System Upgrade

Lu Shaolin's pupils constricted. His right hand exerted force, and his spear swept out fiercely.

With a bang, the shaft was blocked by the Zombie's right arm as its left hand shot toward Lu Shaolin's chest.

Lu Shaolin shouted and kicked out. With another bang, his foot struck the Zombie squarely in the chest!

The Zombie staggered back three steps, its blood-red eyes fixed on Lu Shaolin throughout.

Damn it! This Zombie was really tough!

Lu Shaolin twisted his ankle.

"Fall back!"

Lu Shaolin shouted in a low voice.

Ma San, Feng Tie, and the others hurriedly withdrew from the residence.

The Zombie extended its claws and attacked Lu Shaolin again.

Lu Shaolin fought as he retreated. Though his spear struck the Zombie's body, it simply could not break through its defense.

He could only disrupt its balance and slow it down.

Once he had retreated from the residence, a figure rushed over and blocked the Zombie!

Lu Shaolin looked closely and saw that it was Lord Wang Zhenghong of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Wang Zhenghong's long saber whirled in his hand, golden light flashing along its edge. Every slash broke through the Zombie's defense, leaving wound after wound across its body.

As the other two Demon Suppression Bureau martial artists joined in, the Zombie could no longer hold them off. Wang Zhenghong stabbed it through the eye with one slash, and it fell dead to the ground.

Lu Shaolin curiously looked at the saber in Wang Zhenghong's hand. He had seen it once before, but he had not known it could actually ignore a Zombie's defense!

After killing the Zombie, Wang Zhenghong turned to look at Lu Shaolin and smiled kindly. "Fine skills, little brother!"

With that, he accelerated away to help the other gang members kill the Walking Corpses.

In merely half an hour, every Walking Corpse in the village had been killed.

Lu Shaolin, meanwhile, was busier than a bee, constantly carrying corpses with Ma San.

After searching every corpse, Lu Shaolin checked the System Panel and found that he had gained forty-five more Source Points!

Adding those from the past two days, the System Panel now read:

Name: Lu Shaolin

Source Points: 63.8

Martial Realm: Perfected Muscle Tempering

Cultivation Methods: Reckless Bull Force (Max Level), Savage Bear Skill (Level One)

Martial Skills: Three Absolutes Spear (Mastery), Eight Extremes Fist (Minor Mastery), Mad Demon Staff Technique (Major Mastery).

Looking at the ample Source Points on the panel, Lu Shaolin almost threw back his head and laughed.

With his subordinates still beside him, however, Lu Shaolin forcibly held it in.

Suddenly, a voice rang out in his mind: "Due to a bug in the system, the system will automatically upgrade. Duration: twelve hours!"

A bug? What bug?

Could it be talking about my corpse-searching?

Lu Shaolin was instantly dumbfounded.

"Everyone, assemble!"

A gang member shouted from horseback.

Lu Shaolin came back to his senses and led the five men toward the village entrance again.

At the village entrance, Ouyang Zheng delivered another round of encouraging words. Then he dismissed everyone for three days of rest, leaving behind two teams to handle the corpses and other aftermath.

Upon hearing that they had three days off, Lu Shaolin and the others returned to their tents, tied their belongings onto their horses once more, and headed for the county town.

Along the way, Lu Shaolin tried to call out the system, but there was no response. It seemed he would have to wait until the upgrade was complete before he could use it again.

After arriving in the county town, they first stored the things on their horses at Ma San's home. Then Lu Shaolin played host and treated the five of them to a meal and drinks at a tavern.

After eating, the five went their separate ways, agreeing to meet at the Water Fortress entrance three days later.

Lu Shaolin left the tavern, took up his spear, mounted his horse, and rode straight for Panshan Village.

When he arrived at the door and knocked, Dong Linger's voice came from inside.

After he answered with a smile, Dong Linger quickly opened the courtyard gate.

She looked at Lu Shaolin with narrowed, smiling eyes.

Lu Shaolin rubbed her little head and led the Black-Mane Horse inside.

Hearing the sound, Dong Jia also came out of her room. Seeing that Lu Shaolin was safe and sound, she quietly let out a long breath and greeted him softly.

Lu Shaolin smiled and nodded. After tying up the Black-Mane Horse, he sat in the main hall and drank tea.

After he had drunk tea for a while, lunch was ready. Dong Jia and Dong Linger brought out the dishes one by one.

After the three finished eating, Dong Jia hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

"What is it?"

Lu Shaolin asked with a smile.

"Young Master, there isn't much grain left at home!"

Dong Jia pursed her lips and said.

"Oh? I'll go to the county town and buy some now. Is there anything else we need?"

Lu Shaolin stood and asked.

"No."

Dong Jia shook her head.

"Then I'm off."

Lu Shaolin was just about to head out when Dong Linger lightly hugged his thigh. Her large eyes blinked as she asked, "Young Master, can I go to the county town with you and have a look?"

"Ling'er!"

Dong Jia scolded lightly.

"Sure! We'll go together."

Lu Shaolin laughed heartily.

"Young Master, you'll spoil Ling'er like this."

Dong Jia said softly.

"I won't. You're overthinking it. Let's go!"

Lu Shaolin smiled faintly, patted Dong Linger's little head, and walked outside.

Once in the courtyard, he lifted Dong Linger onto the saddle and led the Black-Mane Horse out through the gate.

He then leaped onto the horse, kicked its belly, and the Black-Mane Horse's four hooves flew as it galloped toward the county town.

All along the way, Dong Linger giggled nonstop, utterly thrilled!

After arriving in the county town, Lu Shaolin first went to the rice shop.

Rice was not expensive. Sixty pounds of rice cost eighty copper coins.

Lu Shaolin bought two sacks.

He touched the purse at his chest and discovered that he only had three or four taels of silver left!

After thinking it over, Lu Shaolin bought another sack of flour. After all, they had to change things up sometimes.

After tying the rice and flour onto the horse's back, Lu Shaolin mounted up and started back.

At the city gate, he bought two candied hawthorn skewers. He handed one to Dong Linger, and the little Lolita started eating it right there on horseback. He wrapped the other in oiled paper to bring back for Dong Jia.

Amid another stretch of laughter and merriment, Lu Shaolin returned to Panshan Village.

Holding the candied hawthorn wrapped in oiled paper, Dong Linger pounded on the gate with a bang bang, as though presenting a treasure.

Dong Jia asked who it was. Upon hearing Dong Linger's answer, she opened the courtyard gate with a face full of fury.

Yet when she saw Dong Linger smiling as she offered her the candied hawthorn, her anger vanished without a trace. She rubbed Dong Linger's little head.

Lu Shaolin led the Black-Mane Horse into the courtyard, carrying a sack of rice in each hand as he brought them into the kitchen.

Seeing Dong Jia carefully lick the candied hawthorn while Dong Linger stared at it and swallowed her saliva, Lu Shaolin could not help secretly finding it amusing, though he also felt a little sorry for them.

Children from poor families might go years without getting any snacks at all.

Dong Jia only tasted two of the candied hawthorns before handing the rest to Dong Linger. "Here. It's too sweet. You eat it!"

"Big Sister, don't you like it?"

Dong Linger asked.

"Yes! Big Sister doesn't like things that are too sweet."

Dong Jia replied with a smile.

"Hehehe, then I'll help Big Sister finish it! Ling'er isn't afraid of sweet things!"

Dong Linger took the candied hawthorn and began munching away, her face filled with happiness.

Dong Jia smiled and stroked her hair, then gave Lu Shaolin a gentle smile.

"Next time, I'll buy a whole bag so you can eat your fill!"

Lu Shaolin shook his head and said.

"Re... slurp, really, Young Master?"

Dong Linger hurriedly asked as she slurped up her saliva, afraid Lu Shaolin might go back on his word.

"Really!"

Lu Shaolin replied with a smile.

"Young Master, then let's pinky swear."

Dong Linger ran over with a pitter-patter, looked up at Lu Shaolin, and held out her little finger.