Little Jack

Aside from a dagger that was still usable and a few copper coins left behind by some unlucky soul, there was nothing else.

"Are robbers these days really doing this poorly?"

Su Li tucked the few silver scraps into his pocket; even a mosquito's leg was still meat. Although he had money in this life, that was his pension, and he had to save wherever he could.

"Alright, get lost."

Su Li waved his hand as if shooing away a few flies. "Keep your eyes peeled from now on. Don't assume everyone who looks good is a pushover. There are some people you can't afford to provoke."

One-Eyed Dragon felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He scrambled to help his brother up from the ground, not even daring to retrieve his axe, and vanished into the nearby woods in a flash.

Su Li watched their pathetic retreating figures and curled his lip.

"Boring."

He climbed back onto his horse.

He didn't want blood to ruin his current mood.

As the sun set behind the mountains, Su Li finally caught that familiar scent.

It was the briny smell of sea air, mixed with the stench of rotting fish and shrimp, and that distinct, pungent odor of copper—the fermentation of desire and money unique to port cities.

Grey Gull Port had arrived.

Su Li reined in his horse and stood on the high ridge, overlooking the city.

It was different from what he remembered.

Now, it had become a behemoth.

Towering walls enclosed the city like an iron barrel, and the Griffin Banner of the Orenda Kingdom flew atop the battlements, snapping in the sea breeze. The harbor was packed with ships of all sizes, their masts standing like a forest.

Although it was dusk, the city remained brightly lit.

It was the glow of gaslights.

It seemed that even though the Orenda Kingdom had been at war for these past few decades, they hadn't fallen behind on the technology they'd stolen from the Baris Empire.

Su Li brushed the dust off his body and straightened his collar.

"Old Jack, that old geezer, is probably dead by now."

Su Li rode his horse, following the flow of people toward the city gate. "I wonder if I can still find someone to forge documents in this city. These days, without an identity card, even checking into an inn is a hassle."

The guards at the city gate were checking very strictly.

Especially for outsiders like Su Li, who looked unfamiliar and carried weapons.

"Halt!"

A soldier in iron armor crossed his spear, blocking Su Li's path. His eyes scanned Su Li up and down, filled with scrutiny and greed.

"What's your business? Where are you from?"

Su Li didn't speak.

He simply reached into his pocket and pulled out a Gold Coin—one of the "private savings" he had earned from blacksmithing in Wading Village.

The Gold Coin flipped between his fingertips, flashing with a mesmerizing luster.

The soldier's eyes went straight immediately.

"I'm a craftsman."

Su Li smiled, his expression appearing exceptionally friendly against the backdrop of the gold. "I'm from the countryside, looking to enter the city to earn a living. This is a small token, please have some tea on me, officer."

He flicked his finger.

The Gold Coin traced a golden arc and landed steadily into the soldier's pocket.

The soldier scrambled to catch it, bit down on it, and his face immediately broke into a grin.

"Craftsmen are great! Craftsmen are exactly what we need most around here!"

The soldier retracted his spear and stepped aside to clear the way. "Go on in! Don't cause any trouble! We've been checking strictly for Baris spies in the city lately, so don't wander around at night!"

"Got it."

Su Li cupped his hands in a salute, squeezed his horse's flanks, and entered the city.

Money, in any lifetime, was always the most effective passport.

Once inside, the roar of the city rushed toward him instantly.

The cries of vendors, the clatter of carriages, and the drunken shouts of men wove together into a chaotic symphony.

The streets were lined with shops. Sellers of seafood, spices, and women—everything one could imagine.

Pedestrians on the road hurried along. There were well-dressed merchants and ragged beggars alike.

Su Li, riding his horse, looked out of place on the crowded street.

He was too clean.

And he was too good-looking.

His face was like a beacon, attracting a sea of gazes wherever he went.

The streetwalkers soliciting business by the roadside nearly dropped their eyes when they saw Su Li.

"Hey there, young sir! Come on in and sit a spell!"

"What a handsome young master! This older sister won't take your money, how about I give you a night for free?"

A few bolder ones even reached out to grab his horse's reins.

Su Li's gaze remained fixed ahead.

He had no interest in these common women.

He was looking for something.

A special mark.

According to his memories from the previous life (though it was his first life's memories), the underworld of Grey Gull Port had a unique set of secret signals.

Even after so many years, those rats hiding in the gutters shouldn't have easily changed their habits.

Finally.

At the entrance of an inconspicuous alley, Su Li spotted the mark.

"Found it."

He dismounted and led his horse into the dark alley.

The alley was filled with the stench of urine.

A few shadowy figures huddled in the corners stirred as they saw someone enter. But when they noticed the sword on Su Li's back and his imposing black horse, they wisely retreated.

At the end of the alley was a dilapidated wooden door.

A sign hung on it: Old Blind Man's Grocery.

Su Li knocked on the door.

Three short, two long.

"Who is it?"

A raspy voice came from inside, sounding somewhat familiar.

Su Li paused.

This voice... why did it sound so much like Old Jack from back then?

Could that old fellow also be a cultivator? Living for over a hundred years and still not dead?

The door creaked open.

A hunched old man wearing a hood poked his head out.

In the dim light, Su Li got a clear look at the face.

It was covered in wrinkles, one eye was blind and covered with a black patch. The other eye, though cloudy, held a shrewd glint.

But this person wasn't Old Jack.

Although they looked alike and had similar mannerisms, the age was wrong. This man looked to be only in his sixties.

"Buying or selling?"

The old man scrutinized Su Li, his tone unfriendly.

"I want to buy an identity."

Su Li got straight to the point, "A clean one. Preferably a fallen noble whose entire family is dead and who has no record of existence."

The old man's single eye suddenly brightened.

He chuckled, revealing a mouth full of rotten teeth.

"Noble identity? That won't be cheap."

"Money is not an issue."

Su Li took out the heavy coin purse from his embrace and jiggled it, "If the job is done well, this bag of Gold Coins is yours."

The old man stared at the coin purse, his Adam's apple bobbing.

He stepped aside and opened the door a crack.

"Come in."

Su Li led his horse in boldly.

It was a grocery store piled high with junk.

Besides various moldy goods, many strange and peculiar items hung on the walls.

"My name is Little Jack."

The old man closed the door and introduced himself, "This shop was passed down from my grandfather. I have the kind of identity you're looking for."

Little Jack?

Su Li almost burst out laughing.

So it was the grandson of that Old One-Eye. The family genes were truly strong, even inheriting that blind eye identically.