Chu Ming raised his eyes and searched his memories. The boy looked somewhat familiar, but the memory of his name was missing.
It was like being stopped on your way to work in your previous life by someone who claimed to be your elementary school classmate, even called you by name, while you had completely forgotten them...
The original owner had kept to himself in the small town, occasionally visiting the entertainment quarter in the town center to listen to music. He knew only a few people his age, so this must be one of them.
The newcomer, however, wasn't looking at Chu Ming's face. Instead, he glanced at the alley behind him. "Brother Chu, did you just come out of Wheat Valley Alley?"
"No," Chu Ming replied.
"Good. You mustn't go into that alley. It's really creepy. If you need to relieve yourself, Brother Chu, see that alley over there? Wind-Facing Alley. Just go to the end."
As the boy spoke, he suddenly looked at Chu Ming strangely. "Brother Chu, I see you're sweating and your steps are unsteady. Haven't you recovered yet?"
"You know I was sick?" Chu Ming asked.
Very few people knew about the original owner's serious illness.
"Brother Chu, you're always getting sick. My dad goes to your house all the time. How could I not know?" The newcomer spoke and reached out to clap Chu Ming on the shoulder.
"No, Brother Chu, what's with that look? That serious illness last time must've damaged your brain. Why does it feel like you don't recognize me?"
"..." Chu Ming fell silent. He couldn't exactly say he really didn't remember him.
"My dad's the physician who treated you," the boy said.
"Still can't remember? Come on, you remember Sword Gourd Travels, right? Brother Chu bought it from me."
"No? You still don't remember? Fine, fine. Huang Lu. My name's Huang Lu."
"Oh, Brother Huang..." Chu Ming tried to respond, but the other boy kept talking without giving him a chance to get a word in.
"Huh? What do you mean, Huang? Looks like Brother Chu's brain really is damaged. You definitely didn't take my dad's medicine properly, or you'd have gotten better by now. I'm Lu Huang, not Huang Lu!"
"..." Chu Ming was speechless. "The physician who treated me was surnamed Huang, right? Your father..."
"Heh, looks like Brother Chu's been taking my dad's medicine properly. Your brain's fine."
"My dad's medicine is sweet. You have to take lots of it to get better faster."
The boy patted Chu Ming on the shoulder, then suddenly lowered his voice. "Actually, I like the surname Lu better. Do you know why?"
Chu Ming played along and shook his head.
"Because the examiner for this private school's Academy Examination is surnamed Lu."
"If I share a surname with the examiner, maybe I can... heh, you know what I mean. Get some extra points for goodwill or something..."
What kind of bizarre logic was that?
Chu Ming's brows twitched. He feigned confusion and asked, "The private school's Academy Examination?"
Seeing that Chu Ming didn't know, Huang Lu's little eyes darted around. He immediately lifted his chin and put on a haughty air.
"Brother Chu, you really are ignorant. Read fewer travelogues and spend less time listening to music in the entertainment quarter. Brother Chu should be like me: literate enough to write poetry, study the Art of War, and govern a region; martial enough to kick..."
Chu Ming endured the boy's endless boasting until he finally gleaned the key information.
The private school's Academy Examination would be held in ten days. Anyone in town aged sixteen or younger could register by going to a private school before the exam and paying one tael of silver.
"Brother Chu, you're sixteen this year too, right? Want to give it a try? Maybe the exam will ask for a review of Sword Gourd Travels, or an essay on when it's most appropriate to listen to music in the entertainment quarter. You never know."
The more Huang Lu spoke, the more he held himself above Chu Ming, even slipping into sarcastic jabs without realizing it.
Chu Ming glanced at the boy. With that deranged way of talking, who knew if he'd been sneaking his father's medicinal herbs?
At the private school's entrance.
Chu Ming paid one tael in silver pieces. Watching him, Huang Lu grinned so hard his face nearly cramped, looking every bit like someone whose scheme had succeeded.
"Heh, Brother Chu, do you know how long I've been studying the classics for this Academy Examination?"
"Two and a half years?"
"Huh? How did you know?"
"I guessed."
"Haha, my dad gives me tonic every day. After two and a half years of hard work, I'm sure to get a good result!"
"Oh, right, Brother Chu. Since you're about to help me come in last—no, since you look pale and frail, next time my dad prescribes medicine, give him my name and you'll get a discount."
You?
Never mind. One tael would turn into two, wouldn't it?
Chu Ming found an excuse to get away from him and retraced his steps. From far away, Xiao Shan came to meet him, carrying a bowl of clear water.
"Master, you're thirsty, aren't you?"
"A little."
After drinking a large bowl of water, Chu Ming practiced the Wind-Slapping Palm and Tiger Python Force in the courtyard for a while. When Steward Fang returned, he ate dinner with him, then continued reading.
The next day passed as usual.
After Xiao Shan's anxious fretting, Chu Ming finished his day's training.
The third day.
Chu Ming got up early and kept grinding away at his progress.
By evening, his Wind-Slapping Palm, already at Great Achievement, had reached 76. Tiger Python Force had improved more, breaking through from Minor Achievement to Great Achievement, with progress at 13.
He hadn't neglected reading either. After burning the midnight oil the previous night, his progress reached 37, and he finished the second book, Collection of Classics and Histories.
Willow Town's Catching Yamen.
"Two sirs, a body was found in Wheat Valley Alley," a junior constable reported.
"Wheat Valley Alley?" Chief Constable Hou reacted calmly. "Have you confirmed the identity?"
"Yes. It's a footman from the Black Water Gang. His chest was torn open, and his organs are missing. It's exactly the same as the previous two cases," the constable said fearfully.
"That makes three." Chief Constable Hou's expression turned grave.
Fang Xiao frowned slightly. "Chief Constable Hou, I'll go take a look."
Yesterday, Chief Constable Hou had discussed the case with him. He hadn't expected a similar incident to happen today.
Wheat Valley Alley.
Fang Xiao and Chief Constable Hou examined the badly rotted corpse.
"Brother Fang, can you tell anything?" Chief Constable Hou asked, pinching his nose.
Fang Xiao slowly straightened up, his voice low. "There are clear bite marks and claw marks on the wounds. At first glance, it looks like the work of a wild beast."
"But aside from the missing organs, everything inside the chest is intact. That doesn't really fit a wild beast's habits."
A wild beast wouldn't just tear open someone's chest and eat the organs.
Chief Constable Hou nodded. "The first two bodies were the same. Besides, though Willow Town isn't big, it has patrols along the city walls. Wild beasts shouldn't be able to get in."
"And the odds of a wild beast committing multiple crimes without leaving behind any fur are even lower."
"..."
Willow Town, at the end of West Street, outside a small courtyard.
Fang Xiao and Chief Constable Hou walked side by side.
"Brother Fang, come to the Catching Yamen a little early tomorrow. The higher-ups have sent someone over. Someone's died, and we haven't caught the culprit, so we still have to put on a show for appearances."
"Okay."
Fang Xiao opened the courtyard gate and saw Chu Ming practicing the Wind-Slapping Palm.
"Hm?" Chief Constable Hou's gaze passed through the gate, and his expression shifted slightly.
"Wasn't the young master of your household frail and sickly, with little time left?"
"Why is he...?"
"Brother Fang, was this deliberate?" Chief Constable Hou asked quietly.
"What?" Fang Xiao's expression was calm.
"Nothing." Chief Constable Hou chuckled.
As expected of someone who came out of the Tiger Armor Army—Brother Fang was ruthless.
His foundation was severely damaged, and even moving around recklessly would consume what little vitality he had left. How much more so if he did things that took physical effort?
"Perhaps he wants to help that young master find release sooner."
Before you continue