while, Zhao Tieniu was completely drunk and started acting crazy. He stood up, weaving around the room with his wine bowl raised, shouting nonsense about "killing Di People" and "earning great merit."

"Tieniu, sit down!" Qin Lie shouted.

Zhao Tieniu ignored him. He staggered over to another table, where several ordinary citizens were seated, and smacked his palm down on it. "You lot! Drink with me!"

The men turned pale with fright and waved their hands. "Officer, officer, we can't hold our liquor..."

"You can't drink?" Zhao Tieniu glared at them. "You looking down on me?"

He grabbed one man by the collar and hoisted him up. The man trembled from head to toe, too frightened to speak.

"Tieniu!" Qin Lie stood up. "Knock it off!"

Only then did Zhao Tieniu let go. The man hit the ground and scrambled away.

Zhao Tieniu roared with laughter, then turned to stagger back. Unsteady on his feet, he crashed into a nearby table and knocked it over. Bowls and plates shattered across the floor, splashing soup everywhere.

The customers in the restaurant hurried to their feet. Some paid and left at once, while others hid in the corners.

Li Jinshui sat by the window, holding his wine bowl as he watched.

No one dared approach.

No one dared speak.

The customers and waiters watched from a distance. Their eyes held fear, disgust, and helplessness, but not one of them dared stand up and say no.

He remembered what Qin Lie had said last night—

"In North-Rejecting City, we're the masters."

So this was what it felt like to be a master.

Li Jinshui had no intention of stepping in. He was waiting for someone, heh!

The commotion finally drew the shopkeeper's attention. A middle-aged man in a silk shirt ran out from the back room. Seeing the mess everywhere and Zhao Tieniu still acting drunk and wild, his face turned green.

But he didn't dare go near. He only hid behind the counter, fretting back and forth.

A waiter hurried over and whispered something to him. The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly, took a piece of silver from his robes, and slipped it to the waiter. The waiter dashed out.

Li Jinshui saw it all.

He didn't move, only continuing to drink.

He knew what the waiter had gone to do.

Call the constables.

He also knew who would come.

Sure enough, before long, footsteps sounded on the stairs.

A constable in black ran up, shouting as he came, "Who's causing trouble? Who's causing trouble?"

Then he saw Qin Lie and the others—and the tokens marking them as squad leaders.

His face went deathly pale.

Li Jinshui held his wine bowl and looked at that familiar face, the corner of his mouth slowly curling into a smile.

Li Jinbao.

His good cousin.

They hadn't seen each other in three months, but he was still exactly the same—bullying the weak and sucking up to the powerful.

Li Jinbao stood at the top of the stairs, unable to go forward or back. He'd clearly recognized that these men were squad leaders from the army camp and knew he couldn't afford to offend them. But he couldn't just leave, either—the shopkeeper had paid him, and he had to give him an answer.

"Th-this officer..." He forced himself to speak. "You see, this shop runs on a small profit. Please, take pity on us..."

Zhao Tieniu had been looking for someone to vent his anger on. When he saw a constable arrive, his eyes lit up. He strode over and slapped him on the shoulder. "Who the hell are you? What business is it of yours?"

Li Jinbao staggered from the slap, but didn't dare get angry. He still managed to force a smile. "Officer, I'm a constable in the city. Could you... could you please show a little restraint? Don't make things hard for me..."

"Hard for you?" Zhao Tieniu glared at him. "Then quit!"

He grabbed Li Jinbao by the collar and hoisted him up.

Li Jinbao's feet left the floor, his face turning red. Even so, he kept smiling. "Officer... please calm down..."

Li Jinshui watched, his wine bowl swaying gently in his hand.

He stood and walked over.

"Tieniu, put him down."

Zhao Tieniu paused, then obediently let go. Li Jinbao crashed to the floor and scrambled to his feet. He looked up—and froze at the sight of that face.

Li Jinshui stood before him, looking down at him.

Their eyes met.

Li Jinbao opened and closed his mouth, then opened it again. After a long while, he managed to choke out, "J-Jinshui?"

Li Jinshui smiled.

It was a warm, friendly smile, like he was greeting an old friend he hadn't seen in years.

"Cousin," he said. "Long time no see."

Li Jinbao's face turned completely white.

He instinctively took a step back and bumped into the railing.

"Y-you... how..." His voice trembled. "What are you doing here?"

Li Jinshui's smile remained as warm as ever. "I'm a squad leader in the Third Battalion now. Why wouldn't I be here?"

Squad leader.

Those three words were like three knives, stabbing into Li Jinbao's heart one after another.

He stared at the token at Li Jinshui's waist, at the six characters "Tenth Squad Leader Li Jinshui" engraved on it. He stood motionless, as if struck by lightning.

Qin Lie walked over and looked from Li Jinshui to Li Jinbao. "Tenth Squad Leader Li, you know him?"

Li Jinshui nodded, his smile harmless. "He's my cousin. My own cousin."

Qin Lie's eyes lit up. "Well, isn't that perfect! Come on, come on. Since you're family, sit down and have a couple drinks!"

Li Jinbao had just opened his mouth to refuse when Zhao Tieniu and Zhou Tai each grabbed an arm and hauled him over to the table.

"Drink! You have to drink!" Zhao Tieniu popped open a jar of wine, filled a large bowl, and shoved it in front of Li Jinbao.

Li Jinbao looked at the bowl, then at Li Jinshui. He forced a smile more painful than crying. "J-Jinshui, your cousin isn't much of a drinker..."

Li Jinshui picked up his own bowl and raised it to him. "Cousin, it's been so long since we last saw each other. We have to share a drink. Come on, this one's on me."

His smile was so sincere, so warm.

Li Jinbao had no choice but to lift his bowl and take a trembling sip.

"Finish it," Li Jinshui said, still wearing that warm smile.

Li Jinbao gritted his teeth and drained the entire bowl.

"Good!" Zhao Tieniu clapped. "Another bowl!"

Another bowl.

And another.

After seven or eight bowls, Li Jinbao's face was flushed red, and his eyes had begun to swim.

"J-Jinshui..." His tongue was thick. "Cousin... I'm sorry... about what happened back then... it wasn't my idea... it was the clan head... the clan head..."

Li Jinshui looked at him, his smile unchanged.

"Cousin, what are you talking about? We're family. There's no need to talk about who owes whom an apology."

He lifted his bowl and toasted him again.

Li Jinbao drank it down. By now, he could hardly sit upright, slumping over the table and panting.

Li Jinshui stood and walked over to him. He bent down and leaned close to his ear.

His voice was as soft as a falling leaf.

"Cousin, do you remember? That day, you told me that if I wanted someone to blame, I should blame myself for being born into the wrong family."

Li Jinbao stiffened all over.

"I remember," Li Jinshui said, straightening up and patting his shoulder. "I've always remembered."

He turned and gave Qin Lie and the others a look.

Qin Lie understood at once. He stood up and slapped Li Jinbao on the back of the head. "You constable, weren't you talking so big just now? What happened to all that talk?"

Zhao Tieniu caught on too and kicked him. "That'll teach you to stick your nose in my business!"

Zhou Tai was even harsher, punching Li Jinbao right in the face.

"Ow! Don't hit me! Don't hit me!" Li Jinbao shrieked, curling into a ball with his arms over his head.

But the three men had gotten into it, and their fists and feet rained down on him.

Li Jinshui stood to the side without joining in.

He only watched.

After a while, he slowly walked over and crouched down.

"Cousin," he called softly.

Li Jinbao struggled to lift his head. His face was covered in blood, and his eyes were filled with terror.

Li Jinshui reached out and smoothed his disheveled hair, his touch as gentle as if he were caring for a loved one.

Then he leaned close to Li Jinbao's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Do you know? For these past three months, I've thought about you every single day."

He paused. His voice grew softer still, as faint as a wind drifting out of hell:

"I thought about the smile you wore that day, the words you said, and how you sold me into the Death Squad Camp."

Li Jinbao trembled from head to toe, his teeth chattering.

Li Jinshui patted his face, stood up, and stepped back.

Then he nodded to Qin Lie and the others.

Qin Lie and the others beat him even harder.

Li Jinshui stood to the side, watching Li Jinbao writhe and scream on the ground, that gentle smile never leaving his face.

But the smile reached only his lips, never his eyes.

His eyes were like two bottomless wells, their waters dark and still, revealing nothing.

After about the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Li Jinbao was lying motionless on the ground, with barely enough strength left to groan.

Qin Lie kicked him. "Playing dead?"

Li Jinbao groaned but didn't move.

"That's enough," Li Jinshui said. "That should do it."

Only then did Qin Lie stop. He spat on the ground. "What a pain!"

Li Jinshui walked over to Li Jinbao, crouched down, and lifted his chin.

His face was so swollen it was unrecognizable. His eyes had narrowed to slits, and blood still trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Li Jinshui looked at him and smiled.

It was a smile so sincere and warm, like a younger brother looking at his own older brother.

"Cousin," he said, "go back and tell the clan chief I'm doing fine. Tell him not to worry."

He paused, his voice growing softer still:

"I'll come back to visit you all in a while."

He let go, stood, and turned to leave.

At the top of the stairs, he glanced back—

Li Jinbao was still sprawled on the floor, like a dead dog.

Li Jinshui turned away and strode downstairs.

Behind him, Qin Lie and the others followed, laughing and cursing.

"That was satisfying! Damn satisfying!"

"That bastard was obviously no good. He deserved that beating!"

"Li, Centurion, what's with your cousin? He looks like a complete coward!"

Li Jinshui walked at the front without saying a word.

When he left the Gathering Worthies Restaurant, the sunlight fell warmly on him.

He raised his head and narrowed his eyes at the sky.

The sky was blue, the clouds white.

He thought of three months ago: that broken-down carriage, that pitch-black night, and the words, "If you have anyone to blame, blame yourself for being born into the wrong family."

He thought of just now, of Li Jinbao sprawled on the floor, his swollen face unrecognizable, his eyes full of terror.

He smiled.

This smile was different from the one before.

The earlier smile had been for others.

This one was for himself.

He turned away and kept walking.

"Come on, back to camp!"

Qin Lie and the others followed behind him.

The sunlight stretched their shadows long across the ground.

People on the street gave them a wide berth, as if fleeing a flood of ferocious beasts.

Li Jinshui walked at the very front, the token at his waist gleaming in the sunlight.

The smile never left his lips.

That smile held satisfaction, delight, and just a touch of—

wanting more.

This was only the beginning.

Li Jinshui then said to the others behind him, "You go back first! I forgot to buy some things for my men."

"Sure, we'll head back first, then."

"No wonder so many people are willing to follow you, Centurion Li."

Li Jinshui watched them slowly disappear into the distance, his face twisting into a savage smile.

The hunt was on.

Night fell—the perfect time for murder and arson.

Li Jinshui appeared and made his way toward the Li Clan's branch family.

After Li Jinshui's parents died, the branch family had eagerly kicked him while he was down. Back then, Li Jinshui hadn't yet transmigrated into this world.

Poor little Jinshui, helpless and alone, had tried to become a servant for another aristocratic family so he could support himself. But the Li Clan branch family, with whom he had no enmity, hounded and cornered him, claiming that a dignified member of the Li Clan couldn't serve another family. They stopped him at every turn and schemed against him.

Today, I, Li Jinshui, will wipe out the entire branch family. I'll make you, Clan Chief Li, and the rest live in terror forever.

Li Jinshui slipped into the big house where the Li Clan branch family all lived. He crept into the first room and crushed the occupant's throat. Unable to make a sound, the person stared at him in terror, recognizing the familiar face before him.

Li Jinshui smiled. "Surprised?"

Then his blade flashed. He cut the person into a human pig and tossed him on the ground to crawl.

In the next room, Li Jinshui cut down one person after another. Men and women, young and old—no one was spared. He sliced earthworms lengthwise, crushed eggs, and tore roosters in half.

Before long, Li Jinshui had quietly slaughtered every last one of the Li Clan branch family's several dozen members.

Li Jinshui stood in the courtyard, grinning savagely. My dear Clan Chief and Cousin, live in eternal terror!

Hehehehehe!!!