Escort Agency

The next morning, just as the sky began to brighten, Chen Jianghe found Su Derong in the front courtyard.

"Third Senior..."

He had barely opened his mouth when he saw Su Derong hurriedly tying his outer robe, looking as if he were about to head out.

"Jianghe? You've come at the right time!" Su Derong's eyes lit up when he looked up and saw him. "I was just about to go look for you."

Chen Jianghe was slightly stunned. "Senior Brother is looking for me?"

"I have some business at home, so I need to head back for a bit." Su Derong tucked his fan back into his waistband and smoothed out his lapels. "Would you like to accompany me to the Su Family Escort Agency?"

Chen Jianghe's heart stirred, and he took the opportunity to say, "What a coincidence, Junior Brother was just looking to discuss something with you..."

"Is it about the job placement?" Su Derong interrupted him, his eyes showing he understood.

Chen Jianghe was taken aback. "How did Senior Brother know?"

Su Derong twitched the corner of his mouth. "You broke through to Bright Strength yesterday, and Master gave you medicine; the next step is naturally to find a source of income. Which disciple in the hall hasn't gone through this path?"

He patted Chen Jianghe on the shoulder. "It just so happens that you can come with me today. My family's escort agency is currently short-handed."

Chen Jianghe felt a surge of joy and quickly cupped his hands. "Many thanks for your guidance, Senior Brother!"

"After spending this much time together, I've long considered you a brother, but don't be in such a hurry to thank me." Su Derong waved his hand, his expression turning more serious. "The escort agency has its own rules, and job placements have their own ways. Even though you've entered the realm of Bright Strength, you are still a newcomer, and many things must be done according to protocol."

"Let's go, we can talk on the way." Su Derong turned and walked out of the martial arts hall.

Chen Jianghe quickly followed. The two left through the side gate of the hall one after the other, walking along the quiet morning streets toward the west side of the city.

Su Derong fanned himself, his pace steady and unhurried. "When you broke through to Bright Strength yesterday, I was already thinking about finding you a stable path. Since word came from home, I'll just push the boat with the current and take you to the escort agency to get familiar with the ropes."

He tilted his head to look at Chen Jianghe. "However, Jianghe, I must speak plainly first. This line of work looks glamorous, but it is actually quite dangerous. When escorting goods, encountering mountain bandits, highwaymen, or being double-crossed is a common occurrence. Even with a job placement, you don't have to follow the team daily, but if the agency encounters a thorny issue, you will have to step up."

Chen Jianghe nodded. "I understand. That you are willing to recommend me is already a massive favor."

The two traversed streets and alleys, and after about two quarters of an hour, they arrived at a rather orderly neighborhood on the west side of the outer city.

Although the bluestone road was still somewhat uneven, at least there was no sewage flowing across it. There were also more storefronts on both sides, mostly selling leather goods, ironware, horse tack, and other items related to the escort business.

An imposing residence appeared ahead, its black-lacquered gates wide open. A gilded plaque hung from the lintel, inscribed with four vigorous characters: Su Family Escort Agency.

Several sturdy men were squatting at the entrance, all wearing uniform gray cloth short-garments with wide leather belts around their waists, chatting around a stone lock. Seeing Su Derong approach, they quickly stood up and bowed respectfully. "Young Master!"

Stepping through the gate, one entered an extremely spacious courtyard paved with blue bricks. The corridors on both sides were piled high with cargo crates and sacks, and the air was filled with the scent of leather, tung oil, and fodder.

People were coming and going in the courtyard—some carrying bundles, some hitching carts, others feeding horses. The sounds of shouting, horse hooves, and wheels grinding against stone slabs created a scene that was noisy yet orderly.

Su Derong pointed with his fan, introducing the place to Chen Jianghe as they walked.

"See those few over there, catching their breath in the corner?" He gestured toward the corridor on the west side. "Those are the Pathfinders."

Chen Jianghe looked in the direction he pointed. They were men with dark, weathered skin, mostly between twenty and thirty years old. Their gray cloth garments were washed until they were faded white, water skins and short staves hung from their waists, and the straw sandals on their feet were worn down to thin soles.

"Pathfinders?" Chen Jianghe asked.

Su Derong smiled. "Yes, they are mostly like those in our martial arts hall—they practiced for a few years but couldn't reach the threshold of 'Bright Strength.' Since they couldn't stay in the hall, they came to the escort agency to make a living. However, our hall is different, mainly because our Master is different. I'll let my uncle tell you more about that later."

He paused. "Pathfinders do the most bitter and dangerous work—scouting the road, delivering messages, and guarding the escort carts. If they encounter highwaymen, they are the ones who must stand at the very front. For every trip, they get three taels of silver for short distances and no less than seven or eight taels for long ones. The money isn't much, but the risk is significant. When encountering bandits or highwaymen, the Pathfinders are usually the first to suffer. That's why this trade is mostly made up of poor men without homes or property, trading their lives for money."

Chen Jianghe nodded silently, his gaze shifting to the other side.

There, five or six people had a noticeably steadier presence; their standing postures were relaxed, and the muscles and bones of their shoulders and backs were subtly expanded.

Some leaned against pillars chatting, others practiced on their own. They wore indigo-colored martial outfits, the same as the men at the entrance.

"These are the ordinary Escort Guards," Su Derong said. "One must have at least the cultivation of Bright Strength to be placed in this position. They are responsible for escorting goods, guarding carts, and dealing with common banditry. A short-distance trip earns about twenty taels of silver. If it's a long-distance trip or heavy cargo, the pay is even higher."

"What about Internal Strength experts like you, Senior Brother?" Chen Jianghe asked.

Su Derong laughed and waved his fan. "There are only seven or eight Internal Strength Escort Guards in the entire agency, all of whom are the foundation the Su family has built up over many years. They don't usually stay in the agency; they either take on long-distance, major escorts or sit in charge of branch offices outside the city. Even with a job placement, their monthly salary is no less than fifty taels, with additional bonuses for each trip."

He suddenly tapped Chen Jianghe's shoulder with the ribs of his fan. "Speaking of which, this is perfect. Come, Jianghe, let's trade a punch."

Chen Jianghe was stunned. "Right here?"

"Right here." Su Derong stepped back two paces, tucked his fan into his waistband, and stood casually. "Attack me with your full Bright Strength. It will let me see your foundation and teach you to personally experience the difference between Bright Strength and Internal Strength."

Chen Jianghe took a deep breath, sank his waist and dropped his hips, and started with the Three-Body stance.

He knew Su Derong meant well. Some gaps are better understood through personal experience than by hearing about them a thousand times.

"Senior Brother, please forgive me."

As the words fell, Chen Jianghe's right fist shot out.

He held nothing back in this punch. The sound of muscles and bones snapping together exploded, and the wind of his fist tore through the air, aiming straight for Su Derong's chest.

Su Derong, however, remained smiling and motionless.

Just as the fist was about to land, his left palm rose suddenly, meeting the strike lightly and sticking directly to the surface of Chen Jianghe's fist.

There was no sound of a hard collision.

Chen Jianghe only felt a soft yet overwhelming force penetrate from Su Derong's palm, drilling directly into his arm along his meridians.

Wherever that force passed, his muscles went numb and his bones turned weak, rendering his entire right arm instantly powerless.

A sinister, hidden force surged straight into his chest, churning his blood and qi so violently that he had to retreat three steps before he could barely steady himself.

Chen Jianghe's right hand instinctively reached toward the lime pouch at his waist, but the moment his fingers touched the coarse fabric, he forced himself to stop and slowly let go.

Su Derong withdrew his hand and smiled. "Well?"

Chen Jianghe regulated his breathing, suppressed the stifling sensation in his chest, and said in a deep voice, "Bright Strength can split stones and break monuments, while Dark Strength destroys hearts and severs pulses—that is the gap."

"Correct." Su Derong walked over and patted his shoulder. "Bright Strength is for 'striking,' while Dark Strength is for 'harming.' Had your punch landed on an ordinary strongman, it would have broken his bones; but against a master of Dark Strength, it is like striking a needle hidden in cotton—you fail to harm the opponent and instead fall victim to their hidden force."

His expression turned serious as he lowered his voice. "Jianghe, I have already secretly reported your breakthrough to Bright Strength within half a year to my uncle, Su Jingming, and instructed him to keep it quiet. The escort agency is currently in need of men, and I hope you will consider our fellowship and take up a post to assist us. My uncle will discuss the specific terms with you later."

Chen Jianghe cupped his hands. "I shall follow your arrangements, Senior Brother."

Su Derong nodded, but then remembered something and lowered his voice again. "Right, you have been training hard in the martial arts hall for over half a year; you might not be aware of the way the wind is blowing outside..."