Home in the Western Tongzi Ward

Su Xinghe's tightly furrowed brow twitched as the wound was pulled, but it quickly smoothed out again. When he turned back, a weary smile had already appeared on his dark face.

"Alright, Brother Kui, but I need to take a bath first..."

Lu Kui's gaze traveled up and down him, and the corner of his mouth curled slightly. The arm around Su Xinghe's shoulders tightened, probing downward intentionally or otherwise.

"Together?"

Su Xinghe hurriedly covered the money pouch at his chest, pretending that his internal injuries had flared up and left him in unbearable pain.

"I'm afraid not. One of those river bandits punched me just now. I need to find a doctor first!"

After two hours of fierce fighting without so much as a drop of water, his lips were dry and his voice slightly hoarse.

The fat man behind him was his guide in the gang, and also one of the Great River Gang's lowest-ranking street thugs.

Everything else about him was fine, except he was timid, greedy, and loved taking petty advantage.

Without drawing attention to it, Su Xinghe slipped free of the other man's filthy, sweat-slick thick palm.

Lu Kui withdrew his arm and chuckled.

The newly recruited underling was pretty good with a spear, just a little too stingy. Still, he had experience training newcomers. There were plenty of ways to handle it slowly.

Besides, today's biggest gain was already in hand.

In that battle just now, the other man had stabbed down more than a dozen river bandits.

Those achievements would be tallied by the higher-ups and credited to their squad. In the end, they would turn into gleaming silver and fall into everyone's pockets.

Ever since the other man had joined them, their squad's earnings had risen considerably over the past half year.

He hoped this newcomer would live a little longer. For that, he would not mind even if a few other squad members died.

"Come early tonight. I'll wait for you at the garrison warehouse."

Seeing that large hand about to fall on him again, Su Xinghe ignored his legs, already heavy as though they had sunk beneath a thousand pounds. Staggering to his feet, he leapt onto the wharf.

"Didn't we agree on ten copper coins a day? Why are you only giving me five?"

"That's right. Another boatload of stone is arriving tonight."

"I still have to work tonight?"

"A day means one full day and night. If you want to leave now, then I can only give you half."

"Won't that work a man to death? Is there anything that only works during the day?"

"Of course. Go work at our Lu Family mine, and you'll get twenty a day."

"I'm not going down a mine!"

"If you won't work, then get lost! If you won't do it, there are plenty of others who will!"

"This is going too far!"

"Fuck..."

"Damn it!"

A fierce argument erupted from the wharf warehouse, as though it could turn into a brawl at any moment.

Su Xinghe had long grown used to such things. It was probably a few outsiders who had just come to the wharf to sell their labor and did not yet understand the Lu Family's rules in Lin County.

He did not join the excitement, continuing toward the city gate without slowing his steps.

The Lu Family was half the sky in Lin County. Nothing could come of making a scene. The harder they kicked up a fuss, the more they would lose in the end.

In the more than half year since crossing over, Su Xinghe had also carried cargo at Lu Family Wharf for a while and had likewise been cheated out of quite a bit.

Working here, not only did the wharf overseers take a cut, but one also needed a big brother behind one's back for protection.

So after less than a month, he had left without hesitation.

As for using the Fate Panel to master martial arts and crush everything beneath him, or lying low and secretly building strength to become a great power behind the scenes—

During his first month after crossing over, he had taken a massive fall in this technologically backward native world. Not only had he squandered the original owner's savings from many years, he had also ended up buried in debt.

All he got in return was a technique for strengthening male vigor.

Damn it, every word of it was tears.

He had painstakingly ground the divine skill's progress bar past halfway, yet it was still not as useful as the seven inches of fat on Brother Kui's body. At least that could block a blade at a critical moment.

Following the crowd of workers leaving the wharf, he passed through the tunnel beneath the city gate.

Amid shifting light and shadow.

A crow cawed nearby.

Su Xinghe looked up.

On the thirty-foot-high city wall, a black crow tilted its head, its shadowy gaze fixed on his direction.

His eyes flickered. Beneath his robe, his middle finger gave a light twitch. Something in his bosom seemed to squirm, and a faint, almost imperceptible fragrance drifted out.

"Where is your Travel Pass Talisman!"

A harsh shout rang out behind him, stirring unrest through the crowd.

"M-my lord, I... I don't know..."

"Take him away. I suspect he's a Peaceful Heaven Sect spy!"

"No! I'll buy one, I'll buy one right away..."

Su Xinghe did not turn around, nor did he stop walking.

West City, Tongzi Ward.

This neighborhood, which occupied only one-tenth of the county city, housed more than eighty percent of its population.

It looked bustling, but bluntly put, it was nothing more than a slum.

Stepping through the afterglow of sunset, he passed through the crowded throng.

After winding through turn after turn, it was only when dusk fell and the lamps began to glow that Su Xinghe turned into a secluded, narrow alley.

He did not enter directly, instead looking around him.

The alley was somewhat dark. A thin black figure huddled silently in the corner like a ghost. At the sight of him, the shadow sprang to its feet.

"Boss!"

The voice was soft, yet incomparably clear.

Su Xinghe said nothing, only giving the shadow a slight nod.

Outside, he was merely a gang newcomer, an exploited lackey. But here in the alley by his home, he too was a boss.

Though he only had one underling at present, and that underling did not look like the kind who could help him fight.

The skinny youth quietly stepped forward a few paces and lowered his voice.

"Boss, Liu Laizi and his lot came to collect protection money again today. They said it was for a congratulatory gift to the Lu Family's Third Master."

"The old madam has trouble getting around, so I helped deal with them."

A hint of coldness appeared on Su Xinghe's face at those words.

That Liu fellow was the head thug of several nearby alleys, making his living by inventing pretexts to extort the side-door households. Since Su Xinghe's public identity in the alley was that of a wharf laborer, he inevitably suffered their bullying and exploitation.

But trash like that?

How could they possibly have a turn to give gifts to the Lu Family? They probably could not even cross the threshold.

He had considered poisoning them under cover of darkness or knocking them unconscious with a club.

But there were more than a dozen men in their lair, and they had gang backing. Before he possessed the strength of a martial artist, he could not afford to fall out with them for his family's sake.

"Did those beasts lay a hand on anyone?"

"No. I kept watch. Don't worry, Boss."

Su Xinghe breathed a sigh of relief.

Once he got through this period and saved up a hundred taels of silver, he could go to a Martial Arts School and spend money on a Registered Disciple slot, learning true martial arts and peerless techniques.

With the status of a Martial Arts School apprentice, how would these local hooligans dare oppress him like this?

The main problem was that he was already twenty-two and had missed the age for normal Martial Arts School recruitment.

Otherwise, why would there be so much trouble? He could have directly used the Fate Panel to crush everything.

"How much did you cover?"

Knowing his mother had trouble getting around, and knowing Liu Laizi was no easy man to fool, Su Xinghe knew that although the boy claimed he had dealt with them, he had most likely paid those thugs from his own pocket.

"Hehe, Boss is wise!"

After flattering him, the youth said nothing more and merely held up ten fingers to indicate ten coins.

"Ding~"

Five large coins, each worth ten cash, flicked from Su Xinghe's fingertips and landed accurately in the youth's arms.

He had no energy to deal with those thugs right now. As long as his family was safe, that was enough.

As for after he gained strength, of course he would...

At that thought, his expression became somewhat strange.

It seemed the money Liu Laizi and his men had extorted could not be recovered. Whenever those thugs got even a little money, they would go outside to enjoy themselves.

Better to just beat them to death and throw them into the Clearwater River to feed the turtles.

"Thank you for the reward, Boss!"

The moment he got the money, the youth vanished like a gust of wind.

Su Xinghe secretly shook his head.

This boy truly was not tamed yet. The moment he got money, he ran like the wind.

The questions Su Xinghe had originally intended to ask could only be swallowed back down.

In truth, he too was desperately short of money—the kind of short that meant a great deal of money. Otherwise, he would not have only one underling, nor would he have to look before and after when dealing with Liu Laizi's lot.

Fortunately, though today's battle had been dangerous, the gains had been considerable. Besides, counting the days, he had not given this boy living expenses for more than ten days.

He glanced at the empty alley entrance. After confirming no one was following him, he turned and swiftly disappeared into its depths.

"Brother Su, you're back from work!"

After only a dozen or so steps, a young girl's slightly childish voice sounded above his head.

Su Xinghe looked up to see a delicate little head, belonging to a girl of fourteen or fifteen with long hair draped over her shoulders, poking out from a loft window beside the alley.

Hidden behind her waterfall-like black hair was a sweet baby face with two little dimples. Along with it came the faint fragrance of a recent bath.

"It's Xiaoya. Have you eaten?"

The light in Zhao Ya's watery eyes dimmed. She pouted, and the two dimples vanished.

"Not... not yet. Father still hasn't come back."

"Ya! What are you dawdling up there for?"

An ill-timed harsh rebuke rose from the small courtyard below. Though the words were aimed upstairs, a disdainful gaze pierced through the crack in the door.

Ever since Su Xinghe had been swindled out of his entire fortune while learning martial arts and then reduced to selling his strength at the wharf, the gentle, obedient girl next door behind that door had immediately become cold and distant, no longer fond of speaking.

He did not take it to heart, only giving the little girl upstairs a gentle nod.

Then he turned and pushed open the gate to his own courtyard.