Phonograph

Escort Chief Duan carefully sized up the youth before him.

The other was around eighteen or nineteen, with thick brows and bright, spirited eyes. Perhaps because he had distant relatives from a prominent family, he did not seem like the sort of lowly laborer from the bottom rung. He did not avoid Duan Escort Chief's scrutinizing gaze, merely met it with a calm expression.

Such bearing.

Was anything but ordinary.

He had likely come from a wealthy local family as well. His ancestors had once been prosperous, but the family had declined after suffering through war and man-made calamities, leaving him to flee to Peace City to escape disaster and make a living.

Over the past decade, across the war-ravaged land of Chen State, who knew how many once-prominent families had vanished or fallen into decline. Even century-old noble clans had been wiped out overnight by warlords.

Duan Escort Chief had seen plenty of such things.

Among his relatives back home, many had suffered through war in recent years. Some of the less fortunate had lost their entire households.

"These truly are troubled times! The world is changing far too quickly!"

"Twenty years ago, a martial arts seedling with talent for an Iron Body Skill like this would never have fallen to an escort agency like ours to recruit."

Duan Escort Chief paced several rounds around the hall. Thinking of how people from elsewhere had constantly fled to Peace City in recent years, he sighed again and again before abruptly coming to a halt.

Turning to Jiang Jingnian, who was waiting at the side, he said, "Brother Jiang, since you are a Quasi-Martial Master, if you come to our escort agency, you can directly serve as an escort master."

At that moment, he had developed an appreciation for talent and even entertained the thought of taking him as a disciple.

But they had only known each other for a short time.

Their escort agency was not a martial arts school or sect. They could not take in disciples on a large scale, only a few True Disciples to serve as future heirs.

So...

He would still need to observe him further and assess his character and breadth of spirit.

"All right."

Jiang Jingnian nodded, then asked with a modest, seeking expression, "May I ask, Escort Chief Duan, what exactly does an escort master do? Is it simply transporting and guarding escorts?"

In Jiang Jingnian's understanding, escort transport.

Was the equivalent of a logistics company from his previous life. Only, they did not transport ordinary cheap goods, but valuable items.

"We take both cargo escorts and personal escorts. The environment is not good these days. Those foreigner transport companies and freight companies have dealt a blow to our entire escort agency trade. Tongda Escort Agency's income has fallen considerably as well."

"We did not accept personal escorts in the past, since the risks were rather great. But if the agency wants to keep operating now, we can only expand our business. Besides that, we also take jobs to hold the field, lend support, and throw our weight behind a side."

Duan Escort Chief sat back down in his chair, took a sip of tea, and continued, "As for the specific matters, you can familiarize yourself with them gradually. I will have an experienced escort master guide you for a while."

The emergence of money houses and banks had already severely impacted the escort agencies' market. Coupled with foreign logistics companies as competitors, many of their businesses had been snatched away. They could only take on jobs the foreigners disdained or businesses with higher risks.

For a venerable old name like Tongda Escort Agency to have reached the point of placing newspaper ads to recruit people, how much longer it could hold on was anyone's guess.

Still, before a new escort master like Jiang Jingnian, Duan Escort Chief would not speak too pessimistically about the agency's future.

"I understand."

Jiang Jingnian nodded and said nothing further.

Afterward, Duan Escort Chief summoned a handyman and had him lead Jiang Jingnian to the side rooms, where he found the agency's steward to sign an official employment contract and complete the various onboarding procedures.

These documents would later be submitted by the escort agency to the foreigners' Public Works Bureau. After three to seven business days and various reviews, they would issue him escort-master certification and a martial artist permit, replacing the old work permit.

This way.

Jiang Jingnian became a legally registered martial artist in the concession.

He became part of a class with certain privileges.

Even if a homicide case occurred, so long as it was not a large-scale massacre, the foreign Patrol Bureau would not directly put out a warrant and arrest him. Instead, they would need to send someone over to question and interview him.

As for Chen State's local military police unit, they simply would not bother. For that paltry monthly pay, going all out against the martial artist community? Dream on!

Even if the sky over the concession collapsed, those foreigners would be the ones holding it up.

Two more days passed after Jiang Jingnian joined the escort agency.

During that time, he returned the rickshaw to the rental company. He also sought out those customers who had hired his rickshaw by the month and returned their silver dollars.

Besides that, he asked Duan Escort Chief for an advance on half a month's wages.

One hundred and six silver dollars.

Escort masters were all legally registered martial artists, so their income was considered upper-middle level within the concession.

With monthly allowances and escort runs included, they could earn around two hundred and thirty silver dollars a month. Once they gained experience in the future, that income would rise further.

In other words, after becoming an escort master, Jiang Jingnian's monthly income was far higher even than that of a schoolteacher like his Fifth Uncle.

Compared to ordinary dock laborers and most rickshaw pullers, he earned more than seven or eight times as much.

And money was only secondary. Escort masters could also obtain certain resources that ordinary civilians had no access to at all.

Of course, corresponding to that.

Was the occupational risk of being an escort master.

Jiang Jingnian had barely warmed the hundred-odd silver dollars in his hands before hurriedly seeking out the bookstore owner, intending to buy that phonograph with special properties.

"Shopkeeper, could you sell this box phonograph to me a little cheaper?"

"Brother Jiang, it isn't a matter of money. Besides, you've become an escort master now. What do you need this phonograph for?"

"I simply enjoy collecting these ingenious contrivances."

"Then how about this electric lamp? It's an imported product from the Aofei Duchy. Press this switch, and it gives off light for illumination."

"That electric lamp of yours is too old. We can talk about it later. Right now, I only have my eye on this phonograph."

Jiang Jingnian spent nearly half a day haggling with the bookstore owner at the entrance.

The bookstore owner had previously been one of Jiang Jingnian's monthly rickshaw customers, so they were acquaintances.

He had watched the other man transform in the blink of an eye from a rickshaw puller who worked himself to the bone every day into an escort master now dressed in a black Mandarin-collar jacket.

The four words "Tongda Escort Agency" were embroidered across his chest.

Sure enough, clothes made the man, and saddle made the horse.

Brother Jiang had once worn a face full of hardship. Now, clad in such well-fitting new clothes, he had shed his former impoverished appearance and instead gave off an air of steadiness and sharp efficiency.

Though the shopkeeper did not know how a rickshaw puller from the bottom rung.

Had suddenly become an escort master.

Everyone had their own fortunes and encounters. Though he was somewhat curious, he did not ask any questions.

"Fine, fine! One final price—sixty silver dollars. I'll part with it through gritted teeth."

After hesitating for half the day, the shopkeeper ultimately could not withstand Jiang Jingnian's relentless coaxing and wheedling.

If the other were still merely a rickshaw puller.

He would never have sold this phonograph he treasured so dearly, no matter what was said.

Yet, at this very moment.

The other man's identity had changed.

That made the shopkeeper want to befriend him as well.

One more friend.

One more road.

Besides, the other was a martial artist!