The constable captain's daughter, Xu Zhen.
Chen Xia thought silently as he arrived outside the constable captain's home. He first climbed onto the wall and peered inside, but saw no one.
He dropped back down, knocked hard on the door twice, and called out.
"Is Xu Zhen here? It's your Brother Chen."
Hurried footsteps sounded inside, soon reaching the entrance. The door was gently pushed open, revealing a little head and a pair of bright, dewy eyes.
"H-hello, Brother Chen."
Her clear, sweet voice carried a hint of bashfulness.
"Hello, hello." Chen Xia smiled, then explained, "I'll be looking after you from now on. Your dad told you, right?"
"Mm-hmm." Xu Zhen nodded awkwardly, rubbing her hands against her skirt, looking a little nervous.
"Then I'll bring my clothes and bedding over and move in!" Chen Xia suggested.
"Huh?!" Xu Zhen froze, her pretty face quickly flushing. She hastily shook her head. "No, no, no! That's far too fast! Besides, I'm not old enough yet, and even if I were, it wouldn't necessarily be you, Brother Chen."
"Although you're a good person, Brother Chen, please allow me to turn you down for now."
Xu Zhen said it all in one breath, even placing both hands before her lower abdomen and bowing respectfully to Chen Xia.
That was a whole three-hit combo of good-guy cards.
Chen Xia was rather bewildered. He had only wanted to move in to look after Xu Zhen.
But on second thought, it really was easy to misunderstand. Forget it, then. He wouldn't insist.
"Just come find me if you need anything. I live on the street opposite, in the third house," Chen Xia reminded her.
"Okay, okay." Xu Zhen nodded hastily, her pretty face still a little red with embarrassment.
Xu Zhen was a fifteen-year-old girl with no one else at home. Although she had been sensible from childhood and could wash clothes and cook, some things simply weren't within a fifteen-year-old girl's ability to resolve.
So Chen Xia began helping her.
If a young girl like Xu Zhen went to the market to buy things like meat, vegetables, and clothes, she would inevitably get swindled. Rigged scales aside, it would be even more aggravating if they simply quoted outrageous prices.
So Chen Xia did all Xu Zhen's shopping for her.
In the market district, he really was the biggest shot, especially now that all the constables had left.
Cooking oil, salt, sauces, vinegar, brushes, ink, paper, inkstones-Chen Xia even bought Xu Zhen's undergarments for her.
And Chen Xia didn't use Xu Zhen's money, either. He paid with his own salary, though he didn't spend much. He always got discounts when shopping-at least fifty percent off, with no upper limit.
Xu Zhen felt a little unused to it at first, but grew accustomed to it later. Only when Chen Xia bought her undergarments would the young girl still blush with embarrassment.
Besides that, Chen Xia also taught Xu Zhen, explaining things about mathematics and physics.
"A sword immortal jumped down from a hundred meters and struck with his sword, but failed to kill his enemy. With all other conditions unchanged, he jumped down from ten thousand meters and struck with his sword, piercing his enemy clean through. Why was that?"
"The sword immortal wasn't using his full strength before?" Xu Zhen blinked her bright, dewy eyes and offered an innocent guess.
"Wrong." Chen Xia shook his head.
Xu Zhen furrowed her pretty brows and thought for a long time, but couldn't find an approach. She could only ask, "Why?"
Chen Xia swept his hand through the air. "Because of gravitational acceleration!"
Xu Zhen's eyes widened. From that moment on, a new door opened in her heart.
Physics!
Besides that, Chen Xia also performed magic tricks for Xu Zhen, such as squeezing a kitchen knife into a ball with his bare hands and pounding stones into fine powder.
Every time, Xu Zhen would open her bright, dewy eyes wide and exclaim in amazement at how magical it was.
There was actually nothing magical about it, and the principle was even simpler.
Chen Xia was just strong enough.
The days passed leisurely. Weixi Town was remote and remained untouched by the flames of war.
The fourth year.
Chen Xia continued putting his points into strength. This time, he could punch into the ground and directly leave a hole as deep as his arm.
A stomp of his foot also left a hole. Every movement carried brute force.
This meant Chen Xia had to hold back his strength in everyday life.
Meanwhile, life in Weixi Town began to grow turbulent. A hunter who had gone out hunting died in the mountains. According to the companion who escaped back, he had been killed by bandits.
As the town's only constable, Chen Xia naturally had to go into the mountains to investigate.
By the time he arrived, there was no sign of the bandits, only the hunter's corpse, pierced through by a broadsaber.
Chen Xia brought the hunter's body back, and for a time, everyone in town feared for their own safety.
Since ancient times, bandits had mostly been battlefield deserters who specifically raided remote towns. Those with a little conscience were all right-they only took money, not lives.
But if they encountered a crazed, vicious lot, they would take both money and lives.
And now, with troops in short supply, there were no soldiers in town, and even the number of able-bodied men had dwindled considerably. With Chen Xia as the only constable, how could they deal with a band of raiders?!
Weixi Town's wealthy households began fleeing to the city. Those without money had no choice but to leave their fate to heaven and hope these bandits had a little conscience.
Chen Xia searched the mountains twice without finding the bandits. He could only tell the townspeople not to leave town these days and to stay put.
Given the current situation, the bandits might even have informants in town.
Chen Xia told the residents to watch for strangers and report to him immediately if they saw any.
The residents had no recourse. They could only lament that times were growing harder and harder.
First there had been sinister creatures appearing, then conscription, and now bandits had actually come.
No peace. There really was no peace.
Deep in the distant mountains, a band of raiders gathered to discuss matters.
Someone hurried over from nearby. It was actually Weixi Town's blacksmith. Wearing a fawning smile, he addressed the group.
"Brothers, I've found everything out."
The burly man leading the bandits stepped forward. The heavy saber at his waist dragged along the ground, leaving a blade mark as he asked.
"Well?"
The blacksmith hurriedly nodded with a smile. "There's only one constable in Weixi Town now, and the soldiers in the city can't help Weixi Town, either. Lots of rich people have already fled to the city!"
"Motherfucker." The burly man cursed, spat, and snapped, "They've run off with all my silver!"
The blacksmith hurriedly waved his hand. "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. They may have left, but Weixi Town's merchants are still there. They'll be enough to fill your pots and bowls to the brim, brothers."
"Heh." The burly man sneered. "That had better be true. Otherwise, you'll have to make up whatever silver is missing."
Cold sweat broke out on the blacksmith's forehead. He hurriedly nodded. "You brothers will definitely get your full share."
"It had better be so." The burly man rested his hand at his waist and asked again, "You said there's only one constable left in Weixi Town now?"
"Yes, yes." The blacksmith hastily nodded, then added, "The remaining constable is the youngest. He only took office a few years ago, and he's young, too. He won't pose any threat."
"Heh-heh, you've certainly investigated thoroughly." The burly man smiled faintly.
The blacksmith smiled along with him, hesitated, then added, "Chief, we had an agreement."
The burly man nodded. "Of course. As long as the brothers make enough, you'll definitely get your share."
"And... and..." A gleam flashed in the blacksmith's eyes as he said greedily, "And that young girl we agreed on, Xu Zhen."
"Mm-hmm." The burly man nodded and waved his hand. "Don't worry. You'll get her, too. Just wait."
At that, the blacksmith hurriedly thanked him and left.
The following night.
The night was pitch-black, and the wind howled fiercely.
A band of raiders quietly descended the mountain.
A moonless, windy night for murder!