《Love letters are not allowed in the exorcism notebook!》 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Perhaps I Came at the Wrong Time ?1: Chapter 1 Perhaps I Came at the Wrong Time 1: Chapter 1 Perhaps I Came at the Wrong Time ¡°Anchor failure!¡± Wang Yunxiao opened his eyes and silently stared at the wooden board above his head. This was a bunk bed that could only be found in student dormitories, crudely handmade and made of poor-quality wood. Even if this kind of item was listed on Xianyu for fifty yuan including shipping, there might still be no buyers¡­ What was Xianyu again? Wang Yunxiao¡¯s intuition told him that he might have traveled through time or to a parallel universe. This wasn¡¯t his own body, and he had no memories of the original owner; more troubling was that even his own memories were incomplete. And they might not even be real. ¡­So where was my system? Wang Yunxiao silently called out in his mind, but there was no response. The difficulty of this start seemed a bit high. He lay in bed, motionless, slightly moving his eyeballs to start collecting all the information around him. First, he had to determine the identity of the original owner of this body. It was pitch-black around him, indicating it was likely night; outside the window, the night was deep, yet one could still vaguely make out more than one bunk bed in the room. The clothes he wore were made of poor-quality material, perhaps some kind of coarse hand-woven fabric. The blankets on him were also thin; however, the weather wasn¡¯t cold¡­ ¡°Big Brother?¡± ¡°Big Brother is awake!¡± Suddenly, someone yelled from beside him, nearly causing Wang Yunxiao¡¯s heart to stop from fright. He turned his head to look and saw a burly-looking boy leaning over the edge of his bed, trembling with excitement, his eyes brimming with hot tears. At that boy¡¯s shout, six or seven bare-bodied lads immediately rushed over, surrounding Wang Yunxiao in the center. If someone hadn¡¯t lit a candle in time, Wang Yunxiao almost believed he had traveled to either a detention center or a pyramid scheme den¡­ By the dim candlelight, he could barely make out that those around him were children, young, with yellowed, skinny faces. The oldest one appeared to be only about twelve or thirteen. ¡°What¡¯s all the noise for?¡± Wang Yunxiao sat up without changing his expression, while glancing at his hands and feet from the corner of his eye. Indeed, just as he had felt lying on the bed, the body he found himself in was not that of an adult. Then this place must be a school, or¡­ an orphanage? ¡°What happened to me just now?¡± Wang Yunxiao realized he had to use this precious time to figure out where he was and what had happened. ¡°Big Brother, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d take us to the cafeteria tonight for some meat? Who would have thought you¡¯d sleep like the dead, impossible to wake up no matter how much we called.¡± The boy who had just been leaning over his bed said plaintively, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you were still breathing, I would have thought you were gone!¡± Why didn¡¯t you go find an adult, or call an ambulance then? Looking at his two big eyes whirling around, he didn¡¯t seem to be a fool. The reason he didn¡¯t do that must be because they didn¡¯t have the means to do so. Wang Yunxiao scanned the room, noticing that all the children around him had clear, straightforward eyes with no one instinctively dodging or doubting, which meant his status as ¡°Big Brother¡± was still quite stable in their hearts. He was temporarily safe. ¡°My head is fuzzy, I can¡¯t remember anything.¡± He spoke bluntly. ¡°Ah? Big Brother, you¡¯re like this¡­ do you still remember who I am? I¡¯m Matuan!¡± The boy became anxious when he heard this. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, all I remember is someone slapping me on the back of my head, and then I came back here in a daze.¡± Wang Yunxiao calmly continued, ¡°What happened today, have you been with me all along? Who did we meet, what did we do, and what did I say to you before I went to sleep?¡± Seeing his composed demeanor, the children who had been looking at each other quietly settled down. Wang Yunxiao noticed their gazes instinctively shifting toward a bespectacled boy hiding at the back. The boy was skinny and tall, with a center-parted haircut, wearing a pair of broken glasses that had been tied together after both legs had snapped off. He pushed through the others to come in front of Wang Yunxiao and asked by showing two fingers, ¡°Brother Yuanxiao, how many fingers am I holding up?¡± ¡°Two!¡± ¡°Do you still remember your own name?¡± Wang Yunxiao was about to say his name was Yuanxiao but shook his head at the last moment, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Your full name is Wang Yunxiao, we all call you Yuanxiao, I am Youtiao, he is Matuan, he is Youbing, he is Guozi¡­¡± The boy who claimed to be Youtiao introduced the others in turn. Wang Yunxiao nodded silently, it sounded as though they all had names of traditional breakfast items from the North, suggesting that he was probably in the North, and not in any formal school, but more likely in an orphanage or similar welfare institution. The welfare treatment must be not bad, since although they were pale and thin, they did not appear to be suffering from chronic hunger or malnutrition. Otherwise, you could die from hunger just by calling out these names in the middle of the night. What he needed to determine now was the time, or rather, the era. As he observed the surroundings, Youtiao also observed him and continued to speak, ¡°Didn¡¯t someone deliver a bunch of stuff the day before yesterday? The President wanted to give us an extra meal. You went to the kitchen once and said you saw something delicious, telling us to get up in the middle of the night to join you for a feast. And then¡­ you just passed out asleep, and we¡¯ve been waiting until now.¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t speak, silently digesting the information. At that moment, he heard Youtiao say, ¡°Big Brother, could you have been hexed?¡± Wang Yunxiao asked in return, ¡°Have I ever taken you guys to the kitchen before?¡± Everyone shook their heads. He then asked, ¡°Have I ever treated you guys to a special meal?¡± Matuan hesitated, ¡°Does groping for clams in the river a few days ago count?¡± Wang Yunxiao stood up and said to the children gathered around him, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the kitchen and see if there¡¯s any meat that can satisfy my craving!¡± The crowd suddenly cheered and scattered like birds and beasts, climbing back to their beds to get dressed. They were young and didn¡¯t have many concerns, except for Youtiao who frowned and stared at Wang Yunxiao, whispering, ¡°Brother, you seem off today. Maybe we shouldn¡¯t go. Even if there really is good food, we¡¯ll get to eat it sooner or later.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about whether we can eat or not.¡± Wang Yunxiao waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s about whether my word counts.¡± He couldn¡¯t just blurt out that he just wanted to go to the kitchen to find a kitchen knife. Without a weapon at hand, he always felt uneasy. Five minutes later, he led his brothers¡ªor rather a gang of boys that cats and dogs would disdain¡ªon the mission to conquer the kitchen. It was not a big problem; they were all kids and easy to fool. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he had expected, this was indeed an orphanage, though its scale was beyond his imagination. The long corridor vanished into darkness, its end nearly out of sight. Both sides were lined with doors, just like the one to their dormitory, worn and imperfect. This type of bare-bones architectural and decorating style, which didn¡¯t spend an extra penny, reminded him of the teaching building of the key experimental high school in his hometown¡ªa square block that looked like a matchbox and could cram in nearly three thousand students from three grades. ¡°How many people are here?¡± Wang Yunxiao asked Youtiao in a low voice. Youtiao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Including the new arrivals today, there should be 672 people, right?¡± ¡°That many?¡± The number surprised Wang Yunxiao; in his memory or common sense, a normal orphanage should not have so many children. ¡°There¡¯s a war going on.¡± Youtiao stared at Wang Yunxiao with equal surprise, ¡°Brother, you haven¡¯t forgotten that too, have you?¡± ¡°I told you my head¡¯s all muddled up.¡± Wang Yunxiao pressed on without changing his expression, ¡°Who are we fighting with? Did we win or lose?¡± A war that could produce so many orphans overnight couldn¡¯t be nameless in modern history¡ªdon¡¯t ask why he thought of modern history; he was standing on a concrete floor after all. Knowing who the fight was against would basically allow him to figure out the current era. ¡°The French, I guess, and the combined fleets of several other countries. But in the end, we won, captured Hongyan State, and then the President changed the era.¡± Who? Where? What? Wang Yunxiao was completely baffled. Is this still Earth? He lapsed into silence, and so did the other children, all moving stealthily through the corridor. Even though Brother¡¯s mind was troubled, the canteen wouldn¡¯t grow legs and run away. As he descended the stairs, Wang Yunxiao took another look outside the window. The window overlooked a vast playground. At the end of the playground, the shadowy contours of the city buildings rose and fell in the distance. There was no moon in the sky, but the stars were a glittering river, clear and visible. The canteen¡¯s doors were not locked; just past the canteen, he could enter the kitchen. The student canteen was quite large, with rows of long tables and benches neatly arranged, capable of accommodating several hundred students dining at the same time. This was not right, unless the designer had anticipated the orphanage¡¯s scale from the start, or his own deduction was inaccurate. A chill wind blew by, making the hairs on the back of Wang Yunxiao¡¯s hand stand on end. He thought he heard a sound but wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his imagination. Still, exercising caution, he gestured for the kids following him to stop moving by making a hushing motion. He himself picked up a bench from the table and pressed on. The bench was heavy and had an old feel¡ªa stale smell of pickled vegetables emanated from it, the wood already pulped. Judging just by the feel, it must have been serving here for over twenty years. There indeed was a sound. As Wang Yunxiao approached the kitchen¡¯s door with caution, he was certain that he heard the noise of chewing and swallowing. Maybe it was a rat. Or someone else with the same thought as his, a greedy glutton? Wang Yunxiao moved forward slowly, traversing the narrow passage. It was somewhat dark here; he reached out to touch the wall, finding one side was wall and the other felt like wood. It was like a crate¡ªthe kind used by the military to store ammunition, square and wooden. The passage was not narrow after all; it was filled with crates on one side. These crates extended all the way to the kitchen, almost leaving no space to stand. When he reached a lit area and saw an open crate with neat rows of green tin cans inside, he realized they were military food supplies. Military rations? Really getting meaty¡­ But what exactly is this place, and how did they get their hands on so many military cans? Is it like those secret facilities in movies for human experimentation or assassin training? Wang Yunxiao picked up a can and saw it was labeled ¡®luncheon meat¡¯ in Chinese. His anticipation plummeted to zero. Click¡ª The sound coming from nearby made him turn abruptly, and he saw a figure standing by the sink. That was not the sound of opening a can. The person was not holding a can of luncheon meat, but a human hand instead. Chapter 2 - 2 2 Staying Graceful Under Pressure ?2: Chapter 2: Staying Graceful Under Pressure 2: Chapter 2: Staying Graceful Under Pressure She was an elderly woman, wearing an apron, looking just like the lady serving meals at the cafeteria window. But theoretically, a normal cafeteria server should not be getting up in the middle of the night to sneak food. In such a large cafeteria, feeding hundreds of people, it was unlikely anyone, especially those who cook, would go hungry. The first thought that sprung to Wang Yunxiao¡¯s mind was not to verify the authenticity of that human hand. It could have been real, or it might just have been a trick of the eye. He first concluded that this woman should not be appearing at this place at this time. Not lighting the lamps nor firing up the stove, saying you¡¯re making breakfast would convince no one! ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Seeming to detect the presence of a stranger, the woman turned around, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, and flashed a chilling smile at Wang Yunxiao. ¡°Little mouse¡­¡± Without saying a word, Wang Yunxiao swung a stool towards her head. The thick wooden stool, weighing over a dozen pounds, was a deadly weapon in a street fight, and in such cramped space, it was unavoidable. Unfortunately, his own body wasn¡¯t strong enough to unleash its full potential. However, the old woman likewise had no combat experience. The expression on her face seemed to show she hadn¡¯t realized why this child wasn¡¯t afraid of her. The next moment, the stool fiercely smacked her face, the force of the momentum causing her to lose balance and topple backward, her head striking the edge of the sink with a dull thud. The instant the stool connected with her face, Wang Yunxiao let go of it, lunged for the chopping block beside him, grabbed a boning knife with a reverse grip, then turned and ran. He also took two cans of luncheon meat from the box on his way out. He knew well that with the strength of his current body, the stool alone couldn¡¯t kill someone. What¡¯s more, that might not even have been a human. He sprinted all the way back to the cafeteria, where the children guarding the door, about to speak, involuntarily turned their gazes towards the horror following behind him, their faces filled with terror. ¡°Run! Youtiao, go call for help!¡± Wang Yunxiao threw a can without looking to see if they caught it, came to a sudden stop, and turned to face the monster behind him. It was indeed a monster. The old woman, her face bloodied, staggered out, her mouth opening nearly 180 degrees, spewing out a tendril as long as a whip¡­which might also have been a tongue, like that of a toad, trying to wrap itself around Wang Yunxiao¡¯s body. For some reason, Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t frightened at all. His breathing was rapid, merely from the strenuous run he had just had, but even upon seeing the grotesque appearance of the monster, his heart remained undisturbed. It was a monster. Killing it should be legal. The thick long tongue whizzed past Wang Yunxiao¡¯s ear, its foul stench causing him to reflexively hold his breath. He struck back with his hand, slicing a long wound along the base of the tongue with the knife. He nimbly rolled on the spot, escaping the space before the tongue could coil back. The old woman let out an angry howl. The children fled swiftly, leaving only the two doors of the cafeteria swinging slightly and creaking. It was too late to chase them now, and this most annoying ¡°little mouse¡± had already dove into the rows of neatly aligned tables and disappeared without a sound. The more frantically a prey flees, the easier it is to catch them because in their panic they make a lot of noise, spilling their direction in the dark, even sometimes tripping themselves up¡­ But this annoying little mouse, having dashed into the jungle of tables and stools, suddenly fell silent. Wang Yunxiao hid beneath a nearby stool, took deep breaths to slow his breathing, and opened the can of luncheon meat. This body was truly weak; though stronger than the other children, it was still just a child¡¯s body without professional training, and the nutrition was hardly sufficient. Even a bit of strenuous activity caused his muscles to tremble. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Had he received professional training in the past? Wang Yunxiao could not dredge up any relevant memory from his mind, but right now, what was most important was to get some food. He couldn¡¯t remember when he last had a meal, but now, after just a bit of running, his stomach was already growling. Humans are such sentimental creatures. Thinking that even dogs would not eat the luncheon meat. Yet, when making instant noodles, leaving it out felt like something was missing. Wiping the blood off the knife¡¯s blade with the corner of his clothes, he gouged out a large chunk of pale luncheon meat and stuffed it into his mouth. Wang Yunxiao gulped it down voraciously while keeping his ears pricked for any noises behind him. The monster had little combat experience; its breathing was heavy. With such a long, thick tongue hidden in its mouth, breathing must have been difficult. If its breathing was labored, that meant it was wasting energy unnecessarily. While one should not use common sense to assume the physical condition of a monster, as long as it¡¯s on Earth, at the very least, it should obey the most basic physical laws. Otherwise, it would indicate a severe anomaly in this world. Wang Yunxiao assumed that the monster could maintain its visibility in the dark, but clearly, it wasn¡¯t that capable. It was like a headless fly, furiously howling and overturning one table after another. But eventually, it smelled the scent of the luncheon meat. The monster grinned, revealing a ferocious smile. It lightened its footsteps and quietly circled toward the direction from which the scent was coming. From the lewd expression on its face, it seemed to have prepared itself to toy with its prey. For instance, when it got close to the target, it would make its footsteps disappear, then stealthily crawl onto the table, stretching its head over, waiting for that little mouse to look up¡ªthe expression on its face would certainly be priceless¡­ However, its smile did not last long because it didn¡¯t find its target, only a half-can of luncheon meat placed on the ground. It was a bait. Wang Yunxiao crouched and stealthily circled from the side, aimed at its ribs, and steadily plunged the knife in. The human skeleton almost protects all vital organs, except for the area from the ribs to the hipbones, where there is no protection from the bones, only lots of fat, and two kidneys on either side. For a humanoid monster, this might not be a vital spot, but that didn¡¯t matter. Wang Yunxiao struck successfully and withdrew his knife abruptly without lingering. The monster let out a piercing howl, clutching its lower back, stumbling, and knocking over the surrounding tables and chairs. It spat out its long tongue again, trying to catch that damned mouse, but the mouse was too agile, as if it had eyes on the back of its head, dodging away just in the nick of time. ¡°Come out!¡± The monster roared indistinctly, its tongue curling around a long table and throwing it toward the direction where the mouse was hiding. Boom crash¡ª The sound of numerous tables and chairs colliding and toppling masked Wang Yunxiao¡¯s footsteps. Although risky, he couldn¡¯t leave the cafeteria. The dozens-of-meters long corridor outside offered no defenses and was less safe compared to the complex terrain of the cafeteria. It¡¯s a pity that his body was too weak, his heart pounding like a tractor engine with just a slight movement. If he could survive, he¡¯d definitely exercise more in the future. What on earth was this monster? Stabbed twice and still it acted as if nothing happened; ordinary weapons might not be causing effective damage. Wang Yunxiao, crawling on all fours like a cat, stealthily maneuvered past the angry monster, while silently pondering whether to enchant the knife in his hand. He might not find other things at this time, but he had enough Boy¡¯s Urine. After venting its anger, the monster calmed down again. It also seemed to realize the difficulty of its opponent and decided to think of another method. Faint rustling sounds came from the ground. Wang Yunxiao held his breath, motionless, watching something snake-like wriggling beside him. The monster seemed to have become smarter. It laid its tongue on the ground, seemingly trying to sense the slight vibrations of the ground or faint signals in the air. How come it¡¯s such a terrifying creature from the start? This is purely a beginner-level tutorial mission kill, let me level up and point out a couple of skills¡­ I¡¯m really foolish, yes, I shouldn¡¯t have brought them here for meat at all! Wang Yunxiao silently sighed in his heart, suddenly opened his eyes wide, and charged out from his hiding place. The monster was less than two meters away, completely unaware of his presence, focusing entirely ahead. Wang Yunxiao dashed out close to the ground beside it, slicing open the tendon of its left calf, then immediately rolled forward, smoothly escaping. ¡°Aaaaah¡ª!¡± The monster roared insanely, seemingly completely enraged by the cut, diving into madness, but its body involuntarily knelt to the ground. However, at that moment, a sudden flood of light instantly illuminated the entire cafeteria. The bulb above emitted a dim light, not particularly dazzling. But even this slight glow made the monster emit a shriek a hundred times more pitiful than before. That long tongue rapidly burnt to ashes under the light, leaving behind an old woman with a bloody head and bruised body, trembling as she fell to the ground. The monster disappeared just like that, as if everything that had happened was just an illusion of Wang Yunxiao¡¯s. Perhaps there was never a monster. It was just a fierce scuffle between a youth and a cafeteria lady in the dark. Hearing the chaotic footsteps outside the cafeteria door, Wang Yunxiao calmly wiped the fingerprints off the knife handle with the cloth of his clothes, threw the knife beside the old woman on the ground foaming at the mouth, and found a suitable place to lie down, casually covering himself with a fallen stool. He had also considered the possibility that his mind was playing tricks, seeing people as monsters, so the three cuts he made were not fatal. If things got tricky later, no one having seen him act, there would still be some room for maneuver. He closed his eyes and tried to call for the system again. Still, he received no response. Damn, all those transmigration novels he had read were deceitful. Chapter 3 - 3 3 I am Upright and Pure by Nature ?3: Chapter 3 I am Upright and Pure by Nature 3: Chapter 3 I am Upright and Pure by Nature Wang Yunxiao vaguely remembered that as a child, he was a good student who was both bright and lively. He didn¡¯t know why, but growing up had tormented him into the person he had become. Yes, even without those memories, he was quite sure he was an adult. An adult ravaged by reality, his heart as cold as moon rock that never saw the sunshine. Otherwise, how could he explain his behavior just now? Should he tell people he was a die-hard fan of Miyazaki Hidetaka and had grasped the true essence of Foot Massage Martial Arts from soul games? Nonsense¡­ The good news was that he hadn¡¯t been transported to some weird, indescribable world. The bad news was not the absence of a system, but that this point in time left him bewildered. He lay under the bench, watching a group of men who might be security guards, armed with shovels and Wolf Fang Clubs, rushing into the cafeteria, and then he was dug out from under the benches and clumsily carried all the way to the infirmary. The infirmary was rudimentary, and the nurse was pretty. She was a young woman in her twenties with short hair and her face covered by a medical mask, her head adorned with a bright red checkered headscarf, and her double-lidded eyes were quite attractive. But what kind of nurse dressed like that? She efficiently took his pulse and then turned to a slightly balding middle-aged man at the door and whispered, ¡°The pulse is steady, and I see no external injuries. He seems to have just been frightened a bit. There shouldn¡¯t be any big problems.¡± The middle-aged man, who had been tense all this time, let out a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. You scared me into a cold sweat in the middle of the night. Nurse Liu, keep an eye on him here. I¡¯m going to check the student roster with the other teachers. How can a Ghoul sneak in here?¡± Nurse Liu said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, we should keep the lights on at night, don¡¯t be stingy with the electricity bill.¡± ¡°What does it have to do with whether the lights are on or not! It¡¯s clearly because that batch of canned food they sent over wasn¡¯t clean!¡± ¡°I knew it was too good to be true that they sent us canned food that hadn¡¯t expired. Wait, I¡¯ll call that guy right now and make him come over immediately!¡± ¡°It¡¯s so late, Commander Huo he¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel sorry for him. It¡¯s best that no one is missing from the school. If someone is missing, I¡¯ll never let it go!¡± The middle-aged man cursed and muttered as he turned and walked out the door. Ghouls? Wang Yunxiao pondered silently in his mind. Which version of a ghoul? He had never heard of one with a tongue that could stretch so long. If you were talking about a Licker, that might be more likely. Judging from the conversation between the two just now, it seemed that such creatures were not uncommon in this world. How dangerous. He pretended to be asleep in bed, and Nurse Liu didn¡¯t leave. She sat beside him, picked up a book, and under the dim light began to read. Wang Yunxiao sneakily glanced at the book¡¯s title. ¡°The Gold Medal Family Doctor¡¯s Nursing Manual 7 ¨C Twelve Cost-Saving Tricks for Dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders¡± Just by looking at the title, you could tell it was especially helpful for sleep. About 30 minutes later, the sound of a car engine came from outside, and Nurse Liu put down the book and went out. Wang Yunxiao rolled out of bed swiftly, slinked over to the windowsill, and peered out clandestinely through the curtains. It was a very old military truck, the kind you might only come across in memory-inducing wartime drama series. The soldiers who jumped off the truck wore grey military uniforms he had never seen before, and the rifles they carried somewhat resembled the Chiang Kai-shek rifle, although he couldn¡¯t be sure from that distance. But whether it was the Chiang Kai-shek or the Lee Enfield, neither would be fitted with an additional ammo pouch on the lower back, connected to the chamber with a hose. Hearing Nurse Liu¡¯s footsteps nearing the door, he quickly returned to the sickbed and continued to feign sleep. Since there was an official military presence, it meant there would be no further danger, so he let down his guard and truly fell asleep. He slept through until the morning. At 5:40 in the morning, Wang Yunxiao was awakened by the sound of Nurse Liu leaving to fetch water for washing. Not long after, he heard someone outside softly ask, ¡°Is that kid awake yet? Wake him up quick; I have some questions for him.¡± ¡°The child was quite shook up yesterday; he should stay in bed to rest¡­¡± That was Nurse Liu¡¯s voice. ¡°What kind of kid is that sensitive? Hurry up and get him up, the headmaster will scold me again later.¡± ¡°Well then, you can¡¯t scare him.¡± ¡°What kind of person do you take me for? I never scare kids.¡± Nurse Liu entered the room and gently pushed Wang Yunxiao twice. Wang Yunxiao opened his eyes as though on cue, a look of bewilderment on his face. ¡°Awake? Feeling any discomfort? Does your head hurt?¡± Nurse Liu pinched Wang Yunxiao¡¯s wrist to check his pulse. Seeing him shake his head, she whispered, ¡°Do you remember anything that happened last night? Commander Huo will be looking for you to give a statement later. Don¡¯t be afraid of him, just say whatever you need to say.¡± Wang Yunxiao answered simply, ¡°Oh, got it.¡± He didn¡¯t know what character his body had had in the past, but it wasn¡¯t strange for a frightened child to have a sudden change in demeanor; he just needed to play dumb. A young man in a gray military uniform pushed the door and entered, brushing past Nurse Liu. He forced a pleasing smile at Nurse Liu and then reverted to a stern expression once he turned back. He had a sturdy build and moved with powerful grace. The fullness at his temples indicated he was adept at physical activities, certainly someone who¡¯d been through battles and had blood on his hands. He shut the door behind him, grabbed a chair, and sat in front of the bed. The young officer picked up the file in his hand and asked in a cold voice, ¡°Are you Wang Yunxiao?¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded. ¡°You¡¯re pretty bold, aren¡¯t you? To have held off a ghoul all by yourself without getting hurt?¡± It was a tough comment to respond to and left Wang Yunxiao unsure of what to say. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, no need to be nervous, I¡¯m complimenting you.¡± The young officer waved his hand, his stoic face collapsing into a smile as he crossed his legs comfortably and said, ¡°I saw in your records that your father is an aircraft maintenance technician for the navy? I was also in the navy before I was discharged; he might have been my comrade. My name is Huo Qingyang, you can call me Uncle Huo.¡± Wang Yunxiao thought for a moment, hesitantly said in a low voice, ¡°We usually call Nurse Liu ¡®Sister Liu.''¡± That¡¯s what he heard Youtiao calling her in a soft voice when he was brought in yesterday. ¡°Then just call me ¡®brother;¡¯ it¡¯s all the same!¡± Huo Qingyang instantly changed his tune, tossing the file aside and clasping his hands together with a laugh, ¡°I graduated from here, too. There¡¯s no problem if you call me senior. We¡¯re all grown men here; we don¡¯t stand on ceremony. Tell me, what happened yesterday?¡± Wang Yunxiao had prepared his story well in advance and related the events of the previous night in detail, strategically omitting the fact that he had stabbed the creature three times. He simply stated that he had been running circles with the creature in the cafeteria until the lights were on, and then, completely exhausted, he had passed out. Huo Qingyang listened patiently until he was finished. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nodding noncommittally, he suddenly asked, ¡°Have you had any nightmares recently?¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head blankly; where would he know from if he¡¯d had any previously? At least he had slept soundly last night. ¡°Good, you have a solid mindset.¡± Huo Qingyang chewed on his cheek thoughtfully for a moment, then in a lowered voice said, ¡°I see potential in you, kid. I just don¡¯t know if you¡¯re willing to help me with something.¡± Wang Yunxiao promptly responded, ¡°Brother, just say it!¡± As long as it doesn¡¯t involve risking my neck, I¡¯m open to discussion. ¡°Someone went missing last night at the school. According to what you¡¯ve said, you saw the creature eating human flesh, so it doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Huo Qingyang spoke gravely, ¡°The ghoul didn¡¯t come from outside. Those canned goods are fine; I¡¯ve personally checked them. I think the person who attracted the ghoul is certainly hiding inside the school, and I want you to help me investigate.¡± Wang Yunxiao inwardly disagreed with his deduction. What does it mean that if the canned goods are fine, the ghoul couldn¡¯t have come from outside? As if this school is normally cut off from the world without any outside contact? Then he saw Huo Qingyang pull a silver piece from his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m quite busy with things outside and can¡¯t keep an eye on the school all the time. But, as you know, the principal, that old stick-in-the-mud¡­ he considers everything in this small world here bigger than heaven. You keep an eye out for me. I¡¯ll come back in a few days, and you can report directly to me if there¡¯s anything.¡± Huo Qingyang placed the silver piece in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s hand and leaned in, whispering, ¡°A man¡¯s ambitions should be broad, and his vision long-term. Don¡¯t treat luncheon meat as your main course. Go buy yourself something tasty. And if you really uncover something, I won¡¯t shortchange you.¡± I¡¯m so young, and yet you use these underhanded tactics to erode my innocent spirit? Clutching the silver piece in his hand, Wang Yunxiao asked earnestly, ¡°Brother, where do you suggest I start looking?¡± ¡°Here!¡± Huo Qingyang pointed to the ground beneath their feet and said, ¡°If the person summoning the ghoul lacks experience, they¡¯re likely to suffer backlash. Watch the infirmary over the next couple of days. See who comes to Nurse Liu for treatment or sneaks in to take medicine. You don¡¯t need to act, just remember who it was. If you¡¯re in danger, wait for me to arrive or call me.¡± Wang Yunxiao suddenly understood, ¡°So, if someone purposely bothers Nurse Liu, makes up excuses to talk, pretends to be sick, brings small gifts¡­ I should note all that down?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sharp and sensible,¡± Huo Qingyang praised, giving a thumbs up, ¡°Worthy of being from our navy. Don¡¯t worry, once you grow up and join me, I won¡¯t let you down!¡± I¡¯m really too understanding. Just the glances you two exchanged when you entered and left the room were enough for me to get the picture. Wang Yunxiao did not try to get a hold of Huo Qingyang¡¯s file, even though it was very important to him, as he couldn¡¯t be sure if this was a test from Huo Qingyang. Although the young officer appeared open and amorous on the surface, that could just be a fa?ade. Wang Yunxiao could not get a read on him. Of course, he wasn¡¯t in any rush. As long as the file remained in the school, there would inevitably be an opportunity to get it. Chapter 4 - 4 4 Weak and Helpless but a Big Eater ?4: Chapter 4: Weak and Helpless but a Big Eater 4: Chapter 4: Weak and Helpless but a Big Eater Wang Yunxiao only took a day and a half to familiarize himself with the world he had crossed into. Initially, Wang Yunxiao had speculated that he was in an orphanage, but it turned out to be a school, however, these two were not mutually exclusive. ¡°Qinghe Middle School¡± was originally a private boarding school. Its buildings being mostly intact, it was designated by the government as an official child welfare institution after the war, sheltering a great number of war orphans over the past two years. Therefore, the student body within the school was quite complex. It included students who had been enrolled at the school before, transfer students from other schools that had merged in, and local orphans who had been taken in over the past two years. All together, there were over six hundred people. Wang Yunxiao belonged to the orphan group. His parents had sacrificed themselves in the war, and his home was bombed into flat ground. But he did not wallow in the shadow of that tragedy, his will to survive was incredibly strong. If he hadn¡¯t been promptly taken in, by now he and his brothers might have already formed a vibrant social group in the northern part of the city. Yes, although it doesn¡¯t sound nice to say, he was a loafer back then. And still is now. Even after being taken into care, Wang Yunxiao did not settle down to study. Instead, he led his brothers every day in climbing trees, scaling walls, fishing in rivers, and getting up to no good. With so many children in the school, the teachers simply didn¡¯t have the energy to manage them and just let them be. He had a well-developed gang under his control¡­ sorry, it should be called a student society. Youtiao, the bespectacled boy with the parted hair, was the tactician of the gang, also known as the quartermaster. He was the most crafty, with the greasiest hair. Matuan and Youbing were brothers. Matuan¡¯s face was covered with freckles, while Youbing had a flat and broad face. Guozi, as lean and dry as Youtiao but with non-greasy hair, was tough to the bone, willing to fight, ruthless, and brutal. Gangtou was tall, large, pale, and chubby, often silent and smiling foolishly, suspected to be a bit simple-minded. ¡­ All these brothers had clambered out from ¡°Muddy Ground¡± together. To these children, Muddy Ground was a taboo topic, one not to be brought up in general conversation. But Youtiao, in an attempt to help Wang Yunxiao regain his memory, still told him the story of Muddy Ground. The story was quite simple: a war, ruins, and a night of torrential rain. The soaked ruins turned into Muddy Ground. Many people trapped beneath the rubble who might have still been breathing didn¡¯t survive. Wang Yunxiao dug all night, using his ten fingers, skinned and split, to unearth the lives of Youtiao and the others. The heavens cruelly took everything they had, leaving only each other to huddle for warmth, shivering in the cold night. ¡°After that, big brother, you led us to beg in the streets, steal food, get beaten up, and then fight with those guys¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly a memory to cherish. Wang Yunxiao played with the silver coin that Huo Qingyang had given him in his hands. There wasn¡¯t a bald head on the silver coin, and the portrait on the front looked rather feminine. Youtiao said it was the President. Whether the President was male or female didn¡¯t matter; what mattered was the value of the silver coin. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No exaggeration, with this silver coin, he could take all his brothers out for a meal at a decent restaurant, stuffing their faces till they were utterly pleased. The school dining hall¡¯s food couldn¡¯t be said to be bad, but it was low on fats and oils. Lunch consisted of stir-fried potatoes with spam, accompanied by millet bread. In a spoonful of stir-fried potatoes, you could see two or three strands of spam cut to look like potato strings. Even that was considered a delicacy that used to be unobtainable. Just last month, they had eaten stir-fried shredded cabbage with dried pickled radishes every day. Last week, Huo Qingyang hauled a truckload of spam cans from Beida Camp, and it seemed like the school dining hall planned to eat spam from April until winter began. One night, Wang Yunxiao stole a can of spam and shared it with the brothers in his dormitory. They ate with joy on their faces as if they were celebrating New Year¡¯s, praising their big brother¡¯s boundless generosity. The lid of the spam can was a circular piece of metal. Folded and sharpened, it could be turned into a small dagger with a blood groove. The knives in the kitchen were too big and too conspicuous; this was more discreet and safe. With a handy weapon, Wang Yunxiao felt halfway secure. This world was very dangerous, and he still felt too weak, lacking a sense of security. Huo Qingyang had tasked him with monitoring the infirmary, but he hadn¡¯t informed him what exactly the Ghoul was, nor the characteristics of those who summon spirits. He hadn¡¯t even told him the identity of the missing student. Perhaps it was for his protection, not wanting him to delve deeper into those dangerous secrets. But perhaps, Commander Huo¡¯s intention wasn¡¯t straightforward; he might have used any excuse to have him watch Nurse Liu. Or to have Nurse Liu watch him. Regardless, he was actually given a silver coin. Such a generous client is rare in this world. If you take someone¡¯s money, you need to do the work properly¨Cmake sure it¡¯s worth every bit and more, so they¡¯ll come to you again when needed. That¡¯s business acumen. But the same goes for your brothers; if you want the horse to run, you have to let it graze. ¡°Let¡¯s have meat for dinner tonight!¡± ¡°Are we going to steal canned food again?¡± Hearing Wang Yunxiao say so, Matuan shuddered in fright, ¡°Big Brother, we¡¯re not going to bump into ghosts again, are we?¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be scared of? It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never seen a ghost before!¡± Matuan, who was as timid as a mouse, had thin skin and couldn¡¯t bear any jibe from others. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not stealing canned food.¡± ¡°Ah? Oh¡­¡± When he heard they wouldn¡¯t be stealing canned food, Matuan was visibly disappointed, ¡°Actually, Big Brother, I must say, canned food tastes pretty good.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going out to a restaurant!¡± Wang Yunxiao took out a silver coin and flashed it in front of his brothers, ¡°See this? Don¡¯t make a fuss. This is the shock money the school gave us for encountering the ghost in the canteen the day before yesterday. Let¡¯s find a restaurant and have a good meal. What do you all want to eat? Share your thoughts!¡± Upon seeing the silver coin, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°There¡¯s such a good thing?¡± ¡°We must have buns! Sihua¡¯s pork buns at Silly Four¡¯s place, a bamboo steamer three feet wide and it¡¯s only twelve cents¡­¡± ¡°Eat, eat, eat, all you know is to eat!¡± Youtiao glared at the person beside him, annoyed, and whispered to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Big Brother, don¡¯t listen to their nonsense. Let¡¯s go to the butcher¡¯s and get two pounds of offal. We can render the fat at home to mix with the sorghum rice. It saves money and tastes great!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Gangtou was immediately persuaded, showing a blissful smile on his face, ¡°Forget about the buns, buns are expensive. Let¡¯s go with that! Pork lard mixed with rice is delicious!¡± Wang Yunxiao sighed inwardly. When poor, one¡¯s aspirations diminish. It¡¯s not like they were all parentless from birth. During the war, even the youngest among them, the Youbing and Matuan brothers, were about eleven or twelve. The Muddy Ground area used to be full of residential buildings with no real poor kids around. Yet now they had fallen so low that the thought of pork lard mixed with rice could make them blissfully happy. Wang Yunxiao held the silver coin and seriously addressed everyone, ¡°Today we¡¯ll have pork lard mixed with rice, but later we can have those big meat buns. I¡¯m your big brother, and as long as I have a bite to eat, you won¡¯t starve. If I eat meat, you¡¯ll eat meat, and if there¡¯s no meat, I¡¯ll join you in drinking cold water.¡± His words made his brothers¡¯ eyes brim with tears, and their mouths water. This is our half-brother, our true big bro, no doubt about it! School ends at five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, dinner starts at half-past five, and bedtime is at seven o¡¯clock¡­ These were rules that Wang Yunxiao and his little gang never abided by; whether they attended classes was entirely dependent on their mood. Taking advantage of the time before classes ended, he had Youtiao lead him out to take a walk around after scaling the wall. The market was not far from the school, with chickens, ducks, fish, meat, fruits, vegetables ¨C everything available. Overall, the supply of goods looked quite abundant. This meant that the post-war economic recovery was doing well. Youtiao wanted to buy a set of pork intestines as it¡¯s cheap and good for rendering fat, costing less than five cents a pound, with a whole set for just twenty cents. But it¡¯s smelly and difficult for average households to process, usually bought from restaurants or pubs precooked, though that¡¯s another price point entirely. For quality pork, it¡¯s twelve cents a pound, with one silver yuan buying eight pounds, with a few big bones thrown in for good measure. Rice is three cents a pound, millet three cents and two, and sorghum rice two cents and five. Youtiao said these were city prices, and things would be even cheaper at the market outside the city, near Liushu Camp. Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t interested in saving a small amount of money. He went straight to the butcher and cut five pounds of fatty pork, then weighed out ten pounds of rice from the grain shop. With the remaining ten cents, he bought a bottle of soy sauce and two pounds of pickled vegetables. When you have money, spend it. Don¡¯t think too much. It¡¯s real only when it¡¯s in your stomach; keeping it in your pocket just draws attention. Now that they had the meat and the rice, the remaining issue was to find a pot. They certainly couldn¡¯t use the school cafeteria¡¯s pots¡­ Cooking pork fat in the middle of the night, are you trying to kill people with the smell? ¡°The squad leader has a pot.¡± Youtiao always had considerate suggestions, ¡°Her parents are nice people. They even invited us over for big persimmons last time.¡± Wang Yunxiao understood the subtext of Youtiao¡¯s words. Her parents being nice people meant that she might not be so nice herself. ¡°She¡¯s a snob, and she loves to snitch¡­¡± ¡°How snobbish?¡± ¡°Her family is rich, so she chums up to Qu Wenming and snubs us. Last New Year¡¯s, she went on stage to recite poetry with that kid!¡± Wang Yunxiao thought to himself, if I were a little girl, I wouldn¡¯t bother with us either, not with the state we¡¯re in. To put it nicely, we¡¯re wayward youths; less nicely, we¡¯re a future menace to public security. ¡°Let¡¯s head to her place first, then you go back to school, call her over as well, I have something to ask her.¡± He had eaten a meal worth a dollar, but the task costing one dollar and twenty cents wasn¡¯t settled yet. Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t plan to stake out the infirmary; it seemed impractical to him. Nurse Liu was on high alert, with calluses on her hands. He even suspected that she might have been in combat. Staking out her could easily end up staking out himself. And he couldn¡¯t stay up night after night, watching without sleep. To catch this ¡°ghost,¡± or rather the person summoning the ghost, traditional methods were in order¡ªstarting with the identity of the disappeared. Chapter 5 - 5 5 The Temptation Kids Cant Resist ?5: Chapter 5 The Temptation Kids Can¡¯t Resist 5: Chapter 5 The Temptation Kids Can¡¯t Resist The classes at Qinghe Middle School weren¡¯t divided by the students¡¯ ages, as it was impossible to have a complete registry management and compulsory education system during those times. A third of the students in Class 2-1, where Wang Yunxiao was, were transfer students taken in by the school. The school initially had good intentions, hoping that the original students could help the new kids learn and progress together. But the actual feedback was not good. With both my parents gone, you still expect me to take the initiative to study hard? What do you think I am made of? The class monitor was Chen Yan, whose parents owned a small shop on the next street selling fried nuts, including peanuts, sunflower seeds, chestnuts, and hazelnuts, with a storefront, two large iron pots, and a small frying stove, and it was said that they actually made quite a bit of money over a year. According to Youtiao, last year the class monitor snitched, leading to their gang being punished to stand, and Wang Yunxiao took his brothers to steal chestnuts from the monitor¡¯s house; unexpectedly, they were caught red-handed by Old Man Chen. When he found out they were classmates, Old Man Chen didn¡¯t make it tough for them but instead gave them several pounds of fish skin and peanuts. Wang Yunxiao was a man of integrity and responsibility¡ªsince then, he had stopped throwing live toads into the monitor¡¯s desk. This old couple was indeed good-tempered. When they heard someone needed to borrow their stove to cook, they agreed without hesitation and even helped to scrub the pot and stoke the fire. It was obvious from their eyes that they didn¡¯t see themselves as outsiders. Rendering lard is a craft. Back then, pork wasn¡¯t fatty, and the fatty parts were even more expensive than the lean ones. You had to peel the skin off first, cut it into cube-shaped pieces mixed with fat and lean, and then boil it with water in a pot. Once the water in the pot dried up, the fat would come out. But the meat shouldn¡¯t be fried for too long. Southerners call the fried residue ¡®Squeaky bits¡¯; northerners call them ¡®oil dregs¡¯ or ¡®greasy bits¡¯. Fancier households would add scallions, ginger, and Sichuan peppers toward the end of frying to remove the gamey taste. But some folks liked it just that way, not only not removing the gamey taste but also adding a couple of kidneys to enhance the flavor. The fried out pork scraps, sprinkled with a bit of salt, were an unmatched delicacy. Don¡¯t just talk about now; even if placed in the 21st century, it would still be considered a fine dish. The rendered lard couldn¡¯t be eaten directly; it had to cool down, solidify into a white fat paste, to dissipate the smoky smell. Once the rice was cooked, you¡¯d scoop a bowl full to the brim with rice, slap a spoonful of meat fat on top, and drizzle a little soy sauce over it¡ªunbeatable taste. Old Man Chen, with a dry tobacco pipe in his mouth, leaning nearby, watched the bubbling diced meat in the pot together with Wang Yunxiao and asked with a chuckle, ¡°Yuanxiao, making big money, eh?¡± Wang Yunxiao shrugged, ¡°Earned it with my life.¡± ¡°I thought so¡­ tsk tsk, spending money lavishly like this; you¡¯re not young anymore, shouldn¡¯t you save something for a dowry?¡± ¡°Look what you¡¯re saying, who would take a liking to me? I¡¯m broke and have nothing to offer.¡± Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t actually worried about this issue, since Laozi had traveled back in time; there was hardly a shortage of wives. How many wives he could have wasn¡¯t up to him to say; it depended on the cosmos¡¯ drive against decadence and immorality. Besides, money wasn¡¯t something you saved up for. He was young and strong, not exactly an upstanding man; there would be many opportunities to make money in the future. Just as he had finished a pot of rice, Youtiao arrived at the door with a mighty crowd. Including himself, there were twelve people in the dorm, all close brothers, followed by two younger girls. ¡°The tall one is our class monitor, Chen Yan with twin braids, and the other is our kid sister, Little Gourd.¡± Youtiao, knowing Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t remember past events, leaned in to introduce them. One and a half beauties. The class monitor, needless to say, grew up not lacking nutrition since her family sold fried nuts; she stood out among the other girls in the school, noticeably fairer during physical exercises. Little Gourd was a child who had crawled out of Muddy Ground with them, only her face had been smashed by a brick. At that time, they had no money for her treatment, and a quite frightening scar remained on her right face. Of course, at school, nobody dared to laugh at her¡ªthose with no insight had been sorted out by Wang Yunxiao. ¡°Wang Yunxiao! Did you steal someone¡¯s meat again?¡± Youtiao was right; the class monitor was only good-looking, her personality was indeed not that great, coming up with a statement that could nearly puncture someone¡¯s lungs. Anyone smaller-minded could have been angered to death by her. As a mentally mature adult, Wang Yunxiao, naturally, wouldn¡¯t lose his temper with a stern-faced underage girl, he pushed the bowl and chopsticks toward her and smiled, ¡°Are you going to eat?¡± The class monitor glanced at the smiling Old Man Chen, then came over hesitantly and took the bowl and chopsticks. After all, in an era where the school canteen served potato shreds and stewed radishes three meals a day, what child could resist the temptation of lard mixed rice? The class monitor ate quite elegantly, but the eating manners of his brothers were unbearable to watch. As the pigs were, so were they¡ªeach one burying his head and scarfing down like there was no tomorrow, almost wanting to stuff their heads into the bowls. Little Gourd cuddled up to Wang Yunxiao with her bowl, asking softly, ¡°Brother, did you get into another fight? Did you get hurt?¡± See, this is a real sister, a little cotton-padded jacket, sensible, and caring. It¡¯s all about comparisons, so it¡¯s no wonder that despite the class monitor being so pretty, the brothers still found her hard to stomach. Wang Yunxiao patted Little Gourd¡¯s head and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother didn¡¯t fight; the school gave this. Did you know about the incident at school the night before last?¡± Little Gourd shook her head blankly. Just as expected, it seemed the school had managed to keep the news under wraps. With more than six hundred students across over twenty classes, teachers had their hands full; how could anyone notice if a class was missing someone? ¡°Someone went missing from the school, and I just happened to come across it that night. This is the hush money they gave me.¡± This was also the explanation Wang Yunxiao gave to his brothers. He didn¡¯t mention Huo Qingyang, as he didn¡¯t want to foster any unnecessary hope in them. Human nature is such; some might not dare to act on their own, but as soon as others instigate or support them, their courage tends to swell. If they were to foolishly think that the ¡°Governmental Office had their backs¡± and blindly rush in, it would be troublesome. ¡°Ow¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Little Gourd immediately shrank his neck but then curiously asked, ¡°So, brother¡­ what did you come across?¡± ¡°I saw a dead body in the back kitchen of the cafeteria, but the school never found the body later on; they just treated it as a missing person case.¡± Wang Yunxiao noticed that the brothers around him were all looking over and he seriously said, ¡°I still don¡¯t know which class the missing student was from. But the murderer is definitely within the school and might come after me.¡± Guozi slammed down his bowl and chopsticks, and coldly said, ¡°Big brother, let¡¯s get him!¡± ¡°Go lay down over there!¡± Youtiao said irritably, ¡°Isn¡¯t it odd, big brother? Later, when we went to find the security guards, didn¡¯t we catch that old lady?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t her. She has accomplices who hid the body.¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not clear on the specifics, but logically, you usually don¡¯t kill people for no reason, right?¡± ¡°I heard a freshman went missing.¡± The class president had been eavesdropping on the side and couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°But it could also be that they transferred schools suddenly. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I can help you ask around.¡± ¡°Alright, that would be great, class president. While you¡¯re at it, see if you can find out if the kid had any enemies or grudges or anything.¡± Wang Yunxiao smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t be polite with me. Have another bowl, why don¡¯t you?¡± he class president hadn¡¯t been giving him any airs¡ªit was her family pot, after all. Unlike these disliked loiterers, the class president was actually the most informed person in the school. Class leaders also help teachers manage the classes, and often know more about the school¡¯s ongoings than the teachers. Regular students¡­ if they can concentrate in class and manage themselves, that would be good enough. With two large bowls of lard rice as a bribe for the class president, the other brothers also ate to their fill, each rubbing their bellies and burping contentedly. They say a teenager could eat their parent out of house and home, and this greasy meat was no exception, devouring all ten pounds of white rice without leaving a single grain. If it weren¡¯t for being stopped, Gangtou could have licked the pot clean. There were still a full tub of lard left, which was the real beauty of lard rice¡ªthe meat might vanish after one bite, but the tub of lard could season many more servings of rice. It was temporarily stored at the class president¡¯s house. The leftover pig skin was considered a fee for borrowing the pot. ¡°I¡¯ll go inquire for you, but you have to come to class tomorrow. No fighting and no stealing! Don¡¯t climb the wall into my house and steal my walnuts again, or else I¡¯ll tell the teacher!¡± ¡°Ah, alright, alright!¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded in agreement. Class presidents, like this study-conscious girl who listened well to teachers, feared even the thought of stepping out of school, even if it was to return to their own home. After eating, she quickly dragged Little Gourd away, worried he might corrupt her with his rogue friends. Old Man Chen knocked the ash out of his smoking pipe pot, leaned close to Wang Yunxiao, and said quietly, ¡°How could such a thing happen at the school? Yuanxiao, you have to keep an eye on Yan¡¯er for me, don¡¯t let her get into trouble. She¡¯s got a fiery temper, but don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Youtiao snorted coldly from the side, ¡°That¡¯d still require your daughter being willing, you know. She¡¯s only got eyes for Qu Wenming now!¡± Upon hearing this, Old Man Chen immediately grew anxious, ¡°Who is Qu Wenming? Is he from your class?¡± ¡°The guy from the next class who¡¯s on the literature committee, that pretty boy whose family is filthy rich. He¡¯s handsome and can write poems and sing. Lots of girls have written him love letters¡­¡± Youtiao took the opportunity to embellish the story, leaving Old Man Chen completely befuddled. ¡°Shut up!¡± Wang Yunxiao quickly interrupted Youtiao¡¯s bluff. If he continued, Old Man Chen might actually grab a knife and lash out. What do fathers fear the most? It¡¯s their daughters getting mixed up with dodgy guys. Like someone like me¡­ Wang Yunxiao was well aware of his own reputation. ¡°No, I have to call her back and get this straight!¡± Old Man Chen almost couldn¡¯t sit still and was about to rush out, but Wang Yunxiao pulled him back. ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t listen to Youtiao¡¯s nonsense. We¡¯ve all been watching; no one¡¯s going to let anyone take advantage of your girl.¡± Without guessing, Wang Yunxiao knew that not a word from Youtiao¡¯s mouth was true. His family is filthy rich¡­ with that kind of money, why would you attend such a school? Got rocks in your head? And he¡¯s handsome¡­ which guy would admit another man is handsome? That couldn¡¯t be anything good. There was definitely some personal emotion in it. Chapter 6 - 6 6 Maybe He Needs a Little Help ?6: Chapter 6 Maybe He Needs a Little Help 6: Chapter 6 Maybe He Needs a Little Help The main reason the past favored men over women was that the more sons you had, the stronger your labor force was. If your family had many men, others wouldn¡¯t dare to mess with you. The reason Wang Yunxiao was able to be a leader was that he was loyal and had many brothers. Even though the initial investment was high ¡ª ten kilograms of rice per meal weren¡¯t nearly enough to feed these beasts¡­ But think about it, if you have such a group of brothers under you, do you still need to summon ghosts? Is there anything that only ghosts can do that brothers cannot? Play air-conditioning? ¡°There¡¯s an old saying that a thief won¡¯t persist for a thousand days, but the guard against him must. We need to root this little guy out!¡± On the way back to school, Wang Yunxiao, while picking his teeth, whispered to his brothers, ¡°I reckon this kid is no good, keep an eye out these next few days, comb through the students at the school. Look for those who are loners without friends, who have a weird, gloomy look in their eyes¡­ especially around the class leader! Didn¡¯t I just ask her to gather some information? You guys follow her and see who she interacts with.¡± This tactic is called stirring the snake in the grass. Having a history of murder definitely changes a person. If there really were someone who outwardly gets along well with everyone, jokes and laughs, but can murder without batting an eye, then Wang Yunxiao could only concede defeat. But speaking generally, we all are the flowers of our country, neither our bodies nor minds are fully matured yet; how bad can we really be? The biggest evil force in school was their gang, could there really be someone worse? What kind of environment would produce such an extreme character? Youtiao understood the hidden meaning in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help but advise him, ¡°Brother, isn¡¯t it too dangerous to let the class leader gather information alone? What if something really happens, how would we face Uncle Chen?¡± Wang Yunxiao raised his eyebrow and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you dislike the class leader?¡± Youtiao pouted and said, ¡°That¡¯s a different matter.¡± ¡°Then tell me the truth, don¡¯t you think the class leader, a frail girl with hardly any muscle, would cry for a long time after getting punched, who despite being clueless thinks she¡¯s tough as a class official, barking orders before and behind others, bound to run into big trouble sooner or later, right?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­¡± ¡°You think that, I think that, and surely others think that too.¡± Wang Yunxiao explained, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why she¡¯s the perfect bait. If it were me going around to each class asking, do you think that kid would dare show his face?¡± Youtiao, suddenly enlightened, held up his thumb and praised, ¡°Brother, that¡¯s brilliant!¡± When fishing, the most important thing is to feed the bait. You can¡¯t trap a wolf if you¡¯re not willing to sacrifice a lamb. And indeed, the results were outstanding. A student¡¯s disappearance, concealed by the school authorities, caused no ripple at all. Under these circumstances, Chen Yan asking around each class alone about any missing students stood out significantly. Confronted directly by the second-grade class leader, the younger students found it very hard to feel rebellious or even consider hiding the truth. She managed to find out the missing student¡¯s information in just one morning. Second year, Class B, Jiang Yinyin, introverted and quiet, almost friendless at school. She was also an orphan taken into care. ¡°She was only admitted before the New Year? The war had been over nearly two years by then, how did a little girl survive out there until now?¡± Hearing the news brought back by the class leader, Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but feel a flicker of doubt. Youtiao whispered a reminder beside him, ¡°Big brother, wasn¡¯t there a crackdown on gangsters in the city before the New Year¡­¡± Ah¡­ Wang Yunxiao understood instantly. But the class leader, still confused, wanted to ask further, ¡°What does the crackdown have to do with her?¡± Youtiao quickly waved his hand, saying, ¡°That¡¯s Jianghu World stuff, you wouldn¡¯t understand if I told you.¡± Seeing that the class leader started puffing up her cheeks in anger, Wang Yunxiao hurriedly reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t listen to Youtiao¡¯s nonsense. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Help me gather more information in the afternoon. Find out who Jiang Yinyin has been in touch with at school since her arrival, where she likes to hang out. Even if she doesn¡¯t have many friends, the girls she shares a dorm with must know something about her, right?¡± The class leader thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask around again. If no one really knows, I¡¯ll ask her homeroom teacher.¡± While eating lunch in the cafeteria, Matuan slipped next to Wang Yunxiao and signaled him with a glance. Following his gaze, Wang Yunxiao saw a handsome boy with a tray of food approaching the class leader and starting a conversation with her. So, there really was a fish hooked? ¡°Check, check his background for me!¡± After the second period in the afternoon, Matuan and Youbing had already brought back detailed information about the boy. ¡°He¡¯s from third year, Class B, named Shen Haowen, not a class official, mediocre academic performance, but he comes from a wealthy family¡­¡± ¡°How can you tell his family is wealthy?¡± ¡°He always has snacks in his pocket that he doesn¡¯t share with anyone else. His classmates call him Stingy Shen.¡± Being able to afford snacks certainly meant he wasn¡¯t from an ordinary family. Wang Yunxiao thought for a moment, then instructed, ¡°Go and ask around in his class if he has ever complained about the poor quality of the cafeteria food or if he had conflicts with the cafeteria lady or something.¡± Matuan reported back quickly, ¡°Indeed, there had been conflicts. His classmates remember that once while queuing at the counter, he said something to the staff inside, and they cursed at him, telling him to eat if he wants or get lost if he doesn¡¯t! Something like that¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao slapped his thigh, ¡°It¡¯s got to be this guy, no doubt about it!¡± The school security caught not a ghost in the cafeteria, but a person possessed by a ghost. As the person involved, Wang Yunxiao naturally wouldn¡¯t miss such a detail. In other words, the old woman was also a victim. As for the murderer¡¯s motive, it¡¯s easy to understand ¡ª who would like a cafeteria aunt whose hands shook like she had Parkinson¡¯s? Nobody liked her, but some harbored deeper hatred than others. Like those who had been scolded, for instance. Of course, this speculation couldn¡¯t be guaranteed to be correct; maybe that kid was just purely dazzled by the monitor¡¯s beauty and came over to hit on her. There¡¯s an old saying, isn¡¯t there? Spend three years in a boarding school and come out comparing pigs to legendary beauties. But Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t care less about these, I¡¯m not a cop, do I need to talk evidence with you? He didn¡¯t even ask the monitor but just patiently waited until school let out in the afternoon. Sure enough, as the students surged towards the cafeteria, that Shen kid sneakily approached the monitor and called her out. This timing was well-planned; after all, when most starved students were rushing towards the cafeteria, their minds weren¡¯t really on anything else. Thus, no one noticed the monitor¡¯s departure. Little Gourd did see it and was about to stop the monitor, but Wang Yunxiao quickly pulled him back. He gave his buddies a sign with his eyes, and understanding the hint, they all gathered around. Guozi excitedly asked, ¡°Big bro, we taking him down?¡± ¡°Take him down!¡± Wang Yunxiao¡¯s face showed a fierce glow. ¡°I saw him taking Chen Yan toward the back of the school building, Guozi you guys go from the other side. Block him if he tries to run.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Guozi, delighted, led a few brothers to flank him from the other side. Wang Yunxiao led the rest, following behind the monitor from a distance. An boarding school was, frankly, not that big of a place. The students¡¯ area of activity was just in front of and behind the school buildings. In front of the building was the sports field, so it was crowded; behind was a vacant lot, lying fallow and off-limits to students. Wang Yunxiao had no intention of hiding his tracks. Seeing them stop, he openly led his group to encircle them. Seeing people approaching, the Shen kid clearly started panicking, spoke a word or two with the monitor, and turned around to leave. But before he could take a few steps, he saw Guozi and others surrounding them from the other side. Honestly, with the brothers looking like rogue ruffians.¡­ they pretty much weren¡¯t playing around. ¡°Wang Yunxiao¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, stay out of this!¡± The monitor was about to speak but was pulled back by Wang Yunxiao with a swift motion. Wang Yunxiao, smirking, walked up to Shen Haowen, who was trying to appear calm but whose eyes were darting around nervously. He poked his chest with his finger and asked coldly, ¡°Which class are you from? Know who I am?¡± Shen Haowen frowned and said, ¡°Why should I know who you are? What do you want to do?¡± ¡°He¡¯s asking me what I want to do?¡± Wang Yunxiao looked back at his brothers, who smirked in unison. ¡°Don¡¯t know, huh? Let me tell you, I¡¯m Wang Yunxiao. Chen Yan is our classmate. What do you want with her?¡± Wang Yunxiao patted Shen Haowen on the shoulder, smiling and said, ¡°Think before you speak, don¡¯t try to fool me! Let me tell you, a few days ago a kid named Qu Wenming was shamelessly cozying up to Chen Yan too, and we caught him and beat him up in the restroom. Did you know that?¡± Shen Haowen visibly sweated. ¡°Let me explain¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening!¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­ I heard¡­ that she was asking about Jiang Yinyin, and I happen to know some¡­¡± Facing a circle of unfriendly boys, Shen Haowen grew so nervous he couldn¡¯t speak properly. ¡°What do you know?¡± ¡°I saw her hiding something behind the school building before¡­¡± ¡°You know this Jiang Yinyin?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know her¡­ no, I do, but not well¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not close with her, how do you know she came behind the school building?¡± Wang Yunxiao, poking Shen Haowen¡¯s chest with a finger, smirked and said, ¡°Boy, you¡¯re quite slick, huh? What, playing both sides?¡± Shen Haowen hastily waved his hands and said, ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong, I really didn¡¯t mean that, I didn¡¯t even know Student Chen before.¡± ¡°Better not! Remember this, don¡¯t let me see you with Chen Yan again!¡± Pointing at his head in warning, Wang Yunxiao turned and walked away. It could basically be confirmed, he was the one. Chapter 7 - 7 7 The Schools Martial Virtue is Somewhat Abundant ?7: Chapter 7 The School¡¯s Martial Virtue is Somewhat Abundant 7: Chapter 7 The School¡¯s Martial Virtue is Somewhat Abundant Chen Yan was dragged out by Youtiao by her arm, completely stunned. She had heard people say that Wang Yunxiao was a notorious loafer outside of school and had fought with students from other classes after enrolling. But most of the time, he just slept in class, silently enduring whatever the teacher said about him. This was the first time she had seen him being so vicious and brutal. Although he hadn¡¯t actually hit anyone, having about a dozen people surround you with such an aggressive aura was quite frightening. Not to mention Shen Haowen, even she felt a bit intimidated and dared not say much. It wasn¡¯t until they stepped out of the teaching building and reached a crowded area that Chen Yan couldn¡¯t help but ask in a low voice, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°This is definitely the guy.¡± Wang Yunxiao laughed, ¡°Class President, whether you believe it or not, if you go back now and try to bring him to a teacher, he will definitely find an excuse to get out of it. Even if you tell him I¡¯m just a paper tiger, one who bullies the weak and fears the strong, he won¡¯t go to the teacher either.¡± Youtiao interjected, ¡°This kid definitely has a problem. You went to inquire about the first year this morning, and in the blink of an eye, he received a message. I bet he asked you out because he¡¯s got a guilty conscience and wants to pump information from you!¡± Chen Yan hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°He indeed told me he knew about Jiang Yinyin¡¯s case. But he hasn¡¯t said anything yet, could it be that you guys are too sensitive?¡± ¡°Then go back now and see how he behaves.¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t care about trying to reason with a woman. Now that the target was confirmed, the next step¡­ was naturally to report the matter to the relevant authorities. What else can be done? Confront him one-on-one, or wait for him to summon ghosts again to harm people? Wang Yunxiao went straight to the infirmary and found Nurse Liu. ¡°Commander Huo asked you to help him investigate?¡± However, Nurse Liu¡¯s attitude was very strange, neither agreeing nor objecting, just indifferently stating, ¡°Just tell me directly who you suspect, and I¡¯ll notify Commander Huo to come. Leave the rest to the adults, you go back to sleep.¡± Wang Yunxiao thought, how am I not an adult? At my age, if I weren¡¯t attending school, I¡¯d already be old enough to start a family! If only I had a lightning bolt on my forehead, I would have done a big job for you tonight. But since Nurse Liu had said so, he didn¡¯t insist on his view. Back in the dormitory, Youtiao came over and whispered, ¡°The Class President went back to find that kid, just like you guessed, Big Brother; he didn¡¯t dare make a big deal out of it. But looking at that kid grinding his teeth behind her back, he doesn¡¯t seem like the kind to swallow this indignation.¡± Wang Yunxiao said gravely, ¡°Tonight, we¡¯ll do shifts in pairs for the night watch, keeping an eye on the outside. If he dares to play tricks and scare us, we¡¯ll corner him in the bathroom tomorrow!¡± Ever since that night when he found out that ghosts were afraid of electric lights, he had lost his fear of these so-called ghost creatures. Although he didn¡¯t know the principle behind it, as long as it worked, that was enough. The dormitory didn¡¯t have wiring at all, but the corridors and classrooms had electric lights. ¡­ At midnight, Shen Haowen crept out of his bed and sneaked out of the dormitory, hiding himself in the bathroom. He took out a piece of yellow paper and a small pencil sharpener knife from his pocket. Looking at the back of his hand, he bit his lip and a vicious look flashed across his face. With one cut, he scraped off a piece of skin the size of a fingernail. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± The intense pain on the back of his hand made his body tremble, but as soon as he remembered the humiliation he suffered during the day, his anger overwhelmed the pain. He shakily wrapped the piece of skin in the yellow paper and took out a strand of dark hair. That was a hair he had plucked from Chen Yan¡¯s clothing without her notice during the day. Using the hair to tie the yellow paper, he stuffed it into his mouth and began chanting a spell. Everything went dark, and when he came back to his senses, he found himself back in the dormitory. But it was the girls¡¯ dormitory. Chen Yan sat up groggily from her dormitory bed. She shook her head, seemingly not quite used to the hair cascading in front of her eyes. Picking up the small mirror on the desk and looking at her reflection in the dim starlight from outside the window, she stood up barefoot and walked out the door. The boys¡¯ dormitory and the girls¡¯ dormitory were on different floors. They were separated by a fence gate, with a dormitory administrator on duty at night. But in the middle of the night, the dormitory administrators had already fallen into a deep sleep. Chen Yan silently passed by the Wolf Fang Club stationed at the gate, took the keys from the desk, and opened the fence gate. She walked forward, reached the door of Wang Yunxiao¡¯s dormitory, stood silently for a moment, and then pushed the door open and entered. However, in the next moment, she was grabbed by several hands and forcefully pinned to the ground. Shen Haowen jerked awake and opened his eyes to find the dark muzzle of a gun pointed right at him. In that instant, he was so scared he nearly wet his pants. ¡°Don¡¯t move, kneel with your hands on your head!¡± The cold voice of Nurse Liu brought back some of his senses, and the strong will to survive gave him an excuse. ¡°I was just going to the bathroom¡­¡± He mustered the courage to squeeze out a smile, slowly reaching his right hand into his pocket. Bang¡ª! Pop¡ª! Wang Yunxiao, who had been abruptly awakened in the dormitory by Chen Yan, jerked his head up in confusion, ¡°Where are the gunshots?¡± ¡°Big bro, the monitor is having a seizure!¡± ¡°Hold her down! Tie her up, tie her up!¡± ¡°Oh my God, she¡¯s throwing up? Big bro, what do we do?¡± ¡°I saw it, let her throw up; it¡¯s fine!¡± ¡°She¡¯s got my only pair of shorts all messy with puke¡­¡± ¡°Let her mom wash them for you later. Did you guys hear any noise just now?¡± Everyone shook their heads; their main focus had been on holding down the monitor, who was making chaotic cries and convulsing, and even if there had been any noise, their minds couldn¡¯t register it. ¡°It sounded like gunshots¡­¡± Youtiao said softly, ¡°I think it came from upstairs, probably two shots.¡± Wang Yunxiao gestured broadly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, turn on the corridor lights, and carry the monitor to the infirmary.¡± Of course, the students in the dorm weren¡¯t the only ones startled by the two gunshots. By the time they came out, the school¡¯s security uncle was already patrolling with a Wolf Fang Club, and all the lights on every floor had been turned on, illuminating the entire building. Why do all the security guards in this school have to carry a Wolf Fang Club? Is this some kind of wonderful everyday knowledge? Honestly, if it weren¡¯t so conspicuous and inconvenient to carry, Wang Yunxiao would want to swipe one for himself to play with. When they arrived at the infirmary carrying the monitor, Nurse Liu was crossing from the other side with someone on her shoulder, blood dripping steadily down to the tips of her shoes. Luckily the lights were on; otherwise, stumbling upon such a sight in the middle of the night could easily lead to a misunderstanding. Principal Zhou was standing at the entrance of the infirmary, frowning as he glanced at Wang Yunxiao and the others, then turned to Nurse Liu and asked, ¡°Is the person dead?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t hit any vital spots, no major concern.¡± Nurse Liu adjusted her face mask, leaving a vague bloody handprint on it. She seemed experienced, not at all flustered, as she settled Shen Haowen, who had been shot, and directed Wang Yunxiao and the others to carry Chen Yan onto a sickbed. ¡°You lot, come over here! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Stand against the wall!¡± Principal Zhou glared fiercely at Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Growing bolder, are we? How come you¡¯re always involved in everything!¡± Youtiao said softly, ¡°It¡¯s not related to us¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao gently kicked him. The principal was furious, and there was something bulky hidden under his jacket at his lower back. It was best to be cautious at this moment and not argue with him. ¡°You kids really are¡­¡± Principal Zhou pointed at them one by one with his finger, grinding his teeth for a while, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say anything. He walked back in front of Wang Yunxiao and rebuked in a low voice, ¡°Not studying properly! Wasting your days with frivolous behavior! What do you plan to do in the future? Do you really want to be a loafer on the streets? Even loafers need to have some sense, randomly getting involved in things to show off¡ªthink that makes you impressive, do you?¡± Wang Yunxiao bowed his head obediently. You¡¯re the principal, so you must be right. ¡°Starting tomorrow, you¡¯re confined to the dormitory for a week! No leaving the dorm!¡± Having scolded them, Principal Zhou turned back to Nurse Liu, who was extracting the bullet from Shen Haowen and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to make a call. Check everybody when you¡¯re done here.¡± After he left, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief and then cast curious glances towards Shen Haowen on the bed. The war had just ended not long ago, and there wasn¡¯t a person who hadn¡¯t seen a corpse; thus, they were not too scared. Dead bodies were common, but it was rare to see someone survive, drenched in blood from two gunshot wounds. Wang Yunxiao, standing by the side, had a clear view. Shen Haowen had been shot once in the right hand and once in the left arm; these two shots had completely immobilized him. Although he was bleeding profusely, the bullets indeed hadn¡¯t hit any vital areas, and with prompt bandaging, it wasn¡¯t life-threatening. What probably caused his unconsciousness wasn¡¯t the gunshot wounds but the fresh red mark on his forehead. If Wang Yunxiao¡¯s guess was correct, Nurse Liu must have turned the gun around and struck him on the head with the butt once she¡¯d determined he couldn¡¯t fight back. What a kind-hearted person she was. After Nurse Liu finished bandaging Shen Haowen and cleaning the blood off her hands, she lifted Chen Yan¡¯s eyelids to check her eyes, pressed on her wrist to take her pulse, and then turned to everyone, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, go back to sleep. Don¡¯t be afraid of nightmares, and don¡¯t go out for a week. Let¡¯s put an end to this matter, and if anyone asks, you say you don¡¯t know anything, got it?¡± Everyone nodded in agreement. Wang Yunxiao, trying to look innocent, asked, ¡°Sis, what kind of sorcery is this? If we encounter something like this again, how should we protect ourselves?¡± Nurse Liu hesitated. Her expression seemed to suggest they needn¡¯t worry about it, but the reality before their eyes made that advice seem less than convincing. ¡°You young people are full of vigor; you don¡¯t have to fear being possessed by ghost creatures.¡± Wang Yunxiao curled his lip, ¡°We¡¯re not afraid, but look at our monitor¡­¡± Nurse Liu thought for a moment. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll come to your dormitory tomorrow, give you all another check-up, and then teach you some self-defense methods.¡± Chapter 8 - 8 8 We Are All Flowers of the Motherland ?8: Chapter 8: We Are All Flowers of the Motherland 8: Chapter 8: We Are All Flowers of the Motherland Principal Zhou clearly understood Wang Yunxiao and his gang¡¯s temperament well, as he had arranged for a security guard at their dormitory entrance that very night. The guard blocked the door with a Wolf Fang Club, permitting exits only for bathroom visits. The next morning, the homeroom teacher entered, left hand carrying a bucket of pickled vegetables with cornbread, right hand holding a stack of books, and kicked open the dorm door with a loud bang. ¡°Two 600-word essays each day for every student, and ten reading comprehension exercises; you cannot leave until they are done!¡± The homeroom teacher was furious, having done nothing himself but teach diligently. He had barely arrived in the morning when Principal Zhou had dragged him into his office for a scolding. You want me to manage them? How am I supposed to do that? These boys are at their toughest age, not hurt by hits or swayed by punches, and each one of them is without parents. How do you expect me to discipline them? Whoever wants to manage them, whoever can, I¡¯ll step down and let them do it! Youtiao shivered at the sight of the pile of books and quickly raised his hand: ¡°Teacher, I would like to do the math paper!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± The homeroom teacher sneered, ¡°Bring math papers so you all can copy from each other? Dream on!¡± Wang Yunxiao held back Youtiao and asked, ¡°Teacher, how is the class president doing?¡± ¡°Why ask so many questions? From today onward, just stay quietly in the dormitory, don¡¯t even think of going anywhere!¡± After thinking for a moment, the homeroom teacher added to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Give me a promise.¡± Wang Yunxiao quickly nodded and said, ¡°I promise! We won¡¯t go out, even if it kills us!¡± This wasn¡¯t the first warning he had heard. From the attitudes of Principal Zhou, Nurse Liu, and the homeroom teacher, it was clear that the situation with Haowen was not simple. As the saying goes, good words can hardly persuade the destined ghost. If people kindly remind you over and over, and you still continue on defiantly, that¡¯s not bravery, it¡¯s stupidity. It¡¯s indeed challenging for fiery youths to distinguish between these two. But Wang Yunxiao¡¯s mind was cool. I have no system or obligation. Why should I unnecessarily trouble myself? Since the morning, the school entrance had not been quiet. First, the military truck that had arrived the previous night returned, unloading many in grey military uniforms. Soon after, several cars drove in, their occupants unknown. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not long after, an angry woman¡¯s roar was heard from downstairs: ¡°My son! My poor son! What kind of school is this? Are you trying to kill my son?¡± The woman¡¯s voice was so piercing it was probably heard even in the classrooms. But her outburst was just a single scream, and then there was silence. Wang Yunxiao was eavesdropping near the window when soon he heard a loud bang¡ªa figure was violently kicked out of the building. He must have been kicked. The kick landed on his abdomen, bending his body into a concave shape, and sending him flying over twenty meters. He tumbled more than a dozen times on the sports field. Such a blow would have left an ordinary person considering not just full-body compound fractures but what tools would be best for scooping them up. Yet the person kicked was still not dead and struggled to his feet, gritting his teeth and shouting towards the school building, ¡°Huo Qingyang! Don¡¯t think you can cover the sky with one hand¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Huo Qingyang reached him. Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t see clearly how Huo Qingyang had approached; in a flash, he was already in front of the man, lifting his leg for another powerful kick. Then they once again witnessed a complete airborne performance. With a clang, the man crashed down onto a car at the school gate, completely crushing its roof. Soon, grey military uniforms escorted a dozen people out of the school building, likely those who arrived in the cars that morning, possibly bodyguards, all bruised and disheveled. Some carried a stretcher, likely bearing the gunshot-wounded Haowen, followed by a couple, the woman still wailing, but without the ear-piercing screeches from before. ¡°This Shen Family has an extraordinary background¡­¡± Youtiao whispered to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°You know, it¡¯s strange, this kind of young master doesn¡¯t attend a good academy, so why did he come to our school?¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded slightly, agreeing. Qinghe Middle School used to be one of the few key middle schools in Tianmen City, but that was in the past. Given the current state, it¡¯s good enough if the original students can maintain their enthusiasm for learning, let alone expecting any educational quality. Why would the offspring of high society deliberately choose to study here? Is it because the teachers here privately teach the Nine Yin Scripture, or because the cornbread in the cafeteria tastes sweeter than outside? It makes no sense¡­ Wang Yunxiao was actually worried he had crossed into one of those worlds where, upon opening his eyes, he sees his ex-girlfriend, the school beauty, making him a cuckold while the Zhang family¡¯s third young master and the Li family¡¯s fourth queue up to slap him. He had already breathed a sigh of relief, but now, seeing this scene, he couldn¡¯t help but start doubting again. Looking at the situation, could it be that Huo Qingyang is holding the script for the protagonist? Look, young and handsome, powerful and influential, skilled in martial arts, and even has ambiguously romantic women helping him draw enmities¡­ That¡¯s it! Wang Yunxiao suddenly realized. Of course, he would never say such wild thoughts out loud. Nurse Liu not only had a gun, but she really dared to use it! Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. After everyone else had left the school, Nurse Liu came to check on the dorms. She checked everyone¡¯s pulse, examined their pupils, and carefully asked if they had any nightmares. When it came to Wang Yunxiao, he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Sister, what happens if you have nightmares?¡± ¡°There are two possibilities.¡± Unexpectedly, Nurse Liu really started explaining to him, ¡°The first is a normal situation where you¡¯re scared by something you thought about during the day and then you dream about it at night. The second is an abnormal situation where you keep dreaming about the same monster or other terrifying things. If that happens, it means your spirit has been tainted¡­ plain and simple, it means being possessed.¡± Curious, Wang Yunxiao asked, ¡°What happens after being possessed?¡± ¡°There are many variations, but the more common ones include possession, erosion, demonic infusion, and degeneration.¡± What? Wang Yunxiao was profoundly shocked. This is considered common? What do the uncommon ones look like? What kind of place is this! Perhaps noticing Wang Yunxiao¡¯s confusion, Nurse Liu patiently explained, ¡°To put it simply, possession means you wake up one morning and find that new memories have suddenly appeared in your mind. As these memories accumulate, you gradually begin to forget who you are and become someone else.¡± What? ¡°Erosion means your body will endure unnecessary burdens, becoming weak and feeble, and, over time, even mutate.¡± Ah, this¡­ ¡°Demonic infusion is easiest to identify ¡ª suddenly, a person¡¯s temperament changes drastically, they lose their sanity, and while they used to be timid, they now become bold and reckless, fearless.¡± Well¡­ ¡°Degeneration refers to being unable to control one¡¯s desires, becoming (involved) in eating, drinking, gambling, and gradually losing moral conscience.¡± So basically, thinking you¡¯ve time-traveled, finding out your body is weak, fighting terrifying monsters, and lacking moral conscience? The deja vu is strong. Wang Yunxiao¡¯s expression was rigid. ¡°Big brother, why are you sweating?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too hot in the dorm, let¡¯s open the window a bit.¡± Fortunately, Nurse Liu seemed not to find any issues with him. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s nothing wrong, don¡¯t overthink.¡± Nurse Liu put away her stethoscope, clapped her hands, and said to everyone, ¡°Now I¡¯ll teach you all some simple methods to ward off evil spirits. The simplest is to keep your mind clear. Some ghost creatures might look scary, but in reality, they just have the ability to scare you. As long as they don¡¯t scare you, they are not frightening at all.¡± Well, you might as well have said nothing. ¡°Also, reading more is another method. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m deceiving you. Studying is like arming your mind ¡ª just like this glass of water.¡± Nurse Liu picked up a glass of water from the table, explaining, ¡°If the glass has clear water, adding sugar will turn it into a beverage, adding salt will make it soup, adding a drop of ink will turn it black. It¡¯s like an empty, crystal-clear brain, easily influenced by all kinds of nonsense. But if you replace the clear water in the glass with porridge, adding sugar or salt will still keep it as porridge. Do you understand this principle?¡± Everyone nodded vigorously. We understand the principle, but studying is not going to happen¡­ Of course, since you have a gun, you¡¯re right! Wang Yunxiao raised his hand and asked, ¡°Sister, I want to know, what should we do if we encounter the kind of monster from the cafeteria in real life?¡± ¡°First, keep your distance, then call the police; there are professional departments to deal with such situations.¡± Nurse Liu paused, then added, ¡°I know what you mean, like what to do in an emergency. If you can¡¯t run away from a ghost creature, look for light, turn on the lights, or start a fire, all of which can work as most ghost creatures are afraid of light.¡± It seems guns might be useful too, but she didn¡¯t mention them. ¡°Another situation, like last night, if you encounter a classmate who is possessed, it¡¯s best not to try to control her. She is not lucid at that time and struggling might easily cause her to twist or break limbs. What you can do is this¡ª¡± She raised her hand and slapped the table hard, startling everyone present. ¡°This is called the Resonance Method. Whether it¡¯s stomping on the ground, hitting a wall, or knocking on an object, creating a sound resonance¡ªI don¡¯t know if you have learned about this aspect of physics yet. Any rhythm is fine; the rhythm is not important, what¡¯s important is creating a resonance that reaches the other person¡¯s brain.¡± Nurse Liu explained, ¡°The higher and more uniform the frequency of the sound, the better. For someone who was just possessed, she still retains a subconscious resistance. This sound resonance can quickly wake her up, effectively weakening the ghost creature¡¯s control.¡± It does sound very scientific, but¡­ Wang Yunxiao silently lamented in his heart, is it necessary to be so materialistic? Chapter 9 - 9 9 A Bit Different from What I Thought ?9: Chapter 9 A Bit Different from What I Thought 9: Chapter 9 A Bit Different from What I Thought Normally, aren¡¯t exorcisms all about things like black dog blood, boy¡¯s urine, cinnabar, yellow paper, and incense ash? And here you are, seriously discussing science with me? Wang Yunxiao instinctively sensed that Nurse Liu definitely hadn¡¯t told the whole truth and was holding something back. But that was also normal; why would she bare her heart to someone she neither related to nor owed anything to? Moreover, even stepping back, this type of matter really isn¡¯t suitable for minors¡­especially energetic minors like himself to know too much about. The class leader came over the next day to visit, and by her ability to run and jump with a rosy face, she seemed to have no issues on the surface. It was just that when the events of that evening were mentioned, her expression turned a bit strange. It wasn¡¯t fear or confusion but rather like she was hiding something on her mind. Wang Yunxiao could tell, but he wasn¡¯t sure if Nurse Liu and Huo Qingyang would be able to spot the issue. After all, in this era, the study of micro-expressions probably hadn¡¯t yet been developed. Over the following grueling week, the brothers in the dorm suffered through a mountain of homework. For academically poor students, this kind of assignment with no set answers was truly a mortal hell. You could certainly slap something together, and the homeroom teacher would be more than happy to give you extra work. Having barely gotten permission from the principal, the teacher would lock these loafers up till the end of time, even if it meant serving meals daily without a single complaint. However, from another perspective, this also proved that our teachers were genuine, and the school was legitimate. Any teacher who forces you to study, no matter how bad their temper, is a good teacher. Any school that does its utmost to fill its students¡¯ brains and bellies, no matter how poor the conditions, is a good school. Although the style might seem a bit odd, overall, it was trustworthy. Of course, this was just Wang Yunxiao¡¯s personal feeling; his brothers might not agree, and Shen Haowen might also have some personal opinions. Time flew, and a week passed quickly. The first thing Wang Yunxiao did after getting outside was to run three laps on the sports field, fully stretching his muscles and instantly feeling refreshed. But then came a wave of emptiness and weakness. There was no helping it; day in, day out, eating pickles and steamed buns, even immortals couldn¡¯t do physical training. With no nourishment in your stomach, your limbs lack strength. ¡°I need to get some money¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao silently sighed to himself. Half a month had passed since he had arrived, without any lucky system giving him even a speck of gold. If this continued, not only was time being wasted, but he was also getting close to ruin. Youtiao noticed his worries and quietly suggested, ¡°Boss, how about we go out and get some wild food?¡± Wang Yunxiao was intrigued and asked composedly, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Fishing, or maybe scamming a bit?¡± Youtiao explained carefully, and it was just as he said, nothing underhanded. Tianmen City, nestled between mountains and seas, with a developed network of waterways, wasn¡¯t far from the Xiaomei River once you left the school gate. In the dorm, Dumpling and Loach were the best swimmers. Before when everyone couldn¡¯t get food, they¡¯d lead everyone to the river to catch fish or grab crabs. It was enough to fill their bellies, though it was somewhat dangerous. As the saying goes, ¡®The stubborn get beaten, good swimmers drown.¡¯ Tianmen City never lacked for drowning victims, adults or children alike. Some waters might look clear and shallow, but one slip and you¡¯d be gone in a flash. The other job, scamming, was even more skill-intensive than fishing. It required a Little Gourd. Others might need to act, but she didn¡¯t, having a frightening scar on her face. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the morning, they¡¯d go to the butcher¡¯s shop to gather some fresh blood, soak a cloth with it and hide it in their hand, then they¡¯d hit the streets looking for easy targets. They couldn¡¯t go after clearly wealthy and influential people since they were beyond their reach. They targeted those who looked meek, wearing glasses, slicking back their hair and powdering their faces, the kind who worked in offices sipping tea and reading newspapers. They¡¯d let Little Gourd crash into them, smear the blood on their face, and throw herself on the ground wailing loudly. That¡¯s when the brothers would circle menacingly, and the target would usually be stunned. As long as they weren¡¯t greedy, not demanding too much, just a little bit for medical expenses, the mark would usually just pay up to avoid trouble. This gig couldn¡¯t be pulled off on a daily basis; if you¡¯re always seen scamming on the streets, people start to recognize you, making it easy to attract envy and even more dangerous, drawing other serious delinquents demanding protection money. Wang Yunxiao and his group had encountered such a situation once, but since they were numerous and ruthless, they managed to scare off three major delinquents. After they entered the school and Little Gourd started to concentrate on her studies and did well, Wang Yunxiao never took her out again. He didn¡¯t know why Youtiao brought this up again. Youtiao, of course, had his own good reasons, ¡°Boss, the last time the class leader came to our dorm, she had on a brand-new outfit. How long has Little Gourd been wearing that old coat? With the weather getting hotter, do you really have the heart to let her run around in tattered clothes, trailing behind the class leader and becoming a laughingstock?¡± Wang Yunxiao thought it made sense. Everyone knew Little Gourd was his sister. The scar on her face was a lost cause, but if she didn¡¯t even have a decent set of clothes, making her look like a beggar, it¡¯d be him, Wang Yunxiao, losing face when people saw her. The main reason was still that the class leader had changed into new clothes. This unlucky kid, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s a holiday, and who knows why he¡¯s fussing over his looks. It must be that pretty boy Qu Wenming from Class Two¡¯s fault! Wang Yunxiao thought about it but still hesitated, ¡°Little Gourd will definitely need to take exams to advance to high school in the future, if you keep dragging her out to fake accidents on the street, wouldn¡¯t that hinder her studies?¡± Youtiao pouted and said, ¡°It¡¯s not me who wants to drag her, but if we don¡¯t bring her along, she absolutely refuses to take the money.¡± ¡°Stubborn!¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, I¡¯ll think of another way.¡± Can a person really be killed by holding in urine? What¡¯s the deal with using your own sister to scam people on the street? He just didn¡¯t understand this era, this world well enough yet, and didn¡¯t have enough information. ¡°Let¡¯s go out for a spin tomorrow.¡± Wang Yunxiao had realized that among these brothers, only Youtiao had a useful brain and was meticulous. As for what day tomorrow would be, that didn¡¯t matter. If he went to class and behaved himself, it might actually dampen the other students¡¯ enthusiasm for learning. Youtiao excitedly said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go to Nanshi!¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded, actually he didn¡¯t even know where Nanshi was, going anywhere would be the same. The next morning, the two filled their stomachs in the cafeteria, took an extra two steamed buns, and climbed over the school wall as the bell rang for class. They hadn¡¯t gone far when Wang Yunxiao furrowed his brow and whispered to Youtiao, ¡°Don¡¯t look back, someone is watching us from behind.¡± ¡°What?¡± Youtiao looked confused, suppressing the urge to turn back, ¡°Why would they watch us?¡± Who am I to ask? Wang Yunxiao was certain, he had just discussed going out for a stroll with Youtiao yesterday, and he hadn¡¯t mentioned it even to the brothers in the dormitory for fear they¡¯d make a fuss and follow them. How could someone possibly have been watching him from outside the school in advance? Unless¡­ they weren¡¯t watching him but the school! Qinghe Middle School was a boarding school, usually aside from faculty, very few people went in and out, so it was even rarer for someone like them to skip class and climb out. If someone really were watching the school, noticing them wouldn¡¯t be strange. But why? Do we have gold in our school? With too little information, Wang Yunxiao found it hard to make a judgment, so he put the issue aside for the moment. Let them watch, what could they possibly dare to do on this busy street in broad daylight? Tianmen City was large. At night after lights out in the dorm, one could see the dazzling lights stretching all the way to the horizon from the window. Walking on the street, one could still vaguely see traces left by past conflicts. Every street had damaged buildings, some abandoned with weeds rebirthing, others were being demolished and reconstructed. On the construction sites, one could see workers sweating profusely everywhere. For young lads like them, as long as they still had strength, they wouldn¡¯t starve to death; at worst, they could carry bricks. But how much money could carrying bricks make? Carrying bricks could at most help them scrape by; to really make a lot of money, they would have to go into excavation. Wang Yunxiao vaguely remembered, he had a comrade whose family was said to be involved in excavation projects. Not that his family was overly rich, but whenever he came back from visiting his family, he¡¯d bring roujiamos filled with Auron meat¡­ Had I been a soldier? His memories were too fuzzy, he couldn¡¯t remember if he had been a soldier, but he distinctly remembered that roujiamo with Auron meat filling. But to be fair, there was no easy money to be made in this world. Going into excavation involved substantial initial investments. Without taking care of everyone involved, how could you get a chance to make that money? If you can¡¯t handle excavation, could you try your hand at landscaping? At this thought, Wang Yunxiao quietly asked Youtiao, ¡°Among our brothers, does anyone know how to garden?¡± Youtiao looked blank and shook his head, then suddenly slapped his forehead, ¡°Little Gourd might know a bit. I remember her family used to¡­ Her dad used to grow orchids, once when we were hunting birds, you broke their flowerpot on the windowsill. That pot was said to be really valuable, Matuan¡¯s dad beat him so hard that he couldn¡¯t get out of bed for a week¡­¡± Hold on, let me sort this out¡­ Wang Yunxiao thought it over and decided it was better not to delve too deeply. The two of them zigzagged through seven or eight streets, and it wasn¡¯t until the sun was high in the sky that they finally arrived at what Youtiao called Nanshi. It felt like country bumpkins entering the town; it was a sudden eye-opener. Near Qinghe Middle School were all low-rise homes, looking just like the countryside. By the time they reached Nanshi, various three-, four-, five-, and six-story buildings gradually began to increase. Streets were lined with flags and signs, bustling with vehicles and throngs of people. It wasn¡¯t even noon yet, and restaurants on the street had already opened, with the aroma of food wafting through the air, discernible from two miles away with scents of beef, lamb, and sweet and sour sauce. Inside glass storefronts, all sorts of goods dazzled the eye, and wooden mannequins dressed in floral dresses looked so real it sparked the imagination. Wang Yunxiao touched his pants pocket, cleaner even than his face, and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°What a place!¡± Chapter 10 - 10 10 Ive Seen This Brother Before ?10: Chapter 10 I¡¯ve Seen This Brother Before 10: Chapter 10 I¡¯ve Seen This Brother Before Since ancient times, Huaxia has had very precise descriptions and distinctions for the dynamic social organizations and their members within cities. Those with some spare cash at home and who wander around with swords, not doing any proper work, are called Rangers. The local natives who love to bully others are called Thugs, and those who are bullied are called Paupers. Those skilled with their hands, who like to tattoo and oil themselves, are brave and love to fight, and can perform on stage are called Street Performers. Those without household registration, uncultured, completely shameless, are called Rogues. Those who spend everything, use everything up, pawn everything away, whose wages are settled daily and nothing is left the next day, are called ¡®three lights¡¯ pawnbrokers. Those who don¡¯t study or work properly, seek to be unconventional, and play with cats and dogs, are called Hooligans. Those who are good for nothing, never get enough to eat, and live day by day are called Loafers. These demons, when added together, are academically called the idle social populace, but of course, they can boastfully claim to be Jianghu People. The Jianghu People are also ranked high and low, with the Loafer being the lowest level among them. The ¡®Loafer¡¯ in Loafers refers to idly waiting for death. Forget about arson, looting, and plundering, even fighting has rules, with a prior agreement that neither side can bring weapons nor strike lethal blows. After the fight, they even have to apologize to the local residents, young and old, clean the streets, and dare not trouble others. Although usually not presentable, looked down upon, that doesn¡¯t mean there are no benefits. The benefit is that when the sky falls, there is a tall one to hold it up; it won¡¯t fall on them. In the early years of Ming Country, Tianmen City conducted its first crime sweep, and all the previously arrogant forces and gangs were wiped out. At the end of the year, during the second round of the crime sweep, another large group of miscreants was cleaned out, incidentally rescuing a large number of fallen women. Wang Yunxiao and his friends went to school honestly, with no trouble at all. According to Youtiao, this street used to be full of pleasure quarters, which at night were absolutely resplendent with lights and feasting, birds dancing and singing. Originally, there were no wooden models in these display windows, but beautiful young ladies, round and full, each able to sing and dance, talented in many arts¡­ ¡°Have you been here before?¡± ¡°I heard it from others!¡± Even if there are any surviving young ladies, they wouldn¡¯t come out to do business during the day. Now, both sides of the street are filled with legitimate shops that reopened after rectification. The street is also lively with a variety of Jianghu performers, selling fruits, cigarettes, and small ice pops, storytelling, singing operas, and demonstrating martial arts. Wang Yunxiao strolled around, playing until noon, then found a shady spot with Youtiao and squatted down by the wall, taking out a cornbread to nibble on. He had only taken a few bites when he heard footsteps approaching from behind. Wang Yunxiao gave Youtiao a look, pinching a small iron knife in his hand. But it seemed that the other party had no ill intentions, as they called out from a distance, ¡°Yuanxiao!¡± Wang Yunxiao turned around and saw a skinny man standing behind him. To describe how thin the man was, at first glance, it looked as if his head was mounted on a chopstick, all skin and bones, the sort that could be blown away by the wind. The man had a mischievously smiling face, with a touch of sleaze in his eyes and brows. Wang Yunxiao looked at Youtiao, who shook his head. If Youtiao didn¡¯t recognize him, it meant he wasn¡¯t an acquaintance. ¡°It¡¯s me, Lv¡¯er!¡± Seeing the blank expression on Wang Yunxiao¡¯s face, the man didn¡¯t get angry but chuckled and came closer, glancing at the cornbread in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s hand and immediately frowning, saying disdainfully, ¡°Why are you still eating this? Come on, Brother will take you out to eat!¡± Who else could you be? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t move, clasping his hands in front of him, and tentatively asked, ¡°I find you a bit unfamiliar, Big Brother; I don¡¯t dare to acknowledge you¡­¡± Lv¡¯er said irritably, ¡°Haven¡¯t seen me for just a few years, and you¡¯ve forgotten me? Remember? When Old Blind Meng married his Concubine and organized a banquet, we sat at the same table, and even played cards together at night, have you forgotten all that?¡± Wang Yunxiao thought I¡¯d remember that? No chance! Youtiao whispered in his ear, ¡°Old Blind Meng was a big Loafer in our area back then. I seem to recall something like that.¡± He merely said there was such a thing but didn¡¯t know the person, so using such a distant connection to get chummy really required a face as thick as the bottom of a pot. Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t feel his current status and identity were worthy of such a person offering him a meal. However, as the saying goes, the barefoot are not afraid of those with shoes; if it¡¯s free, why not eat it? ¡°What am I, a big man, afraid of? Afraid you¡¯re going to harvest my kidney?¡± Realizing this truth, Wang Yunxiao immediately laughed and said, ¡°My apologies, my apologies. Blame my poor eyesight; I truly didn¡¯t recognize Second Brother.¡± Lv¡¯er curled his lips and said, ¡°Yi, after studying for two years and becoming cultured, speaking really is different, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, walk and talk!¡± This person was obviously a loafer, and although he mentioned treating them to a meal, it wasn¡¯t going to be at an eatery with a sign hanging on the street. The three of them wandered around, passing through streets and alleys until they found a small donkey meat fire-baked bun shop. ¡°Shopkeeper! Bring us a pot, half a pound of donkey intestines, half a pound of braised meat, ten baked buns, two liang of Shao liquor, and some cold dishes to accompany the drinks!¡± Lv¡¯er waved his hand with grand air, ¡°Today I¡¯m hosting; no one be polite with me. If it¡¯s not enough, we¡¯ll order more!¡± Who¡¯s being polite with you¡­ Wang Yunxiao smiled and said, ¡°Second Brother making a fortune recently?¡± ¡°Hey, doing a little business¡­ Oh, right, where were we just now? Ah yes, Old Blind Meng!¡± Lv¡¯er slammed his hand on the table, a look of regret covering his face: ¡°Old Meng was such a good guy, wasn¡¯t he? They executed him just like that by shooting. Now that little wife of his is on the streets trying to make a living with their daughter. If it weren¡¯t for us, brothers, taking care of them from time to time, who knows what scumbag would¡¯ve messed with them by now¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t chime in, just listened as he went on talking by himself. After a while, the boss brought over a pot simmering with assorted donkey offal, served with green and red carrots, tofu, and glass noodles, the aroma was mouthwatering. Beneath the pot, the charcoal fire kept it simmering, with the thick soup on top bubbling and white with oil slicks. ¡°Come on, help yourselves! The soup can be refilled, and you can even add noodles if you want!¡± Lv¡¯er called out while standing up and serving himself some meat. Wang Yunxiao ladled himself a full bowl of soup and vegetables. He tore up the remaining baked bun, soaked it thoroughly in the soup, and gulped it down making slurping sounds. The steaming meat soup mixed with the spicy flavor of white pepper shot from his stomach to his head, causing beads of sweat to form on the tip of his nose. ¡°Let me tell you, when you have money, you gotta eat this stuff! Those stir-fries are nothing special!¡± Lv¡¯er, who had insisted on treating them, was also eating the fastest. He wiped the sweat from his face, sniffed, and with a smile said to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Yuanxiao, I haven¡¯t seen much of you on the street these past two years. I heard you guys got hauled off to school to study? Does the school give you money?¡± Wang Yunxiao and Youtiao gorged themselves while shaking their heads. ¡°You still study without getting paid?¡± Lv¡¯er grabbed the liquor jug, filled a cup of liquor, and pushed it in front of Wang Yunxiao with a sly laugh, ¡°I¡¯m not saying studying is bad, studying is definitely good, but that¡¯s for young masters and ladies, not folks like us! Take your school for instance, the government doesn¡¯t charge you now, lets you study for free. What about later? Can they support you for a lifetime?¡± Wang Yunxiao, catching the subtext in his words, couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Second Brother, you¡¯re right, but we can¡¯t help it. At least there¡¯s food and shelter in school. What can I do if I leave? Beg on the streets?¡± Lv¡¯er waved his hand, ¡°That¡¯s not it. Brother, back in the day, you were a known man in South City, with a bunch of capable brothers who respected you! Let me tell you, it¡¯s different now! The government has swept through twice, and those old and young personalities are either dead or fled, not one left. I¡¯m not bragging, but someone like me, when I go out, people call me ¡®Second Master!¡¯ Think about it¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, ¡°Second Brother, you¡¯ve said it yourself, last year they swept through twice, and who knows, they might do it again this year. Are you asking me to throw my life away?¡± ¡°Tsk, who told you to get up to no good? If you were that capable, I¡¯d be clinging to your coattails!¡± Lv¡¯er sipped from his cup, lowered his voice and said, ¡°Brother, I have an opportunity for wealth here, but I¡¯m troubled by the lack of a partner. These past days, I¡¯ve been fretting about it at home. Isn¡¯t it fortuitous, I bump into you as soon as I step out the door!¡± Laozi doesn¡¯t buy your crap! Wang Yunxiao chuckled inwardly while outwardly appearing nonchalant, he whispered, ¡°There¡¯s such a good deal?¡± Lv¡¯er grinned, ¡°Opportunities for riches are plenty, but they never used to fall into our hands. Like those stalls by your school, they were all managed by Sixth Zhu. Ever since he and his brothers went in, nobody¡¯s been in charge of that area anymore. Some of my pals were just complaining to me the other day, saying there¡¯s no one organising, making it less fun to play.¡± Wang Yunxiao initially didn¡¯t understand, but halfway through, he realized it was about gathering people for gambling. Hurriedly, he waved his hands, ¡°No way, I¡¯m out!¡± ¡°It¡¯s small stakes!¡± Lv¡¯er quickly reassured, ¡°It¡¯s just the neighbors playing, tiny bets, the cops won¡¯t bother us! I¡¯m not asking you to do much, just give the brothers some support and keep up appearances. If you agree, I¡¯ll cut you in for this much¡ª¡± He pinched his thumb and index finger together, making a gesture for a twenty-five percent share, then pulled out from his pocket a five-tael silver ingot and laid it on the table, winking, ¡°Real silver, Second Brother is not joking with you. If you agree, take this silver bar straight away, and we can plan in detail tonight!¡± Wang Yunxiao reached for the silver, and Lv¡¯er¡¯s expression changed as he hurriedly tried to stop him, not expecting Wang Yunxiao¡¯s hand to be quicker, snatching it away. ¡°Tonight won¡¯t work, let¡¯s do tomorrow. Meet me by our school gate tomorrow at noon.¡± Wang Yunxiao weighed the silver in his hand, pocketed it, and then, ignoring Lv¡¯er¡¯s embarrassed face, continued devouring his meal. After filling up, he parted ways with Lv¡¯er. On the way back, Youtiao whispered, ¡°Big Brother, I think this guy has bad intentions. Seeing the pained look on his face, that money might not even be his.¡± ¡°Where in the world do you find such luck? We¡¯re not blood brothers, why would he give you five taels of silver for nothing, and even partner with you? He¡¯s taking me for a fool!¡± Wang Yunxiao clutched the silver in his hand, sneered inwardly, ¡°I¡¯ll report him when we get back!¡± Chapter 11 - 11 11 The Headmaster is also a Luxury Figure ?11: Chapter 11 The Headmaster is also a Luxury Figure 11: Chapter 11 The Headmaster is also a Luxury Figure There¡¯s an old saying that a dog can¡¯t spit out ivory. The loafers on the streets had pretty much no lofty ambitions; their philosophy of life was limited to four words: eat, drink, whore, gamble. Wang Yunxiao admitted he had slightly high hopes for Lv¡¯er. He had thought he might offer some great fortune, but after much talk, it was just about looking after a place for him. And it wasn¡¯t even a brothel or a casino. It was a tiny gambling den hidden in an alley, with just two tables where neighbors and friends gathered to drink and play cards. At most, they threw in a couple of dice and a set of Pai Gow. They didn¡¯t even dare to bet big, just one or two cents at a time¡ªit was hardly something to boast about. The police couldn¡¯t care less. How much profit could there be in that? Lv¡¯er¡¯s imagination probably couldn¡¯t stretch further than that as the most profitable business. And that was only possible after all the major thugs were caught and executed, then he¡¯d daringly resurface, unable to get rid of his crooked desires. He couldn¡¯t manage the place alone, and with his habits, it was likely he wasn¡¯t just into gambling; he might need a few hits of opium too. Wang Yunxiao figured he could knock his brains out with a single punch. So, the idea and motivation to partner were fine, but the problem was those five ounces of Silver. Was it possible for a character like him to casually pull out five ounces of Snowflake Silver from his pocket? Or more to the point, could he keep that money in his possession? Wang Yunxiao thought, if I believed him, I might as well believe I¡¯m the reincarnation of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. If he had been dealing with another loafer, flashing those five ounces of Silver could make anyone call him Grandpa; no one would think too much about it. But Wang Yunxiao was not your average loafer. Not to mention his transmigrated self, even the original body¡¯s owner wouldn¡¯t be easily fooled. On the way back, he had already made up his mind. This wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed; all that talk of a coincidental meeting was mere nonsense. Lv¡¯er had clearly been trailing them since they climbed over the wall! The Silver was burning a hole in his pocket, and he planned to report it immediately upon returning. He couldn¡¯t turn to Nurse Liu this time. Wang Yunxiao had thought there might be a romantic link between her and Huo Qingyang, making her easy to talk to. Turned out, she was a thoroughly modern young woman, staunchly independent and would handle her problems without bothering others. Two shots and she had disabled Shen Haowen. If he encountered any demons or monsters in the future, he could seek Nurse Liu¡¯s help, but not this time; this situation didn¡¯t require such heavy firepower. Wang Yunxiao decided to go to Principal Zhou. The principal¡¯s office was sparsely furnished; apart from two sofas for guests and a pair of green vines, there were hardly any other decorations. There was no bookcase, nor were there any famous calligraphies on the walls. Only a yellowing map of Tianmen City was framed with glass on the wall, stuffed with many old photos. Having listened to Wang Yunxiao¡¯s report, Principal Zhou remained silent for a moment before gesturing for him to sit down. ¡°Would you like some tea?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± This response was indeed beyond Wang Yunxiao¡¯s expectations. He had assumed that the principal would either dismiss the issue he reported as trivial and send him away or take it seriously enough to seek a solution. And in the end, he was asked if he wanted tea? Isn¡¯t our entire school committed to this ascetic style? However, as he hesitated, Principal Zhou had already stood up, skillfully picked up the teapot, made a pot of hot tea, and pushed it in front of him. ¡°When I was your age, I was much more formidable than you.¡± Principal Zhou sat down across from Wang Yunxiao and said calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t disbelieve me. Back then, I hung out with more friends than you and yet, I wasn¡¯t the leader of our group¡ªI could, at best, come up with some bad ideas. Look back at that photo behind you. Do you recognize that person?¡± Wang Yunxiao, of course, did not recognize him. ¡°The Ship Captain of the first-class battleship Liuguang of the Southern Fleet, Zhang Kangyi, my classmate, has already sacrificed his life.¡± ¡°And the other two next to him, Chen Dongzhen and Xu Jianxing, one a division commander and the other a brigade commander. Chen Dongzhen was also your father¡¯s former superior. Though not from the same class as me, he was a brother who shared a bunk with me. When the nation needed them, they joined the navy without even attending college, and both sacrificed their lives.¡± Principal Zhou took a sip of tea and did not continue introducing the other individuals in the photos set behind glass. ¡°Wang Yunxiao, you¡¯re already fourteen years old. In my eyes, you are an adult. Your coming to me today because of this matter shows that you can still distinguish right from wrong, you¡¯re not beyond help, and that comforts me.¡± ¡°When I was your age, our country wasn¡¯t like this. You weren¡¯t born in that era; you probably can¡¯t imagine it. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. We spent almost half a lifetime shedding blood and sweat to build the country to what it is today. We strived so that children of your age could sit in classrooms and focus on their studies, without having to endure the hardships we did¡­¡± ¡°I know the radishes and potatoes in the cafeteria are awful, but what can we do? I¡¯ve done the best I could. If you don¡¯t want to eat such terrible food, then you need to study hard, grow up, and help build our country, so your juniors can have eggs and milk in the cafeteria.¡± ¡°You are the older brother here; being an older brother requires setting an example and taking responsibility. I am the principal of this school, and it¡¯s right for you to come to me with such issues. I have only one requirement for my students, and that is to study. I¡¯ll handle external affairs of the school. As long as I am still the principal, you don¡¯t have to worry about these issues. I hope that when you look after your brothers, you also bear this responsibility.¡± Principal Zhou spoke earnestly and convincingly. But Wang Yunxiao was thinking more deeply. Looking directly into Principal Zhou¡¯s eyes, he said honestly, ¡°Principal, you are right, but as the old saying goes, there¡¯s only ¡®thieves for days,¡¯ no ¡®guarding against thieves for days.¡¯ Lv¡¯er came to me with ill intentions; rejecting him was merely a matter of saying no. But what if he persists with his malevolent intent? Our school has around six hundred students and teachers. Today, Lv¡¯er and Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t make trouble, but what if tomorrow Zhang San and Li Yunlong collude? Can you assure me that all the students in the school have as high a moral sense as I do?¡± Principal Zhou frowned and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Wang Yunxiao lowered his voice and said, ¡°What I mean is¡­ Given all these strange incidents suddenly happening at school, where I have been involved firsthand, could you let me in on who is giving us trouble? What are these people after? If they confront me again, I would also know how to handle it.¡± Looking into Wang Yunxiao¡¯s sincere eyes, Principal Zhou hesitated for a long time before slowly nodding and said, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but you have to promise me that the words we speak here today, you cannot reveal to anyone after you leave here.¡± Chapter 12 - 12 12 The First Fishing Law Enforcement in Life ?12: Chapter 12: The First Fishing Law Enforcement in Life 12: Chapter 12: The First Fishing Law Enforcement in Life ¡°During the years of war with the foreigners, you were still young, and some things might not be very clear to you,¡± Principal Zhou stood up and traced his finger over a map. ¡°The main battlefield was in the South Sea, but Tianmen City, as the home port of the Northern Fleet, also suffered more than one attack from the foreigners. Almost the entire area from the harbor to South City was nearly destroyed.¡± Wang Yunxiao sharply noticed that Qinghe Middle School was within the area that Principal Zhou had just demarcated. ¡°Only a few high-rise buildings, including Qinghe Middle School, survived the warfare, and the locations of these buildings happened to form a pattern¡­¡± Principal Zhou pointed at a few places on the map, which, at a cursory glance, did seem to have some symmetrical arrangement to them. ¡°So, there was speculation that Qinghe Middle School might have served as the fulcrum of the city¡¯s defensive barrier, which was why it remained intact.¡± Ah? Wang Yunxiao was momentarily unable to react. He felt he just heard a term that seemed rather out of place. You tell me this world has divine demons and martial masters, I can accept that. But what on earth is a city defensive barrier? ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s written in the novel.¡± ¡°Novel?¡± Principal Zhou nodded and said, ¡°There¡¯s a popular novel that appeared in the market recently; the author claimed to disclose some war secrets from back then, but the book is full of hearsay and far-fetched folklore. Among them is a section about him drinking with a Mr. Yin Yang, who told him that the few buildings that survived in Tianmen City were the so-called fulcrums of the city¡¯s defensive barrier, making them the safest places.¡± ¡°And in reality?¡± ¡°If it were as mystical as he claims, our school would have been overrun by high-ranking officials and dignitaries, leaving no room for you students,¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Principal Zhou shook his head and sighed, ¡°If only it were true, it wouldn¡¯t be such a struggle to find sponsors as it is now. I would remodel the academic building into a high-end luxury private apartment, rent it out exclusively to the rich, and then we¡¯d find other places to rent classrooms. I¡¯d make sure you ate meat every day.¡± Wang Yunxiao felt a newfound respect. You see, this is the difference between people. Lv¡¯er, that guy, despite breaking his head over it, could only think of gathering a group for gambling. Principal Zhou might seem like a staid scholar on the outside, but he probably already calculated the parking fees and property management costs in his head. It¡¯s a pity it¡¯s not feasible. ¡°Actually, this kind of conjecture is nothing new; it¡¯s been around for a while. Everyone else¡¯s homes were bombed into rubble while your school remains untouched. No matter how you explain it, people won¡¯t believe you.¡± Principal Zhou said helplessly, ¡°Moreover, Qinghe Middle School is a military-controlled area, and we don¡¯t allow outsiders to enter, which makes it hard not to arouse suspicion.¡± If you put it that way, even I can¡¯t help but wonder! Wang Yunxiao asked puzzlingly, ¡°Why is it a military-controlled area?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an entrance to the Tianmen City Underground Civil Air Defense system right here in our school,¡± Principal Zhou explained, ¡°Simply put, it¡¯s a bomb shelter. During the war, our students hid there, which is why there were no casualties. It¡¯s a military secret. We can take shelter, but we can¡¯t publicize it. People outside do not know the situation and assume there¡¯s some Dharma Treasure hidden here. Some wild rumors even claim the government is secretly training students in Immortal Technique¡­¡± Is a bomb shelter really a military secret? Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t have a memory of this, but he vaguely remembered there should be different classifications. Civilian and military ones aren¡¯t the same, and the shelter entrance in the school should belong to the military grade. Principal Zhou certainly hadn¡¯t told the whole truth, which was understandable. After all, Wang Yunxiao was only his student, not his son, so there was no need to explain everything so clearly. There¡¯s one crucial question he hadn¡¯t clarified¡ªno matter how sturdy a bomb shelter is, it can¡¯t protect the buildings above ground. Why Qinghe Middle School¡¯s academic building remained intact in the war is a question that the school cannot explain clearly, leading to wild speculation. ¡°When people are curious, they can¡¯t help but probe. If they find something, it¡¯s a pleasant surprise; if not, no harm done. Now that times are better, some have made money and gained power, and they inevitably begin to indulge in whims and start stirring up trouble over nothing,¡± Principal Zhou shook his head and continued, ¡°Huo Haowen is a year senior to you, and he¡¯s about to graduate and move on in a couple of months. He¡¯s doing well academically, and although he¡¯s a bit introverted, as long as he focuses on his studies, there shouldn¡¯t be an issue with him getting into university. But his family might not care about his grades; they just want him to make use of the remainder of his time before graduation. I suspect that he was pressured into desperation, which is why he took such a risk.¡± Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help asking curiously, ¡°Now that he¡¯s been shot, won¡¯t his family create trouble?¡± Seeing how aggressive and domineering his family was that morning, they clearly didn¡¯t seem like the type to take losses lying down. Principal Zhou looked deeply at Wang Yunxiao and said meaningfully, ¡°Trouble? Using sorcery to harm others, coupled with prying into military secrets, he won¡¯t be coming back in this lifetime. He¡¯s a minor, so his parents are also liable. If Huo Qingyang digs up any more problems, the entire Shen Family would have to join him in jail.¡± And you say there are no secrets here?! What kind of thing would exterminate someone¡¯s entire family?! Wang Yunxiao laughed dryly, feeling a chill down his spine. ¡°But I think what you said also makes sense,¡± Principal Zhou changed the subject, ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s no end to being wary of thieves. If you have any ideas, feel free to speak your mind.¡± Wang Yunxiao spoke earnestly, ¡°Principal, I think we might as well set a trap to lure out the person behind Lv¡¯er and see what they¡¯re really up to. Catching them or not is just a phone call away for you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Principal Zhou shook his head and said, ¡°No, that¡¯s too risky. You¡¯re my student, and I can¡¯t let you take that kind of risk.¡± Wang Yunxiao shrugged and said, ¡°At least I¡¯ve been involved in these kinds of things on the streets and have some experience. If you don¡¯t want me to take this risk, does it mean they won¡¯t target other students? At least I¡¯m a descendant of the navy; what about the students from ordinary families?¡± Principal Zhou glanced at an old photo on the wall, fell silent for a moment, and then asked in a low voice, ¡°How confident are you?¡± Wang Yunxiao smiled and said, ¡°When you were my age, couldn¡¯t you handle a petty loafer addicted to eating, drinking, and gambling?¡± For a moment, Principal Zhou had no reply. That was a good point. But after all, times have changed, and as an educator, if he couldn¡¯t protect his students from the injustices of the wicked, what was he really teaching? Chapter 13 - 13 13 I Wang Yunxiao Have Never Been Fond of Fighting ?13: Chapter 13 I, Wang Yunxiao, Have Never Been Fond of Fighting 13: Chapter 13 I, Wang Yunxiao, Have Never Been Fond of Fighting They only took three minutes to agree on the plan. The plan was simple, which was to have Wang Yunxiao and Lv¡¯er pretend to be fooled, feign compliance and build a good relationship, so they would have the chance to meet the financial backer behind Lv¡¯er. Once they could confirm the person¡¯s identity, the school would immediately call the police and arrest these ill-intentioned individuals. The war had just ended, and the country was in need of major reconstruction, with a scarcity of labor force; it was guessed that even sewing machines in prisons were probably being overused (of course, this was just Wang Yunxiao¡¯s guess, as sewing machines weren¡¯t cheap at that time and not every household could afford one, it was more of a rhetorical metaphor). However, to speak realistically, based on the information he collected in these days, the government¡¯s attitude toward social evils had always been very tough. Principal Zhou was firm in his words, and even more so with his connections. As long as he made the phone call, the police station wouldn¡¯t dare to neglect their duties, so there was no need to worry about a scenario like in the movies, where police show up at the very end to ¡°clean up the mess.¡± But after confirming the plan, Wang Yunxiao was lectured by Principal Zhou, spittle flying, for a full hour. As for his capability, Principal Zhou was not too worried. Anyone who could be called ¡°Big Brother¡±, no matter at what level, couldn¡¯t be said to be without skill. What he was mainly worried about was Wang Yunxiao getting on the wrong path. As the old saying goes, it¡¯s hard to learn the good but easy to slip into the bad. This was especially true for gangs like Wang Yunxiao¡¯s, which had already mixed with society for a while before being caught and sent back to school to study. In the eyes of other schools and teachers, they might have already been considered beyond redemption. An ordinary teacher¡¯s monthly wage was only thirty to forty yuan, so why bother fretting over those dealing drugs? Back at the dormitory, Wang Yunxiao called Youbing and Guozi together to start planning. Speaking of these two¡¯s nicknames, to outsiders, they may not seem different. At breakfast, one could hear locals saying, ¡°Master, give me two sticks of Guozi and a bowl of soy milk!¡± and then sit down with Youtiao. But in reality, they are not the same thing. Guozi refers specifically to pastries that haven¡¯t been fried and isn¡¯t limited to breakfast stalls; the mung bean cakes, osmanthus cakes, and pea yellow found in snack shops are also called Guozi, which is why in the locality they are also termed ¡°Guozi shops.¡± The locals are particular about their breakfast, they insist on watching the chef take fresh dough and fry it on the spot, turning out golden-brown, crispy, and delicious Youtiao. To put it simply, it¡¯s like the relationship between potatoes and fries. Guozi got his nickname not only because he was thin but also because his real name was Zheng Nanguo, which was a pun. His grandfather was considered a renowned and honorable man in Tianmen City, possessing excellent martial arts skills, having fought life and death matches, and battled the enemy, his imposing presence alone could keep thirty to fifty men at bay. His father¡¯s generation switched to business and no longer engaged in conflicts. On the other hand, Guozi had enjoyed practicing martial arts since he was young and learned the expansive and forceful Tongbei Fist from his grandfather. However, apart from having the financial means, the most important aspect of practicing martial arts is perseverance. One must train during the coldest of winter days and the hottest of summer days. However, these past two years of destitution had probably led to the neglect of his family¡¯s martial arts legacy. There was certainly no good outcome if he were to compete on the stage, but if it were just a street fight, he had more than enough ability to handle it. Don¡¯t be fooled by his skinny frame, resembling a stick; when he swings those fists, the average person really can¡¯t hold up against them. If it weren¡¯t for his impulsive nature and not so clever mind, it wouldn¡¯t be Wang Yunxiao¡¯s turn to be the boss of this little gang. After listening to Wang Yunxiao¡¯s explanation, Guozi blinked and asked bluntly, ¡°Boss, you just tell me how we¡¯re going to take him down?¡± It didn¡¯t matter who they were going up against; he just wanted to know the time and place. Wang Yunxiao quickly waved his hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t get excited. Here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. You bring Loach with you, and come with me to see exactly what they¡¯re up to. Youtiao will lead Matuan, Youbing, and the rest to back us up. When the time comes, you follow my lead, and Youtiao will adapt to the situation on the spot depending on what happens.¡± The main reason for bringing Guozi and not Youtiao was because Guozi could really fight. If the other side dared to get tough, he could show his skills to take control of the scene. As for Loach, as the saying goes, there are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names. This kid was as slippery as his nickname suggested, with ancestors who ran a large carriage shop¡ªthat is, the kind you¡¯d find in a transport hub. Always greeting people with a grin, his mouth was sweet as honey, making him likable. Youtiao was smart but not good at talking. He usually carried an air of scholarly aloofness and harshness. If it weren¡¯t for Wang Yunxiao¡¯s protection, he would have been beaten to death by now. That¡¯s why Wang Yunxiao had him stay behind this time. If everything went smoothly, fine. If some chaos broke out halfway through, it was only Youtiao who could decide whether to rush over with the guys to rescue someone or to run back and call the police. After the discussion was settled and arrangements were made, the night passed without incident. The next day at noon, Wang Yunxiao brought Loach and Guozi out to look for Lv¡¯er. Lv¡¯er didn¡¯t dare hang around the school gate; that Wolf Fang Club in the security room was no joke. When Wang Yunxiao found him, he was hiding in a nearby alley, sneakily peeking around with a sleazy look on his face. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yo! Isn¡¯t that Brother Guozi!¡± When Lv¡¯er saw Guozi following Wang Yunxiao, his eyes lit up, and he rushed to greet them with a smiling face and a clasped fist bow. Street loafers might not know much, but if you asked them who was good at fighting, they were sure to have a clear idea¡ªborne out of hard-earned lessons from being beaten up. Who could be provoked and who couldn¡¯t be¡ªif a loafer didn¡¯t grasp these basic life skills, they would have long since been wiped out. Although Wang Yunxiao was the leader of their small gang, Guozi had a bigger reputation in the loafer circle because he was good at fighting and ruthlessly vicious. Having been robbed of five taels of silver and having waited in vain for a whole night, Lv¡¯er was resentful but didn¡¯t dare to show it. He still had to speak softly, inviting Wang Yunxiao and the others into a courtyard in the small alley. It was a fairly spacious courtyard, almost fifty square meters, tidy and clean, not looking like a common household¡¯s. The east wing backed onto the riverbank and there was a small side gate. Lv¡¯er whispered mysteriously, ¡°Brother Yuanxiao, guess whose house this is?¡± Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t care less about entertaining him. Whose house is it in relation to me? I don¡¯t know any of them anyway. Seeing that Wang Yunxiao had no reaction, Lv¡¯er¡¯s expression grew even more sleazy. He pointed at the locked main house and whispered, ¡°Let me tell you, this is Old Blind Meng¡¯s extramarital residence; he set up his young wife here back in the day. You see that side gate? The goods Old Blind Meng used to transport were hidden in this courtyard. They would row across the river quietly, unload the goods, and move them out without a sound¡­ Damn, he really hid it well, no wonder he made so much money!¡± If it¡¯s hidden so deeply, then how did you manage to find it? Wang Yunxiao kept a straight face on the surface, but inwardly he laughed coldly. Chapter 14 - 14 14 No Good People Eat Peanuts ?14: Chapter 14: No Good People Eat Peanuts 14: Chapter 14: No Good People Eat Peanuts Old Blind Meng was once a prominent figure in Tianmen City, respected by both the underworld and the respectable, from all walks of life. People would give him some deference when they saw him. On the surface, he was just a local tycoon, but privately, everyone actually knew that he had channels for smuggling foreign goods. When he married his concubine and held a banquet, even street loafers like Wang Yunxiao and Lv¡¯er were able to attend. From this small detail, it was evident that Old Blind Meng treated his friends from the Jianghu World impartially, leaving no room for criticism. Even after he encountered misfortune, according to Lv¡¯er, the street loafers still remembered his kindness and took care of his concubine and daughter. As for why he encountered misfortune, that wasn¡¯t very clear. Logically, smuggling wasn¡¯t a capital offense, and those who dared to engage in such trade usually didn¡¯t have poor connections. So although no one spoke about it openly, everyone was speculating that there had to be more to Old Blind Meng¡¯s misfortune than just smuggling. In the smuggling business, the most important thing is to keep it hidden, and too much exposure can attract envy. The fact that Old Blind Meng¡¯s private residence ended up in Lv¡¯er¡¯s hands somewhat inexplicably was something Wang Yunxiao just couldn¡¯t believe there wasn¡¯t more to. But Lv¡¯er was quite pleased with himself. He assured Wang Yunxiao that the compound was safe and secluded enough to house a dozen Pai Gow tables. He planned to invite friends and relatives from the neighborhood, and with that, the business would be up and running. Good grief, you have such a large compound, and all you think about is gambling. True to your original pursuit. Wang Yunxiao looked around and asked Lv¡¯er, ¡°Whose courtyard is this now?¡± The courtyard was kept very clean, not looking like it was uninhabited, but it certainly wasn¡¯t Lv¡¯er¡¯s own property. It wasn¡¯t that he was underestimated, but expecting him to diligently clean such a large courtyard was like asking him to die. If he had that much diligence, he wouldn¡¯t be in such a situation. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t I tell you? This is the secondary residence that Old Blind Meng set up for his concubine. Just her and his daughter live here,¡± smiling, Lv¡¯er said, ¡°They work during the day and come back to stay at night. Just the two of them, a mother and daughter, they probably find it creepy to sleep here alone. They should thank us for using this courtyard; we¡¯re practically guarding it for them!¡± Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°So Old Blind Meng was executed, and the government hasn¡¯t confiscated this courtyard?¡± Confused, Lv¡¯er responded, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Maybe Old Blind Meng kept it tight and didn¡¯t disclose it to the government?¡± That was a bit beyond him. Wang Yunxiao had no recollection of Old Blind Meng and didn¡¯t know the details, so he changed the subject, ¡°So, brother, how do you plan on running this business? Have you figured out how to make money?¡± Confused, Lv¡¯er responded, ¡°As long as we gather people here, won¡¯t we be able to make money? We¡¯ll earn however the outside casinos do!¡± ¡°So, what exactly is the plan?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be the dealer, they lose money, and we earn it!¡± Well¡­ Wang Yunxiao thought to himself, I still set my expectations too high for you. Of course, you can¡¯t say that Lv¡¯er¡¯s idea had any problem, it¡¯s just a normal thought for ordinary people. Seeing others make money from running a restaurant, I want to run a restaurant and make money too. Seeing others hit it big by writing novels, I want to write novels and hit it big too¡­ After all, he wasn¡¯t originally in this profession; at most, he was just a lousy gambler. The real professionals in this field had mostly gone to ¡°eat peanuts¡± last year. Before Wang Yunxiao could speak, Loach behind him couldn¡¯t help but laugh and said, ¡°Brother Er, you¡¯re too soft-hearted. I¡¯ve heard that all the dealers in those casinos used tricks, scaring those who win money and easing up on those who lose. Can you do any of that?¡± He didn¡¯t even dare to say that you were too ambitious; he just said you were soft-hearted. On hearing this, Lv¡¯er¡¯s already not-so-pleasant countenance instantly turned as red and purple as pig liver, and he argued with his neck stiff, ¡°They¡¯re all villagers, people we see every day. How could I cheat them¡­¡± Exactly, villagers. The way Lv¡¯er imagined making money was by using his ¡°years of honed gambling skills¡± to swindle the naive kids around the neighborhood. Wang Yunxiao sighed inwardly, now understanding why this fellow had managed to escape the previous two rounds of crackdowns on crime. It¡¯s not that the cops weren¡¯t diligent; it¡¯s just that this mosquito leg¡¯s worth of meat really wasn¡¯t worth their effort. If I don¡¯t give him a hand, who knows how he¡¯s going to handle what comes next in this drama. Wang Yunxiao pulled Lv¡¯er to his front, pretending not to notice the panic and flickering in his eyes, and instructed carefully, ¡°This won¡¯t work, listen to my plan. Don¡¯t just go out and tell everyone you¡¯re gathering people to gamble here¡­¡± Lv¡¯er quickly waved his hands, ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m not stupid!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have the skills, don¡¯t try to act like the big bad wolf. Set up the place, hire a chef to take care of food and drinks, let them spend money here. When those two women come back, you arrange for me to meet them, give them a share of the profits, and have them take care of cleaning up. Then, you can tell people outside that this is Old Blind Meng¡¯s business. People say a skinny camel is bigger than a horse, still better than your face, right?¡± After scratching his head for a while, Lv¡¯er finally grasped the true meaning, and immediately gave a thumbs-up, praising, ¡°Great idea! It¡¯s still Yuanxiao who¡¯s educated; you always think things through better than us. At first, I was thinking of doing it this way too, but my mind was all muddled, not sure where to start.¡± Next to them, Loach added with a chuckle, ¡°What are you planning to play, Brother Er? If you¡¯re thinking of Pai Gow or dice, it¡¯s gonna be hard to explain if the cops show up. And, don¡¯t you also have to take care of the police somehow?¡± Lv¡¯er¡¯s legs trembled, and he quickly shook his head in denial, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, what dice, no such thing. Yuanxiao is right, this is a legitimate business, can¡¯t mention anything related to gambling. I think card games are good, look at those bosses, grandees, rich ladies, they all play cards, what¡¯s it called again¡­¡± ¡°A delight for both refined and popular tastes!¡± ¡°Right, a delight for both refined and popular tastes. It¡¯s a refined matter! See, I just can¡¯t articulate well.¡± Lv¡¯er, smiling, gave himself a little slap on the mouth, ¡°Yuanxiao, you have the ideas, so let¡¯s let you decide. I¡¯ll just bring people over, and when we make silver, we brothers will be rich and live large, drinking and eating meat!¡± Chapter 15 - 15 15 Something Seems Off With the Art Style ?15: Chapter 15 Something Seems Off With the Art Style 15: Chapter 15 Something Seems Off With the Art Style Wang Yunxiao did not remember when he had attended Old Blind Meng¡¯s banquet, only realizing that it must not have been too long ago when he saw the widow. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was roughly two years ago, right around the time the war was drawing to a close. Before that, he was certainly not a wandering orphan on the streets. How old was the young wife that Old Blind Meng had married two years ago now? The answer was not much older than himself, looking to be only about seventeen or eighteen years old. There¡¯s a saying that one takes a concubine for her beauty. The young lady was quite charming, with eyes that could entrap a soul and a good figure; otherwise, how could she have become the little wife of a wealthy and powerful tycoon? The one with her, Old Blind Meng¡¯s own daughter, seemed only three or four years younger, about the age of a middle schooler just starting out. There were even a few similarities between their features. Truly, it was the evil old society. In regard to these two¡­ to call them sisters might not be wrong, given their ages, Wang Yunxiao was psychologically prepared. Let me repeat, truly the evil old society, where the rich knew how to indulge¡­ no, it is the tragic fate of women. But as for why they could have lived safely up to now after Old Blind Meng bit the dust, that was somewhat beyond Wang Yunxiao¡¯s imagination. Was it due to a peaceful social environment? Or was it the lingering influence of Old Blind Meng¡¯s legacy? Neither. Seeing the two young girls clad in black and white nun¡¯s habits, Wang Yunxiao was full of question marks. Huh? Laozi, a mighty transmigrator, what haven¡¯t I seen? I really haven¡¯t seen this scene! This image was too shocking to the soul, so much so that upon first seeing them, he forgot the words he intended to say, standing there awkwardly in the moment. Did Old Blind Meng play around like this before? Laozi has grown so big, yet I¡¯ve never seen such a script! ¡°I am Madam Cui, and I¡¯ve had the honor to meet the Wang brothers,¡± said the older girl, who seemed accustomed to this kind of situation, bowing slightly with a respectful gesture, softly explaining, ¡°After old master¡¯s passing, the Church provided shelter for my mother and me, allowing us to live in peace until now.¡± Following traditional customs, married women generally prefixed their husband¡¯s surname to their own when introducing themselves, referred to as XX shi. But this was a right reserved for the official wife; ordinary concubines did not even have the right to take their husband¡¯s surname. But what Wang Yunxiao cared about was not such details. ¡°Which Church?¡± Madam Cui took out the cross hanging around her neck and stated solemnly, ¡°We are now technical nuns at the Qianjin Church, with official identity proof.¡± The iron cross she exhibited also bore two rings of gears on it, with a hammer etched in the middle. This style seemed a bit off. Wang Yunxiao had never heard of it. ¡°Master had donated this mansion to the Church even before his death, and we mother and daughter are merely temporarily residing here. If you wish to use it, you just need to give notice to the Church. As long as you don¡¯t disturb our rest, we won¡¯t interfere with other matters,¡± she said. This Madam Cui spoke rationally, with clear logic, resembling someone who had been educated. They did not want to cause trouble and cleverly passed the buck to the Church, which could also be seen as a wise move for self-preservation. Wang Yunxiao looked askance at Lv¡¯er, ¡°Why is there church business here as well? Have you greeted them properly?¡± But Lv¡¯er didn¡¯t seem to care, ¡°Why bother with those foreign nuns? They¡¯re no saints. If we don¡¯t tell, where would they find out from?¡± Well, aren¡¯t you just brilliant! Wang Yunxiao thought to himself, I knew it, there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. School lunches are free because they¡¯re government-subsidized. Expecting you, sir, to handle things properly is like hoping pigs might climb trees. So apart from those five pieces of silver, everything else really depends on your ability to bluff, right? As for those dumplings specially made with vinegar wrapper, Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t be bothered to haggle with him. Anyway, by patching one wall with bricks from another, muddling through somehow, this gambling den¡­ no, the proper term should be a card market, was sort of up and running. In the courtyard were placed four or five low tables, paired with little stools. Lv¡¯er somehow got hold of a whole crate of over twenty bottles of unlabeled bulk liquor. It¡¯s safety was questionable, and one couldn¡¯t be too demanding about the taste, but the most important thing was that it was cheap enough, one cent for an ounce, five cents a bottle. Then set up a small coal stove, drag over a sack of corn and potatoes, and that counts as all set! And don¡¯t look down on the conditions, eating roasted potatoes dipped in chili salt, accompanied by two ounces of liquor, for the common folk that¡¯s considered a high level of consumption. Those who really don¡¯t have the money, can¡¯t even afford the roasted potatoes, they have to make do with gnawing dried herring to accompany their drink. Around three or four in the afternoon, Lv¡¯er¡¯s fair-weather friends began to straggle in. It wasn¡¯t entirely made up of loafers like Lv¡¯er; there were also lots of idle young men, laborers from construction sites, and old men who basked in the sun at the alley entrance¡­ all sorts of people. Seeing this situation, there definitely was significant market demand. But what could you do, these days what else do the common folks have to entertain themselves? Lv¡¯er was hopping from table to table setting up card games, grinning like a pimp, no longer sleepy, no more mumbling, as excited as if he¡¯d been injected with chicken blood. He¡¯d never conducted such big business before. In the past, he¡¯d strut in with money to play the big shot, only to lose it all and be kicked out like a dog once broke; he had never been this much in the spotlight. Whenever he met the old and young regulars, they would warmly greet him as ¡®Brother Er¡¯, and it almost carried him away. Wang Yunxiao sat with Guozi and Loach at the side, watching with a detached eye. The scene was indeed lively, but whether it would make money was another matter. Lv¡¯er only knew how to gamble, he really didn¡¯t have the ability to run a gambling house. Relying solely on selling food and drinks and poker cards, he most likely wouldn¡¯t make much. Loach looked around with his sneaky eyes and whispered to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Big brother, I¡¯m afraid the liquor won¡¯t sell well, but we could possibly sell peanuts, melon seeds, candy, cigarettes, and such. Those are sure to sell!¡± Wang Yunxiao thought it over and felt he had a point. Once they arrived, the yard was filled with swirling smoke. To be honest, his experience in this field wasn¡¯t much more than that of Lv¡¯er; the only difference was a more agile mind, and the ability to learn from mistakes. Cigarettes were hard to come by, but peanuts and melon seeds could be sourced from the squad leader¡¯s family. Even without dabbling in illegal goods, simply running an entertainment venue like this could still be a way to make money. Of course, this was a rather naive thought. Society isn¡¯t that simple. While Wang Yunxiao harbored thoughts of making big money, he didn¡¯t forget to pay attention to what was happening in the courtyard. Inside the courtyard, there was a haze of smoke, shouts and calls, laughter and curses, a cacophony of voices. But overall, things were relatively orderly; everyone was there to play, not daring to gamble big money. Wouldn¡¯t you want to let people enjoy their chatter? The Meng family mother and daughter hadn¡¯t yet returned at this time, they said they were working outside. Not sure what kind of work these technical nuns could do, anyhow, the whole scene was just oddly incongruent. By the time they finished work and it became dark, there were no electric lights here, naturally it was time to close shop. Theoretically, it shouldn¡¯t disturb their rest. As long as nothing unexpected happened. Chapter 16 - 16 16 The Map is Too Long to Reveal the Dagger ?16: Chapter 16: The Map is Too Long to Reveal the Dagger 16: Chapter 16: The Map is Too Long to Reveal the Dagger Playing cards is generally a delightful activity enjoyed by all. High-society individuals have their sophisticated ways of playing, while commoners have their simpler methods. Poker cards are inexpensive, affordable even for ordinary folks. In Tianmen City¡¯s lower society, two popular games prevail, one is ¡°Smashing Opponents,¡± and the other is ¡°Cheating Three Cards.¡± In the past, Casinos mainly featured Cheating Three Cards¡ªa game quite similar to Texas Hold¡¯em but in a simplified version. The big ups and downs of the game made it more appealing to gamblers. The rules of Smashing Opponents are somewhat similar to those of playing landlord, comprising singular and doubles. However, it involves teams of two, and four people per game. Compared to others, its pace is slower, and the outcome after an entire night isn¡¯t very dramatic. So, Casino owners don¡¯t favor it. Actually, the rules hardly matter. The essence of Tianmen people playing cards isn¡¯t in the gameplay but in the banter. As the saying goes, playing cards without a sharp tongue is half as fun. Winning or losing isn¡¯t important. What matters is the vigor. Holding good cards in your hand and jabbing harsh words right into someone¡¯s guts feels as exhilarating as eating sashimi with mustard: it¡¯s not about the potential radiation in the food, but the searing rush of mustard that blasts your senses. Having spent barely half an hour in the yard, Wang Yunxiao deeply experienced the verbal prowess of the Tianmen people. Clutching a pair of tens, he watched the young player above him hesitate slightly before earnestly beginning his mocking charm, ¡°Can you beat that? What are you waiting for, a bus? Even playing cards, you dither. Is that how you were on your wedding night? If you don¡¯t cover me, I¡¯m leaving¡­¡± ¡°Three sixes!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± Seeing the old man pass, the young player snapped, ¡°You don¡¯t want three sixes? What are you fussing about then? Just say you can¡¯t beat it, and I would have split them! Given your age, like I could stop you? Just tell me what you can beat, is it a five or a four¡­¡± The chatter is thicker than the gameplay. Wang Yunxiao hid to the side, quietly enjoying the show. Lv¡¯er approached with a cheeky grin, ¡°Yuanxiao, they need one more player over there. Why don¡¯t you join them for a couple of rounds?¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, ¡°No interest, not playing.¡± Lv¡¯er¡¯s expression slightly changed, and he thought to persuade further, ¡°It¡¯s definitely boring just watching here. Playing a few rounds will be fun. Don¡¯t keep them waiting¡­¡± ¡°If I go play, who will watch the place?¡± ¡°What are you afraid of? I¡¯m not worried, everyone is neighbors here, it¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Wang Yunxiao firmly refused, ¡°Everyone in the Jianghu World knows that Wang Yunxiao is a man of integrity. Taking your five taels of silver means doing exactly five taels worth of work. When I say I¡¯ll watch the place, I focus on watching the place!¡± Lv¡¯er, unable to retort, frowned and turned away. Before long, Wang Yunxiao saw him sneaking out the gate. Another half hour passed, and he led two stout men back from outside. Living standards back in those days couldn¡¯t be compared with the 21st century; ordinary people didn¡¯t need to worry about over-nutrition or related diseases. In contrast, these two men looked evidently more robust and well-fed. Lv¡¯er brought them in front of Wang Yunxiao, grinning, ¡°Brother Yuanxiao, guess who I ran into? Let me introduce them. This is Du Ming, Master Du, and this is Du Chun, Second Master Du, both renowned heroes indeed!¡± Was a renowned hero actually in need of such an introduction? If there had been anything at all praiseworthy, one wouldn¡¯t end up unable to boast even a single word. Wang Yunxiao snickered inwardly, stood up, and greeted with a clasped fist and a smile, ¡°Master Du, Second Master Du, I¡¯ve long admired you!¡± The two didn¡¯t really care about his attitude. Du Ming waved his hand and said, ¡°Both of us hail from Tianmen as well, but we¡¯ve always been in the service of nobles, so our fame isn¡¯t prominent. We¡¯ve just returned, and finding ourselves idly at home without amusement, we heard that a new gambling station had been set up here, so we came to have a look.¡± Lv¡¯er hurriedly responded with a laugh, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t find our modest setup laughable. We just opened today, and we¡¯re lacking everything. Please forgive us, forgive us!¡± Then he turned his head and winked at Wang Yunxiao, whispering, ¡°I¡¯ll go over there and arrange some food. Brother Yuanxiao, please entertain the two Master Dus, and make sure not to neglect our honored guests!¡± What an awkward performance it truly was. It was tough on Brother Du too, having to recite lines in such a soullessly flattering tone. No sooner had Wang Yunxiao refused to play cards than Lv¡¯er fetched these two ¡°honored guests¡± whom he couldn¡¯t afford to neglect. What a coincidence, how could it be such a coincidence? The moment Lv¡¯er turned to leave, the men plopped themselves down, bulging their eyes at Wang Yunxiao, and demanded fiercely, ¡°Kid! What are your credentials?¡± This was slang from the northern Green Forest Road, also known as ¡°lip code,¡± asking what your background is and who has got your back. Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t understand this, but having seen enough explanatory videos online in later times, he could roughly guess what it meant. I¡¯m not involved with the Green Forest Road, why should I bother explaining this to you when I¡¯m fully sated? So he quickly waved his hands and said, ¡°Please, brothers, don¡¯t talk about this. I don¡¯t understand nor do I want to hear it. Also, keep it down, the government has said that reporting is rewarded!¡± Hearing the word ¡°government,¡± the Du brothers instinctively straightened up and shrank their necks, their arrogance receding. Last year¡¯s two rounds of anti-crime operations were still having an effect. Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t very clear about the extent of these actions, but from the brothers¡¯ reactions, he knew the deterrent effect hadn¡¯t fully dissipated. Du Chun coughed and dryly chuckled, ¡°Little brother speaks sensibly. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. We should indeed be cautious when we¡¯re out not to cause trouble for our host. It seems everyone here is playing cards. Why don¡¯t we join in? Would you play with us?¡± At this, Wang Yunxiao found it difficult to refuse. His role here was to oversee the casino, and besides dealing with troublesome and provocative patrons, a significant part of his job was to host friends from the Jianghu world. What mattered in the Jianghu was the show of respect and face. You reciprocate the respect shown to you. The friends from the Jianghu who visit you should be sincerely attended to, as only then would they appreciate your kindness. Over time, this would build your network and reputation. Of course, today was a special case. They had clearly come for him. Wang Yunxiao had Loach fetch a deck of cards, turned back to the Du brothers, and said with a smile, ¡°Please forgive me, brothers, I haven¡¯t played this for many years and might be a bit rusty. Whatever you like to play, I¡¯m all in.¡± Hearing his humble words, the brothers¡¯ expressions softened immediately. Du Ming laughed heartily, ¡°What¡¯s there to know about playing this game, you get the hang of it after a couple of rounds! But we brothers like to play with stakes, it¡¯s no fun without money on the table.¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded and smiled, ¡°Sure, as long as you keep it down, any way of playing is fine!¡± Chapter 17 - 17 17 Youre Useless When Given the Opportunity ?17: Chapter 17: You¡¯re Useless When Given the Opportunity 17: Chapter 17: You¡¯re Useless When Given the Opportunity Why does gambling ruin people? Because the house never talks about fairness or justice. Many gamblers are hopelessly trapped, and one of the main reasons is that they firmly believe in science. More precisely, in probability. From a probabilistic standpoint, three dice chaotically spinning around, and the chances of landing on high or low are the same¡ªwinning or losing depends solely on luck. If you lose money, it¡¯s just bad luck, slippery and deceiving. But in reality, it has nothing to do with luck. The sole purpose of running a casino is to make money from you, not to adopt you as a charity case. All the meticulous planning is aimed ultimately at emptying the gambler¡¯s wallet. Throughout history, the house¡¯s tricks have been many and varied. Some of these strategies are proven to be unfailingly effective and have stood the test of time. For instance, luring newcomers into the games, giving them a taste of victory to spark their desires. Then letting them suffer losses, scaring them into compulsive playing. A few ups and downs later, newcomers lose their minds completely, betting all their assets, and eventually end up with nothing but their underwear. The Du brothers played this game too. Wang Yunxiao said he didn¡¯t know how to play, but that was no problem¡ªjust fix a few games. The two brothers laughed like scoundrels, their thoughts as plain as the expressions on their faces, thinking Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t tell. Wang Yunxiao roped in Loach, and started playing three-card trick with the Du brothers. The rules were simple: each person had three hidden cards and two revealed, comparing who had the higher cards. The minimum bet was one coin, and Lv¡¯er had come prepared, having exchanged plenty of one-coin Colorful Banknotes at the bank beforehand. Currently, there are two types of legal tender circulating on the market. One is the ¡°Industrial Coupons¡± issued by Xingguo Bank, whose value has always been solid, fully exchangeable for Silver or silver. But this is a foreign capital bank. Their ability to issue currency was related to the Imperial Court¡¯s campaign in the Northwest years ago. It¡¯s said that the Imperial Court couldn¡¯t muster sufficient military funds at the time and had to mortgage the rights to issue money as part of the borrowing agreement. Of course, they weren¡¯t called banknotes back then, what were issued were bearer bonds. Because they retained value and were convenient, they naturally became circulating currency. The other type is the so-called ¡°New Currency,¡± released by the previous Imperial Court about five years ago. Its denominations kept increasing, with the largest even being one million yuan per note¡ªtoo stiff even to be used for toilet paper. Both types of notes, known as ¡°Colorful Banknote¡± and ¡°New Currency,¡± are in circulation with an exchange rate of one to eight thousand five. Luckily, after the establishment of the new government, the circulation and exchange of the New Currency were not immediately canceled, otherwise, it would be only useful for wiping butts. The brand new one-coin Colorful Banknote, about three inches square, was less than half the size of a palm. Both sides were printed with blue-green landscape designs, labeled in Chinese, English, and a language Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t recognize with ¡°Xingguo Bank¡± and ¡°One-Coin Reserve Coupon¡±. For the common folk who lacked education and exposure, it was like a colored picture, hence colloquially called a Colorful Banknote. It was perfect for use as chips. It was unclear whether it was because of good luck today, or the Du brothers deliberately throwing the game too obviously, or perhaps the legendary newbie protection period had kicked in. In short, Wang Yunxiao had been winning from the start, winning until his hands and feet were numb, winning to the point where the two brothers across from him were flushed and sweating from their foreheads. Du Chun had lost a bit too much and, seeing that he once again held a few worthless cards, couldn¡¯t help but turn his head towards Guozi, who was dealing, and yelled, ¡°Can¡¯t you deal properly?¡± With Guozi¡¯s fiery temper, he couldn¡¯t tolerate such an insult. He immediately threw down the deck and stood up, saying coldly, ¡°Say that again, I dare you.¡± Wang Yunxiao quickly grabbed Guozi and shouted at Lv¡¯er before turning back and, with a smile, said to Du Ming, who was also holding back Du Chun, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, gentlemen, cool down. You see, our place has just opened and we indeed are short-staffed.¡± He could swear on the lamp, although there wasn¡¯t a lamp there¡­ but Wang Yunxiao really hadn¡¯t cheated. His thoughts were actually the same as the Du brothers¡¯, which was to meet the mysterious backer behind the scenes as soon as possible, without being suspected. Unfortunately, his luck was just too hot. Seeing Wang Yunxiao call Lv¡¯er over to deal, the brothers¡¯ expressions eased slightly. Lv¡¯er took over the table and reshuffled the deck. Wang Yunxiao watched him hide an Ace at the bottom of the deck and deal it to Du Chun in silence. Such clumsy cheating. In the casinos of the past, this kid wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep his hands. Just then, Miss Meng and Madame Cui of the Meng Family returned from outside and, seeing the sultry scene in the courtyard, Miss Meng frowned and was about to speak when Madam Cui held her back, gently shook her head, and the two quietly entered the inner room. Since the two ladies had entered the courtyard, Du Chun hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off them. He watched them go inside and shut the door, then turned around with an excited face and asked Lv¡¯er, ¡°You lad, preparing such entertainment?¡± He hadn¡¯t even noticed the card Lv¡¯er had given him and casually dismissed the entire round with a wave of his hand. Lv¡¯er quickly replied with a forced smile, ¡°Second Master, you misunderstand. They are the owners of this place, not those kinds of women, they don¡¯t engage in such acts.¡± Upon hearing this, Du Chun grew even more thrilled, ¡°So what if they¡¯re the owners? Shouldn¡¯t they come out to greet the guests and offer a toast? What¡¯s with the young ladies these days lacking such manners and etiquette?¡± He deliberately raised his voice, seemingly so the women inside could hear him. Lv¡¯er¡¯s expression shifted slightly. He quickly implored, ¡°Second Master! Please give me some face; don¡¯t stoop to their level. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. You see, they are nuns from the church, we really shouldn¡¯t mess with them¡­¡± ¡°Nuns? Aren¡¯t they just foreign nuns?¡± With an indifferent expression and a sneer, Du Chun said, ¡°Come on, are the buttocks of foreign nuns more precious than those girls halfway hiding behind doors along the river? I couldn¡¯t tell; you really look up to foreigners. You think I can¡¯t afford it?¡± The more he spoke, the uglier it got, causing the surrounding card players to glance sideways. Lv¡¯er reluctantly kept smiling and speaking nicely, while frantically signaling Wang Yunxiao with his eyes. Wang Yunxiao got the message instantly. This was the time for him, who was in charge of the money and venue, to act. As the saying goes, money is hard to earn, and shit is hard to swallow. The more underground the business, the quicker the money comes in, and the more trouble it attracts. This was still a good time for him, considering what Youtiao had said about having to pay respects to the powers of both the underworld and heaven a few years back before setting up such a stall in order to safely open for business. Even though the social environment had improved, it was unavoidable that such troublesome customers would appear. This was when he needed to step up and handle the situation. Wang Yunxiao subtly kicked Loach under the table and, putting down his deck of cards with a smile, said, ¡°Second Master, our business here is small, we can¡¯t afford the trouble of involving women; please don¡¯t make it difficult for Brother Lv¡¯er, okay?¡± Chapter 18 - 18 18 If Only I Had Known It Would Be Like This ?18: Chapter 18: If Only I Had Known It Would Be Like This 18: Chapter 18: If Only I Had Known It Would Be Like This The business warfare in novels is very different from that in reality. Because novel authors need to follow logic, they can¡¯t just throw the reader¡¯s mind off the twenty-eight-floor rooftop for kicks. Who wants to read about a big guy smashing open safes and stealing company seals or sneaking into the night to chop down a rival company¡¯s money tree, right? Wang Yunxiao used to be deeply poisoned by web novels, always thinking that after he transmigrated, he would encounter those cunning and calculating characters, who would design traps within traps, layers within layers, to play him like clapping hands¡­ However, reality proved he read too many Qidian novels. These two heroes, who knows where they came from, couldn¡¯t even set a trap properly. Playing penny poker for over an hour and only losing two yuan and fifty-six cents, these two started to panic! Does your Family Head know how outstanding you are? Could you please try harder for a little longer instead of giving up so easily? Seeing Du Chun getting lascivious ideas, Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t feel nervous at all, and even felt a bit relieved. Bad luck at the card table is something nobody can do anything about. Stopping losses in time and looking for other solutions can also be a strategy to break the game. Using ¡°lusting for beauty¡± as an excuse, escalating verbal provocations to physical conflict, finding a reason to subdue oneself, and bringing oneself before the master¡­ That made sense. Wang Yunxiao had already decided, considering the other party looked like someone skilled in martial arts, that they should be capable. He would symbolically resist a bit, then let them capture him, and thus he could meet the boss. As long as he confirmed the existence of this person, it didn¡¯t matter who it was, the rest could be handled by the school, and he could legitimately claim the five taels of silver. Honestly, although Lv¡¯er was unreliable, Wang Yunxiao thought the business he came up with was quite promising. Too bad he still had to take his brothers to school and study; he didn¡¯t have time to run such a business. Wang Yunxiao had a good plan, the only thing he hadn¡¯t considered was that his opponents seemed not even to have reached Silver Rank yet. He saw Du Chun give him a sidelong glance and sneer at Wang Yunxiao, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, she¡¯s your sweetheart? If you dare to show your face, don¡¯t be afraid of people coveting it! Letting you play a couple of hands with the master, winning some money and you forget your own last name? You should go out and ask around, the master¡­¡± ¡°Master your leg!¡± Before Wang Yunxiao could speak, Guozi stood up and flipped a stool onto Du Chun¡¯s face, ¡°Master this, master that, who are you the master of!¡± Caught unawares, Du Chun fell flat on his behind. Du Ming raised a finger angrily at Guozi and roared, ¡°Thief! You dare to raise a hand against us?¡± Wang Yunxiao had been on guard against these two making a move and blurted, ¡°No, no, no!¡± As he spoke, he flipped the table onto their face, and with his other hand, he clutched a small knife between two fingers, stabbing toward Du Ming¡¯s outstretched hand. With a muffled squelch, the knife pierced the palm, blood spurting out. Du Ming screamed in pain. Wang Yunxiao and Guozi exchanged glances, both ready to fight. But the Du brothers clumsily got up from the ground, kept their distance, and yelled, clutching their hand, ¡°Thief Sun! You dare use a weapon, huh? Do you know who we are?¡± Wang Yunxiao: ??? Huh? It¡¯s not you two¡­ Not fighting? Seeing that neither of them spoke, Du Ming, with a grimace, wiped his injured hand over his face, smearing it with blood, then tilted his head to expose his neck and sneered, ¡°Thief Sun! If you¡¯ve got the guts, stab me here! If you can¡¯t kill me, I¡¯m your grandpa!¡± Wang Yunxiao: ??? I¡¯ve never heard of such a request! He was still hesitant, but Guozi, full of youthful vigor, didn¡¯t say a word, turned around, picked up a glass bottle used for serving loose wine from the side, and smashed it against the wall. The bottle shattered instantly, leaving only a jagged half in his hand, the broken edges gleaming menacingly. The Du brothers turned pale and ran for it. Guozi, expressionless, took off after them. Wang Yunxiao stood there, utterly baffled, not knowing what to do. Could it be that I¡¯ve overthought this? That couldn¡¯t be right, look at how arrogant they were just now, who could¡¯ve guessed they were paper tigers, bursting at the slightest poke? Aren¡¯t normal villainous extras supposed to be unbending and never repentant, not taking a lesson even after being taught, fighting over each other to continue showing up and getting humiliated? Do you even have any professional ethics? But now wasn¡¯t the time for him to think too much, as Guozi had already taken off after them. Afraid that Guozi might be at a disadvantage, Wang Yunxiao hurried to the startled onlookers and cupped his fists in apology, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, as you all have witnessed, we didn¡¯t provoke this. I was kindly treating these two gentlemen, but who would¡¯ve thought they still harbored ill intentions, spewing filth and trying to harass respectable women.¡± The old man playing cards chuckled and said, ¡°Young man, don¡¯t worry. You don¡¯t have to be afraid, we all saw what happened. The neighbors can all vouch for you.¡± What am I afraid of, I threw the punches, you¡¯re not scared either, right? That¡¯s real good then! Wang Yunxiao thought to himself that these two indeed had nothing frightening about them, the only one who should be scared was Lv¡¯er, who was now caught between laughing and crying, trembling with fear, probably about to wet his pants. After soothing the customers, Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t bother with Lv¡¯er and hurried out the door to look for Guozi. In just the time it took to say a couple of sentences, Guozi had chased the Du brothers down an entire street. Loach whistled, and Youtiao, leading the other brothers, surrounded them, trapping them at the corner. As the saying goes, two fists can¡¯t beat four hands, and a fierce tiger can¡¯t withstand a pack of wolves. It was thought that the Du brothers were tall and menacing, not easy to deal with. But as it turned out, they were all bark and no bite, scaredy-cats that fled in panic. By the time Wang Yunxiao arrived, the two were already surrounded and beaten to a pulp, lying on the ground unable to move. ¡°Stop!¡± Wang Yunxiao immediately went over to call a halt. It wasn¡¯t completely dark yet, and the streets were busy with passersby. People seeing a group of students kicking and punching two strong men couldn¡¯t help but stop and watch. These people also had some nerve. In the old society, if you dared to linger and watch a gang fight, you¡¯d be lucky not to be caught in the crossfire. It was only because the public security was better now that the civilians had the courage to not only watch but even point fingers and make comments. Wang Yunxiao held Guozi back and whispered to Youtiao, ¡°This is bad, we¡¯ve become the bad guys!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Regardless of the reasons, and whether there were witnesses or not, in the end, it was them, a dozen people, beating up two others. If things got out of hand, he wouldn¡¯t be able to clear his name even with a mouthful of explanations. Being a transmigrator, Wang Yunxiao was particularly sensitive to such situations. However, Youtiao shook his head, signaling him not to talk nonsense, then gave Du Ming another kick in the butt and asked loudly, ¡°What do you say, gentlemen?¡± Initially curled up with his head in his arms, Du Ming immediately raised his head upon hearing this, trying to smile through the pain and said, ¡°It feels good! It¡¯s like giving grandpa a scrub, put in some effort, don¡¯t hold back!¡± Chapter 19 - 19 19 The Newcomer Doesnt Quite Understand the Rules ?19: Chapter 19 The Newcomer Doesn¡¯t Quite Understand the Rules 19: Chapter 19 The Newcomer Doesn¡¯t Quite Understand the Rules ¡°Wang Yunxiao, heh, instead of diligently attending school, you¡¯ve been goofing off on the streets again, completely hopeless. No worries though, if you don¡¯t like studying, you won¡¯t have to. Stay here for a couple of days to taste the jail food, and once this year¡¯s documents come through, we¡¯ll hit the road together!¡± In the interrogation room, the veteran cop closed the transcript with a smirk that was anything but warm. This was Wang Yunxiao¡¯s first visit to a police station of this era since his time-travel, and although he lacked memories, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. The case officers all knew him, but he didn¡¯t recognize the veteran cop. That certainly meant it wasn¡¯t his first time here. The police uniforms in the police station were primarily black, but they differed significantly from those of the Republic of China Era he remembered, looking more like something from the Sherlock Holmes blockbusters he¡¯d seen set in Scotland Yard in the United Kingdom. In simple terms, the outfit consisted of a waist-length tunic with a cape, which seemed to be a Chinese-style mandarin jacket paired with a felt material flying saucer hat. Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it, but he was profoundly shocked. The attire of the common people outside was quite normal, basically matching what he remembered from Republic of China Era dramas. So why does your police station go for a retro nostalgia? Once the interrogation was complete, the police didn¡¯t say much else and led Wang Yunxiao and his gang members into the cell in grand fashion. The cell was scrupulously clean, clearly having undergone a major cleanup last year, though it was still permeated with a stench of urine and feces. Inside, there weren¡¯t many people, and by their looks, none seemed to be major villains or criminals¡ªit was unlikely real heroes would have survived to this day. When the inmates saw newcomers, they were initially restless, but as the door opened and more and more people were brought in, about a dozen or so¡ªthough mostly teenagers¡ªtogether they had enough deterrent power to make the inmates follow their instincts and willingly give up the comfortable and clean spots. The so-called good spots were those far away from the toilet. Only an old man in tattered clothes with white hair lay motionless under the only window, sleeping like the dead, seemingly oblivious to the arrival of newcomers. Wang Yunxiao sat on the ground, sighing inwardly as he watched his little brothers laugh and joke around, seemingly unfazed by fear. Before the police arrived, Youtiao had already made a deal with the Du brothers. The Tianmen City street loafers had their own Jianghu rules. When someone opened a new business, the loafers would come to extort money without damaging or causing any trouble, simply lying down at the doorstep. They would protect their heads and faces and let you beat them; if you killed someone, you¡¯d have to face legal consequences. If you didn¡¯t dare to be lethal, and the loafer didn¡¯t beg for mercy, in the end, you¡¯d have to apologize, compensate for medical expenses, and continue to pay tribute during holidays. When loafers fought, each side would pick someone to lie down and take a beating, and whoever begged for mercy first lost. But both sides agreed not to use weapons or strike vital points, and after the fight, they had to apologize to neighbors to calm their nerves. Loafers, that¡¯s all they amounted to¡­ Of course, those were tales from the former dynasty. Since the new government was established, they conducted two major crackdowns on crime per year, coming after old and young alike, expelling all manner of demons and ghosts and feeding them peanuts. Without people, there is no Jianghu world, and the old rules naturally dissipate like smoke. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But the behavior of these Du brothers reeked of remnants from the former dynasty. Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t understand it, looking at their strong physiques, how could they be mere rogues? Youtiao, however, saw right through these two men. No matter how tough they talked, the stubbornness of Tianmen people was actually a traditional local custom. Sometimes, even after a person is cremated, only their stubbornness remains as hard as ever. According to old rules, during a fight, rogues shouldn¡¯t flash any weapons. Like Wang Yunxiao and Guozi, uncivilized ruffians who brandish weapons without a second thought, are the ones rogues fear the most. There¡¯s an old saying that goes, the soft fear the hard, the hard fear the ruthless, the ruthless fear those with nothing to lose, and those with nothing to lose fear the insane. Reliant on their robust physiques, the Du brothers often intimidated others and were no strangers to brawling with bare fists. But having seen blood today, they realized Wang Yunxiao was no easy mark, and there was no logic in not making a quick escape. The more experienced in the Jianghu World you are, the more you know not to mess with these teenage half-pints. They were cold and ruthless, showing no restraint in their strikes. Although they acted all tough, like a dead pig not fearing boiling water verbally, in reality they dared not fight back and could only just take the beating one-sidedly. Once the other party had finished beating them and their anger had dissipated, gaining a little verbal advantage was a win-win situation for them. While onlookers called the police, Youtiao squatted down to say a few words for the sake of appearance, giving the brothers an out, which they gratefully accepted. An unspoken agreement was reached, and when faced with police interrogation, both sides claimed it was merely a verbal disagreement. Matters of the Jianghu should not be meddled with by the Governmental Office, this was an unwritten rule among the Jianghu People. Since it wasn¡¯t a big deal, as long as both sides gave a little ground, the Governmental Office wouldn¡¯t pursue the matter excessively. The only pity was that they hadn¡¯t been able to reel in the financial backers behind them. According to the old rules, once a grudge was settled by both parties, the police wouldn¡¯t even bother with it. After all, it hadn¡¯t caused a severe social impact, and if it were any more serious, they would just inform the families of both parties at most. But after several hours of waiting, there was still no sign of movement outside, and the brothers began to grow restless. ¡°Big brother, something doesn¡¯t seem quite right,¡± Youtiao said nervously to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°By all accounts this wasn¡¯t a big deal, we should have gone home after making our statements. Is it possible that those two brothers turned on us and are trying to blindside us?¡± Normally, by the rules of the Jianghu, disputes should be settled within the Jianghu. After a fight, and an agreement reached, isn¡¯t it outrageous to suddenly backtrack once you¡¯re inside the station? Jianghu People value their reputation most, so if you dare to do such a shameless thing, never mind how others will settle the score with you later, what kind of image will you have in others¡¯ eyes? It seems unlikely under normal circumstances. But you can¡¯t rule out those who are abnormal. Moreover, step back and consider that it was Wang Yunxiao who pulled a knife first, breaking the rules of the Jianghu. It¡¯s not impossible that the others went back, pondered over it, got angrier and then decided to turn around and bite back. But whether or not those brothers turned isn¡¯t really a concern, as Wang Yunxiao also had witnesses on his side to prove that they had acted like Rogues, which is a far more serious charge than simple assault and battery. They shouldn¡¯t fear an investigation, and if one really were to take place, it¡¯s uncertain who would suffer. The problem is, it was nearly ten o¡¯clock and there was still no sign of movement from the school. Wang Yunxiao had arranged for someone to report back, yet Principal Zhou had not shown up. Was he delayed by something, or¡­ Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t like this feeling of the situation slipping out of his control. Locked up here, he had no idea what was happening outside. Since that was the case, why not go out and see for himself? With this thought, his gaze couldn¡¯t help but drift toward the door. What a joke, how could I, a law-abiding good citizen, ever think of slipping out or picking locks¡­ Okay, fine, I picked up a little bit from watching some videos on that short video app Xiaobaike. Chapter 20 - 20 20 Youve Got Quite an Impressive Aura Here ?20: Chapter 20: You¡¯ve Got Quite an Impressive Aura Here 20: Chapter 20: You¡¯ve Got Quite an Impressive Aura Here ¡°Principal Zhou, please don¡¯t make this difficult for me anymore. Our bureau had issued a document earlier this year that we must organize the third operation to eradicate the underworld this year and achieve thorough cleanliness without leaving any hidden dangers, and restore a peaceful and orderly environment to our citizens. Director Hao specifically emphasized that if it involves gang forces, no matter which strata of society they are from, no personal feelings should be considered and no unlawful leniency shall be granted!¡± In the office of the district bureau chief, Principal Zhou stared at the stern middle-aged man in front of him. After a long silence, he could not help but ask, ¡°What makes you say that my student is part of a gang force?¡± The middle-aged man spread his hands and smiled. ¡°Principal Zhou, I respect you as an educator, but pretending to be ignorant in this matter isn¡¯t really appropriate, is it? Wang Yunxiao¡ªthis loafer is well-known in our bureau. Forming cliques, petty theft, cheating people out of money¡­ Of course, you could say that these are all things of the past. But now, his gathering to gamble, coercing decent women, fighting and brawling, and wounding people with weapons in broad daylight¡ªeach of these facts and pieces of evidence exist. If you still want to shield him, that would be somewhat indefensible, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Principal Zhou frowned and asked, ¡°Where are these facts and pieces of evidence you speak of? Can I see them?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that! You also don¡¯t have the right!¡± The middle-aged man waved his hand and said, ¡°Save it for the courtroom. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t respect you, Principal Zhou, but this student of yours has committed multiple evils and has turned into a social cancer that must be removed. As an educator, don¡¯t you feel a bit of remorse for not teaching him well?¡± ¡°Whether I have taught my students well, I know in my heart. But Director Sun, have you forgotten¡­¡± Principal Zhou looked at the morally upright middle-aged man calmly and said softly, ¡°The current Civil Code and Criminal Code of our country, including the Public Security Regulations of Tianmen City, all the laws and regulations have been revised with my participation. You are blatantly framing my student in front of me. Do you think I am ignorant and cannot find faults, or is it you who is ignorant and thus fearless?¡± Director Sun fell silent, with a trace of sweat visible on his forehead. ¡°If we are not on the same page, why say more. Since you, Principal Zhou, believe you have the ability to act as a lawyer and clear your student¡¯s name, then I can only wish you success.¡± After taking a sip of tea, he spoke righteously, ¡°I know you, Principal Zhou, have wide connections and many friends. But I, Sun Youliang, am carrying out orders, serving with loyalty¡ªthat is my sincere and utmost duty! No one can persuade me otherwise, I definitely won¡¯t give in!¡± ¡°Then, I will leave now. You don¡¯t need to see me out.¡± Principal Zhou did not continue wrangling with him, nodded his head, stood up, and walked out. True enough, Director Sun did not see him off; he didn¡¯t bother with any courtesies. Only when the footsteps outside had faded away did the hand gripping the teacup start to tremble slightly. Principal Zhou walked out of the police station, turned around, and silently stared at the light in the office window of the director for a long time without speaking. ¡°Sir?¡± Hearing a slightly familiar voice by his side, Principal Zhou withdrew his gaze and saw two nuns approaching him. He focused intently on the woman¡¯s beautiful face, asking with some uncertainty, ¡°Cui Xiaoying?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Seeing that Principal Zhou recognized her, Madam Cui looked down shyly, gently pulling Miss Meng and respectfully bowing. She then asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you here to pick up those students?¡± Principal Zhou did not respond immediately but instead asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you perform well in school? Didn¡¯t you go to college?¡± Madam Cui said softly through clenched teeth, ¡°My family fell on hard times, and I was also getting older. After middle school, I went to a vocational school run by the church and later got married¡­¡± Principal Zhou looked at the timid Miss Meng by her side, then asked, ¡°Where do you work now? Have you had children?¡± Madam Cui gave a bitter smile. ¡°My husband was¡­ S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. as you know, and all our possessions were confiscated. It left only me and the children from his first marriage to depend on each other. Fortunately, Madam Bishop helped me obtain a technician¡¯s certificate. I found work at the Cotton Spinning Factory, where the salary is quite good, more than enough to support both of us.¡± Principal Zhou nodded as he listened and then advised, ¡°You both are still young; since you can support yourselves, there¡¯s no need to rush into marriage. Next year, Qinghe Middle School will start its high school division. Bring her to study. I¡¯ll handle the tuition fees, and once you graduate from university, you¡¯ll have more options, be it in seeking jobs or finding a husband.¡± Madam Cui blushed and bowed her head in agreement, ¡°Sir, you are right¡­ We¡¯ll see, if there¡¯s a chance¡­¡± Principal Zhou waved his hand and said, ¡°You are an educated person; you understand what¡¯s good for you. I¡¯ll find time to talk to your Madam Bishop about educational matters. She won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Madam Cui quickly thanked him and hesitated before looking back at the police station. She couldn¡¯t help but whisper, ¡°Sir, we just gave our statements, and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s just our imagination, but the police seemed a bit odd¡­ They appeared to know we were telling the truth but didn¡¯t seem to want to believe us, intentionally leading us to blame your student and shift the blame onto them.¡± Principal Zhou nodded and said, ¡°So, you mean to say that some ¡®Advisor¡¯ is scheming behind the scenes, using heresy to confuse the public, aiming to invert right and wrong, and frame innocent people, right?¡± Madam Cui nodded vigorously, though her face still held a hint of hesitation. ¡°Imperial protection shields the national establishment from evil¡ªIt¡¯s supposed to be like that.¡± Principal Zhou glanced at the still-lit light in the director¡¯s office and sighed, ¡°The heretics in reality, they always have ways to handle, but the demons in people¡¯s hearts, that¡¯s not so easy to say.¡± Madam Cui¡¯s eyes widened, and she bit her lip, not daring to speak. Your venerable position allows you to speak freely, but we common people dare not take what you say lightly! Is this a topic one can discuss lightly? Fortunately, Principal Zhou did not elaborate further; he merely advised her, ¡°Advisors are best at gathering information and spying on secrets. You all better not go home tonight, go directly to the church for protection. I¡¯ll call the Special Service Bureau, and have them send someone to investigate this.¡± Madam Cui quickly nodded in agreement. She was about to leave, pulling Miss Meng by the hand, when Miss Meng, who had been hiding behind her, suddenly looked up and earnestly said, ¡°Sir, your student didn¡¯t bully us; he actually stood up for us and chased away those two loafer troublemakers. He really isn¡¯t a bad person.¡± Principal Zhou stated calmly, ¡°Of course, my student can¡¯t possibly be a bad person. Otherwise, I would let him know what a real bad person is like!¡± Chapter 21 - 21 21 So What If I Know a Little Trick ?21: Chapter 21 So What If I Know a Little Trick 21: Chapter 21 So What If I Know a Little Trick Being a transmigrator, if you can¡¯t copy poetry, can¡¯t pick up soap to blow glass, it¡¯s quite shameful. Wang Yunxiao just didn¡¯t have that kind of talent, he had almost forgotten all the poems and verses that were supposed to be memorized from the textbooks. But he discovered that he could pick locks. Well¡­ In this day and age, which corporate slave who spends all day in bed scrolling through short videos on their phone doesn¡¯t have a bit of know-how in blade refining, rust removal, wilderness survival, and fixing donkey hooves, am I right? Besides, the lock on the cell door at the police station wasn¡¯t high tech either, just a simple big iron padlock with a key as thick as a finger. Wang Yunxiao broke his makeshift knife into pieces, fashioned a small iron strip, fiddled with it inside the lock for a moment, then took it out to bite it, and with a gentle twist, the lock was open. There weren¡¯t many people on duty at the police station at night, and the corridors were deserted, with only a few lights on, dimly lit. Wang Yunxiao silently made his way to the second floor, habitually glancing at the ceiling around the corner. No cameras. Of course, there couldn¡¯t be any cameras, it was just his own unnecessary worries. He didn¡¯t know how he had developed these bad habits, probably from playing too many domestic video games. Logically speaking, after an interrogation, the police would summarize the paper records into a case file. Since today¡¯s incident happened late, with their work ethic, they definitely hadn¡¯t filed the case into the archives yet. It was probably left on their own or their leader¡¯s desk to be finished the next morning. During his interrogation, Wang Yunxiao had taken the opportunity to quickly survey the layout of the police station. He knew which department was responsible for what, and after coming out, he wasted no time and went directly to the office of the officer who had interrogated him. Thankfully, there were no anti-surveillance measures in place. Quietly prying open the door lock, he walked in and shut the door behind him. Wang Yunxiao tiptoed from desk to desk until he finally found what he was looking for on one of them. A thick stack of documents. It had not only his and his brother¡¯s interrogation records but also records from the passerby who called the police, the Du brothers, Madam Meng and her daughters, as well as Lv¡¯er and several card players. Wang Yunxiao flipped through the records, using the faint light from outside the window to rapidly absorb all the written information on the papers into his mind. On the whole, there wasn¡¯t much discrepancy from the truth. Even the records from the Du brothers didn¡¯t contain any tricks; the two honestly admitted to fighting over losing money at cards, just skipping over the part about foul language and behaving like rogues. If the police really believed what they said, then logically, they shouldn¡¯t have been detained until now. The evidence was clear and distinct, what else was there to investigate? It seemed that the problem didn¡¯t lie here. Wang Yunxiao carefully erased all traces he had left, exited the office, and was about to return to the cell when he heard the sound of talking somewhere down the hallway. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Instinctively, he snuck along the wall and saw that one of the offices had the lights on, with the faint sound of someone making a phone call inside. ¡°Impossible, I can¡¯t do it!¡± Director Sun spoke through gritted teeth on the phone, ¡°Your threats are useless; I¡¯m just a district director, not the almighty Laozi. Detaining them for a day is already my limit. Once the city bureau notices something¡¯s off and sends someone over¡­ Are you deaf? I said I can¡¯t do it! I have no way¡­¡± He seemed to realize his voice was a bit loud and turned around guiltily, but was caught off guard to find someone standing behind him. Startled, he let out a yelp and threw the phone away, stumbling back into a bookcase and almost shattering the glass. Wang Yunxiao quickly grabbed the phone, pressed it to his ear to listen to the noise from the other side, then asked in a deep voice, ¡°Hello? Who is this?¡± The sound of something like a cup being smashed came from the other end of the phone. A few seconds later, a voice with a hint of sinister smoothness laughed and said, ¡°Wang Yunxiao?¡± ¡°Just by hearing the voice, you know who I am? A familiar person?¡± Wang Yunxiao responded without a change in expression, ¡°Friend, aren¡¯t you playing a bit too much? Such a trivial matter with me, and yet you make a fuss to the extent of threatening a police chief? Haven¡¯t you considered the consequences of doing this?¡± ¡°Consequences?¡± The effeminate voice chuckled as if it had heard a joke, then the tone suddenly turned eerie, ¡°Let me tell you a secret.¡± Wang Yunxiao listened while glancing at Director Sun, who was beside him in a panic, only to see him desperately waving his hands, signaling him to hang up the phone quickly. ¡°Have you seen a ghost lately?¡± Wang Yunxiao¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but he remained silent. ¡°The ghost isn¡¯t dead, the ghost is still hiding beside you. Guess who it is?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s a hint for you: ghosts love to eat the flesh of little girls, soft, tender, and sweet. It seems you have a sister¡­¡± Little Gourd? Wang Yunxiao was shocked but still didn¡¯t speak. At this moment, losing his composure would certainly fall into the other party¡¯s trap. ¡°So what is it that you want?¡± Seeing that Wang Yunxiao¡¯s emotions were not disturbed, the other side seemed a bit upset, and the tone became more somber, ¡°I can tell you who the ghost is, but first, you have to do something for me.¡± ¡°Fine, tell me!¡± Wang Yunxiao agreed especially quickly. Whether it was doable wasn¡¯t the issue at hand; his main goal was to find out what the other party was really planning. ¡°Do you know Qinghe Middle School¡¯s strange tale?¡± Huh? ¡°Never heard of it!¡± Wang Yunxiao thought to himself, you¡¯ve made such a big scene, even dragging the police chief into this mess, and I thought you were going to blow up the school. Instead, you¡¯re talking to me about a school legend? Does the Wolf Fang Club that the school security guards are equipped with count as a strange tale? ¡°It seems your school has indeed kept this secret very well, but I might as well tell you¡ªon the fifteenth of every month, at exactly midnight, a door will appear inside the teaching building of Qinghe Middle School. Push open that door, and you will enter another world.¡± ¡°What kind of world is that other world?¡± ¡°That¡¯s for you to tell me, hurry up, heh heh, you¡¯d better hurry, otherwise I can¡¯t guarantee that your sister will have any bones left.¡± The person on the other end of the line laughed sinisterly and hung up the call. Leaving Wang Yunxiao and Director Sun looking at each other. Director Sun suddenly snapped to his senses and reached for his waist to draw his gun: ¡°How did you get out? Turn around, hands above your head¡­¡± His voice stopped abruptly, for his hand grasped nothing. The handgun from the holster was in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, we¡¯re both victims here.¡± Wang Yunxiao smiled, lifting the gun towards Director Sun¡¯s chest, flicking off the safety: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of troubling you. I¡¯ll go back by myself later, but I¡¯m very curious, what did he threaten you with?¡± Chapter 22 - 22 22 The Unpredictable and Bizarre Legends of the Jianghu World ?22: Chapter 22 The Unpredictable and Bizarre Legends of the Jianghu World 22: Chapter 22 The Unpredictable and Bizarre Legends of the Jianghu World When the person who should be locked up in the cell quietly appears before you, holding the gun from your waist. One must learn to recognize reality and follow their inner rationality. Director Sun remained silent for a moment, then spread his hands to signify that he was giving up resistance, stepped back a few paces to lean against the windowsill, and sighed, ¡°Wang Yunxiao, you¡¯re already halfway into the Jianghu World, why don¡¯t you understand the principle that knowing too much isn¡¯t good for you?¡± Wang Yunxiao smiled, set down the handgun, and gently rubbed it, turning the intact gun into a pile of scattered parts in an instant. ¡°Director Sun, we had no past grievances, and no recent quarrels. If it weren¡¯t for that person behind the scenes inciting and directing, I believe you would have no need to trouble a poor student like me. I have no intention of prying into your personal privacy, it¡¯s just that the person on the phone earlier said some very strange things to me, hence my question.¡± Director Sun¡¯s gaze flickered as he asked in a deep voice, ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Wang Yunxiao laughed, ¡°He threatened me using my sister, but the fact that I have a sister should not be known to anyone.¡± Little Gourd was not his biological sister, and not many people in school knew about their relationship. Therefore, the threat on the phone sounded very strange. How to put it, it¡¯s like going to a comic con, taking a photo with a cosplayer, then coming home to have your mother flip through the photos and inquire about the girl¡¯s family situation¡­ it¡¯s that sort of mismatched feeling. It¡¯s not that there wasn¡¯t a threat, it just felt like there was a subtle misunderstanding. Seeing that Wang Yunxiao was telling the truth, Director Sun¡¯s face relaxed slightly, and he coughed and chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m also puzzled, I don¡¯t know who this person is, it seems he knows a little about everything, yet doesn¡¯t understand the rules of the Jianghu World.¡± The most basic rule of the Jianghu World¡ªdo not involve parents, spouse, or children in disputes. Seeing the change in his facial expressions, Wang Yunxiao knew that this director had also received a similar threat, and it was the kind of secret that couldn¡¯t be exposed. ¡°Alright, seeing as you have your difficulties, I won¡¯t ask further. I won¡¯t trouble you, and I hope you¡¯ll take care of yourself!¡± After offering a bow with his hands clasped, Wang Yunxiao turned and left. From Director Sun, he had gathered enough information. What remained was to find the person on the other end of the phone. Back in the cell, he locked the door, and Wang Yunxiao cast a cold glance around. Those who had been locked up before were huddled in the corner, closing their eyes and pretending to sleep, as if they knew nothing. For one thing, Wang Yunxiao had many followers and they dared not provoke him. For another, a boss who could move freely in the police station was presumably as adept at taking heads in the middle of the night as reaching into a bag, so they dared not speak out. Wang Yunxiao gathered his brothers and spoke in a hushed voice, recounting what he had just seen and heard, and none of their faces looked good. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be, how does he know about Little Gourd¡¯s relationship with us?¡± Youtiao looked puzzled, ¡°Big Brother, you don¡¯t have a biological sister out there that you don¡¯t know about, do you?¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Yunxiao thought to himself, who do I ask? But if you consider the context, it definitely points to Little Gourd. Otherwise, who else could the ghost at the school latch onto? ¡°Then who¡¯s this ghost? It can¡¯t be the class monitor, right?¡± Youtiao exclaimed in shock, ¡°Last time Chen Yan came to our dormitory and had an epileptic seizure, she didn¡¯t leave any lingering effects, did she?¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, ¡°Impossible!¡± Even though he didn¡¯t know who the person on the phone meant by ¡°ghost,¡± he chose to trust Nurse Liu. Her display of vast experience and professional demeanor in this regard was highly convincing. If even she couldn¡¯t find any issues, Wang Yunxiao felt he would be no different. After all, he knew nothing about the mysterious realms of this world. ¡°Lad, you didn¡¯t run into an ¡®Advisor,¡¯ did you?¡± An elderly voice suddenly came from behind him. Wang Yunxiao turned and looked in the direction of the voice, only to see the old gentleman who had been soundly asleep with his head covered was now sitting up and squatting by the window, smiling at him gleefully. To live to such an old age and still be detained in a squad room, he definitely wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. At that age, even if someone wanted to be detained, the police would be reluctant to arrest him. Wang Yunxiao walked over and asked with cupped fists, ¡°May I ask what the ¡®Advisor¡¯ the elder speaks of refers to?¡± The old gentleman waved his hand and said, ¡°An Advisor isn¡¯t an object, it¡¯s a type of person. Have you heard of ¡®Artists¡¯?¡± Wang Yunxiao frowned and said, ¡°Are you referring to those Artists who perform in operas?¡± Or the spirits after people die? The old gentleman laughed and nodded, ¡°To dare to call oneself an Artist, one must truly be a renowned figure with skill. Of course, it¡¯s not limited to opera, but includes playing instruments, singing, calligraphy, chess, painting¡ªnot to say they must be proficient in all, but at least they should be presentable in these talents. In the past, there were people who specifically nurtured these Artists and presented them as playthings to wealthy families. And in the Jianghu World, it is rumored that there are such individuals who are experts¡­ Lad, have you heard of ¡®Water Margin¡¯?¡± Seeing Wang Yunxiao nod, he continued, ¡°In the ¡®Water Margin Tale,¡¯ characters like Lu Zhishen and Wanderer Yan Qing are precisely such fascinating individuals. These people are not only masters of various talents but also possess a unique ability to hear the ¡®Sounds Beyond the Strings.¡¯ Even if you don¡¯t utter a word in their presence, they can guess the secrets in your heart!¡± ¡°Is this what an Advisor is?¡± ¡°Exactly, this kind of person is called an Advisor.¡± The old gentleman chuckled and said, ¡°Think about it, people like that are not only talented but can also probe into others¡¯ minds. As long as they have a bit of wit, they can almost effortlessly gain a lifetime of glory and wealth. However, some individuals misuse their cleverness on the wrong paths, relying on their abilities, they unscrupulously pry into others¡¯ secrets, blackmailing and extorting with the leverage they hold¡­ Hmph, there¡¯s a saying, ¡®Greed is the root of all evil,¡¯ unable to control one¡¯s greed leads one down the path to death!¡± Advisor¡­ Wang Yunxiao engraved the term deeply in his heart. ¡°Then may I ask the elder, if we do encounter such people, how should we deal with them?¡± He asked sincerely for advice, but the old man didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he asked with a smile, ¡°Lad, who taught you your lock-picking skills?¡± Are you expecting me to say the Steam Workshop lock simulator¡­ Wang Yunxiao smiled and said, ¡°I practiced on my own, I don¡¯t have a master.¡± ¡°Would you like to find a master?¡± Wang Yunxiao, sensing the old man¡¯s smile, had an epiphany. If he were really an uneducated loafer from the streets, meeting a master taking disciples could have seemed like a stroke of divine luck, and he might have knelt down and kowtowed gratefully. But I am a decent person! ¡°Thank you for your kind offer.¡± Wang Yunxiao replied with a smile and cupped fists, ¡°Elder, we¡¯re all studying at school now. We don¡¯t have any other plans for the time being.¡± ¡°Hmph, the likes of you should take a good look in the mirror and see if you¡¯re really cut out for studying?¡± Taken aback by Wang Yunxiao¡¯s polite refusal, the old gentleman could not hide his displeasure and snorted coldly, ¡°It is only because living conditions have improved and the Imperial Court is considerate of the populace that small fry like you can attend school. Do you think studying is easy? Back in the day, during the imperial examinations, countless scholars studied their entire lives without obtaining titles. Lacking any other skills, they would end their lives in destitution, starving to death in the streets!¡± Chapter 23 - 23 23 The Sun Will Rise as Usual Today ?23: Chapter 23: The Sun Will Rise as Usual Today 23: Chapter 23: The Sun Will Rise as Usual Today Reading could certainly change fate. The premise is based on the situation where you study and others do not. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If everyone has completed nine years of compulsory education, and you are still the fish that slipped through the net. Then to further ask God to change your fate would be a bit too much. In this era, many people believe that studying is useless, or that you don¡¯t have the fate of the God of Literature, and studying is simply a waste of time. Yet, besides that, they couldn¡¯t find anything else that was useful to themselves. If the old man really possessed exquisite skills, why would he bother living in a bunkhouse at such an old age? No matter what, Wang Yunxiao still insisted that he should lead this group of brothers to study diligently, to attend high school if they could pass the exams, and to go to university if they could get in. In those days, educated people were still very valuable, even if you didn¡¯t become the top scholar, as long as you had knowledge and insight in your mind, you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about food and clothes. If one could follow the righteous path, who would want to engage in petty thefts? Only the fox that couldn¡¯t eat the grapes would say that the grapes were sour. As for earning money and exercising, although they are also important, they should not interfere with one¡¯s studies. The old man was very angry and didn¡¯t speak to Wang Yunxiao for the rest of the night. By around five or six o¡¯clock in the morning, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, Wang Yunxiao heard some familiar truck engine sounds outside the police station. Director Sun hadn¡¯t gone home all night, sitting in the office until dawn, having smoked three whole packs of cigarettes, his eyes red from exhaustion. In fact, he was very clear about the consequences of refusing Principal Zhou. Hearing the noise outside, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. Someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and two gun-carrying soldiers in grey military uniforms burst in expressionlessly, confirming that he had no intention to resist. One of them quickly walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and opened the window to let the fresh morning air in, dispersing the thick smell of secondhand smoke in the room. The other person picked up the phone, listened to the busy tone that came through, then deftly disconnected the telephone line. After finishing, the two returned to the doorway, and only then did a young officer standing outside step inside. Director Sun looked up and saw it wasn¡¯t a face he recognized. It was normal that the middle management of the Special Service Bureau were young people, as the department was established only after the new government was formed. Besides the highly visible action team leader, Huo Qingyang, who often appeared in public, the other officers almost had no record of public social interactions. One reason was the requirement for secrecy. On the other hand, it was also because of the special nature of their work. The young man before him, judging from the military rank on his shoulder, was only one level below Huo Qingyang, had pale skin, wore a pair of ebony glasses inlaid with silver, and covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, seemingly unable to tolerate the smoke in the room, presenting a frail demeanor. But Director Sun knew well that this was just an illusion, as everyone in the Special Service Bureau was a monster in human skin. Only after his subordinate threw away an ashtray stuffed with cigarette butts did the young man sit down opposite Director Sun, opened the folder in his hands, coughed twice, and asked directly, ¡°Name, Sun Youliang, current position, Director of the Nantong District Police Bureau in Tianmen City. You joined the city bureau four years ago in year Longyin, were promoted all the way to the Director of Logistics, and at the beginning of Ming Country, were transferred to your current post¡­ Is that correct?¡± Director Sun nodded weakly, a bitter smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Let me introduce myself, my last name is Qiao, my name is Qiao Hongyi. Don¡¯t be nervous, today I¡¯m here to understand some matters from you.¡± The young officer extended his right hand, smiling and making a friendly gesture, ¡°We have received a report from the concerned public, suggesting that you have encountered some rather tricky troubles?¡± Director Sun sighed and said, ¡°Mr. Qiao, there¡¯s no need to be so elusive, I have often cooperated with Commander Huo from your agency on cases before. For instance, at the end of last year, the massacre that took place at 18 Liutai Street, Xing Mansion¡­¡± Qiao Hongyi nodded and said, ¡°I am aware of the situation then, which means you are now facing the same situation, someone is exploiting your personal privacy and blackmailing you, insisting that if you reveal certain information you will pay a price, right?¡± Director Sun remained silent, he didn¡¯t even dare to nod. But silence is also an attitude. ¡°No need to rush, let me see¡­¡± Qiao Hongyi reopened Director Sun¡¯s file, his eyes quickly scanning over the various information, ¡°You joined the police force and were promoted so quickly, you could not have done it without connections. And being assigned to a lucrative department like logistics shows you have a strong backer. Your wife¡¯s surname is Cao, what is the relationship between her and Director Cao of the city bureau? By age, they should be cousins¡­ no, second cousins, it¡¯s not so obvious, otherwise it would be too conspicuous. You also have certain capabilities yourself, otherwise, just being lifted by others wouldn¡¯t keep you in this position, but you and your wife have no children to this date?¡± Director Sun¡¯s face turned ashen, and sweat poured down like rain. ¡°You don¡¯t have the look of a childless man, which means you have kept a concubine elsewhere, who also bore you a son? How old is he? Just turned one? Someone is using your son to threaten you? Forcing you to detain students from Qinghe Middle School? And to speak rudely towards Principal Zhou? You really are bold, do you know who Principal Zhou is, when others might not?¡± As Qiao Hongyi¡¯s tone gradually intensified, Director Sun¡¯s head grew heavier, and he was unable to lift it again. ¡°Alright, no need to be so nervous, your personal conduct is not our concern, someone will talk to you. Let¡¯s get back to the person who called to threaten you, think carefully about this, have you met any strangers lately?¡± Qiao Hongyi pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose, coaxingly said, ¡°He must have met you face to face, said a few words, you might not have a clear memory of him, but surely he chatted casually with you. For example, one day you were particularly happy, or particularly angry, emotions fluctuating significantly. There¡¯s an acquaintance, who just happened to be nearby and struck up a casual conversation, asking if there was something happening at home or if you encountered anything¡­¡± How could I possibly recall that? Director Sun looked utterly confused. If he were confined at home all day, seeing hardly anyone, perhaps he could retain some memory. At the police bureau, if not managing ten thousand tasks a day, it was still quite busy, seeing countless people and handling numerous affairs, how could he remember who he had casually chatted with? However, speaking of strangers¡­ Qiao Hongyi silently observed the subtle expressions on Director Sun¡¯s face, and as his pupils dilated, he immediately said, ¡°Remember something? Don¡¯t hesitate, speak up!¡± Director Sun helplessly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if it counts as a stranger, after all, you know I usually work in the bureau, interact with colleagues, people we see on a daily basis¡­ But a few days ago, because of something¡­ I went to a gift shop and chatted casually with the shopkeeper.¡± Qiao Hongyi immediately asked, ¡°Which gift shop? What¡¯s the owner¡¯s name?¡± Chapter 24 - 24 24 So theres only one truth ?24: Chapter 24 So there¡¯s only one truth 24: Chapter 24 So there¡¯s only one truth Wang Yunxiao and his buddies were released. There were no explanations, no compensation; the guards in grey uniforms simply opened the cell door, called out their names one by one, and tossed them onto the street without another thought. It was still early; if they ran, they might even make it in time for the school cafeteria breakfast. In fact, having no resolution was the best resolution of all. If they had followed the official procedures, their records might have ended up with a permanent stain. It was never a big deal to begin with. Acting as if nothing happened, like they were doing now, was the best outcome. Minors shouldn¡¯t be involved in these social issues. Adult troubles should naturally be resolved by adults. After all, no one has ¡°hero¡± written on their face, nor does anyone expect a child to save the world. Authors who force kids to drive big cars¡­ no, pilot giant robots don¡¯t count. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Principal Zhou never wanted him involved in the first place. Now that the fish were caught, it was time for them to return to Qinghe Middle School to study and avoid further danger. But Wang Yunxiao found it hard to swallow his pride. ¡°I¡¯m glad you could talk a bit more on the phone, but I don¡¯t like the tone of your voice,¡± he said. How dare such a nondescript scoundrel threaten me? Do you doubt the sharpness of my sword? Youtiao noticed Wang Yunxiao¡¯s expression change and couldn¡¯t help but ask in a low voice, ¡°Big brother, do you have a plan?¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded and said, ¡°Little Gourd usually doesn¡¯t leave the school, and she¡¯s unlikely to have any distant relatives coming here to look for her.¡± Posing as a family member claiming there has been an accident is a common trick to abduct children. It might work at other schools, but Qinghe Middle School is a closed boarding school; the security guards wouldn¡¯t casually let someone in, nor would they directly approach a student. According to proper procedures, they should notify the head teacher, and since the head teacher knows Little Gourd¡¯s background, they wouldn¡¯t easily fall for such a simple trick. After giving it some thought, Youtiao said, ¡°Normally, the class leader hangs out with Little Gourd. If someone from the class leader¡¯s family comes¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded and responded, ¡°That¡¯s a problem. You all go back and keep an eye on both the school entrance and Little Gourd. If something happens inside the school, go to Sister Liu; she¡¯s got a gun. If someone really has a death wish and tries to abduct someone at the school entrance, hold them down for me. Don¡¯t kill them, though, just wait for me to decide their fate.¡± Guozi, puzzled, asked, ¡°Big brother, aren¡¯t you coming back with us? Where are you going? And who are you after?¡± Wang Yunxiao thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°You come with me.¡± Guozi might not be the brightest in other areas, but when it came to fighting, he was especially sharp and could even sense the anger in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s heart. After seeing the others off, Wang Yunxiao took Guozi to a breakfast stall opposite the police station, sat down, and ordered two sets of pancakes with fillings and tofu brain, and started to eat without a word. Besides the five taels of silver in his pocket, he also had two pieces and five mao six fen from yesterday¡¯s winnings, which was more than enough for a treat to console himself. Not that he didn¡¯t want to bring Youtiao and the others, but there would be some physical labor later, and he needed to fuel up first. ¡°The person who called on the phone is an idiot, lacking both knowledge of Jianghu World customs and common life sense,¡± he said. As Wang Yunxiao ate, he explained to Guozi in a low voice, ¡°No matter what threats he made to a police chief, he has committed a huge taboo. Throughout history, such people have never met a good end. If he really had the ability to carry out his threats, he would be a straightforward criminal force, right in line with the government¡¯s crackdown campaign. And if he doesn¡¯t have the ability¡­ Well, I estimate he doesn¡¯t, he¡¯s just gotten carried away by whatever little skill he¡¯s acquired and forgets his place. How many households in our area could even afford a phone? If we wanted to trace it, it would only take minutes to pinpoint his location.¡± Guozi gulped down his tofu pudding, his head bowed as he drank eagerly. ¡°Our unexpected trip to the police station yesterday wasn¡¯t necessarily something he was prepared for. Even if he was ready, to be able to monitor the school while designing traps at the police station suggests that this person is hiding around here, not far from us.¡± In this era, transportation relied mostly on walking; even on the busiest streets of Nanshi, one could hardly see any cars, let alone in our residential area. Most buildings were single-story, and the few two- or three-story restaurants and shops had no place for cars, not even for parking. If this person didn¡¯t run off yesterday, it¡¯s already too late for him to try escaping now. Hearing his arrogant tone over the phone yesterday, Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t think he would have the awareness to counter surveillance. And sure enough, just as he expected, while he was halfway through his pancake with Guozi, he saw those in grey military uniforms exit the police station, and instead of getting into vehicles, they spread out down the adjacent street. Qiao Hongyi stepped out of the police compound, cast a cursory glance around, and immediately spotted Wang Yunxiao and Guozi hiding not far off and eating breakfast. His gaze wasn¡¯t particularly piercing, yet Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but feel his hairs stand on end. For a fleeting moment, he felt as if every inch of him was being seen through, leaving nothing hidden. It was as if secrets buried deep within his heart surfaced involuntarily, presenting themselves like pages of a book being flipped and inspected at will. Of course, this was just an illusion. In reality, Wang Yunxiao¡¯s heart was steady, and his mind was clear, empty of anything but the thought of hunger. It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Hongyi withdrew his gaze and turned to leave that Wang Yunxiao finally relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. Was this the ¡°Advisor¡± that old man was talking about? Scary stuff! Wang Yunxiao still didn¡¯t know the name of the place where Huo Qingyang worked, which likely was some kind of covert agency specializing in handling special affairs, also informally known as ¡°the relevant department.¡± It looked like Qiao Hongyi was Huo Qingyang¡¯s colleague, specifically chosen to handle this target, a more suitable candidate perhaps? If even ¡°the relevant department¡± had Advisors, and some even held high positions, it indicated that this wasn¡¯t some mysterious unknown Evil Technique but a safe, standard Cultivation Method. Besides the Advisor, were there other similar Cultivation Dharma Gates? Wang Yunxiao was highly curious about this, but obviously, he was not in favor right now, lacking any reliable way to access such knowledge. No¡­ it couldn¡¯t be said there was no way at all. The old man in the cell who took a liking to him, wasn¡¯t he fond of him? Though it was his lockpicking skills that had caught the old man¡¯s attention. But Wang Yunxiao believed it was only because he hadn¡¯t had a chance to show off his other talents. At a suitable opportunity in the future, he could visit this old man and learn more about the secretive information of this world from him. Perhaps this old man would become his mentor for newcomers? Although he still hadn¡¯t seen the system come online, Wang Yunxiao still held very high expectations for the benefits and treatment of a transmigrator. Chapter 25 - 25 25 Solving the Problem from its Root ?25: Chapter 25 Solving the Problem from its Root 25: Chapter 25 Solving the Problem from its Root After his encounter with the Du brothers yesterday, Wang Yunxiao felt somewhat reflective. The level of these two men was so low it was like punching cotton. And indeed, he had been a bit too careless. He hadn¡¯t regarded them as worthy opponents, and clearly, they also didn¡¯t see him as one. Neither Lv¡¯er nor the Du brothers could truly be said to be ¡°laying a trap¡±; at best, they were just ¡°exchanging the pieces.¡± The ultimate goal of the person behind the scenes was always to pry into the secrets of the school. Whether he had Wang Yunxiao or not wasn¡¯t important to them. At most, they would use him as a hostage to threaten Principal Zhou into revealing the truth. This type of opponent was one Wang Yunxiao felt deserved a bit more of his attention. Although he didn¡¯t know why he felt he needed to take it so seriously. It could be due to the original soul¡¯s instinct to protect his siblings, or perhaps it was because of his own inner feeling that not showing his teeth would make others think he¡¯s a free-for-use bike. His past memories were always foggy, it felt like some key memories had been blocked. His mind was almost turning into Jerry¡¯s favorite Swiss cheese. There was a deliberate sense of alienation. It was as if Little Karami, poor and unimpressive, who roamed the streets with the Ghost Fire Brothers every day, suddenly remembered, ¡°My grandfather is a big shot in the Military Department, my father is a terrorist, and if I don¡¯t repaint my beloved little electric scooter¡¯s rubber tires, I¡¯m going to inherit a billion-dollar fortune¡­¡± Even though he couldn¡¯t recover his past memories, Wang Yunxiao felt that he must have been a proud and confident person. He couldn¡¯t tolerate these underhanded tricks that just couldn¡¯t see the light of day. He frequently couldn¡¯t suppress the urge to cover his face and corner those despicable cowards, who only knew how to manipulate and conspire, to crush every single one of their bones. Could it be that in my last life, my name was Bruce Wayne, or was I some kind of street vigilante? These tactics of threats made over the phone were just too clumsy, or rather childish. A real professional investigator could effortlessly trace the problem back to its root and find the mastermind behind it all. Let alone in this world, there are also some not-so-scientific mystical forces at play. Yesterday on the phone, Wang Yunxiao faintly heard the sound of glass objects clinking. If he wished, in the area between the school and the police station, finding a shop that installed phones and sold glass products would be almost effortless. He just had to follow the phone line. As for why it was a shop and not a private house¡­ This area was all working class, there wouldn¡¯t be any grand mansions here. But there was no need to compete with the relevant departments for this kind of work. Watching the direction of the grey military uniforms as they moved, they couldn¡¯t be far. They hadn¡¯t even driven over, probably for fear of alerting the target. Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t in a hurry and seriously finished his pancake fruit and tofu brain. Not until those in grey military uniform had gone far away and the police station¡¯s entrance was completely quiet did the door of a nearby shop cautiously open from the inside. A sneaky figure came out, closed the door, and quickly walked away in a different direction. Wang Yunxiao patted Guozi on the shoulder and, without drawing attention to themselves, followed after. Indeed, mysterious powers existed in this world, and it was possible that they might encounter entities that couldn¡¯t be overcome by mere mortal flesh and blood. But Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t very afraid. He remembered reading the Luo Family¡¯s collection of Cthulhu mythos novels when he was in school. His heart didn¡¯t stir in the slightest. What kind of future can a guy who only threatens others over the phone with words have? And how capable can the person backing him really be? The man was very alert, his head twisting around every now and then to take a look behind him. However, Wang Yunxiao and Guozi had no intention of hiding their presence at all, allowing him to see them clearly, which only made him more panicked. Seeing that someone was following, the man became erratic in his pace and just as he reached the mouth of an alley, he twisted his body and darted in. If he had continued to walk on the main street, Wang Yunxiao wouldn¡¯t have been able to do much to him, but as he had chosen to run into the alley himself, Wang Yunxiao and Guozi immediately rushed forward, taking three steps as if they were two. ¡°What do you want! Don¡¯t come here!¡± The man, desperate and directionless, had run about fifty or sixty meters before Guozi grabbed a brick from the side and smacked it right onto his back, making him fall face down to the ground. He got up and pulled out a small knife from his chest, waving it around trying to intimidate, but Wang Yunxiao kicked the knife out of his hand, grabbed his arm and twisted it behind him, pinning him to the ground and asked coldly, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s good for you?¡± ¡°I know your moth¡­¡± ¡°Gag him!¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t bother to argue with him, calling Guozi over to stuff something into the man¡¯s mouth that they¡¯d picked up from the ground, and then he snapped one of the man¡¯s fingers. ¡°Uuuuuuuh¡ª!¡± The man began to struggle violently in an instant. Guozi gave him a slap in the face, which silenced his screams once again. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s good for you now? Can you understand human speech?¡± Wang Yunxiao asked again, and this time the kid finally got the message and nodded vehemently. ¡°I ask something, you answer. One more word of nonsense, and I¡¯ll break another one of your fingers!¡± Wang Yunxiao pulled out the gag from his mouth and asked quickly, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Big bro, you¡¯ve got the wrong person, I don¡¯t know¡­ Aaaah uuuuu¡­¡± After repeating the process, Wang Yunxiao asked again, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Liu Jinfa! Big bro, please don¡¯t¡­ Aaaah uuuuu¡­¡± ¡°Still can¡¯t understand people? I ask something, you answer. Don¡¯t call me big bro, don¡¯t try to cozy up to me! Say it again, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Liu Jinfa!¡± After breaking three fingers, the man finally got a bit smarter. But judging from his bloodshot eyes and tears and snot streaming down his face, he seemed to be on the verge of passing out. Wang Yunxiao then asked about his work and life, to which he answered honestly, no longer daring to pull any tricks. ¡°Who are you hanging with now?¡± ¡°Third Master Ding! The Third Master Ding from Nanshi, who deals with incense and candles!¡± This loafer, if directly confronted, might have refused to talk, standing firm out of some misguided sense of loyalty to the Jianghu World. But after the mix of soft and hard tactics, it was much easier to get him to talk. ¡°Incense and candle business? Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dealing in the dead¡¯s wealth?¡± Such shady businesses always find a more ¡°respectable¡± name for themselves. For example, a thief wouldn¡¯t call himself a thief; he¡¯d dub himself Buddha Master. Tomb robbers wouldn¡¯t admit what they do; they¡¯d just call themselves Grave Diggers. ¡°Yeah, doing Ghost Marriage Arrangements, making Funerary Objects, crying at funerals, relocating graves, all that kind of business¡­¡± Having already spilled the beans about his affiliation, Liu Jinfa no longer hid anything and spilled everything like pouring beans from a bamboo tube. Chapter 26 - 26 26 Walking in the Jianghu World Requires Exceptional Skills ?26: Chapter 26: Walking in the Jianghu World Requires Exceptional Skills 26: Chapter 26: Walking in the Jianghu World Requires Exceptional Skills In those days, if you wanted to get ahead in the Jianghu World, without some special skills, it was difficult to hold your head high in front of others. All those extraordinary feats like breaking stones with your chest or eating noodles while standing on your head aren¡¯t even worth mentioning. Wang Yunxiao had originally thought that the mysterious organization behind Liu Jinfa would at least have some level of decorum, perhaps using Little Gourd green bean cakes as a code name or wearing uniform masks or something. Turns out, they went the lowest of the low. Quite literally the lowest of the low, they played below the horizon. This criminal gang, which treated the criminal code as a resume, had somehow survived last year¡¯s intense crackdowns, must have had something going for them. It¡¯s hard to know whether it was because they had strong backup or there was a high market demand. History isn¡¯t short of Faith Warriors who could endure physical torture, but Liu Jinfa certainly wasn¡¯t one of them. After revealing his background, his last line of defense was also broken, and now he was spilling everything. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Wang Yunxiao asked with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize¡­¡± Liu Jinfa looked at Wang Yunxiao¡¯s face and hurriedly added, ¡°I really don¡¯t know you, could you give me a hint?¡± ¡°My name is Wang Yunxiao, people in the Jianghu World call me Brother Yuanxiao.¡± ¡°Ah! Brother Yuanxiao! I have long admired you!¡± Liu Jinfa quickly tried to appease with a smile, ¡°You see, it¡¯s like the flood has hit the Dragon King Temple¡­¡± Feeling his fingers tighten, he quickly shook his head desperately, ¡°No, no, no! I know! I know! Xiao Baili mentioned your name in front of the boss just the other day!¡± ¡°Who is Xiao Baili?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a favorite of Third Master Ding, just an actor, his stage name is Bai Lihua; we all secretly call him Xiao Baili¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao, recalling the unctuous yet venomous voice on the phone last night, asked quietly, ¡°How long has he been with your Third Master Ding?¡± After thinking it over, Liu Jinfa said, ¡°It¡¯s only been since the beginning of this year. That kid is really sneaky, always knows who talks behind his back, and loves to tattletale. Third Master has fallen out with several old brothers over him.¡± ¡°What is he doing for a living now, does he still perform?¡± ¡°He stopped performing long ago. That kid is just good-looking; his acting skills are mediocre. After losing his voice, no one promoted him anymore. Third Master gave him the shop on Qingxi Street to manage, but he hasn¡¯t made much money¡­¡± ¡°What does the shop sell?¡± ¡°Glass cups, ceramic jars, all sorts of bits and bobs that young ladies like.¡± Feeling the grip on his fingers tighten, Liu Jinfa quickly added, ¡°And funerary objects! Mainly Qin Jade!¡± Funerary objects, also known as artifacts from the underworld, refer to antiques dug up from underground. If it were just that, it would have been fine, but Liu Jinfa didn¡¯t realize he had just slipped up, those funerary objects were actually made by Third Master Ding himself. Ancient people liked to use Jade articles in burials, and the nobility would use jade artifacts to seal everything from top to bottom. Such unearthed jade articles almost always carry traces of corrosion and discoloration, also called Qin color. Overtime, Qin color gradually became a mark of authentic ancient jade. Where there is demand, there is a market, so some people started burying new jade inside animal carcasses and underground to age them artificially and develop the Qin color. Dig it up after three to five years, process it a bit, and then it enters the antique market, specifically to deceive newcomers. The business Third Master Ding handed to Xiao Baili was exactly this kind. In truth, what business he was involved in didn¡¯t matter, he was surely wearing the Silver Bracelets by now. Wang Yunxiao was more concerned about other issues. ¡°How did this Xiao Baili get to know me? What does he want with me?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know¡­ Ah! Don¡¯t, don¡¯t! Brother! Brother, hear me out!¡± Seeing his fourth finger about to be ruined, Liu Jinfa exploded with unprecedented potential in the nick of time and hurriedly begged for mercy, ¡°That day I heard him mention in passing, while calculating someone¡¯s fortune, he saw a Qinghe Middle School student skipping class, and then he sent someone to inquire about someone named Wang Yunxiao¡­¡± ¡°Calculating what fortune? Whose fortune?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know, but it was definitely for a girl; recently, Third Master Ding just had a young master who needed to be arranged in a marriage, I guess it was to find him a companion!¡± ¡°A ghost marriage?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°With a living person?¡± ¡°Not exactly¡­ Ah, Ah, Uh, Uh¡­¡± Living people can die at any time; this didn¡¯t need to be said by him for Wang Yunxiao to understand. So without hesitation, he broke his fourth finger. ¡°Your Third Master runs quite a diverse business.¡± Liu Jinfa was just a lowly loafer, it was normal that he didn¡¯t know much. If this were a TV drama, by simply saying I don¡¯t know anything, he would mostly have been abandoned by the protagonist¡¯s team. You can¡¯t ask everything, right? What if you actually find something, how would you continue with the remaining fifty episodes? But the snippets of information pried from his mouth were enough for Wang Yunxiao to complete the puzzle in his mind. He hadn¡¯t done anything himself, why was he targeted? Now he had an answer¡ªit was not him but rather class president Chen Yan, or maybe Little Gourd, who was actually being targeted. The gang led by Third Master Ding specialized in the underworld business, arranging ghost marriages for young masters, searching for girls with matching horoscopes everywhere, and they reached Chen Yan¡¯s house¡­ Considering Little Gourd¡¯s own uncertainty about her horoscope, it could only be Chen Yan. And a few days ago, when he and his brothers went to Chen Yan¡¯s house to borrow a pot to render lard, they inadvertently caught their eye. Qinghe Middle School is a closed boarding school, ordinary students can¡¯t go out even during holidays; they would be picked up directly by parents. Only Wang Yunxiao and his friends, who climbed over the wall to skip classes, couldn¡¯t be controlled by teachers. To those with a motive, this represented exploitable value. This explained the threat over the phone last night. Otherwise, being strangers, I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re about, how could you suddenly bring up my sister¡¯s issue? How presumptuous! It could only mean they had been watching the Chen Family for more than a day, and only after seeing Wang Yunxiao did they hastily make a plan, which led to the subsequent appearance of Lv¡¯er and the Du Family brothers. Could Chen Yan be the ghost? If she is a ghost, would they still dare to take her for a ghost marriage? Aren¡¯t they afraid of committing a taboo? Of course, there must be deeper things behind this. Although Liu Jinfa said Xiao Baili was Third Master Ding¡¯s favorite, Third Master Ding¡¯s attitude towards this favorite was somewhat intriguing. If it were truly mutual love, why would he specifically assign Liu Jinfa to spy at the entrance of the police station, sneaking peeks at the police activities? It feels like he knows Xiao Baili will court disaster yet remains indifferent, just watching coldly from the sidelines. Could it be the old silver coin of the legendary ¡°But it¡¯s also part of my plan¡±? By now, Xiao Baili would have already worn the silver bracelet. Those in grey military uniforms clearly looked like an experienced elite unit; Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t doubt their capability but just found it strange, like Xiao Baili, a ¡°Advisor¡± with special powers, shouldn¡¯t she have some value to be saved? Since she¡¯s Third Master Ding¡¯s favorite, as soon as she gets caught, they definitely need to trace back and pull out Third Master Ding¡¯s forces. Just how deep is Third Master Ding¡¯s influence that he doesn¡¯t care even about this? Chapter 27 - 27 27 The Biggest Problem is the Shortage of Personnel ?27: Chapter 27: The Biggest Problem is the Shortage of Personnel 27: Chapter 27: The Biggest Problem is the Shortage of Personnel A philosopher who once put a black underwear over his head said, fear is the most effective weapon against villains. The more you lack something, the more you need to compensate for it. Villains are called villains because they bully the weak and fear the strong. The joy they get from bullying others is as much as the pain they suffer when they are bullied by others. Under Wang Yunxiao¡¯s carrot-and-stick approach, Liu Jinfa spilled everything he knew about Third Master Ding, not leaving out a single detail. Even the things he didn¡¯t know, Wang Yunxiao could piece together a clearer answer from the clues in his speech. Don¡¯t ask why, ask and it¡¯s because of playing murder mystery games. Sometimes Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but wonder where he learnt these skills that seemed ¡°innate¡± and as natural as breathing. But his memory hadn¡¯t recovered, and there was nothing to check. It might be that he didn¡¯t drink the Meng Po Soup clean last reincarnation, or maybe he was rapidly frozen in hibernation, and his brain neurons hadn¡¯t fully thawed yet. Or perhaps, after dying in battle with the enemy, only half a chip was left, which his comrades picked up and smuggled into someone else¡¯s lab to freeload resources and reconstruct his body¡­ In the end, he thought better of it, since his soul had already transmigrated, there was no need to fuss over these details. What matters most is living in the present. Wang Yunxiao had no intention of playing the hero, single-handedly breaking into a gang¡¯s lair to fight evil and restore peace to Mortal World. That¡¯s not very realistic. He chose to go back to the school and compile the intelligence he had gathered into a report, which he handed over to Principal Zhou. Some people are more suited for this kind of work. And if everything went as expected, Third Master Ding¡¯s gang should be wiped out after his fling Xiao Baili was arrested. If everything went as expected¡­ Principal Zhou called Huo Qingyang to the school again and talked with him for half an hour. For twenty-five minutes, Huo Qingyang was on the receiving end of a lecture. When Huo Qingyang walked out of the principal¡¯s office, Wang Yunxiao felt that his look was as if he wanted to eat him alive. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go up and talk.¡± The principal¡¯s office was located at the top floor of the teaching building, just below the roof. Wang Yunxiao seriously considered the possibility of Huo Qingyang throwing him off the roof, but in the end, he obediently followed him up. The wind was strong on the rooftop, and Huo Qingyang, hands in his pockets, looked gloomy. Wang Yunxiao felt like any second he would open his mouth and say, ¡°Give me a chance, I want to be a good person¡­¡± ¡°Why do you like to meddle so much?¡± Hearing these words from Huo Qingyang¡¯s mouth, his likeability in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s eyes instantly dropped by 5. Looking straight into Huo Qingyang¡¯s eyes, Wang Yunxiao said expressionlessly, ¡°Our class girls are being dragged into ghost marriages, and you think this is meddling?¡± Huo Qingyang did not answer him and took out a folded sheet of paper, shaking it slightly. ¡°This report is well written, with clear organization and rigorous logic. Who taught you to write like this?¡± Wang Yunxiao raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°I have always been good at Chinese.¡± ¡°What about your history grades?¡± Wang Yunxiao had nothing to say. As a transmigrator, he was least familiar with the local history. Especially when it was a world line twisted beyond recognition. ¡°Come here!¡± Huo Qingyang beckoned him over to stand by his side and cast his gaze toward the distant cityscape that stretched as far as the eye could see. He pointed forward and said softly, ¡°You cannot see the ocean from here, but this street can extend all the way to the seaside. Do you know how large Tianmen City is? Do you know its population? The local permanent population of Tianmen has nearly reached one million five hundred thousand, with over three hundred thousand immigrants from overseas, and that does not even include the surrounding counties and the transient population.¡± Where did these overseas immigrants come from? Wang Yunxiao was profoundly shocked. What have you been doing overseas to bring back three hundred thousand immigrants? What color are they? Huo Qingyang, unperturbed by his expression, continued, ¡°But do you know how many people we have at the Special Service Bureau? The total of civil servants and special operations forces combined is less than eight hundred. These eight hundred people are responsible for handling all of Tianmen City¡¯s supernatural phenomena, paranormal events, international disputes¡­ and all sorts of troublesome issues caused by all kinds of bizarre creatures. Do you think I just sit in the office every day, drinking tea and reading newspapers?¡± Wang Yunxiao was put on the spot, suddenly unsure of how to respond. In his subconscious, he had long become accustomed to trusting and relying on official powers. It could be someone else¡¯s problem when disasters struck, chemical products leaked nuclear contamination, no matter how many died. But even a slight issue at his own home would be unbearable. He, or people of his time, had grown accustomed to the sensation of being protected, even taking it for granted as a basic life fact. Even now, although he could understand the meaning of Huo Qingyang¡¯s words and sympathize with his difficulties, deep down, he couldn¡¯t help but entertain a wicked thought¡ªWhy not just hire more people if there aren¡¯t enough? What¡¯s there to fuss about? Isn¡¯t it your duty? Wang Yunxiao silently slapped himself mentally. ¡°No people, no useful people.¡± Apparently seeing through Wang Yunxiao¡¯s thoughts, or perhaps because Huo Qingyang understood the crux of the issue, he stated frankly, ¡°The new government has been established for less than two years, post-war numerous sectors need revitalization, and there¡¯s a shortage of high-quality technical personnel in all professions. The Qilin Army needs to expand, but there¡¯s no one; the Structure Factory needs to start operation, but there¡¯s no one; it¡¯s not just the Special Service Bureau that cannot find people, even schools like yours don¡¯t have enough teachers to fill all positions¡­¡± ¡°Tianmen City ranks as the fourth largest city in the country in terms of population and economic scale. Do you know what the illiteracy rate here is? As of the end of last year, it was about 65%, perhaps even higher. Less than one-tenth have graduated from elementary school. The education department wants to organize a literacy campaign, but they can¡¯t even find enough teachers!¡± ¡°You might not know¡­ Mr. Zhou originally came to Tianmen to be the deputy mayor, to oversee the city¡¯s development plans. But when he arrived, he realized that all professions and industries depend on education first. Without improving the educational level of Tianmen City, all those seemingly splendid plans and blueprints are just fanciful tales, utterly impractical.¡± ¡°There are many who can govern, but too few who can teach. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That¡¯s why he resigned from his official position to focus solely on education. Qinghe Middle School is a test field, and all of you are the seedlings in this field. Only when you grow up can Tianmen City truly get on the right track.¡± Huo Qingyang turned to Wang Yunxiao and said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m telling you all this because I want you to understand, there are no messiahs in this world, and the Special Service Bureau does not have spare manpower to deal specifically with trivial matters at Qinghe Middle School. I am Mr. Zhou¡¯s student, and I cannot ignore his calls. But the time I waste coming here and going back could delay more important matters.¡± ¡°I understand you¡¯re upset about a girl from your class being taken for a ghost marriage. But right in the dark corners of this city, even as we speak, who knows how many girls her age are not only deprived of education but are also enduring fates far more tragic than a ghost marriage.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they human too?¡± Chapter 28 - 28 28 Give Me Some Light to Illuminate the Darkness ?28: Chapter 28 Give Me Some Light to Illuminate the Darkness 28: Chapter 28 Give Me Some Light to Illuminate the Darkness Huo Qingyang actually wasn¡¯t a nagging man. He was purely agitated because of consecutive overtime work that caused excessive liver heat, and was lectured face-to-face by Mr. Zhou for half an hour, his brain was almost ready to explode. After righteously scolding Wang Yunxiao, he took a deep breath and felt refreshed. Junior brothers are there to vent on, aren¡¯t they? What else are they good for? As for whether Wang Yunxiao would be upset¡­ they were all grown men, why bother with such trivialities? ¡°Old Third Ding is nothing but a fart!¡± Back to his normal self, Huo Qingyang wrapped an arm around Wang Yunxiao¡¯s shoulders and whispered in his ear, ¡°I could squash him in a minute, but what¡¯s the use of that? Let me tell you, people like him can¡¯t even make it onto this year¡¯s list of key crackdown targets. The Jianghu World you¡¯re mixed up in is just the lowest level. The truly complex and cruel aspects of this world, you haven¡¯t even begun to touch.¡± ¡°Catching an Old Third Ding is easy, but if you do, will you investigate his underlings? Will you look into his backers? Who will do the investigating? Who has the time and ability for that?¡± Huo Qingyang pressed on Wang Yunxiao¡¯s shoulders, speaking earnestly, ¡°Brother, study for a few more years, you should at least get a high school diploma. When that time comes and you join me, dealing with scum like Old Third Ding, I¡¯ll make sure you catch so many you¡¯ll get tired and nauseous.¡± Wang Yunxiao sighed inwardly and said just as earnestly, ¡°Brother, give me a gun and I can solve this problem right now.¡± Huo Qingyang gritted his teeth, ¡°You really are stubborn, aren¡¯t you? Have you not taken to heart a word I¡¯ve said? The state provides subsidies for your food and housing, for your education, and you don¡¯t study well. If you can¡¯t pass the high school exam, what greatness can you achieve later on?¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not difficult for me to get into high school, and it¡¯s not hard to get my brothers to advance with me either, but this isn¡¯t the immediate priority. Third Master Ding might indeed be insignificant in your eyes, but he may not see it that way himself. Today they dared to threaten the police chief, who knows what they¡¯ll do tomorrow. Commander Huo, you surely don¡¯t want Principal Zhou to call your department every day, do you?¡± These words struck a chord in Huo Qingyang. He hesitated, clenching his teeth, then couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Can you handle it, kid?¡± Wang Yunxiao smiled, ¡°A mouth ulcer doesn¡¯t stop growing just because you drink half a cup less or smoke one less cigarette today. Since you don¡¯t want to deal with Third Master Ding, or rather since you¡¯re worried that catching him will lead to a Fourth Master Bing, does it really matter if I can handle it? Leave me a gun and it can at least have a comforting effect. Besides¡­¡± ¡°I remember you telling me that I was born into a naval family!¡± Naval family! Those four words instantly made Huo Qingyang¡¯s expression serious. His face void of emotion, he released his grip, gazed intently at Wang Yunxiao, and ordered, ¡°Look into my eyes and repeat that last sentence you just said!¡± Without any sign of fear, Wang Yunxiao stated firmly, ¡°I am a son of the navy!¡± ¡°You know the exhortation of the Naval Academy¡­ never mind, you probably don¡¯t know this, so let me tell you now.¡± Huo Qingyang enunciated each word with seriousness, ¡°The first admonition of the Naval Academy: there is no Great Wall at sea, we are the Great Wall! Look into my eyes and repeat after me!¡± ¡°There is no Great Wall at sea, we are the Great Wall!¡± Wang Yunxiao repeated it loudly without any psychological pressure. He vaguely remembered he might have shouted a similar slogan before, but it wasn¡¯t quite the same. Was I a soldier before? Oh, right, I seem to have had a comrade who brought me a meat burger with Auron filling when he was going back to his hometown¡­ Huo Qingyang stared into his eyes, and after a long silence, he finally spoke, ¡°Anyone can talk big, but whether you can shoulder the burden, only you know in your heart. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I¡¯m definitely not going to give you a gun, but I¡¯ll have Liu Zhihan¡­ that¡¯s Nurse Liu, give you some special tutoring, teaching you some professional experience in handling special issues.¡± ¡°As for those classmates of yours, as long as you can trust them, they can also sit in. But the premise is that it must not affect your studies. If Mr. Zhou calls me because of some bullshit like your grades slipping because of you, then you¡¯re dead meat, do you believe I¡¯d personally throw you into the sea to feed the sharks?¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t really want a gun. If there really was a war, having a gun in hand would naturally keep one¡¯s mind at ease. But if it¡¯s just to deal with some small issues on the streets, there¡¯s no need to use a gun at all, the gunfire would actually be a trouble. What he truly wanted was for Huo Qingyang to back him up, so even if he was a bit more heavy-handed, he wouldn¡¯t end up being thrown into prison. Of course, if he could learn some professional knowledge on handling special issues, that would be even better. What he lacked the most now was understanding the mysterious power system that exists in this world. Although he also tried taking four steps backward in the toilet and chanting ¡°Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Great Guy¡± with wishful thinking. But it was useless, nothing happened. The system wasn¡¯t loading, he didn¡¯t have any unexplained unknown wonders nearby, let alone any old gentlemen¡­ Could the one in the cell count? These past few nights, Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help thinking as he fell asleep, if he were a character in a book, the author must be a pretentious literary hipster. You could at least give me some sort of cheat, it doesn¡¯t have to be anything from the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect, just a little peek or a tiny advantage is fine, not too shabby. Otherwise, you deserve to flop. ¡°The former Dynasty folks at the police station all have their quirks, but we just couldn¡¯t spare the time to deal with them in the past couple of years. It¡¯s high time for a change after the big issues exposed at the Nantong District branch this time. Once the new chief takes office, I¡¯ll give him a heads-up to pay close attention to the issues here.¡± Huo Qingyang curled his lip and said, ¡°Qinghe Middle School is not the only portal, the Special Service Bureau can¡¯t afford to care about such minor issues. Since you dare volunteer yourself, let¡¯s see how capable you really are. I have only one request, block this entrance for me. If you can¡¯t do it, then just stick to your studies honestly, and don¡¯t go around bragging about being a navy brat with your face all puffed up!¡± Wang Yunxiao asked puzzledly, ¡°What portal? The underground air-raid shelter?¡± Huo Qingyang shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Liu Zhihan explain it to you later, this kind of knowledge has to start from the basics, or else it¡¯s very harmful for you guys. Normally, we wouldn¡¯t involve you in this until after you¡¯ve graduated from high school and developed a mature mindset. Let¡¯s take an example, do you believe that ghosts exist in this world?¡± ¡°They might?¡± Although he had seen something that definitely wasn¡¯t human, Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t sure if his understanding of ghosts would differ from what is considered a ghost in this world. ¡°In the common perception of people, ghosts are the souls of the deceased that have not entered into reincarnation.¡± Huo Qingyang explained, ¡°Some people believe that since there are ghosts, human misdeeds can be blamed on them. While others think that since ghosts are produced after human death, it means humans are more terrifying than ghosts.¡± ¡°Different thoughts result in seeing different ghosts.¡± Chapter 29 - 29 29 About the Truth of This World ?29: Chapter 29 About the Truth of This World 29: Chapter 29 About the Truth of This World After Huo Qingyang left, Nurse Liu found Wang Yunxiao and told him that after seven in the evening, he could come to the classroom next to the medical room to attend class with others. She had not said that he couldn¡¯t bring anyone else along. But Wang Yunxiao was somewhat uncertain about the group of brothers in his dorm. Huo Qingyang had stressed that getting involved with this kind of knowledge was very dangerous, especially when one¡¯s mind was not yet mature. Were their minds mature? That depended on who you compared them with. If you compared them with the other students at the school, then they were as ripe as frostbitten persimmons. During the war, everyone had roamed the streets homeless, witnessing things they should and shouldn¡¯t have seen. But to be honest, that was only maturity by ordinary people¡¯s standards. By those standards, Lv¡¯er was mature too. After much consideration, Wang Yunxiao decided to leave the choice to them. He gathered everyone in the dormitory and told them about Third Master Ding¡¯s intentions. ¡°He wants to arrange a ghost marriage for Chen Yan? That son of a bitch really has an eye for things!¡± Youtiao¡¯s complexion didn¡¯t look good, and the gaze hidden behind his glasses became even more gloomy. Wang Yunxiao spread his hands and said, ¡°That¡¯s the situation, and I¡¯m telling you guys the truth. Our school is a bit bizarre, and we¡¯re bound to encounter such supernatural issues in the future. Although it¡¯s none of our business and we don¡¯t need to interfere, I don¡¯t want to see the day when our brothers and Little Gourd face the same trouble and are helpless.¡± ¡°Now we have an opportunity to learn something to protect ourselves, but there¡¯s also danger. I don¡¯t know what you guys think?¡± Youtiao said with a smile, ¡°Big brother, the way you¡¯re talking is no fun. In this day and age, what skills can you learn without any cost? Even in school¡­ but outside, if you want to learn to use guns, isn¡¯t there a risk of misfiring? If you want to learn a craft, will the master sincerely teach you?¡± ¡°Do you still remember¡­ that Little Yam Egg who used to hang out with us? Didn¡¯t he end up working as a shop assistant at Yufeng Building? He allowed the head chef to feel him up for three years in bed before he was taught how to chop¡­¡± Talking like that is a bit disgusting. Wang Yunxiao said helplessly, ¡°That¡¯s not the same thing, and don¡¯t use other people as examples. They may have been compelled by life, without a choice. You guys are different; you can study peacefully, and in the future go to high school, go to college, with a bright and promising future. There¡¯s no need to take this risk with me.¡± ¡°Us? Study peacefully? And go to college?¡± Guozi¡¯s eyes widened as if he was shocked, ¡°Big brother, are you joking? We didn¡¯t even realize we were that outstanding!¡± Wang Yunxiao said irritably, ¡°Stop talking nonsense! Just say whether you¡¯ll come with me to the class or not!¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll go! Why wouldn¡¯t we?¡± No one backed down, and Wang Yunxiao was touched yet also helpless. He knew some of them might not really want to go but didn¡¯t want to leave the group. Brotherhood is a beautiful and naive thing ¡ª precious yet fragile ¡ª that tends to wither and fade as one grows older. Everyone has their own aspirations and the road ahead is long. Let¡¯s see how it goes. In the evening, he brought the group to the classroom. Unexpectedly, they encountered a familiar stranger. Chen Yan was sitting alone in the classroom. When she saw a group of people pushing the door open, she shuddered all over, nearly letting out a scream. ¡°Well, well, class president, you¡¯re enjoying the feast alone, huh? Where¡¯s Little Gourd?¡± Youtiao couldn¡¯t help but make a sarcastic remark. Chen Yan said anxiously, ¡°Little Gourd is of course in the dormitory, what do you guys want to do? I¡¯m telling you, a teacher will be here soon¡­¡± ¡°What do you think we¡¯re going to do?¡± Wang Yunxiao turned his head and ordered Youtiao, ¡°Go call Little Gourd over, and let her sit in on the class as well!¡± He certainly knew Chen Yan meant well¡ªthe dangers of running a private class like this were clear, and not including Little Gourd was for her own good. But with all his brothers having arrived, he couldn¡¯t play favorites. Moreover, Little Gourd always hung around with Chen Yan; he couldn¡¯t let her remain completely ignorant about these matters. It wasn¡¯t long before Little Gourd and Nurse Liu walked in, one after the other. Seeing the crowded group, Nurse Liu didn¡¯t say much. She closed the door, turned on the light, and gave a brief introduction of herself. She was a veteran, something Wang Yunxiao had guessed. Cool-headed and decisive, as well as proficient in handling firearms¡ªthose weren¡¯t skills a common citizen could develop. But as for her background, that wasn¡¯t something the average person could imagine. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Let me introduce myself again. You should know my Han Nationality name, which is Liu Zhihan. My Shark Clan name is Luo Luomi, born at Shark Shoal in the Glazed State. A former third-class medical NCO of the Vermilion Bird Army, I was retired and assigned to this school to be in charge of your everyday health and safety.¡± In just one sentence, Wang Yunxiao was stunned three times. What? Where? Who? ¡°Based on your current progress, you shouldn¡¯t be exposed to this level of knowledge. But to be honest, at your age, I didn¡¯t even have books to read, so there wasn¡¯t so much fuss about it,¡± she said. Nurse Liu picked up some chalk, walked to the blackboard, and said calmly, ¡°I have never been a teacher, so I can¡¯t guarantee that the information I teach you is entirely accurate or safe. Everything I tell you, don¡¯t bother memorizing it, and certainly don¡¯t completely trust it. Just get a rough understanding of it and use it as a tool. As for why, I will explain later.¡± Wang Yunxiao had never heard such strange demands! A teacher actually asking students not to believe what she was teaching? He watched, wide-eyed, as Nurse Liu wrote the nine characters for ¡°outlook on life, values, worldview¡± on the blackboard. Wang Yunxiao: ??? Wait a minute, isn¡¯t your topic a bit too profound? Shouldn¡¯t you start by explaining the hierarchy, beginning from Lion Fighter, Emperor Fighter, Venerable Fighter, to Sage Fighter? Suddenly, he faintly understood the meaning of what Huo Qingyang had once said to him. ¡ªWith your current level, it¡¯s too early for you to be exposed to this kind of knowledge. Of course, regardless of what Wang Yunxiao was wildly thinking, Nurse Liu had no intention of accommodating the students¡¯ ability to comprehend. She circled the words ¡°worldview¡± and explained to the baffled students below, ¡°Let¡¯s start with ¡®worldview,¡¯ which is what the world looks like in your eyes. Don¡¯t overthink it; I can tell you that the world you see is not the real world.¡± ¡°The real world is like a tree,¡± she said. She drew a large tree on the blackboard and pointed to the roots, ¡°Snakes and rodents dwell underground alongside the roots. Maggots hide within the trunk, which woodpeckers peck through. There are birds, squirrels, and monkeys amongst the branches¡­ Each animal¡¯s living environment is different, and they have their own habits. The tree they see is just a part of it; they have no knowledge of the tree as a whole.¡± ¡°Our Real World is the same. Most of you have experienced the lowest tier of life firsthand and should know that being able to sit in a classroom and concentrate on your studies, as you are now, is a level of living that many at the bottom can¡¯t ever achieve or even fathom,¡± she continued. ¡°People of different social strata see different worlds. We call these ¡®dimensions¡¯!¡± Chapter 30 - 30 30 Knowledge Carries the Toxicity of Corruption ?30: Chapter 30 Knowledge Carries the Toxicity of Corruption 30: Chapter 30 Knowledge Carries the Toxicity of Corruption ¡°So-called worldview is what the world looks like through your eyes,¡± ¡°Whereas perspectives on life and values are the measures and definitions you apply to yourself and external objects in this world.¡± ¡°Before your correct set of values has maturely developed, rashly exposing yourself to knowledge beyond your cognitive dimensions can impact your psyche.¡± Nurse Liu walked up to Wang Yunxiao and patted his shoulder, speaking softly, ¡°Let¡¯s take an example. Suppose Wang Yunxiao¡ªeveryone here is familiar with him¡ªbut if one day someone told you that he¡¯s different from you all, that he¡¯s actually the President¡¯s illegitimate child. The tragedy you all endured back then, the real truth might be that someone was planning to assassinate him, and the collateral damage from the battle between the assassins and the experts protecting him destroyed the entire district and also killed your relatives¡­¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Youtiao rebuffed subconsciously. Yet, he couldn¡¯t control the thoughts in his heart from spreading in an implausibly possible direction. ¡°It¡¯s just a hypothesis,¡± Nurse Liu retracted her hand, walked to the blackboard, and wrote down three sentences. ¡°The world is made up of dimensions.¡± ¡°Knowledge has toxicity.¡± ¡°Matter is the carrier of thought.¡± After writing these three sentences, she turned around and continued, ¡°Just now, many of you must have seriously considered the likelihood of the hypothesis I just made. And even now, when I¡¯ve already made it clear to you that it¡¯s just a hypothesis, some of you are still holding out hope, subconsciously treating me as someone who knows the truth leaking it or as a Prophet whose words come true, am I right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be ashamed. This is a very normal psychological change.¡± Seeing several students with flushed faces hanging their heads, she went on to explain, ¡°As a social species, humans have an innate survival instinct that subconsciously opts to accept information conveyed by their peers. The more unknown and novel the information, the faster it is accepted. Because compared to the harsh natural environment, information that has been filtered through peers, just like boiled water, is obviously more secure.¡± ¡°Modern media studies are based on this principle. People never care about a newspaper that narrates events seriously, but the more sensational and the more bizarre the news, the easier it is to attract attention. Many readers firmly believe it, without considering the authenticity and rationality of the news¡­¡± My scalp is itching, feeling like my brain is going to grow out. Commander Huo, you¡¯re right! Children should act their age and study hard! Wang Yunxiao lamented inwardly. I really deserve to die, I should¡¯ve heeded the advice! It¡¯s no longer about bending over to pick up a pen cap, I¡¯ve just been staring straight at the teacher, and in less than five minutes, I¡¯ve lost track of what she¡¯s talking about! Now it¡¯s a kind of embarrassing parental guidance. Wang Yunxiao discreetly glanced left and right and noticed that his brothers all had stunned expressions and lifeless eyes. And Nurse Liu didn¡¯t care if they could accept it or not; if they couldn¡¯t, they just didn¡¯t have to come to class anymore. There was no compulsion for them to attend, so she might as well slack off. ¡°So to be accurate, knowledge beyond the scope of personal cognition is toxic to oneself; regardless of whether it¡¯s true or false, it will affect your spirit, erode your willpower, shake your state of mind, and cause you to gradually lose reason and descend into Qi Deviation.¡± ¡°But this toxicity can be resolved.¡± ¡°The nobility of Ancient Rome didn¡¯t understand the dangers of lead, using it to make cosmetics and water pipes, leading to their descendants having lower intelligence and frail bodies. But modern people, having studied the toxic principles of lead, no longer make the same mistakes.¡± ¡°In the past, some people were fearless due to ignorance, disregarding the toxicity of knowledge and ultimately falling into madness. There were also those who, upon recognizing the toxicity of knowledge, began to fear it, even advocating for anti-intellectual education and laissez-faire governance. These serve as negative examples for you.¡± ¡°Now, the times have changed.¡± Nurse Liu said sternly, ¡°You should feel fortunate that you¡¯re able to study at this school. Other institutions in Tianmen City still follow traditional conservative teaching philosophies; some even accept Confucian classics while rejecting all modern scientific courses. Principal Zhou¡¯s educational philosophy, however, is to cultivate students¡¯ sound minds. After you¡¯ve completed all your middle and high school courses, when your minds have maturely developed and you¡¯ve established a mature worldview, you¡¯ll not be poisoned when exposed to these pieces of knowledge¡­¡± ¡°Did you all understand what I¡¯ve said? If so, please raise your hand.¡± Very few hands were raised. It¡¯s not that they couldn¡¯t understand, but rather most were still immersed in the pain of knowledge¡¯s sharp edges tearing through their brain tissues, unable to react immediately. The key issue is you also told us beforehand not to take your words at face value¡­ ¡°Now, you have another choice to make.¡± Nurse Liu said softly, ¡°With your current state of mind, continuing to touch upon deeper knowledge will only gradually accumulate toxicity, bringing you more pain. You are students, not soldiers; there¡¯s no need to force yourselves. The door is right there, you can choose to go back to the dormitory to sleep, and upon waking up, you¡¯ll remember nothing.¡± Wang Yunxiao¡¯s mind suddenly cleared, keenly seizing on the key point in Nurse Liu¡¯s just-spoken words. Was it reliant on drugs, or some special ability, to induce selective amnesia? He turned his head to look at the people around him; Chen Yan was flipping through her notes, her expression unchanged, probably not her first time attending this class today. As for the brothers he brought along¡­ Each had a vacant and dull gaze, like a fresh young maiden who had just been ravaged. But no one left. Nurse Liu waited a few minutes, then nodded in satisfaction, turned around, and continued writing on the blackboard with chalk. ¡°Since you¡¯re prepared mentally, I¡¯ll not hold back. The knowledge I¡¯m going to share with you is a military-grade simplified version of the curriculum; it¡¯s toxic, yet the risk is generally manageable. Do not ask questions, nor think too much, just remember every word I say.¡± She drew a line next to the world view, writing out a series of terms like ¡°Heavenly Realm,¡± ¡°Star Realm,¡± ¡°Real World,¡± ¡°Outer Dimension,¡± ¡°Netherworld,¡± ¡°Dreamland,¡± ¡°Moon Phase,¡± ¡°Outer Gods,¡± ¡°New Gods,¡± ¡°Heavenly Dao¡±¡­ S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Yunxiao¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. Come on, it¡¯s the first lesson, shouldn¡¯t we start with ABC? Isn¡¯t this a bit too advanced? ¡°Why are you looking at me? Look at the board!¡± Nurse Liu rapped on the blackboard: ¡°Learn from your class leader; next time remember to bring pen and paper, a good memory is not as reliable as bad handwriting. Another thing to remember, your notes must not be leaked; soon after grasping the knowledge, dispose of them. The toxicity contained in this knowledge is extremely dangerous to ordinary people.¡± Chapter 31 - 31 31 My World is a Steamed Bun ?31: Chapter 31 My World is a Steamed Bun 31: Chapter 31 My World is a Steamed Bun Although there are many concepts, they are not hard to understand. Nurse Liu uses a ¡°military simplified version of the textbook,¡±, which has the greatest advantage of allowing even illiterate recruits who can¡¯t recognize a single word to quickly grasp the situation and then convert it into actual combat power. ¡°This is a steamed bun.¡± Nurse Liu took out her teaching prop, which was very intuitive. ¡°You can think of this steamed bun as the real world we are currently in. Concerning this steamed bun, I will pose seven questions to you.¡± ¡°The first question, why is this thing called a steamed bun?¡± Wang Yunxiao was about to speak but stopped himself. Otherwise? ¡°You might be thinking, isn¡¯t a steamed bun just a steamed bun? That answer is not entirely correct.¡± Nurse Liu seriously said, ¡°This type of pastry was called a steam cake in ancient times, just as noodles were called soup cakes. The name steamed bun can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period when the Marquis of Wu campaigned against the Southern Barbarians, who had a custom of using human heads to sacrifice to the gods. The Marquis used steamed buns filled with meat filling in place of human heads, named Barbarian Head, phonetically becoming our modern steamed bun. The real steamed bun is actually the stuffed bun that we northerners eat.¡± ¡°But for us, we conventionally call this a steamed bun.¡± Before the students could react, Nurse Liu continued, ¡°The second question, what is the purpose of a steamed bun?¡± This time, someone blurted out directly, ¡°To eat, of course!¡± ¡°To satisfy hunger!¡± Nurse Liu said, ¡°A steamed bun can also be used to feed fish, or replace an eraser to modify pencil sketches. You think a steamed bun is for eating because in the class you currently belong to, a steamed bun is considered food. In someone else¡¯s eyes, a steamed bun is so dry and hard that not even a dog would be fed with it as waste.¡± ¡°But what you said is correct, the steamed bun in your hands is indeed for eating.¡± ¡°The third question, what¡¯s the difference between a steamed bun and bread? You should know what bread looks like, right?¡± ¡°The answer is almost no difference, one is steamed in a steaming basket, and the other is baked in an oven. Foreigners use more refined flour, maybe even adding a bit of butter and sugar. But in essence, there is no great difference.¡± ¡°Eating bread isn¡¯t any more noble than eating a steamed bun.¡± ¡°The fourth question, can you put fillings in a steamed bun?¡± ¡°The answer is yes, whether you stuff it with eggs, pork hock, or spread it with honey, dip it in sesame sauce¡­ there are many ways to eat it, but what you ultimately consume is still a steamed bun, and it doesn¡¯t change the nature of the steamed bun just because you add something else.¡± ¡°The fifth question, where does a steamed bun come from?¡± ¡°A steamed bun won¡¯t fall from the sky, nor can you get full from it in a dream by burning incense and praying to Buddha. The steamed buns you eat at school today were made with educational subsidy funds that the principal secured to buy flour. In this country, there are countless peers of yours who can¡¯t enjoy such a subsidy. Once you graduate and enter society, you¡¯ll have to earn money to buy steamed buns.¡± ¡°The sixth question, what is more important than this steamed bun?¡± ¡°Suppose this steamed bun is your entire fortune, what would you be willing to exchange it for? Say, wealth, love, art, freedom, or some kind of truth? Of course, other people aren¡¯t fools, so you can only get something of equal or even lesser value to the steamed bun.¡± ¡°Humans will die if they don¡¯t eat, that¡¯s obvious common sense. The steamed bun is your life, what could be more important to you than life?¡± ¡°The seventh question, what would you do if someone tried to take your steamed bun from you?¡± ¡°You only have this bun in your hand; it¡¯s your only food. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now someone else wants it, and they plan to freeload without paying. Would you agree to that? Would you submit because they are stronger? Or do you plan to use your own bun to ingratiate yourself with them and join them in stealing other people¡¯s buns?¡± After rattling off seven questions, the classroom fell silent, as quiet as the grave. Everyone¡¯s minds were crammed full of big white buns. ¡°Our world is this bun.¡± Nurse Liu knocked on the blackboard and said loudly, ¡°This world is complex and fascinating. What you see now is just this bun. As long as you remember this bun firmly, all other problems are not problems!¡± Well said! Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but applaud loudly in his heart. I understood the matter about the bun, and it even made me hungry, but what about those things you wrote on the blackboard? ¡°Okay, now everyone look at the blackboard!¡± Nurse Liu drew two lines on the blackboard, one horizontal and one vertical: ¡°You should have already learned about variables and understand the concept of a coordinate system, right? If you don¡¯t know, then you don¡¯t know; go back and study it yourself. What I¡¯ve drawn here is an X and Y axis, which represent time and space, respectively. The Real World where we are now is just one point in this coordinate system.¡± Then she casually drew two more lines. It really was a casual drawing. ¡°This is the Z axis, representing dimensions.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Realm and Star Realm are located in higher dimensions. You just need to be aware of this concept, no need to think about the specifics, as with your current powers you can¡¯t reach that level. To put it simply, it¡¯s like the restaurant where buns are sold.¡± ¡°Dreamland and Netherworld are situated in the lower dimensions. These concepts are points you¡¯ll frequently come across in the future, and I¡¯ll explain them in detail later. You can think of them as stir-fried dishes sold in the restaurant.¡± ¡°The Outer Dimension exists as fragments attached to the Real World, much like dipping mutton slices in sesame paste, with added leeks, fermented bean curd, green onion, coriander, and garlic. Since everyone¡¯s tastes differ, these should be analyzed specifically and can¡¯t be generalized.¡± ¡°The Outer Gods and New Gods, these you can understand as patrons outside the restaurant. Foreigners believe in different gods from us, I¡¯ll find a specific example to explain to you later. You don¡¯t need to care about what kind of gods they are, anyway, whatever they order has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°Heavenly Dao, this is the easiest to understand. There are rules for eating in a restaurant, those who understand the rules can eat their fill, those who don¡¯t understand the rules won¡¯t get to eat, it¡¯s as simple as that.¡± Nurse Liu tapped the blackboard forcefully: ¡°You must wash your hands before eating, you cannot stick chopsticks into your bowl, you can¡¯t mess with the dishes, tofu pudding must be salty, zongzi must be sweet, jianbing guozi cannot contain shredded potato¡ªthat is the Heavenly Dao!¡± Isn¡¯t it that you can¡¯t insert chicken strips¡­ oh, sorry, I almost forgot that we can¡¯t afford chicken strips right now. Wang Yunxiao deeply agreed with these rules of the Heavenly Dao. ¡°The great Tao produces one, one life two, two produce three, three produce all things. Our bun in hand is made through these processes.¡± Nurse Liu lifted the bun and said solemnly, ¡°Whether Foreigners spread butter on their bread is their concern. Our bun has only these processes. Moreover, most of them can be disregarded, there is no need to be so finicky. The truly indispensable core processes are only twelve.¡± ¡°Currently circulating in the Jianghu World, those so-called ¡®Divine Skill Secret Manuals¡¯, ¡®Immortal Cultivation Secret Methods¡¯, ¡®Ancient Scrolls¡¯, no matter how complex and mystical they are described in there, they ultimately boil down to these twelve directions, which can also be regarded as twelve Cultivation Dharma Gates. Among these twelve gates, they are divided into twenty-four branches, distinguished between the Righteous Path and the Heretical Path.¡± ¡°The student who was playing tricks in the school previously is a ¡®Chess Herald¡¯ who cultivates the Heretical Path.¡± Chapter 32 - 32 32 Twelve Ways to Eat Steamed Buns ?32: Chapter 32: Twelve Ways to Eat Steamed Buns 32: Chapter 32: Twelve Ways to Eat Steamed Buns Taking an overdose of gelsemium elegans could cause tremors, convulsions, breathing difficulties, even fainting, and other symptoms. During math class, I couldn¡¯t help but spin my pen, my mind wandering, getting startled when the teacher called my name, failing to solve the problem on the blackboard leading to social death, and then returning to my seat to continue dozing off. Based on the similarities of the symptoms alone, saying knowledge is toxic is not an issue at all. Yet the knowledge toxicity Nurse Liu mentioned falls under a different category. According to Wang Yunxiao¡¯s understanding, it¡¯s a special form of an information cocoon. In simple terms, the information cocoon refers to young people living in the network age, who are swept away by the big data algorithms of the internet. At first, they can access various types of information, but eventually, all recommended information converges into their most favored categories, which in turn promotes personal opinions to become increasingly narrow and extreme. In time, they transform into ¡°trolls¡± and ¡°haters.¡± Another form of the information cocoon occurs because the volume of information in the network age is too huge, and individuals have limited capacity to receive information, so they passively accept trending topics without any self-awareness. In time, this leads to them becoming mindless followers, without any opinions, known as ¡°online gamers.¡± Take for example what Nurse Liu just mentioned about the Twelve Laws within the Heavenly Dao and their twenty-four branches. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Yunxiao instinctively understood it right away. I know this, that¡¯s just the twenty-two sequence engravings on the blasphemy slate, isn¡¯t it? Which sequence does the pancake sandwich belong to¡­ Sorry, I got it mixed up. This is a characteristic of a brain contaminated with knowledge, commonly known as ¡°jumbling up knowledge.¡± After briefly explaining the ¡°Heavenly Dao,¡± Nurse Liu moved on to the ¡°Moon Phase.¡± ¡°In our real world, there exists a special kind of natural disaster officially referred to as ¡®spacetime tides,¡¯ but don¡¯t worry about the official terms, just remember the concept of ¡®Moon Phase.''¡± Nurse Liu emphasized the word ¡°Moon Phase¡± by circling it twice: ¡°Remember this rhyme: meat sandwich at the beginning of the month, sandwich meat in the middle. It means that at the start of each month, when the moon disappears completely, the outer dimension erodes the real world. And in the middle of the month when the moon is fullest, the real world swallows the outer dimension. It¡¯s like the tides in the sea, changing constantly with the moon phases.¡± Hearing her mention this, Wang Yunxiao suddenly remembered. The person who threatened him over the phone that day, who seemed to be Xiao Baili, had mentioned that on the fifteenth of each month, at exactly midnight, a door would open in the school, leading to another world. ¡°The ghoul you encountered in the cafeteria a few days ago was summoned from the outer dimension by someone taking advantage of the moon¡¯s concealment.¡± ¡°Everyone heads up, pay attention, this is important!¡± Nurse Liu banged on the blackboard. ¡°The dangers of the outer dimension eroding the real world can be summed up in three ways. I know you won¡¯t remember them, so I¡¯ll just briefly mention them here; you¡¯ll understand better when you experience them yourself later.¡± ¡°The first is the invasion of monsters into the real world.¡± ¡°The second type involves twisting the laws of the Real World.¡± ¡°The third type is the most dangerous, which is to instill poisonous knowledge into your minds!¡± Nurse Liu wrote the word ¡°contagious¡± on the blackboard. ¡°Don¡¯t think that only what you hear and see is knowledge. Some knowledge is like a virus, able to invade your brain without you noticing, twisting your thoughts and cognition. Chen Yan, for example, is a victim of this.¡± ¡°Shen Haowen practiced a type of sorcery. He not only used sorcery to summon evil ghosts but also controlled Chen Yan¡¯s actions, making her run to your dorm to cause trouble. Although he has been restrained, Chen Yan has been influenced by the sorcery. From that day, strange voices and memories began to appear in her mind. Without proper guidance, it won¡¯t be long before she loses her reason and turns into what we commonly refer to as demons and spirits.¡± The mentioned Chen Yan blushed with shame, her head bowed low, wishing she could bury her head in the desk. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t accept the change, but she couldn¡¯t bear the fact that her transformation into a ¡°bad child¡± was exposed in front of Wang Yunxiao and others. It felt like the embarrassment of a head monk sneaking out to eat braised pork knuckles and being caught by Lu Zhishen at the restaurant entrance. ¡°You see, this is how knowledge contamination presents itself.¡± Nurse Liu completely disregarded her social death and continued calmly, ¡°Once in this state, it¡¯s very hard to control your thoughts and emotional changes. You might suddenly find yourself different, out of sync with the world, as if everyone is drunk except you, thinking yourself the luckiest person in the world¡­ These are the kinds of mental shifts. But in reality, these are all your illusions.¡± She walked over to Chen Yan and sternly said, ¡°Once you calm down, you will realize that the Earth will still rotate without you. Your classmates won¡¯t mock, fear, or laugh at you over such a trivial matter.¡± That might not necessarily be the case¡­ Wang Yunxiao thought to himself, never underestimate the evil of youth; there were plenty of badly raised brats around. ¡°Learning theoretical knowledge is good, but it is not as effective as practicing it firsthand.¡± Nurse Liu walked back to the podium and looked towards Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Huo Qingyang has already told me about Old Third Ding. This time, we might as well use him as teaching material to train your practical skills. But first, we must be clear about one thing¡ªWang Yunxiao, what is your goal?¡± ¡°Is it to protect the school or to eradicate this criminal gang?¡± ¡°Do you want to bring them to justice or join them in their wrongdoing?¡± ¡°Are you seeking to uncover their secrets or to profit from them?¡± ¡°Do you really know what you want?¡± Faced with such heart-piercing questioning, Wang Yunxiao paused for a moment before saying soberly, ¡°I will measure my own capabilities. Maintaining social order is the police¡¯s job; we don¡¯t have such capabilities. I just hope that my brothers and I have the abilities to protect ourselves and retaliate, to make these street dogs think twice about biting others. I want to find a stick and knock out their teeth the moment they open their mouths, leaving them with a lifelong memory!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very good idea. I hope you can keep your original intention and remain consistent,¡± Nurse Liu said as she lightly clapped her hands, her tone still calm, giving no hint of either approval or sarcasm. ¡°As for the issue of ghost marriage arrangement, let¡¯s leave it to Chen Yan to decide. As for the door they are looking for, let them come, and you can go in together then, offering each other some support.¡± Chapter 33 - 33 33 Create Demand Where There is None ?33: Chapter 33 Create Demand Where There is None 33: Chapter 33 Create Demand Where There is None If it weren¡¯t for Wang Yunxiao¡¯s report, Chen Yan might still be unaware that she had already been targeted. The matter is somewhat peculiar. In the internet era of later generations, most people¡¯s understanding of ghost marriage customs comes from plots designed in supernatural online novels. It¡¯s always some unfortunate girl who was killed and bound in a ghost marriage, her resentment lingering and transforming into something like the Red-Clothed Woman Ghost. Then there are those unscrupulous social media accounts that concoct clickbait articles like ¡°g¨¡ y¨¡o zi¡± with no real sources, full of sensationalism yet utterly unfounded. In reality, just like kidneys require compatible blood types, ghost marriages actually require matching as well. The primary purpose of a ghost marriage is usually to ensure the family graveyard¡¯s fengshui remains harmonious; no one¡¯s heard of someone willingly bringing home a Red-Clothed Woman Ghost as a mother. But one cannot completely rule out the possibility of Fengshui Masters deliberately harming others, or the family head being entirely ignorant and deceived into unnecessary spending. It¡¯s like selling the Mix Yuan Ultimate Yin and Yang Balanced Life Preservation Jade Mattress¡ª even if you don¡¯t need it, we need to create that need for you in order to make money. Generally speaking, the families that fall victim to these created needs are like those people who knowingly purchase dubious second-hand Apple phones for eight hundred yuan in front of a train station; they are aware there might be problems and are hardly deserving of sympathy. Third Master Ding, on the surface, is a legitimate Fengshui Master, a well-known personality within the fengshui community of Tianmen City. It is true that with a large family business to run, and taking care of his subordinates¡¯ daily needs, he¡¯s involved in some not-so-respectable activities, but comparatively speaking, those are of little consequence. After all, how many rich men these days have clean slates? Fengshui Masters conducting fengshui consultations, relocating graves, setting up fengshui arrays¡ªthat¡¯s all but feudal superstition. Even if they traffic in counterfeit items or sell fake jade, it can still begrudgingly be considered within the scope of their business operations. A hotel owner who makes his shop assistants collect protection money or lends money at usurious rates, or a seemingly wealthy man who smuggles goods behind the scenes, might just also deal with even darker businesses¡ª aren¡¯t they the ones who should meet their demise? Ghost Marriage Arranger involves many considerations, in some sense not so different from mortal world marriage customs. It starts with an appropriate match in terms of social status, zodiac compatibility, and the full array of traditional betrothal gifts. But the dowries are made of paper, chosen at night when no one is around. It¡¯s not as simple as just burying a dead person in a tomb and calling it done. The various procedures involved are generally unknown to the average person and must be managed by a Fengshui Master. The matter of Chen Yan being arranged a ghost marriage is something one shouldn¡¯t think about too much, for thinking too much would reveal many problems. For instance, how Chen Yan¡¯s birth information, which is confidential even to her, ended up in the hands of a Fengshui Master. Old Man Chen is very open-minded, having supported his daughter¡¯s education without the intention of forcing her into an early marriage. Moreover, the Chen family isn¡¯t in urgent need of money. If neither parent had such intentions, how could such private information as one¡¯s birth data have been leaked? Did Third Master Ding simply deduce it with a pinch of fingers? Furthermore, although the Chen Family is a respectable household with enough to provide for themselves, after all, they are small-time businesspeople and certainly cannot match real wealthy families. Who among the rich and powerful, with the resources to engage a Fengshui Master for a ghost marriage, would take interest in a girl from a more humble background? Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t have complete information, mainly because the loafer didn¡¯t know the specifics either. In this situation, Nurse Liu explicitly asked Chen Yan to make her own decision. Making her own decision doesn¡¯t mean resolving the problem herself. Clearly, what Sister Liu implied was that Chen Yan could choose to seek help from Wang Yunxiao or find another way. This was a test for her personal character. Chen Yan didn¡¯t voice out her choice. Perhaps it was the manifestation of a girl¡¯s pride, a bit difficult to set aside. But Wang Yunxiao did not believe that she had the ability to handle such a problem on her own. Getting involved with mysterious knowledge, whether actively or passively, always comes with danger. After Wang Yunxiao returned to the dormitory, he had nightmares all night long. In his dream, two brothers found him, twisting and whispering, ¡°Big Brother, I don¡¯t want to learn anymore.¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t pay much attention, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to learn, then don¡¯t. Everyone has their own aspirations. It¡¯s good to accept reality and study in peace.¡± But then the two said, ¡°Big Brother, we don¡¯t want to go to school anymore. We want to go out and join the society.¡± Wang Yunxiao: ¡­ Everyone has their own aspirations¡­ right? Then he watched as the two skipped school, swindled on the streets, engaged in vandalism and arson, and ultimately got caught and publicly executed by firing squad. The two were kneeling on the ground, crying, ¡°Big Brother! Big Brother, save us! We know we were wrong!¡± Another brother pointed at his nose and berated him, ¡°Big Brother, we are sworn brothers! How can you stand by and watch us die?¡± ¡°Big Brother is partial! Big Brother hoards all the good fortune!¡± ¡°We are not brothers! We couldn¡¯t pass the high school entrance exams!¡± One by one, his brothers left him¡­ There is no such thing as brotherly love in this world; it¡¯s just that everyone needs a reason to band together for warmth. A cold voice whispered into Wang Yunxiao¡¯s ear. When the weather turns cold, the brothers disperse. Wang Yunxiao watched, expressionless, as a panicked Youtiao stood in front of him, gun in hand. ¡°Big Brother, don¡¯t blame me. I was forced by them. If you don¡¯t die, my entire family won¡¯t survive!¡± ¡­ Wang Yunxiao, still in his dream, watched a compilation of classic Hong Kong movie scenes set to a blockbuster soundtrack all night long. He couldn¡¯t help but lament how fearless and clueless he was in his past life, boldly cramming all sorts of nonsense into his DNA. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When he woke up in the morning, he saw that everyone in the dormitory, except for him, had deep dark circles under their eyes. Matuan and Youtiao, the two brothers, were crying bitterly. ¡°We dreamt that Big Brother died, surrounded and hacked to death, chopped up like dumpling filling!¡± ¡°Ptui ptui ptui! What nonsense!¡± Youtiao looked even worse but still managed to stay rational, turning to ask Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Big Brother, you said that Sister Liu didn¡¯t teach us anything useful yesterday, and our night was restless. If we continue to study, will the nightmares get worse¡­ Is there any way to alleviate it?¡± ¡°There is definitely a way. She probably wanted us to experience this feeling, so she should teach us how to deal with it today.¡± Wang Yunxiao had an idea about this and was not very concerned. Nurse Liu¡¯s teaching method felt very familiar to him. Military teaching materials are straightforward, avoiding unnecessary complications, emphasizing simplicity and quick learning. He could think of the solutions himself¡ªthey were not technically complex. Youtiao hesitated for a moment before asking softly, ¡°Big Brother, do you think Chen Yan will ask for your help today?¡± ¡°No.¡± Wang Yunxiao said, ¡°She needs to go home first and figure out what exactly is going on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± After thinking for a bit, Youtiao couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Chen Yan wouldn¡¯t look up to us. If she needs to discuss something, she¡¯d go to that pretty boy Qu Wenming.¡± Chapter 34 - 34 34 Full Stomach Leads to Wild Thoughts ?34: Chapter 34 Full Stomach Leads to Wild Thoughts 34: Chapter 34 Full Stomach Leads to Wild Thoughts Youtiao always had a deep obsession with Qu Wenming, the literary arts committee member of the class next door, or perhaps you could say it was a personal grudge. According to his own account, they were classmates in elementary school, and even their mothers worked together, often being compared to one another. Back then, Youtiao was the ¡°child of someone else¡¯s family.¡± On the other hand, Qu Wenming was just like bean sprouts: not as white-faced, not tall, with poor grades, and he couldn¡¯t sing or write poetry. A few years passed, and this guy suddenly became popular. Youtiao felt very unbalanced inside. Chen Yan indeed hadn¡¯t come to ask Wang Yunxiao for help; she hadn¡¯t even come to class and had directly taken leave with the teacher. Wang Yunxiao¡¯s gang stayed in the classroom and attended classes obediently all day, until the evening came, when Nurse Liu called them for bricklaying. No, it was to move canned lunch meat. Previously, Huo Qingyang somehow acquired an entire truckload of military-use canned lunch meat, adding a slight hint of meaty richness to the school cafeteria¡¯s meals. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This batch of lunch meat had been piling up in the cafeteria¡¯s kitchen, and on the day Wang Yunxiao chopped someone, he even snatched two cans on the side. But today, Nurse Liu asked them to move these cans of lunch meat into the air-raid shelter. Behind the teaching buildings of Qinghe Middle School, there was a hidden door connecting to the underground civil air defense shelter. It was particularly inconspicuous and didn¡¯t seem noteworthy at all. If it hadn¡¯t been for Principal Zhou mentioning it offhandedly, Wang Yunxiao wouldn¡¯t have even been aware of such a place. Building an air-raid shelter wasn¡¯t strange, what was strange was building such an enormous underground civil air defense structure in this era. Could the foreigners¡¯ planes even reach this place? Without a cell phone or internet, in this era, Wang Yunxiao lacked convenient and quick means of gathering information; with his current financial situation, he couldn¡¯t even afford to subscribe to newspapers. His only source of knowledge was the school itself, from the content talked about by teachers in class, as well as books in the library. But most of the books in the library were ancient texts in classical Chinese, with very few modern texts. With the special privileges Nurse Liu granted them for knowledge access, they could understand more, but this knowledge was ¡°poisonous.¡± And she clearly told them, not to trust this knowledge easily. This was really bothersome. It was like your mother telling you that green peppers are nutritious, other vegetables are nutritious, too, but since Mom likes green peppers, you can only eat green peppers every day¡­ That kind of feeling. There is an abundance of knowledge, and even regarding the same thing, different knowledge frameworks provide different definitions and concepts, so at the current stage, one can only accept the knowledge within their own cognitive range. According to the world geography knowledge Nurse Liu introduced in the first lesson¡­ The war that broke out two years ago is also known as the ¡°Island Chain War.¡± Regarding the insider information about this war, it hasn¡¯t been declassified to this day¡­ The air-raid shelter was built very deep, and the walls were actually made of concrete. Compared to the civilian buildings above ground, it gave off a strong contrast akin to a loli with white feet and white hair riding an invincible iron ox, standing proudly above the earth. So, what exactly are you guys guarding against to make the underground civil air defense so extravagantly reinforced? It wasn¡¯t just Wang Yunxiao who was shocked¡ªYoutiao was, too. Being rather quick-witted, he set down the wooden crate filled with cans of lunch meat, ran his hand along the wall, and sensed something amiss. Looking around to make sure Nurse Liu wasn¡¯t nearby, he quickly leaned over to Wang Yunxiao and whispered, ¡°Big brother, have a look, what material do you think this is made of?¡± ¡°Concrete.¡± ¡°Concrete what?¡± Youtiao had never seen anything like it, but even just touching with his hands he could tell this wall was not made of the same stuff as the whitewashed brick walls in the school. ¡°How can there be such construction under the school?¡± Who am I supposed to ask? Wang Yunxiao thought to himself that this thing should not exist in this era, but considering the information he had gathered, there were plenty of things that shouldn¡¯t exist in this era. One more everlasting bunker material that could withstand machine-gun fire¡­ right? Youtiao¡¯s face looked terrible. The smarter you are, the more prone you are to overthink. Wang Yunxiao could almost guess what he was thinking, because at this very moment, similar thoughts involuntarily surfaced in his own mind. Considering the level of weathering and decay, this air-raid shelter must have been here for many years. If you could use this material to build houses on the surface instead of hiding it underground, could you avoid the tragedy that happened at Muddy Ground that year? Why is that? What¡¯s the reason? Thoughts like these, like wriggling maggots, silently grew in his mind, nibbling away at his heart bit by bit. Wang Yunxiao patted Youtiao¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Let¡¯s go, move another batch.¡± Physical labor is the cure for wandering thoughts. Scientifically speaking, when the brain is inadequately supplied with blood, thinking becomes sluggish. After going back and forth seven or eight times and moving all the canned meat into the shelter, the whole group collapsed under the wall, not wanting to move even a single finger. It was not that they couldn¡¯t handle physical work, but rather the lack of energy in their bellies, unable to sustain such expenditure. Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help asking Nurse Liu, ¡°What are you planning to do with the canned goods after having us bring them here?¡± If Nurse Liu dared to say it was for nothing and that they would have to move it back to the cafeteria tomorrow, Wang Yunxiao probably couldn¡¯t help but turn against her. Are you messing with us for fun? Nurse Liu spoke in a low voice, ¡°In a couple of days, some people will be visiting the school, and it won¡¯t look good for outsiders to see this.¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t understand, ¡°What¡¯s so bad about it?¡± It¡¯s just canned meat. For the time he had traveled to, if you dared to add canned meat to a student¡¯s meal, parents would fight you over it. The underground air-raid shelter can be built with concrete, so what¡¯s so criminal about stir-frying canned meat with shredded potatoes in the student cafeteria? With profound meaning, Nurse Liu said, ¡°If they want to find fault with you, tomorrow morning, if you step into the classroom with your left foot first, it¡¯s a sin.¡± Wang Yunxiao had no intention of worrying about tomorrow morning. Everyone was already exhausted, and he was incredibly tired as well. Back in the dormitory, as soon as everyone hit the pillow, they just passed out, not having any nightmares. In the morning, opening their eyes, they couldn¡¯t even remember if they had slept at all. Chapter 35 - 35 35 Welcome Enthusiasts to Visit and Guide ?35: Chapter 35 Welcome Enthusiasts to Visit and Guide 35: Chapter 35 Welcome Enthusiasts to Visit and Guide Nurse Liu didn¡¯t lie, and the very next day the homeroom teacher announced the news that a group of enthusiastic members of society were planning to visit Qinghe Middle School. It wasn¡¯t specified who these enthusiastic members of society were, but the focus was on organizing students from each class to carry out a school-wide cleaning operation. Although the homeroom teacher didn¡¯t name names, he specifically reminded certain people that for the next two days they should be careful with their words and actions, behave appropriately, not skip classes, not fight, and not leave any negative impressions on the visitors. Youtiao raised his hand and asked the homeroom teacher, what if Chen Yan hasn¡¯t come back? The homeroom teacher glared with his tiger eyes, you just need to mind your own business! As the class president and top student, there are always privileges. In his previous life when Wang Yunxiao was studying, as long as you could maintain top ten in the year group at school, the teachers would turn a blind eye even if you were dating. It was just a matter of Chen Yan skipping class for two days. For the whole morning, Youtiao endlessly twirled his pen. The pen barrel was nearly broken by his flipping. Unable to hold back, Wang Yunxiao quietly asked him, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to her house to see what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to impose my hot face on her cold ass!¡± Youtiao was stubborn in his refusal. There were no classes in the afternoon, just a school-wide cleaning, and Wang Yunxiao and his group were assigned to clear out the dormitory trash. Little Gourd tiptoed over, but was stopped by Youtiao with a raised hand, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Little Gourd glanced at Wang Yunxiao who was sweeping in the distance and whispered, ¡°Sister Chen Yan still hasn¡¯t come back, I was thinking of going over to her house to check.¡± Youtiao was unmoved, ¡°If you want to go, then go. Why are you looking for Brother Wang?¡± Little Gourd¡¯s mouth deflated after being scolded, sulkily saying, ¡°I¡¯m just letting Brother Wang know¡­¡± ¡°Brother Wang thinks of you when he has tasty things, and you want to drag him into trouble when you¡¯re looking for it yourself?¡± Youtiao flicked her on the forehead, annoyed, ¡°If you tell Brother Wang, would he not accompany you? If Brother Wang goes, do we go or not? Chen Yan is neither kith nor kin to us, what business is it of ours to get involved? Can you figure out who actually is closer to you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Little Gourd complained, feeling wronged, ¡°I just wanted to go over and take a look, keep scolding me and I won¡¯t speak well of you ever again.¡± ¡°Thanks, but no thanks!¡± Wang Yunxiao came over, put down his broom and asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Youtiao and Little Gourd shook their heads together. Little Gourd, with her hands clasped behind her back, forced a laugh, ¡°I¡¯m just worried you guys will do a slapdash job at cleaning, and then the homeroom teacher will scold you guys if he finds any issues.¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t reply, just stared silently at the two, who suddenly felt guilty. ¡°Grown some wings, have you? Learned how to fool me, huh?¡± ¡°No!¡± Little Gourd shook her head desperately, with a chuckle, ¡°Just craving some pork fat mixed with rice.¡± ¡°Then eat, what¡¯s there to be shy about?¡± Wang Yunxiao was no longer who he used to be. He now had five taels of Silver and an additional two and a half of Colorful Banknote in his hand¡ªnot just enough for pork fat, but even pork knuckles. ¡°You go tell everyone that we¡¯re going to Chen Yan¡¯s house for dinner tonight, and call Loach and Dumpling over as well¡­¡± Youtiao moved his lips as if to speak, but ultimately, he remained silent. Wang Yunxiao could understand his concerns. Initially, the group had come together not because of any sense of brotherhood in the Jianghu World, but purely out of necessity. An eleven or twelve-year-old orphan had no way to survive alone on the streets; they had to band together to keep warm. Little Gourd was the only girl among them, not because the Heavens discriminated against gender, choosing only boys to suffer misfortune in their families. The only reason was that her face was scarred, making her undesirable to others. As the leader of this small community, it was Wang Yunxiao¡¯s role to make decisions and establish authority. And as the second-in-command at the Quartermaster, Youtiao¡¯s primary consideration was the collective interest of his group. If the leader gave an instruction, he would definitely support it fully. But before Wang Yunxiao had spoken, he would definitely not take the initiative to help Chen Yan, nor would he suggest such an idea to Wang Yunxiao on his own initiative. This guy¡¯s mind was so clear that he would surely achieve great things in the future. When Loach and Dumpling arrived, Wang Yunxiao directly took out a piece of silver from his pocket and handed it over, ¡°Buy some food, and prepare something delicious. We¡¯ll go to Chen Yan¡¯s house tonight.¡± When he had first arrived, Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t understand the situation of his brothers well, but as time passed, he learned that these two were in charge of providing food back at home. Loach had wild ways, while Dumpling was good with his hands. Dumpling was the only one among them who knew how to make dumplings. Usually, when idling around, he would mutter about nothing being as delicious as dumplings, so everyone simply started calling him Dumpling. His family didn¡¯t run a restaurant; it was just that he especially liked to study food. According to Youtiao, this kid was as round as a ball when he was a child, eating anything he saw. His parents almost wished they could put a muzzle on him, fearing he¡¯d get the idea to gnaw on tree bark. The two exchanged glances, and Loach couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Brother Wang, it¡¯s not even a holiday, should we not save a bit of money?¡± The last time they had hurriedly eaten a meal with lard mixed with rice, they thought they would need to make it last a month, but now, after barely two days, Brother Wang wanted to provide another meal. Was life getting too tough? Wang Yunxiao, with his bold and unconcerned talent, waved his hand nonchalantly, ¡°Eat when we should eat, and drink when we should drink. Don¡¯t take things too seriously. We all have hands and feet, aren¡¯t we afraid we¡¯ll have no income?¡± Third Master Ding¡¯s business was booming, a clear sign of his wealth. Having money and not staying low-key, he meddled daily with these dirty tricks unfit for public view. Let¡¯s hope that when he gets played by others in the future, he doesn¡¯t become too unbalanced mentally. At seven o¡¯clock in the evening, they also had to attend class with Nurse Liu, so time was a bit tight. However, tempted by the promise of a wonderful dinner, everyone was highly motivated, significantly increasing their work efficiency. For the boys¡¯ dormitory, as long as it was passable, that was enough. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. What else could you expect it to be, spotless? A dust-free windowsill and floor? What, are you planning to cultivate yourself to govern the family, the country, and bring peace to the world? The headteacher didn¡¯t allow them to skip classes or school, but that was tomorrow¡¯s concern and had nothing to do with today. Wang Yunxiao led his brothers and walked straight out the main gate of the school, leaving openly and rightfully. When they arrived at Chen Yan¡¯s house, they saw that Loach and Dumpling had already come early. Unlike Brother Wang who had just crossed over and knew nothing about the market prices, these two were the real professionals. Loach brought over a basin full of crabs, assorted fish, clams, and a jar of shrimp paste. These seafood items are cheapest if you buy them by the river, almost as if they were free. Of course, the prerequisite is knowing the right people. Wang Yunxiao once heard an internet joke that in the past, during a famine, some people unable to afford rice and flour had to survive on crab meat. In fact, it was not even a joke. Seafood is inherently difficult to store and not necessarily guaranteed to sell once caught. Small fish the size of fingers and crabs the size of chess pieces would rot within two hours of being caught. In those days, scallions, ginger, and cooking wine were also valuable commodities. Without them to remove the fishy smell, it was hard to eat, and even the fishermen despised it. Chapter 36 - 36 36 Is the Small Fish and Crab Hotpot Delicious ?36: Chapter 36 Is the Small Fish and Crab Hotpot Delicious? 36: Chapter 36 Is the Small Fish and Crab Hotpot Delicious? It is said that Tianmen City has a famous dish called Silver Fish and Purple Crab Pot. What it actually tastes like, no one knows since they have never tasted it. It¡¯s just heard that both the silver fish and purple crab are top-notch river produce, costing several times more than fresh beef. That one pot could equate to an ordinary person¡¯s monthly expenses. Dumpling came up with a low-end version for everyone. He cleaned up some small assorted fish and clams, added crabs, and stir-fried them in a hot oil pan using leftover lard from last time. There weren¡¯t many other seasonings involved, just a piece of old ginger, a handful of star anise, two spoons of soy sauce, and a spoon of shrimp paste. After stir-frying until it was perfectly cooked, he cut up the previously bought fatty pork, old pickled vegetables, and big tofu, and filled up the pot with hot water. Ten minutes later, the fragrance was overwhelming. It hooked everyone¡¯s cravings making them howl. People from the Northeast call this cooking method ¡°Hitting Bottom of Pot,¡± mainly involving dry seafood paired with sauerkraut, frozen tofu, and lamb slices, which remains a little-known local specialty delicacy even in the internet era of later generations. The vast majority of people from other places had only ever heard of Guo Bao Meat. The pot that Dumpling made ¡ª because too much soy sauce made it really dark ¡ª if turned into a video and uploaded online, would surely be criticized by many enthusiastic netizens as pig food unfit even for pigs. There was no helping it, due to the lack of materials and economic issues. Making that pot of soup and another pot of rice, Loach actually managed to save a few cents and solemnly returned them to Wang Yunxiao. But it was really delicious, very tasty. How tasty was it? It can be described like this ¡ª imagine you have a childhood sweetheart sister. Grown up together, she never once despised you for being poor. But whenever other girls bragged about the various gifts their boyfriends bought them ¡ª clothes, handbags, cosmetics, car keys, property deeds¡­ You could see her eyes sparkle, knowing she also wished for those things, yet she never asked you for anything. And all along, you had no money, but she still loved you deeply, joining you every day for cheap worker meals and honey fruit tea. What a fantasy fiction¡­ In short, by the time you were about to get married, she was already mentally prepared for a simple wedding without any financial backing. At that time, the no-hope online novel you had been updating suddenly went viral, a famous rich patron spilt a fortune, tipping you half a million. As the royalties hit your account, countless promises you secretly made to yourself in the past flashed through your mind. Then you walked up to her with pride, placing the bank card gently into her hands. Thousands of words were summarized into one final sentence ¡ª Yan¡¯er, our family has money now. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It felt pretty much like that. He savored a bite of crab followed by a scoop of stewed tofu mixed with two spoonfuls of rice. This warm sensation of fulfillment immediately dispelled all of Wang Yunxiao¡¯s recent guilt about neglecting his internal health. His life up to that point felt complete. Those who have never gone hungry might not understand this feeling, only those who munch on cucumbers and eat chicken breasts for dieting can empathize. This pot of stew successfully made everyone forget the main reason they had come to Chen Yan¡¯s house today. It wasn¡¯t until after they were full that Wang Yunxiao remembered, it seemed like Chen Yan wasn¡¯t home. Old Man Chen¡¯s face was full of worry, which only began to clear a bit when Wang Yunxiao arrived with a bunch of people, filling the house with life and steam from cooking. In the past, what common people desired most in their homes was to have a full house. ¡°Whoever has fewer children gets bullied.¡± Old Man Chen had always been an open-minded person, but now that he was really faced with the situation, he found that the old saying indeed made a lot of sense. There were no boys in the family, and his daughter was young. If he didn¡¯t hurry to find someone to betroth her to, he dreaded to think what would happen to the mother and daughter if he suddenly died, legs akimbo. ¡°Yan¡¯er came back yesterday and told us there was something unclean at home. She sat by the door all night¡­ Today she went out with a man she met outside, said he was a ¡®Master¡¯ she met. I don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s a school teacher¡­¡± Old Man Chen was sitting at the door, smoking his pipe while whispering into Wang Yunxiao¡¯s ear. ¡°We don¡¯t call teachers ¡®Master¡¯ anymore.¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, ¡°Was he a Fengshui Master she found?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but that careless kid just went off with him, not even afraid of being taken advantage of.¡± Old Man Chen sighed deeply, ¡°I think her schooling was a waste. Others¡¯ daughters become more sensible after school, but despite her studies, she¡¯s become even dumber, always daydreaming¡­ How can we ever find her a good match?¡± Wang Yunxiao did not engage further in that topic. Old Man Chen had always had his ideas. Men and women look at sons-in-law from different perspectives. Men mainly see if the son-in-law is responsible, whereas women care more about whether he treats their daughter well and his economic capabilities. Old Man Chen found Wang Yunxiao increasingly agreeable. Chen Yan¡¯s mother didn¡¯t have any such inclinations; besides greetings, she barely spoke to these poor young men. While they were speaking, Old Man Chen suddenly clutched his chest, his brows furrowing deeply. Wang Yunxiao quickly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Old Man Chen shook his head and sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but my heart started beating fast suddenly, probably because I haven¡¯t slept well these last few days. As you age, all sorts of problems start cropping up. It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing.¡± He tried to downplay it, but Wang Yunxiao was not entirely reassured. In the past, people often dismissed heart pain as mere palpitations, usually ignoring it if the pain subsided after a while. However, this type of symptom is very dangerous; neglecting it could easily lead to serious cardiovascular diseases. Such as the common occurrence of sudden cardiac arrest due to myocardial infarction. Old Man Chen was already over forty and his health was gradually declining. This was coupled with his household¡¯s recent disturbances involving eerie supernatural entities. Some things were indeed better prevented beforehand. After finishing his meal, Wang Yunxiao put down his utensils and advised Old Man Chen, ¡°If you have time these next few days, it¡¯s best to get a checkup at the hospital, don¡¯t dismiss it lightly.¡± Old Man Chen nodded with a laugh, his facial expression clearly showing he didn¡¯t take the advice to heart. Middle-aged people, especially those who are parents, are particularly stubborn about this. They often ignore sound advice for the sake of pride. This tends to be a common problem. Wang Yunxiao thought to himself that he had better remind Chen Yan about it later, as her persuasions would definitely be more effective than his. Speaking of the devil, and he shall appear. Just as Wang Yunxiao had this thought, he saw Chen Yan entering the house with a strange man. The sight of a group of young men squatting on the ground, wolfing down their food, startled the man, and he instinctively pulled back the foot he had just put forward. Then, seeing that Old Man Chen was safe and sound, the man slightly narrowed his eyes, his face involuntarily showing a hint of surprise. From the moment he stepped through the door, Wang Yunxiao had been watching him, and these subtle changes in expression did not escape his notice. Chapter 37 - 37 37 Girl I See Something Special in Your Bones ?37: Chapter 37: Girl, I See Something Special in Your Bones 37: Chapter 37: Girl, I See Something Special in Your Bones The man¡¯s appearance looked ordinary, except for the two tufts of goatee on his face, which were hardly enough to make a memorable impression. Upon seeing that Old Man Chen was alright, he slightly startled, then raised his hand to start calculating. ¡°Dad, are you alright?¡± Chen Yan, somewhat anxious, quickly walked up to her father and looked him over from left to right, but couldn¡¯t find anything amiss. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Old Man Chen, feeling uncomfortable under her scrutiny, couldn¡¯t help but scold, ¡°What are you looking at? What¡¯s there to see? Didn¡¯t you see that we have guests? Yuanxiao and the others came specifically to see you, and you didn¡¯t even greet them?¡± Ah? Them? Chen Yan looked at the leftover food in the pot and then at the silly boys squatting on the ground, clutching large bowls and with greasy mouths, feeling a wave of speechlessness. She was inclined to remind her father that if it weren¡¯t for those two large pots at home, this bunch of scoundrels would never have visited a second time. But this wasn¡¯t the most pressing issue at the moment. She turned to look at the strange man behind her. The man slightly smiled, cupped his hands towards Old Man Chen, and said, ¡°This humble one is Leng Nian, I have met Boss Chen.¡± ¡°Cold noodles?¡± Old Man Chen hadn¡¯t heard clearly for a moment. ¡°Nian, as in reminiscence.¡± The man, whose name seemed eerie, corrected without changing his expression, ¡°When I just returned with your daughter, I noticed that the Fengshui formation near your door had been activated, fearing that your family might be calculated against, leading to unexpected changes. I didn¡¯t expect that upon entering, the evil energy had already dissipated.¡± ¡°What Fengshui, evil energy¡­¡± Old Man Chen, confused, suddenly recalled what Wang Yunxiao had just mentioned, and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Do you understand Fengshui?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Leng Nian, with a modest smile on his face, raised his hand and said, ¡°Boss Chen, may I have a word in private?¡± Old Man Chen glanced at Wang Yunxiao, who had put down his chopsticks, and laughed heartily, ¡°It¡¯s okay, these are all children of the family, you can speak openly if you have something to say.¡± Leng Nian hesitated for a moment, then spoke, ¡°I am not a local, just happened to pass by due to a coincidental opportunity and noticed a problem¡­ Boss Chen, have you offended someone recently?¡± Old Man Chen looked baffled, ¡°No, who could I have possibly offended?¡± He was just a nut seller, who else could he offend or even have the capacity to offend? Was it possible that someone¡¯s grandmother choked on sunflower seeds and they decided to blame him? ¡°Has business been a bit slow these past few days?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Old Man Chen suddenly hesitated. Indeed business had been slow these days, but he hadn¡¯t thought much of it, as there weren¡¯t any festivals recently. There were no childbirth celebrations or other major events in town, and he didn¡¯t expect any large customers at his nut roasting shop. Leng Nian pointed outside and said, ¡°Someone has set up a Fengshui spell that has blocked the lifegate of your storefront. With the Fengshui blocked, financial loss is a minor issue, but with the evil energy having no way to disperse, it tends to accumulate and can easily disturb one¡¯s emotions and shake one¡¯s divine soul. In severe cases, it might even endanger lives.¡± ¡°When we came back just now, we saw the evil energy soaring outside the door, and it¡¯s fortunate that there were many people in your house today, with young men full of vital energy, who suppressed the evil energy. If it had just been you two elders at home, something might have happened.¡± Hearing this, Old Man Chen suddenly panicked. In the past, people tended to believe in these kinds of things. Combined with Chen Yan¡¯s unusual behavior these past few days and his own recent chest pain, Old Man Chen couldn¡¯t help but believe. He hastily asked, ¡°Then, Mr. Leng¡­ Master, what can be done about this? I really haven¡¯t offended anyone¡­¡± Leng Nian shook his head and said, ¡°Boss Chen, no need to worry. Since it¡¯s not about revenge, it¡¯s very likely about profit. In my opinion, this calamity probably targets your daughter. Your daughter has an extraordinary physiognomy and is destined for great fortune. But you should know that the Saint once said, ¡®Thus, when Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a man, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, and makes him suffer deprivation in every way.¡¯ In other words, those destined for great achievements must go through such tribulations.¡± Old Man Chen thought to himself, I don¡¯t need her to achieve anything great! Our family doesn¡¯t have the destiny of an emperor! Leng Nian then changed the topic and continued, ¡°Although this is the general principle, speaking practically and focusing on the present, your daughter is still young, like a child carrying red gold through a bustling crowd, easily attracting envy. In the Jianghu World, there are endless methods used by evil spirits and ghosts. I¡¯ve heard of legends in Jianghu about stealing another person¡¯s fate, or using people with special destinies as cauldrons to practice evil kungfu¡­¡± Old Man Chen¡¯s scalp tingled as he listened. Wang Yunxiao remained silent beside him. Whether Chen Yan¡¯s physiognomy and destiny were problematic, he didn¡¯t know, as he wasn¡¯t a professional. But this person seemed to have significant issues. How come, just when something happens in your family, you happen to encounter it? What¡¯s your relation with Third Master Ding? Terrified, Old Man Chen broke out into a cold sweat and urgently sought advice, ¡°Master, can you please help my daughter resolve this issue?¡± Leng Nian waved his hand and said, ¡°These are trivial matters, hardly worth mentioning. Just now, I took your daughter out to perform a ¡®Cicada Shedding¡¯ spell, and I also cleared the Fengshui evil at your door. It will take some time before the other party notices anything abnormal. However, this is merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause. A girl appearing publicly, even without such a good destiny, merely having a slightly prettier complexion can easily attract trouble.¡± Isn¡¯t that the truth! Old Man Chen felt a deep sorrow. As the conversation reached this point and the timing seemed about right, Leng Nian put on a serious face and said, ¡°Actually, there is a solution. I see that your daughter has extraordinary bones and exceptional talents, making her quite suitable for practicing the Physiognomy of my lineage. If Boss Chen doesn¡¯t mind, I would like to take your daughter as my disciple and teach her the Immortal Law of our sect. Whether she can cultivate to fruition remains to be seen, but at least she will have some means to protect herself.¡± Ah, this¡­ This is a good thing¡­ right? Throughout history, whether it is any discipline, one must seek knowledge. It¡¯s rare to hear of anyone willing to actively transmit their skills unless the disciple is exceptionally talented. Could such good fortune really fall upon my family¡¯s Yan¡¯er? Old Man Chen¡¯s first thought was not about any prejudice towards Fengshui Physiognomy; as a nut seller, could he really expect his daughter to achieve much? In these times, any skill that can feed you is a good skill, with no distinction between high or low, noble or base. Sun Wukong could afford to be picky, learning this and not that; do you have that kind of fortune? His concern was not about whether to learn or not, but rather about the problems of appearances and propriety. When a daughter goes to school, the neighbors dare not gossip, but if she is to spend time alone with a strange man¡­ such matters, even a hundred years from now, cannot be said to be appropriate. This has nothing to do with how open-minded people are. One must respect human nature. Chapter 38 - 38 38 The Five Rampant Ghost Creatures and the Mysterious Sect ?38: Chapter 38: The Five Rampant Ghost Creatures and the Mysterious Sect 38: Chapter 38: The Five Rampant Ghost Creatures and the Mysterious Sect Old Man Chen ultimately did not relent and agree to Leng Nian, after all, he had no understanding of this person. Although there are no shortage of people in this world who are cheated and deceived, the majority of people have a normal mind, even if they¡¯re uneducated, they still possess the most basic concepts of right and wrong. He could not possibly entrust his own dearly beloved daughter to the hands of a Fengshui Master whose background he knew nothing about after just a few bewitching words. The main thing was to consider Chen Yan¡¯s own thoughts. Chen Yan seemed very hesitant. After Leng Nian left, Wang Yunxiao directly and unceremoniously asked, ¡°Chen Yan, what kind of love potion did this man give you?¡± Chen Yan pursed her lips and recounted her experiences over the past couple of days. Ever since that day when she was controlled by Shen Haowen using sorcery, she had been having nightmares and started seeing various hallucinations in front of her eyes. However, these symptoms were discovered by Nurse Liu at that time, and after various physical examinations, she formally sought her opinion, asking her if she wanted to delve into this knowledge. If she refused, taking some sleeping pills and getting more rest would solve the problem. If she chose to accept, although there were certain risks, it also meant that she would qualify to explore the mysteries unknown outside the real world. As a top student, Chen Yan simply could not refuse. She came into contact with the mystical knowledge several days before Wang Yunxiao and the others, as Nurse Liu prepared a beginner¡¯s Go book for her and let her learn the game by herself. Chen Yan did not understand what use there was in playing chess, but as she slowly grasped the rules of Go, the various hallucinations she saw also gradually became clearer. She could ¡°see¡± the faint light emitted by human bodies, even through a wall. Standing in the street, she could ¡°see¡± those shadows that were out of sync with the real world, yet interwoven with each other. The world in her eyes had become something else, and it was getting stranger and stranger. Chen Yan did not understand the principles behind this, and Nurse Liu did not explain to her, only telling her that it was a normal change and she need not be afraid. Maintain a regular lifestyle, sleep early and rise early, and do not stay up late. Suddenly hearing that someone wanted her to enter a ghost marriage, Chen Yan would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t scared. But Nurse Liu did not help, only telling her to make her own choice. Whether to solve the problem on her own or to seek help from others. In fact, not only Wang Yunxiao, she could also ask Nurse Liu for help. But it had to be her own true inner thoughts, not influenced by others. After all, as just a well-behaved second-year middle school student, it was already good enough that Chen Yan was not scared out of her wits; what more could she think of? However, the promises made by Nurse Liu gave her some comfort, at least providing her with a little bit of confidence. She decided to wait and see what was going on first. Holding this thought, Chen Yan returned home and immediately noticed something unclean. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A foul stench of rotting corpses emanated faintly from the sewer drain near the front door of her home, and black smoke, like living tentacles, clawed its way towards the doorway of their nut shop. However, ordinary people were completely unaware. Chen Yan originally planned to dig open the sewer to see what was inside at night when no one was around. But once the sun set, the thing in the sewer actually began to come out on its own. Chen Yan guarded the door alone all night, not daring to close her eyes, as she heard the rustling sounds outside that sent chills down her spine. She gathered her courage to look outside and saw a messy, indistinct shape that screeched and rushed towards her eyes. She was so frightened that she quickly closed her eyes. When she got up in the morning, her eyes were as red as if they were about to bleed. Being able to see does not mean you should see everything. If it had been knowledge acquired in a classroom, Chen Yan probably wouldn¡¯t have given it much thought. But after this experience, the memory was etched into her bones. Chen Yan soaked her eyes in cold water for a long time before her vision reluctantly returned to normal. She had intended to go to school to seek advice from Nurse Liu, but she ran into Leng Nian as soon as she left her house. ¡°Miss!¡± Upon hearing someone calling her, Chen Yan subconsciously turned around, only to see him reach out and grab something out of her eyes from a distance. The shadow of a large rat was pulled straight out of Chen Yan¡¯s eyes by him. Chen Yan screamed, almost thinking her eyeballs had been gouged out, but when she recovered, she felt a wave of relief. Recalling the moment, she realized she must have fallen victim to someone¡¯s scheme the previous night, and a wave of fear washed over her. Leng Nian casually pinched the rat¡¯s shadow to death, looked at the drain next to where the rat¡¯s shadow had dissipated, then turned back to scrutinize Chen Yan¡¯s features, his eyes lighting up. What a promising young talent. ¡°Miss, have you encountered any trouble lately?¡± Although the person before her was a stranger, he had just saved her, and his words seemed to carry some weight. Chen Yan quickly thanked him and asked about the problem in the sewer. ¡°This is one of the Five Rampant Ghosts, an evil object used to sabotage people¡¯s fengshui.¡± Leng Nian explained, ¡°Capture five black rats, and refine them with the Method of the Five Ghosts¡¯ Transportation. If successful, it becomes a Dharma Treasure; if not, it turns into this kind of evil object that can be used to harm people. I see that its position corresponds exactly to the life entrance of your family¡¯s shop. The Five Ghosts move wealth, and it¡¯s not just blocking your family¡¯s fortune. Without blood food to serve them, the evil object will vent its resentment on your family. If the life entrance is blocked and the malevolent energy accumulates, within a month, there will surely be a death in your family!¡± Chen Yan was just a middle school student, who had never seen such a terrifying scene, and she was instantly petrified. Compared to the vague and inconclusive extracurricular tutorials with Nurse Liu, Mr. Leng¡¯s talk was particularly convincing. He spoke in great detail, very clearly, forcing one to believe him. The only problem was¡­ how on earth did this man happen to be here at this time? It couldn¡¯t be your doing, could it? ¡°Miss Chen, you have a talent in this area, which in some respects is like a kind of destiny. Destined people meet even from a thousand miles away, while those without fate do not encounter each other even when face-to-face. With your talent, you can naturally access realms that only those with similar gifts can reach.¡± Leng Nian calmly explained, ¡°From the changes in your countenance, Miss Chen, it appears you have only recently come into contact with these supernatural matters. As the saying goes, fate is unpredictable, and if you recklessly explore the mysteries of fate without restraint, you will eventually suffer a backlash. I wonder if you would be willing to become my disciple and follow me in practicing the Mystic Righteous Method. While I can¡¯t promise miraculous feats like changing the course of nature, at the very least you¡¯ll be able to attract fortune and avoid disaster, ensuring a smooth and safe life for your family.¡± His words moved Chen Yan, and she couldn¡¯t help but inquire further, ¡°May I ask, sir, what skills can I learn from you?¡± Leng Nian smiled and said, ¡°These are secrets of our sect and cannot be disclosed. However, I can give you a brief overview. The teachings of our sect are unique and unparalleled, capable of understanding fengshui, distinguishing yin and yang, dispelling ghosts and spirits, and securing the nation. We pay homage to the gods in all eight directions and roam the vast seas. We grasp the changes of the past and present and understand the rise and fall of heaven and earth.¡± ¡°Only those with destiny may enter our gate.¡± Chapter 39 - 39 39 Simple Tea and Meals versus Wealth and Glory ?39: Chapter 39: Simple Tea and Meals versus Wealth and Glory 39: Chapter 39: Simple Tea and Meals versus Wealth and Glory To gain a woman¡¯s approval, a man simply needs to do one thing. First, he must have money. Then, he must have a sense of security. To a certain extent, money can substitute for a sense of security. Leng Nian took Chen Yan out and did two things. The first was to teach her a Substitute Sorcery spell. Find a piece of yellow paper, bite the tip of your finger, use the blood to write your name, then cut a strand of your hair and wrap it in the yellow paper. Grab some random fish food, mix it with the yellow paper to form a ball, and throw it into the river, then kneel and bow three times. And that was that. According to Leng Nian, this was the simplest disaster-avoidance spell from his sect¡¯s heritage. After bowing, within three days, all sorcery specifically targeting Chen Yan would be diverted. For at least these next three days, Chen Yan wouldn¡¯t have to worry about someone scheming against her in the shadows. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the same time, Leng Nian also promised her that he would help to remove the Evil Object from her family¡¯s doorstep. The second thing was that after they returned from the river, he took Chen Yan out for a meal. They went to Tianbao Pavilion near Nanshi Main Street, a large restaurant with four blue banners, three floors high, and more than twenty windows ¨C a place that was as grand as they come. It was Chen Yan¡¯s first time in such a luxurious place. She felt so uncomfortable sitting in her chair that she didn¡¯t dare to look up. But Leng Nian wasn¡¯t constrained at all, calling over the shop assistant and ordering a four-dish, one-soup meal. He ordered braised wings, fried shrimp balls, dry-fried daylilies, gluten with sauce, plus a soup of scallops with tofu. Chen Yan had never even heard of these dishes and stared with her mouth agape throughout. He even told Chen Yan not to be polite, saying that if she decided to join his sect, she wouldn¡¯t need to avoid any foods, only to maintain a preference for lighter flavors. How is this light? You didn¡¯t even order any vegetables! The human heart cannot withstand such tests. For a child from a commoner¡¯s family like Chen Yan, a meal like this one was enough to change her perspective. Leng Nian didn¡¯t say much either, but his intentions were clear without words. Listening to Chen Yan describe the delicious dishes she had eaten at night, everyone couldn¡¯t help but glance back at the pig food that they had just desperately scrambled for, feeling quite complicated. If they searched their hearts, what choice would they make if faced with the same one? Youtiao curled his lip and snorted. Chen Yan immediately felt annoyed and asked, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Youtiao lowered his head to lick his bowl, not wanting to bother with her. Wang Yunxiao knew what Youtiao was laughing about, as Youtiao had told him that back when his family was still around, he often went with his father to dine out in Nanshi. Let alone this four dishes and a soup, he had even had meals with eight big bowls. Nurse Liu had let Chen Yan make her own choice, perhaps guessing that she would encounter something like this. However, this kind of choice for a child whose judgment was not yet mature was indeed tough. Wang Yunxiao thought for a moment and decided to give her a reminder, ¡°Class President, think carefully, this is not about choosing between simple fare or exotic delicacies. You¡¯re studying at school, you know what school is like, what the teachers and classmates are like. You have good grades, and you¡¯ll definitely be able to further your education. Even without that ability, after graduating, whether you marry or look for a job, you¡¯ll be stronger than others.¡± ¡°But that Mr. Leng, apart from being very wealthy, you know almost nothing about him. How did your so-called talent come about, don¡¯t we all already know? If you had this talent all along, how come he never met you before? Now that he has taken an interest in you for this reason, could he lose interest in you later for the same reason?¡± Old Man Chen slapped his thigh, ¡°Yuanxiao is right! Yan¡¯er, you can¡¯t just take that man¡¯s word for it, we don¡¯t even know him. If there¡¯s no blood relation, why would someone suddenly take such a fancy to you, aren¡¯t you aware of what you¡¯ve been eating at home?¡± That¡¯s what he was thinking too, he just wasn¡¯t as articulate and clear as Wang Yunxiao. Chen Yan bit her lip and remained silent for a long time before hesitantly asking in a low voice, ¡°Then¡­ can you all help me clear out the thing in the drainage system?¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded and smiled, ¡°Sure, just call me ¡®brother¡¯ and see.¡± Chen Yan turned her head and reluctantly called out in a stammering voice, ¡°Bro¡­ Brother¡­¡± ¡°Too quiet, can¡¯t hear you!¡± Wang Yunxiao turned to Old Man Chen with a smile, ¡°The bosses on the docks pay people to carry loads, and they still have to tip them. We¡¯re helping your family clean the drainage system, isn¡¯t it worth a clear and loud ¡®brother¡¯ from your daughter?¡± Old Man Chen coughed and sternly said, ¡°Yan¡¯er, go make some tea, have you forgotten all the manners your father taught you?¡± Chen Yan stood up and ran into the house. Wang Yunxiao laughed heartily, slapped his bottom, and stood up, ¡°Let¡¯s go, brothers, let¡¯s see what kind of evil spirit we¡¯re dealing with.¡± The rest were also laughing and joking, not scared at all. They had seen weirder things, and with their youthful audacity and strength in numbers, they naturally had no fear in their hearts. Seeing their cavalier attitude, Old Man Chen suddenly felt a bit uneasy and pulled Wang Yunxiao aside to whisper, ¡°Should I go borrow some Black Dog¡¯s Blood¡­?¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, ¡°No need for that trouble, got a shovel?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The nut-roasting shop lacked nothing in shovels, which were used for stirring chestnuts in the pot. Old Man Chen brought out three shovels from the house, Wang Yunxiao handed one to Guozi and Gangtou, and held one himself as they approached the drain at the storefront entrance. In those days, a drainage system was literally just a channel, which could only be found on proper main streets. It was about half a person deep, covered with bricks and stones, and every fifty or sixty meters, there was a manhole cover. Not far from the entrance of Chen Family¡¯s shop, there was such a manhole cover. Once they pried it open with a stick, an unbearably putrid stench immediately wafted out. In comparison, the sense of discord from the air-raid shelter beneath the school was far too intense. If there was only this primitive drainage system on the ground, how was that place kept from flooding? It made no sense. After prying open the manhole cover, everyone took turns with the shovel and quickly cleared out all the accumulated trash inside. ¡°Wait! There¡¯s something!¡± When it was Gangtou¡¯s turn, his shovel hit something, got stuck, and then, with a strong heave, he unearthed a mass of dark, tangled things. Five black rats with their tails knotted together in a deadly bind. The shape alone was terrifying and bizarre. Even more bizarre was that these rats were still alive, baring their teeth and hissing at the sight of people, trying to climb up Gangtou¡¯s shovel onto his hand, but Wang Yunxiao swiftly smacked them down. Guozi stepped forward and gave another shovel blow, instantly turning the rodents into a mess. The rats¡¯ piercing, plaintive shrieks echoed in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s mind again and again. ¡°Everyone, back off!¡± Wang Yuanxiao, fearing the plague, quickly waved people away and directed those behind, ¡°Go bring some firewood and burn this thing!¡± Chapter 40 - 40 40 Knowledge Toxicity and Echo Erosion ?40: Chapter 40 Knowledge Toxicity and Echo Erosion 40: Chapter 40 Knowledge Toxicity and Echo Erosion Chen Yan, holding a kettle in one hand and a bowl in the other, poured a cup of water for everyone and dutifully called out, ¡°Brother.¡± Aside from a bit of a temper, this child was fundamentally good-natured. Sensible and willing to take advice. Wang Yunxiao, having seen countless cases of unruly children in the internet era of the future, had a high tolerance for this kind of behavior. But from the perspective of ordinary people of this era, her behavior was already considered unseemly for a woman. You dare to go out to eat with a strange man? Aren¡¯t you afraid he might harbor ill intentions towards you? In those days, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for unmarried girls and young wives going out alone during the daytime to disappear without a trace, alive or dead. It was only because Old Man Chen was still around, with a man in the family to stand guard, that the spit and censure of the neighbors hadn¡¯t drowned them. It¡¯s often said that women had a low status in traditional society and their lives were difficult, yet it¡¯s also women who love to gossip the most. Men generally just want to sleep with you, but the meddlesome women in the neighborhood truly want you dead. Chen Yan was young and protected by her family, still oblivious to such malice. Youtiao wanted to remind her, but felt it wasn¡¯t his place as they weren¡¯t related, so he scolded indirectly using Little Gourd as a proxy. ¡°No matter what happens, you must not leave the school alone, do you understand? Do I need to tell you how dangerous the streets are?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Of course not, Little Gourd rolled her eyes while obediently nodding. She was much more mature than Chen Yan. ¡°Leng Nian? Judging by the name, he must be a disciple of the Cuojin Sect, from the Geomancy branch.¡± Upon returning to school, Wang Yunxiao reported in detail what happened at Chen Yan¡¯s home to Nurse Liu. Just hearing the name, Nurse Liu guessed the background of this person. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Geomancy? Cuojin Sect?¡± Nurse Liu had mentioned before that among the forty-nine Heavenly Dao, there were Twelve Laws, and all the practices of cultivation in the world ultimately fell within these Twelve Laws. But she wouldn¡¯t elaborate on what exactly these Twelve Laws were. She would only explain when they encountered them. They had already encountered ¡°Advisor¡± and ¡°Chess Herald¡± previously, and now they had come across ¡°Geomancy.¡± As for what these terms specifically meant, Nurse Liu wouldn¡¯t say. She just claimed that with their current level of cultural knowledge, they wouldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Although the Cuojin Sect primarily specializes in Geomancy and Physiognomy, they are more famous in the Jianghu World for their life-preserving methods. This sect¡¯s disciples seem particularly obsessive, willing to modify their own fate to attract fortune and avoid disaster, even at the cost of a great opportunity. They would rather live in mediocrity than risk danger, which is why they are named the Cuojin Sect.¡± ¡°The most distinct characteristic of disciples from the Cuojin Sect is their peculiar and twisted names. Take ¡®Leng Nian,¡¯ for example; they¡¯ve restructured the ¡®Leng¡¯ character to create a new ¡®Nian¡¯ character. By using their surname to cover up their true name, others can¡¯t use their full name to curse or prognosticate about them.¡± Wang Yunxiao understood. This was akin to registering a shell company in the Cayman Islands, right? Legal tax avoidance it is! ¡°A true disciple of the Cuojin Sect would certainly have disguised their name, gender, age, and appearance. They tend not to get involved in karma, and since you didn¡¯t agree immediately, they won¡¯t come to ask you a second time. Even when you meet again, you might not recognize them.¡± ¡°Teacher Liu, I have a question!¡± Wang Yunxiao raised his hand and asked, ¡°I remember you said before that Chen Yan was cultivating ¡®Chess Herald,¡¯ and this time she wants to take on disciples in ¡®Geomancy.¡¯ Won¡¯t these two Dharma Gates conflict with each other?¡± ¡°Good question!¡± Nurse Liu clapped her hands and said, ¡°Let me answer your first question first.¡± Wang Yunxiao: ??? What did I just ask? ¡°First of all, there are no conflicts between Dharma Gates, just like if you manage to get into university later on, you need to choose a major. No one prohibits you from choosing two majors, but under normal circumstances, it is simply impossible for an average person to manage both, let alone cross majors¡­ Being able to cultivate both the positive and negative aspects of the same Dharma Gate already sets you apart as extraordinary. I¡¯ve never seen anyone in my life who can cross majors and earn a double degree.¡± Nurse Liu held up two fingers and said, ¡°Now I¡¯ll answer your second question, even though you didn¡¯t ask it¡ªhowever, the way of thinking you¡¯ve shown is already very dangerous. It¡¯s like a child who just saw a car, not knowing what brakes or gas are, but has already started to fantasize about speeding. Of course, that¡¯s not your fault, but rather because you have been influenced by that Evil Object.¡± ¡°In the process where our Real World combines with the Outer Dimension, two kinds of ¡®abnormalities¡¯ will occur. One of them is what I¡¯ve told you about before, toxic knowledge, which can pollute thought and twist the mind. The other we call Echo, to put it in terms you can understand, is being possessed.¡± ¡°Information is not necessarily valuable; it can also simply be an expression of emotion. We often heard people say in the past that someone got haunted and went crazy, with unclear consciousness. The essence of this phenomenon is Echo. If knowledge can twist the mind, then Echo can lure you into losing your rationality.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give an example¡ª¡± Nurse Liu raised her chestnut again. ¡°Let¡¯s assume, and this is still an assumption, that our classmate Jiang Xiaotang¡­¡± She placed her hand on Little Gourd¡¯s shoulder, who immediately sat up straight. Little Gourd¡¯s real name is Jiang Xiaotang, nicknamed Tangtang. Because of this somewhat sweet-sounding nickname, even after she had bruised her face, she was still the subject of undesirable attention. Some people¡¯s imaginations are particularly rich in this regard. In the eyes of some, a good woman¡¯s name cannot be separated from ¡°Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, Chrysanthemum, Shuzhen, Fufen,¡± which immediately lets you know the parents are respectable people with good family upbringing. Anything besides that is considered a flirty tramp unworthy of respect. Fair game for a flirtation. Wang Yunxiao had broken the leg of a shameless old bastard over this matter in the past. Later on, he discussed with Youtiao and gave Jiang Xiaotang a new nickname, calling her Little Gourd. It is the gourd from candied gourds. The name also had the homophony of ¡°fortune and prosperity,¡± which was a more low-key and common kind of women¡¯s name, similar to names like Zhaodi, Yanan, Shengnan, Jinbao, Ruyi¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s assume that Classmate Jiang Xiaotang stole someone¡¯s wallet outside, got caught, was taken to the school, and everyone became aware of it¡­¡± Little Gourd, though expressionless, had shifty, flickering eyes. How could anyone possibly catch me¡­ Seeing her nervous demeanor, Wang Yunxiao¡¯s brow furrowed, and he turned his head to look at Youtiao. Did she really steal? I don¡¯t know! Youtiao¡¯s face changed slightly as he thought hard and began to calculate their past accounts. Once Youtiao started doing the accounts, Little Gourd¡¯s whole body became tense, and she subconsciously shrank her neck. ¡°Then yesterday¡ª¡± Nurse Liu turned around, put her hand on Chen Yan¡¯s shoulder and continued, ¡°The class fees collected by your class monitor Chen Yan went missing!¡± Chapter 41 - 41 41 Enthusiastic Community Leaders ?41: Chapter 41: Enthusiastic Community Leaders 41: Chapter 41: Enthusiastic Community Leaders It was just a supposition. Chen Yan smiled and subconsciously looked towards Little Gourd. But upon seeing her panic-stricken face, she was taken aback and also confused. Wait a minute¡­ the class funds¡­ no, that¡¯s not right, half of our classmates are on subsidies, there are no class funds¡­ So why are you panicking? Everyone looked at each other, and the atmosphere instantly became tense. ¡°The thoughts that are currently appearing in your minds are a kind of echo,¡± Nurse Liu explained: ¡°To put it in a way you can understand, an echo is like a dream. It¡¯s not the kind of dream you have at night, it¡¯s more like a daydream, but on a shallower level, which can be called baseless speculation. Certain abnormal entities transmit information that forms echoes like these in your brains, constantly influencing your normal thinking.¡± ¡°Take the recent example, you have no evidence to prove that she¡¯s related to the missing class funds, but just because she has a previous record of theft, when the money went missing, you subconsciously thought of her. Even if you choose to believe her and firmly trust her innocence, when her name first comes to mind, it indicates that you have already been influenced by the echo.¡± Ah, I see, if you didn¡¯t cause the accident, why would you offer to help¡­ Wang Yunxiao sometimes really resented this quick-witted part of himself. This is what netizens in later generations jokingly refer to as ¡°stuffing everything into DNA.¡± In the era of information overload on the internet, this is nothing out of the ordinary. However, in this world, such ¡°echoes¡± carry mystical significance. ¡°The evil object you encountered this time, according to your descriptions, I believe it should be a ¡®Rat King,¡¯ of course, the Cuojin Sect saying it is a ritual for the Five Rampant Ghosts is also not a problem, you will often encounter differing descriptions of the same thing in the future.¡± Nurse Liu continued: ¡°This is not an evil object from our country, but a specialty from Europe. Around the 7th century, Europe experienced a horrific rat plague that took nearly a hundred million lives, and the first dynasty of the Frank Empire came to an end as a result. At that time, some European wizards found this peculiar evil object in cities overrun by the rat plague, which looked like dozens of rats¡¯ tails intertwined into a ball, impossible to untangle.¡± ¡°Wizards named this evil object the Rat King, which signifies that the local rat population has already reached its peak, and soon there would be a mass migration phenomenon with tens of thousands of rats coming together like a wave, moving towards the next city.¡± ¡°Whether you kill this evil object or not, the moment you see it, you have already been contaminated by it, heard its echo. The harm of this echo should not be underestimated; a mild level of contamination can cause fear of rats, auditory hallucinations, and visual hallucinations. A more severe level of contamination can, when your mind is relaxed, tempt you to fall into a dimension outside of the real space.¡± ¡°There are many ways to deal with such echoes. Firstly, as long as your will is strong, the echo cannot affect you. Secondly, you can consume foods and medicine that eliminate echoes, or seek out a professional ¡®Advisor¡¯ for treatment.¡± ¡°This time, I suggest you don¡¯t rush to deal with the echo, you can experience it and feel it until it gradually dissipates on its own.¡± Nurse Liu is of the practical kind, or perhaps the military-grade textbooks are just that utilitarian in style. Whether Liquorice Packed in Bamboo Tube has a bitter taste or not, you wouldn¡¯t believe it if I told you, you¡¯d know once you¡¯ve tasted it yourself. I do want it handled, but I must find an Advisor first, can this thing refresh by itself? Wang Yunxiao sighed silently in his heart; he actually hadn¡¯t noticed the echo Nurse Liu mentioned, or maybe he just wasn¡¯t sensitive enough. But as it turned out, what she said was correct. Because there was no strenuous physical work arranged, everyone in the dormitory was tormented by nightmares that night again. The dreams were all about rats, with a swarm of black-furred rats scurrying back and forth on the ground, squeaking with their blood-red eyes glaring. This time everyone was mentally prepared and didn¡¯t suffer insomnia like the last time. The next morning, for the first time ever, a red banner was pulled up at the entrance of the school, which read, ¡°Welcome all walks of life to visit.¡± Around nine o¡¯clock, the school gates started to buzz. Wang Yunxiao peeked out of the window and saw quite a few rickshaws arrive, and the people who alighted from them were either wearing long gowns or glasses, in short, they looked very scholarly. Principal Zhou had not gone to the gate to welcome them; only security guards armed with Wolf Fang Clubs were at the entrance. These people gathered in small groups, pointing and whispering about something in the school without knowing what they were talking about. After a while, several cars pulled up, and big shots in suits and with bodyguards got out of the cars, and immediately, people crowded around them. When it was time for the second period, a series of footsteps came from outside the classroom. The homeroom teacher, who was lecturing on Chinese, had briefed everyone the day before that everything would proceed as normal today, to not be afraid of the visitors, to answer any questions, and if they didn¡¯t know the answer, to simply say they didn¡¯t know. He admonished them to rein in their usual playful and lazy demeanor and not to make a fool of themselves in front of outsiders¡­ and such. He had not expected that while he was teaching, people would simply barge in without knocking. The homeroom teacher, not known for having the best temper, and too soft to keep Wang Yunxiao¡¯s class in check, had just told the students to pay attention to courtesy, but these visitors didn¡¯t notify in advance or knock; they just walked right in, and his face showed his displeasure. The gentleman who pushed the door and came in also lacked any decorum; after a quick look around and nodding at the homeroom teacher, he smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, just taking a look. Continue your lecture; I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± The homeroom teacher remained silent as he looked at him. The gentleman, finding no engagement, gave a dry laugh and turned around to leave. That morning, nearly every class, upstairs and downstairs, was subjected to these so-called ¡°friendly visits¡± by ¡°socialites.¡± It was unclear what they wanted to do. At noon, the school cafeteria did not serve any meat. Pickled radishes with cornmeal buns made a painful meal for everyone. Then, this group of inspection visitors flounced into the cafeteria, pointing at the food in the students¡¯ bowls. ¡°What kind of mental wellness and physical fitness can be cultivated with this food, sigh¡­¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t run a school properly, don¡¯t do it. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The students are growing; how can they not eat meat? They should have at least one egg a day¡­¡± ¡°Although Mr. Zhou has the heart to educate, his thinking is too naive¡­¡± ¡°Unsuccessful in achieving anything¡­¡± These old folks, one by one, dressed in long gowns and wearing glasses, seemed refined and amiable on the surface, but looking at the happiness on their faces and listening to their nonsensical things they said, Wang Yunxiao could not imagine what these people were at all. Chapter 42 - 42 42 Why Arent There Bones in Eggs ?42: Chapter 42: Why Aren¡¯t There Bones in Eggs? 42: Chapter 42: Why Aren¡¯t There Bones in Eggs? Song Qingping, a Tianmen person, was an Imperial Examination Graduate from the former dynasty and had once served as a Scholar of the Hanlin Academy. He was a man of virtue and wisdom who had seen much of the world. Alas, the Imperial Court was no more. Now, Old Master Song was but a commoner, residing in Tianmen. Along with a group of respected elders from the former dynasty, he wholeheartedly devoted himself to the educational affairs of his hometown, working tirelessly for the country and its people. Who would have thought that Zhou Yaowen would actually skip lunch at noon¡­ It was simply unfilial! Coming out of Qinghe Middle School with the leaders of the Education Bureau, everyone looked at each other, and the atmosphere became unavoidably awkward for a moment. Their obvious displeasure was so apparent, and as all present were cultured people, pretending to be oblivious would have been somewhat unacceptable. After sending off the leaders, the group headed to Qiuya Tower, ordered two pots of green tea, and as they sat down, they looked at each other with faces full of helplessness. ¡°Mr. Song, what do you think of this school?¡± Song Qingping shook his head, unsure how to answer this question. When Zhou Yaowen first came to Tianmen, he gave up a good position as the deputy mayor and insisted on personally overseeing education, becoming the principal of the obscure Qinghe Middle School. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To be frank, it was a blow to the pride of the entire cultural and educational circle at that time. Many people came to visit, humbly seeking advice. ¡°If you think there are any problems, we can sit down and discuss them. Or you can point us in a direction, and we can work towards that.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it demean our capabilities if you had to stoop to do such work yourself, sir?¡± Zhou Yaowen just smiled and said nothing, claiming he had only the skill to teach and lacked the virtue to match his position, unable to manage the big picture of Tianmen City. But those words, ¡°lacking the virtue to match the position,¡± had caused such a stir at the top echelons of Tianmen City that it had not fully settled even now. If he admitted to not possessing the necessary virtue, did you think you did? If time could be turned back twenty years, then no one would have taken notice of this obscure figure. But the problem was that it was no longer twenty years ago. The former dynasty had abdicated, and a new government was established. The President, with the support of the nation, held the Divine Land Imperial Seal and commanded all under heaven. On his forehead was etched in shining gold the four characters¡ª¡±Success in Following the Dragon¡±! And it wasn¡¯t just success in following the dragon; he was one of the staunchest in that group. Since returning from studying abroad twenty years ago, he had been associated with the President, who was then just rising to prominence. Others spent their lives scheming for promotions and wealth, to no avail. When Zhou Yaowen came to Tianmen, if he wanted an official position, he could choose any post below the rank of mayor. If he wanted money, there were lines of people ready to make him wealthy enough to buy ten schools with ease. So why on earth did he choose Qinghe Middle School? Before he became the principal, not even the rumor of the school¡¯s existence reached most people. If it had, the school would have likely shut down long ago. Coeducation and boarding on top of that, oh heavens, hundreds of young boys and girls living together every day¡ªif not for Zhou Yaowen¡¯s presence, the parents would probably have torn the school apart! As for what was good about this school or how Zhou Yaowen¡¯s teaching methods differed from those of other schools¡­ Unknown, unfamiliar, incomprehensible. Those who had been watching with interest could not discern anything special up to now. Now rumors were circulating that Zhou Yaowen was secretly raising funds to establish a high school division for Qinghe Middle School, which made many, including Song Qingping and other esteemed members of society, even more anxious. ¡°What is this about privately fundraising?¡± ¡°If neither the wealthy are allowed to give money nor these self-righteous educators allowed to contribute, what connection will the future students have with them?¡± ¡°Could it be that the line of the Saint¡¯s teachings will be severed with us?¡± Some couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply. The curriculum of Qinghe Middle School was based on the ¡°First Edition of the New Era Educational Management Regulations¡± issued by the new government, which drastically cut down on the teachings of the Saints to nearly non-existent levels, while also introducing various Western courses. Many people felt this ¡°regulation¡± was nothing more than an empty gesture because many local schools, transformed from private schools and academies, had never offered these courses before and couldn¡¯t find appropriate teachers. Only because Zhou Yaowen was well-connected and resourceful was he able to staff his school fully. As for the teaching outcomes¡­ ¡°Boys and girls sharing the same classroom, their skin touching and their whispers rubbing, frolicking and laughing without restraint¡ªwhere in such a place of shameless conduct can one find an iota of academic atmosphere? It might as well be a brothel!¡± Some lamented. ¡°Exactly, exactly. In the old days¡­ no matter what, one would at least go at night, but under the bright light of day¡­ tsk tsk¡­¡± ¡°The morals of society have declined, virtue has been lost!¡± ¡°Virtue has been lost!¡± Someone shook their head and sighed. ¡°However, I heard that Little Yuxiu, the courtesan who made quite the stir last year, was sent here to study. Have you seen her?¡± ¡°I did pay attention, and you¡¯re right, there are plenty of pretty girls here¡­ I don¡¯t know what their families are thinking. Even if the social climate is more open now, and co-ed classes might be somewhat acceptable, if word gets out that they share classrooms with prostitutes¡­¡± ¡°Watch your words! That is something we cannot spread recklessly!¡± ¡°Hey, we¡¯re just talking among ourselves¡­¡± Some pitied and treasured the beauty. Song Qingping closed his eyes in thought for a moment, then coughed to attract everyone¡¯s attention before finally speaking, ¡°Gentlemen, we have seen everything there is to see inside and outside of Qinghe Middle School. I wonder if any of you have any insights?¡± Someone smiled bitterly right away, ¡°What insights can we have? The key issue isn¡¯t that we haven¡¯t shown our utmost sincerity, but that Zhou Yaowen simply doesn¡¯t give us the time of day. What can we do about that?¡± Indeed, the main purpose of the visit led by the Education Bureau and the society¡¯s distinguished education figures was to express their willingness to cooperate with Principal Zhou. Everyone was eager to pursue progress. But Principal Zhou simply wouldn¡¯t engage in the conversation. If you want to look, look. Once you¡¯re done, get out quickly. So everyone had to leave, dejected. In front of Zhou Yaowen, no one had the courage to confront him. They could only grumble behind his back, careful not to overdo it. Who knew if there were any shameless individuals among them who might snitch later? Even standing still and pulling others back could be seen as a form of progress in a sense. ¡°You have all seen the teaching quality at Qinghe Middle School,¡± Song Qingping shook his head and said, ¡°Principal Zhou¡¯s methods are unmatched. For physics, he managed to find a student who studied abroad to teach, and for PE, he directly selected someone from the military. Can we compare with that? When the high school division opens later, I have no doubts he will be able to hire a full complement of teachers. And us? Once Qinghe Middle School becomes the benchmark of Tianmen City, how shall we, the descendants of Saints, position ourselves?¡± His speech left everyone present with furrowed brows. Chapter 43 - 43 43 Mr ?43: Chapter 43 Mr. Song Has a Little Idea 43: Chapter 43 Mr. Song Has a Little Idea The bygone era was a beautiful time for scholars. The saying went, ¡°All trades are beneath contempt, only scholarship is exalted.¡± In books, one finds beauties like jade, houses of gold, and stores of grain that fill a thousand bins. By studying the teachings of the Sages and passing the imperial examinations to enter civil service, one could uphold the highest principles in the world. Become a Scholar and you could teach others, earning tuition fees. Become an Advanced Scholar and your lands were tax-exempt, securing a life free from material worries. And if you became an Advanced Scholar in the highest degree, it was as if a fish leapt through the dragon¡¯s gate, transcending social classes in a single bound to fulfill one¡¯s life¡¯s ambitions. But now, the times have changed. Not that scholars are no longer noble; they still are. But the scholars of old have been abandoned by the times. Song Qingping, who studied assiduously for thirty years, finally obtained the title of Advanced Scholar twice over, originally believing he was set for a meteoric rise. Yet he had not anticipated that overnight the world would be turned upside down, everything changing. The Scholar of today could only degenerate to selling calligraphy on the streets for a living. Even someone like him, once a distinguished Scholar, now finds his home village¡¯s little school with hardly a student in sight. To initiate modern education yet stands against the very principles he holds dear. Scholars suffer a common affliction: a sense of proud superiority. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without a steadfast belief in one¡¯s own studies, one could never stand out from among the countless students. The greater the knowledge, the more obstinate the mind. Song Qingping fundamentally disagreed with, even detested, the government¡¯s so-called modern education combining Eastern and Western learning. What was there to learn from the exotic and seductive tricks of the barbarians? All deceitful and misleading! But he was powerless; with a change of dynasty, the President wielded absolute power, leaving not even a sliver of space for the remnants of the former dynasty. Still too young¡­ These were thoughts Song Qingping kept to himself, never daring to voice them aloud. While it was inevitable that new education be promoted, the President perhaps was too hasty, eager for quick success. He completely ignored the practical difficulties. Zhou Yaowen was able to run a school with government subsidies and recruit teachers. No matter what trouble arose, just a phone call could smoothen things over. But what did that mean? Other schools, without his background and connections, could not achieve his teaching results. In other words, it was a special case created by brute-forcing with resources and lacked representativeness. If the President were to only see his accomplishments and develop the delusion that what worked for one could work for all, and thereby push more aggressive policies¡­ Should problems arise, it wouldn¡¯t be just the waste of a generation but could possibly threaten the very stability of the state. Those who sit in the high towers have worries for their people, those distant from the Jianghu World have worries for their ruler. Old Master Song was deeply troubled over the state of the nation. There was absolutely no envy, jealousy, nor resentment in his heart. There must be a secret at Qinghe Middle School, one that Zhou Yaowen refuses to share with everyone. There are rumors in the Jianghu World that the President is preparing to draft young talents from everywhere to form the Imperial Guards. Many believe Zhou Yaowen¡¯s personal teaching at Qinghe Middle School is to train the President¡¯s henchmen. Such words are unpleasant to hear, but if you put it another way¡ªcalling them ¡°Imperial Disciples,¡± for example¡ªit sounds much more palatable. Although these are just rumors, many take them as truth. As long as it benefits them, they believe anything. The question is how to pry some benefits from the mouth of this hog who feeds alone? Song Qingping frowned in worry. ¡°¡­ In my view, this cesspool is bound to erupt with immoral acts sooner or later.¡± ¡°Mr. Tong is right,¡± someone agreed. ¡°Or perhaps, such acts of immorality have already occurred, only to be deliberately concealed by him, unknown to outsiders.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Without evidence¡­¡± ¡°How can you know if there are secrets if you don¡¯t investigate carefully?¡± Song Qingping¡¯s eyes brightened and he coughed before addressing everyone present, ¡°In my view, this cesspool is bound to erupt with immoral acts sooner or later!¡± The others exchanged glances. They were initially enlightened, then confused. So what? ¡°Or perhaps such acts of immorality have already occurred, only to be deliberately concealed by him, unknown to outsiders,¡± he continued. Song Qingping said with a calm smile, ¡°We can investigate in secret, and perhaps uncover some trace of evidence. Mr. Hong, when the time comes, we would need your eloquent writing, and beg the editor to publish it, exposing the ugly truth. Let¡¯s see how Zhou Yaowen can face teaching any longer!¡± No one spoke. Only after a long pause did someone hesitantly ask, ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± Issues of morality are usually discussed in private for a bit of fun; what¡¯s the point of exposing and reporting it directly? To incite parents to cause trouble, to force Zhou Yaowen to resign? We all just want a sip of the soup; aren¡¯t you just throwing a stone to break the pot? Song Qingping shook his head, ¡°Think about it, why does Zhou Yaowen have such networks and resources? Isn¡¯t it because he is favored! Now, a woman of valor who will not yield to men sits in the Golden Chariot Hall. If such matters were to come to light, how could she not feel estranged in her heart?¡± And then? His thinking was too quick and everyone hadn¡¯t caught up. ¡°Once he loses the Saint¡¯s favor and resigns his Principal position, the school will ultimately need someone to manage it. When it comes to education, outsiders can never know the local customs and sentiments as well as the natives. Do none of you seated here have the confidence to compete for it?¡± Song Qingping chuckled, ¡°Moreover, even if we take a step back and say that we don¡¯t publicize it, having a hold over him isn¡¯t a bad thing. Principal Zhou has always been self-righteous and aloof, signifying his difference; it only serves to highlight our own vulgarity and shallowness. With this leverage, let¡¯s see how he can continue to hold his head high in the future!¡± What the hell are you talking about¡­ The person beside him was bewildered and just about to retort but paused for two seconds, and his words changed to ¡°Old Master Song¡¯s words, I deeply agree with!¡± ¡°Indeed, although we didn¡¯t find any shortcomings of his in the school today, he is not an Immortal indifferent to the Mortal World; how could he not make any mistakes? As long as we investigate in secret, we will surely find his weakness!¡± ¡°Well said!¡± ¡°Well said!¡± The crowd applauded in agreement, and the atmosphere became exceptionally lively. After finishing their tea, everyone dispersed; the shop assistant came in to clean up the tables and chairs. He couldn¡¯t help but sneer to himself, ¡°Goodness, seven or eight people, all dressed in wealth and nobility, came into the Elegant Room and only ordered two pots of tea, filling up on water.¡± They didn¡¯t order any dishes. On the contrary, the complimentary plate of Five-Spice Melon Seeds provided by the establishment was picked clean without a single seed left. Downright stingy. Out of eight teacups, seven had been drunk to the last drop, not even the tea leaves remained; only one cup was left completely untouched. The young shop assistant subconsciously recalled whether seven or eight people had left just now. He remembered that when they came in, the waiter called out, ¡°Seven honored guests! Upstairs in the Elegant Room¡ª!¡± So for whom was that cup of tea poured? Of course, this was not something for a young shop assistant to worry about, so he dismissed the thought instantly and swept it from his mind. Chapter 44 - 44 44 Wang Da Attends the Meeting Alone with His Saber ?44: Chapter 44 Wang Da Attends the Meeting Alone with His Saber 44: Chapter 44 Wang Da Attends the Meeting Alone with His Saber To contain the toxicity of knowledge and the erosion of its echoes, the simplest method was to engage in rigorous physical activity to expend energy and empty the mind. Yet, such extensive physical exertion not only depleted one¡¯s energy but also the scant reserves of body fat¡ªand in that era, it wasn¡¯t much different from punishment. In other words, without solving the energy supply issue, everything else was mere talk. Sometimes Wang Yunxiao wondered if something had gone wrong when he traveled through time. Other protagonists were like lone stars of disaster, well-fed while their families went hungry. But his situation was the complete opposite, with over a dozen mouths clamoring to be fed. Feeding one person meat and providing meat for over a dozen people were entirely different challenges. The solution to this problem was simple¡ªhe really didn¡¯t need to care about these so-called ¡°brothers.¡± Even if he neglected them, they could still eat and peacefully attend school. And even if the food wasn¡¯t great, they wouldn¡¯t starve to death. Wang Yunxiao had no need to waste his limited resources on them. It was fine for him to think this way; after all, it was just a thought. But what made him subtly anxious was the odd behavior displayed by Nurse Liu. People fear what they don¡¯t know, and the more one knows, the more crowded one¡¯s mind becomes with thoughts. Ever since he came into contact with this mysterious knowledge, Wang Yunxiao had keenly noticed subtle changes in the thoughts of those studying with him. Chen Yan had been exposed to this knowledge the earliest. She could see things others couldn¡¯t, which in turn made her neurotic. In the past, she had been a diligent student focused solely on her studies, forthright in character. Disgusted by the lax demeanor of Wang Yunxiao¡¯s group, she would often inform on them. Now, however, she had become tight-lipped, hardly speaking unless necessary, for fear that her words might frighten her classmates. Little Gourd had always been well-behaved and sensible, consistently a compliant and good child. But after learning about Chen Yan¡¯s abnormalities, she became intensely curious, always pestering Chen Yan, wanting to know what she had seen. Even though she was terrified of ghosts, she couldn¡¯t help but encourage Chen Yan to catch ghosts at school. Youtiao became even more scheming. Perhaps in his view, apart from big brother, the rest were troublemakers, each one a source of worry. Just the daily concern for this and that was enough to rob him of sleep, leaving him with dark circles under his eyes. Nurse Liu had long foreseen such changes but assured them that it was normal, nothing to worry about. ¡®Normal, my ass!¡¯ Wang Yunxiao thought. If his temperament had been even slightly more volatile, he couldn¡¯t have tolerated her attitude. In martial arts novels, a master first assessed an apprentice¡¯s character before teaching the martial arts skills. If one didn¡¯t pass the test of character, they wouldn¡¯t easily teach. This was when the control group would appear: the eldest apprentice couldn¡¯t endure the loneliness and dullness, thinking the master was toying with him and would rebel on the spot. The youngest apprentice, pure and gentle in character, not arrogant or impatient, passed the master¡¯s test and was allowed to cultivate peerless martial arts¡­ And you? You didn¡¯t care about character at all but went for a completely free-range mentorship approach. Isn¡¯t our school actually some branch of the Demon Sect? Wang Yunxiao could see that Chen Yan was starting to show signs of mild mental anxiety. She was just an ordinary girl from a regular family; her world shouldn¡¯t contain such things, and she wasn¡¯t involved of her own volition but was forced into it. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Speaking of which¡­ it was actually Wang Yunxiao¡¯s responsibility. If Chen Yan hadn¡¯t been inquiring about their affairs, she wouldn¡¯t have met Shen Haowen, who used the Evil Technique. Now, with events like participating in ghost marriages, changing feng shui, and mysterious strangers coming to their school to take on apprentices, it was hard to say how her mentality might change. Even Youtiao could see that Chen Yan was now distracted from her studies, yet Nurse Liu just watched indifferently. Don¡¯t ask; if you ask, it¡¯s because you can¡¯t force growth. But in reality, not everyone has such strong initiative. Some people need to be guided or pushed by someone else. ¡°Tugging it a bit won¡¯t matter.¡± When it was time for lunch again, the homeroom teacher came to fetch Chen Yan, to take her home for a while. Little Gourd, who was eating with Chen Yan, ran to tell Wang Yunxiao that her mother had come to the school looking for her, saying her father had an accident at home. Isn¡¯t this just never-ending crap? Youtiao turned his head, ready to call others, but Wang Yunxiao waved his hand, signaling him to calm down. Sometimes having too many people can actually make things more difficult. Those who enjoy horror films and supernatural novels know that when ghosts scare people, there are often special limitations. For instance, they must appear late at night, the victim must be alone, mobile phone signals don¡¯t work¡­ and the like. It¡¯s said that there are many unwritten rules in that circle, such as the plotline that mobile phones have no signal must be set before 2023, otherwise the readers will laugh at you for being too far ahead. Demons and ghouls, they fear crowds the most. Wang Yunxiao, swaggering through town with a dozen underlings, would rarely be troubled by ordinary loafers, let alone those from the crooked paths of the Demon Sect. Last time, it was because we had too many people that the other party didn¡¯t even dare to show up. Now, they¡¯re shamelessly trying their luck again. Wang Yunxiao was keen to see if the other party would have the courage to appear if he went alone. They can¡¯t possibly be scared of just him alone, waiting to bully Chen Yan when she¡¯s by herself, right? If someone is cowardly to that extent, then they might as well not mix in the Jianghu World¡ªit¡¯s pointless, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Big brother¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Watching the homeroom teacher leave the school¡¯s main gate with Chen Yan, Wang Yunxiao followed quietly, scaling the wall. Guozi watched Wang Yunxiao¡¯s back until he was over the wall before turning away, asking Youtiao in a muffled voice, ¡°Does big brother think we¡¯re a burden?¡± Youtiao pursed his lips and sighed, ¡°A bit¡­¡± Guozi fixed his gaze on him, ¡°You¡¯re the second in command, what should we do?¡± Youtiao didn¡¯t speak, pondered for a long while, and then softly asked Guozi, ¡°Among our brothers¡­ when it really comes down to a fight, how many are willing to fight ruthlessly?¡± It¡¯s one thing to dare to fight, but quite another to dare to fight ruthlessly. Some people seem so meek and compliant in everyday life, like a soft persimmon that anyone can squeeze. But if they¡¯re really pushed to the brink, they can grab a knife and stab you cold-heartedly. Guozi thought for a moment, counting on his fingers, ¡°One for me, one for Gangtou, one for Eryang, that¡¯s it!¡± ¡°Gangtou?¡± Youtiao was surprised and instinctively looked back at the tallest and stoutest of the brothers, who, unsurprisingly, greeted him with a simple and honest smile. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Youtiao¡¯s disbelief was understandable; he knew Gangtou too well. This guy was just big, but in reality, he was a simpleton who didn¡¯t dare to fight. He was mostly used to make up numbers in the front. He¡¯d eat the most at meals but was the most timid in a fight, never daring to charge forward. That¡¯s why his nickname was Gangtou, looking tough on the surface but crumbly and soft inside. Chapter 45 - 45 45 People Must Learn to Defy Fate ?45: Chapter 45: People Must Learn to Defy Fate 45: Chapter 45: People Must Learn to Defy Fate Old Man Chen, after all, could not escape this calamity. Wang Yunxiao and the others returned to school and slept, and nothing happened. In the middle of the night, as Old Man Chen was in a daze, he saw a little old man dressed in black, with a pointy face and monkey cheeks, entering his home. He stood on the stove and stared at him, laughing coldly, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve to harm my grandson.¡± ¡°Who is your grandson?¡± Although Old Man Chen was groggy from sleep, he vaguely understood what was going on and hurriedly cried out his innocence, ¡°The eyes of the Immortal Family are clear, look at me, I¡¯m just a snack vendor. How could I possibly harm your grandson?¡± ¡°Silence! Still daring to argue? It seems that unless I teach you a lesson, you really won¡¯t know that Prince has three eyes!¡± The little old man in black did not listen to his explanation and opened his mouth to spray a stream of black smoke towards Old Man Chen, leaving him sprawled on the ground, unable to get up. When he opened his eyes again, it was already bright daylight. Old Man Chen only felt weak and powerless, his limbs were sore and numb, and his head felt swollen, and when he touched his forehead, it was burning hot. He couldn¡¯t get out of bed now. Chen Yan originally thought he had just caught a cold and didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it, letting him rest a bit longer. But unexpectedly, by noon, Old Man Chen¡¯s condition worsened significantly. His whole body kept breaking out in cold sweat, his teeth clenched tightly as he shivered, and he was so dazed he couldn¡¯t even speak clearly. Chen Yan had never seen such a scene before and was immediately panicked, unsure what to do. Finally, it was the neighbors who helped out. While calling a doctor to see him, they also accompanied her to the school to call Chen Yan back. When the class teacher and Chen Yan arrived, the doctor had already taken Old Man Chen¡¯s pulse. Frowning deeply, he bluntly asked Chen Yan, ¡°Did your family recently encounter something unclean?¡± Such a statement coming from a doctor indeed sounded somewhat peculiar. Of course, the doctor had an explanation, ¡°The patient is physically healthy, and his pulse is stable, showing no signs of illness. It looks more like he was scared. From my end, I can only prescribe some sedatives. To truly solve the problem, you need to seek someone more capable.¡± Upon hearing this, the neighbors immediately remembered the rats the Chen Family boys had killed the day before and couldn¡¯t help but discuss it among themselves. One said it was definitely an offense against the Immortal Family, and they should seek the help of a ¡°Half-Immortal¡± to perform a ritual and pay a fee to avert disaster. Another said it was an evil spirit involved and they should find a monk or a Taoist to drive away the demons and capture the spirits. ¡°I heard that Third Master Ding, who deals with incense, is a capable person specializing in these strange and supernatural matters¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Tong is right!¡± With this reminder, the neighbors all recalled indeed there was such a person. Third Master Ding from the south of the city, who specialized in Feng Shui and matters of ghosts and deities. Chen Yan, easily swayed, couldn¡¯t resist the persuasion, hearing everyone mention this person with some credibility, she hurriedly went back into the house to get money, preparing to visit him. But she failed to notice her daughter¡¯s ashen face beside her. Could they still not escape this fate after going around and around? Who Third Master Ding was, Chen Yan knew better than her own mother. What Third Master Ding wanted to do, she also knew very well. Why should I accept such a bizarre fate? After a brief moment of confusion and fear, a raging fire of namelessness ignited in Chen Yan¡¯s heart. Using the excuse of taking care of her father to send away the class teacher and neighbors, Chen Yan sat beside the bed in silence for a long time, then stepped out of the house. Wang Yunxiao was sitting under the big willow tree opposite her house, not far from the sewer entrance he had previously dug into. Chen Yan approached him, bowed her head and spoke softly, ¡°Brother Yuanxiao, please help me with a favor.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal!¡± Wang Yunxiao grinned and said, ¡°We use your family¡¯s pot and drink your tea. We¡¯re supposed to take care of you as long as you don¡¯t treat us as outsiders. I heard everything just now while I was outside. You said this creature likes to bully the weak but fears the strong, huh? It didn¡¯t come after me or you; instead, it went after your dad, which is really funny.¡± Chen Yan said aggrievedly, ¡°Teacher Liu never taught me how to deal with this kind of thing¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s letting you figure it out yourself.¡± Wang Yunxiao waved his hand and laughed, ¡°The method is simple. Go call over the neighborhood kids and tell them that you¡¯ll pay five cents for each live rat, just ten needed, first come first served.¡± Chen Yan was quick-witted and realized Wang Yunxiao¡¯s idea immediately. She asked subconsciously, ¡°Will ten be enough?¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head and said, ¡°Whether it¡¯s enough isn¡¯t the problem; the problem is we need to resolve this before your mom comes back. If she really ends up inviting Third Master Ding over to perform his mystical nonsense, afterwards nothing you say will get through to her.¡± Chen Yan nodded and turned to leave. If there really was such a good deal as five cents per rat, Wang Yunxiao could lead his brothers to dig through the sewers for miles around. He wasn¡¯t worried about the neighborhood kids failing to catch any rats¡ªwho hadn¡¯t climbed trees for birds or waded rivers for fish when they were young? What worried him was if he really started buying freely, Chen Yan might not be able to afford the bill. True enough, in less than half an hour, Chen Yan returned carrying a string of rats, followed by a crowd of kids each holding a rat by the tail. Although rats can cultivate into spirits, in our country, the fact that you¡¯ve become a spirit doesn¡¯t mean we fear you and won¡¯t beat you. Not to mention rats that have cultivated into spirits, even if you¡¯re a fox that has cultivated a human form, we¡¯d still take you on, and the same goes for a tiger that has reached spiritual enlightenment¡ªit¡¯d still get beaten just the same. If the Dragon King wouldn¡¯t call the rain, he would be dragged out and beaten as well. What do you count for? Wang Yunxiao took the rats from Chen Yan, tied them to a stick, propped it up on either side, piled up firewood and charcoal underneath, and directly lit the fire, beginning to roast them. He refused the other children¡¯s rats, telling them to let the rats go and run back to spread the word. Only the rats over the fire remained, squealing and shrieking as they were smoked and scorched. The rats¡¯ screaming was eerie, causing the hearts of the surrounding neighbors to tremble; yet no one dared to come and persuade him otherwise, and everyone closed their doors. Before long, the entire street fell quiet, except for the desperate wails of the rats. Wang Yunxiao, holding a shovel from Chen Yan¡¯s house, said to Chen Yan, ¡°If that thing dares come over, you just tell me where it appears. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If it doesn¡¯t dare to show up, I¡¯ll leave a few humiliating words for it and tell it to find me at school.¡± Even though it is daylight now, so what? Humans can stay up all night drinking, playing mahjong, gaming, or rushing assignments; why can¡¯t you demons and evil spirits come out during the day? Can¡¯t really come out? Then don¡¯t blame me for looking down on you. If you can¡¯t even overcome this little difficulty and only know how to bully the weak and sick, what qualifications do you have to deceive and haunt? Little trash! Wang Yunxiao picked up a piece of burning, glowing red coal and pressed it on the rat¡¯s body. The rat emitted a dreadful squeal of ¡°squeak¡± and twitched its limbs, all bodily functions failing. Chapter 46 - 46 46 All those within the borders of the land are my Han people ?46: Chapter 46: All those within the borders of the land are my Han people. 46: Chapter 46: All those within the borders of the land are my Han people. Huaxia had, since ancient times, been inhabited by humans, gods, demons, and ghosts coexisting together. This is not a rumor from the Jianghu World but a sentence written in the civic education textbook. The term ¡°civic education¡± was rather unfamiliar to Wang Yunxiao, but its other name, ¡°ideology and morality,¡± was easier to understand. This course didn¡¯t exist in the past; it was only after the establishment of the new government that it was added to the ¡°New Teaching¡± articles. Even the textbooks had just been compiled, and Principal Zhou¡¯s name could be seen on the list of authors. The civic education course mainly covered the humanistic knowledge of modern society, including astronomy and geography, social systems, nationalities and ethnic groups, moral and legal knowledge, or in other words, social common sense. In fact, our ancestors had similar popular science primers, known as ¡°Youthful Study of the Exquisite Forest,¡± but it was so esoteric that ordinary people had never heard of it, let alone had the privilege to read it. The average commoner¡¯s awareness of primers was confined to texts like ¡°Three Character Classic,¡± ¡°Hundred Family Surnames,¡± and ¡°Thousand Character Classic.¡± The ¡°New Citizen¡± textbook was revised based on ¡°Youthful Study of the Exquisite Forest¡±, preserving most of the ancient idioms and local knowledge while adding a vast amount of modern knowledge in plain language. Many lingering officials from the Former Dynasty, including Song Qingping, had significant objections to this textbook. Of course, it definitely wasn¡¯t because they hadn¡¯t been invited to contribute to the revisions. They believed that a considerable portion of the content was controversial and not suitable for minors to be exposed to. The Former Dynasty, or more accurately, the feudal dynasties dominated by the ideologies of the Saints, including the Former Dynasty, did not recognize the existence of species other than humans. That is what is known as ¡ª ¡°The Master speaks not of strange forces and chaos among the gods.¡± Humans are considered the rulers over all things under heaven, and all things under heaven should serve humanity. This theory had no problem in the eras of the past and could even be deemed to possess an advanced nature that surpassed other contemporary racial civilizations. However, with the rapid changes of the current era, many details under this anthropocentric great theory needed to be amended. One of the most obvious examples is the recognition of the ¡°Foreign Clan¡± and ¡°foreigners.¡± Some of these are well-known but were not acknowledged in the past, such as the Demon Clan and Witch Clan. Others have only emerged in recent decades as new ethnic groups. For example, the naturalized ¡°Sea People,¡± the ¡°Spirit Clan¡± that is fairly active in coastal regions, and the ¡°Fusang People,¡± whose identity is still vague up to now. Since this is a textbook published by Tianmen City, it has a stronger seafood flavor. It is said that the versions of textbooks in places like Shaan-Gan, Bashu, and Yun-Gui are differently styled. When introducing herself, Nurse Liu said that she came from the Glazed State of the Shark Clan, a branch of the Sea People. She seemed no different from a normal person. No fish scales, fins, or tails. Nor is it known whether, like in the myths, her tears would turn into little pearls or if her oil could be used to make everlasting lanterns¡­ As for the detailed distinctions of these ¡°Foreign Clans,¡± neither have they been explained in detail nor introduced in the civic education class or in Nurse Liu¡¯s mini lectures. In Nurse Liu¡¯s words, ¡°Firstly, you wouldn¡¯t remember them even if I told you.¡± ¡°Secondly, there¡¯s a simple way to differentiate ¡ª although those who look like humans might not be human, those who don¡¯t look like humans are definitely not human.¡± If they¡¯re not human, they don¡¯t have human rights. The rat squealed nonstop under the smoking and roasting of fireworks, its screams becoming fainter and fainter. At this rate, we¡¯ll be smoked into bacon soon. Wang Yunxiao held a shovel, sitting calmly by the side as he poked at the charcoal fire, ensuring that every piece of firewood and charcoal was burning thoroughly. Chen Yan stood nearby, her expression growing increasingly solemn, a bead of cold sweat silently sliding down from the side of her ear. She had already sensed something unusual. Something had been attracted over. Without alerting anyone, she closed her eyes, seemingly resting, but then suddenly she turned her head swiftly and reopened her eyes, now filled with white film. ¡°It¡¯s there! To your right¡­ twenty-five meters!¡± The instant Chen Yan raised her hand, Wang Yunxiao had already dashed in the direction she was pointing, skimming close to the ground. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His speed was so fast that it was hard for anyone to react. ¡°Chess Herald¡¯s¡± special ability was like a human flesh radar. He was initially unable to see that kind of thing, but once Chen Yan spoke up, his field of view gained a blurry shadow. By the time Chen Yan had finished saying the words ¡°twenty-five meters,¡± Wang Yunxiao had already charged almost twenty meters. It wasn¡¯t that he had been idly sitting there doing nothing. The entire street¡¯s terrain and landscape had been imprinted in his mind. He clearly knew which places were suitable for hiding and which were suitable for escaping. Merely by following the direction of Chen Yan¡¯s gaze, Wang Yunxiao had roughly predicted the opponent¡¯s location in his heart. As for whether a common tool like a shovel could harm the legendary demons and specters, Wang Yunxiao had never considered such a question. If demons and specters were as omnipotent as described in novels, immune to knives and impervious to cannons, humanity would have long since become sheep on two legs; it wouldn¡¯t make sense for mankind to still possess the ability to sweep through the universe and be the masters of the whole world. I reckon it will work! The responses of Wang Yunxiao¡¯s body had always been faster than his mind¡¯s thought process. In just a blink of an eye, he had already reached the creature. It was a dark corner, with a narrow alley behind it through which only one person could pass. A black rat with the size of a stray dog was hiding in the corner, glaring with grinding teeth at the tragic scene of live rats being roasted under the big willow tree. Being so close, Wang Yunxiao could clearly see the anthropomorphized expressions on its face shifting from anger to confusion and then to terror. Without any hesitation, it turned around to flee, but it was too late. Wang Yunxiao gripped the shovel firmly and thrust it straight at its forehead. Ordinary people using a shovel in a fight would at most swing it from side to side or smash with the back of the shovel. Little do they know that the most dangerous way to use a shovel is to stab with it like a spear. These are combat techniques of a military entrenching tool. Of course, the proper way to employ an entrenching tool is to chop like an axe, which is ineffective with the blunt edges of a common household shovel¡ªall the force can only be concentrated at a sharp, thin tip to deliver maximum damage. Wang Yunxiao¡¯s shovel struck right at the big black rat¡¯s flank; judging by the feel of the handle, he had broken at least four or five ribs on one side of the creature¡¯s body. The big black rat let out a scream and astonishingly exploded with ferocity, advancing rather than retreating, it twisted its head and bit ferociously onto the shovel; the strange and powerful tearing force nearly made the shovel slip from Wang Yunxiao¡¯s grasp. Wang Yunxiao released the handle, stepped forward, and fiercely kicked directly at the big black rat¡¯s head. Chapter 47 - 47 47 Its Difficult for Me if You Dont Die Today ?47: Chapter 47 It¡¯s Difficult for Me if You Don¡¯t Die Today 47: Chapter 47 It¡¯s Difficult for Me if You Don¡¯t Die Today Whether demons and monsters are formidable depends on who you compare them to. It¡¯s the same with humans. Some people don¡¯t dare to fight back when hit, not because they lack the ability, but because the cost of fighting back is too high. If you go to places where there is a scant awareness of the law, the locals play dirty, each more so than the last. When Wang Yunxiao first arrived in this world, he hesitated to strike monsters that ate people. Because he was unfamiliar with the situation here and didn¡¯t know what this thing was. Wu Dalang killing a tiger with three punches not only isn¡¯t illegal, but he could even claim a reward. You try slide tackling a tiger; if you don¡¯t die, you¡¯re guaranteed a long prison sentence. As the saying goes, the weirder the look, the quicker the execution; who knows whether something that looks like this mess counts as a nationally protected waste? But now is not like before; nowadays, Wang Yunxiao has not only gotten a preliminary grasp of the local laws and regulations, but he has even spent a night in the cells. He now strikes with fewer concerns. A rat grown so big probably has some spiritual power, but not much. If it had grown to the size of a tiger or leopard, Wang Yunxiao would guarantee not to mess with it and would turn and run. Looking like a skinny dog, what do I have to fear from you? People aren¡¯t afraid of rats unless it¡¯s a many against one situation. What¡¯s there to fear about one rat? Without a word, Wang Yunxiao kicked the big black rat hard in the face. For an average human, this kick would land right on the temple, and the consequences would naturally be clear. The big black rat didn¡¯t fare well either, squealing miserably as it was kicked against the wall, its skull cracking and an eyeball flying out. However, being a demon with a cultivation achievement, even such severe injuries didn¡¯t kill it on the spot. It still struggled desperately, opening its mouth to spit demon Qi at Wang Yunxiao. But as it opened its mouth, Wang Yunxiao took the opportunity to grab back his shovel. Before it could spit out the black Qi, Wang Yunxiao picked up the shovel, swung it around, and smashed it down on its head. With a dull thud, the big black rat was sent flying three meters away. Spot on! This was the last bit of consciousness it had before it passed out. The unconsciousness didn¡¯t last long, and soon it woke up under the excruciating heat. Opening its eyes, it found itself tightly tied upside down on a large willow tree, with a fire blazing below its head, roasting it until it sweated profusely and felt half-dead. Seeing Wang Yunxiao sitting beside it, holding a small iron blade and leisurely whittling a stick, the big black rat couldn¡¯t help but grind its teeth and roar, ¡°You little bastard, have you eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard, daring to mess with your Black Lord? You should ask around about me¡ªI am a direct disciple of Black-Fur Ancestor. If you hurt a single hair on me, once the old ancestor finds out, he¡¯ll slaughter your entire family¡­¡± ¡°I only know about Black Cat Sheriff; never heard of Black-Fur Ancestor.¡± Wang Yunxiao shook the stick in front of the big black rat, speaking calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance to rethink your words, consider how you should talk to me. Otherwise, see this stick, isn¡¯t it just perfect for skewering meat?¡± The big black rat instantly shut its mouth. The stick in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s hand was actually a wooden rod, about a meter long and as thick as a finger. Just used for roasting a batch of rats. As it watched the stick slowly slide up its back, finally stopping at its buttocks and starting to force its way in¡­ The big black rat began to tremble all over. ¡°Young Hero! Let¡¯s talk this out!¡± Wang Yunxiao laughed and said, ¡°Haven¡¯t I been talking nicely to you the whole time? What¡¯s your name?¡± Black-Fur Six hastily replied with a smile, ¡°I am called Black-Fur Six. This time I couldn¡¯t recognize Mount Tai and fell into the hands of the Young Hero. Old Six knows his mistake, please show your great mercy and spare me this time¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao snorted coldly and slightly increased the pressure in his hand, pushing the wooden stake three inches deeper. ¡°Ouch, damn it¡­your mother¡­Young Hero¡­Hero! Spare my life! Spare me!¡± Black-Fur Six wriggled like a maggot, screaming and begging simultaneously. ¡°You see, Sixth Master, you really don¡¯t understand things.¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Yunxiao chuckled and asked, ¡°Tell me, who exactly kidnapped your descendants to use them in a sacrifice for the Evil Object? Are you truly unaware or just pretending to be confused?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know¡­truly!¡± Black-Fur Six vigorously shook his head, tears streaming down his face. ¡°Even if we assume, for argument¡¯s sake, those rats were also killed by me, why didn¡¯t you come to me instead of going to someone else? What¡¯s that all about?¡± Wang Yunxiao tightened his grip on the stake, giving Black-Fur Six a chilling smile, ¡°The rules of the Jianghu World are clear, mischief should not involve family or innocent people, especially those unrelated to me. If I don¡¯t skin you alive today, how will I, Wang Yunxiao, ever establish myself in the Jianghu World? Should I let others mock me for not even being able to deal with a mere rat?¡± Black-Fur Six was stunned, utterly horrified. Do you hear what you¡¯re saying? How can you be so ruthless at such a young age? If people know you, they know you¡¯re a student in school. If they don¡¯t know you, hearing what you just said, they might think you¡¯re a bandit from the mountains! What do you mean by skinning me alive? Is there no law anymore? The new government has even abolished the punishment of dismemberment; do you think I¡¯m uneducated? But as the saying goes, a wise man does not suffer losses before his eyes. Black-Fur Six was very decisively cowardly. ¡°Young Hero! Hero! Great man! I admit I was wrong this time. I hope you can spare me this ordeal, and I will definitely repay you generously in the future¡­ no, right now! Please name your price, how much money will buy me my old life?¡± ¡°Money is not important to me,¡± Wang Yunxiao said calmly, ¡°If you want to live, I¡¯ll give you a chance. Explain everything clearly about today¡¯s matter, from start to finish, and I¡¯ll let you go. If you can¡¯t explain, even if Laozi himself comes, you¡¯ll still die here!¡± Black-Fur Six shivered all over and immediately confessed everything he knew. It wasn¡¯t originally called Black-Fur Six. Creatures like it that had just learned to speak but couldn¡¯t transform yet had no right to a name. In the Former Dynasty era, the North often saw the practice of invoking, also known as Shamanic Spirit Communication, serving the five Home-Protecting Immortals of fox, tawny, white, willow, and ash. The reasons were twofold: it was inexpensive and practical. Those temples and Taoist retreats, the Reputable Sects, even visiting them for a prayer required Incense Offerings, and conducting rituals wasn¡¯t cheap without Silver Coins. If you wanted to serve at home, at the very least, you¡¯d need a statue and two recitations of the scriptures¡­ Such expenses might be nothing for rich people, but they were unbearable for ordinary folks. Home-Protecting Immortals weren¡¯t so demanding. You just find a wooden plank, write the name of the Immortal Family on it, set it up, and that¡¯s it. Whatever you eat, you offer. Everyone understood that these weren¡¯t official deities, but rather mountain spirits and wild demons. They weren¡¯t after your money or possessions, only a bit of Incense Offerings to aid their cultivation. In big troubles, you¡¯d still need a master to solve them. But for ordinary folks, how many big troubles do they encounter in a lifetime? It was nothing more than curing a minor illness or entrusting a simple dream, and that was it. Chapter 48 - 48 48 Sixth Master Gao Third Master Strong! ?48: Chapter 48: Sixth Master Gao, Third Master Strong! 48: Chapter 48: Sixth Master Gao, Third Master Strong! The terms Fox, Yellow, White, Willow, and Ash Grey are a mere formality and do not imply that only these five Immortal Families exist, nor does it mean there¡¯s no hierarchy among them. Among them, ¡°White¡± and ¡°Grey¡± refers to the hedgehog and the mouse, which are rarely seen in the market. The main reason being their timidity and reluctance to shoulder responsibilities. But this also depends on the specifics of the situation. For instance, in Tianmen City, whether it¡¯s the old canal transport docks in the past or the oceanic trade nowadays, the boatmen and sailors like to worship the mouse. Firstly for wealth, secondly for safety. In the past, the Tianmen Transport Gang maintained such a Black-Fur Ancestor. It is said that this Black-Fur Ancestor possessed immense magical powers, with boundless mana, able to perform the Method of the Five Ghosts¡¯ Transportation, and in a single night, could empty an entire granary. His descendants were in the thousands, each with significant cultivation achievement, and were extremely fierce. Alas, he was too ostentatious in his actions. Last year, he was arrested and handled by the authorities and fed on the government¡¯s complimentary peanuts. Of course, this was Wang Yunxiao¡¯s personal understanding. According to Black-Fur Six, their revered Black-Fur Ancestor had completed his cultivation with merit last year and ascended after his body disintegrated. Who, upon achieving such completion, needs a body disintegration? And to rush for such an auspicious time last year. Black-Fur Six doesn¡¯t mean he ranks sixth in his family either. Rats simply don¡¯t have a concept of family lineage. Forget a lifetime, even the rats born at the beginning of the year don¡¯t know how to address those born by the year¡¯s end; those are already descendants from ten generations away. Black-Fur Six refers to the sixth accomplished demon rat under the Black-Fur Ancestor, known outwardly as Black-Fur Master Six. And look what his cultivation has turned him into. Seeing his level, Wang Yunxiao could fairly guess the so-called strength of the Black-Fur Ancestor. In reality, it¡¯s not a real name; at best, it¡¯s a nickname. It¡¯s like being called a pheasant or a crow; with such a nickname, one could be considered one of the Immortal Families. Others only need to write this nickname on a piece of paper, take it home, and offer worship, and the Immortal Family will be able to enjoy the Incense Offerings. Of course, this ¡°Immortal Family¡± has about as much substance as the ¡°heroes and valiant men¡± among the Green Forest Heroes. It¡¯s a mere courtesy title, and everyone knows the real story behind it. Aspiring to be a true Immortal Family requires a real name, and those are not easy to come by. But let¡¯s not dwell on this for now. Let¡¯s talk about Black-Fur Six; as he claims, he was peacefully cultivating in his cave. Until one day, his offspring came to ask for help, saying a sibling had been poisoned by someone, in a most pitiable state. Mice dying from poison is commonplace. They breed fast and die quickly, and even among siblings born from the same mother, there¡¯s hardly any deep affection. But there¡¯s a difference between dying quickly and dying terribly. If you have mice at home, buying some poison or traps and killing a hundred mice a day doesn¡¯t raise an eyebrow. But if you¡¯re bored and tie live mice to rockets for fun, launching a hundred a day, that¡¯s a bit too much. It¡¯s not about life and death, but about face and dignity. As the saying goes, even if you don¡¯t steam buns, you still want to fight for some respect. And so, Black-Fur Master Six, the Attendant Elder who reinforces the fate of the Tianmen Black-Haired Rat Clan, emerged from his seclusion, furious and determined to avenge his kindred. However, upon arriving at the scene of the incident, all he saw was a pile of ashes. The nearby mice gathered around to mourn, describing the scene in gruesomely horrific terms. Hmm, a dozen or so burly men circled a few little mice in the middle, first raped them, then killed them, raped them again, killed them again, and then even destroyed the bodies and scattered their ashes¡­ Having grown to this age, Black-Fur Master Six had never witnessed such a brutal scene, and he felt a chill in his own heart. Yet, surrounded by the expectant gazes of his children and grandchildren, he had no choice but to respond, albeit grudgingly. He couldn¡¯t find, nor did he dare to search for, the mouse murderers. So, he inquired around and heard they were from the Chen Family, so he turned his attention to Old Man Chen, who seemed to be an honest and submissive man. In these times, everyone loves to pick on the soft ones. Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t take Black-Fur Six¡¯s words at face value. ¡°Others use mice to refine evil objects, and you say you don¡¯t know. We clean up the sewers and kill mice, and someone sends you a tip-off?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve also cultivated an ¡®information cocoon room¡¯?¡± ¡°Your internal strength is quite profound!¡± Just as Wang Yunxiao was about to continue the interrogation, he saw Chen Yan¡¯s wife returning from outside. Behind her followed a middle-aged man wearing a satin short jacket, small round sunglasses, and holding a walking cane. At a glance, he didn¡¯t look like an upright person¡­ sorry, I misspoke, he looked very upright. In the words of the common folk, just by his appearance, you would know he¡¯s a ¡°big shot.¡± Those who hold high positions, over time, develop a certain presence, clearly different from the honest and submissive mud-legged peasants. Chen Yan¡¯s wife seemed timid and shrinking in front of him, not daring to raise her head or speak loudly. This big shot rested on his cane with one hand and held two red-brown lion-head walnuts in the other as he looked left and right at the entrance of the Chen Family¡¯s home. His gaze was involuntarily drawn to the scene by the big willow tree. Wang Yunxiao greeted him with a smile and a nod, then whispered to Black-Fur Six, ¡°Do you know this man?¡± Black-Fur Six shrunk his neck and pleaded, ¡°I know, I know! It¡¯s Third Master Ding from the southern part of the city. We are old acquaintances. Can you please put out the fire first? My fur is almost scorched by you!¡± Third Master Ding¡­ He actually dared to come? As Wang Yunxiao watched him turn around and walk up to him, putting away the walnuts and cupping his fists with a smile, he said, ¡°Wind from all directions, hard work it is. I¡¯m not sure where you come from, what sect you¡¯re affiliated with, what incense you¡¯re burning?¡± The so-called acknowledgement of hard work upon meeting is definitely a sign of the Jianghu World. The Jianghu World has always had various kinds of secret codes and slang passed down through the ages. The shadier the profession, the more esoteric the slang, incomprehensible to outsiders. For example, the Green Forest Heroes in the mountains speak as if they are speaking a foreign language upon meeting; you can understand every word they say, but when strung together, you don¡¯t get the meaning. However, for those from All Walks of Life in the urban streets and alleys, there is no need for such encryption. When Third Master Ding spoke of ¡°wind from all directions,¡± it referred to All Walks of Life, but in Tianmen City, many earn their livelihood on the water. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The phrase ¡°wind from all directions¡± implies that he considers himself a local and sees you as a foreigner. Saying hard work is a code used by the Martial Faction, usually employed by those who come from martial arts schools. Asking what ¡°sect wind you back, which incense you burn¡± is a code from the Green Forest, inquiring about which mountain you¡¯ve descended from and asking you to reveal your background. Essentially, it¡¯s one question asked three times, through which the origin of the other party can be mostly deduced by their response. Wang Yunxiao chuckled, ¡°Third Master¡¯s backing is really solid, even the Special Service Bureau doesn¡¯t dare touch a hair on your head.¡± Third Master Ding¡¯s face drastically changed, he stepped back half a step, and after scrutinizing Wang Yunxiao carefully for a while, he hesitantly said, ¡°Brother¡­ could it be¡­ your surname is Wang?¡± Wang Yunxiao stood up, cupped his fists with a smile, and said, ¡°I still bear the same name and sit with the same surname, I am Wang Yunxiao. Third Master has a strong backbone, daring to stir these muddy waters. I truly admire you, admire you!¡± Third Master Ding hurriedly waved his hands, ¡°What are you talking about! Don¡¯t make fun of me, Young Hero. There must be a misunderstanding here, please listen to my explanation!¡± Chapter 49 - 49 49 Someones Sabotaging Behind the Scenes ?49: Chapter 49: Someone¡¯s Sabotaging Behind the Scenes 49: Chapter 49: Someone¡¯s Sabotaging Behind the Scenes In the Jianghu world, the most important thing is ¡°face.¡± No matter how big the issue is, if you have ¡°face,¡± it¡¯s not really an issue. However insignificant the matter might be, if you deny someone ¡°face,¡± you¡¯ve got an insurmountable problem. If you don¡¯t even care about ¡°face,¡± then what are you doing in the Jianghu world? Go back to farming. Of course, putting it back into perspective, the cultural and educational levels among the Jianghu People aren¡¯t generally high, and their understanding of ¡°face¡± is mostly superficial. At most, it boils down to ¡°if you don¡¯t let me show off, I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± True badassery isn¡¯t something you can fake. The real badassery of Third Master Ding isn¡¯t that he knew Fengshui or traded in local goods. The key point was that even after his paramour threatened the police station and got taken away by the Special Service Bureau, he himself miraculously avoided any repercussions and could still hop about town merrily. Wang Yunxiao was clear in his mind that there must be some unknown factors behind this. Like the backing he had. And in Third Master Ding¡¯s eyes, he saw Wang Yunxiao in much the same light. Each wary of the other, neither could afford to speak too forcefully. Without forceful words, there was room for reconciliation. The Jianghu world was never about fighting and killing; it was about human relationships and conventions. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While Third Master Ding verbally urged to listen to his explanation, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to exonerate himself. Instead, pointing to the big black rat tied to the tree, he smiled at Wang Yunxiao and said, ¡°This Old Six here has some connection of incense offerings with me. I don¡¯t know how he managed to offend the Young Hero to such an extent. Let me apologize on his behalf first. I hope for your generosity to release him first, so we can talk this out.¡± Wang Yunxiao waved his hand, ¡°No rush. It¡¯s widely rumored in the south of the city that Third Master Ding is divinely astute and can spy into the heaven¡¯s secrets. Since you are here today, why not calculate the grievances between me and Old Six?¡± ¡°Who told you that?¡± Third Master Ding¡¯s expression grew even uglier. He was a Fengshui Master, not a fortune teller. Though the two professions were of the same ilk. Seeing his puzzled and bewildered expression, Wang Yunxiao kindly explained, ¡°Third Master, you use the rat to cultivate Evil Objects and spoil the Chen Family¡¯s Fengshui. Didn¡¯t you discuss this with Old Six?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± ¡°What? This too?¡± Old Third Ding and Black-Fur Six, a man and a rat, looked at each other, both utterly baffled. ¡°Ding San! You damn¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t! Old Six, don¡¯t be hasty, where did this talk come from?¡± Third Master Ding reacted swiftly, turning his head to appease Wang Yunxiao with a smile, ¡°Young Hero, discern the truth, Yours Truly Ding has always been kind to people, and absolutely never engaged in such heinous acts. This is my first visit to the Chen Family. There¡¯s definitely some misunderstanding here. Please speak directly, Young Hero. If there¡¯s indeed a fault on my part, I shall make amends.¡± You don¡¯t know, he doesn¡¯t know¡­ now this is getting interesting. ¡°Old Third Ding isn¡¯t as simple as he appears.¡± Indeed, how could someone who trades in local goods be as benevolent as he appears on the surface¡­ ¡°Who¡¯s speaking?¡± Wang Yunxiao suddenly realized, it was as if he had heard someone speaking by his ear, and he had taken it for granted. But upon careful reflection, he couldn¡¯t recall at all who had spoken those words. ¡°Chen Yan!¡± Wang Yunxiao suddenly spoke up, and Chen Yan was startled, quickly turning her head to look around. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ seems like there¡¯s nothing unusual¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s nothing.¡± Wang Yunxiao, with an unchanged expression, turned to smile at Black-Fur Six and Old Third Ding, who were also frightened, ¡°Sorry, I heard some noises just now, might have misheard. Where were we? Right, Third Master Ding, let¡¯s start from the beginning, I heard from your men that you wanted to arrange a ghost marriage for the Chen Family?¡± ¡°Ghost marriage? No no no, that¡¯s not what this is about!¡± Upon hearing the root of the conversation, Third Master Ding hurriedly waved his hands to explain: ¡°Liu Jinfa is just a shop assistant under me, he doesn¡¯t know the real situation. I don¡¯t mind telling you the truth, there is a boss who took a fancy to this neighbourhood¡¯s street front and wants to build buildings. I helped him check the fengshui layout here. This boss also had a daughter who passed away from illness ten years ago, and he entrusted me to find a good marital match to bury her with.¡± Ah¡­ a daughter? Wang Yunxiao thought, this matter has gotten twisted. Liu Jinfa initially mentioned something about a wealthy family¡¯s young master needing a living person for a ghost marriage, and Wang Yunxiao found it odd at the time. Is there such a thing as picking and slaughtering on the spot for ghost marriage? Ghost marriages are for the peace of the household, are you not afraid of fostering a red-clothed fierce ghost? Although Wang Yunxiao did not understand the intricacies of this trade, obviously Third Master Ding¡¯s explanation sounded more plausible. Even if he had a moment of quick thinking, it¡¯s unlikely he would fabricate something about developing real estate on the fly. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t you who harmed Old Six¡¯s descendants?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Listening to Wang Yunxiao recount the occurrences of that day, Old Third Ding shook his head like a rattle drum: ¡°Old Six and I are old friends for many years, I would never do such a thing!¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± Black-Fur Six nodded vigorously: ¡°I get it now, someone¡¯s been scheming behind our backs, setting a trap for us three! How does that old saying go, something about a mantis?¡± ¡°The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly, the oriole behind! Young Hero Wang, it¡¯s a good thing you were clear-headed and showed mercy, otherwise my old life might have been inexplicably lost right here. Old Three, can you see how malicious some people¡¯s intentions are¡­ How about we put out the fire first, I¡¯m about to have my gall cooked out if we keep roasting!¡± ¡°That works.¡± Wang Yunxiao picked up a shovel and dispersed the bonfire, extinguishing the flames, then raised his head to say to Old Third Ding: ¡°Old Three, I¡¯m young and ignorant, not understanding all the twists and turns here. But you¡¯re experienced in Jianghu World, now that everyone has spoken openly and knows there¡¯s a villain meddling, what do you plan to do next?¡± Old Third Ding took out a walnut and rolled it in his hands, weighing his options, then tentatively whispered: ¡°Young Hero Wang, originally I was unaware of all the confusing mess behind this. Having heard from both of you, I now have some guesses. How about this, give me a few days to investigate what¡¯s really going on. Three days later, I¡¯ll host a meal at the Tianbao Pavilion to explain everything to you, how does that sound?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Wang Yunxiao agreed promptly, then turned to look at Black-Fur Six: ¡°Old Six, what do you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know which bastard is scheming against me, I won¡¯t share the sky with him!¡± Black-Fur Six was indignant and filled with righteous anger: ¡°As the saying goes, every wrong has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor! Just let me handle that bastard once we find him, and that will be the end of it!¡± Well, if you weren¡¯t currently still hanging upside down from a tree, wrapped like a zongzi, those words would actually sound quite imposing. Seeing the smirk on Wang Yunxiao¡¯s face, Black-Fur Six shuddered, quickly added: ¡°Young Hero, don¡¯t worry, I have now reined in my supernatural powers, I guarantee that the old man from Chen Family will be safe and sound, without any trouble. From now on, I personally will protect this shop, ensuring their business thrives and their wealth flows in!¡± Chapter 50 - 50 50 The Real World and the False Dreamland ?50: Chapter 50: The Real World and the False Dreamland 50: Chapter 50: The Real World and the False Dreamland Everyone sees the world differently. Chen Yan didn¡¯t understand how Wang Yunxiao could face these monsters so calmly. Yes, monsters. The large black rat in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s eyes was a profoundly terrifying creature in her view. That wasn¡¯t just any rat, it was clearly a fierce beast! It opened its gaping mouth, showing its full set of sharp, menacing fangs, which even had strands of blood-red meat from some animal hanging from them. Its fur was so dense and heavy, just like human hair¡­ No, more like the hair of a Drowned Ghost, wet and gloomy, emitting the foul stench of a bloated, rotting corpse under the smoke of fire. And that Third Master Ding, he looked even more sinister and frightening. He was as thin as a stick, his skin dry and yellow like aged talisman paper, his voice as raspy as sawing wood. Many children hung from his body. Children around three or four years old, with ponytails sticking up, dressed in red bellybands, resembling dolls that had leapt out of New Year paintings, yet their skin was as pale as ghosts. Some clutched Third Master Ding¡¯s arms, others rode on his neck¡­ Sensing Chen Yan¡¯s gaze, these ghost dolls looked at each other then simultaneously revealed a sinister, menacing smile toward Chen Yan. Can¡¯t you see them? Chen Yan really wanted to ask Wang Yunxiao, but dared not. She even couldn¡¯t bear to look at him directly. It was a kind of instinctive fear, warning her desperately not to look too much. It would be lethal. In her mind, she even imagined a vivid scene where Wang Yunxiao raised his hand to grip her throat and effortlessly twisted her neck, breaking it. A strong premonition of death left Chen Yan cold and at a loss. ¡°This is the truest side of this world.¡± A voice whispered in her heart. Yes, even though Chen Yan didn¡¯t want to believe it, there was no other explanation for why the loafer, who studied in the same classroom as her, was not scared of these demons and could even chat and laugh with them. The only reason was that he himself was a monster more terrifying than these creatures. If she discovered this secret, she would be silenced. ¡°This world is not normal.¡± Yes, during this time, the world Chen Yan saw was vastly different from the one she had lived in for the past dozen years. Dangers everywhere, filled with anomalies, the sky fragmented, the earth riddled with holes¡­ ¡°In fact, you¡¯ve already realized this, you just don¡¯t want to admit it.¡± The sunset in the sky, like carelessly smeared paint, so unreal. An invisible storm whistled past. The buildings and the vegetation around her scattered like sand in the wind. ¡°You should wake up from this nightmare¡­¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Chen Yan!¡± Wang Yunxiao¡¯s voice suddenly rang in her ears, abruptly awakening her from her dazed state. Everything around her returned to normal, as if all that had just been a hallucination conjured up in her mind. Chen Yan shuddered violently, instinctively looking around. ¡°No¡­ there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything abnormal¡­¡± Although she said that, she still didn¡¯t dare to make eye contact with Wang Yunxiao. Fortunately, Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t say much either. He had negotiated terms with the rat. Old Man Chen got up from the bed, looking completely rejuvenated and his face glowing. Chen Yan held the money in her hand, unsure of what to do. The Fengshui Master she had invited from far away seemed to have done nothing, yet the problem was solved. She dared not approach the huge black rat that had been troubling them, she could only hide in the house and bow from a distance, praying for the Immortal Family to depart. As for Wang Yunxiao, his actions today had earned him praises and amazement from neighbors around, catching and grilling the black rat and calling Third Master Ding his brother. It wouldn¡¯t be long before his reputation in the Jianghu World soared to new heights. And then, the matter passed just like that. In some respect, the Chinese had an extraordinarily strong ability to accept tales of spirits and oddities. Things such as encountering ghosts on the road, then pretending to be ghosts and selling ghosts, or encountering a female ghost seducing travelers in the middle of the night, and fighting off the ghost until she fled in panic¡­ All of these were quite normal incidents. Chen Yan followed Wang Yunxiao back to school in a daze, and when she reached the school gate, a cold wind blew over her, suddenly making her mind clear, and she couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Feeling Wang Yunxiao¡¯s gaze, she couldn¡¯t help but whisper softly, ¡°These days, I feel like I¡¯ve been dreaming¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you even have the courage to dream?¡± Startled by Wang Yunxiao¡¯s counter-question, Chen Yan froze. ¡°You¡¯re the class leader, your academic performance is in the top three of our entire grade. I thought you would be someone with dreams.¡± Wang Yunxiao counted on his fingers for her, ¡°Look, you have such good grades, continuing your education is normal, right? If you can keep up these scores in high school, isn¡¯t it reasonable to aim for college? Don¡¯t you ever think about getting into the best university? After graduating from college, with our country¡¯s current overall educational level, who knows how many places will be competing to hire you.¡± ¡°Chen Yan, you surely can¡¯t be lacking even this bit of a dream, just thinking about inheriting your dad¡¯s skills and shop in roasting seeds and nuts, right?¡± ¡°What are you talking about! That¡¯s not what I mean!¡± Chen Yan immediately replied in frustration, ¡°I just feel¡­ the things I¡¯ve recently encountered are a bit too much for me to handle¡­¡± ¡°Mentally immature.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not insulting you, didn¡¯t Teacher Liu tell us before, with our current level of mental development, we really can¡¯t handle this kind of knowledge¡­¡± Halfway through his sentence, Wang Yunxiao suddenly pushed Chen Yan into the school gate and turned his head towards another direction. The next moment, the flash of a camera nearly blinded him. When he had arrived at the school gate earlier, he had noticed a man across the street wearing a cap and dungarees, sitting on the curb looking around, not sure who he was waiting for. As the man raised his camera, Wang Yunxiao immediately sensed something was wrong. Sure enough, with a click, the flash went off, aiming right at him and Chen Yan. Damn, are there paparazzi already these days? Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t know what the man was trying to capture, but whatever it was, the mere act had already provoked and threatened him. He rushed towards the man in three quick steps, who looked panic-stricken, clutching the camera tightly against his chest, still shouting, ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m a reporter, don¡¯t touch me¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao snatched the camera from his arms and, grabbing his collar with the other hand, smashed the camera down on his head. ¡°Reporting on your grandpa in the middle of the night!¡± Chapter 51 - 51 51 The Choice of Two Different Paths ?51: Chapter 51 The Choice of Two Different Paths 51: Chapter 51 The Choice of Two Different Paths In reality, it wasn¡¯t that late into the night; it was just after six when Wang Yunxiao and Chen Yan returned to the school, because they had a class at seven. The sky was already darkening, and there were no pedestrians on the road. Apart from the people involved, the only witnesses were the security guards at the school entrance. Despite the reporter screaming ¡°Assault!¡± ¡°Help!¡±, the security uncle acted as if he saw nothing, heard nothing, and paid no attention to it. His only responsibility was to guard the gate. He even turned a blind eye to Wang Yunxiao and Chen Yan returning to school at this hour. After chasing away the reporter, Wang Yunxiao casually removed the film from his camera. He didn¡¯t know what the reporter was trying to capture, but it definitely wasn¡¯t anything good. Back at the school, when Nurse Liu came over, Wang Yunxiao reported everything he had encountered that day in full detail. Third Master Ding wasn¡¯t the sort of villain he had imagined; in fact, he seemed to be quite sensible, which was a little unexpected for Wang Yunxiao. But since their conversation had been diverted, Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t had the chance to ask about Xiao Baili. ¡°Ten years ago¡­¡± Nurse Liu paused and said to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°When you meet him next time, you could try to subtly inquire if his client¡¯s last name is Xia.¡± Wang Yunxiao asked, puzzled, ¡°Is there something about the surname Xia?¡± Xia was the surname of the Imperial Family of the former dynasty. After more than five hundred years, descendants of the Imperial Family were scattered all over and weren¡¯t considered a rare surname. ¡°If it really is Xia, and it¡¯s about a daughter buried ten years ago, then I probably know what¡¯s going on,¡± Nurse Liu explained, spreading her hands. ¡°Although this matter isn¡¯t exactly a secret, it involves profound implications, and you¡¯re not yet suited to delve into this. Don¡¯t talk about it outside, and certainly don¡¯t inquire randomly.¡± She might as well have written ¡°Here¡¯s the juicy story¡± across her face. Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t interested in this juicy story but was concerned about something else. ¡°As you say, it¡¯s like someone is secretly fomenting trouble, trying to take advantage of misinformation to instigate conflict among you,¡± he said. Nurse Liu nodded, ¡°That¡¯s very normal. You¡¯ll often encounter similar issues in the future. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± How is that normal? Wang Yunxiao thought to himself that he liked those enemies who were visible and tangible, with clear ranks and health bars, and he wouldn¡¯t mind how ugly they looked. It was those who hide their heads and show their tails that were troublesome. You couldn¡¯t do anything against them, yet they could periodically pop up to stab you. It was like the internet trolls of later generations, who create their own narratives and fan the flames on both sides, striking and then withdrawing. You¡¯d seethe with hatred yet be powerless against them. Disgusting. He had had enough of that in his past life; surely after transmigrating, he didn¡¯t have to continue enduring such loathsome people? ¡°So Laozi crossed to this world for nothing?¡± ¡°I know that with your current level, indeed you can¡¯t solve this kind of problem.¡± Nurse Liu admitted frankly, ¡°There are solutions, no doubt, but first and foremost, you must strengthen your own minds. As students who have read books for so many years, you should possess a certain degree of independent thinking ability. When someone tries to instigate or deceive you, the first thing you must not do is to consider whether what they say is reasonable.¡± ¡°Reasoning is subjective.¡± ¡°Imagine for a second that there are ten people here, none of whom know each other, and all we have is a single steamed bun, our only food. From each person¡¯s perspective, the idea that the steamed bun should belong to oneself is entirely reasonable.¡± ¡°If someone wants to deceive you, they will certainly wrap their lies up carefully, making them sound incredibly real, appealing to your empathy, stirring your emotions. But as soon as your emotions start to change, it will affect your rational thinking, and eventually, you¡¯ll lose sensibility and calm¡ªunder the guise of harmless intentions, everyone is susceptible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I told you from the beginning, don¡¯t be influenced by others, you must make your own choices. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Don¡¯t listen to others telling you whether something is true or false, good or bad, beautiful or ugly.¡± ¡°How others see you has nothing to do with you; only you can define yourself.¡± Nurse Liu wrote a sentence on the blackboard¡ª¡±Humans are social animals.¡± ¡°From an individual perspective, this viewpoint may not always be correct, as indeed many people are unable to grasp this concept. This is also the gap at the level of dimensions I¡¯ve spoken about before.¡± ¡°You all have personally experienced the war that occurred a few years ago; does anyone wish to return to that time? If not, then what can we do to prevent war? The answer is self-evident, only when you are strong enough can you avoid being bullied and beaten.¡± ¡°By the same token, only when our country is strong enough will our enemies give up the option of war. But how can our country become strong? The answer is simple, it needs young people like you to study hard, to apply your abilities, and to join the ranks of nation-building.¡± ¡°Of course, for personal reasons, you are entirely free to reject this theory concerning social collectives. You can forget that war, you can ignore the living and learning environment your country has provided in recent years, you can pursue your own wealth and glory, happiness and fulfillment¡ªas long as it¡¯s your own choice.¡± ¡°In a person¡¯s lifetime, there are not many opportunities for regret.¡± Standing on the podium, Nurse Liu looked down at the students in the classroom and said seriously, ¡°Joining the collective or remaining independent is the difference between the Righteous Path and the Heretical Path in the Twelve Laws. There is no superior or inferior between these two divergent paths. As long as you make up your mind to choose one, you can obtain the proper introductory materials from me.¡± What she meant was that everyone could finally officially step into the path of cultivation. This was indeed good news. After class, on the way back to the dormitory, Youtiao whispered in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s ear, ¡°Although she said there are materials no matter which we choose, she must favor the collective side more, right?¡± ¡°Of course, what else?¡± Wang Yunxiao was not at all surprised that the school-provided materials would definitely favor the collective; what else could it be if not a form of charity? As for the choice of the Heretical Path, that certainly would not be in the school. For instance, Chen Yan could choose the Cuojin Sect, or¡­ that person who¡¯s been lurking in the shadows and showing great interest in her. Wealth and glory must be fought for with life on the line. As the saying goes, try your luck¡ªif you win, a sports car and models await; lose, and it¡¯s off to hard labor by the sea. If you do nothing, demanding this and that, why should wealth and glory ever come your way? Wang Yunxiao thought, if someone gave him a sign-in system now, he¡¯d also take his chances. But he still hadn¡¯t received the eagerly awaited system. What he did receive was¡­ ¡°Wang Yunxiao! Come outside, there are police at the school gate looking for you!¡± Chapter 52 - 52 52 The New Policeman and the Old Policeman ?52: Chapter 52: The New Policeman and the Old Policeman 52: Chapter 52: The New Policeman and the Old Policeman ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Wang Yunxiao!¡± ¡­¡­ Entering the police cell twice within a mere week was a bit too frequent even for a loafer from the streets. Wang Yunxiao even recognized the people in the cell; there wasn¡¯t much change since the last time. ¡°Brother Yuanxiao!¡± ¡°Brother Yuanxiao, you¡¯re back again?¡± Don¡¯t think he couldn¡¯t see the schadenfreude hidden beneath their seemingly warm and friendly smiles. To be honest, Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t expected that he would have the chance to be imprisoned a second time. As everyone knows, to start the game with a score of 0/2 in five minutes, one might as well go invisible¡­ This time, he wasn¡¯t the one who called the police. Actually, he hadn¡¯t been the one the last time either. In the past, Wang Yunxiao was unfamiliar with the game rules of this era. Due to a psychological dependency imprinted in his DNA, he was accustomed to seeking help from the police to settle disputes when problems arose. However, he had overlooked one issue: the new government had only been established for two years, and many government departments were still staffed with officials from the former dynasty or temporarily hired newbies. Nowadays, the policemen in the station were only called policemen in name; most were actually direct transitions from constables or government officials of the past. It was already good enough if they didn¡¯t bully you, let alone expect them to mediate disputes. This time, Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t called the police, but the other party was relentless. At a little past eight in the evening, the police came to the school and took him back to the station for questioning. This visit, Wang Yunxiao keenly noticed that the officers in the substation had undergone a major change. The difference was quite clear. During his last visit, many officers he saw could barely walk steadily; their eyes were dark as was their complexion, likely due to indulgences in liquor, lust, and greed. This time, there were many new faces, clearly fit, quick in movement, sporting crew cuts, with piercing bright eyes. You could smell the scent of the military from three meters away. It¡¯s hard to describe what exactly that scent is, but Wang Yunxiao was all too familiar with it. If he were a keyboard warrior, he¡¯d probably harshly criticize Huo Qingyang in his mind¡ªwhat took you guys so long? If retired soldiers had been transferred into the police system earlier, would we still see big, black rats scurrying all over Tianmen City? But the answer to this question, Huo Qingyang had already told him. Lack of personnel, every department in all aspects needed more people. Although he didn¡¯t know the specific reasons behind such a big talent gap, to the extent that even influential figures like Principal Zhou had to personally get involved in schools to promote growth¡­ Perhaps it was the inevitable growing pains that came with a change in dynasty. After all, Wang Yunxiao lacked experience in this area and felt it inappropriate to comment. The historical time-travel novels he had read in the past didn¡¯t offer much insight on this topic either. He just vaguely remembered that, like during the early days of the Han and Tang Dynasties, there were records of national emptiness. For example, when you couldn¡¯t find a public bike that accepted Alipay, being stuck in a bathroom together with the President of the United States, and then his wife being threatened by a blonde saying, ¡®Madam, you don¡¯t want this either,¡¯ and so on¡­ Truth be told, Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t expected Huo Qingyang¡¯s efficiency to be so high, truly managing to pull personnel from the military to reorganize the police force. ¡°Someone reported that you assaulted them unprovoked and damaged their valuable property. Are you aware of this?¡± The two policemen assigned to conduct the interrogation were an old-timer and a rookie. The rookie clearly lacked experience, yet he led the questioning process. Truly inexperienced, Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t even spoken, yet the youth had laid everything out clearly. The older policeman desperately coughed on the side, but the rookie didn¡¯t mind and earnestly stared at Wang Yunxiao, hoping for his cooperation. This kind of clear-eyed expression is really on par with the students at school¡­ Wang Yunxiao sighed inwardly, not knowing what background this guy came from, it seems he needed a lesson. ¡°Officer, I don¡¯t know the person you¡¯re mentioning, but if he knows me and even could accurately say my name when calling the police, that definitely can¡¯t be considered an unprovoked assault, right?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Cough cough¡ª!¡± Seeing the young man beside him about to fall headlong into trouble, the older police officer quickly interjected, ¡°Whether it¡¯s unprovoked assault or not, we¡¯ll verify. The main issue is whether you really assaulted someone off school grounds or not.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Wang Yunxiao denied it firmly, ¡°Why would I assault someone off school grounds? Who saw it? That never happened!¡± The security uncle at the school gate definitely saw it, but Wang Yunxiao was completely confident that he would never testify for outsiders. He only had two distinct impressions of the school security guards. One is the Wolf Fang Club in his hand. Two is tight-lipped. Speak as little as possible when not required, and even less when possible. Apart from matters within their job responsibilities, they care about nothing else. What kind of exceptional employee was this? Sometimes he even couldn¡¯t help but wonder if these security uncles were actually alive. The old police officer shook his head and sighed. In the past, street fights and brawls were overlooked by the Yamen as long as no one died. What decent person brawls all the time? What decent person gets involved in fights? Whichever side was at a disadvantage, it was impossible for them to report to the officials. It wasn¡¯t just about breaking the rules of the Jianghu World; most of the time the Yamen would muddy the waters, not only failing to resolve anything but also costing you a fee for tea. This time he didn¡¯t want to deal with it either, but the problem was, his new colleague liked to stick to the rules, and also, it involved valuable property. A camera, in this era, was not a cheap item. The guy who claimed to be a journalist had his camera snatched by Wang Yunxiao, which cracked his forehead open, requiring eight stitches at the hospital. The camera was smashed to pieces on the spot, and the film inside vanished without a trace. Thinking it over, he felt he couldn¡¯t explain himself if he just let it go, so he reluctantly reported it. But nowadays¡­ to be honest, when it comes to cases like this, not only the plaintiff lacked experience, the police also didn¡¯t know how to handle them. Only Wang Yunxiao was experienced. Don¡¯t ask why; ask it¡¯s because he binge-watched Teacher Luo¡¯s lecture videos. ¡°What¡¯s a camera?¡± Wang Yunxiao looked innocent. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Is it weird that I, a poor student and an orphan, don¡¯t know what a camera looks like? The young police officer was also troubled, unsure how to explain, ¡°It¡¯s that kind of machine used to take pictures, very expensive, the plaintiff said it¡¯s worth more than two thousand yuan¡­¡± ¡°You mean to say he was carrying a camera to take photos at our school in the middle of the night? Officer, do you know, our school is a boarding school, many girls stay in the dormitories, and there are even no curtains on the windows¡­¡± The old police officer suddenly asked, ¡°So, you beat him and smashed his camera for this reason, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know him, why would I beat him?¡± Wang Yunxiao shrugged, ¡°And about the camera being able to take photos, that¡¯s what you¡¯ve said. I don¡¯t even know what a camera is, what would I smash?¡± Beer is for sea cucumbers to drink, why would I pay? Chapter 53 - 53 53 Entering the Squad Room Feels Like Coming Home ?53: Chapter 53: Entering the Squad Room Feels Like Coming Home 53: Chapter 53: Entering the Squad Room Feels Like Coming Home In those days, there were no surveillance cameras on the streets; as long as you weren¡¯t apprehended on the spot, it was essentially impossible to clarify the matter. Wang Yunxiao adamantly denied everything, and the complainant had no way to deal with him. After all, he had been at that place at that time, and he couldn¡¯t clear himself of suspicion. Why does everyone like to bully the honest people? Isn¡¯t it because honest people don¡¯t know how to fight back? You can¡¯t beat a fart out of them even with three sticks. When dealing with someone like Wang Yunxiao, a tough character, this method of bullying the honest just doesn¡¯t work. One party refused to calm things down without solid evidence, while the other steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, feigning ignorance and confusion. The case was at a deadlock; there was nothing to do but wait until the next workday. Seeing that it was getting late, the old policeman did not let Wang Yunxiao leave, letting him spend the night in the station. His main concern was the risk of something happening to the youngster on his way home in the dead of night, for which he would be held responsible. Of course, Wang Yunxiao had his own reasons for not being in a rush to leave; he had finally made the trip and wasn¡¯t eager to go. Spending a night was no big deal; it was actually a good opportunity to visit that old gentleman. The old man, who had been sleeping by the window, hadn¡¯t left yet. Initially lying down, he couldn¡¯t help laughing when he saw Wang Yunxiao entering, ¡°What trouble did you get into this time to come back so soon? Have you no regard for your life!¡± Generally speaking, staying in the station doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you are in trouble. Though there were indeed criminals guilty of theft or other offenses, the vast majority were like Wang Yunxiao, involved in a verbal dispute with someone, or some trivial annoyance leading to conflict. The police, uninterested in mediating, would just throw them in to cool off for a couple of days. This was still in the city, done out of necessity to maintain social order. In the countryside, when two villages fought over something trivial, gathering hundreds of villagers for a brawl with nobody to intervene even if brain matter got spilled. Going to the station once was not a big deal. However, heading there twice in a week was a bit much; in Jianghu World, they¡¯d say you¡¯re aiming to get some peanuts to eat at the station. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Wang Yunxiao retorted, ¡°What does it have to do with me? This is someone else trying to frame me!¡± Wang Yunxiao walked over nonchalantly and sat next to the old man. Just as he was about to speak, someone next to him suddenly lunged forward, grabbing his legs and wailing, ¡°Yuanxiao! Yuanxiao, please save me!¡± Who the heck is this¡­ Wang Yunxiao instinctively wanted to kick him away, but when he took a closer look, he realized it was actually Lv¡¯er. ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t that Brother Lv? You haven¡¯t left yet?¡± Lv¡¯er clung tightly to Wang Yunxiao¡¯s legs, crying like a wretched soul, ¡°Yuanxiao! Brother Yuanxiao! We are brothers, please save me! I don¡¯t want to be shot! I have an elderly mother at home¡­¡± ¡°What kind of talk is that?¡± Wang Yunxiao asked, puzzled, ¡°Your little issue isn¡¯t that serious¡­ right?¡± Hearing Wang Yunxiao say this, Lv¡¯er cried even harder. The thing was, he really was implicated. His own minor issue was not really the problem; it was the person behind him who had instructed him to approach Wang Yunxiao, the master spoken of by the Du Family brothers, Third Master Ding¡¯s paramour Xiao Baili. This person, relying on some ability, had become reckless and oblivious to consequences, even threatening the chief of police over the phone. This act crossed a line. Rules, after all, need mutual acknowledgment to be considered rules. ¡°You think you have the capability to disregard the rules, then don¡¯t blame others for not playing by the rules either.¡± Because of that one phone call, the entire Nantong Sub-Bureau suffered. Xiao Baili was taken away by the Special Service Bureau and disappeared without a trace. What good could his underlings, who worked for him, expect from the bureau? Initially, after Wang Yunxiao and his group were released, Lv¡¯er and the Du Family brothers should have been released as well, but something went wrong in the process, and they weren¡¯t notified. Later, they were taken out separately and thoroughly interrogated. For loiterers like them, they were like mosquito legs, hardly worth the police¡¯s attention. But if they really investigated, who didn¡¯t have some dirt in their underpants? Just like that, back and forth, the Du Family brothers were found guilty of various crimes including loan sharking, extortion, and harassment of respectable women, and were sent directly to prison. The brothers were terrified. If it had been in olden times, going to prison wouldn¡¯t have mattered much. But now, the prisons are as empty as haunted houses. Where do you think everyone went? Who knows if there¡¯ll even be any events repeated this year? Lv¡¯er, due to his lack of skills, didn¡¯t excel at anything and thus narrowly escaped this disaster. However, the old police in the bureau knew the shady history of a loafer like him like the back of their hand; they could easily dredge up some old account to lock him up for three to five months. He wasn¡¯t sent to prison; they just threw him into a cell to see if he could last until the event was repeated¡ªthat would depend on his own fate. Lv¡¯er had no such fate. If he had any real skills, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a state today. After spending a week in the cell, eating slop every day, unable even to smoke a cigarette, he felt he wouldn¡¯t live to see the day he could eat peanuts. Seeing Wang Yunxiao tonight, Lv¡¯er was simultaneously struck by sadness and joy, tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°Brother Yuanxiao¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! Stop your wailing!¡± Wang Yunxiao kicked him aside and sneered, ¡°You got a lot of nerve, eh? Trying to cozy up to me? You think you can treat me like a fool?¡± ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± Lv¡¯er quickly raised his hand to swear, ¡°Heaven and Earth are my witness, Brother Yuanxiao, I told you nothing but the truth!¡± ¡°The truth, huh?¡± Wang Yunxiao smiled, ¡°Then tell me the truth, what the hell does Xiao Baili want?¡± Upon mentioning Xiao Baili, Lv¡¯er¡¯s face immediately stiffened, his eyes darting around, seemingly calculating how to phrase his next words. Wang Yunxiao snorted coldly, making him shudder, ¡°I¡¯ll say! I¡¯ll say! That bastard isn¡¯t good news! Did you know he can use sorcery? Those eyes of his, they can capture souls, just look him in the eye, and he can dig up things like how old you were when you wet the bed. It¡¯s not that I wanted to harm you; I was forced¡­¡± ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± An old man nearby couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. Wang Yunxiao turned to bow, ¡°Old man, I was in a rush last time and didn¡¯t get the chance to talk much with you. May I know how to address you?¡± The old man waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t try to get cozy, don¡¯t come to me with your niceties. You¡¯re capable and you look down on an old bone like me.¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Last time he saw Wang Yunxiao expertly picking locks, he took a liking to him and thought about taking him as an apprentice, but Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t care. At his age, it was a bit hard to save face. He was initially happy to see Wang Yunxiao, but as soon as he heard him speaking in such a humble tone, the old, wily fox knew the young man had an ulterior motive and immediately stiffened his expression. Chapter 54 - 54 54 Do You Have Wine for My Story ?54: Chapter 54 Do You Have Wine for My Story? 54: Chapter 54 Do You Have Wine for My Story? Old Master He was a big name in the Jianghu World back in the days, it is said. The reason for saying ¡°it is said¡± is mainly because the time is too far gone, now few people know, even Youtiao couldn¡¯t find out. The only thing certain is that Old Master He had committed a shocking crime back in the day and was locked up in prison for a whole twenty years. He was released only after the establishment of the new government. After he got out, he took in a disciple, hoping to have someone to look after him in his old age. Unexpectedly, this disciple disgraced him, showing off without mastering the skills and taking things he shouldn¡¯t have taken. After the incident came to light, the disciple fled out of fear of the consequences. When the police came to him, Old Master He didn¡¯t say much and took the blame for his disciple on the spot. Since everyone knew the reasons behind it, the prison didn¡¯t want to take him due to his old age, so they arranged for Old Master He to stay in a cell at the police station instead. Having gotten used to it, it was all the same to him. After the last outing, Wang Yunxiao had specially asked Youtiao to inquire about Old Master He¡¯s past. Mainly because Old Master He had rich experience in the Jianghu World and was very knowledgeable about the ¡°Advisor,¡± explaining everything very clearly. At that time, Wang Yunxiao took a keen interest in him. Nurse Liu always beat around the bush, unwilling to clarify her words fully, claiming that knowledge was toxic. Perhaps it was indeed toxic for ordinary people, but Wang Yunxiao felt his resistance was strong, and there was no need to be so cautious. Decades of experience in the Jianghu World accumulated by someone like Old Master He was equally important to him. Seeing Old Master He frowning and speaking in a weird tone, Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°What¡¯s that old saying, ¡®The mountains don¡¯t turn, but the waters do, and here we are back together again! What do you call this? It¡¯s fate!''¡± Adjacent to him, Lv¡¯er quickly chimed in, ¡°Brother Yuanxiao, we¡¯ve got fate too, right? Please¡­¡± ¡°Scram¡ª¡ª!¡± Wang Yunxiao snorted coldly, and Lv¡¯er honestly scuttled away. ¡°Considering those five taels of silver from you, I won¡¯t hold it against you, let¡¯s call it even. Got any objections, or should we settle it outside once we¡¯re out?¡± ¡°No objections! I dare not! I dare not!¡± Lv¡¯er shook his head frantically. Wang Yunxiao turned around, pulled out a hand-rolled cigarette from his pocket, and offered it to Old Master He, smiling, ¡°Old Master He, at your age, how can you still stoop to our level? Last time was my fault, I¡¯m here to apologize to you.¡± These hand-rolled cigarettes couldn¡¯t be considered valuable, but in the cell, they were a rare commodity, usually not allowed in, and if brought in, they would be confiscated. It was only someone like Wang Yunxiao, who came in for one night and left, who could manage to sneak such a sought-after item inside. Normally, newcomers were thoroughly plundered by the old inmates, but no one dared to search Wang Yunxiao¡¯s pockets. Lv¡¯er watched nearby, drooling crazily, twitching at the corners of his mouth, yet not daring to step forward. It was a token of respect for Old Master He; he wouldn¡¯t dare rob even if he had the courage of a bear and a leopard. Old Master He took the cigarette, sniffed it under his nose, and cast Wang Yunxiao a sideways glance, ¡°Where¡¯s the fire?¡± Wang Yunxiao, unoffended, grinned and pulled out a flint, lighting it for him. Old Master He took a pleasurable puff, holding it in his lungs for a long time before blowing it out the window. He smacked his lips and then turned to look at Wang Yunxiao, ¡°You¡¯re a capable lad. I heard from Lv¡¯er that in Nantong, your name, Wang Yunxiao, is quite resounding? No wonder you look down on my petty skills.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense!¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, ¡°I used to mix up on the streets, but I¡¯ve reformed now. The state is paying for our education. After graduation, I can easily find a decent job anywhere.¡± Old Master He nodded and smiled, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, you¡¯re in good times indeed. Study hard in the future and stay away from the worthless crowd. Also, try to visit this place less often. I know you understand, so there¡¯s no need for me, an old turnip, to waste words on you.¡± Wang Yunxiao responded with a chuckle, ¡°I do want to study hard, but some people just can¡¯t stop causing me trouble. We had an encounter with an Advisor before, as you know¡­¡± Old Master He snorted coldly, ¡°That¡¯s not an advisor, that¡¯s a fool! Because of him, even the director was replaced and a bunch of people ended up watching like spectators. How could he meet a good end? Such people¡­ hmph, the more actively they jump, the quicker they die!¡± ¡°What you said makes sense!¡± How else would you describe someone as an old hand of the Jianghu World? His insights are penetrating. A cigarette was passed to him, and seeing that he was quite in the mood to talk, Wang Yunxiao decided to share everything about the affair between Chen Yan¡¯s family and Third Master Ding. ¡°Please spare a moment to think this over, sir. I¡¯ve always been puzzled, what¡¯s really the purpose of someone secretly fanning the flames, manipulating things from behind?¡± In fact, Wang Yunxiao knew that the man¡¯s likely motive involved Chen Yan. But now he needed opinions from different perspectives. After finishing a cigarette, Old Man Chen gestured with his fingers to Wang Yunxiao. Wang Yunxiao spread his hands, he himself had no habit of smoking, and the cigarette was just casually taken from Old Man Chen. He had other uses in mind for it, and hadn¡¯t expected to end up staying in the cell that evening. ¡°Tsk, you unlucky kid, are you kidding me or what!¡± Old Man Chen was very angry. Wang Yunxiao laughed, ¡°I didn¡¯t even know I could come today, sir. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When I get out tomorrow, whatever you fancy eating or drinking, I¡¯ll bring it for you.¡± Old Man Chen glared at him annoyed, ¡°As long as I wish to go out, do you know how many lickspittles will be scrambling to worship at my door? What delicacies of land and sea haven¡¯t I eaten? You think I need your few melons and dates?¡± Wang Yunxiao slapped his thigh, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get it for you now!¡± Old Man Chen leaned by the window and sniffed the air outside, then turned with a smile, ¡°As you exit the main door and turn right, at the second street corner, there¡¯s a meat shop that should still be open. Go and get half a pound of roasted pork for me, maybe a couple of dishes to accompany the drinks. Tonight, I¡¯ll have a good chat with you!¡± Half a pound of roasted pork? Should I go to the sea to fetch you two pounds of fresh grilled squid instead? This old man starts showing his true colors whenever he¡¯s pleased. Wang Yunxiao thought to himself he was only respecting the man¡¯s age, otherwise, instead of offering him drinks, he would invite him to taste a big punch bowl-sized fist, to let him understand why the flower is so red! But what could he do? The conversation had reached this point, clearly, the man had a belly full of stories to tell. How could he not listen further? Wang Yunxiao used to read novels on his phone, hating those authors who couldn¡¯t update much in a day and would frustratingly stop at crucial points in the plot. One side fills up the story, the other side is constipated. Few could deeply relate to this kind of half-wet, half-dry torment. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll see to it!¡± Wang Yunxiao sighed heavily, stood up, picked the lock, and left the room, his actions smooth and fluid. The last time he entered, his technique was rather raw, but now coming and going was as natural as if he was entering his own home. Lv¡¯er watched, agape, subconsciously wanting to follow him, but unexpectedly a small stone flicked from behind hit him on the back of the head. There was a ¡°thud,¡± and the impact made his head buzz, nearly knocking his spirit out of his body. ¡°Ouch, damn you¡­¡± Holding his head and tearful, Lv¡¯er turned around only to meet Old Master He¡¯s cold stare, which made his legs go weak. ¡°Stay put!¡± Old Master He gave him a contemptuous look and snorted, ¡°A worthless creature.¡± Chapter 55 - 55 55 Sorry Im an Undercover Agent ?55: Chapter 55: Sorry, I¡¯m an Undercover Agent 55: Chapter 55: Sorry, I¡¯m an Undercover Agent The police station¡¯s duty room naturally isn¡¯t that easy to enter or exit, as there¡¯s definitely someone on duty to keep watch. But they aren¡¯t very attentive. On one hand, there are no especially brutal criminals; those people were either executed by firing squad last year or have already been transferred to prison. Most of those squatting in the station are residents from nearby, and since the police know exactly where your home is, they¡¯re not worried about you running away. On the other hand, it has to do with the local customs of Tianmen City. In short, it¡¯s all about the heavy Jianghu World atmosphere. Jianghu, Jianghu, as the name suggests, must be by the water to be considered Jianghu. Tianmen City has a thriving canal transport system and a prospering maritime industry, creating a distinctive Jianghu ambiance not found elsewhere in the North. In the Jianghu World, there are many unwritten rules, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to a matter of ¡°face¡± and reputation. Engaging in a business with no capital, getting caught by a government officer, and thrown into jail, you must walk in with your back straight and leave just as upright. Even if led before the executioner, you must first belt out a couple of lines from an opera, shouting that in eighteen years you¡¯ll be back as a hero. Only then are you considered a real hero. In death, one cannot lose face. The government officer is equally a part of this Jianghu World. If you are jailed and regretfully flee, causing the officer watching over you to be punished, others in the Jianghu World will look down on you for lacking loyalty and integrity. If you¡¯re really capable, don¡¯t get caught at all! For Wang Yunxiao to enter and exit the police station alone presented no difficulties whatsoever. Whether there was a duty officer or not was irrelevant to him. But if you were to walk in and out of the police station courtyard as if passing through a city gate, one hand clutching a bottle of liquor and the other holding dishes to accompany your drink, that would be a bit excessive. Too conspicuous. With the intention of keeping a low profile, Wang Yunxiao slipped on a police uniform he found on his way out. And you know what, the design of this police uniform really has a certain¡­ um, adolescent charm to it. Saying it¡¯s adolescent isn¡¯t quite right; to be more precise, it has a bit of a futuristic trendiness about it. Like the concrete civil defense projects beneath the school, it doesn¡¯t seem like a product of this era. The old man had said the meat shop at the corner hadn¡¯t closed yet, and sure enough, the lights were still on. Whether he actually sniffed it out with his nose or was just putting on airs with his Jianghu experience, Wang couldn¡¯t tell. The term ¡°meat shop¡± might be unfamiliar to future generations, being a unique product of this era. The meaning of ¡°meat shop¡± is that the store sells both mutton and pork, distinguishing itself from the halal eateries with blue signs. They couldn¡¯t compare with the large restaurants that hung four signs at their door, but they were still out of reach for just anyone. According to modern terminology, they would be considered a light luxury for the working class. Not only do they sell fine cuts of meat and offal, but they¡¯ll also cook the meat you bring in yourself if you request it. By the time Wang Yunxiao left the police station, it was already past nine, nearly ten o¡¯clock. Any meat shop that hadn¡¯t closed by this time had one thing in common¡ªthe liquor was good. With old regulars sitting inside, pouring their own drinks, the shopkeeper couldn¡¯t very well shoo them away. If he wanted to move them along, the shopkeeper himself had to come out, engage in some heartfelt small talk, talking from the heart and the kidneys. If you sent an assistant to hurry them, the patrons would lose face, making the shop beneath their standards. Then they¡¯d never come back, and the shop could go drink the Northwest wind for all they¡¯d care. When Wang Yunxiao arrived at the shop, the shop assistant hurried over, bowing and grinning, ¡°Officer! At this hour, there isn¡¯t much left in the store¡­¡± ¡°Half a pound of Baijiu, two sides for the drink, whatever¡¯s available.¡± The assistant was being polite, so Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t too demanding. In the middle of the night, having something to eat was already a luxury. What more could you want, a bicycle? The assistant muttered something to the shopkeeper behind the counter, and after a while, the shopkeeper came out with two bottles of Baijiu and four greased paper-wrapped packages, smiling as he handed them to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Officer, such hard work.¡± Wang Yunxiao brought the packages to his nose to sniff¡­ inside were roast chicken, smoked pork head, pan-fried crisp fish, and deep-fried peanuts. ¡°How much?¡± The shopkeeper quickly waved his hands, ¡°No charge!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do, I¡¯ll pay the full price.¡± Upon seeing the food and liquor, Wang Yunxiao knew it wouldn¡¯t come cheap. Although it pained him, he disdained the idea of taking advantage of such a deal. Seeing his insistence, the shopkeeper stretched out a finger with a smile, ¡°A bottle of Li Family Baijiu goes for one and a half yuan to others, definitely can¡¯t offer you that price. My cost is one yuan, so I¡¯ll just throw in an extra bottle for you, and you can come back for more if you enjoy it and want to support our business.¡± ¡°What about the cost of the dishes?¡± ¡°The dishes are on the house!¡± The shopkeeper spread his hands with a bitter smile, ¡°These are leftovers from the night, I can¡¯t possibly charge you for them. I know you¡¯re not short on a yuan or eighty cents, but if I took your money, who knows how the neighbors would laugh at me.¡± The laugh was certain, although in what way was less so. Wang Yunxiao understood the difficulties of these small business people and didn¡¯t argue further. He felt he had roughly one yuan and forty-five cents in Mao Banknotes in his pocket, which he pulled out and stuffed into the shopkeeper¡¯s hand, holding his hand firmly, ¡°This is all I¡¯ve got on me, I¡¯ll come back and settle the rest later.¡± ¡°How can you say that, officer? There¡¯s really no need for that!¡± The shopkeeper tried to decline, but Wang Yunxiao turned and left. As he walked away, the shop assistant couldn¡¯t help but chuckle quietly, ¡°Must be new around here, actually paying for his liquor?¡± The shopkeeper slapped the back of his head with a backhand, ¡°Always with the extra words!¡± ¡­ Damn it, one and a half yuan per bottle, what is this, Moutai 1573? As he walked back, Wang Yunxiao bitterly muttered to himself inside. The liquor was costly, of course not because of the liquor itself. These days, all liqour is made from pure grain, and there isn¡¯t even enough grain to feed people, let alone for the government to control its price and the production and sale of alcohol. Normal folk would be content with a few sips of unfiltered homemade brew, that would be it. What good person would dare to drink bottled baijiu! The cost of the two bottles of liquor made Wang Yunxiao¡¯s heart bleed. Back at the police station, Wang Yunxiao looked around, and the lights in the director¡¯s office were still on¡ª the new director actually hadn¡¯t changed his office and was still working overtime at this hour. It seemed he must be a workaholic. The guard at the door was sleeping peacefully; Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t have the heart to disturb him and tread softly inside, head down. Just through the gate, he could smell the smoke, and his heart sank instantly. Someone at the gate was smoking! ¡°Stop right there!¡± A firm and steady voice came from behind, and Wang Yunxiao¡¯s body instantly stiffened. Damn it, what kind of decent person would forgo sleep to come to a police station courtyard for a smoke at night? If you¡¯re going to smoke, just smoke, but hiding behind the door, are you sick in the head? Lucky for me, I¡¯m in uniform, otherwise, I really wouldn¡¯t be able to explain myself. He slowly turned around to face the middle-aged police officer standing in the shadows behind the gate. ¡°Which department are you from? What are you doing out so late?¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Who is this? Wang Yunxiao¡¯s mind raced through all the faces of the police officers he had seen at the Nantong Sub-Bureau, but none matched. It couldn¡¯t possibly be such a coincidence¡­ ¡°Director Qin!¡± Just as he was about to speak and probe, another person came out from inside the station, waved his hand and greeted the middle-aged police officer familiarly. Familiar my foot! Seeing Old Master He, who had run out in his police uniform just like himself, Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but let out a sharp screech in his mind. I thought you had an honest face, Old Master, but it turns out you¡¯re that kind of person too? Chapter 56 - 56 56 Who are You If Im the Director ?56: Chapter 56 Who are You, If I¡¯m the Director? 56: Chapter 56 Who are You, If I¡¯m the Director? Qin Xiangdong had served in the military for fifteen years and had seen more ghosts than some people had eaten salt. Just a week after his military service ended and he was transferred to work locally, he saw two unfamiliar police officers on his own turf. This was quite normal. Back when he was fighting on the front lines, he had encountered far stranger things countless times. The profiles of all 125 officers and 32 temporary workers in the Nantong Sub-Bureau had been etched into his mind. For a Deputy Political Commissar of the Ink Green Qilin Army, this was some basic work that was too easy, even somewhat a waste of his talents. If it weren¡¯t for a service injury that led to his retirement, a small place like the Nantong Sub-Bureau might not have been able to accommodate a ¡°big Buddha¡± like him. But as the saying goes, small temples are often plagued by demons, and shallow ponds have many toads. This time, he accepted an assignment from the Special Service Bureau to lead a platoon of new recruits to be stationed at the Nantong Sub-Bureau, mainly to maintain social order and deter criminals. ¡°New recruits¡± was a term relative to the main body of the Ink Green Qilin Army. This platoon was actually made up of the ¡°underachievers¡± selected and eliminated by the Ink Green Qilin¡ªalthough they had fought and seen blood, they still did not meet the lowest recruitment standards of the Ink Green Qilin Army. Their mental fortitude was not sufficient to deal with things that ordinary bullets couldn¡¯t kill. For example, suddenly coming across wild colleagues in the police station. ¡°Director Qin! It¡¯s me, Old He!¡± Watching the familiar-faced old cop across from him, Qin Xiangdong silently extinguished his cigarette and, with an undisturbed composure, nodded and smiled, ¡°Old He, are you on the night shift tonight?¡± Of course, there was no old man named He on duty tonight, or to put it another way, there weren¡¯t many officers scheduled for the night shift to begin with. The soldiers Qin Xiangdong brought with him were still familiarizing themselves with their posts and weren¡¯t assigned night duty yet. Currently, the normal functioning of the police station still relied on the old police officers. Every place has its rules. If you let green recruits who didn¡¯t understand anything take the night shift, they might disappear without a trace. Therefore, Qin Xiangdong had been personally overseeing the police station for the past few days. Sure enough, he had lured out a toad¡­ though that might be too harsh since he couldn¡¯t yet determine their true identities. Wang Yunxiao was holding food and drink in his hands, glanced at Old He, then at Qin Xiangdong, but said nothing. The three of them exchanged glances, a stalemate lasting several seconds. In the end, it was Old He who took the initiative to break the impasse, clapping his hands and saying with a laugh, ¡°Director Qin, look at this kerfuffle. I asked Wang here to accompany me back to pick up some stuff, didn¡¯t know you were still here. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Why don¡¯t you join us for a bite to fill your stomach?¡± Recently, there had been a reorganization at the police station, where a number of the old policemen had been dismissed. Although the old man had arranged this identity for himself, which couldn¡¯t be said to be particularly reasonable, it couldn¡¯t be verified for the time being. After thinking it over, Qin Xiangdong turned to Wang Yunxiao and asked, ¡°Did you settle the bill?¡± ¡°Paid.¡± Wang Yunxiao calmly answered, ¡°I have only one yuan and fifty cents in my pocket, not nearly enough. I told the shopkeeper I¡¯d settle the rest later.¡± Qin Xiangdong glanced at the alcohol in his hand, pulled a silver coin from his pocket, and handed it to him, ¡°Go settle the account tomorrow. Don¡¯t take advantage of others!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Wang Yunxiao quickly snapped to attention. His military posture was very standard, momentarily making Qin Xiangdong wonder whether he had indeed brought such a soldier with him, only to forget about him as soon as he turned around. The old gentleman had said he was inviting him to dinner merely out of politeness, and hadn¡¯t expected this new director to not see himself as an outsider, even going so far as to pay out of his own pocket. Having no other option, he gave Wang Yunxiao a look and turned to walk inside. Familiar with the place, he headed straight to the police station canteen, turned on the light, and after entering the kitchen, the old gentleman found two bowls and some cold steamed buns and set them on the table. He smiled at Qin Xiangdong, ¡°We won¡¯t give young Wang any alcohol. Director Qin, shall we have a drink or two?¡± Qin Xiangdong smiled faintly, took the bottle of liquor, bit off the cap, first filled a bowl for the old gentleman, then poured some into his own bowl. Raising his cup, he smiled and asked, ¡°Old He, what are you doing back here in the middle of the night, cleaning up?¡± The old man laughed heartily, raised his bowl to clink with Qin Xiangdong¡¯s, and said with a teasing smile, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink first! To tell you the truth, it has nothing to do with our bureau. It¡¯s mainly about this kid¡¯s affairs.¡± The meaning behind his words was clear: I can¡¯t be bothered to make up a story, so don¡¯t ask too much and make us both uncomfortable. ¡°Alright!¡± Qin Xiangdong readily took a sip of the liquor, picked up a peanut, and slowly chewed it. He was curious to see what kind of performance this old and young duo were preparing. The old gentleman tore off a chicken leg, stuffed it into his mouth and chewed twice before spitting out a bare bone. He filled his stomach a bit before slowly looking at Wang Yunxiao with a pseudo-smile, ¡°You¡¯ve got some self-control, kid. You¡¯re holding up well. The more I look at you, the more I like you.¡± Wang Yunxiao thought to himself that he wasn¡¯t as capable as the old gentleman, who treated the police station like a big bed in a general goods store, coming and going as he pleased. The old man laughed, ¡°I¡¯d say, your master takes you too seriously, doesn¡¯t tell you anything, for fear you¡¯ll start having wild thoughts and stray onto the heretical path. Back in my younger days, heh, a kid your age could have already started a family and done business. Isn¡¯t that right, Director Qin? Decades ago, someone his age would have already been a soldier.¡± Qin Xiangdong nodded and smiled on the side, quietly chewing his peanuts. Wang Yunxiao helplessly said, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve come to ask you for information. If you know more, then please tell me about it.¡± The old man shook his head, ¡°You have to believe what I say for it to be worth speaking. If you don¡¯t believe it, wouldn¡¯t I be wasting my breath?¡± So, this whole table of food and drinks isn¡¯t enough to wet your whistle, is it? Wang Yunxiao pretended to reach for the second bottle of liquor, and the old gentleman quickly put his hand out to stop him: ¡°Just kidding, why can¡¯t you take a joke, kid? Let me tell you this, the things your master taught you are new knowledge, things were not like this in the past.¡± ¡°What was it like before, then?¡± ¡°When I was young, there weren¡¯t all these complicated things.¡± The old gentleman counted on his fingers, one by one, ¡°Tianle, Apocalypse, Longyin¡­ up to the current new government, before you know it, forty or fifty years have passed. During the Tianle era, the Imperial Court still treated foreigners like savages. Only later, when Western knowledge began to be introduced, did we develop all these rules and regulations. All this talk of the Twelve Laws, Righteous Path, Heretical Path, none of that existed before.¡± ¡°The reason your master didn¡¯t explain things to you is simple: the knowledge involved is too profound. Even if he could make it clear, you might not understand. It¡¯s just like the old days of taking exams to achieve ranks and titles. Ordinary people think reading the Four Books and Five Classics is enough to secure a title, but the descendants of noble families have much more to learn. How can you compete just by reading these few books?¡± Wang Yunxiao thought to himself that¡¯s true, I¡¯ve felt it ever since Nurse Liu started teaching me on the first day. Any serious study begins by reshaping your values! ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that complex, you don¡¯t need such profound knowledge to solve practical problems.¡± With a drink in hand and slurring slightly, the old man said, ¡°Sometimes being too scientific can lead you down a rabbit hole. You might try to keep your thoughts a bit more conservative, a bit more superstitious. Like this alcohol, once it hits your lips and your mind gets hazy, the hurdles you couldn¡¯t get over before just vanish.¡± Chapter 57 - 57 57 Demons and Evil Spirits Greed Anger and Foolish Thoughts ?57: Chapter 57: Demons and Evil Spirits, Greed, Anger, and Foolish Thoughts 57: Chapter 57: Demons and Evil Spirits, Greed, Anger, and Foolish Thoughts ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this matter,¡± the old man said while drinking and eating meat. ¡°Just like you mentioned encountering Chess Heralds, Advisors, Geomancy¡­ In the past, there wasn¡¯t such a distinction. And all these Evil Techniques and Demon Arts, to put it bluntly, are all the same thing¡ªdemons and evil spirits!¡± ¡°As for where these things come from, you don¡¯t need to concern yourself, nor is it your place to study them. You just need to know they indeed exist. How did we, the Jianghu People, deal with these demons and evil spirits in the past? There were three methods. The first one is to cultivate your own martial arts skills, to practice Inner Cultivation with your True Qi, to establish your own domain, where if gods block you, kill the gods, if Buddha blocks you, kill the Buddha. You have nothing to fear from all this messy stuff.¡± ¡°The second method is to join an Official Residence, like we are here now, protected by the national fortune, unaffected by all evil. Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean you can rest easy without a care. You know well enough how Director Sun passed away. His affairs were not in order, leaving an opening for others to exploit; there was nothing that could be done.¡± ¡°The third method is to pray to gods and Buddha. It¡¯s rare to see nowadays, but in my youth, there were quite a few masters from the three teachings wandering the world. Back then, Taoists from Kunlun would descend from the mountains to subdue demons and eliminate evil. It wasn¡¯t like now when evil spirits are rampant¡­¡± Hearing his coherent explanation, Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°What you¡¯re talking about is all in the past. What do we do now when we encounter these demons and evil spirits? I don¡¯t know what they look like, nor do I know what they want to do.¡± The old man grimaced and said, ¡°You don¡¯t know what these demons and evil spirits look like because you have no Mana, so you can¡¯t see them. Using a term that¡¯s popular with the young folks nowadays¡ªit¡¯s like you¡¯re not in the same dimension as them. As for what they want to do, you can¡¯t guess their thoughts with a normal person¡¯s mindset; they¡¯re not even human and can¡¯t control themselves. But these creatures abide by a constant principle, and they can never escape the three poisons: greed, hatred, and delusion.¡± ¡°Greed? Hatred? Delusion?¡± ¡°Exactly. They¡¯re like children who don¡¯t understand how hard adults work to earn money. They want this toy and then another, that¡¯s greed. When they don¡¯t get a toy, they get angry, throw tantrums, that¡¯s hatred. Back at home, they still can¡¯t stop thinking about that toy, that¡¯s delusion.¡± Chewing on a chicken bone, the old man patiently explained, ¡°It¡¯s the same with these demons and evil spirits. They don¡¯t weigh pros and cons or calculate losses and gains like humans. They are only driven by greed, hatred, and delusion. Take your situation, for instance, there must be something valuable hidden in your home, which is why it¡¯s attracting their attention. They want it badly but don¡¯t know how to get it, so they might as well lie on the floor, throwing a fit, incessantly pestering you, waiting for your resolve to weaken so they can take advantage.¡± Because Qin Xiangdong was present, the old man did not mention the matter of Wang Yunxiao¡¯s school and referred to it only as his master¡¯s concern and home affairs. Eager to learn, Wang Yunxiao asked, ¡°Then, if it¡¯s as you say, how can I get rid of these demons and evil spirits?¡± ¡°First, you have to lure it out¡­ Do you know about Moon Phases?¡± ¡°I do, it¡¯s like meat in a bun on the first day and a bun with meat on the fifteenth, right?¡± ¡°Correct. You find a night when the moon is dark and the wind is high, and lure it out then.¡± The old man chuckled and said, ¡°With these kinds of demons and evil spirits, as long as they show their true form, they¡¯re easy to handle. Use a weapon with evil energy, swords or knives that have killed people or butchered pigs and sheep, and just stab it to death. If you have a talent for martial arts, you could also seek a master and learn some self-defense martial arts skills. I see that you have good potential, you¡¯re good martial arts material. Would you like to learn a couple of moves from me?¡± Unable to contain his curiosity, Wang Yunxiao asked, ¡°If I were to really take you as my master, how long would I have to train before I could deal with these demons and evil spirits?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the level of your martial arts skill.¡± However, the old man shook his head and said, ¡°As long as you find the right approach, once you kill one, you can kill a second one. As soon as you figure out their patterns, they can¡¯t threaten you at all.¡± ¡°But this can¡¯t be generalized.¡± Qin Xiangdong had been listening all the while without speaking, only after the old man had finished imparting his Jianghu World experience did he finally say, ¡°Old He, the methods you speak of can only deal with common ordinary¡­ demons and evil spirits, and they also have a side effect, which accumulates pollution, what we used to call Karmic Forces.¡± The old man, however, didn¡¯t care much and laughed, ¡°Director Qin, what you are talking about is the situation on the battlefield. For us common folks, how often in our lifetimes do we encounter evil spirits? What does a little bit of accumulated Karmic Forces amount to? S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Whether we live long enough to worry about it is another matter. Furthermore, even if the military methods are effective, they¡¯re not something the common man can afford. Take the troops you brought with you, aren¡¯t they all Big-Headed Soldiers? Where are you going to get Chess Herald and Advisor for all of them?¡± Qin Xiangdong¡¯s expression stiffened. He had to admit, Old He was right. Wang Yunxiao, persistently, asked again, ¡°Can you tell me how exactly to root this thing out? Or is there a method we can use right now on the spot?¡± Speaking of luring, he had tried to lure before, but what took the bait was just a big black rat, a chess piece thrown away by others. Speaking of Martial Arts Skill, he felt that the few moves he had now were sufficient, the problem was he couldn¡¯t find the person behind the scenes. The old man shook his head and said, ¡°Difficult, very difficult. These demons and evil spirits usually disguise themselves just like normal people; you can¡¯t tell anything¡¯s wrong just by looking at them. Unless you hire a Chess Herald to go from house to house to check, or you go out to the Supreme Elder Temple outside the city and spend money to ask a Taoist to come and catch the demon, but I reckon you can¡¯t afford it. However, if you¡¯re willing to become my disciple, I¡¯d go all out and use this old face of mine to find someone to smooth things over for you.¡± After all was said and done, he still wanted Wang Yunxiao as a disciple. Wang Yunxiao still hesitated a little inside. It wasn¡¯t that he had any hesitation about taking on a master. It was mainly because he had too much schoolwork recently. Others travel to Otherworld and in three days cultivate the Desolate Ancient Holy Body, in seven days start a harem, in one month they sweep across all under heaven and conquer the eight desolates. I, damn it, attend classes during the day, and also at night¡­ What¡¯s the difference between that and a 996 workhorse? As the saying goes, having many skills doesn¡¯t burden one, but you also need to be robust. Wang Yunxiao felt that his brain was already running at full power, unable to cram any more threads into it. I¡¯m not a top student, I¡¯m really sorry everyone. While he was hesitating, Qin Xiangdong suddenly asked, ¡°Old He, you know I¡¯ve just arrived and am not familiar with the office¡¯s work. How did our office handle such matters in the past?¡± The old man took a swig of his drink and countered, ¡°Are you talking about the rich or the common people?¡± Chapter 58 - 58 58 Director Qin is a tough person ?58: Chapter 58: Director Qin is a tough person 58: Chapter 58: Director Qin is a tough person Do the rich even need to ask? The old man had already mentioned, the wealthy can spend money to hire experts to perform rituals to subdue demons and eliminate evil. Qin Xiangdong¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he asked in a deep voice, ¡°What about the common people when they encounter demons and evil spirits?¡± The old man laughed heartily, pointing at Qin Xiangdong as he said to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Listen to what Director Qin is asking, quite profound indeed, ha. What can the common people do? They die, of course, what else can they do, dying is still dying¡­ Rest assured, ordinary people encountering such matters won¡¯t go to the police.¡± ¡°That was in the past.¡± Qin Xiangdong said earnestly, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve been appointed as the director, I have to take care of these issues. The Special Service Bureau is short on hands and cannot attend to local matters, so the police department should take up some of the responsibility. If really unable to resolve it, then report it higher up.¡± The old man gave thumbs up to Qin Xiangdong, smiling and not taking his words further. It¡¯s good for young people to have ideals; it¡¯s alright, they¡¯ll learn after a few setbacks. Seeing the changes in the old man¡¯s expression, Qin Xiangdong did not take it to heart and turned to Wang Yunxiao, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Director Sun¡¯s dossier, but I¡¯m still not very clear. Bai Lihua was taken away by the Special Service Bureau, and all information related to him was sealed. What do you know about this case? Can you tell me about it?¡± Although he did not know Wang Yunxiao, Qin Xiangdong asked this since the old man had mentioned Director Sun just before. Wang Yunxiao thought to himself, you really think highly of me. How could I possibly know anything about the people the Special Service Bureau captures? I only know that he¡¯s a ¡°rabbit boss,¡± with a small butt like a white pear. However, thinking of this, Wang Yunxiao¡¯s heart stirred, and he lowered his voice to say, ¡°These people have a strong backing, and the Special Service Bureau did not continue the investigation, unclear of what their concerns might be. You taking on this as the director¡­¡± He did not dare to ask outright, are you up for it, Director? Don¡¯t just talk big and then withdraw when it comes to the crunch. ¡°As long as there are clues, pursue them to the end! As soon as the criminal evidence is confirmed, arrest them directly!¡± Qin Xiangdong said sternly, ¡°Regardless of their backing, if they break the law, they will be treated equally!¡± Wang Yunxiao was stunned, ¡°We need criminal evidence? Isn¡¯t there¡­ a law governing these things?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Qin Xiangdong nodded, ¡°Before I arrived, the government had already drafted related documents, but they are still under discussion. If things go quickly, they could be published and become public this month. We are now under a new government, a new society, different from before.¡± ¡°Since those from the Foreign Clan were given legal status, they must abide by the law. As for those demons and evil spirits, any that haven¡¯t been officially registered should be resolutely eradicated!¡± Are you seriously doing this, big brother? Wang Yunxiao listened with palpitations. We can¡¯t even handle a single demon or evil spirit now, what are you going to use to play with them? ¡°There are many things in this world that seem impossible, but in reality, you just don¡¯t dare to try,¡± Qin Xiangdong said as he pinched a peanut, suggesting to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°I say, let¡¯s start with Director Sun¡¯s case. Wang, come to my office tomorrow, shall we discuss this thoroughly?¡± Wang Yunxiao pondered for a moment and did not directly refuse, ¡°Director, I have some other matters on my side, would next Monday work for you?¡± Qin Xiangdong laughed, ¡°That¡¯s convenient, you can come to see me anytime.¡± Though he did not know Wang Yunxiao¡¯s true identity, he had high hopes for this young man. In these times, not everyone has the courage to talk all night with a police director without changing their expression. As the three of them drank and chatted, the food and drinks were unwittingly finished. The old man let out a belch from the alcohol and stood up unsteadily, laughing, ¡°Director Qin, we¡¯ll be leaving now. You should rest early too, you still have work tomorrow.¡± Qin Xiangdong stood up and said, ¡°Let me send you out.¡± ¡°No need, no need! Please, stay! I¡¯ll have Wang send me¡­¡± Qin Xiangdong didn¡¯t insist, just stood at the doorway, watching Wang Yunxiao help the old master out of the police station courtyard. Once they were outside, the old master immediately stopped swaying, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and grinned, ¡°This new guy is ruthless¡ªa hard nut to crack. I almost lost it, and you, young man, are quite something too, managing not to give anything away.¡± Wang Yunxiao smiled without saying a word. What could he say? He couldn¡¯t admit that when he had been stopped, he almost entertained thoughts of killing to silence. It was fortunate the old master intervened; otherwise, someone would have been lying at the entrance of the police station courtyard tonight. It was also fortunate they didn¡¯t come to blows¡ªthe old master was right; the new director was a tough one. The scent of gunpowder wafted about him, and had the fight actually started, Wang might not have stood a chance. And most importantly, he was bold. Bold in every sense of the word. Compared to the previous director, Director Sun¡­ no comparison was necessary. It looked like he was someone who would take his job seriously. As the two turned a corner, the old master patted Wang Yunxiao¡¯s shoulder, raised his hand to point at the two-meter-high wall, and laughed, ¡°I know you set your sights high and never really took Laozi seriously, but now I¡¯ll let you witness our true prowess!¡± With that, he touched the wall and his body floated up as if he were weightless. Wang Yunxiao: ??? It wasn¡¯t just a figure of speech; he really floated up like a balloon¡ªslowly, lightly, shooting up all of a sudden. Huh? You call this Qinggong? My brother wouldn¡¯t dare do this stunt even with wires! Wang Yunxiao looked up, eyes wide, and after a long while, seeing no props to aid the ascent, he had no choice but to take it at face value. Seeing no movement from his side, he took a few steps back, vaulted up to the top of the wall, and jumped over. The moment he landed, he saw the old master standing beside him with his hands behind his back, grinning as he raised an eyebrow, ¡°And here I thought you had also practiced light-body techniques. Turns out¡­ you¡¯re only good at slipping locks, eh?¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Yunxiao replied helplessly, ¡°Alright, alright, I get it. You¡¯re skilled and profound. Are you happy now?¡± The old master laughed, ¡°Judging by your skills, it seems like you¡¯re following military styles. Did your family have a military background?¡± Wang Yunxiao calmly replied, ¡°My father was in the navy¡­¡± ¡°I thought as much,¡± the old master said, nodding without a hint of doubt. As they walked back, he whispered, ¡°The cultivation technique from the military has too strong a Murderous Qi and requires more coordinated training. It has a low entry barrier but not a high limit. It¡¯s more than enough for a regular Big-Headed Soldier, but if you have natural talent, this sort of generic routine could become a hindrance.¡± That¡¯s not necessarily true. I¡¯m not limited to these skills; it¡¯s mainly because I¡¯m still not getting enough to eat¡­ Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t voice his thoughts because the trick the old master had just shown was quite interesting and made him a little excited. ¡°According to you, someone with good talent should cultivate better martial arts skills, but those legendary Divine Skill Secret Manuals aren¡¯t exactly something you come across just because you want to,¡± Wang said. ¡°Divine Skill Secret Manuals? You¡¯re dreaming big, young man,¡± the old master said with a hint of smugness on his face. ¡°Let me tell you, there may be Divine Powers in this world, but there are definitely no real Secret Manuals. No matter how powerful the martial arts skill is, once it¡¯s put into writing and turned into text, it loses its essence. Ever heard the phrase ¡®paper talks¡¯? Cultivating martial arts is just like training soldiers; it¡¯s the same concept!¡± Chapter 59 - 59 59 Official Custom Edition Cultivation Textbook ?59: Chapter 59: Official Custom Edition Cultivation Textbook 59: Chapter 59: Official Custom Edition Cultivation Textbook In the morning, Wang Yunxiao sauntered out of the police station, reluctant to eat breakfast outside. The guy with his head cracked open might have realized he was in the wrong, that he would not win a lawsuit, so he didn¡¯t create any further trouble. He attended classes obediently during the day, and there were no incidents. In the evening, when it was time for classes, he was called by Nurse Liu to move some textbooks. A whole stack of textbooks, and Wang Yunxiao saw that the top cover read ¡°Militia Training Manual Introductory First Edition.¡± Back in the classroom, Nurse Liu looked at the students below and asked, ¡°Have you decided? Once you step on this path now, if you regret it later, the consequences will be very serious. For you, it¡¯s like forcing plants to grow by pulling them up, not the best choice.¡± She was mainly looking at Chen Yan when she said this. The opinions of Wang Yunxiao and his group didn¡¯t need much consideration; their minds were relatively more mature. Chen Yan didn¡¯t hesitate. After returning to school, she thought a lot. The events of the past two days had quickly matured this naive little girl. Falling behind means getting beaten. Todays society is not friendly towards women. Without education, women have no chance to change their destiny. ¡°Teacher Liu, I want to join the collective!¡± Chen Yan¡¯s reply was very resolute. For her personally, the biggest barrier wasn¡¯t about wealth or prestige, but that she, as the class leader and an outstanding student, had to mingle with Wang Yunxiao and other students who didn¡¯t study well. The inner world of a young girl is actually very simple. As long as she gets over this hurdle, nothing else is much of a problem. ¡°Very good, if no one else has any objections, then let¡¯s get to the main topic now.¡± Nurse Liu said seriously, ¡°From today on, I will demand you follow military discipline, I¡¯ll set up training routines and combat plans for you. The textbooks I¡¯ll distribute to you in a moment are confidential documents, absolutely not to be leaked. If they are leaked, we will hold you responsible, understand?¡± Wang Yunxiao thought, what¡¯s there to leak about a Militia Training Manual? Are they going to teach us how to build atomic bombs by hand? When it came down to it, only he and his brothers had the Militia Training Manual, the textbooks in Chen Yan and Little Gourd¡¯s hands were different. Chen Yan had ¡°Game Theory¡± in her hands Little Gourd was holding ¡°Daily Records¡± ??? Is it the Game Theory I know? Wang Yunxiao looked at the Militia Training Manual in his hands, feeling like a cement truck was roaring through his mind. I don¡¯t really have a complaint, but doesn¡¯t it sound like there¡¯s quite a drop in level? Why do I feel like I¡¯m just a miscellaneous NPC goblin? And why is the book Little Gourd has different too? Do girls receive preferential treatment? Didn¡¯t expect you to be like this, Nurse Liu! ¡°Teacher Liu¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, listen to me first!¡± Nurse Liu turned and wrote ¡°Chess Herald,¡± ¡°Advisor,¡± and ¡°Garrison Soldiers¡± on the blackboard. ¡°This is the basic setup required for a team dealing with special affairs and abnormal issues.¡± ¡°The Chess Herald is the Commander, as well as the Navigator, and is the brain and eyes of your team. Your task, everyone, is to ensure the life safety of the Chess Herald and to obey her commands and arrangements!¡± Youtiao raised his hand and asked, ¡°Teacher Liu, why not let Wang Yunxiao be the Chess Herald?¡± Nurse Liu shook her head, ¡°He lacks the talent.¡± Wang Yunxiao waved his hand, signaling Youtiao not to talk. He understood the reasoning, but having Chen Yan command, to be honest, even if she had the talent, she might not have the capability. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the class monitor, he couldn¡¯t even unite his classmates¡­ Chen Yan herself was very flustered. Nurse Liu turned to look at her and said seriously, ¡°As the Chess Herald, you are most susceptible to echos, so you should also avoid emotional fluctuations. As the saying goes, ¡®watch the game without comment,¡¯ your task is only to manage the placement and layout. You don¡¯t need to think about anything else.¡± Then she looked at Xiaotang¡¯s equally confused face, ¡°Jiang Xiaotang, although your talent in this area is not high, among these students, you are the most suitable to be the Advisor. The task of the Advisor is to handle the pollution of knowledge and the erosion of echoes, somewhat like a medic. The life safety of your classmates is entirely in your hands. If you think you cannot do it, I will have to choose someone else¡­¡± ¡°I can!¡± Little Gourd puffed out her chest and said loudly. After speaking, she subconsciously shrank her neck and turned her head to give Wang Yunxiao a heartless smile. Wang Yunxiao asked, puzzled, ¡°Teacher Liu, by what standard is personal talent judged?¡± It couldn¡¯t be like in the novels, using a crystal ball, pressing a hand on it, and then someone shouting, ¡°Heavenly Spirit Root! Combat power at tier three!¡± could it? Besides, he had never seen Nurse Liu use any such props. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know about this for now.¡± Nurse Liu shook her head, ¡°Each Dharma Gate requires different talents, like you all are more suited to be Garrison Soldiers.¡± I get it, just cannon fodder, right? Seeming to see through everyone¡¯s thoughts, Nurse Liu continued, ¡°Regarding your talents, it¡¯s okay to tell you¡ªit¡¯s about mutual trust. Garrison Soldiers, as the primary force of the team, must not only master combat skills but most importantly establish coordination and trust among each other. Your primary task is to ensure the life safety of the Chess Herald and Advisor. After that, the secondary task is to rely on the tacit cooperation between yourselves to combat those indescribable anomalies.¡± Trust? That sounds somewhat reasonable. Wang Yunxiao nodded noncommittally, opened the textbook¡¯s table of contents, and saw four major chapters listed. They were ¡°Military Knowledge,¡± ¡°Behavioral Codes,¡± ¡°Survival Skills,¡± and ¡°Emergency Protocols.¡± In the chapter on military basics, it was further divided into ¡°Cold Weapons,¡± ¡°Modern Firearms,¡± ¡°Special Weapons,¡± ¡°Maintenance,¡± ¡°Basic Combat Skills,¡± ¡°Formation Training,¡± ¡°Common Tactics,¡± and other sections. It was detailed and full of solid content. The only pity was that there was no function to import it directly into the brain. There¡¯s no fun without creating a creative workshop! Then Nurse Liu said, ¡°The textbooks in your hands were jointly compiled by the Astronomy Bureau, Secretary Bureau, and Special Service Bureau, corresponding to the Dharma Gates of Chess Herald, Advisor, and Garrison Soldiers for the cultivation of the Righteous Path. Let me stress once again that these materials absolutely must not be leaked. I also have materials from the Heretical Path here, which I can give to you if you perform well and pass the evaluation. But¡­¡± ¡°I repeat, everyone¡¯s energy is limited, unless you are particularly outstanding, I generally do not recommend cultivating both. Moreover, official textbooks may not completely suit everyone¡¯s special constitution, if you have one, but they are certainly the safest materials, with no hidden dangers. Unless absolutely necessary, it¡¯s best not to cultivate those so-called Divine Skill Secret Manuals from the outside.¡± Wang Yunxiao raised his hand and asked, ¡°Teacher Liu, what qualifies as absolutely necessary?¡± Nurse Liu looked at him and said, ¡°For example, if during a mission, due to your mistakes, the Chess Herald accidentally dies.¡± Chapter 60 - 60 60 No One Is Eligible to Escape Death ?60: Chapter 60: No One Is Eligible to Escape Death 60: Chapter 60: No One Is Eligible to Escape Death ¡°Door opening on the fifteenth?¡± Principal Zhou picked up his glasses and carefully examined the written report handed over by Nurse Liu, and after a long silence, he hesitated before asking, ¡°Isn¡¯t this progress a bit too fast?¡± ¡°Not fast, when I enlisted back in the day, reaching this level of proficiency meant we could already be pulled in to fill the ranks.¡± Nurse Liu answered quickly, without any hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s a time of peace now; there¡¯s no need to rush. Ensuring the survival rate of these children is our top priority.¡± Principal Zhou put down the report and quietly looked at the young woman in front of him, ¡°Liu Zhihan, I remember you enlisted in the year of Longyin six, right? Weren¡¯t you about the same age as them at that time?¡± ¡°I was already of age when I enlisted.¡± Nurse Liu said emotionlessly, ¡°I¡¯m not exactly a qualified teacher, but since I¡¯m training them, I can only use the method I think is most appropriate, which is to send them to the front lines to face their fears directly. If you¡¯re reluctant to part with your students, just cancel this extracurricular class.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too modest; I actually think you¡¯re doing a good job, and so far, there haven¡¯t been any issues.¡± Principal Zhou smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m not exactly reluctant about the students; I¡¯m considering another issue¡ªare you suggesting that your current teaching method could be applied to the regular students as well?¡± ¡°Definitely not!¡± Nurse Liu shook her head, ¡°Chen Yan¡¯s academic performance is outstanding; she can withstand the additional burden that extra coursework brings. Wang Yunxiao and the others have social life experiences; they can handle low-level evil spirits on their own. Ordinary students don¡¯t have their abilities; rashly exposing them to this knowledge is like throwing meat buns to a dog.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°I think your idea, sir, isn¡¯t realistic. You neither have enough resources nor enough time to gradually cultivate their mental resilience. Flowers grown in a greenhouse, no matter how bright, cannot withstand the external storms and onslaughts.¡± Faced with Nurse Liu¡¯s probing, Principal Zhou simply smiled calmly. ¡°Liu Zhihan, do you remember what your hometown was like when you first enlisted?¡± Nurse Liu fell silent. ¡°I can probably guess what it was like; my hometown in a small fishing village in Guangdong Province, not too far from yours, with similar living conditions. When I was about your age¡­ no, not even your age, around twelve or thirteen, I was selected by the Imperial Court for overseas studies.¡± ¡°When I first saw the living environment abroad¡ªbig villas, eating bread and cheese, trains, automobiles, ships¡­ at that time, I really didn¡¯t want to come back. I wouldn¡¯t come back even if it killed me. You should understand this feeling, I bet you don¡¯t even go back home for the New Year, right?¡± Nurse Liu remained silent. Principal Zhou cast his gaze toward the map and photo on the wall, his lips unintentionally revealing a slight smile. ¡°But no matter how good other people¡¯s things are, they are still others¡¯. Home may be poor, but it is our own. Thirty years ago, we had nothing, in much worse conditions than now. But look at us now; we also have trains, automobiles, ships, railroads, and telephones. Most importantly, we¡¯ve withstood the tides of change, and now they envy us.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t be afraid of difficulties, if there¡¯s a problem, solve it¡­¡± ¡°I admit you are right, so how about the demon lurking outside the school?¡± Nurse Liu was not satiated by Principal Zhou¡¯s inspirational talk and bluntly pointed to the crux of the issue, ¡°A completely alienated demon, even if Wang Yunxiao¡¯s squad is sent to handle it, casualties are inevitable. You needn¡¯t say more about what would happen to the ordinary students, do you?¡± Principal Zhou¡¯s expression stiffened, and he chuckled dryly, ¡°I¡¯ll call the Special Service Bureau¡­¡± ¡°Letting Commander Huo handle it would deprive the students of crucial practical experience.¡± Nurse Liu¡¯s gaze was sharp, ¡°You¡¯re not hoping, are you, that these things will grow just enough to be within the students¡¯ capabilities? Even my mom can¡¯t get the seasoning right in her cooking!¡± This time, it was Principal Zhou who had no reply. The two gazed silently at each other for a long while before Principal Zhou shifted his focus back to the report on the table, ¡°So your suggestion is to open the door? Once we lose control¡­¡± ¡°We will definitely lose control, people will die.¡± Nurse Liu¡¯s tone was chillingly calm. ¡°But in our ¡®era¡¯, what right do they have to escape ¡®death¡¯?¡± ¡­ The combination of ¡°Chess Herald,¡± ¡°Advisor,¡± and ¡°Garrison Soldiers¡± is the unified standard configuration for the domestic military in responding to special abnormal incidents. It roughly equates to the battle triad of a noble Magistrate, a healing Priest, and a bunch of cannon fodder infantrymen. Wang Yunxiao felt that his understanding of this had no issues. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The only thing he couldn¡¯t understand was why Little Gourd would have the talent of an ¡°Advisor¡±? Considering the two advisors he had encountered before¡ªone being Xiao Baili over the phone, the other a senior member of the Special Service Bureau¡ªthe vibes they gave off were both incredibly strange. If the ability of a Chess Herald was to see things invisible to ordinary people, then an Advisor¡¯s ability was to uncover secrets others were unwilling to reveal. That doesn¡¯t sound like the work of a decent person, does it! Our foot soldiers¡­ sorry, Garrison Soldiers, what about them? Eat the shit others don¡¯t want to. That might be a bit of an exaggeration to say. But after reviewing the textbook in the evening, Wang Yunxiao felt that it was more or less the gist. The special ability of the Garrison Soldiers¡ªas described in the textbook¡ªis formation. The minimum requirement is three people, with no upper limit. Once in formation, they can use their flesh and blood to resist mental assaults, and even physical damage. The textbook introduced three types of formations that Garrison Soldiers can employ: Iron Armor Formation, Assault Formation, and Crane Wing Formation, each corresponding to defensive, offensive, and flanking maneuvers, respectively. There was nothing about the Cultivation Method he had imagined, like sitting cross-legged, channeling True Qi, or practicing breath control. Or rather, the entire content of this textbook was a Cultivation Method. Mastering all the knowledge it contained and applying it could make one a true Garrison Soldier. To be honest, the content here is quite appealing to boys and could even excite military enthusiasts. Through the content in this textbook, he could understand the current level of domestic arms and equipment and thus infer which ¡®era¡¯ it currently was. Without looking one would not know, but a look reveals how wonderful it is; the contemporary weapons of this era are just like this world. Filled with a sense of temporal dissonance and incongruity. Generally speaking, the current standard military equipment still primarily consists of bolt-action rifles and does not mention tanks or fighter jets, indicating that the technology tree has not advanced to the level of World War II. But what the hell is this aircraft carrier? Chapter 61 - 61 61 Different Dharma Gates Different Paths ?61: Chapter 61: Different Dharma Gates, Different Paths 61: Chapter 61: Different Dharma Gates, Different Paths After reading through the diagrams and descriptions in the textbook, Wang Yunxiao finally figured out the structure of the weapons he had seen issued to the soldiers of the Special Service Bureau. ¡°Liuyun-1¡± Steam Bolt-Action Rifle. While it maintained the general appearance of a bolt-action rifle, it was actually more akin to an air gun. Once the bullet was chambered, a connected sealed gas tank would be opened, injecting a special gas into the chamber that corroded the bullet¡¯s casing. Bullets eroded by the gas could cause effective damage to most Evil Objects. What kind of black technology was this? Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t understand, but he was deeply shocked. Of course, these were specialized weapons equipped only by regular armies, or rather special forces; rookies like them who had just started could not even touch them. The textbook thoughtfully prepared cost-effective beginner equipment for new recruits¡ªa firewood stick and a Wolf Fang Club! When Wang Yunxiao saw these two items, he couldn¡¯t help but have his pupils quake. The Wolf Fang Club needed no explanation; it was standard issue for school security guards, which meant that these security uncles might actually be Garrison Soldiers? What on earth was a firewood stick? Indeed, these were not ordinary firewood sticks and Wolf Fang Clubs. Both items required Enchantment. The method was simple and crude, with the highlights being low cost and immediate use. To make a firewood stick, one had to choose the evening of the last day of each month, around twelve o¡¯clock, and burn joss paper at a crossroads. It was no different from burning paper for the dead as usual, but once the joss paper was burned, the stick could be used to ward off evil. The iron spikes on the Wolf Fang Club needed to be soaked in fresh blood overnight, or to kill a live animal¡ªchickens, ducks, fish, anything¡ªand then it could be used to vanquish evil. Of course, the book also emphasized that the power of such simple weapons was merely ¡°effective,¡± and one should not rely too heavily on weapons, neglecting the human factor. If there were a light in the dormitory, Wang Yunxiao could have read all night long. It wasn¡¯t that the book was particularly interesting; any content becomes incredibly dull once it¡¯s turned into a textbook. But the entertainment options in the student dormitories were just too scarce these days. On the Nth night without his phone, Wang Yunxiao would even find himself studying the ingredient list on a packaging paper if he stumbled upon it. Having finished the textbook he had, he grew even more curious about the textbooks of Chen Yan and Little Gourd. I am a mighty transmigrator; how could I fear a little toxicity? In the future era of the internet, what kind of abstract subculture haven¡¯t I seen? Wang Yunxiao was the kind of man who acted on his thoughts immediately without any hesitation. After finishing breakfast and returning to the classroom, he walked straight to Little Gourd¡¯s desk and knocked on it, ¡°Lend me your textbook to take a look!¡± Little Gourd, with a face full of obedience, shook her head with a smile. ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t have to lend it, but be honest, what secrets are you hiding from us? If you don¡¯t tell, you¡¯re not playing with us anymore.¡± The girl immediately lost all her bluster and obediently handed her textbook to Wang Yunxiao. Returning to his seat, Youtiao asked anxiously in a low voice, ¡°Big Brother, won¡¯t there be a problem if you look at Little Gourd¡¯s book?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll give it a try to see if it¡¯s as strange as Sister Liu said.¡± Taking advantage of the fact that the math teacher hadn¡¯t arrived for the first period, Wang Yunxiao opened the ¡°Daily Records.¡± To his surprise, it really was a very serious book, except the title was a bit misleading. It shouldn¡¯t be called ¡°Daily Records,¡± but rather ¡°How to Write Daily Records.¡± Daily Records, the kind that detailed the daily activities and behaviors of the Emperor, were archival materials belonging to an official category of history. The textbook used the last Emperor of the former dynasty as an example, explaining in detail the writing methods for various official documents and archives, how to selectively record historical facts, and the reasons for such selections. Humans are differentiated into ranks, and matters have their level of urgency and importance. As an official responsible for the Daily Records, one must first understand the significance of their work. You are not engaging in journalism, there is no need to use eye-catching gimmicks to increase your readership. Nor are you writing a novel, requiring the laying out of a plot, creating rhythm, or pandering to readers. The sole purpose of the Daily Records is to serve as historical material, to inform future generations of what happened in this era, and for them to take it as a lesson. Advisors possess two special abilities, one is ¡°Sounds Beyond the Strings,¡± which allows them to discover unknown secrets from the slightest clues. The other is the ¡°Spring and Autumn Writing Technique,¡± which conceals secrets from being known to others. Some secrets are not suitable for public disclosure. The right to know is certainly important, but for the vast majority of people, even if they knew the truth, it would serve no purpose other than providing gossip. The textbooks list many vivid examples. In the fourth year of Longyin, there was snowfall in June in Yuzhou, causing a sudden drop in temperature and killing or injuring countless people and livestock. The ignorant masses were misled to believe that an injustice had occurred locally, and that the dead could not rest in peace, sparking rumors everywhere. At that time, the Prefectural Government¡¯s Yamen had just executed a notorious thief named Liu Shangxi, nicknamed Peacock Gentleman in the Jianghu World, who had defiled countless virtuous women while moving between various prefectures for several years. Merely because it coincided with these events, and because the man had good looks, some stirred trouble by claiming his innocence, suggesting that the Yamen had failed to catch the real culprit and framed someone else to close the case. Suddenly, public sentiment surged violently. Worse still, some took advantage of the situation to gather a crowd and create disturbances, claiming to seek justice and confronting the victims¡¯ families. Many women who were not killed by the Peacock Gentleman ended up hanging themselves due to the pressure from these self-proclaimed champions of justice. It was later verified that the Peacock Gentleman deserved his punishment and was executed according to the law. The June snowfall was due to the appearance of a Demon King and had nothing to do with an injustice. As for those who caused the riots, they had been led astray by an Evil Cultivator, and most met unfortunate ends. It rather had the feel of modern-day internet lynching and stirring up the public¡­ The daily trending searches on the internet, which incite the furious excitement of netizens, seem to achieve little beyond feeding the troll armies and venting emotions. However, in this world, thoughts possess a mystical power. If the tide of public opinion is not properly guided, it is very likely to evolve into a terrifying disaster. Wang Yunxiao recalled the first lesson Nurse Liu had taught, where she wrote three sentences on the blackboard. ¡°The world is composed of dimensions.¡± ¡°Knowledge is toxic.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Material is the carrier of thoughts.¡± These three sentences were actually intended for the Chess Herald, the Advisor, and the Garrison Soldiers, respectively. For the Chess Herald, understanding that the world is composed of dimensions allows them to make sense of the bizarre world they see with their own eyes. For the Garrison Soldiers, knowing that knowledge is toxic gives them resistance when encountering new knowledge. The textbook ¡°Daily Records¡± goes further in explaining that ¡°Material is the carrier of thoughts.¡± No one has ever seen the Emperor of the past with their own eyes, only through the Emperor¡¯s Daily Records can a clear understanding of the Emperor be formed. In other words, the Daily Records define the image of the Emperor. Material is the carrier of thoughts, and thoughts determine the existence of material. To put it in layman¡¯s terms, it becomes what I think it is. But merely the change in one person¡¯s thoughts is not enough to alter material. If ninety-nine people believe an apple is edible and one person believes it is poisonous, it makes no difference. However, if these ninety-nine people change their minds, and now only one person believes the apple is edible, Then the apple will become poisonous. ¡ª¡ªThat is how the Advisor should understand the rules of how this world operates. Chapter 62 - 62 62 The More Severe the Pollution the Higher the Value ?62: Chapter 62: The More Severe the Pollution, the Higher the Value 62: Chapter 62: The More Severe the Pollution, the Higher the Value Different Dharma Gates, different rules, different world views. Nurse Liu once mentioned that switching specialties is harder than ascending to the heavens, and Wang Yunxiao used to be rather skeptical, but now he¡¯s beginning to believe it. If the Garrison Soldiers were specifically trained to combat demons and evil spirits, then the Advisors would be like the cybersecurity workers of later times, specialized in filtering information. The textbooks described various cases through examples, narrating different methods for addressing different issues. Some of these methods, when judged by conventional moral standards, could be described as cruel and ruthless, beyond the pale. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For instance, in a dilemma of saving one person or five people, the solution presented by the book is to consider the cost of rescue; if the cost is too high and the loss exceeds the gain, the rescue must be abandoned. Because the value of an Advisor¡¯s life is far greater than those who cannot save themselves. In summary, it was a very uncomfortable read. But this was the necessary price to bear. Now Wang Yunxiao understood why the senior officer from the Special Service Bureau had given him a single cold glance that made him feel a lump in his throat. Because that was not the look one gives a person. In their eyes, he was merely a problem that simply hadn¡¯t met the standard for intervention yet. Now, he could only hope that Little Gourd wouldn¡¯t grow up to be that kind of child; that would not be endearing. Wang Yunxiao was so engrossed in his reading that by the time he came to his senses, a day had already passed. And it seemed he had barely turned a few pages of the book. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t even remember what he had read. All he felt was an aching body and a heavy, dizzy head. ¡°Big brother, are you okay? You didn¡¯t come for lunch when I called you. Is that book really that fascinating?¡± Youtiao looked concerned. ¡°You called me for lunch?¡± Wang Yunxiao squinted and thought for a moment, having absolutely no recollection of it. This book is poisoned! He immediately realized that the issue was with this textbook. It¡¯s no wonder it¡¯s used to train Advisors; does it also come with built-in encryption? Alright, alright, if that¡¯s how you want to play, then? Wang Yunxiao raised his hand and slapped the book onto the smiling face of Little Gourd: ¡°What are you laughing at, here, take it back!¡± In fact, he did hesitate for a moment. With an immature mind coming into contact with such textbooks, it is indeed easy to be influenced. He did not know whether Little Gourd could handle it. Due to the absence of past memories, his understanding of Little Gourd was entirely based on Youtiao¡¯s descriptions; he had never truly known the child. Jiang Xiaotang laughed heartily, devoid of worries, and even the flesh-red scars like cracks on porcelain on her face could not hide the girl¡¯s innocence and cheer. What secrets was she hiding, after all? In the evening, during class, Nurse Liu asked Wang Yunxiao, ¡°Did Third Master Ding invite you to dinner tomorrow?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what was said.¡± They mentioned an invitation three days later, but who knows what that entails; it might just be a polite formality. Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t take it to heart. ¡°If he wants to talk to you, you can tell him the school will open the door on the fifteenth of this month.¡± ¡°Open what door?¡± Wang Yunxiao had just asked this question when he realized that Xiao Baili had seemingly mentioned something over the phone about a magical door at the school, which supposedly led to another world. ¡°Is there really such a door?¡± ¡°On the fifteenth of each month, which is the night of the full moon, our Real World intersects with the Outer Dimension. Those affected by the Echo Erosion of the Outer Dimension have a certain chance of being pulled into it that evening, and the dangers of this are self-evident.¡± Nurse Liu explained, ¡°Here at Qinghe Middle School, there is a safe passage connected to a comparatively safer dimension. If you make adequate preparations, there might be substantial rewards for entering it.¡± ¡°#%£¤¡­ Substantial rewards!¡± Wang Yunxiao¡¯s eyes lit up as he thought to himself that it was no wonder all those people outside were so obsessed with the school; it turned out there were such benefits to be had. Here came the wealth and splendor raining down on him! Youtiao raised his hand and asked, ¡°Teacher Liu, what counts as a substantial reward? Gold and jewels?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that question, you should ask Chen Yan.¡± Nurse Liu wrote the word ¡°Contamination¡± on the blackboard. ¡°The laws of the Outer Dimension are different from the Real World, and it¡¯s impossible to predict what exactly you will encounter. Generally speaking, the more severe the Knowledge Contamination of an item, the higher its value. The specific degree of Knowledge Contamination must be judged by your team¡¯s Chess Herald. However, as the term implies, the more severe the contamination, the greater the danger, and your team¡¯s Advisor will need to contain it. The Advisor¡¯s containment ability is also limited, so you will have to judge the scale of it yourselves¡­¡± Nurse Liu calmly watched the classroom full of students who were invigorated by the mention of substantial rewards. ¡°Your task is to collect these items with Knowledge Contamination and return safely. How much you can collect, how far you can go, and when you return will all depend on the arrangements made by the Chess Herald and Advisor.¡± So¡­ where were the substantial rewards? Wang Yunxiao raised his hand and asked, ¡°Teacher Liu, how do we handle these contaminated items once we bring them back?¡± ¡°Turn them all in, and based on their value, I will exchange them for some things that will be useful to you.¡± ¡°What kinds of things exactly?¡± ¡°A pound of contaminated items for ten pounds of pork?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ve got no problems.¡± Wang Yunxiao turned and exchanged a glance with Youtiao, thinking to himself that this was a deal that had to be done. We had to stuff our bellies with this meat, no one could stop us, not even the mighty Laozi! The entire class¡¯s morale suddenly surged. Teacher Liu had used the strategist move ¡°promising plums to quench thirst,¡± increasing the troops¡¯ morale by +10. ¡°Don¡¯t just think about eating meat in your head, I haven¡¯t talked about the dangers yet.¡± Nurse Liu rapped sharply on the blackboard. ¡°As the saying goes, you can know a person¡¯s face but not his heart, Third Master Ding doesn¡¯t really have any relationship with you, so you must be wary of him making a move on you. In addition to that, there¡¯s another threat you must confront, the behind-the-scenes mastermind who has been lingering like an ominous ghost and constantly causing trouble. Now I can tell you, what you¡¯re facing is a mutated demon!¡± ¡°Take note, this is a key point!¡± ¡°Heretical Demons cultivate by devouring humanity and feed on human emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. Their minds are twisted due to Heretical Demons being easily contaminated by knowledge, mutating into indescribable monsters. It is a walking source of contamination, constantly spreading pollution and eroding every living being around it. If you¡¯re not fully prepared and encounter such a creature head-on, you are likely to be completely wiped out!¡± This speech was like a bucket of cold water, suddenly dousing everyone¡¯s greed. However, Wang Yunxiao sharply detected the key issue. ¡°Teacher Liu, if, as you just said, the more severe the contamination, the higher the value of the item, does that mean the demon itself is also very valuable?¡± Nurse Liu looked deeply at Wang Yunxiao and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, you could consider it the most valuable catch, but you must act within your capabilities.¡± Chapter 63 - 63 63 Borrowing a Knife for Two Taels of Silver ?63: Chapter 63: Borrowing a Knife for Two Taels of Silver 63: Chapter 63: Borrowing a Knife for Two Taels of Silver One catty of pollution material can be exchanged for ten catties of meat, but how many catties can a demon be? Game players, known for their intelligence and wisdom, might also consider the difficulty level of the quest when accepting it. In reality, there¡¯s not so much to consider¡ªjust do it, and that¡¯s the end of it. The rules of games since time immemorial have been this simple, the best method to boost morale is to lift a box of gold and silver in front of the troops, kick the box over, and then shout loudly, ¡°Swap heads for cash!¡± Then everyone would howl and charge into the fray. As the old saying goes, people die for wealth, as birds die for food. The life of a poor person isn¡¯t considered a life, not worth much silver. When such a rare opportunity to strike it rich comes along, and you still cherish your life, then you deserve to be poor all your life¡­ Ah, sorry, I reckon you wouldn¡¯t survive to the latter half of your life anyway. Ten catties of meat, ah¡­ Wang Yunxiao saw a viciousness on the honest face of Gangtou for the first time. That evening, returning to the dorm, everyone discussed together. It was no longer a question of whether to go after the demon, but how to kill it. ¡°We still need to be cautious though, this thing sounds terrifying.¡± At times like this, Youtiao always can¡¯t resist playing devil¡¯s advocate. Nurse Liu did not provide detailed information about this demon. The variety of demons is already vast and strange, not to mention this is a product of pollution mutation. It¡¯s like the ocean where nuclear waste water is discharged without restraint; you can¡¯t predict what can be cultivated in it. It might be a flying red lotus Godzilla. It could also be an anglerfish wearing a JK uniform, calling you ¡°Ani-gi¡± when it speaks. And these mutated demons, they all have their unique dimensions. Or rather, after they have been polluted, they become one with the source of the contamination. It¡¯s like the ghosts in the Netherworld. Unless it chooses to reveal its true form, Wang Yunxiao and his team can¡¯t catch its tail. At times like this, Chen Yan, as the Chess Herald, needs to drag it out of its hiding place. But during this process, Chen Yan will also be subjected to the demon¡¯s pollution, requiring Jiang Xiaotang, the Advisor, to help her deal with the contamination. At the same time, in reality, Wang Yunxiao and the others need to face the demon¡¯s physical form. Wang Yunxiao isn¡¯t worried about his brothers; what he¡¯s really concerned about is whether the two girls can handle it. To be frank, it¡¯s because Chen Yan and Jiang Xiaotang are both good students with rare professions and a bright future ahead of them; there¡¯s no need for them to gamble their lives for a piece of meat like these poor, desperate men. ¡°Why bother with so much, just kill him and it¡¯s done!¡± Guozi, as always, spoke without thinking. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, play it cool. Wait for the meal tomorrow and see if it shows up, then we¡¯ll probe its depth.¡± Wang Yunxiao wasn¡¯t afraid of the creature; he just felt that whether it¡¯s a mule or a horse, you have to walk it out to see what it really looks like. Otherwise, you surely can¡¯t fight with thin air, right? Youtiao clenched his teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pity we don¡¯t have any handy tools now, or else tomorrow Loach and I could go and get some nails?¡± The two types of DIY Demon-Breaking Weapons described in the textbooks take special time to create, which they might not have for this occasion. However, the Wolf Fang Club was worth considering; its manufacturing method didn¡¯t require much skill¡ªthe only drawback was that ordinary people found it awkward to use. These all belonged to the category of heavy weapons with long handles. Wang Yunxiao looked towards Gangtou, the tallest and strongest in the dorm, and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Can you handle the Wolf Fang Club?¡± When it comes to handling it, anyone can, but not everyone can master it. This thing, if you¡¯re not careful, can easily cause real friendly fire. Gangtou scratched his head and said innocently with a smile, ¡°Sure!¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you can do it!¡± Gangtou replied blankly, ¡°Then¡­ shall I give it a try?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Youtiao suddenly slapped his forehead, ¡°Since we can¡¯t make one in time anyway, why don¡¯t we just go borrow one from the security uncle to try out?¡± Wang Yunxiao asked curiously, ¡°Would they lend us one?¡± Those security guards usually don¡¯t pay much attention to people. ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way!¡± Youtiao seemed confident in his plan. As a result, the next day, he really did manage to borrow a stick. Wang Yunxiao weighed it in his hand, it was about ten pounds, not a pure iron weapon, but a wooden stick wrapped in iron sheet with nails, looking just like an extra-long German grenade. This thing was also known as a Can Opener, used in the past specifically against those Heavy Armored Soldiers, especially the full armor types from Europe. One swing of this club, and it could smash the crab roe to bits. Of course, it also made high demands on the user. Wang Yunxiao himself didn¡¯t find it easy to wield, not because it was too heavy but because using this kind of weapon actually hindered his nimble footwork. In Gangtou¡¯s hands, though, it seemed quite suitable. Gangtou swung the Wolf Fang Club in his hands a couple of times and nodded with a smile, ¡°Brother, this works! I can use it!¡± At this time, Eryang leaned close to Wang Yunxiao and whispered, ¡°Bro, lend me two bucks so I can borrow a knife.¡± As soon as he said this, everyone turned to look at him. Eryang, real name Yang Yihang, combined it sounds like Yangyang, so people gave him the nickname Eryang. Nicknames are quick to change unless they¡¯re particularly distinctive, and later someone sarcastically called him Erhun. The Erhun from that butcher¡¯s shop. After pinning him in a corner and giving him a beating, he almost went blind. Then everyone found out why the butcher¡¯s shop was called Erhun¡¯s. Eryang didn¡¯t talk much usually, but he was fierce in a fight, much to Guozi¡¯s delight. While Guozi loved to throw punches in a fight, Eryang preferred to grab a weapon; with a brick in his hand, he could hit whatever he aimed at within five meters. It was only because Wang Yunxiao¡¯s gang was in such a sorry state back then, without even a knife, that no lives were lost. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t ask whom he would borrow the knife from, but instead asked, ¡°What kind of knife is it? Is it usable?¡± Eryang said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s a Slaughter Knife used for killing livestock. It¡¯s slaughtered hundreds of animals, so it¡¯s definitely usable. I have an uncle in the Livestock Market who deals in these knives.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Yunxiao knew they were in luck. If blood-soaked nails worked, then a Slaughter Knife would be even more effective. Speaking of the knife, he remembered seeing one in the student canteen¡¯s kitchen, although how often it had seen blood was debatable. Considering the canteen¡¯s food standards, the most meat it had probably ever seen was inside canned luncheon meat. Two bucks was a lot, but Wang Yunxiao understood the proverb about not catching a wolf without some risk. Without giving something up, how could you expect to get anything back? He had a solid five taels of silver in his pocket. Without a word, Wang Yunxiao took it out and tossed it to Eryang. Youtiao hurriedly shouted, ¡°That¡¯s five taels, remember to bring back the change!¡± ¡°I know.¡± Eryang took the silver and left. Youtiao frowned and asked Guozi in a low voice, ¡°How much does a knife cost in the market these days?¡± Guozi thought for a moment and said, ¡°It depends on the type. The one Eryang mentioned, a new one probably costs less than a buck¡­¡± ¡°Less than a buck?¡± Youtiao was a bit confused, ¡°A new knife for one buck? An old knife for two? And it¡¯s just a loan?¡± ¡°But we need an old knife, right?¡± Wang Yunxiao waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, as long as it works.¡± Simply preparing weapons was not enough. He took Nurse Liu¡¯s every word as gospel. If they didn¡¯t prepare thoroughly, they¡¯d be easily annihilated¡ªthis, he believed. Chapter 64 - 64 64 The Taste of Betrayal Must Be Experienced ?64: Chapter 64: The Taste of Betrayal Must Be Experienced 64: Chapter 64: The Taste of Betrayal Must Be Experienced Third Master Ding was a man of presence. In these years, any trade that involved professional techniques somewhat required a bit of showmanship. Because ordinary people don¡¯t understand your trade well enough; they don¡¯t know by what specific standards to judge your professionalism. So, the older and whiter a doctor¡¯s beard, the more in demand he is. Having lived to such an age without being killed by a patient, that¡¯s the best proof of ability. Businessmen must look sharp on the outside when dealing, no matter how much silver they owe behind the scenes; they must dress impressively and carry themselves with authority. Fengshui masters are the same. You can claim to be poor, using the excuse that your profession is destined to encounter great misfortunes and therefore you dare not covet wealth. But you absolutely cannot be unlucky, nor can you be outsmarted by others. If you can¡¯t even figure out your own fate, why would anyone trust you to examine their fengshui? If no one discovers it and you swallow your losses in silence, like swallowing a broken tooth into your stomach, then so be it. But this time, he was cornered by Wang Yunxiao in the street, demanding an explanation in front of all the neighbors. In this situation, Third Master Ding had only two options. Either you stubbornly accept the blame, The loafers of Tianmen City used to love this approach. All tough as nails, not afraid of trouble, their fear was not being famous or being seen as cowards. It was like that uncle from Baotou who claimed responsibility for a bombing case in later years. Committing a crime, enduring the trouble, that¡¯s what makes a hero. Being wanted by the Governmental Office for 50 berries was considered an insult to one¡¯s dignity. Fortunately, such perverse and evil spirits had already been suppressed last year. Loafers who survived to this year, like Lv¡¯er and such, had spines as soft as green bean cakes, always opting for softness, hesitating even a second longer was a sign of distrust in the government¡¯s iron fist. Third Master Ding was a person of the Jianghu world, but he was just a businessman mingling in the Jianghu. Just like Jimmy from Liansheng, his involvement in the Jianghu was solely for his own business. He had no need to court trouble over a little face like those rough-and-tumble paupers, taking every lousy thing upon themselves. Therefore, Third Master Ding chose the second path, to negotiate with Wang Yunxiao. Wang Yunxiao¡¯s status in the Jianghu world¡­ How should I put it¡­ Isn¡¯t there a saying? When facing a bear attack, you don¡¯t need to be the fastest runner, just faster than your friend. After surviving last year¡¯s two major chicken-eating battles, anyone who made it through had their status in the Jianghu world increased by at least one level. So, Third Master Ding had not only to give face to Wang Yunxiao but to give a lot of it. Of course, giving face is something that¡¯s mutual. On the agreed date, Third Master Ding sent a clever shop assistant to the school gates to respectfully deliver a red paper invitation with black writing. Noon, Tianbao Pavilion, don¡¯t be absent. Wang Yunxiao planned to go alone. In such situations, Youtiao would be the most suitable to bring along. Working in tandem, volleying back and forth, they could have an open and thorough discussion. But the issue was not having a clear understanding of the other party¡¯s footing; if both went together, they could easily be taken out in one fell swoop. So, Youtiao arranged for Guozi and the others to hold the fort on the outside, observing the situation. If Wang Yunxiao accidentally got held hostage, there needed to be someone with a cool head on the outside to take charge. That¡¯s Jianghu experience. Eryang went out for a bit in the morning and came back with two knives; he didn¡¯t bring the silver back. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, his face heated up with embarrassment, unable to lift his head. ¡°What happened?¡± Youtiao frowned. ¡°My uncle tricked me!¡± Eryang pursed his lips and whispered in explanation, ¡°He said that once the knife gets dirty, it can¡¯t be used anymore. He says he¡¯s giving it to me, but didn¡¯t even give me change for the silver¡­¡± ¡°What he says goes?¡± Guozi sneered, ¡°Are you dead or something? Where¡¯s that fierce fighting spirit from before?¡± Eryang spread his hands, ¡°If it weren¡¯t out of respect for my sister-in-law, I would¡¯ve been itching to stab him to death. He refused to give me change, so I snatched his other knife.¡± ¡°Are you freaking stupid? How much is a new knife worth?¡± ¡°Then you tell me what to do!¡± Eryang, unable to back down under Guozi¡¯s glaring, simply rolled up his sleeves and showed his arm, gritting his teeth, ¡°Come on! Call it here! One cut for one piece of silver, does that work?¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re a block of cut candy? One knife cut for one piece of silver? If you dare, pull down your pants¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Wang Yunxiao slapped Guozi on the forehead, pushed him aside, and took the two knives into his hands to inspect them closely. The knives were indeed fine blades. The legit kind of Ox Ear Sharp Knife. About a foot long and three fingers wide, these butchers¡¯ knives were specially used for slaughtering cows and sheep, and were also essential items for the heroes of the Jianghu World when traveling or at home. In the past, the heroes of Mount Liang used tools like these when opening up girls¡¯ abdomens. If you saw someone flaunting such a thing in the streets, shooting them dead might be an overreaction, but grabbing them for interrogation was absolutely warranted; there was no doubt something to find. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Both knives were soaked with the strong, pungent odor of cattle and sheep, one of them already dark and shiny with an underlying malevolence, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if it had seen human blood. That must be the knife Eryang wanted to borrow. The other looked relatively new, with a sharp, gleaming blade that clearly was well-maintained as a daily tool for work. It was hard to say if these two knives were truly worth the five taels of silver. Wang Yunxiao looked up at Eryang and asked, ¡°Do you know how to use this knife?¡± Eryang¡¯s eyes shadowed, and he nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve slaughtered sheep when I was a kid.¡± ¡°Sheep and people aren¡¯t the same.¡± ¡°Not much difference.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong there; as long as one has that mindset, indeed, there would be no difference. Wang Yunxiao returned the old knife to Eryang and kept the new one to himself. Eryang, puzzled, said, ¡°Big brother, this one is easier to use, I saw them using it when I was a kid¡­¡± ¡°The smell is too strong, it¡¯s stifling.¡± Wang Yunxiao came up with an excuse on the fly. It¡¯s about who holds a knife and how it¡¯s used that really matters. The old knife¡¯s malevolence was too intense; taking it to eat meals could cause a shock. What demon or evil spirit? Now in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s eyes, that¡¯s his beloved dear and kin! Not even a pound of meat should be spared. Once everything was arranged, he and his brothers grandiosely left the school gate. He didn¡¯t bring Chen Yan and Little Gourd this time partly for safety reasons and partly to keep his cards hidden. In broad daylight, the opponent might not stir up trouble, but they¡¯d certainly probe. If they really thought Wang Yunxiao¡¯s gang was still the same as before, that would be perfect. Striding into Tianbao Pavilion with a swagger, Wang Yunxiao instructed his brothers to sit downstairs, where they occupied two large tables. He then handed the invitation to the shop assistant and followed him upstairs to the elegant room. As soon as Wang Yunxiao glanced around the room, he saw only Third Master Ding and his face immediately darkened. ¡°Third Master, what¡¯s this about? Just the two of us today?¡± Frankly, it was a bit of a waste of feelings, even spoiling my five taels of silver. ¡°Brother Wang! Come, have a seat!¡± Third Master Ding, all smiles, stood up and pulled Wang Yunxiao into the seat, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious, let¡¯s talk while we eat.¡± Chapter 65 - 65 65 The Immortals Tomb a Land of Fortune and Caves of Heaven ?65: Chapter 65: The Immortal¡¯s Tomb, a Land of Fortune and Caves of Heaven 65: Chapter 65: The Immortal¡¯s Tomb, a Land of Fortune and Caves of Heaven Wang Yunxiao had not originally planned to bring people to the banquet. After all, it seemed somewhat improper to show up with an entourage when someone else is treating you to a meal. But he had no choice. Eryang, that fool, had spent all his money, and now all he had left in his pocket was that single silver coin Director Qin had given him previously, which he still needed to go to the tavern to settle his tab with. When you¡¯re poor, your ambitions shrink, and when the horse is thin, its hair grows longer. When your pockets are cleaner than your face, your face becomes your last cash. Third Master Ding was pouring Wang Yunxiao a drink with a big smile, while Wang Yunxiao held his cup and watched him silently with a sidelong glance. If today Third Master Ding couldn¡¯t provide a satisfactory explanation, Wang Yunxiao would dare to let Youtiao and the others order a feast of eight large bowls. All to be charged to Third Master Ding¡¯s account, eat him out of house and home. ¡°Young Hero Wang is truly a young hero, able to gather so many brothers under his command, able to carve out a piece of the world wherever he goes.¡± Third Master Ding lifted his cup with an ingratiating smile, ¡°We¡¯ve come to blows before, but it¡¯s an honor to have you join us for this feast. Brothers, let¡¯s take a drink first, then we can chat leisurely.¡± Wang Yunxiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°Third Master, we can drink at any time, but the way you¡¯re hemming and hawing makes me somewhat confused. Is there something unspeakable you have to beat around the bush for?¡± Third Master Ding sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­¡± Third Master Ding, a well-known Fengshui Master in Nantong District, not only provided Fengshui consultations but also managed various funerary businesses. This profession, though not guaranteeing vast wealth and high status, at least required specialized skills and was a monopolized trade. Even a mere unqualified apprentice, as long as he had some tact and could speak well, could ensure alcohol and meat for every meal, all year round. With the reputation of someone like Third Master Ding, who had developed an extensive network of private clientele over the decades, it was no issue for him to afford a large house with multiple courtyards, take several concubines, and support dozens of idlers. As the saying goes, no one asks after the poor on the streets, but the rich have distant relatives even if they reside in remote mountains. When you have money, fame, and power, you can¡¯t avoid associating with all walks of life and friends short on cash and inevitably step into the muddy waters of the Jianghu World. When someone¡¯s pockets are empty, they won¡¯t care too much about saving face. Wang Yunxiao is like this, and many friends in the Green Forest World are much the same. Not long ago, Third Master Ding encountered such a nameless friend. An upstart from who knows where, who upon opening his mouth, dismissed Third Master Ding¡¯s decrepit state and asked if he wanted to be part of a major deal. This trick is as old as time. During the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, there were those who would seek an audience with a lord, and without a preamble, would blurt out, ¡°You¡¯re a fool, you¡¯re going to die!¡± Once they had frightened the lord, they would then sit down and tout their own resumes, boasting of their accomplishments. The routine hadn¡¯t changed in thousands of years. Third Master Ding himself was well-versed in this tactic; when visiting someone to examine Fengshui, he would enter with a frown and a troubled expression, scaring the homeowner before selling his comprehensive Fengshui and fortune-transforming services. Of course, he was not fooled by this friend¡¯s tactics, but he was a little interested in the so-called big deal. Since ancient times, no one has become wealthy without some external windfall, just as a horse does not get fat without grazing at night. It was natural for Third Master Ding not to have lofty moral integrity. As long as the conditions were right, he didn¡¯t particularly care whether something was legal or illegal. The key issue was whether he could bear the risks involved. It¡¯s important for a person to know their own limitations. You think I¡¯d join you in robbing a bank? You must be mad! Of course, those who really did big deals were also cautious, and when recruiting accomplices for a standard Pacific Bank job, they¡¯d need someone who could drive steadily, shoot accurately, pick locks swiftly¡­ Are they full enough to pull in a Fengshui Master like you for no reason? If they came to seek him out, it was clear they must have had some use for him. And sure enough, the big deal this friend spoke of was to have him join in tomb raiding. It was expected and made perfect sense. Although Third Master Ding dealt with funerary objects, he only made fakes; he didn¡¯t engage in grave robbing himself. If you can afford Suzhou-style streaky pork, there¡¯s no need to settle for intestine stew. However, out of curiosity, he still asked another question, wanting to know if this friend was headed to Yuzhou or Qinchuan, both places where great tombs are found. The friend replied that it was right at his doorstep, in Tianmen City. Third Master Ding almost laughed out loud. You need to have a tomb to raid in the first place. To put it scientifically, Tianmen City is an estuary, an alluvial plain of tidal flats. Never mind whether this place existed hundreds of years ago, even now if it rains heavily upstream, the downstream areas are prone to flooding and rivers change their courses. What respectable person would bury their dead here? S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without fearing that the coffins might be carried away by the water? In ancient times, Tianmen City was a canal transport hub, without the destiny of a dynasty¡¯s capital, and naturally, there would be no large-scale royal tombs. Of course, if you really want to argue, you could say that thousands of years ago some lunatic spared no expense in undertaking a huge project here, filling it with creatures like water monkeys and piranhas, and even a thousand-year-old non-decaying rice dumpling¡­ Third Master Ding might believe that, but he definitely wouldn¡¯t go there. If you can make money lying down, why bother sitting up? Seeing that Third Master Ding was unmoved, the friend revealed the truth. What they were going to invert wasn¡¯t an ordinary grave, but an Immortal Tomb. There may not be any great tombs in Tianmen City, but there is a forgotten Minor Cave Heaven. Back in the day, the Ink Green Qilin Army guarded Tianmen, against enemies from overseas. An immortal of great power came to help in the battle and, unfortunately, fell, with his Immortal Cave also lost here. This Immortal Cave was lost right here, at Qinghe Middle School. Immortal Cave¡­ This was the umpteenth version of the story that Wang Yunxiao had heard. What campus ghost stories, defensive barriers, traveling through dimensions¡­ Now there¡¯s another Immortal Cave thrown into the mix. Not a single unified standard. Once again, this made him profoundly aware of the importance of the theories Nurse Liu talked about in the classroom. A person¡¯s worldview. The seven questions about steamed buns. The toxicity of knowledge is not in the information it carries, but in each person¡¯s subjective interpretation of that information. In the eyes of a thousand people, there are a thousand Hamlets. Clearly, what this world needs is a combat power¡­ sorry, a standard that can be popularized and recognized by the public. Others might say there are great tombs in Tianmen City, and as a professional, Third Master Ding would only sneer. But when they spoke of an Immortal Cave, also known as a Minor Cave Heaven, Third Master Ding wasn¡¯t so quick to draw conclusions. That involved an area he knew little about. Of course, more than that, it was curiosity and temptation. An Immortal Cave, huh? Could it contain Immortal Cultivation Secret Manuals? Or perhaps miracle elixirs that grant eternal life? People in this country have always had a weak resistance in this regard, willing to be deceived even when they know it¡¯s unlikely to be true. Believe a little, what if it¡¯s real? However, Third Master Ding was no fool and felt that there were some questions that couldn¡¯t be explained. For example, if there really was such an Immortal Cave, wouldn¡¯t the government know the specifics? Would they really let these Jianghu people pick up the scraps? Chapter 66 - 66 66 Navigating the Jianghu World is All About Human Relationships ?66: Chapter 66: Navigating the Jianghu World is All About Human Relationships 66: Chapter 66: Navigating the Jianghu World is All About Human Relationships ¡°Picking up leaks,¡± this phrase within the circle is the jargon for duping fools into paying tuition. Wise men acquire treasures from fools at low prices, which is called picking up leaks. Fools buy fake goods from wise men and believe they have also picked up a leak. All in all, the entire process requires a fool. Is the Governmental Office a fool? The former Imperial Court, hard to say. The current new government, Third Master Ding would not dare regard them as fools. So the question arises. With such a big leak right before us, who seems more the fool? Of course, since that friend dared to approach him, he must have an explanation. According to him, this is called ¡°the divine object¡¯s intentional obscurity.¡± In other words, it cannot be seen by those who are not fated. The government is not unaware of this thing, it has merely blocked the news to keep the common people in ignorance. Otherwise, why would Mr. Zhou Yaowen, a major official trusted by the President and part of the new government, choose to become the principal of this godforsaken place instead of enjoying a high-paying government position? Of course, there is another possibility, which is that the main reason the government built this school here was due to the leaking spiritual energy from the cave of the Immortal Family. Zhou Yaowen personally overseeing the school is to secretly train the henchmen for the new government! This explanation does seem quite plausible. So Third Master Ding earnestly sought advice again, since the government values this so highly, what do you plan on doing right under their watchful eyes? His friend laughed, saying it was easy, by first making a feint to startle the snake, and drawing out the government¡¯s master stationed at the school. Then use a diversion strategy to distract the attention of the master, and the rest need not be mentioned. Although his friend spoke convincingly, Third Master Ding did not immediately agree. After all, he wasn¡¯t very familiar with this person. Not being close, lacking understanding, and completely without trust. Even if you talk up a storm, in the end, you¡¯re likely just making the wedding dress for someone else. As an old hand at Jianghu World, Third Master Ding naturally possessed the necessary resolve and caution. Though he did not agree to join them right then, he also did not dismiss the idea outright, merely stating he was willing to help. ¡°You sit at the table to eat meat; I¡¯ll stand behind you to sip some soup,¡± he stated, not daring to have too many expectations. His friend was somewhat displeased, feeling his face had been swept away, but he didn¡¯t force the issue. As the old saying goes, a melon forced off its vine isn¡¯t sweet. In these times, there are those forced into prostitution, those driven onto Mount Liang, but never have you heard of being forced to make a fortune. You may not believe it, yet others do. Some time passed, and his friend introduced a new acquaintance, who was none other than the Advisor Xiao Baili, familiar to Wang Yunxiao. Xiao Baili¡¯s stage name was Bai Lihua, and she had a bit of a reputation in the theaters of Nanshi in her early years. However, she was never a top-billed star, and adding to that, a failed venue change that ruined her voice, she did not stay in the limelight for long and faded into obscurity like other unevenly talented actors. Third Master Ding had heard her perform before and had a slight impression of her, barely considering her an old acquaintance. Upon meeting her again, he found that Bai Lihua had changed utterly, with venomous, ruthless thoughts and unscrupulous ways. As an old hand at Jianghu World, Third Master Ding could tell right away that something was off with her. As the old saying goes, she had taken to the crooked path. Encountering such a person, even if you do not become close with them, it is best not to offend them lightly. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sometimes you don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong in their mind, and suddenly they take a dislike to you and hold a grudge. Since he was introduced by a friend who asked Third Master Ding to look after him and find a place near the school to settle down, Third Master Ding didn¡¯t ask many questions and took out several shop deeds he held for him to choose from. Xiao Baili was not at all polite; he directly chose a shop near the school and the police station and even asked him for a profitable business. Third Master Ding smiled and brought him a full box of Qin Jade. Those in the antiques business always speak nicely and know how to charm people. When they see a regular customer, they don¡¯t talk about the price, just saying ¡°If you like it, take it home to enjoy; when you¡¯re done, bring it back.¡± The usual patrons of such items are mostly wealthy and more concerned about face; who would take your polite words seriously? Xiao Baili had no clue about the ways of this trade, and Third Master Ding told him to sell them casually, not caring if he made more or less money. He knew nothing and was happily deceived. Later, indeed, this person was too arrogant in his actions and was soon arrested. The police followed the trail to Third Master Ding, who dealt with them with a few casual words. He thought that should have been the end of it, but the friend, not adhering to the ethics of the Jianghu World, insisted on achieving his purpose. He plotted to probe the depth of the school, dragging him into the scheme as well. If Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t experienced it himself, he probably would have believed Third Master Ding¡¯s version. The story he cooked up had significant loopholes. First, he never mentioned the friend¡¯s name from beginning to end, indicating that their relationship was actually quite close. Second, with Xiao Baili being an Advisor skilled at prying into secrets, could you really confuse him with just a few words? Moreover, the man was arrested by the Special Service Bureau, and you had specifically sent someone to watch over that place; you dare say you knew nothing? The person is already in my grip, yet you still play dumb and evade my questions; are you not taking me seriously? Wang Yunxiao turned his head and called out to a shop assistant, asking what the restaurant¡¯s specialty dish was. The shop assistant smiled and said, ¡°If you¡¯re not in a rush, we have a whole lamb feast, a whole bull feast. If you want to feel satisfied, then it must be our freshly steamed large buns filled with beef!¡± This shop assistant also knew how to tailor his words to his audience. Had another person in a long robe asked, he surely would have responded differently. To avoid saying something as harsh as ¡°a boar can¡¯t chew fine bran,¡± the dishes that distinguished guests usually order aren¡¯t really something that common folks can fully enjoy. Upon hearing this, Wang Yunxiao raised his hand and said, ¡°Bring five steamer baskets first, two baskets for the table downstairs for my brothers, all on Third Master Ding¡¯s tab!¡± These northern steamer baskets are different from the southern xiaolongbao. To use a more vivid comparison, it¡¯s like steaming Monk Tang. A child could easily fit inside normally. The beef-stuffed buns from Tianbao Pavilion are made with fresh quality beef. Prime cuts are used in dishes, and the leftovers are chopped for filling, mixed with bone broth and seasoned with a bit of pepper, green onions, and salt ¡ª the beef¡¯s own flavor is thus enhanced to the maximum. Of course, if you dare say that Tianbao Pavilion¡¯s buns are the best or even top ten, the locals wouldn¡¯t agree. Some authoritative experts even tell you that neither beef nor mutton should be used in buns. Just steamed, the white buns came hot and steaming, not suitable for dipping in vinegar; they must be eaten with a clove of raw garlic to appreciate their complexity. Wang Yunxiao no longer paid attention to the embarrassed Third Master Ding, simply starting to eat on his own. This was a subtle expression of his stance. I didn¡¯t order any extravagant dishes, which shows you some respect. We still have things to discuss, but I¡¯m not satisfied with your attitude earlier. You better find a way to save face quickly. Chapter 67 - 67 67 Half of the Incense Offerings the Demon Reveals Its Form ?67: Chapter 67: Half of the Incense Offerings, the Demon Reveals Its Form 67: Chapter 67: Half of the Incense Offerings, the Demon Reveals Its Form Third Master Ding also had his own difficulties. Why in the Water Margin Tale, were so many heroes forced to ascend Mount Liang? The main reason was like Zhu Bajie looking in a mirror¡ªhe wasn¡¯t quite human inside or out. Leaders want you to take initiative, to find your own solutions to problems. But if you lacked the ability, in the end, the problems would solve you. Leaders found it difficult too; they¡¯d given you such a good job, how could you still have the nerve to ask for a salary? The younger generation just can¡¯t handle hardship, not understanding that suffering losses is a blessing. Like grass on the top of a wall, leaning whichever way the wind blows. To put it nicely, it¡¯s about being resourceful and having plenty of options. To put it not so nicely, it really means you¡¯re lacking in strength and at the mercy of others. Third Master Ding wanted to be a mediator, but unfortunately, he was caught between two tough nuts. That friend of his didn¡¯t even need to be mentioned; he raised hell with no sign of restraint. On Wang Yunxiao¡¯s end, don¡¯t be fooled by his youth, thinking he¡¯s easy to swindle. But he was an old hand in the Jianghu World, and all his young followers were uncultivated ruffians who dared to fight and kill. They were no pushovers; without sufficient benefits, they wouldn¡¯t give you the time of day. So the problem arose, with that friend, for some unknown reason, unwilling to offer benefits, or perhaps incapable of offering them. And yet, he still had the nerve to act all high and mighty, expecting Third Master Ding to smooth things over. Could Third Master Ding settle this matter? Yes, but why should he? I¡¯m not your sworn brother bound by life and death, why should I spend my own money to resolve your problem? There¡¯s no such logic in this world. Now, he had managed to get Wang Yunxiao to come out. After three rounds of drinks and a taste of five dishes, if that friend still hadn¡¯t shown up, then he was really treating him like a complete sucker. With this thought, Third Master Ding picked up his cup and, lowering his voice, said, ¡°Actually, brother, I¡¯ve got my own unspeakable difficulties¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao, biting into a steamed bun, smiled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it, I can guess most of it. It¡¯s like a toad lying on your foot, not biting but grossing you out. Your unspeakable difficulties boil down to worrying that friend won¡¯t abide by the norms of Jianghu World, playing dirty with you, right?¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± Third Master Ding¡¯s face broke into a smile at once. This was a true friend of the Jianghu World, speaking straightforwardly, doing the right thing, showing mutual understanding and consideration. What was that grandson anyway, different from the muddle-headed client who demanded a kaleidoscope of black? Any difference? Seeing no sign of that friend coming, Third Master Ding steeled his heart and pulled out a half stick of sandalwood as long as his finger from his pocket, lit it, and placed it at the edge of the table. As the fragrance spread and enveloped the elegant room, Third Master Ding edged closer to Wang Yunxiao and whispered, ¡°Young Hero Wang, have you ever seen demons and evil spirits?¡± ¡°I have.¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded and said, ¡°I have a pretty good idea of what your friend is, just not sure about his background and connections.¡± Third Master Ding frowned and said, ¡°This person has significant backing; we common folks can¡¯t afford to provoke him. But as for the man himself, I think that¡¯s all there is to it.¡± Clueless about human affairs, a bully to the weak and fearful of the strong, insatiably greedy¡ªsuch people can never make it far in any circle. Wang Yunxiao raised an eyebrow and gave Third Master Ding a meaningful look. ¡°Your friend mentioned a ¡®Minor Cave Heaven¡¯; I know what he¡¯s talking about. How about¡­ we team up to explore it?¡± Third Master Ding¡¯s eyes lit up, and he asked instinctively, ¡°Is there really an Immortal Cave?¡± Wang Yunxiao snorted. ¡°This isn¡¯t about whether it exists or not, it¡¯s about who you trust. Do you trust me, or that person whose name you don¡¯t even dare to mention? Third Master Ding, you have to choose one.¡± ¡°Just agree to him¡­¡± Third Master Ding nodded, suddenly feeling that something was off, and subconsciously glanced to the side. Within the elegant room, at the banquet table, someone had appeared out of nowhere. It was as if he had been sitting there from the start, yet Third Master Ding had been completely unaware of his presence! The man was dressed in black satin long coat, wearing a black hat and dark glasses, his entire being like a shadow hidden in the darkness. He didn¡¯t speak, and no one would have noticed him. But he finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up. When he did so, he inhaled a whiff of smoke. The half-portion of sandalwood that Third Master Ding was burning seemed to have some special effect. Without meaning to, he took a deep breath of the incense, and his mind instantly felt foggy. When he came to his senses, he looked up to see Wang Yunxiao¡¯s piercing gaze. Wang Yunxiao could see him now! Wang Yunxiao raised his hand and tossed a small iron pot filled with vinegar his way. A whole pot of aged vinegar splashed over his face and body. ¡°Old Third Ding! You bastard, plotting against me¡­¡± By now the other man realized that he had been tricked. Third Master Ding¡¯s intentions might not have been that malicious, simply aiming to force him out of hiding. But he also knew his own suffering. That grandson Wang Yunxiao, was he someone easy to deal with? The blow was really harsh! Could anyone manage that without having a few lives on their hands? Even ghosts fear the wicked. Caught off guard and doused in vinegar, he was about to explode with anger when Wang Yunxiao leaped onto the table and flew towards him, kicking towards his face. It was an all-out, life-risking move. What on earth happened in your childhood to make you turn out like this? This man was not a Jianghu World expert and was completely unable to defend against Wang Yunxiao¡¯s sudden attack. As he saw Wang Yunxiao¡¯s attack coming, he let out a bizarre yell, and thick smoke billowed out from under his black clothes, scattering in all directions as his body sharply deflated. Wang Yunxiao¡¯s kick only hit a piece of clothing, and when he turned back, the black smoke had already escaped through the cracks of the window. ¡°The cicada sheds its skin, Thief Sun, you think you¡¯re so great? Then why do you run when you see me?¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t even look at the window, but clasped his fists towards Third Master Ding, grabbed a couple of steamed buns, eating them as he rushed out of the elegant room and shouted downstairs. ¡°Goods are up! Brothers, form an array and grab your weapons! Light the fire in the west, and get it blazing in the east!¡± At once, the two tables of people sitting downstairs stood up. Under Youtiao¡¯s direction, they grouped in threes, sealing off the entrance and exit of Tianbao Pavilion so tightly no wind could get through. The shopkeeper and shop assistants were all startled. All of them had listened to storytelling and, although they didn¡¯t understand what these half-grown lads were saying, the way they poised themselves like the heroes of Mount Liang made it clear what they intended to do. The negotiation had failed, and a conflict was imminent. Ever since this group had entered, the shopkeeper had sensed something amiss. Though he had kept silent, behind the scenes, he had secretly sent a shop assistant to call for reinforcements, fearing these lads would cause trouble, ruining the business of the shop. Breaking a few pots and pans was no big deal, but it would be troublesome if any guests were injured. Seeing them stand up as if about to cause trouble, the shopkeeper hurried over with a forced smile and said, ¡°Honorable heroes, please hear me out¡­¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before he could finish speaking, his vision darkened as he saw Wang Yunxiao leap straight down from the third floor. Chapter 68 - 68 68 Committing Violence in Broad Daylight ?68: Chapter 68: Committing Violence in Broad Daylight 68: Chapter 68: Committing Violence in Broad Daylight Demons and evil spirits are afraid of light and fire, even electric lights. This was one of the self-defense tips that Nurse Liu had initially imparted to Wang Yunxiao and the others. Although they did not understand the principle behind it, as long as it worked, that was enough. Third Master Ding had specifically chosen noon to entertain his guests, when the yang energy was at its strongest and the sun was blazing overhead. Under such conditions, no demon or evil spirit dared to show itself. But one could not completely rule out exceptions. For example, by draping themselves in clothes, or taking on a different skin¡­ Although Wang Yunxiao lacked experience, he had read plenty of novels in his last life and had anticipated such scenarios. As expected, the opponent really did show up. How dare he come? Don¡¯t you think the sunlight outside is a bit dazzling? Of course, this wasn¡¯t important. One couldn¡¯t apply normal human logic to the behavior of a demon or evil spirit. Seeing that wisp of black smoke squeeze through the window gap, Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t even bother to chase it because the sunlight outside was splendid. It was just a diversionary tactic of feinting to the east and attacking to the west. If it really wanted to escape, it could only run along spots where the sunlight didn¡¯t reach. Or else, it would dress in its own sunlight-blocking skin, pretending to be a normal person. Without a word, Wang Yunxiao had his brothers block both the front and back doors of the Tianbao Pavilion. The gibberish he spoke was a code that he and Youtiao had agreed upon beforehand. ¡°West burning, east flourishing,¡± this phrase had only one meaning: dousing it with vinegar and forcing it out by following the scent! Vinegar, well, Shanxi¡¯s old vinegar is most famous. One could disguise their appearance, but that vinegar scent wasn¡¯t something it could easily shake off. The real trouble, however, came from the shop assistant of Tianbao Pavilion. Being able to run a restaurant here meant they had backup; they wouldn¡¯t just let you cause a commotion inside. Wang Yunxiao grasped the Ox Ear Knife in reverse, leapt from the third floor, and landed right in front of the shopkeeper. Before he could speak, Wang Yunxiao first greeted with a fist and said, ¡°Shopkeeper, and all the respected folks present, I apologize for today¡¯s offense. The disputes of the Jianghu World are unrelated to all of you. I kindly ask everyone to grant Wang a bit of courtesy by not interfering!¡± The shopkeeper hurriedly returned the greeting with a fist and said, ¡°Hero, you all sort your disputes outside; this is a place for eating¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao smiled and said, ¡°Asking us to step outside is fine, but the elusive friend might not be willing to come out. What if he takes one of your patrons as a meat coupon at that time? Could you really afford such an outcome?¡± Before he finished speaking, a diner, as if in great shock, jumped up and yelled, ¡°Murder!¡± then turned and ran out. ¡°Stop!¡± Matuan reached out to stop him, unexpectedly, the diner was unusually strong and knocked him aside, fleeing through the door. With this example set, other diners also started screaming and yelling, some rushing to the doors, others jumping through windows, scattering like startled birds and beasts. This reaction was abnormal. What did they think this was, a story from the Martial Arts World? If the people of Tianmen could cultivate such a strong sense of vigilance and a will to survive, social order would have stabilized long ago. Wang Yunxiao stood still, coldly watching the diners scatter. It wasn¡¯t just him. Youtiao, Guozi, and Eryang also stood at different positions, forming a triangular formation with the brothers beside them, silently observing everyone slipping past them. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Eryang¡¯s nose suddenly twitched, and he swiftly turned to look at the person who had just brushed past him¡ªa gaunt old man, dressed inconspicuously and hunched over as he scurried away, seemingly no different from the other diners. It was just that the smell of vinegar on him was a bit more pungent. The room was crowded, and the situation was chaotic. Eryang didn¡¯t make a sound and quietly turned to follow. The moment he moved, Wang Yunxiao noticed him. He didn¡¯t bother to argue with the shopkeeper any longer, and grabbing his knife, he too followed. Tianbao Pavilion faced north to south, with two large doors, one at the front and one on the side. At this moment, the main door faced the sun, while the side door was slightly in the shadow. As the old man stepped out of the side door, he felt over a dozen pairs of eyes on him, as if thorns were on his back. This bunch of damned fools¡­ He cursed inwardly and was about to continue shouting, hoping to attract the attention of passersby. In broad daylight, under the watchful eyes of the public, he didn¡¯t believe these little jerks dared to kill someone on the street. ¡°Murder¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Eryang was already behind him. He pulled out the dark, glistening Ox Ear Knife and stabbed it into the old man¡¯s lower back. Had it been a normal person, there definitely would have been some hesitation. Everyone hopes others are normal, good people who are then restrained by societal laws and morals. Everyone else at a disadvantage so oneself could benefit¡­ What a deal! Eryang didn¡¯t care about the consequences of killing someone in the street. From the moment he had shamelessly borrowed money from his big brother, only to be cheated by his uncle, a fire had been building inside him. It was money that his big brother had risked his life to snatch from outside, money that everyone depended on for food. When they were brothers picking garbage bare-arsed, they shared even half a pancake, and he had never missed out. Now that he¡¯d lost his big brother¡¯s money, big brother hadn¡¯t said a word. But Eryang couldn¡¯t stand the accusing glares from his brothers. When had Laozi ever suffered like this? Whether this knife was any good, Eryang wasn¡¯t sure himself. Yet, right in front of him was a perfect opportunity to put it to the test. If not for the difficulty and unfamiliarity of slitting the neck, his first strike would have targeted the old man¡¯s nape. Nevertheless, he did not lessen the force on his hand at all, driving the knife deep in one go. It¡¯s said that a person couldn¡¯t make any sound when sneak attacked in the kidneys with a dagger, a lesson from a former professional agent who played a major villain. The old man was halfway through his cry of ¡°murder¡± when it abruptly stopped, his voice turning to billowing black smoke pouring out of all his orifices. Upon contact with sunlight, it melted instantly like a hot iron through butter, hissing loudly. The old man¡¯s withered body suddenly swelled like inflating, emitting an unearthly, piercing scream not unlike that of a human. A face the size of a fist emerged on the back of Eryang¡¯s knife-holding right hand, grimacing painfully and contorting. Caught off guard, Eryang shivered all over, feeling a bone-chilling pain on the back of his hand that made him involuntarily loosen his grip. But just then, two of his brothers who were already following behind him caught up. The three stood together, and the intense pain instantly lessened by more than half. The faces of all three showed the same pained expression. Eryang, gritting through the pain, grabbed the knife handle again to pull it out and retry his move. However, a second human face had already grown on his arm, rendering the entire limb spasmodic and stiff. Seizing the moment, the old man used his limbs to leap away, covering a distance of six or seven zhang in one bound. Chapter 69 - 69 69 How Many Cards Are Hidden in the Pants ?69: Chapter 69: How Many Cards Are Hidden in the Pants 69: Chapter 69: How Many Cards Are Hidden in the Pants Two human faces that grew on Eryang¡¯s arm screamed together in agony, causing him to sweat profusely, yet he gritted his teeth tightly, refusing to make any sound. Wang Yunxiao grabbed his arm and pulled him into the sunlight. The faces vanished into ash instantly upon exposure to the sunlight, but they left two fresh, bloody wounds on his arm. Eryang finally could not hold back a low groan and fell backwards with his head thrown back. After dealing with the danger on his brother¡¯s body, Wang Yunxiao then turned his attention toward the direction where the old man had just fled. The old man lay on the ground, unconscious as well. He had leaped like a grasshopper, jumping from the shadow of one street corner to another, his bizarre movements drawing the eyes of bystanders. ¡ªThis was the normal reaction of the Old Tianmen people. The people of Old Tianmen had seen it all, who would scream and scatter like women? It must have been mostly the demon¡¯s deception. If possible, it would certainly have liked to target Wang Yunxiao and his group as well. But when his group stood together in formation, it rendered his sorcery completely ineffective, forcing him to turn to deceiving others instead. As soon as the sunlight hit the old man, he emitted billowing black smoke, slapping onto the ground with a thud, silent thereafter. Wang Yunxiao watched intently as at the moment the old man fell to the ground, a wisp of black smoke escaped from his bleeding mouth and nose, and in a flash, it attacked the face of a middle-aged woman who was standing nearby to watch the excitement. The expression on the middle-aged woman¡¯s face blurred momentarily, as if she instinctively wanted to vomit but suppressed it forcefully, turning pale before walking away. Does this thing not have any cooldown time for its possession skills? Wang Yunxiao did not immediately pursue, confident that Eryang¡¯s stab had effectively injured the demon. In the intense noon sunlight, the demon¡¯s powers were greatly suppressed, making it the best opportunity to kill it. Unfortunately, it was unclear just how long this creature¡¯s energy bar was. If it could possess people indefinitely¡­ no, even if it just possessed ten people along the way, the impact would be severe enough. They couldn¡¯t just kill every one they saw, could they? Wang Yunxiao was not sure if his brothers could bear such responsibility. However, there was not only bad news; at least now, they had figured out three of its tricks. Possession of bodies, deceiving hearts, and what seemed to be particularly vicious facial poison sores. One more thing, it could hide in broad daylight among people without being detected. It seemed that the anomaly he sensed last time was not an illusion. A person¡­ no, even a demon, how many tricks could it hide? The experience of exploring this new ground could certainly be applied next time. Third Master Ding came downstairs, first placating the shopkeeper and the shop assistant with good words, then leisurely walked to Wang Yunxiao¡¯s side, glanced at the corpse across the street that had decomposed into a pool of blood and bones, and nodded, ¡°Young hero, excellent skill. No wonder this old demon is so wary of you that it doesn¡¯t even dare to show its face.¡± Although it was Eryang who had delivered the last slash, if Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t forced it to flee in panic, it would not have met such an end. Yet Wang Yunxiao was not pleased, he said coldly, ¡°Now this murder in broad daylight, if it were the demon itself, it would be somewhat manageable, but like this, innocent bystanders possessed and dying in the streets, I fear the police station will be hard to appease. Third Master, do you perhaps have any solution?¡± Third Master Ding looked at Wang Yunxiao helplessly. He thought to himself it was only because these uncivilized ruffians were neither light nor heavy-handed. But he dared not voice this thought. The facts had demonstrated that Wang Yunxiao and his followers were ruthless, and even the demon head could not withstand them. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With his slight build, what could he use to resist? ¡°Young Hero need not worry, the moment the demonic spirit entered the body, this man was beyond saving. The guilt of murder naturally falls on that friend. The constables at the Yamen also know the severity, and they won¡¯t trouble your brothers.¡± Third Master Ding said with a smile, ¡°In the past, indeed, there were instances of handling things perfunctorily, just finding someone to take the blame to close the case. But even if you close this case, with the demon head still causing chaos outside, the problems will only get more severe. When the higher-ups eventually inquire, you might even have to personally capture the culprit, wouldn¡¯t that be more dangerous? So, facing this situation, it¡¯s best to honestly admit that a demon is at fault and then invite an expert to deal with it.¡± ¡°Like the Special Service Bureau?¡± Upon mentioning the Special Service Bureau, Third Master Ding¡¯s eye corner twitched almost imperceptibly. ¡°Young Hero jests, the Special Service Bureau doesn¡¯t have time to deal with such trivial matters. It¡¯s nothing more than seeing if the deceased¡¯s family has the means to invite an expert from outside this world to perform rituals, to subdue demons and eliminate evil.¡± If even possession by demons in broad daylight is considered a trivial matter, then what major issues does the Special Service Bureau really need to handle? At this moment, the sound of patrol police whistles could already be heard in the distance, as the figures of two policemen were seen rushing towards this side. Wang Yunxiao gave Youtiao a look, signalling him to lead Eryang and the other brothers to retreat, then turned to Third Master Ding and said, ¡°Third Master, the police station just changed its leadership, and as they say, ¡®a new broom sweeps clean¡¯; they might use this incident as a pretext to come after us. If it¡¯s convenient for you, why not walk to the entrance of the Yamen with me to act as a witness and explain things thoroughly to them, to avoid future troubles?¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually quite inconvenient.¡± Third Master Ding didn¡¯t expect Wang Yunxiao to be so stubborn. Damn, you¡¯re not running away, but you want to argue with them? Did you study till you became foolish! ¡°How inconvenient?¡± Wang Yunxiao raised an eyebrow and pressed, ¡°You were also present today, if you don¡¯t go, won¡¯t they come looking for you later?¡± Third Master Ding hurriedly waved his hands and said, ¡°Young Hero doesn¡¯t know, but people in our profession have taboos against entering the Yamen. Even if it¡¯s unavoidable, we choose a time when it¡¯s empty to go. Otherwise, it¡¯s neither good for us nor the Governmental Office.¡± This sounded reasonable. Fengshui masters, among other things, are known for their many customs and taboos. Places that others find tolerable, he would find this or that not to his liking. But facing such a situation, can you really just say you won¡¯t go, and not go? Well¡­ it¡¯s hard to say; after all, even the Special Service Bureau couldn¡¯t do much to him last time. Wang Yunxiao simply nodded noncommittally. ¡°In that case, Third Master, let¡¯s part ways for today. As for the matter we discussed earlier¡­¡± Third Master Ding gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Your stab was decisive, but you¡¯ve offended that friend to death. If it holds a grudge, this deal might not be so easy to handle¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao smiled and said, ¡°I reckon even if it was alive, it¡¯s not the material for making deals. Might as well let it die a more thorough death, don¡¯t you think?¡± Third Master Ding did not speak. But acquiescence was also an attitude. Chapter 70 - 70 70 I reckon no one wants this peach ?70: Chapter 70: I reckon no one wants this peach 70: Chapter 70: I reckon no one wants this peach Qin Xiangdong was somewhat surprised to find himself seeing Officer Wang, who wore a police uniform but was not on the police roster, so soon again. They had agreed to meet tomorrow. Unexpectedly, today he had been involved in a big scene on the street. Wang Yunxiao, nicknamed ¡°Yuanxiao,¡± had a dozen people under him and was somewhat well-known on the streets of Nantong District. This man had a file in the police station, and some of the old police officers could recite his deeds like cherished memories. Qin Xiangdong had already found out Old He¡¯s identity; it was no secret. Not to mention the detention cells at the police station, even the prison of Tianmen City couldn¡¯t hold this old thief. The reason he stayed in the station and did not leave was purely because, having been in prison for many decades with no children and nowhere to go, being in jail at least meant he had food and shelter. Moreover, relying on his seniority, he was not troubled by others. Of course, one of the main reasons the police station tolerated this freeloading behavior was that the old man was skilled in his trade. It¡¯s hard to tell when such specialized skills might be needed. Additionally, Old He was an old hand in the Jianghu World; he had experienced more in life than many had travelled. Some inexperienced rookies, when encountering trouble, would turn to him for advice. Even Qin Xiangdong himself, a newcomer to the area, was completely in the dark about the situation in Nantong District. After reviewing Old He¡¯s file, he did not hesitate for long before directly pulling the old man out of his cell and talking in the office for a long afternoon. Then, the old man was assigned a job to guard the gate overnight, not only earning a fixed salary but also being allocated a dormitory bed. As a retired soldier, Qin Xiangdong did not suffer from moral scruples; as long as he could complete his tasks, he could temporarily set aside other controversial issues. His current task was to maintain social order in Nantong District of Tianmen City and ensure a good public security environment. There were generally two ways to accomplish this kind of task. One was to make your superiors think you had completed the task. The other was to carry out the orders firmly and correctly achieve the target objectives. Although the latter sounded difficult, in the eyes of a soldier, there simply wasn¡¯t an option for the former. Qin Xiangdong, drawing on his combat experience, divided this task into five levels. The first two levels were tasks the police station had mainly been responsible for in the past: civil disputes and criminal cases. The last three levels were promoting legal education, dealing with remnants of the former dynasty, and handling special cases. Don¡¯t think that legal education isn¡¯t important. Since the establishment of the new government, a large number of laws had been enacted, but these documents were still sitting on the desks of government departments, not yet reaching the grassroots level. As the saying goes, ¡°Without trust, a man cannot stand; without law, a country cannot govern.¡± The public must quickly understand the differences between the new government¡¯s laws and the real situation of the Imperial Court, so that the police could handle cases by law and with targeted measures. This was the foundation of their work. As for the problems left over from the former dynasty¡ªthe main issue was with people. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the Emperor of the former dynasty abdicated and the new government took over peacefully, although this preserved the nation¡¯s vitality and prevented foreigners from taking advantage of the situation, it also inevitably left behind a lot of trash and dregs. Many officials from the former dynasty were dismissed; some went back to their hometowns to live out their days, while others found their own ways to contribute. Among them, a large group of officials, including members of the Imperial Family, took enormous family wealth and moved out of the Capital to invest in businesses in Tianmen City. These people competed both overtly and covertly and formed a new emerging force in Tianmen City, which also brought significant security risks. Moreover, due to their sensitive identities, handling them was very difficult. Lastly, the special tasks involved dealing with all kinds of demons and evil spirits. Qin Xiangdong, a seasoned warrior, was well aware of the root of these problems. The three major bureaus established by the new government¡ªthe Astronomy Bureau, the Secretary Bureau, and the Special Service Bureau¡ªwere facing issues that were not just trivial street disturbances. The Special Service Bureau, officially called the Special Affairs Response Bureau, was indeed intended to handle unusual incidents involving demons and evil spirits. However, as a newly established department, its main problem was a lack of staff. And it wasn¡¯t just the Special Service Bureau; since the establishment of the new government, there hadn¡¯t been a single place that wasn¡¯t short of people. The country was too large. So large that, to date, at least one-third of the nation¡¯s population, living in areas isolated from information, had not yet heard about the change of regime. The beginning of the new government was characterized by myriad urgent issues. After the great war, there was much to rebuild. Qin Xiangdong could not expect support from the Special Service Bureau to be available whenever called; he had to personally cultivate a team specialized in handling special cases. So even if it involved using a Jianghu person like Old He with a criminal record, as long as he was useful, Qin dared to use him. However, compared to an old-timer like Old He, he still preferred the young man sitting before him now. Young people are more open to new things. Moreover, what was more precious was that he had courage, brains, and initiative, dare to chase demons on the street until the demons and evil spirits fled in terror. With just a little training, he would be a qualified spearhead. The only drawback¡­ was that he was still in school. Zhou Yaowen¡¯s student, this peach he dared not pick. ¡°Wang Yunxiao, you¡¯re quite bold!¡± After closing the file, Qin Xiangdong looked up and said seriously, ¡°Have you ever considered how you would handle it if you killed the wrong person?¡± Wang Yunxiao was brought in by the police. He directly took the blame for Eryang. At the time, the situation was chaotic; with more than a dozen of them together, bystanders couldn¡¯t tell who was who. He happened to have a knife in hand. Eryang had a sharp tongue but was poor at articulating himself and had a difficult personality. Bringing him in would lead to unclear explanations and was likely to mess things up. ¡°When someone is extremely hungry, they don¡¯t think about whether to eat bread or rice first.¡± Facing Qin Xiangdong¡¯s question, Wang Yunxiao responded just as seriously. ¡°I believe the logic is the same. While this demon is still at large, able to possess others at any time or place, any questioning of my actions is a waste of time and energy, or you could say, aiding the demon!¡± ¡°Sharp-tongued!¡± Qin Xiangdong shook his head and smiled, ¡°But you make a good point. Now I won¡¯t waste time discussing this with you. Let¡¯s talk about how much you know about this demon.¡± Wang Yunxiao shrugged, ¡°I already know enough. The key issue now is how to catch it. It¡¯s too fast, even the midday sun can¡¯t stop it, and it can take hostages anytime, anywhere. Without a specific means to restrict it, anything we do is meaningless.¡± Chapter 71 - 71 71 Can This Game Be Played Without Changes ?71: Chapter 71: Can This Game Be Played Without Changes? 71: Chapter 71: Can This Game Be Played Without Changes? As everyone knows, the Flash Skill is one of the most important factors in MOBA games. As a game designer, you can stack infinite attack stacking, slowing and defense reduction, and life steal and attack bonus all on the same hero, and players won¡¯t have much to say about it. But you absolutely cannot randomly modify the cooldown time of the Flash Skill. If that thing had a ten-second cooldown, the game would be unplayable. Wang Yunxiao now found himself in exactly this awkward situation. If there truly were no cooldowns, allowing for unlimited possession, how could that profession be playable? When will the family of the dumb designer fly out of the solar system? ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of similar things back when I used to fight in wars,¡± Qin Xiangdong patted the case file in his hand and said to Wang Yunxiao, ¡°The common folk call them demons and evil spirits, and they¡¯re not entirely wrong. But in truth, they¡¯re not as terrifying as they¡¯re made out to be¡ªthey can be completely eliminated.¡± ¡°That I know, the problem is not whether it can be destroyed but how to find it.¡± Wang Yunxiao said helplessly, ¡°I still don¡¯t understand whether these demons have a physical body in reality or not; if they do, in what form they exist, and whether they need to pay a price for possessing a body.¡± ¡°There definitely is a physical body,¡± Qin Xiangdong asserted, ¡°As for possession, this kind of sorcery will certainly not be too easy and simple. From my past experience, to possess a body, it needs to have been eroded by echoes. In other words, the bodies it can instantly possess are all previously prepared by itself.¡± ¡°That old man¡­ and that middle-aged woman¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao recalled the faces of the two in his mind. As for what the old man looked like, he had no idea. Exposed to the sunlight, he disintegrated into blood and mush on the spot, and after so long, no family members had come forth. But he remembered the middle-aged woman¡¯s face. At this thought, he picked up the paper and pencil on his desk and bent his head to start drawing. ¡°Training Chess Heralds is too difficult. The inheritance requirements for intelligence in their faction are too high, and even with reduced standards, it¡¯s hard to spread widely. My thoughts are we should consider recruiting some people from the Jianghu World¡­¡± Qin Xiangdong was saying this when he saw Wang Yunxiao hand over a piece of paper with a clear portrait sketch on it. ¡°Is this the woman it possessed?¡± ¡°Yes, at the time I didn¡¯t know if it still had the ability to keep possessing others, so I didn¡¯t pursue it further.¡± Otherwise, following the trail of the vinegar smell, Wang Yunxiao could have chased it down for eighteen streets. Qin Xiangdong nodded, picked up the phone, ¡°Ask Gao Shan to come to my office.¡± After hanging up, Qin Xiangdong looked at Wang Yunxiao with a smile and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the memory, what are your plans after graduation? Have you considered working here?¡± Wang Yunxiao asked curiously, ¡°How much would you pay me a month?¡± ¡°Five pieces a month.¡± ¡°Nevermind, forget I asked!¡± A salary of five pieces a month is indeed considered a rare high income for the common folk. But to Wang Yunxiao, it was somewhat lacking. Not to mention anything else, with his current status as a student, after graduating from middle school, he could easily find a job with his diploma. Qin Xiangdong wasn¡¯t offended and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s the standard salary for a patrol police intern; for you, it¡¯s indeed a bit less. How much do you think would be appropriate?¡± He had just transferred to the area and was unfamiliar with the local situation. The salaries of police officers are indeed not high, but the hidden benefits are not insignificant. According to past customs, no one comes for the salary itself. Wearing this uniform, one can hardly avoid the gifts from others. Together with various forms of extortion and bribery, these constitute the main source of income. Wang Yunxiao thought for a moment, then extended his palm and said, ¡°At least fifty yuan a month, and I want to bring my brothers in too.¡± This was also an astronomical demand. Qin Xiangdong spoke of graduation and had not required him to come to work at the police station right away. As for the future, who could say for sure? The main point of his question was actually to test Wang Yunxiao¡¯s psychological price point, to gauge the cost of recruiting people from the Jianghu world into the society. At that moment, a young police officer with a crew cut pushed the door open, stood at attention, and saluted, loudly saying, ¡°Reporting in!¡± ¡°Come over here, I¡¯ll introduce you.¡± Qin Xiangdong gestured with his hand. To Wang Yunxiao, he said, ¡°This is Comrade Gao Shan, currently in charge of criminal investigation work in our station.¡± ¡°Gao Shan, this is the young brother I mentioned to you, currently studying at Qinghe Middle School. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. You¡¯re both young, you should interact more when you have the time.¡± After a brief introduction, Qin Xiangdong picked up the sketch Wang Yunxiao had just completed, along with the case file whose ink was still fresh, and handed them to Gao Shan: ¡°Go investigate this person¡¯s situation now, stay low-key, and don¡¯t startle the snake by hitting the grass.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Gao Shan took the documents, stealing a glance at Wang Yunxiao without a word. He didn¡¯t speak, and Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t initiate conversation either. Qin Xiangdong smiled, gesturing for Gao Shan to leave. ¡°Are the people you brought over all Garrison Soldiers?¡± Wang Yunxiao asked bluntly. ¡°No, they don¡¯t meet the qualifications.¡± Qin Xiangdong shook his head, ¡°So you¡¯re a senior now, don¡¯t stoop to their level.¡± If Garrison Soldiers are considered cannon fodder, then these eliminated soldiers don¡¯t even qualify as coal ash, lacking both experience and resistance to Echo Erosion. ¡°It¡¯s hard to maintain Garrison Soldiers, I understand that. I can¡¯t afford a monthly salary of fifty yuan, but I could find a way to get some special equipment. Are you interested?¡± Qin Xiangdong continued to pick up the earlier topic. ¡°Wolf Fang Club?¡± ¡°Just kidding, of course it¡¯s good stuff!¡± Seeing that Wang Yunxiao seemed somewhat interested, Qin Xiangdong couldn¡¯t help but reveal a crafty smile: ¡°I¡¯ve fought with these things, I know what¡¯s useful and what¡¯s not firsthand! And about Garrison Soldiers¡­ do you know what this title implies?¡± Wang Yunxiao was taken aback; he really had not given it much thought. Chess Herald and Advisor, those titles carried deep implications. As for Garrison Soldiers¡­ weren¡¯t they just cannon fodder? What other meaning could there be? But hearing what Qin Xiangdong said suggested there might be a deeper explanation. Wang Yunxiao was not well-versed in history, let alone in a version that had been modified to the point of being almost unrecognizable after his transmigration. This was a blind spot in his knowledge. ¡°The Garrison Soldier system was replaced by conscription thousands of years ago, but now, because of practical needs, it has been revived.¡± Qin Xiangdong explained, ¡°I personally don¡¯t really like it¡­ the downsides are obvious, but there¡¯s no help for it. Did your instructors ever tell you that Garrison Soldiers need to provide their own provisions?¡± Chapter 72 - 72 72 Do Not Harbor Illusions about Demons ?72: Chapter 72: Do Not Harbor Illusions about Demons 72: Chapter 72: Do Not Harbor Illusions about Demons Do Garrison Soldiers need to supply their own provisions? Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t really known this before. Not until he went back to Qinghe Middle School and looked up the material in the library did he learn that such a regulation indeed existed; it was his own lack of common sense. Of course, he also blamed himself for not paying much attention in class usually. The garrison soldier system originated from the Yin-Shang era, which greatly diverged from the historical line Wang Yunxiao had in memory. Starting from the end of the Yin-Shang, roughly at the time point of ¡°Investiture of the Gods,¡± an overtly prominent entity called the General¡¯s Mansion began to appear in the political structure of the Central Plains Dynasty. This General¡¯s Mansion wasn¡¯t a permanent office; it typically emerged only during turbulent times of the dynasty. In other words, as the Imperial Court grew increasingly bloated and corrupt, losing control over the vast territories year after year, combined with the adverse effects of natural and man-made disasters, the Imperial Court would establish a General¡¯s Mansion. The emperor would personally take the stage to appoint generals, recruit Garrison Soldiers, sweep through the lands, and suppress the nation¡¯s fortunes. Funded by the Imperial Court with money and grain, yet not controlled by it, wielding heavy troops with high autonomy¡­ Wang Yunxiao thought to himself, if I could become the Great General, I¡¯d go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning with all my clothes golden. This whole thing sounded so irrational; how could it have existed for so long? Of course, come to think of it, there are plenty of irrational things in this world. This was just one more to the list. The book he found didn¡¯t provide a detailed account of the existence or historical positioning of the General¡¯s Mansion. There was also scant description of the Garrison Soldiers. It merely stated that Garrison Soldiers were hereditary military households recruited by the General¡¯s Mansion, which provided weapons, fodder, and horses for unified training. But besides these provisions, everything else was to be gathered by the Garrison Soldiers themselves. In other words, steamed buns were free but pickles had to be brought from home. This sounded somewhat unbelievable, but if one thought about it from a different angle¡ªfor instance, the establishment of the General¡¯s Mansion might specifically be to deal with special issues like Demons and Evil Spirits. The so-called hereditary military households were likely families of Exorcists with inherited traditions. The Imperial Court only offered basic support; as for the specific circumstances they had to face, such as dealing with hairy rice dumplings, the Garrison Soldiers had to prepare their own donkey hooves in soy sauce and sticky rice porridge¡­ That made sense. That was how Wang Yunxiao could understand it for the time being. Even if his understanding was a bit off, it wasn¡¯t a big issue¡ªhe still had teachers to consult. Eryang¡¯s wound was promptly treated after he returned to school, and apart from significant blood loss, it didn¡¯t leave any other potential problems. Based on the information and clues everyone gathered on the scene, Nurse Liu provided a more precise analysis of the abilities of this Mutant Demon in class. ¡°Human-Faced Sore¡ªthis is a very common curse sorcery. Direct sunlight can indeed remove it, but you might not see the sun in the Outer Dimension. The best way is still through the advisor. If an advisor isn¡¯t available, it¡¯s best not to attempt removal on your own, as it might lead to excessive blood loss or infection of the wound.¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The prerequisite for casting this curse entails personally killing someone and then binding the victim¡¯s lost soul to oneself through sorcery. When releasing the curse, through physical contact, the lost soul is transferred to the other person, creating a flesh sore resembling a human face. The agony of the lost soul is unbearable for ordinary people, but it is a delicacy for demons.¡± ¡°Teacher, do you mean to say that each Human-Faced Sore curse indicates it has killed a person?¡± ¡°You are oversimplifying it.¡± Nurse Liu¡¯s expression grew somber: ¡°Since it managed to leave two Human-Faced Sore curses on Yang Yihang¡¯s arm, it indicates that it has more than one life on its hands, and it might even be a mass murderer!¡± Only those who are penniless bother to quibble over every ounce and penny. Real wealthy people choose the most expensive items when shopping and even tip generously. That¡¯s the principle. It¡¯s not that there weren¡¯t any major problems with Eryang; it¡¯s not because the curse wasn¡¯t serious. Instead, he had already undergone training with the garrison soldiers and had a certain resistance to curse sorcery. At the same time, teammates within the same formation could also help him share the damage. This is the true strength of the garrison soldiers. They compensate for the lack of individual strength with the advantage of numbers. Wang Yunxiao raised his hand and asked, ¡°If we encounter it again, how can we restrict its movement?¡± ¡°Restricting its movement is not difficult, as long as it uses sorcery, it leaves traces that can be observed by the Chess Herald. For instance, if it wants to possess someone else¡¯s body, it must first corrode their spirit with an echo, like planting a seed in the soil. If the Advisor digs out this seed, it won¡¯t be able to control someone else¡¯s body within a short period.¡± Nurse Liu¡¯s expression was serious, and she said in a low voice, ¡°As long as the team is reasonably arranged, dealing with such demons is not troublesome. What you really need to be careful of is the insane revenge it will seek after completely losing its humanity.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a fighting arena; it won¡¯t abide by any rules of the Jianghu World, nor will it fight you fair and square. If you don¡¯t kill it instantly, it will only hide and lick its wounds, then retaliate against you with even crueler means.¡± ¡°Do not harbor any naive illusions about those who have undergone mutation.¡± This sentence was directed at Chen Yan. Compared to Wang Yunxiao and his group, Chen Yan was the genuine sheltered flower. The love and protection from her parents had been too overwhelming, leaving her understanding of evil far from the reality of true wickedness. This gap cannot be bridged by teachers simply lecturing about morality in the classroom; it must be experienced personally. Chen Yan thought she was ready for this mental preparation. But the storm arrived earlier than she had anticipated. The next morning, some rumors began to circulate within the school. As the class monitor, Chen Yan inevitably interacted with class officers from other classes, and being a girl, she was more inclined towards idle gossip. ¡°Have you heard? Those girls who transferred to the fourth class in the first year, they used to do that¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the teacher forbid us from talking about these things?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not allowed to talk, but they¡¯re still doing it¡­ You know the one from the first class in the second year, right?¡± Hearing them talk about her own class, Chen Yan couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What happened to our class?¡± As a post-war shelter, Qinghe Middle School had a diverse student body. Not discussing one¡¯s past was an unwritten school rule. Class teachers repeatedly cautioned the students not to judge the new students. Not discussing ¡°Wang Yunxiao and his gang¡± was also an unwritten rule. Because they really were bad students, and they did beat people up. Those with loose lips had been dealt with. ¡°You don¡¯t know yet? It was in the newspapers!¡± The class monitor of the second year¡¯s fifth class saw Chen Yan apparently unaware of the issue and couldn¡¯t help but remind her in a whisper, ¡°I¡¯m not making this up; it was in the paper yesterday, you can check for yourself.¡± Chapter 73 - 73 73 Words Can Also Be Used to Kill ?73: Chapter 73: Words Can Also Be Used to Kill 73: Chapter 73: Words Can Also Be Used to Kill The media industry in Tianmen City had always been at the forefront nationally. Dozens of newspapers and magazines, large and small, some of which date back thirty years to when the national ethos was not yet liberal. However, due to the limitations of the national standard of living, the audience for these newspapers and magazines is still mostly confined to the literati and has not become fully popularized. For the average citizen, their understanding of newspapers is limited to using them as wallpaper. Qinghe Middle School only subscribed to a few of the mainstream newspapers and magazines available in the market, all stored in the library. Generally, only the teaching staff read them during their spare time, as most students did not possess such high awareness. Thus, the content published in the newspapers yesterday only began to ferment and circulate today. Someone had published a seemingly plausible investigative report in the newspaper, directly targeting Qinghe Middle School. In the past two years, Qinghe Middle School had taken in a large number of external students, among whom were mixed characters. There were war orphans like Wang Yunxiao, or those marginalized social loafers; that wasn¡¯t much of an issue. There were also some women rescued from the technical departments during last year¡¯s cleanup campaign. The waters here are too deep to elaborate on, but those who understand, understand. In the era of the Former Dynasty, Tianmen City, being a port for both river and sea transport, had naturally bred a large number of grey industries during its economic boom. It is said that the ABC industries are inseparable, with Industry A being a long-standing and legal livelihood in the old times, not only large in scale but also quite profitable. Even in modern times, there are many who loudly proclaim their opposition against the Grand Governor, yet display a considerably tolerant attitude towards this industry. But few know, or can understand, the exploitation and oppression faced by the technicians in this trade. The girls received by Qinghe Middle School, many of whom did not even meet the age standard for middle school, let alone attend classes or go to the cafeteria without difficulty. But there was no other way; the conditions were just those, so they had to be uniformly placed in the seventh grade. These girls usually behaved very introvertedly and self-consciously, not liking to interact with others. The past, to them, was a nightmare best left unremembered. However, it¡¯s well known that the weaker you are, the more likely you are to be bullied¡ªthere are always those who specifically kick at the good leg of the lame. Before the completion of the cleanup campaign, a flowery gentleman had published an article in the newspaper, expounding thousands of classical words to defend the vast numbers of lonely, empty-hearted men, decrying such backward and harmful actions as disastrous for the country. At the same time, he scoffed and mocked the policies for rescuing and reforming fallen women, alluding that the President was leading to a breakdown in ritual and music, and to a state ceasing to be a state¡­ And then there was no more. Neither from the person nor the topic. Now this matter has been dug up again and published in the newspaper. This time, the author seemed to have learned from his predecessor¡¯s lesson and did not directly criticize, but adopted a more euphemistic narrative style. He first highly praised last year¡¯s two rounds of cleanup operations, then shifted the topic, mentioning that since the beginning of this year, the police seem to have taken no similar actions. If the new policy cannot be maintained for long, the return of old evils is inevitable, stirring up the sediment once again. He then relayed, in the tone of one of his friends, how Little Yuxiu, who had just started her career at Hongnuan Pavilion, was enchanting and lovely like a lotus in clear water, tender like young cardamom¡­ S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such a peerless beauty, who should have been the center of attention, had vanished without a trace, unknown to the public. Now, by chance meeting her again, she already appeared with a sallow complexion, a vacant gaze, and a bewildered expression, unknown to what inhumane treatment she had endured. Our reporter tried to investigate further, but was obstructed by thugs who smashed his camera and left him bleeding from the head¡­ How pitiful, how tragic, how hateful, how lamentable! Throughout the article, not a single word mentioned Qinghe Middle School, yet it indirectly pointed at Qinghe Middle School everywhere, accusing the principal of haughtiness, the school staff of being redundant, the students of moral decay, the new government¡­ In summary, the school is thoroughly bad, beyond redemption! Upon getting the newspaper and reading this article, Chen Yan¡¯s face was full of question marks. She knew about Wang Yunxiao¡¯s camera incident, but who was Little Yuxiu? Did the school have such a person? ¡°Do you find it utterly baffling?¡± ¡°¡­there is a bit.¡± Chen Yan thought to herself, unsure of what central idea the author really wanted to express. Besides churning and rolling over in a nauseating manner, she could not discern the specific purpose of the article. ¡°What if Little Yuxiu is you?¡± ¡°Me? When did I¡­¡± ¡°The facts don¡¯t matter; you could be Little Yuxiu in the story, or you could transform into the chaste and heroic woman they praise. If the pen is in someone else¡¯s hand, they can turn you into whatever they want.¡± Nurse Liu took back the newspaper, and said softly, ¡°If you can¡¯t face your own heart and be clear about your position, allowing others to distort and misrepresent you, you will only encounter a more terrible tragedy.¡± At that moment, Chen Yan could not yet understand the true meaning of these words, not until later that night. A sudden palpitation made her sit up drowsily from her bed and grope in the darkness to walk out of the room. Just as she reached the bathroom door, she collided head-on with a pair of icy cold little feet. Chen Yan instantly woke up, looked up, and saw a girl hanging by her neck from a beam, her stiff body swaying¡­ In that instant, her mind went blank. ¡­ Little Gourd was sleeping soundly when suddenly someone flung off her blanket and yanked her down from the bed harshly. Opening her eyes to darkness, the eyes of the person in front of her shimmered with a ghostly fire, nearly causing her heart and lungs to stop from fright. ¡°Come save her!¡± Chen Yan, without wasting words, slapped a cold, wet towel on Little Gourd¡¯s face and dragged her out of the dormitory. A corpse lay in the corridor. ¡°Who¡­ who is this?¡± Little Gourd¡¯s face turned white from fright, for who wouldn¡¯t be scared waking up in the middle of the night to such a scene? ¡°I don¡¯t know, but let¡¯s see if we can save her!¡± ¡°She¡¯s already cold!¡± ¡°I saw her soul hasn¡¯t left her body yet! We can still bring her back!¡± ¡°Then hurry to the medical room!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t carry her!¡± Carrying a living person is one thing; hauling a dead body is another. Chen Yan swiftly pressed down on Little Gourd¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you learn first aid in class today? Try to resuscitate her, I¡¯ll go find a teacher!¡± After she spoke, she ran off without looking back. Leaving Little Gourd trembling in place. ¡°How should I deal with this?¡± Little Gourd was completely numb. She had learned first aid, not how to summon souls¡­ After pondering, she bit her lip, bent down, and climbed onto the chest of the corpse, listening intently for a few seconds. The heart had stopped! What¡¯s there to save! Rolling and crawling back to the dormitory, she pulled out her textbook, flipped to the middle, silently recited a couple of spells, grasped her pencil lead, and plunged it hard into the heart area of the corpse. Chapter 74 - 74 74 The Weaker You Are the More You Are Bullied ?74: Chapter 74: The Weaker You Are, the More You Are Bullied 74: Chapter 74: The Weaker You Are, the More You Are Bullied Wang Yunxiao was not well-informed and still didn¡¯t know what had happened. To someone like him, who had experienced the deluge of internet information, such seemingly inexplicable articles were nothing unusual. For instance, consider today, when a public account suddenly published an article claiming that an American university¡¯s lab had issued a paper stating that being woken up by an alarm in the morning is a major factor in the sudden deaths of young people. The article went on and on about how young people stay up late on their phones, don¡¯t sleep at night, don¡¯t get up in the morning, and how poor their sleep quality is¡­ Any normal person would find it baffling. What, do I have to get up early every day because I love my job? I set an alarm every day; do you think I like hearing that noise? When you feel it¡¯s inexplicable, it means you are not the target audience of the article. In fact, if you scrolled down a bit more, you would find out they sell melatonin. ¡°Something happened?¡± While having his thin porridge in the morning, Youtiao mysteriously leaned over and whispered a few words in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s ear. ¡°Someone in the girls¡¯ dormitory hanged themselves in the restroom? Who was it?¡± Youtiao passed over a newspaper and pointed out the content to Wang Yunxiao. ¡°Little Yuxiu? Who is that?¡± Wang Yunxiao had no recollection of the name. ¡°Don¡¯t know her, she must be from the group that transferred in at the beginning of the year.¡± Youtiao shook his head and said, ¡°Little Gourd told me about it this morning. The news hasn¡¯t spread yet; only she and Chen Yan know of it now.¡± ¡°Did they save her?¡± ¡°Not sure. After they sent the person to the infirmary to Nurse Liu, they went back to sleep.¡± ¡°Is it unclear, or is it something you shouldn¡¯t say lightly?¡± Wang Yunxiao glanced at Youtiao, ¡°This is the second time, right?¡± Youtiao silently nodded. The first time was shortly after Wang Yunxiao had crossed over; he was having a night out with his brothers in the cafeteria when they encountered a man-eating demon. Later, a girl named Jiang Yinyin, also a newcomer, disappeared from the school. This news was suppressed by the school authorities and did not spread. Now, the same tragedy was unfolding once again. No one could know how such an article, fabricated purely from imagination, could psychologically harm the person involved. Perhaps they knew, but they did not care. As the saying goes, ¡®pick on the soft persimmon.¡¯ The most criticized aspect of Qinghe Middle School was not its harboring of homeless orphans; after all, letting people like Wang Yunxiao wander the streets was not beneficial to anyone. The most controversial and despicable aspect was the last group of girls taken in. Simply because they had no parents, no support, and did not know how to fight back, they were vulnerable and easy targets! Bullying them was considered almost a righteous act! No matter which power group looked towards the school, realizing that the likes of Principal Zhou and a stubborn fool like Wang Yunxiao made direct action complicated, they naturally focused on the more vulnerable. Without much thought, based just on this incident alone, Wang Yunxiao could predict the forthcoming developments. With controlled information by the school, they would continue to fabricate storiettes, calling for the truth. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If the school didn¡¯t control the information, they would use it to make a big fuss, criticizing the school¡¯s disregard for human life. For ordinary onlookers like Wang Yunxiao, not understanding their intentions was normal. Because you do not buy melatonin¡­ ¡°Echo Erosion.¡± Wang Yunxiao was no longer the naive youngster of the past; he saw through their schemes at a glance. He whispered to Youtiao, ¡°Once the news spreads, there might be an ¡®Echo Erosion¡¯ effect. We need to be psychologically prepared.¡± ¡°Grab the garlic, grab the sea salt¡­¡± Even in a world unaffected by mysterious forces, similar echo phenomena would occur, or one could say, collective panic caused by the spread of rumors. In ancient times, this was known as camp outcry. ¡°I don¡¯t know who wrote this kind of stuff.¡± Youtiao snorted coldly, ¡°If I see them sneaking photos near the school entrance again, I¡¯ll call Guozi to deal with them!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to worry about this. The school should be able to handle it.¡± Principal Zhou was no pushover. Normally, anyone with a clear mind wouldn¡¯t touch this hot mess. It was hard to judge their mental state since they brazenly brought up such unreliable stuff. For an incident that had escalated to impact social order stability, the Special Service Bureau wouldn¡¯t continue to turn a blind eye, right? Wang Yunxiao was mulling over this when suddenly, everything before him darkened. Chen Yan came over and sat opposite him. Seeing her eyes ringed with dark circles, she probably hadn¡¯t slept well last night. Normal people wouldn¡¯t sleep well after encountering such things. However, this was the first time Wang Yunxiao had seen her looking angry. When she argued with the poor students in the class over classroom discipline and not turning in homework, she used to get just mad, and her puffed-up face even looked somewhat cute. But this time, she was truly angry. Her gaze was terrifyingly cold. ¡°Do you know Zhou Qing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know her,¡± Wang Yunxiao shook his head, he had no recollection of this name. ¡°Before she transferred here, she had a nickname, Little Yuxiu.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Wang Yunxiao lifted the newspaper, ¡°You mean her? I really don¡¯t know her.¡± ¡°She was sold to that kind of place from a young age, not knowing where her parents were, not even knowing who she was. The name Zhou Qing was given by the principal, hoping she could, like any normal family¡¯s child, have the right to educate herself and take control of her own life.¡± Chen Yan¡¯s eyes reddened, and she grit her teeth. ¡°Just because of this falsely fabricated article, she feared that others would know her past and point fingers at her, so last night she hanged herself in the toilet¡­¡± ¡°So what do you want? Do you want to avenge her?¡± Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but counter, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s because of you that the demon, finding no flaws in you, targeted someone else instead? That child was innocent, died because of you, do you feel guilty, is that it?¡± Chen Yan pursed her lips, silent, as if she might burst into tears if Wang Yunxiao said another word. ¡°If it¡¯s true, what¡¯s there to be afraid of admitting? You think I¡¯d laugh at you?¡± Wang Yunxiao, lowering his voice, said, ¡°On the fifteenth, Teacher Liu will open that door in the school for us. When that thing smells the scent and comes over, we¡¯ll find a chance and kill it!¡± Chen Yan fell silent for a moment, then nodded forcefully. This child had already harbored murderous intentions¡­ Wang Yunxiao sighed inwardly; he really wanted to award a medal to that friend. In their newly formed rookie team, Chen Yan had originally been the weakest link. Saying she had a Holy Mother¡¯s heart might be an exaggeration, but she had a normal person¡¯s level of mentality. Placed in this team, she had become the weak link. But look at you now, directly helping us patch up the last vulnerability. Now, she was just like one of us. Chapter 75 - 75 75 Full Moon Night Ghost Gate Opens ?75: Chapter 75: Full Moon Night, Ghost Gate Opens 75: Chapter 75: Full Moon Night, Ghost Gate Opens ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait for any resolution. If you can¡¯t make a decision, I will find someone who can,¡± he said. Principal Zhou put down the phone, picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and looked up at Nurse Liu, who stood in front of him. ¡°How is Zhou Qing?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t know until the end of the month.¡± ¡°The end of the month, huh¡­¡± Principal Zhou sighed. ¡°Tell me, have I not taken enough care of these children?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nurse Liu answered bluntly. ¡°Originally, I advised against accepting these children. Sending them to the technical school of Qianjin Church with the older girls would have been the best choice. Girls are much more emotionally fragile, and the nuns there could at least offer them more care.¡± Principal Zhou removed his glasses, wiped the smudges off the lenses, and remained silent. Anyone could see that he was in a bad mood. But Nurse Liu didn¡¯t mind that, her mood wasn¡¯t much better either. ¡°This is already the second accident. I thought you would be prepared mentally.¡± Being mentally prepared and being able to accept are two different things.¡± Principal Zhou said sternly, ¡°We can¡¯t depend on the Church for everything, even if it¡¯s¡­ the current Qianjin Church. This time¡¯s opening¡­ nevermind¡­¡± As it came to the point, he hesitated again. Nurse Liu tentatively asked, ¡°Open it a bit more?¡± Principal Zhou hesitated for a long time, then slowly nodded and said, ¡°Open it a bit more. Whatever problem arises, I will take responsibility.¡± ¡­¡­ Although the door was supposed to be opened on the 15th, exactly how and where it would be opened, and what would happen after, Wang Yunxiao knew nothing about it. According to a friend of Third Master Ding, it was a Minor Cave Heaven left by an Immortal. Well, if you stop overthinking and stop blindly guessing, you might find this explanation acceptable. ¡°Opening the door,¡± or entering this Minor Cave Heaven, would occur on the 15th of each month at exactly midnight, and it involved finding a special door within the school. First of all, letting outsiders into the school was a problem. The security guard at the gate wielding a Wolf Fang Club was not just for show. Then, how many people to let in, and whether they might take the opportunity to cause some damage, was also an issue. If it weren¡¯t for Nurse Liu¡¯s generous promise, Wang Yunxiao originally had no intention of dealing with Third Master Ding. As the saying goes, why let your own wealth flow into others¡¯ fields? Why invite thieves voluntarily? But Nurse Liu seemed to think that this was a good opportunity for a real combat drill, and she even went so far as to reassign the school gate security that night. As for how to find that door, she was rather vague, just telling everyone to figure it out on their own. Riddle people are really annoying! That night, Wang Yunxiao gathered his troop, including Chen Yan and Little Gourd, totaling fourteen people. They waited in the classroom where they usually had lessons until evening, with Chen Yan bringing quite a few peanuts and sunflower seeds from home, which somewhat lightened the tense atmosphere. ¡°It¡¯s already this late, why won¡¯t Sister Liu tell us clearly?¡± Even though Youtiao had already made several sets of plans in advance, Matuan and Youbing, the two brothers, couldn¡¯t help being suspicious. Matuan leaned over to Wang Yunxiao and chuckled, ¡°Big brother, which Cultivation Method do you think Sister Liu practices? I think she seems like an Advisor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably Advisor,¡± Wang Yunxiao felt the same. The three Cultivation Methods provided by the official are distinctive, and once familiar, they are easy to differentiate. Nurse Liu¡¯s knowledge clearly exceeded what a medical military officer should possess. She could even teach three different Dharma Gates simultaneously without suffering from knowledge contamination. This could only be achieved by an Advisor responsible for gathering information and keeping secrets. Moreover, her enigmatic demeanor made it difficult not to speculate in that direction. ¡°Big brother, what do you say, if we encounter danger that we cannot withstand, will she step in to save us?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about such a good fortune.¡± If Nurse Liu were of any use, Principal Zhou wouldn¡¯t have had to make calls over and over again. Although she had never mentioned her current condition, based on the information Wang Yunxiao had gathered these days, like her, veterans who had been on the battlefield often had indescribable hidden ailments. The new Director Qin was a perfect contrasting case. He was also a retired veteran, even a high-ranking officer, who seemed to have the will but not the power. Experienced, but no longer able to fight. It could be that mental contamination had accumulated to a certain extent and caused a qualitative change, or it could be even more problematic issues. Wang Yunxiao had also thought about asking Old Master He for help. First, he hadn¡¯t figured out how capable the old man actually was, and second, with his own pockets so clean, he couldn¡¯t afford the hiring fee. Unless he went to become a disciple now. But he was not very willing to do that in his heart. All in all, he still had to rely on his brothers by his side this time. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing that it was about time, Wang Yunxiao stood up and said to everyone, ¡°Wait a while, I¡¯ll lead them in first to scout out the path, Youtiao, you take people to protect the squad leader and Little Gourd¡¯s safety, even if the door is open, don¡¯t rush in.¡± ¡°Okay, big brother, don¡¯t worry!¡± Wang Yunxiao was mainly worried about that friend lurking in the dark. The facts proved that this guy had no bottom line when causing trouble, and it was never too much to be cautious against him. The school gate was eerily quiet and dark, without a security guard, making it feel like a scene from a horror movie. Tonight, the moon was both big and round. Perhaps it was the lack of light pollution these years, but Wang Yunxiao always felt that the moon was much bigger than he remembered. So he unconsciously took a few more glances at it. Arriving at the school gate alone, he quietly pushed open the unlocked gate. After that meal, Wang Yunxiao had contacted Third Master Ding once more, and both parties agreed to meet at the school gate at eleven o¡¯clock on the evening of the fifteenth. Third Master Ding was also very cautious, merely wanting to scout out the place. If there truly was such a thing as the Minor Cave Heaven, there was no need to rush. Haste makes waste. Money can be earned slowly, but once life is lost, no amount of wealth and glory matters. Unlike those low-level Jianghu people who lick blood off knife edges and sell their lives for money, as a local veteran with a family and business, Third Master Ding had an exceptionally steady mindset in this regard. Wang Yunxiao stepped outside and looked around, but saw no one, which immediately felt off to him. Was the time wrong, or was there some other change? His mind briefly went blank¡­ The sudden feeling of drowsiness made Wang Yunxiao alert, and he pinched his thigh without hesitation, forcing his eyes open. The scene in front of him was completely unfamiliar. The sky was still dark, but he was no longer at the school gate; instead, he had returned to the classroom earlier. The classroom was empty. Outside the window, it was pitch black, and he couldn¡¯t see his hand in front of his face. In the sky, there was no moon. Chapter 76 - 76 76 Are You the True Heiress of a Wealthy Family ?76: Chapter 76 Are You the True Heiress of a Wealthy Family? 76: Chapter 76 Are You the True Heiress of a Wealthy Family? Wang Yunxiao¡¯s understanding of Nurse Liu¡¯s explanation about ¡°opening the gateway between the Real World and the Outer Dimension,¡± referred to as ¡°opening the door,¡± was limited to an image of a semi-transparent vortex with an Assembly Stone nearby that could pull people in. What could be so hard to explain about this? But it was indeed hard to explain. ¡°Anchor failure!¡± In a daze, he thought he heard such phrase. Then, when he regained consciousness, he found himself back in the classroom instead of the school gate where he had been before. He had no idea what had happened. Could it be that the act of pushing open the school gate just now counted as ¡°opening the door¡±? Wang Yunxiao was utterly confused. He looked around, and the classroom was empty. That was normal; who would come to class in the middle of the night? What was abnormal was the absence of peanut shells and melon seed husks on the floor. Realizing this detail, Wang Yunxiao knew that he wasn¡¯t in the same classroom he had originally been in. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t the classroom that existed in the Real World. He carefully pushed the door open and stepped out into the corridor. He tried flipping the light switch, but there was no response. Normally, students should be asleep in their dormitories at this time. Should he go check the dormitories? Or¡­ head to the infirmary to see if he could find Nurse Liu? Wang Yunxiao glanced at the Ox Ear Knife in his embrace and sighed. Forget it, why bother thinking so much? Just tell me where the monster is. Where¡¯s the BOSS? Without moon or light, the school was shrouded in pitch darkness, making it nearly impossible to see anything. It was like the day he had just crossed over, no, at least there were stars and lights outside on that day. Now, there was nothing outside the window. Wang Yunxiao touched the wall with one hand and gripped the knife in the other, fumbling towards the infirmary based on the school¡¯s layout in his mind. Just as he reached the spot where there should¡¯ve been stairs, he took a step and immediately felt something underfoot was amiss, as if there was no solid ground, and something was wedged beneath his foot. If he hadn¡¯t been careful, he would have easily lost his balance and tumbled down the steps. ¡°Hee~¡± A strange laugh faintly echoed through the darkness, as if a prank was about to succeed. Wang Yunxiao¡¯s ears twitched, and he delivered a strong kick out of reflex. There was a pained howl as something flew out from under his feet and crashed against the opposite wall. He leaped down the stairs in a single bound, stepping in the direction where that thing had landed. With a squish, it felt as if he had stepped on rotten flesh, and before it could react, it was crushed into mush on the spot. Wang Yunxiao bent down and reached out, fumbling around and feeling something round, like a child¡¯s head. In the darkness, two faint red lights glowed. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± The moment it made a sound, Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t hesitate to grab it and slam it against the nearby wall. After smashing it three times vehemently, turning it into mush, he belatedly realized that the thing seemed like it was trying to speak. ¡°Young¡­ Young Hero!¡± Not far away, another child-like, tender voice sounded, now with a sobbing tone, ¡°Please show mercy with your knife!¡± ¡°Sorry, got a bit ahead of myself.¡± Wang Yunxiao nonchalantly wiped a handful of what was either brain or blood, some sort of sticky substance, onto the wall, then laughed towards the direction of the voice, ¡°Third Master Ding, how did you end up like this? I almost didn¡¯t recognize you for a moment.¡± ¡°This is the Mealybug Boy by my side, please show some mercy¡­ By the way, where have we ended up? Why does this place look off to me? Is this an Immortal Cave?¡± Wang Yunxiao followed the voice and stepped closer to observe, only then did he spot a toddler no more than three or four years old hiding around the corner of the wall, wearing a red bellyband and a topknot, looking exactly like a child from a New Year painting. Only this child wasn¡¯t as rosy and plump as those in the paintings, but rather pale with a greenish hue, and there was a strange red glimmer flickering in its eye sockets, trembling in the corner of the wall. Perhaps it had just witnessed an unsettling scene and got scared, right? A gentle smile appeared on Wang Yunxiao¡¯s face as he squatted down and said, ¡°I¡¯m quite baffled myself. This Immortal Cave, wasn¡¯t it something your friend mentioned? Didn¡¯t he tell you anything about the specifics here?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me anything, I don¡¯t even know how I got in.¡± Third Master Ding¡¯s tone was full of confusion, ¡°Could it be that some Illusion Array was set up at the entrance of this Immortal Cave, trapping us¡­¡± The sentence was cut off halfway, as if the signal had been lost. The Ghost Doll looked around, then suddenly burst into tears and turned to run, but Wang Yunxiao quickly grabbed the back of its head. ¡°Why are you running around? Don¡¯t you think this place is dangerous? Take me to your Family Head!¡± No sooner had he released his grip than the Ghost Child managed to break away and ran off. Wang Yunxiao followed behind it, listening to its footsteps, and moved forward. Unexpectedly, he bumped into something on his side. He instinctively said, ¡°Sorry¡­¡± All of a sudden, it became bright. Without any warning or transition, in that instant, the night turned into day. The afternoon sunlight was hazy yet warm. Wang Yunxiao looked at the student he had just bumped into, his brows furrowing slightly. ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t run around in the hallways.¡± The other person adjusted their glasses and said nonchalantly. Wang Yunxiao recognized those glasses but had a bit of trouble recognizing the person in front of him. ¡°Zhang Hanlin?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± It was actually him! Wang Yunxiao¡¯s pupils shocked. Zhang Hanlin was Youtiao¡¯s real name, and because his name had too many strokes, even he avoided writing it, using only ¡°Youtiao¡± for his schoolwork. However, the young man in front of him had a tall figure, handsome features, and an air of melancholic indifference that was impossible to associate with the real-world image of Youtiao¡ªa thin, sharp-faced, oily spectacle-wearing man. If Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t known him so well, he wouldn¡¯t have recognized him at first glance. How many filters have you layered on yourself? Or did you buy a skin for yourself with money? But of course, the most important thing was¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t recognize me anymore?¡± The aloof and distant expression in the other person¡¯s eyes puzzled Wang Yunxiao. Could it really be someone else? Could this be the legendary case of the real rich heiress being replaced¡­ ¡°Wang Yunxiao?¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A glint of contemplation flickered in Zhang Hanlin¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you need something?¡± He still knows me? This response left Wang Yunxiao even more confused, so he continued tentatively, ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, but where are you headed?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± This question silenced Zhang Hanlin for a moment, and after some thought, he said uncertainly, ¡°I¡¯m going to check on the drama club¡¯s rehearsal progress.¡± ¡°Our school has a drama club?¡± ¡°There should be¡­right?¡± Chapter 77 - 77 77 Nostalgia for the Boy from the Past ?77: Chapter 77: Nostalgia for the Boy from the Past 77: Chapter 77: Nostalgia for the Boy from the Past The golden sunshine spilled across the campus, and through the window, the distant city was faintly visible, seemingly indistinguishable from the Real World, yet there was an indescribable sense of illusion. How should I describe that feeling¡­ It¡¯s like watching high-level martial artists compete in the ring, unleashing unexpected moves in the blink of an eye. Then suddenly, the scene shifts, and bystanders begin to exclaim, comment, smile, and express admiration. And then there¡¯s 15,000 words of inner monologue for supporting characters A, B, C, and D. That¡¯s the subtle, staggered sense of time and space one experiences in moments of rapid succession. There really are students on campus, which is a redundant statement. The important part is, along the way, Wang Yunxiao realized that many of his classmates looked somewhat familiar. He felt like he knew them, but couldn¡¯t recall any names. Incredibly, the school actually had a drama club, not just a drama club, but even a dedicated small theater. Young students hustled back and forth on stage, reciting their awkward lines. Zhang Hanlin entered the small theater, and all eyes instantly focused on him. With a slight nod of acknowledgment, everyone then returned to their rehearsal activities. Zhang Hanlin found a seat, sat down, and turned to Wang Yunxiao, saying, ¡°When do I remember you liking theater?¡± Wang Yunxiao shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know you had a taste for it either.¡± ¡°My dad likes theater. He used to take me with him when I was young, whether it was Southern or Northern theater, Chinese or Western style, he liked them all.¡± Zhang Hanlin spoke as if he was conversing with Wang Yunxiao, but also as if talking to himself. His gaze remained fixed on the stage. A girl dressed in the costume of a lady character came to the front of the stage and gave him a distant smile. The girl looked a lot like Chen Yan, but not quite. ¡°My dad really likes female actors, but he has the desire without the courage, never daring to keep a mistress outside.¡± Zhang Hanlin couldn¡¯t help but laugh at this. ¡°Once I told my dad that I wanted to marry a female actor too. He nearly killed me for that.¡± Wang Yunxiao didn¡¯t know what to say, only able to comment, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea!¡± Zhang Hanlin suddenly turned and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think Chen Yan dances beautifully?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen her dance?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t seen it, but I think she must be a beautiful dancer.¡± ¡°Do you like her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Zhang Hanlin curled his lips into a smile, ¡°Her family background versus mine? Do you think she¡¯s a match for me?¡± As he said this, the smile on his face gradually faded, until it disappeared altogether. Wang Yunxiao sat next to him, watching as his dreamy gaze sobered bit by bit, then became confused, puzzled¡­ Just then, the girl on stage jumped down and approached, calling out softly, ¡°Young master, how did you like my singing just now?¡± ¡°It was good¡­¡± Zhang Hanlin forced a smile, and the lucidity in his eyes weakened again by half. ¡°You¡¯re too perfunctory, aren¡¯t you?¡± The girl pouted, leaned in close, and in a whimpering voice, asked, ¡°Was it really good, did you like it?¡± ¡°Cough cough¡ª!¡± Zhang Hanlin suddenly coughed and with a stern face said, ¡°Go play over there!¡± The girl looked hurt but obediently walked away. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After she had gone a good distance, Zhang Hanlin turned back to Wang Yunxiao, gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re not being fair, just watching me make a fool of myself, huh?¡± Wang Yunxiao countered, ¡°Am I in the way here? No worries, I can leave!¡± ¡°In the way? What situation is this?¡± Zhang Hanlin¡­Youtiao broke out in a cold sweat, utterly baffled. ¡°Come back to your senses?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Was I dreaming?¡± ¡°Who knows, maybe.¡± Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t quite explain what was going on. The fact that Youtiao quickly came to his senses could only mean one thing, someone was approaching. When Garrison Soldiers gather three people, they can automatically form an array. In the same camp 3/N, Magic Resistance +1, Physical Resistance +1. Now they needed to consider Star Level Upgrading¡­ No, they needed to get out of there as quickly as possible. Wang Yunxiao stood up, walked to the door, and turned back to ask Youtiao, ¡°Shall we go?¡± Youtiao reluctantly glanced at the girl not far away, who was grinning at him, and nodded his head with gritted teeth. He had more important things to do. As he opened the door, Wang Yunxiao said softly, ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s not that you like her, but that you just miss the feeling of being a rich young master, right?¡± Youtiao remained silent. ¡°In the past, you wouldn¡¯t even spare a glance at someone like Chen Yan, but now you feel like you¡¯re not good enough for her¡­¡± ¡°Can we not talk about this, Big Bro?¡± Youtiao stepped forward and pushed the door open first, and outside was pitch darkness. He rushed out without looking back. Wang Yunxiao followed him out the door. The sunlight disappeared in an instant, replaced by a darkness so thick they couldn¡¯t see their fingers in front of them. ¡°Ouch, damn it, who is that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Youtiao?¡± ¡°Your grandpa Youtiao!¡± They knew from that cheeky voice that it was Matuan; then, he received a thump on the head from Youtiao. ¡°How did we get in here? Where is this place?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Wang Yunxiao grabbed Matuan¡¯s shoulder and asked in a low voice, ¡°You guys didn¡¯t come in together?¡± ¡°No, Big Bro, you¡¯re here! Everything went dark, and I just found myself in here. There was no one around, I couldn¡¯t see anything, and I only dared to move by feeling the ground¡­¡± Hearing Wang Yunxiao¡¯s voice, Matuan immediately felt more at ease, and his voice gained strength. This was going to be difficult. Just as Nurse Liu had said, there was no experience to speak of. How they got here was unknown, their location was unknown, and what they might encounter was uncertain. All their people had been scattered, which was the worst-case scenario they had imagined. ¡°Let¡¯s find Chen Yan first!¡± Youtiao reminded softly. The Chess Herald was the brain and eyes of the team. Without eyes, they saw nothing¡ªthat was what it meant, wasn¡¯t it? Teacher Liu Zhihan, please stop being a riddle master, will you! Wang Yunxiao¡¯s mind was in disarray; he couldn¡¯t think of any good ideas for the moment. In this gloomy place, would shouting loudly attract that Demon, or something even more sinister? And if Chen Yan was in the same state as Youtiao just now, even if you called her, she might not be able to hear you. This was probably the time to¡­ Wang Yunxiao turned his head as if sensing something. In the instant he turned, a burst of silver-white light suddenly erupted from the teaching building across the window, like a torch lit in the darkness. ¡°¡­We can only trust her!¡± Although the silver-white light only lasted for a few seconds, at that moment, Wang Yunxiao clearly heard Chen Yan¡¯s voice in his ear. ¡°I¡¯m here, come to me!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Without any hesitation, Wang Yunxiao knew that this light shining through the darkness wasn¡¯t just visible to him but to others as well. The lighting of Torchfire could guide companions but also attract monsters lurking in the dark. Chapter 78 - 78 78 Unexpected Encounter ?78: Chapter 78 Unexpected Encounter 78: Chapter 78 Unexpected Encounter The school in the darkness was as quiet as if everyone had died. But the moment the Torchfire ignited, the entire school seemed to awaken. What had been empty corridors suddenly filled with many people, or perhaps other things. Wang Yunxiao hadn¡¯t been running for long before he had to slow down due to the variety of noises coming from both sides of the hallway, seriously affecting his judgment. There were sounds of classroom doors being opened, people fumbling about in the dark before falling to the ground, becoming obstacles to step over. There were also people shouting Wang Yunxiao¡¯s name from behind, which Wang Yunxiao consistently ignored. The brothers I brought in all call me boss, so what¡¯s the meaning of calling me Wang Yunxiao? Do I give you any mind? Suddenly, there was a bright light in front of him as day and night switched places once again. The sound of air being torn roared toward him. Wang Yunxiao reached back, grabbed Youtiao and Matuan, and rolled on the ground, dodging the shadow that swept over his head. That was a gigantic lizard¡¯s tail. Following the tail forward with his eyes, he saw a humanoid monster clinging to the ceiling with all four limbs, its back densely covered with fist-sized human faces, like a giant Toad with progeny attached, sickening and disturbing even with a single glance. As he saw the monster, the human faces on its body also saw him. Wang Yunxiao grunted, instinctively closing his eyes, and dark smoke instantly billowed from his body. Caught off guard, Youtiao and Matuan behind him immediately screamed in agony, cradling their heads as their exposed skin on their faces, hands, and elsewhere began to twitch, quickly forming twisted human-like shapes. How many lives has this damned thing taken with its hands? Look at all those faces on its back, it must have wiped out an entire village, right? ¡°Wang Yunxiao!¡± Chen Yan¡¯s voice instantly drew his attention. It was a classroom bathed in sunlight and warmth. Chen Yan huddled in a corner with Loach and a few others, and behind them were even some unfamiliar students. Faint crisscrossing lines weaved through the airspace. This was an illusion manifested by the Secret Technique ¡°Star Pointing Technique¡± practiced by Chess Herald. Chen Yan¡¯s long, thin ponytail fluttered in the air, her eyes shimmering with a blue glow, her right hand raised high, with her index and middle finger joined together. She was in the ¡°Holding Chess¡± state. In the eyes of Chess Herald, the world was one of multiple dimensions interwoven, both real and unreal. She had to establish her own set of rules to distinguish between reality and illusion. Weaving through the grid of reality, making advances and retreats, that was the game. ¡°Game Theory¡± is China¡¯s earliest chess manual. The girl¡¯s hand glowed with the silver light of the chess piece as it forcefully struck down. Heaven and earth flipped! The hideous monster that had been proudly clinging to the ceiling was suddenly and inexplicably back on the ground. What met it was the Wolf Fang Club, studded with iron nails! Gangtou was covered with wounds of all sizes, bleeding profusely and turned into a bloodied figure. In the short encounter, the monster had tried to launch a sneak attack from the darkness and was sent flying by his club. But the curse of the Human-Faced Sore followed. Agony, instead, spurred on his ferocity. Looking at his wounds, one could imagine the vicious battle he had just been through, but regardless, he remained tenaciously upright to the present. Facing the incoming Wolf Fang Club, the monster didn¡¯t dare to be careless; it had already suffered enough from this tool, and now it didn¡¯t even know how many of its ribs had been broken. It couldn¡¯t understand why the little fatty didn¡¯t fall down even though the curse had already taken effect. Subconsciously retreating two steps, it suddenly felt a chilling wind at its back and without thinking, it swung its tail to repel the attacker. How could these damn kids be so difficult to deal with? Don¡¯t you know¡­ With a thud, the sharp knife pierced flesh! Its attention was completely drawn by the fierce and heavy Wolf Fang Club in front of it, failing to notice Wang Yunxiao sneaking up from behind, wrapping his arm around its neck, and stabbing the knife into its body. The monster struggled and let out a wretched scream, with countless Human-Faced Sores transferring from its back to Wang Yunxiao like sludge. In that instant, it was like dozens of rabid dogs had pounced on him, opening their sharp fangs and viciously biting into his flesh. Agonizing pain! It was an indescribable agonizing pain. Wang Yunxiao¡¯s epidermis instantly split open with wounds, and the muscles beneath his skin twisted into the shape of human faces, struggling to escape from his body. But in the next moment, as if an eraser had swept over, erasing the doodles from the paper, these human-faced curses vanished in puffs of black smoke. Barely conscious from the pain, clarity returned to Wang Yunxiao¡¯s eyes, and with one hand still gripping the monster¡¯s neck tightly, he pulled out the knife and stabbed it in again. The second stab, the third stab¡­ Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Human-Faced Sores kept appearing on his body and were wiped away time and again. Between the back and forth, both his chest and back were torn open, and Wang Yunxiao, nearly numb from the pain, didn¡¯t know how many times he had stabbed, mechanically repeating the same action until the monster¡¯s struggles weakened and it finally fell to the ground, motionless. With difficulty, Wang Yunxiao rolled aside, away from the monster¡¯s body, and didn¡¯t forget to pull out the knife. This body was still too fragile; a slight injury was too much to handle, and the training of these days hadn¡¯t improved it much. Starting from scratch, the responsibilities were heavy and the road ahead was long. Before he had a chance to catch his breath, Matuan started yelling, ¡°Little Gourd, come quick! Big Brother is dying!¡± You¡­ can¡¯t you wish for something good for me? Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t help but complain inwardly. Of course, he knew the reason he could withstand so much damage from the Human-Faced Sore curse was that, on one hand, Matuan and Youtiao were behind him sharing the pain, both biting down on their teeth and not making a sound from beginning to end. The other half of the reason was that Little Gourd, hiding in the shadows, was using Advisor¡¯s secret technique to help him eliminate the curse. Hiding in the shadows¡­ Wang Yunxiao suddenly awoke and shouted, ¡°Little Gourd, don¡¯t come out!¡± But it was too late. He saw Little Gourd appear from what had seemed like an empty corner, clutching a pencil and notebook, frantically running towards him. But at that moment, the seemingly lifeless monster suddenly propped itself up from the ground, its arm stretching out immensely, more than ten feet long, its clawed fingers reaching for her chest, about to pierce through her heart. ¡°Smack¡ª!¡± At that critical juncture, another chess piece landed into place. Little Gourd¡¯s figure burst into bubbles and scattered. A flash of the knife¡¯s gleaming blade passed over the monster¡¯s chest. ¡°Yang Yihang!¡± As Chen Yan shouted this name, Eryang¡¯s knife had already plunged into the monster¡¯s chest. Like bursting a bladder, foul-smelling, filthy blood gushed out, drenching him from head to toe. The battle was still not over. Chapter 79 - 79 79 The First Team Cooperation Battle ?79: Chapter 79 The First Team Cooperation Battle 79: Chapter 79 The First Team Cooperation Battle Before entering this place, no one knew exactly what the situation was inside. The laws of the Outer Dimension differ greatly from those of the Real World, so much so that they cannot be measured by a specific standard. It¡¯s like a normal person¡¯s thinking, unable to comprehend the logic of someone with a mental illness. An Immortal Family¡¯s cave dwelling? Or a school campus horror story? It could be both, or neither, depending on one¡¯s capacity to understand. Youtiao had made many plans in advance, but plans can never keep up with changes. Wang Yunxiao was the leader of this team, but the core of the group was always Chen Yan. It¡¯s easy to understand that the leader doesn¡¯t have to be the main tank. Chess Herald is the brain and eyes of the whole team. Advisor performs the role of support and healer for the entire team. The importance of this core unit was not only understood by their own teammates but also by their enemies. The main task of Wang Yunxiao¡¯s team was to conduct live exercises in this Outer Dimension, to collect contaminants as much as possible, and then to return within a safe time frame. Third Master Ding was in it for the money. As for Third Master Ding¡¯s friend, no one knew what its real intentions were. But one could certainly not rule out the possibility of it launching an attack of its own accord. Therefore, Chen Yan must be protected immediately. As long as she doesn¡¯t drop the ball¡­ It turned out that she indeed didn¡¯t drop the ball. Thanks for the rocket tipped by the old iron¡­ No, thanks to that friend who committed the great sin. It made Chen Yan completely abandon her na?ve thoughts. When a Chess Herald, who had excelled academically, was clear-headed and calm, and had a tempered mind, began to set up and make moves, the monster that could only skulk in the darkness and play tricks stood no chance. The chaotic environment of the Outer Dimension was impartial to everyone. Mr. Fuzitan¡­ Although it¡¯s somewhat disrespectful to give it a nickname like this, Wang Yunxiao still does not know its name to this day and can only refer to it as such. Or perhaps calling it the Lotus Seed Pod Monster is more fitting? According to Nurse Liu, a curse of the Human-Faced Sore means the life of a living person. The price of casting such a curse is to bear the dead person¡¯s vengeful spirit and to be tormented by that spirit all the time. Voldemort went mad after killing seven people. The Lotus Seed Pod Monster, with at least forty or fifty lives burdening its back, was somewhat beyond Wang Yunxiao¡¯s expectations. Of course, maybe it enjoyed it. Like a street vagrant with syringes¡­ no, with syringes stuck all over his thigh, simply ecstatic. But it¡¯s useless. Within the range of Chess Herald¡¯s chessboard, it could not hide, first losing its advantage of invisibility and concealment. Then, the Human-Faced Sore Curse it relied on was secretly wiped away by the Advisor. Its real body wasn¡¯t particularly good at close combat, and one might even say it was somewhat weak. The final outcome was naturally self-evident. If it could just be killed like this, that would be great. But¡­ in this Outer Dimension, where the laws are vastly different from the Real World, can one really accurately judge the state of life and death? As Little Gourd appeared from his place of concealment, the Lotus Seed Pod Monster suddenly burst into a frenzy of violence. This thing hadn¡¯t actually died completely! After all, the knife in Wang Yunxiao¡¯s hand was a new one; the truly lethal Slaughter Knife was in Eryang¡¯s possession. Just as the Lotus Seed Pod Monster began to rise, the Chess Herald placed his chess piece on the board. The space shifted again, and Eryang appeared before him, stabbing forward with his knife with outstanding effect. It exploded on the spot! This was a tactic they had practiced in class beforehand. Nurse Liu only provided guidance and suggestions; the specific tactics were planned and arranged by Wang Yunxiao and Youtiao. When the Pioneer Group was running a dungeon, facing a Skeleton Level BOSS like this, don¡¯t expect a round of DPS fire to kill it. You don¡¯t know if it has a second phase or a second health bar, so the most important thing is not the damage output, but rather maintaining health and mana. And the rhythm of the output. The Lotus Seed Pod Monster emitted a piercing scream as its entire body disintegrated into countless pieces of flesh and blood, and the remnants of the dozen or so Human-Faced Sores, like curses, scattered in all directions. A Human-Faced Sore landed on the face of a student standing panic-stricken behind Chen Yan, and his body suddenly stiffened. The sore took root upon contact with the ground and instantly merged into his skin, wriggling rapidly and extending from his arm toward his heart. In a few seconds, his chest swelled, and under his clothes emerged the outline of a human face that opened its mouth and let out a scream of agony and despair. Blood gushed from his mouth and nose along with fragments of his organs, instantly staining the ground red. Little Gourd couldn¡¯t spare a hand to save him at that moment because Eryang, who was directly in the line of fire, was covered in contaminated blood. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He stood stiff amidst the monster¡¯s flesh and blood, already having lost his breath. And those exploded chunks of flesh seemed not to have lost their vitality, wriggling like insects, trying to bore into his body. On the other side, Chen Yan also narrowly avoided being hit by a Human-Faced Sore falling from the sky. In the nick of time, Dumpling rushed to her side to try and shield her, but instead, the sore landed on his face. Contamination¡­ Contamination was indeed the right word to describe it. What the hell kind of BOSS fight is this? It¡¯s like a septic tank exploded! Wang Yunxiao thought to himself that if he had known it would be this disgusting, he should have brought a few fishing nets with him. For their first battle as greenhorn rookies, everyone performed well, but they severely underestimated how vile this thing could get. Little Gourd cried while writing quickly in her notebook, and as her pen moved, the contaminated blood and sores on Eryang and Dumpling began to slowly fade away. Eryang opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a turbid breath, then swung his hand, flicking the contaminated blood off his knife. Dumpling, however, was howling in pain beside her. ¡°My face! Face face face! Pain pain pain pain¡ª! I¡¯m going to die, gonna die!¡± People have different levels of endurance. Those like Eryang and Guozi, who often get into fights, are used to nicks and bruises. Even if they get hurt, they don¡¯t fuss over it. But not Dumpling. He was delicate and had always taken care of his flesh. Even when eating his favorite dumplings, he wouldn¡¯t dare to eat them fresh out of the pot, afraid of burning his mouth. Wang Yunxiao couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and turned to ask Youtiao, ¡°Is everyone here?¡± Of course, not everyone was here; at least, he hadn¡¯t seen Guozi just now. But with such chaos at the scene, he really didn¡¯t know his brothers as well as Youtiao did. For the moment, he couldn¡¯t check the headcount. Youtiao looked up and said, ¡°Guozi, Sorghum, and Wormwood haven¡¯t come over.¡± Wang Yunxiao nodded, now having a better idea of the situation. Not every one of his brothers was distinctive. Some were extroverted, others introverted; some stood out, while others didn¡¯t. Among the one hundred and eight heroes of Water Margin Liangshan, weren¡¯t there many who were just there to fill the numbers? This was quite normal. Sorghum, Wormwood, and Crispy Skin were three such individuals who usually lacked any presence. They were not as boisterously assertive as the Matuan and Youbing brothers, nor were they as tough in a fight as Guozi and Eryang. ¡°They¡¯re probably together; it¡¯s not a big problem.¡± Wang Yunxiao stood up and looked at Chen Yan, who had just returned to normal, her face filled with fear and unease, ¡°Monitor, what¡¯s the situation on your side?¡± Chapter 80 - 80 80 All interpretive rights belong to Chess Herald ?80: Chapter 80 All interpretive rights belong to Chess Herald. 80: Chapter 80 All interpretive rights belong to Chess Herald. In this enigmatic Outer Dimension, being attacked by that mutant demon hadn¡¯t exceeded Wang Yunxiao¡¯s expectations. If it were him, he would have done the same. Taking out Chen Yan and Little Gourd, the others could only grope around where they stood. The risk of ¡°jump in and behead¡± existed alongside its rewards, an essential tactic that couldn¡¯t be ignored. Even in later generations, when facing an imaginary enemy army that completely disregarded martial ethics, unleashing a barrage of tactical nuclear missiles before you could even disembark, you wouldn¡¯t have many options but to try taking a gamble on beheading the enemy command. After a fierce battle, that disgusting thing died a fragmented death, and our side, too, suffered heavy casualties. It may seem like only Gangtou, Eryang, and Wang Yunxiao took turns as the main attackers, but in truth, others suffered plenty as well. The garrison soldiers could form an array to share the damage, significantly reducing the pain the curse of Human-Faced Sores inflicted on themselves. Without the protection of such formation, the fate of that ordinary student behind Chen Yan was clear; just because Little Gourd was slightly slow to react and didn¡¯t clean up in time, the person nearly died a torturous death from the Human-Faced Sores. Now that the battle had finally ended, Gangtou collapsed onto the ground, gave Wang Yunxiao a goofy smile, and then passed out with a tilt of his head. His body was covered with wounds left from excising the Human-Faced Sores; had he not been robust, he would have bled to death. However, the urgent matter at hand wasn¡¯t to treat his wounds but to understand the rules of this world. Only the Chess Herald could provide an accurate and objective description of this world¡¯s operating principles. Therefore, the prerequisite for cultivating the Chess Herald Dharma Gate was to accumulate a rich reserve of knowledge. If your language skills aren¡¯t up to par, even writing an essay would be a challenge. Chen Yan, clutching her violently thumping heart, took a deep breath to force herself to calm down and began to speak slowly, ¡°This is a mirrored dimension, connected to both the Real World and Dreamland.¡± ¡°Our school has been replicated into this world, but there are only buildings, no students.¡± She turned to look at the students behind her: ¡°These are our classmates from the Real World, students of this school, but unlike us, they entered this dimension while they were dreaming.¡± Ah¡­ hold on, let me wrap my head around this. Wang Yunxiao frowned and pondered. ¡°You mean to say we are awake, while they are sleepwalking?¡± No wonder this group of students seemed to have a strange sense of incongruity. Though they showed panic, the effect still didn¡¯t seem genuine, like watching Sadako climb out of a well through a television screen. ¡°On nights with a full moon, the Real World connects to the Outer Dimension, but ordinary people are completely unaware. Only a very few can traverse from Dreamland. Because relative to the barrier between the Real World and Outer Dimension, the barrier between Dreamland and the Outer Dimension is almost negligible.¡± Right, people with stronger immunities tend to exhibit more pronounced symptoms when encountering a virus. This was an analogy Wang Yunxiao could understand. Though it might not be correct. But their mission was never to explore the truth of this world from the start. All they needed to do was accept the Chess Herald¡¯s explanation. ¡°This is my dream,¡± Chen Yan said, turning to look at the students behind her. Dreamland is fake, so upon waking, one remains where they were. The sunlight in the dream is also fake, hence ineffective against demons and evil spirits. Having just entered Youtiao¡¯s dream, Wang Yunxiao could grasp what Chen Yan was trying to convey. The question was¡­ were these students real or fake? Or rather, how does one determine the boundary between authenticity and falsity? ¡°They are real; they were drawn here by the light of the fire I ignited,¡± Chen Yan said softly. ¡°If we ignore them, they might not face any issues and will simply wake up feeling as if they had a nightmare. But it¡¯s also possible that¡­¡± Her gaze shifted to the student who had been ravaged by the Human-Faced Sore. The entire piece of skin on his chest had fallen off, exposing the raw, bloody flesh underneath. It looked as if he had been mauled by a wild beast, even his internal organs were ripped apart and mushy. Even though the Human-Faced Sore had been removed, the damage it had caused was still torturing him beyond endurance. He lay on the ground, his eyes filled with bloodshot lines, staring intently at the people in front of him who still had the energy to chat and talk, as if they were the enemies who had hurt him. That angry and malicious gaze made Chen Yan¡¯s limbs feel ice cold. She could see that the student had already been eroded by the feedback, and even after waking from the dream, the pain and hatred would cling to him like an incurable disease. Just like she had been at the beginning¡­ There was no logic to it, it was simply bad luck for whoever encountered it. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just the students she had saved. On his way here, Wang Yunxiao had also come across many people, but he didn¡¯t interfere since he couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation in the darkness. Even if he wanted to help, he couldn¡¯t. These matters were beyond their ability to deal with. Chen Yan activated the secret technique of Chess Herald, lighting the Torchfire to enter Dreamland in just a flash. Only a few students were drawn to it, while the majority were still trapped in the darkness, clueless. Having understood the current situation, Wang Yunxiao quickly made a checklist in his mind. First, find Guozi and the others. Second, see what Third Master Ding is doing. Third, if there¡¯s time and energy to spare, try to get the lay of the land. Fourth, grab the bucket and run. At this point, Wang Yunxiao turned to Little Gourd and asked, ¡°How much of that monster¡¯s corpse have you collected?¡± He didn¡¯t know exactly how Little Gourd was collecting these contaminants, he just saw her scribbling away in her notebook and the flesh and blood of the corpses disappearing. The Daily Records teaching material he had seen didn¡¯t include this part. ¡°Let me check¡­¡± Little Gourd moved her sore wrist and flipped back to the previous page of her notebook. ¡°About¡­ this much?¡± She gestured with her hand, the rough size of a head. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Wang Yunxiao was astonished. What a trash drop rate, looking like a BOSS but giving me 25 silver after I spent one blue and two big reds? Not even a green item? Is that a joke! All of a sudden, he realized, holy shit, could it be possible? How did this thing get in here? S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. According to what Chen Yan had just said, there are two ways to enter this world. One, like them, is to enter consciously while awake. The other is to be pulled in while dreaming. Could it be¡­ After all our painstaking effort, were we just hitting thin air? Although he didn¡¯t want to believe it, he couldn¡¯t help but accept the possibility because Wang Yunxiao always felt that this battle had ended too quickly, as if something was missing. The Lotus Seed Pod Monster didn¡¯t show the intelligence it should have¡­ or rather, more precisely, it didn¡¯t display that cunning nature of immediately fleeing when things went south, which it had shown in the Real World. In short, it wasn¡¯t Old Six enough.