Zhao Zong

The moment he stepped into the bedroom.

Though the room was pitch-black, the clouds had happened to disperse somewhat, allowing moonlight to spill inside. The scene within became much clearer, and Chen Mu took it all in at a glance.

Chen Yue and Wang Ni had both long since been awakened by the earlier commotion, but the two little girls were in entirely different states.

Wang Ni was clearly terrified. She was curled up at the foot of the bed, trembling uncontrollably. Though she could not be seen clearly, even in the darkness, the fear in her eyes could faintly be sensed.

Yet despite being so frightened, she had not made a sound. That was because another small hand was tightly covering her mouth. Chen Yue was leaning beside her, half-hugging her, one little hand firmly clamped over Wang Ni's mouth to keep her from making a noise.

If one looked carefully.

One could see that Chen Yue's body was trembling slightly as well, but she had clenched her teeth and forced herself to remain calm. Not only did she cover Wang Ni's mouth, she kept herself from making a sound too.

Chen Mu had taught her all this. No matter what happened at night, she must never make a sound. She had always remembered it firmly and understood why. If something bad was happening, panicked screaming would only make things worse.

She did not know what had happened outside, but she knew that no matter who it was, if they hurt Chen Mu, then just like the stories Chen Mu had told her, she would endure it and live on with every ounce of effort she had. Then... she would exhaust every means to take revenge and make those who hurt her brother pay the price.

"Brother?"

When she saw that the person entering the room was Chen Mu, Chen Yue's tangled thoughts finally eased somewhat. Still, she did not dare make a sound, only mouthing the word at him.

Chen Mu closed the door and gave her a slight nod. "It's all right now."

Only after hearing Chen Mu's words did Chen Yue finally let out a breath of relief. She released Wang Ni, then could no longer hold herself back as she rushed over and threw her arms around Chen Mu, sobbing into him.

No matter what, she was only a fifteen-year-old girl. Awakened from sleep in the dead of night, faced with bandits breaking into their home and her brother charging outside with a blade—being able to endure until now had already made her strong enough.

"All right, all right."

Chen Mu patted Chen Yue's back and settled her onto the bed. In his heart, he could not help but feel that this younger sister had grown up.

Well, grown up in every sense of the word.

When he had first arrived in this world, Chen Yue had not been nearly so quick-witted or strong. It was only through his long years of instilling her with all sorts of ideas from his own world that her heart had matured so quickly.

The years from twelve to fifteen were also precisely the most crucial period for psychological growth.

At least his efforts had not gone to waste. Though tonight had been a false alarm, Chen Yue's response still left him deeply gratified.

Even now, though she could not help crying, she was still trying hard to keep her voice down, doing nothing more than whimpering softly. Wang Ni beside her did not cry either, but she had been frightened even more severely. She had been scared senseless and had yet to recover.

"Stop crying. In a few more days, we'll move."

Chen Mu comforted Chen Yue while turning the matter over in his mind.

Tonight might have seemed like an undeserved calamity. He had gained nothing and had not even had the chance to touch Tang Quan's corpse. But in truth, there were benefits. First, he had entered the notice of Xu Hongyu, the Chief Constable. Second, though he could not touch the corpse, Xu Hongyu, given her lofty position, could not possibly pocket Tang Quan's wanted reward.

On top of that, the strength he had displayed had won Xu Hongyu's preliminary approval. She would likely promote him to head runner before long. Once he got some silver, obtaining a copy of Mo Pi Fa would not be a problem, and moving house would naturally follow.

Chen Yue and Wang Ni had both been badly frightened.

Chen Mu comforted the two little girls until midnight. Only after coaxing them both to sleep did he lie down as well.

The next day.

Chen Mu got up early in the morning.

When he woke, he was lying in the middle. Chen Yue was on his left like a koala, all four little limbs hooked around him, while Wang Ni was pressed against his right side, curled into a tiny ball like a chick.

Chen Mu moved Chen Yue's hands and feet aside, then stepped outside. He glanced at the spot not far away where he had fought Tang Quan last night. There were still mottled bloodstains on the ground there, though they had completely dried.

"Looks like it's all right."

Chen Mu nodded slightly.

Although Xu Hongyu had taken Tang Quan's corpse away last night, there was no guarantee that other trouble would not follow. So he had slept lightly, but the entire night had passed without incident. No one had even investigated this area, which meant the matter had indeed ended with Xu Hongyu.

The two little girls had both been badly frightened last night, so he did not wake them. He went to the woodshed to light a fire and cook. Only after everything was ready did he call them up to eat. After comforting them for a while longer, he put on his Runner Office uniform and headed for the City Guard.

As usual, he hung up his plaque and flipped it over.

What had happened last night appeared to have passed without a ripple. News of Tang Quan, who had been on the wanted list, being dead had not spread, and he heard no discussions of it along the way.

The many runners were still talking about all manner of people and affairs, the widow on West Street, and the top courtesan at the flower house on East Street.

"Chen Er is here."

When Liu Song and Li Tie saw Chen Mu arrive, they both smiled and called for him to set out.

But Chen Mu shook his head. "I need to make a trip to the General Office at noon. I won't be going on patrol today."

Liu Song and Li Tie were somewhat surprised, but runners going to the General Office was nothing unusual. Perhaps he was delivering official documents for a head runner or something of the sort. They laughed and teased him a few times before setting off together.

As the sun climbed high in the sky, a large number of runners in the courtyard gradually left in scattered groups. In the end, only Chen Mu, Ren Yan, and a few others remained. Ren Yan had rarely gone on patrol lately, saying that he was staying at the City Guard to organize documents, though there was really nothing much to do.

He even occasionally practiced his saber in the small rear courtyard.

Just as Chen Mu calculated that it was about time to leave for the General Office, the blue-clad head runner Qin Bei arrived side by side with Zhao Zong, a head runner who had not visited the City Guard in a long time.

Zhao Zong had often come to the City Guard in the past. Being older, he was not particularly attached to brothel districts. But he had rarely come by since several months ago, and when word spread that an old injury had flared up, many people finally understood.

"Captain Qin, Elder Zhao."

The few scattered runners in the courtyard immediately rose and saluted.

Chen Mu quietly observed the old head runner Zhao Zong. The man's complexion was indeed far more withered than before. The few strands of black hair he had once retained had now all turned gray-white, and many more wrinkles lined his face.

Compared with the past, he had lost some of his gloom and killing intent, gaining a measure of kindness and desolation instead.

"The warrant for the Evil Thief Tang Quan can be withdrawn."

Qin Bei entered with his hands behind his back and calmly announced the news.

Chen Mu's gaze shifted slightly upon hearing this. It seemed the news had traveled quite quickly. It was probably an order issued from Xu Hongyu's side. But it appeared to have nothing to do with him, because Qin Bei did not glance his way at all. After making the announcement, he and Zhao Zong walked toward Ren Yan.

"Captain Qin, Elder Zhao."

Ren Yan treated both Qin Bei and Zhao Zong with utmost respect.

Though the runners in the courtyard generally believed he would become the new head runner succeeding Zhao Zong, he was not one yet. He acted quite casually before the other runners, but before the two head runners, he remained respectful.

Zhao Zong was very satisfied with Ren Yan's attitude. Smiling, he stroked his beard and said, "Good, the blue comes forth from indigo... How far have you progressed in Mo Pi Fa?"

Ren Yan smiled and cupped his hands. "In reply to Elder Zhao, I have reached Initial Accomplishment."

Zhao Zong nodded. "Mm. Your saber techniques are about there as well. Give it another year or two. Once your skin tempering reaches Perfection and your saber techniques reach Major Accomplishment, you'll basically have made it."

These days, it was difficult for saber techniques to reach Perfection. But skin tempering at Perfection combined with saber techniques at Major Accomplishment was no weaker. Dealing with a dozen armed villains would pose little problem, and becoming a head runner would be more than secure.

Of course.

If one could train their saber techniques to Perfection, that would make them a rare talent. Even at merely the skin-tempering realm, by relying on skill that had cultivated "force," they could match some Martial Warriors who had just entered Flesh Tempering but whose techniques had stopped at Major Accomplishment.

To put it bluntly, whether skin tempering or Flesh Tempering, both were matters of water wearing down stone. As long as one had enough resources to cultivate them, anyone could be piled up to that level. The same was true for saber techniques at Major Accomplishment. The great powers of the Inner City could raise such private soldiers as long as they had silver. But cultivating skill to the point of "force" was different. Once one also cultivated the Body Tempering Method to Flesh Tempering, they could rival ten Flesh Tempering Martial Warriors of the same level and easily kill dozens or even hundreds of ordinary bandits. That was skill enough to become a Runner Office Constable.

"Come have a drink with this old man?"

Zhao Zong smiled as he spoke to Ren Yan.

Ren Yan quickly replied, "Since Elder Zhao has asked, how could I dare refuse?"

Qin Bei smiled slightly as well, then left with Zhao Zong and Ren Yan, paying no attention to the other runners in the courtyard.

The scattered runners watched Ren Yan walk away with the two Head Runners, and all of them could not help showing looks of envy. Only Chen Mu remained calm throughout. After they disappeared, he looked at the sun, rose to his feet, left the City Guard, and headed for the General Office.