There Was Only One Road Beneath His Feet

Times changed, and the world with them.

As time passed, the rising sun climbed higher and higher until it hung above everyone in the Yamen.

The Yamen carried on as usual, as if the storm of this morning's "Morning Assembly" had never soaked anyone. Yet that gust of wind had truly blown its way into their hearts.

The name Chen Zhuo had become the talk of the entire Yamen, over tea and after meals.

Some said he wasn't Huang Sanyou's killer. Others whispered that he was the killer after all, and that Master Yan's account was partly fabricated and couldn't be trusted.

People said all sorts of things, but what they talked about most was his martial prowess.

He had fought eight men alone and felled three.

When word spread that the three were alive but crippled, most of the Yamen Runners and White-Uniform Runners alike began to regard Chen Zhuo with awe.

Chen Zhuo still didn't know he had become the Yamen's "new favorite."

Because right now, he was busy cooking.

Before, he'd worked as a helper and only had to come to the kitchen to prepare one meal.

Now that he'd officially joined the kitchen, every task—whether it was supposed to be his or not—was dumped on him.

Especially the chopping. At first, he'd taken over because the Qiu sisters had been in trouble and the kitchen had lost two of its mainstays. Now Xiao Liu was gone, too.

That meant work for three or four people had nearly all fallen to him alone.

"You could at least raise my monthly pay a little. Don't start taking after Skin-Peeler Wang."

Chen Zhuo said it casually as he handed over the vegetables.

Amid the smoke and heat, Yan Ming replied coolly, "Let's not talk about money. Talking about money hurts our relationship."

Chen Zhuo gritted his teeth, turned around, and took out his frustration on the cutting board.

After a flurry of activity, the kitchen sent out the dishes right on time.

Chen Zhuo picked up the food box and followed Yan Ming back to the small courtyard.

"There's another room at the very back. It used to be full of odds and ends, but once it's cleaned up, someone can live in it."

Yan Ming pointed toward it.

"Thanks, Senior Brother. I'll tidy it up after we eat."

Chen Zhuo nodded, glanced at the room at the back, then dropped onto a stone stool.

"No rush."

Yan Ming took the dishes out of the food box, arranged them on the table, picked up his chopsticks, and put a piece of meat in Chen Zhuo's bowl.

"Senior Brother?"

Chen Zhuo looked up, puzzled.

"Eat."

Yan Ming smiled. He didn't serve him anything else, just sat there staring blankly at Chen Zhuo.

As Chen Zhuo ate, something began to feel off. He stopped his chopsticks at once and said solemnly, "Senior Brother, I know I'm good-looking, but I only think of you as my senior brother."

"Get lost."

Yan Ming laughed and cursed. "And I'll say it again: I'm not the likes of Wang Mingyuan."

"Oh."

Chen Zhuo pouted, didn't pursue the subject, and went back to eating.

Halfway through the meal, Yan Ming suddenly asked, "At this morning's Morning Assembly, I didn't step forward to defend you right away. I also let you reveal your talent and natural aptitude in front of everyone."

"Do you really not blame me?"

Hearing this, Chen Zhuo's chopsticks froze just as he was reaching for a dish.

He slowly rested them on the rim of his bowl, then smiled and shook his head. "In the end, you still helped clear me of the crime, didn't you?"

Yan Ming froze. His eyes fixed on Chen Zhuo's face like nails.

After a long moment, he looked away and lowered his gaze to his hands. With a self-mocking smile, he said, "I'm getting older. These hands have slowly gone from wielding a saber to wielding a kitchen knife. It's only natural to want to leave myself a safeguard for the rest of my life."

"When people get old, their spirits weaken."

"Old geezer, don't be a coward."

Chen Zhuo put a piece of meat in Yan Ming's bowl, then asked, "How did the Sun Family end up owing you a favor back then?"

Yan Ming raised his brows. "Speaking of that, how did you know in advance that the Sun Family owed me a favor? You even put on an act for me."

"You tell me first."

"You tell me first."

"Fine, I'll tell you."

Chen Zhuo took a sip of water and said unhurriedly, "Fatty Sun is a young master from a prominent family, but I've never heard of one treating a cook with such respect."

"You've got a sharp eye."

Yan Ming glanced at Chen Zhuo, then sighed. "That's a long story. It goes back to after our master died."

"No rush. Take your time."

Chen Zhuo perked right up.

Yan Ming gave an unhappy snort and said:

"Back then, our master and three fellow disciples died together. The few of us who survived had different beliefs, so we went our separate ways. I was disheartened and decided to leave the Capital City, but I didn't know where to go."

"After wandering here and there, I passed through Baiyun County and happened to see Old Master Sun under attack. I thought I might as well take the chance to end my life, so I stepped in and took a blade for him."

"I thought I'd die just like that, but who'd have guessed they'd drag me back from the gates of hell?"

"Old Master Sun was grateful that I'd saved his life. After healing my injuries, he arranged for me to join the Yamen."

At that, Yan Ming looked toward the room where the spirit tablets were kept. His gaze rippled like water, stirred by memories of the past.

"That's all there was to it?"

Chen Zhuo was a little surprised.

Wasn't this the classic protagonist template from old-school wuxia novels?

Chen Zhuo pressed him again. "And what caused our master and those three senior brothers to die?"

"You really know how to get to the point."

Yan Ming glanced at him. "I'm not telling you why, and you'd better not go digging around either. If fate takes you to the Capital City, you'll find out for yourself."

"But for now, remember what I told you last night. Don't reveal the name of our sect."

"Senior Brother, you're so weak. You used to run around the Capital City?"

"Bullshit. If I hadn't suffered a devastating blow to my spirit back then, taking all the acupoints in my body with it—hmm? You little brat, you were trying to trick me into talking?! Get lost!"

Was it some melodramatic, clichéd tale?

Or did he have an enemy who was absurdly powerful?

In an instant, Chen Zhuo imagined all sorts of possibilities.

But seeing Yan Ming's furious expression, he wisely didn't press any further.

"If you've got time to worry about other things, you'd be better off worrying about your own situation."

Yan Ming sneered. "Now that I've lost my safeguard, if Huang Yuan'er comes after you again, no one in all of Baiyun County will be able to help you."

"Especially at the Autumn Hunt. Huang Yuan'er will definitely try to kill you."

"There are only two roads left in front of you."

Chen Zhuo put another huge piece of meat in Yan Ming's bowl, his face breaking into a smile. "There aren't two roads. There's only one."

One road was to swallow his pride and submit.

The other was to carve a way out with the long saber in his hand.

Of course, Chen Zhuo would choose the latter.

Yan Ming wasn't surprised at all. He silently picked the meat up from his own bowl and put it back into Chen Zhuo's.

"Eat more meat. Get your body in shape. From now on, you'll have all the meat and rice you can eat."

Chen Zhuo nodded emphatically.

After quickly finishing his meal, Chen Zhuo left the small courtyard and returned to the Drill Ground.

For no other reason.

Free Red Mud Paste was free Red Mud Paste.

As for Blood-Strengthening Soup, he wasn't very interested in it right now.

By the time Chen Zhuo reached the Drill Ground, the White-Uniform Runners had already started training.

Huang Yuan'er hadn't shown up, but a new instructor had appeared on the platform. He looked a little familiar to Chen Zhuo.

As Chen Zhuo looked at him, the other man looked back.

But their eyes met for only an instant before the instructor hurriedly looked away, seeming somewhat afraid.

"Now I remember. He tried to lay hands on me this morning."

Chen Zhuo thought about it, but didn't pay it much mind.

He took the Red Mud Paste and turned to leave.

Then a cold voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

It sounded somewhat familiar, too.

"Chen Zhuo, I want to have a match with you."