Chapter 108 Comfort Zone (First Update)
Wu Youren seemed a little surprised by the question. "I've already said that, but is it really that important?"
"Someone's investigating," the soldier calmly replied. "I have a feeling this knife of yours might be the rightful owner."
"Did they eat too much?" Wu Youren asked in surprise, then shook the leather strap in his hand.
The rope bound four swords, all tattered and worn, but in Red Pine, they could still fetch a decent price.
His eyes were full of confusion. "In the Weird Domain, there are plenty of broken weapons—are you just bored?"
The military Knight looked at him calmly. "The great battle is about to begin."
"A major battle?" Wu Youren paused slightly, then slowly nodded. "I understand."
However, he wasn't too worried, since he had already chopped the knife to pieces, whether it belonged to the swordsman or was for his own use.
Seeing his expression, the military Knight coughed lightly, "The knife you're looking for involves an important person."
"An important figure? How could I possibly handle him?" Wu Youren replied dismissively.
Currently, his apparent level is still that of Knight Apprentice.
The soldier reiterated, "If they investigate, your identity won't protect you!"
The proton's identity is a shackle, but at times, it can also serve as a shield.
After all, he was the descendant of a foreign nobleman. The Liang could humiliate him, but it was a bit unreasonable for him to die mysteriously in a foreign land.
"If that's what they want to think, there's nothing I can do about it," Wu Youren replied calmly.
He felt that the other party was trying to coerce him, but the more they did so, the less he would be affected.
The more debts one has, the less one worries; the more lice one has, the less they bite. The worst outcome is that he will simply retreat back to Jin Garden —if he can escape.
The fact that this person went to such lengths to threaten me suggests that their scheme is definitely not simple.
As expected, the military Knight repeated his old adage, "Join the army, and be my subordinate—I can protect you."
That important figure also has influence in the military? Wu Youren shook his head dismissively.
"If it's really that important, why did he lose his knife?"
"It seems you haven't made up your mind yet," the soldier said, sensing his attitude and leaving him an opening.
Then he changed the subject, "How was the haul this time? Didn't come away empty-handed?"
"Two," Wu Youren replied seriously, "I brought one with me."
"Heh," the soldier sneered, "You really were holding back. I didn't intimidate you for nothing!"
"It has nothing to do with that," Wu Youren shook his head. Sure enough, once interests are involved, none of them are easy to deal with!
Fortunately, he readily offered a reason. "I don't know who to give the next one to, you two should discuss it and then decide."
"Of course it's for me," the soldier said without hesitation. "She went first last time, so it's my turn this time."
Wu Youren shook his head, "You two should discuss this first—I don't want to offend either side."
The soldier remained silent for a while before finally saying, "I can help you find information on awakening, as long as you're willing to join the army."
"I dare not think about it—" the boy shook his head vigorously, "I still want to live!"
"What a useless bastard!" The soldier glared at him, wanting to be angry but helpless.
There was no way around it; even if they forced the other party to produce two Resentment Qi Crystal, they were still short two.
The transaction went smoothly, but before leaving, the soldier suddenly asked, "You haven't already awakened, have you?"
His ability to sense Ability User was slightly inferior to those guys in the Intelligence Agency.
But this time, he could clearly sense that the Jin youth's aura had changed compared to before.
Wu Youren shook his head and replied helplessly, "It's only been a little over ten days, how could I possibly get three Resentment Qi Crystal?"
The drop rate of crystals depends on luck, but there is a basic probability involved, and there are patterns to follow.
The soldier didn't press the matter, but before leaving, he gave him a suspicious once-over.
Wu Youren remained calm, even though he had truly advanced in his cultivation level during this trip into the mountains.
However, since he had advanced to the Daoist system, he didn't believe that the other party could detect the difference in their cultivation levels.
How should I put it? He believed that he had advanced to the Qi Refining stage, which meant he was at least on par with the Knight realm.
With the overall combat strength improved, even if others cannot see through his system, some intuitive feelings cannot be hidden.
Since things have come to this point, all he needs to do is keep a low profile and simply deny any malicious speculation.
Putting aside these random thoughts, he relaxed and quickly entered a meditative state.
Sister Hua arrived even faster than he expected, showing up before noon the next day.
She argued with the military Knight for a long time about who should get the fourth crystal, but finally decided to give it to him.
However, the next two stones also belonged to her.
Her concessions were contingent on the military squad actually fulfilling its original mission and not being replaced.
If a different group of soldiers were to take over the patrol, keeping this secret would be much more difficult.
Sister Hua finally stated that she was willing to give him face, but she would not continue to compromise.
Wu Youren witnessed their argument the entire time, remaining silent throughout.
After reaching a decision, he entered the white mist again and retrieved the fourth crystal in just half an hour.
Sister Hua first offered a compliment, then raised a question: how should the three parties cooperate next?
Wu Youren's attitude was the simplest: This has nothing to do with me, I'll listen to you two.
However, the discussions between these two involved many issues.
The first thing to consider is the current state of Suotu Town.
Wu Youren was completely clueless about this; he had never even heard that Instructor Ke Li had appeared before.
Sister Hua was much more well-informed, and at this moment, she felt it necessary to show off a little.
She couldn't compete with the soldiers for patrol duties; without a doubt, only by demonstrating her own strengths could she gain more say.
Ke Li was originally a strong man, and there was a possibility that he could challenge the Great Knight, but this time, he's completely finished.
When he returned, he was so thin he looked like he could be blown away by the wind. More importantly, he had lost an arm and was lame in one leg.
It is said that his face was also attacked by the Weird Race, becoming pitted and extremely ugly.
However, for martial artists, appearance is a secondary issue. The key is that if two of their limbs are injured, it will seriously affect their combat power!
But Sister Hua casually remarked, "She came back alive after all, and passed the Weird Qi test. That's better than anything else."
In addition, she described the recent strange changes in the surrounding area.
In short, this Weird Domain is more than 60% likely to take shape.
This situation around Tianjing is a real slap in the face to Great Liang.
However, at the same time, another group of people believe that this is a rare opportunity to study the Weird Race.
The Great Liang State vast, and the number of established Weird Domain within its borders must be in the double digits, some strong and some weak.
The appearance of Weird Domain near the capital is indeed very shameful, but at the same time, isn't it also the best research opportunity?
Most of the most talented and powerful people in Great Liang are located near Tianjing!
Compared to the safety of the capital, the importance of uncovering the truth of the Weird Domain is truly a matter of opinion!
Many people believe that maintaining dignity is of utmost importance in Great Liang.
However, some people can't help but ask: In the beginning, how did the Jin develop the system of Ability User? Wasn't it through continuous investment?
So far, the two factions in Liang have not reached a consensus, but strengthening control is necessary.
The number of troops rushing to Suotu Town is increasing significantly, and many researchers and Ability User are also arriving.
Even other Martial Academy sent a lot of people, so it's no longer just Red Pine that's the only one that's doing so well.
Upon hearing this, Wu Youren's face lit up with joy, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "That means we won't be short-handed anymore?"
"Hmm?" The two Knight exchanged a glance, then the soldier spoke up, "What are you so happy about?"
"Someone helped kill the monster?" The Jin boy looked bewildered. "Isn't it better to have more companions?"
The two Knight were speechless, but finally Sister Hua couldn't take it anymore, "Are you not going to fulfill your promise to the crystal?"
"One thing at a time," Wu Youren replied casually. "As long as I'm alive, my promises will definitely be kept."
"Hmm?" Sister Hua was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. She had always had a feeling that the boy would like the current situation.
As for the specific reason, she couldn't say.
If I had to give a reason, it would be this: this young man isn't so easily fooled.
They forced the other party to make the deal, did they really think the other party had no temper at all?
But the boy endured it, perhaps realizing he was powerless against him. But—why couldn't he have enjoyed it?
Soldiers tend to be more straightforward in their thinking.
The Knight, his face grim, spoke up, "We hate credit the most. We're all soldiers on the battlefield, living paycheck to paycheck. Let's settle this now!"
"I don't have a cash payment either, do I?" Wu Youren rolled his eyes. "I'm not staying here long, so you can't blame me."
"Don't blame yourself, the Great Knight's word doesn't count," the soldier was well aware of this.
Deep down, he still retains some of the straightforwardness of a soldier, and the current situation is indeed somewhat chaotic and unclear.
"Hehe," Sister Hua chuckled dryly, "Even Divine Might Knight said might not count!"
The two were speechless. When it comes to the authority of intelligence, who could surpass the Intelligence Agency?
"The prospects here are complicated," she said calmly. "We'd better put aside our selfishness and focus on managing this area well first."
She still insisted that the young man from Jin had something to gain here; otherwise—this guy wasn't as harmless as she thought.
However, Wu Youren was the first to speak up, "I have no selfish motives, but I can give up here at any time!"
The other party is sorely mistaken that they think he has interests in this area. Needless to say, he can enter the mountains from any direction.
It simply means that after he eases tensions with these two forces, he can enter the mountains from here and avoid any complications.
The problem is that both sides are showing increasing interest in him and are observing him more closely, which is making him quite uncomfortable.
If it weren't for the fact that these two banners were quite effective in warding off some trouble, given his cautious nature, he would have already considered other avenues.
It's true that getting used to your comfort zone isn't always a good thing.
Chapter 109 Unawakened (Second Update)
"Don't believe him," Sister Hua said bluntly to Wu Youren, "The little guy is very calculating."
But then she changed the subject, "Where's your knife? Let me see it."
She received a message from the soldier Knight early that morning, one of the items of which was about the scimitar.
Wu Youren went into the cave and took out his knife, which she examined carefully.
She stared at it for a full half minute, then frowned slightly and handed the scimitar back. "It does feel... kind of like it."
"What does it taste like?" Wu Youren was genuinely curious. "Isn't it just a very common, high-quality knife?"
"Style," Sister Hua replied simply, "Like your 'Weird-Repelling Jue '."
"Style?" Wu Youren examined the scimitar carefully several more times, admitting that his understanding in this area was indeed lacking.
However, not wanting to cause trouble, he didn't even bother to ask further, "If you want to take it, how much?"
"I won't accept it," Sister Hua said decisively, shaking her head.
"If it's too cheap, you definitely won't sell it; if it's more expensive—why should I spend money and create trouble for myself?"
"Then I'll use it," Wu Youren said, having been poor for a long time. "If even you, Sister Hua, can't be sure, how many others can understand it?"
Sister Hua snorted, "That's the style that Barbarian Tribe like the most."
" Barbarian Tribe?" Wu Youren was taken aback. "A tribe west of Great Liang?"
He didn't know much about the Barbarian Tribe; whether in Jin Garden or in Red Pine, few people mentioned the name.
However, in the eyes of the Great Jin people, the Liang were already considered barbarians. And how despicable were the Barbarian Tribe in the eyes of the barbarians?
"They have them in the north too," Sister Hua replied, then asked curiously, "Didn't your girlfriend tell you?"
Cynthia is not my girlfriend! Wu Youren was too lazy to explain; he was just curious, " The Mirage Sea Alliance is actually Barbarian Tribe?"
It was a loosely organized regional group, and it certainly didn't seem to be located in the heart of Liang.
"They border the Barbarian Tribe," Sister Hua looked at him suspiciously, "You know absolutely nothing about this?"
Wu Youren smiled but didn't say anything. He himself was barely surviving; how could he have the mind to care about the border regions of Liang?
Yesterday, the soldier Knight was being secretive, mentioning some important person, but seeing that Sister Hua had pointed it out, he took the initiative to speak up.
"It's said that Barbarian Tribe will be summoned to help deal with the Weird Domain?"
Sister Hua nodded. "It's already being coordinated— Little Wu, those guys are really unreasonable."
"Oh," Wu Youren nodded upon hearing this, but didn't bother to say another word.
Having been a hostage in a foreign land for eight years, he rarely encountered anyone willing to reason with him; they were either unreasonable or, to put it mildly, unreasonable.
"Don't underestimate them," even the soldier Knight started to reveal, " the Barbarian Tribe are all troublemakers in the army too."
" Barbarian Tribe —in the army?" Wu Youren was astonished. The Liang recruited foreign mercenaries?
"There's a dedicated organization for it," the military Knight explained in a single sentence.
Sister Hua, on the other hand, was more straightforward. Seeing that he didn't understand, she simply gave him a general explanation.
The term "Barbarian Tribe" refers to the tribes surrounding the Liang. Their land was barren and their resources scarce, and their level of civilization was not high.
In earlier times, the Liang had a habit of capturing Barbarian Tribe and enslaving them, which led to numerous wars.
Although most of them are of the level of counterinsurgency operations, they are very labor-intensive in the long run, and the returns are not high.
Moreover, among the Barbarian Tribe, there are also quite formidable clans that are gradually integrating into the society of the Great Liang.
The government also wanted to win them over because these people were hardworking, easy to support, and willing to fight.
Many of the hard and tiring jobs that the Liang were unwilling to do, the Barbarian Tribe could do, and for less money.
Therefore, in the current Liang society, the Barbarian Tribe are at the bottom of society, but the Barbarian Tribe warriors are still very capable fighters.
The key point is that some of the Barbarian Tribe were large clans that knew how to band together for mutual support and had relatively loose organizations.
Even Sister Hua didn't want to provoke them, and that's why—these guys are capable of anything when they get carried away.
The Barbarian Tribe have now deeply infiltrated Liang society. If we really deal with them, many low-level jobs will be left vacant.
Social order would be thrown into chaos as a result.
The investigation into the curved blades stemmed from the disappearance of several members of the Barbarian Tribe in the vicinity, who requested an investigation from the authorities.
Because the government and military have begun to cooperate in dealing with the Weird Domain, they may need to rely on the Barbarian Tribe.
Sister Hua and the soldier Knight were both aware of this information, but they were too lazy to care.
Most of the martial artists who dare to roam around the area are looking to gain something, and there are quite a few who are willing to risk their lives for wealth and status.
Even genuine Liang can meet with accidents, so what are Barbarian Tribe warriors? Aren't they allowed to die?
However, if the Jin youth killed a Barbarian Tribe warrior in order to seize weapons, Barbarian Tribe wanted to retaliate, there was nothing the Jin youth could do to stop them.
The original meaning of a hostage is to pledge something to restrain the actions of an enemy state, which is somewhat similar to kidnapping. A ransom is a long-term policy of cooperation adopted by the other party.
Since it's kidnapping, there's a possibility of the hostage being killed, but you can't just kill the hostage at the drop of a hat, can you?
However, since the Barbarian Tribe were in the right, the Liang government could not forcibly stop them.
Although they are not very civilized, they are already part of the social system of Liang, and some of them are excellent warriors.
Wu Youren finally understood what kind of situation he was facing.
However, he was still a little puzzled, "Are there really that many Barbarian Tribe in Tianjing? It seems like Red Pine doesn't have any Barbarian Tribe students."
"That's because Red Pine doesn't accept Barbarian Tribe," the two Knight said in unison.
Soldiers have more say in the current situation, "There are many Barbarian Tribe adventurers in the surrounding area, and without military orders, we cannot intercept them."
Upon hearing this, Wu Youren raised an eyebrow. "So the surrounding area is in disarray, and people frequently go missing—"
"Stop!" the soldier said sternly. "The surrounding area is perfectly orderly; none of what you're saying is true!"
What's going on? The surrounding area may be chaotic, but that's the work of the Weird Race, and has nothing to do with the military's ability to maintain order.
Wu Youren ignored the other party's reprimand; he had never deliberately inquired about such gossip that was none of his business.
His concern was that the two people presenting their arguments also had their own calculations, so this melon—it might not necessarily be ripe.
He paused for a moment before asking, "If the hostage clashed with the Barbarian Tribe, what would the government's attitude be?"
Both sides are non-mainstream; the latter is not entirely composed of Liang, while the former also has subtle external support.
Sister Hua replied casually, "The government usually doesn't take sides; it doesn't matter who kills whom."
"What are you talking about?" The soldier -Knight rolled his eyes at her, dissatisfied.
Then he looked at the boy, "Being a hostage will be disadvantageous; quite a few Barbarian Tribe have already naturalized over the years."
Sister Hua glared at him resentfully, "You ruined my plans!"
She acted nonchalant just now, but she was actually secretly setting a trap.
"Is that a good thing?" the soldier retorted bluntly. "Your Intelligence Agency only knows how to seek credit and stir up trouble all day long!"
"How many times have you gone too far? Don't let the military have to clean up your messes again."
What he said made sense, but Sister Hua was speechless. "This is such a trivial matter—does it need the military's intervention?"
"If you want to win people over, just say so. There's no point in deliberately fabricating stories about me to highlight yourself, is there?"
Well, so neither of them are good people; they each have their own motives.
Wu Youren wasn't surprised. Although young, he had seen too many cunning people and was quite wary.
However, the fact that these two could openly point out each other's flaws in front of him is actually a good thing.
At least for now, he doesn't need to be the two of them on high alert; otherwise, he wouldn't even hear such information.
He was quite certain of this.
He had spent countless days and nights like that—the amount of external information was very limited, and channels were almost non-existent.
What is change? This is it. As long as you work hard enough, things will eventually get better day by day.
Of course, Wu Youren was also aware that the improvement in treatment was something that both parties needed.
But that's nothing, is it? There are no permanent friends in this world, only permanent interests.
As long as he can maintain his value, this kind of life can continue.
However, he still secretly warned himself not to get carried away.
An improved external environment is a good thing, but it shouldn't be taken for granted. If we become complacent, we'll be in deep trouble.
The two Knight exchanged a few words, and the soldier looked at the boy again, speaking with surprise, "You're not surprised at all?"
"Isn't that obvious?" Sister Hua retorted. "Those are hostages; they've seen it all!"
"You've really never seen much of the world," Wu Youren shook his head, looking completely bewildered. "The only thing you've ever attended was the 20th anniversary celebration of the King of Liang— "
His voice trailed off. That time, the entire Hostage Prince Corps was mobilized, and the experience was extremely unpleasant to recall.
Sister Hua remained unmoved, instead advising the soldier, "He's more than twice as cunning as you, so you should save your breath."
"Hehe," the soldier chuckled dismissively, then turned to speak to the boy.
"You should see how unfriendly others are to you. We're inviting you to join the army again—provide information on Ability User."
"You son of a bitch!" Sister Hua roared, her face contorted with rage. "Can you please stop inflating prices?"
Is this... a mixed doubles match? Wu Youren couldn't help but guess.
One side is launching a strong offensive and applying pressure, while the other is engaging in a protracted struggle—are they trying to force me to submit?
In the end, he shook his head. "Let's get down to business. If the big battle begins, will the situation in the vicinity change?"
The two remained silent. This young man from Jin was truly too opinionated; he wouldn't budge regardless of persuasion or force.
After a few moments, Sister Hua spoke, "It's possible, and the probability is quite high. This is just a short preparation period."
"Then I'll take a day off," Wu Youren said seriously, "And seize the opportunity during this break to go in again."
"Then you should rest," the soldier said, turning and walking away. "We'll keep watch for you."
Sister Hua nodded, "Perfect timing, I'll go and receive the supplies. They arrived so quickly today—is there anything I can help you with?"
"No," Wu Youren shook his head and walked into the cave.
Two Knight sat a short distance away, chatting idly. "Have you noticed? He might have awakened something."
"No, I brought a sensor—it shows readings, but I'm still far from awakening."