It Happened

Bitter Locust Village.

Old Chen sat curled up outside a dilapidated shack, on a low stool that creaked beneath him.

His face was ashen with a bluish cast, like it had been smeared with a layer of filthy wax. His once passably neat beard and hair were now tangled and withered, strewn with grass clippings and dust.

Within that sunless, shadowy alley, the dense, rancid stench that never dispersed—mixed with the sour rot of the gutter, animal droppings, and decaying refuse—seemed like some living thing, crawling straight into his mouth, nose, and lungs.

It made his skull throb, his eyes sting, and waves of acid rise endlessly in his stomach.

They had only moved here a few days ago, yet he already looked as though his backbone had been pulled out. He had visibly hunched over, as if he had aged more than ten years in an instant, carrying the desolation of a guttering candle in the wind, a man with one foot in the grave.

"Father, why have you come outside to sit?"

At the far end of the alley, Chen An approached briskly with some deadwood and wild vegetables in hand, accompanied by his wife, Madam Bai.

Chen Yan followed behind them. One hand was empty, while the other held a silk handkerchief tightly over her mouth and nose. She watched every step with particular care, afraid of stepping into one of those unbearably foul puddles.

"Your eldest sister-in-law said she had something important to tell us, and... and she insisted on changing clothes before saying it. I could only come outside and wait..."

Old Chen's voice was dry and hoarse, utterly lacking in strength.

His clouded eyes first looked at the deadwood and wild vegetables in Chen An and Madam Bai's hands, but not a ripple stirred on his aged face.

Then he glanced at Chen Yan behind them, and the light in his eyes visibly dimmed.

When he had still lived in the old house, hadn't Chen Yan always come bearing armfuls of rice, flour, fruit, and vegetables?

Back then, he had not truly lacked food.

But now, when they could barely even get the pot boiling, the daughter who had once been the most filial had come empty-handed instead.

A moment later.

Madam Wang pushed open the rickety wooden door and walked out.

She had changed into a half-new russet ruqun. Her face was caked with cheap white powder, while her cheeks were smeared with thick, garish rouge, making her look as though two monkey rumps had been pasted onto her face.

Beside her, her husband Chen Yong wore a smile so eager it bordered on frenzy. His back was straighter than it had ever been, and the corners of his mouth nearly stretched to his ears.

"Eldest Sister-in-law, what exactly did you call us all here for today? Could it be that A-Hao..."

Chen Yan was impatient by nature, and her mind worked quickly. She immediately guessed the heart of the matter, and her heart gave a violent leap.

"That's right!"

Madam Wang replied in a shrill voice.

"It happened! My A-Hao made it!"

Madam Wang's voice was loud and clear. She wanted everyone in this alley—even every mosquito and wild rat—to hear her perfectly.

"Just last night! He truly condensed One-Incense Blood Qi! He became a proper Martial Artist master! Today, he's even going to work for the Patrol Office. What tremendous glory that is!"

"He made it?!"

Old Chen, slumped on the stool, suddenly trembled.

"He... he really made it?! The ancestors have blessed us! The ancestors have shown their power! My old Chen family... has finally produced a true dragon!"

"Oh, my wonderful nephew!"

A fervent smile instantly blossomed across Chen Yan's face. She hurried over in a few steps and seized Madam Wang's hand.

"I knew it. A-Hao has good bones and he's willing to strive. He was bound to accomplish great things! Our whole Chen family will bask in his glory!"

"A-Hao made it. That's wonderful... Eldest Sister-in-law..."

Chen An revealed a sincere smile and rubbed his hands, just about to offer congratulations. But Madam Wang shot him a look of disdain, too lazy even to listen. He could only smile awkwardly and swallow his words.

Madam Bai stood silently behind Chen An. Seeing her husband offer a warm face only to press it against someone's cold backside made her heart go cold.

Their family's support for Chen Hao might not have been as much as Chen Yan's family had given, but no matter how little it was, it had been life-saving money squeezed out from between their teeth.

They had originally hoped that once Chen Hao rose in the world, he would remember this kindness and let a little slip through his fingers, so their bitter days could ease somewhat.

But what had come of it? They could not even get one pleasant expression from Madam Wang.

At that thought, Madam Bai could not help remembering Chen Cheng.

Ever since Chen Cheng had brought life-saving food and copper coins over in the dead of night last time, Second Sister-in-law Madam Li had also come by every few days with something in hand. None of it was precious, but it all genuinely helped their lives.

On top of that, Chen Cheng had helped them avoid the monthly Peace Tax that carved flesh and picked bones.

Over this period, their family's circumstances had visibly improved. They no longer had to go hungry, nor were they bullied by the gang anymore. Even at night, they slept more soundly than before.

Madam Bai was grateful to Chen Cheng from the bottom of her heart. Compared with Chen Cheng, Chen Hao...

Pah!

Was he even worthy of being compared with Little Cheng?

Madam Bai spat inwardly.

"Alright, alright, little sister-in-law. My ears are about to grow calluses from all your sweet words."

Madam Wang patted Chen Yan, who was still chattering away beside her, cleared her throat, and said in a lofty, affected tone.

"By the rules of the martial world, once A-Hao becomes a Martial Artist, he can help exempt his own family from the Peace Tax..."

"However, your place is far away, and another gang oversees it. We'll have to wait until A-Hao returns and personally goes over to say the word."

"Oh! I've been waiting for you to say exactly that, Eldest Sister-in-law!"

At those words, Chen Yan's voice trembled with excitement.

"You have no idea—our days have been tight lately too... Being able to save this money truly is charcoal sent in snow. I'll thank you first, Eldest Sister-in-law, and thank A-Hao as well!"

"We're family. Would A-Hao and I ever treat you poorly?"

Madam Wang lifted her chin, pride written all over her face. She stood there and listened to Chen Yan flatter and praise her for a long while before seeming to notice that two other people were standing nearby.

"Third Brother."

Madam Wang curled her lip, and her voice abruptly turned cold.

"For your family's Peace Tax, will you keep having Chen Cheng exempt it for you, or transfer it under A-Hao's name?"

"I..."

Caught off guard by the question, Chen An hesitated somewhat.

But his wife, Madam Bai, made her decision at once. "We'll keep it under Little Cheng's name. We won't trouble Eldest Sister-in-law and A-Hao with it."

"Then don't you regret it!"

Madam Wang said irritably.

"Your Kuhe Village and this Bitter Locust Village are both under the Black Wolf Gang's control. Just last night, several Black Wolf Gang heads invited A-Hao to drink with them, and they were already calling one another brothers! Isn't that connection more solid than that brat Chen Cheng?"

Madam Bai did not answer, but Chen Yan chimed in from the side.

"Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law, you can't go wrong listening to Eldest Sister-in-law! Before the matter is set in stone, hurry and switch it to A-Hao's name. From now on, it can only benefit your family!"

"No need."

Madam Bai did not waver in the slightest. After thinking for a moment, she added, "A couple days ago, Second Sister-in-law brought some food over for us. She passed on a message from Little Cheng, saying that the Black Wolf Gang is nearly finished. She told us to avoid them as much as possible and not get involved with anyone from the Black Wolf Gang..."

"Utter nonsense!"

Before Madam Bai could finish, Madam Wang cut her off with a shout, as if someone had stepped on her tail.

"What the hell does Chen Cheng know? A-Hao told me himself yesterday! The Black Wolf Gang has been riding high lately. They've won several hard battles in a row, and their territory has expanded threefold! Chen Cheng may be finished, but the Black Wolf Gang won't be!"