Prosperity Escort Agency

Great Yan, Cloudsky Commandery, Dancing Elephant City.

The training yard of the Prosperity Escort Agency.

The atmosphere here was lively.

"Lin Sheng, escort guard: ten taels a month."

"Luo Qiang, escort guard: twelve taels a month."

The cries announcing the wages echoed over the rear courtyard. Watching the escort guards go up to collect their monthly pay, the agency's workers could not help but feel envious.

For them, becoming an escort guard and earning a handsome monthly salary was already the greatest dream in life.

Zhao Ya stood among the laborers, but his attention wasn't on the escort guards.

He watched the middle-aged man sitting on a chair onstage, his bearing steady as a mountain, and curiosity appeared in his eyes.

So this was Meng Lei, the chief escort guard of the Prosperity Escort Agency, famous throughout Dancing Elephant City?

Zhao Ya had joined the agency as a laborer over a month ago, but this was his first time seeing Chief Escort Meng. Naturally, he was curious.

Just then, Meng Lei seemed to sense something and glanced sharply toward Zhao Ya.

The chief escort guard's gaze was sharp as a sword. Zhao Ya hurriedly lowered his head, his blood and qi churning.

To affect him so much with just a look—Meng Lei truly lived up to his reputation as a Fascia Tempering martial artist.

At the thought, Zhao Ya felt not fear but delight. With a slight movement of his mind, a light screen invisible to everyone else appeared before his eyes.

Name: Zhao Ya. Age: 16. Remaining lifespan: 20 years.

Skills: Five Tigers Fist (Barely Begun 32/100).

His gaze lingered on the remaining lifespan entry, and Zhao Ya sighed to himself.

Ordinary people had short lifespans in this world, but according to this, he would live only into his thirties at most—not even making it to forty.

Did that count as dying young?

Zhao Ya had some guesses about the cause. He thought it probably had something to do with the miserable circumstances of his predecessor's childhood.

After all, life was harsh. His predecessor's parents had both died in an accident when he was young, leaving him without anyone to care for him. He'd survived on handouts, going hungry one day and eating his fill the next.

Perhaps that had damaged his constitution.

If his predecessor hadn't later managed to get by through his own efforts, scraping together enough to eat his fill, he probably wouldn't even have had this much life left—let alone passed the escort agency's test and become a laborer.

Zhao Ya then opened another light screen.

It showed an extremely intricate outline of the human body, complete with the five organs, six viscera, meridians, and acupoints. At first glance, it looked like a sky full of stars, dazzling to behold.

But for now, most of the areas were shrouded in gray mist. Only the stomach area showed a faint glimmer.

[Stomach Unlock Progress: 2%]

Seeing the progress, Zhao Ya sighed inwardly.

He had been in this world for over a month now, and he had more or less figured out what his cheat could do.

The first Attribute Panel went without saying: it displayed the skills he knew.

The key was the human-body outline that came afterward.

Zhao Ya had discovered that the outline was closely connected to him, and it seemed to reflect the true state of his body.

But even now, he still hadn't figured out what the unlock progress meant or how he could speed it up.

Whatever the case, with this cheat to help him, Zhao Ya was confident he could make a name for himself in this world, where cultivation flourished.

Seeing Chief Escort Meng's bearing had only strengthened his resolve.

This was a world where strength reigned supreme. With enough power, one could make a name for oneself; otherwise, one could only sink to the bottom and be at others' mercy.

A look of determination appeared in Zhao Ya's eyes.

Just then, someone beside him suddenly nudged him.

"Hey, what are you spacing out for? It's our turn to collect our wages."

Zhao Ya turned to see that the person who'd reminded him was another laborer at the Prosperity Escort Agency, named Tan Dong.

He was easygoing, and after more than a month together, he and Zhao Ya had gotten along fairly well.

Zhao Ya nodded and followed the other laborers to wait in front of the stage.

The escort guards had already finished collecting their wages, and they had all been led to the front hall for a meal.

That was the Prosperity Escort Agency's custom. Every month, when wages were paid, the escort guards held a communal meal—a sort of team-building event.

But Chief Escort Meng Lei hadn't left. He stood onstage with a smile, chatting with the runners who were collecting their monthly pay.

"Liu Lin, you did well last month. Keep it up."

"Wang He, I hear you're engaged. Congratulations."

No matter who it was, Meng Lei could call them by name and knew their circumstances inside out.

Those he stopped naturally looked flattered. The more guileless among them were so excited their eyes even reddened.

After all, they were only runners at the escort agency, yet they received such warm concern from the chief escort guard. How could that not move them?

Watching from among the crowd, Zhao Ya couldn't help but nod to himself.

Anyone who built something great was no ordinary person. Whatever Meng Lei's cultivation was, his people skills alone were enough to explain how he'd come to manage such a huge escort agency.

"I'm so envious. When will I become a runner and get a kind word from the chief escort guard?" Tan Dong sighed.

"That's probably a long shot," Zhao Ya said.

"Why?"

Zhao Ya glanced at Tan Dong. "Why do you think? What were you doing the night before last?"

Tan Dong looked embarrassed. "I was just... out drinking."

"Drinking so much you couldn't straighten your back the next day?" Zhao Ya teased.

Tan Dong: "..."

Then he gritted his teeth, looking deeply aggrieved.

"I'm never going again. I'm going to train hard and become a runner as soon as possible."

Zhao Ya made no comment.

By then, all the runners had collected their monthly pay, and Meng Lei didn't linger.

He waved to the laborers like Zhao Ya. "Thanks for your hard work, everyone."

Then he turned and left.

"Tan Dong, one tael."

"Shi Sen, one tael and one qian."

"Zhao Ya, one tael and two qian."

Amid the clacking of the bookkeeper's abacus, Zhao Ya collected this month's wages.

One tael and two qian of silver.

It didn't sound like much, but Zhao Ya knew that in the Outer City of Dancing Elephant City, it counted as a genuinely high wage.

After all, a strong laborer who worked nonstop could earn only one tael a month these days.

And a family of three could get by on just eight or nine qian a month if they scrimped and saved.

Meanwhile, a pretty seventeen- or eighteen-year-old maiden could be bought for a little over ten taels, and he'd heard prices were still falling.

That showed just how hard life was in this world.

Zhao Ya tucked the silver close to his body and was figuring out what to buy when Tan Dong's big face suddenly leaned over.

"Heh, we just got paid. How about we go have a drink, just the two of us? My treat."

"No," Zhao Ya refused flatly.

"Aw, don't be like that. Listen, we won't just drink. Afterward, we'll go take a bath, then visit the pleasure quarter to listen to a few songs, and find a girl we like... Tsk, just thinking about it feels great!"

"And with a face like yours, those girls might not even charge you. They might pay you to go with them instead." Tan Dong lowered his voice, eyes shining.

Zhao Ya laughed in disbelief. "Didn't you just say you'd never go again and would focus on training?"

Tan Dong rubbed his hands together and chuckled. "We just got paid, so we're celebrating. Don't worry, just this once. I won't go again after that."

Zhao Ya didn't believe a word of it. He firmly turned down Tan Dong's enthusiastic invitation and left.

After leaving the agency, Zhao Ya went to the market to buy rice, flour, cooking oil, and other supplies.

Grain prices had remained high lately. He'd heard a southern commandery had been hit by floods, so prices were expected to climb even higher. Zhao Ya naturally wanted to prepare in advance.

He bought half polished rice and half brown rice, and did the same with his other supplies.

Even so, after buying enough for a month, he'd spent six qian of silver.

Aside from setting some aside for emergencies, he spent all the rest on dried cured meat.

It was a little more expensive than fresh meat, but it had no excess water, so the weight was substantial.

Most importantly, it kept well.

This world had no refrigerators. If food was stored even slightly carelessly, it would spoil.

Zhao Ya didn't want to get sick from eating anything unclean.

With a full bag of supplies on his back, Zhao Ya headed home.

He stayed alert the whole way.

After all, the world was growing more and more chaotic. Many people were willing to risk anything just to stay alive, even killing in broad daylight.

And that was in the city. He'd heard things were even worse outside the walls.

So Zhao Ya had no choice but to be cautious.

Perhaps it was because of his tall build, or the clothes he wore from the Prosperity Escort Agency, but the journey passed without incident.

Soon, Zhao Ya arrived home.

It was a shabby little courtyard, but compared with the crooked shacks around it, which looked ready to collapse at any moment, it was already quite decent.

Zhao Ya first checked the mark he'd left before going out. Seeing that nothing had changed, he opened the door.

The courtyard had only two rooms: one was Zhao Ya's bedroom, and the other was both kitchen and living room.

Zhao Ya set down his things and put away the supplies that needed storing. Then he picked up the half-sack of brown rice he'd set aside and went out.

Just around the corner from his courtyard stood an even more dilapidated one. Its wall leaned so badly it looked ready to collapse at any moment.

Zhao Ya knocked on the door. A moment later, he heard a timid voice from inside.

"Who... who is it?"

"It's me," Zhao Ya replied softly.

Only then did the latch rattle. A small face no bigger than his palm appeared through the crack in the door.

It was a young girl.

She looked about thirteen or fourteen. Malnutrition had left her frail, but her delicate features still shone through.

When she saw Zhao Ya standing at the door, delight appeared on her face.

"Brother Xiao Ya, you're back!"

Zhao Ya nodded. "Mm. Have you finished washing my clothes?"

"Mm-hmm, they're clean. Come in and get them."

"No need. I have something to do. This is your payment."

Zhao Ya handed over the half-sack of brown rice.

Tang Zuier took the bag of rice, and a watery haze appeared in her big eyes.

"Brother Xiao Ya, thank you..."

Zhao Ya smiled. "You wash my clothes, and I pay you. It's only right. You don't need to thank me."

Tang Zuier nodded hard. "Then wait a moment, Brother Xiao Ya. I'll get your clothes."

With the rice bag in hand, Tang Zuier turned and went inside. Before long, she came hurrying out with a thick stack of clothes in her arms.

"Here you go, Brother Xiao Ya."

Zhao Ya took the clothes and turned to leave. Then he suddenly remembered something and said, "Oh, I'll probably have more clothes to bring over in a couple of days. I'll have to trouble you again then, little sister Zuier."

"It's no trouble at all. You can bring as many as you like," Tang Zuier said happily.

"Mm. Lock the door, then. Things have been unsettled lately. If you don't have any reason to go out, stay inside as much as you can."

"Okay, I understand." Tang Zuier nodded repeatedly.

Zhao Ya left.

Tang Zuier watched him walk away, then shut the courtyard gate again.

"Zuier, who was that?" an old voice called from the main room.

"Grandma, it was Brother Xiao Ya. He came to pick up his clean clothes, and he brought us half a bag of rice!" Tang Zuier said happily.

"Oh, it was Xiao Ya. That child was so kind to remember us, an old woman and her granddaughter. If only your father were still alive..." As the old woman spoke, her voice choked with tears.

"Oh, Grandma, don't talk about that. You've already cried your eyes blind. I'll make you some rice porridge." Tang Zuier hurriedly changed the subject.

Zhao Ya, of course, knew nothing about this. By then, he'd already returned home and was preparing dinner.

The little girl he'd just seen was Tang Zuier, his neighbor.

She was a poor child. Her mother had died when she was born, and her father had gone away to do business when she was young, never to return. All she had left was her blind grandmother, and the two of them depended on each other to survive.

Zhao Ya helped her because, as a child, his predecessor had received help from Tang Zuier's father. Out of gratitude, Zhao Ya couldn't stand by and watch the old woman and her granddaughter struggle.

Half a bag of brown rice didn't mean much to Zhao Ya now, but it could be a tremendous help to the pair.

Otherwise, in the world as it was, the fate waiting for a little girl like Tang Zuier would be more dreadful than hell itself.

A bowl of white rice and a plate of cured meat stir-fried with garlic shoots.

The ingredients were ordinary, but Zhao Ya ate them with relish.

Before long, he'd polished off the entire meal.

Zhao Ya burped contentedly. After cleaning up the dishes, he went out into the courtyard and began the practice he'd been doing every day.

For the first form, Zhao Ya spread his arms, slowly raised them until they were level with his shoulders, then abruptly pointed his fingertips upward, lifted them over his head, and thrust them skyward.

It was the first form of the Eight-Part Vajra Art: Hands Supporting Heaven to Regulate the Triple Burner.

This Eight-Part Vajra Art was something Zhao Ya had learned online back in the day. It had a long history: legend had it that it had already taken rudimentary form during the Tang dynasty, and by the Song dynasty, it had become a secret health regimen among many Daoist sects.

The Eight-Section Brocade, which later became popular throughout the world, had evolved from this Eight-Part Vajra Art.

Back then, Zhao Ya had learned it purely for fun. He hadn't thought that these slow, leisurely movements, which looked like an old lady doing tai chi, could be of much benefit.

But after crossing into this bizarre and fantastical world, Zhao Ya still decided to give it a try.

After all, cultivation methods were so precious in this world. Take the Five Tigers Fist he had already mastered, for instance.

It was an extremely rudimentary martial art, yet he had only been taught it after joining the Prosperity Escort Agency and passing the probationary period.

After practicing for a few days, he'd noticed no changes beyond sleeping a little better and having a bigger appetite.

But since he'd started, he had to keep at it.

The second form was Hands and Feet Front and Back Secure the Kidneys and Loins; the third was Regulating Spleen and Skin Requires Single Lift; the fourth was Left Liver Right Stomach Like Shooting the Eagle...

There were eight movements, each repeated nine times, and Zhao Ya performed them with utmost care.

Before long, sweat appeared on his body.

By the seventh movement, Phoenix Spreading Wings for Full Body Strength, the muscles throughout Zhao Ya's body had begun to tremble. Sweat poured from him like rain, but he gritted his teeth and kept going.

At last.

After he had completed all eighty-one repetitions of the Eight-Part Vajra Art, Zhao Ya raised both hands level with his brow, then slowly lowered them. His surging qi and blood gradually settled back into place.

[Eight-Part Vajra Art proficiency +2]

[Stomach unlocking progress +1%]

The two lines of notification that suddenly appeared left Zhao Ya stunned. Then, overjoyed, he opened the panel.

Sure enough.

A new entry had appeared in his skills section.

Eight-Part Vajra Art (Just Started 2/100).

At the same time, his remaining lifespan had changed as well.

Remaining lifespan: 20 years (+10 days).

Most notably, the stomach area on the outline of the human body had changed too. Its glow seemed a little brighter.

Zhao Ya also felt that the qi and blood throughout his body had grown more vigorous.

These changes filled Zhao Ya with delight, and then a powerful hunger struck him.

It was as if the whole pot of food he'd just eaten had vanished into thin air.

Zhao Ya hurriedly cooked another pot of rice porridge. But even after drinking several bowls, his hunger still hadn't eased.

An idea struck him. He took out a piece of cured meat, gave it a quick rinse, cut it into large chunks, and heated them in the porridge before digging in.

Just as he'd expected.

As soon as the meat hit his stomach, the intense hunger was finally satisfied, and his famished guts stopped protesting.

He devoured the whole pot of porridge and a large piece of cured meat, leaving Zhao Ya completely satisfied.

Looking at the empty bowl before him, Zhao Ya finally understood why practicing the Eight-Part Vajra Art had done nothing for him over the past few days.

He'd been missing the boost from the vital essence in meat.

In this day and age, eating meat was a tremendous luxury for ordinary people.

Many could only afford to buy a little meat for the holidays.

For Zhao Ya, who came from a highly developed world, this was truly hard to accept.

So as soon as he'd received his wages, he'd bought a lot of cured meat to satisfy his cravings.

He hadn't expected to uncover the system's secret.

Thinking about it, Zhao Ya grew thoughtful.

He'd just eaten at least two large pieces—over a jin of cured meat—and that had only unlocked one percent of the progress.

If that was the case, wouldn't he have to eat a huge amount of meat to unlock his stomach completely?

Still, that wasn't impossible to accept.

It was just that his current wages weren't enough to support it.

But then Zhao Ya smiled.

With this cheat, what did he have to fear from a lack of money?

For starters, once he unlocked his stomach and his qi and blood grew stronger, his martial arts would naturally improve. Even crossing the Bone Refining Realm and becoming an expert in the Tendon Changing Realm wouldn't be out of the question.

By then, what would a little meat matter?

What was more, as his unlocking progress increased, so did his remaining lifespan. That meant that as long as he kept advancing, his life would grow longer and longer.

At the thought, Zhao Ya's heart burned with excitement.