And the remaining silver, enough for his monthly expenses elsewhere, could only afford him a cramped space in the worst room here, and only for two or three days. Wang Anfeng took out the money pouch, weighed it, then silently placed it into his bosom, raising his eyes to look at a lush tree not far away, seriously contemplating the possibility of sleeping in the tree during winter and how to evade the night patrols of the Ministry of Punishment's martial soldiers to avoid being mistaken for a thief—two major life issues. Just at that moment, the skinny horse beside him neighed twice, and Wang Anfeng withdrew his gaze, soothing the horse. He saw two people rushing from the alley entrance, one in the lead with agile steps, running wildly, the one behind was a short and fat man gasping for breath, shouting hysterically: "Money! My treasure!" "Stop! Stop right there!" Wang Anfeng's expression did not change as the bandit sped past him. He grabbed the bandit's wrist with his right hand and applied a slight force, using the most basic Shaolin grappling technique. The man screamed miserably and fell to his knees, unable to get up. The bag in his hand clattered to the ground. The fat man behind took quite some time to 'shuffle' over, rushing forward and viciously kicking the man twice before snatching up the dropped pouch, kicking and cursing at the robber: "You blind fool, how dare you touch anyone's things?" "Young ones these days don't even know how wild I was in my youth, huh?! Watch me kick you to death! Try stealing again! Try!" Before Wang Anfeng could intervene, the fat man, wheezing hard, stopped, his right hand on his lower back. The one hitting seemed even more exhausted than the one being hit. After a while, he remembered to thank Wang Anfeng, while some familiar passersby apprehended the thief and took him to the Ministry of Punishment. The fat man carefully kept the bag, wiped the continuously seeping sweat from his forehead, and said: "Ah, thank you, Hero, for your help. Otherwise, this little thief would've gotten away. It may not be something valuable, but it means much more than silver to me. Losing it would undoubtedly make me kneel on a washboard back home..." His voice paused slightly, then he cleared his throat and changed the subject: "By the way, you don't seem to be from around here, do you?" Wang Anfeng was looking up, considering which tree to sleep on tonight, so he didn't reply. The reason he didn't return to the Shaolin Temple: First, Northwest Xiong City was home to Great Qin's top military strategist, Sima Cuo. Unknown whether this military grandmaster was in Xiong City, second, the Huangfu Family, one of the four great noble clans, surely housed true grandmasters. He had to be cautious. As for the last reason... Returning to the Shaolin Temple, he'd be considered quite a disappointment in front of his scholar and master. Better to sleep in a tree. He subconsciously shook his head slightly. The fat man beside him suddenly said joyfully: "Huh? Benefactor, you haven't found a place to stay in Xiong City yet? Well, well! I happen to have a courtyard here that's unoccupied. If you don't mind, why not stay there..." With that, he directly reached for Wang Anfeng's sleeve. Wang Anfeng was momentarily stunned, feeling a bit puzzled. Yet, apart from enthusiasm, he sensed no malice from the man, whose friendliness was hard to handle. Forced to avoid his hand, he replied coldly: The fat man's smiling face faltered slightly before he sighed, his face collapsing, murmuring: "Right, a useless man like me is naturally unworthy of a hero like you looking down on him, no wonder you don't wish to see..." He furtively glanced at Wang Anfeng, sighing heavily: "What's the point of living ?" Wang Anfeng couldn't help but twitch his mouth slightly. An hour later, Wang Anfeng found himself in front of a small courtyard, the skinny horse trailing behind him, and the fat man in front, eyebrows raised in jubilation. After thoroughly explaining the courtyard layout, he handed Wang Anfeng the key, patting his own burly chest to assure Wang Anfeng that he was a benefactor and could stay as long as he liked. A while later, the fat man mentioned he had other matters to attend to and must leave. Wang Anfeng rubbed his temples, surveying the house, which was not only elegantly arranged but even the kitchen had rice and flour. All he needed to buy were vegetables, prompting suspicion in his heart. Yet, it seemed natural, but wasn't it too coincidental? Could such luck exist? Regardless, he must not drop his guard, but at least he now had a place to stay. Sitting in a chair, Wang Anfeng felt somewhat relieved. Once the fat man left the courtyard, he walked briskly as a traveler would, turning several corners before slipping sideways into a house. His movements clearly indicated a lack of martial prowess; otherwise, he could not have deceived Wang Anfeng. Inside the house, aside from him, were several others—precisely the petty thieves from earlier, including the ones escorting the thief to the Ministry of Punishment. The fat man's demeanor became steady and powerful, nodding toward the standing individuals and saying: "I will handle the rest from here." The others exchanged glances, each paying their respects before dispersing. Thɪs chapter is updated by novelꜰire.net Left alone, the flamboyantly dressed fat man paced back and forth, excitement barely contained. Then, after leaving once more, he bathed, changed clothes, and perfumed his hands before entering the inner room. Kneeling solemnly, he bowed respectfully, saying: "Reporting to the esteemed envoy, the arranged task is complete." Inside the room stood a cold man with his hands behind, tall yet exceedingly thin, resembling a bamboo stalk, equipped with a matched sword, exuding a chill like the winter air. Responding with just a nod, he rasped: The fat man was too captivated to speak before the gloomy man dissipated like smoke, showcasing superior Qinggong movement technique, leaving the fat man only with regret. The man reappeared hundreds of meters away, glanced back at the fat man from nowhere, subtly clasped his hands and bent low, quietly saying: "Sir, the task is concluded." A middle-aged scholar rubbed his temples, casually responding, now watching 'midair' as Wang Anfeng sprawled on the bed, holding a blanket and rolling over, a smile on his lips. Before it could broaden, he noticed the approaching Taoist, lifting a hand to sip tea. The cloud-patterned sleeves dropped, hiding his mouth, his tone normal with a hint of mockery, saying: "A fool sinking himself deeper into the mire." PS: Today's update as promised... Staying up late to update is too exhausting; I'm too tired even to write properly. Tomorrow should return to normal. Five thousand four hundred words, hmm, about two thousand seven per chapter... Not too bad?