Wanted

As he pondered matters, Chen Mu arrived at the City Guard.

As usual, he checked in, drew his assignment, then went to the rear courtyard to drink tea and wait for the others.

Before he began practicing saber work, he always arrived at the City Guard quite early. After he started training, though, he came later. By the time he arrived, most of the Yamen Runners from the same shift had usually gathered.

Just as he entered, he brushed past Ren Yan. Over the past six months, Chen Mu and Ren Yan had had little to do with each other and paid little attention to one another. Yet as they passed this time, Chen Mu gave him an almost imperceptible scrutinizing glance.

"Could this change... be Mo Pi Fa?"

Chen Mu murmured inwardly.

Compared to half a year ago, Ren Yan's complexion had clearly darkened. He looked somewhat rougher, yet also more solid. Chen Mu had initially assumed it was all due to saber training, but now it seemed there might be Mo Pi Fa mixed in as well.

From what he understood, whether it was Mo Pi Fa or saber techniques, both required slow grinding effort and could not be achieved in a day. That account book had even mentioned the saying, "Three years to temper the skin, ten years to train the flesh."

"Now that I think about it, four of the five Head Runners in the City Guard seem to have practiced Mo Pi Fa. I just don't know how far they've trained it."

Chen Mu thought again of the City Guard's Head Runners.

Though only one of them had developed Saber Force, if the others had all practiced Mo Pi Fa and possessed physiques sturdier than ordinary people, then with Major Accomplishment in their saber techniques, they might not be much weaker.

On careful thought, it was perfectly reasonable. Anyone who could become a Head Runner merely through Major Accomplishment in saber techniques was bound to have some background. And with such a background, it was impossible for them not to have access to Inner Training Methods. Most simply had not trained them to any profound level.

"This Ren Yan truly has remarkable fortune. I thought he had merely learned saber techniques, but he has also learned an Inner Training Method."

Chen Mu shook his head slightly.

He was still trying to figure out how to come up with the silver to purchase an Inner Training Method.

Before long, he reached the familiar great locust tree. Liu Song and Li Tie were already seated beneath it. When they saw Chen Mu arrive, they immediately greeted him with broad smiles.

After the few of them poured cups of bitter tea and chatted briefly, a Yamen Runner suddenly entered the courtyard carrying several sheets of yellow paper. Waving his arm, he called out, "New wanted notices are here!"

The scattered Yamen Runners sitting around the courtyard all went over to take a look.

Liu Song rose as well and soon brought back a sheet of yellow paper. A human face was drawn upon it, rough and crude, but there was a conspicuous black patch on the right side of the face. At the bottom were several hastily written lines of description.

"...Evil Thief Tang Quan, having stolen property in the Inner City, is now roaming the Outer City. A reward of thirty taels of silver will be given for accurate information. One hundred taels for killing him. Three hundred taels for capturing him alive."

Upon seeing the contents of the wanted notice, quite a few Yamen Runners in the courtyard erupted into commotion.

Li Tie also let out a "Whoa," saying in amazement, "Good heavens, three hundred taels for capturing him alive. What huge deed did this bastard commit in the Inner City to be wanted with such a reward?"

The City Guard received many wanted notices like this, but a reward of thirty or forty taels for a live capture was generally already quite high. Rewards at the level of three hundred taels only appeared a handful of times a year.

"Stolen property? Heh heh, I reckon what he stole was worth far more than three hundred taels..."

Liu Song chuckled and casually tossed the wanted notice onto the stone table, clearly not taking it too seriously.

Bandits at this level were not meat for small fry like them. Three hundred taels of silver was not silver—it was a coffin lid. Anyone who dared be tempted by it would likely end up lying inside one. After serving as Yamen Runners for so many years, they naturally would not covet silver that was utterly beyond their reach. No matter how much was offered, it was not something they could even think about.

After all, one could figure it out with one's toes: a savage bandit worth three hundred taels was the sort of existence that would make these lowly Yamen Runners explode just from looking at him twice.

Chen Mu took a few more looks, but he was not particularly interested either.

As for people with bounties of twenty or thirty taels, if he encountered one, he might assess their strength and entertain the thought. But someone at this level—even though his saber technique had reached Perfection and he had developed Saber Force—was not someone he wished to provoke. There was no need to take such a great risk. No one knew just how strong a person like that truly was.

"Only the Head Runners would probably be tempted."

Li Tie shook his head and took a sip of bitter tea.

At that moment, Liu Song furtively glanced around. Seeing no one paying attention to them, he lowered his voice and said:

"Did you hear? Head Zhao is retiring."

"Hm?"

Chen Mu and Li Tie were both somewhat surprised.

Head Zhao presumably referred to Zhao Zong, the oldest Head Runner. He seemed to be over fifty, nearly sixty.

"What happened?"

Li Tie asked in a low voice, surprised.

Normally, no matter how old a Head Runner became, he would not be willing to step down. As long as he remained in the post for another day, he could enjoy another day of benefits. The gangs and forces outside would all curry favor with him and offer tribute.

But once he stepped down, he would become an ordinary old man. Though he might retain some skill, he was old after all, his vigor and blood declining. Once his authority was gone, people would soon forget him.

"Old hidden injuries from his youth have flared up. He can't hold on much longer."

Liu Song spoke quietly.

Hearing that, Chen Mu and Li Tie both nodded faintly. Zhao Zong probably did not want to give up his position as Head Runner either. But if his body could no longer support him, those above would indeed not keep an old Head Runner whose mobility had greatly declined.

Li Tie looked thoughtfully over the many Yamen Runners in the courtyard and whispered, "Once Head Zhao leaves, a position will open up."

The City Guard currently had five Head Runners, each with their own duties and their own men. Once Zhao Zong left, either his subordinates would be broken up and distributed among the other Head Runners, or a new Head Runner would be appointed.

At this point, Liu Song glanced toward where Ren Yan was standing in the distance and said with a hint of feeling, "That position will most likely be his. Head Zhao can probably last another half year. Half a year from now, even if Ren Yan's skill still isn't enough, with someone above putting in a word for him, there probably won't be any problem. When fortune arrives, it truly cannot be stopped."

The reason he, Li Tie, and the other veteran Yamen Runners had not been willing to flatter Ren Yan was not merely because Ren Yan was too young. Another reason was that if Ren Yan wanted to become a Head Runner, he would at least need to practice saber work for many years and develop real skill first.

But now—

Zhao Zong happened to be in poor health, and a position was about to open up. It was like a pillow arriving just as sleep came.

"What good luck."

Li Tie could not help sighing as well.

Half a year ago, Ren Yan had been no different from the other Yamen Runners. Then he suddenly stumbled into great fortune and gained the opportunity to enter the Inner City to practice Martial Arts. And now, only half a year later, just as his skills had likely barely crossed the threshold, he already had a chance to become a Head Runner.

Hearing this, even Chen Mu could not help glancing at Ren Yan from afar.

Such good fortune carried rather the flavor of someone favored by fate.

However...

Chen Mu shook his head inwardly but said nothing. After taking a sip of tea, he rose and said, "All right, Brother Liu, Brother Li, let's get moving."

Liu Song and Li Tie both set down their tea bowls, grabbed the Yamen Sabers at their sides, and set off with him.

After Chen Mu's group of three left, some of the other Yamen Runners also departed in twos and threes. Yet amid their low murmurs, many cast surprised looks toward Ren Yan, repeatedly glancing in his direction.

Clearly, Zhao Zong's situation had not been a secret for merely a day or two. It was gradually becoming impossible to conceal, and practically all the Yamen Runners in the courtyard had begun hearing of it. Thinking of the Head Runner position that would soon open up, they immediately thought of Ren Yan.

As for Ren Yan himself, though everyone's eyes kept sweeping over him, he remained calm as a light breeze and drifting clouds, as if he knew nothing about it. He merely drank his tea indifferently. After a while, he slowly rose and went off to patrol with floating steps.

Chen Mu did not care about Zhao Zong's affairs.

He was different from Ren Yan. His saber technique had now reached Perfection, and he had developed Saber Force. If he wanted to become a Head Runner, he did not need to wait for an empty position. With his strength alone, there would be no issue even if such a post were created out of thin air for him.

Even if the Nine Stripes Ward Branch dared claim that all Head Runner positions were filled, the other City Guard branches would likely immediately extend olive branches to Chen Mu and recruit him to serve as a Head Runner in their own branches.

After patrolling with Liu Song and the others, Chen Mu returned home. On the way, he bought some fresh meat and vegetables. These days, the family could eat meat at every meal. Chen Yue's complexion had long since improved greatly, while little Wang Ni had also gotten to enjoy the good fortune.

Once the family had finished eating, Chen Mu went alone to the woodshed as usual and took out the Fierce Wind Saber Technique.

"I need to put Mo Pi Fa on the agenda and find a way to acquire it as soon as possible. Before then, I'll practice this Fierce Wind Saber Technique."

As his strength grew greater and greater, Chen Mu's temperament also became increasingly steady.

He opened the booklet.

Though the Fierce Wind Saber Technique and the Whirlwind Saber Technique both contained the word "wind" and belonged to the Xun Wind Lineage, their moves and fighting styles were utterly different. The Whirlwind Saber Technique focused more on wind's chaos and entanglement, while the Fierce Wind Saber Technique placed greater emphasis on "fierceness."

Now that Chen Mu's saber technique had reached Perfection and he had developed Saber Force, he grasped the focus and direction of the Fierce Wind Saber Technique after reading through it just once. He immediately began practicing with his saber.

"The Fierce Wind Saber Technique is broad and sweeping, its momentum savage and violent."

A faint glint flickered in Chen Mu's eyes. The sky had not yet completely darkened. As he swung his saber in the woodshed, a streak of saber-shadow flashed across the worn wall, violent and savage, as though it might tear the wall apart at any moment.

With the foundation of the Whirlwind Saber Technique, practicing the Fierce Wind Saber Technique truly felt different. Chen Mu did not even use the System Panel. Relying only on himself, after practicing for two or three hours, he felt he had already been Initiated into this saber technique.

He summoned the system interface and took a look.

Sure enough, there was a change.

Martial Arts: Whirlwind Saber Technique (Perfection), Fierce Wind Saber Technique (Initiated)

Experience: 7 points

"Mm. Even without relying on the system, I can be Initiated easily. Reaching Initial Accomplishment probably won't take long either, but breaking through to Major Accomplishment may still be faster by consuming experience points. As for Perfection..."

Chen Mu nodded slightly.

While patrolling today, using Zhao Zong's matter as an opening, he had tactfully sounded out Liu Song and Li Tie. Though Liu Song had never practiced Martial Arts, he was older and could be considered well-traveled and experienced. He knew more than Chen Mu.

For example, in this world, few people mastered two saber techniques. One saber technique was often already difficult enough to fully comprehend. Learning more would only lead to greedily biting off more than one could chew. It was far better to train a single saber technique to Perfection and develop Saber Force.

But likewise—

Those who cultivated several saber and sword techniques and could bring them all to Perfection were indeed like monsters. Yet even in the Inner City, such people were outstanding geniuses. One basically could not encounter them in the Outer City.

For Chen Mu, however, as long as he had enough time, not to mention two or three techniques, he could train however many he wished to the realm of Perfection and grasp the essential force within them. This was an ability that belonged to him alone.

He set down the Yamen Saber.

Chen Mu walked to the stove and picked up the kettle sitting atop it. The kettle contained water that Chen Yue had boiled for him before going to sleep.

"I should still get a good night's rest tonight."

Since he had not slept at all last night, even though Chen Mu's spirit had been tempered and was now much stronger than that of ordinary people, he still felt a trace of fatigue. He did not intend to practice saber work through the night again. He needed to rest properly for one night.

But just as Chen Mu was about to return to his bedroom to sleep, his movements suddenly stopped. His ear twitched slightly, as though he had heard something. He immediately peered outside through the crack in the door, a trace of vigilance appearing on his face.