Wu Youren was very satisfied with the result: four jars of liquor had bought him the right to farm legally.
So he gave the administrator another two jars for free, explaining that any liquor after this would have to be sold-mainly because it was hard to get hold of.
The key was that he quoted an extremely low price, so low it seemed he would be losing money.
The administrator did not take his liquor for nothing, either. He actually brought over some vegetable seedlings afterward. That was called give-and-take.
When the boy expanded the vegetable plot to around a hundred square meters, he pretended not to notice... everyone got what they needed.
Wu Youren expanded the plot both to test the other man's temperament and to show that his currying favor had a purpose.
Otherwise, giving away those six jars of liquor would have seemed a little like he harbored ulterior motives.
He did not have much farming experience, but his talent was not bad. Before long, the entire vegetable plot was lush green and bursting with life.
The man from the Life and Death Knot visited again. "A perfectly good Knight Apprentice, farming instead. Are you trying to make it clear you've given up on yourself?"
Wu Youren answered very seriously, "I can sell them for money!"
"Pah!" Caught between laughter and tears, the man spat and turned to leave. How much could the vegetables from this piss-ant patch of land sell for?
Still, from his perspective, although the boy remained impervious to persuasion and could not be won over for now, he did not seem to have any grand ambitions.
Farming did not bring in much income, but it took no small amount of effort.
Even with such a small patch, everything that needed attention still needed attention. It would not save much effort compared to farming a larger plot.
Two days later, the great knight Hong Yan actually came. Wu Youren had not seen her since that rainy night.
Instructor Hong had received a report that a martial artist was neglecting his proper pursuits and farming inside the Martial Academy.
As a distinguished great knight, she had no business dealing with such a trifling matter. Someone must have known she bore a grudge against the people of Jin and reported it to her for that reason.
Hong Yan had not intended to intervene, either. But when she saw that the farmer was a newcomer and a Jin native, she checked his enrollment date and remembered.
Then she grew a little curious: a hostage from Jin... growing vegetables?
When she came over and saw Wu Youren, she finally put the face to the name. As they said, handsome men really were fed by Heaven's own hand.
"You're the one farming?" She was a little taken aback. "Have you given up on yourself that thoroughly?"
Even their verdicts... followed the same script? Wu Youren answered with an ingratiating smile, "I'm under the Life and Death Knot's protection now. I'm short of money."
Since she knew his identity, he was not afraid to tell the truth. He trusted Instructor Hong would understand.
"The Life and Death Knot..." Hong Yan muttered, then snorted. "How much can you earn from this little patch?"
"Better than nothing," Wu Youren answered cautiously. "I often wake up hungry in the middle of the night... and it beautifies the surroundings, too."
Instructor Hong found this fellow somewhat interesting. He seemed vaguely intent on sowing discord between the Martial Academy and the guards, but it was not very obvious.
Still, for a hostage of his standing to lower himself to growing vegetables really was rare.
Ultimately, a handsome face really did make it harder to arouse a woman's dislike.
She nodded slightly. "Since you like farming, I'll get you a big plot. Just concentrate on farming it."
She felt that his actions might not be as simple as they appeared on the surface.
In that case, she might as well keep him under her nose and see just what might happen.
For her, getting a plot in the Martial Academy for growing vegetables could not have been easier... just say the word. How many tens of thousands of square meters did he want?
But that was not what Wu Youren wanted. He hastily shook his head. "Thank you, Instructor Hong, but I still want to break through to knight as soon as possible."
"So you do know you're neglecting your proper pursuits?" Instructor Hong found this fellow increasingly suspicious. "No. Objection overruled!"
The administrator had already hurried over upon hearing the news. At those words, all he could do was tremble.
Those two jars of liquor every month from now on... forget it, better not think about that yet. How did this young master know this god of slaughter?
"I also want to find time to kill the Weird Race." Wu Youren grew anxious. How could he dare linger around this she-devil?
"It's not that I can't farm for you, Instructor Hong, but when you go killing the Weird Race, could you take me along?"
"Kill the Weird Race?" Hong Yan gave him a thoughtful look. "Why?"
"I'm not very interested in sparring between martial artists at the Martial Academy," Wu Youren answered solemnly. "I want to grow through killing the Weird Race."
Taken literally, that meant... he disliked combat between people.
Such a mindset was not unusual among the hostages. Many would rather that war between Jin and Liang had never happened.
Something just felt off somewhere... a great knight's powers of perception really were no empty boast.
Instructor Hong considered for a moment before speaking. "If you want to kill the Weird Race, you shouldn't have come to Red Pine. You should have gone to a lower-tier martial academy."
Red Pine Martial Academy was near the capital region, while lower-tier martial academies were spread throughout Great Liang.
Wu Youren could only smile bitterly, unable even to speak-have you forgotten who I am?
Fortunately, Hong Yan thought of that issue too and moved straight to the next subject. "Do you have any specific plans?"
At that, Wu Youren steeled himself. "Could you lend me your motorcycle?"
She was willing to approve a huge plot of land. A mere motorcycle should be a small matter, right?
He truly did not want to get too close to her... her entire family had died at the hands of Jin people. Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
Sometimes being too handsome was not necessarily a good thing. Ah, since ancient times, beautiful faces had so often been ill-fated.
"What are you saying?" The administrator grew anxious. "Do you know how much Instructor Hong's motorcycle is worth?"
"At least thirty thousand... thirty thousand silver dollars!"
That was a thousand times the monthly salary of a hostage guard at Jin Garden! And those were guards in the Tianjing area!
Fifteen hundred times my monthly living allowance! Wu Youren was stunned. "That expensive?"
"At least!" the administrator emphasized again. "It can charge into the ranks of the Weird Race. Understand?"
But that's still only a month's expenses for His Seventeenth Highness! Wu Youren nodded. "Understood. Poverty has limited my imagination."
"It's had a few modifications. Not expensive!" Hong Yan spoke casually. "With what you've seen, it shouldn't be beyond your ability to accept."
"Shouldn't be?" The administrator's eyes widened... no wonder he had brought out several jars of strong liquor without the slightest pang!
Instructor Hong continued, "I wouldn't mind lending it to you. How do you plan to use it?"
Those long legs... no, that powerful thigh to cling to. Wu Youren glanced at the stern, cold instructor and found even the scar at the corner of her mouth much more pleasing to the eye.
He answered without hesitation, "I just want to try my luck and see if I can run into them again."
It was not appropriate for him to mention the rainy night's events outright, but he trusted she could work it out.
"Almost impossible." Instructor Hong shook her head decisively. "I thought you had some other information."
She visibly lost some interest. "If you're borrowing my bike, you'll have to offer something in return, won't you?"
Wu Youren answered frankly, "You know a little about my situation. All I can guarantee is that I'm going to kill the Weird Race."
If he really had a target, discussing a price would not have been out of the question. But now, before even the first stroke of the character had been written, he had better not make trouble for himself.
"Then I can't lend it to you," Instructor Hong stated decisively, before asking, "Can you ride a motorcycle?"
A motorcycle in this world... Wu Youren hesitated before answering, "I can learn."
Martial artists placed great emphasis on physical coordination and reflexes. With a Knight Apprentice's cultivation, learning to ride a motorcycle should not be difficult.
The catch was that he had entered Jin Garden before he was eight and had never had any contact with motorcycles. The guards had them, but he could not get close.
"You can't learn this one," Instructor Hong answered decisively. "No one below great knight can ride my motorcycle."
Then why the hell did you ask! Wu Youren nodded calmly. "I was presumptuous. Please forgive me, Instructor."
Thinking of how she was forcing him to grow vegetables, he felt he had rather outsmarted himself.
At this point, he could only steel himself and ask, "Instructor Hong, could I... go on foot?"
Red Pine was only an hour's minibus ride from the Rust Zone.
The real issue was the area covered by the Rust Belt. Even an hour's drive might not get him across it.
The roads were not particularly good, either. On that rainy night, the minibus had probably been traveling at around sixty kilometers an hour.
Wu Youren estimated that with his cultivation and stamina, he should be able to get there in four hours and still retain some fighting strength.
The biggest problem now was that this Martial Academy... was not easy to get out of!
Even ordinary martial artists had to have their identities checked when entering or leaving the Martial Academy, let alone a hostage like him.
"You, going there?" Instructor Hong pondered. She was also well aware of the sensitivity of his status.
But she did not hesitate long before nodding decisively. "I can support that. Remember to keep your communications open."
It was not that she trusted the people of Jin so much, but that she had developed a little interest in this boy.
There were not many martial artists intent solely on killing the Weird Race. Most did it to make big money.
Of course, her interest was only that slight, like seeing a little seedling breaking through the soil by her door and casually watering it.
She would not hold much expectation for what the seedling might grow into. It would be good if it grew, but no matter if it withered and died.
As for a hostage escaping? She could shoulder that much responsibility-he was only a follower, after all.
She believed anyone with a little sense would not be so foolish.
A Knight Apprentice hostage wanted to escape Liang? Even if he managed it, he would probably return lying down. Even keeping his corpse intact would be difficult.
If it really proved hard to account for, she would not mind making a trip to Jin and capturing a few more hostages.
Hearing this, Wu Youren's eyes instantly lit up, and he nodded for all he was worth. "Rest assured. I'll definitely keep communications open."
"Hmm?" At that, Hong Yan looked at him again. "You really don't want a plot of land?"
She acted very much on impulse. Just now she had forbidden him to refuse, but now that she had discovered something more interesting, she immediately changed her mind.
Mainly, the matter was simply too insignificant.
Wu Youren hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. Farming a large plot would take too much time away from cultivation."
"Boring." Instructor Hong turned to leave. "I'll have someone deliver a written order later."
With his status, he was not qualified to request an audience with her!
Only after walking some distance did she remember a question. "Huh, can the little fellow actually kill the Weird Race?"
Forget it. No more thinking about it. It had never been more than a trifling matter anyway.
At the same time, the administrator was asking the boy the same question. "You're only a Knight Apprentice, aren't you?"
Wu Youren was equally unsure. "If I can't beat them, I'll try running away. If I don't go take a look, I won't quite be able to let it go."
As a hostage in a foreign country, he had to find some way to save himself.