Chapter 64: Calculations

Inside the constable’s office at the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office.

Zheng Zhenwu, Constable Zheng, sat in a large chair, listening to the report from Tan Huacong, who stood before him.

"There was some trouble in Pear Blossom Lane yesterday?"

"To answer your question, Constable, yes, there was some trouble."

"Tell me about it."

"Yesterday, Little Tiger, a Protector from the Tiger Head Gang, went to a household to collect some owed silver, but the family couldn’t produce it on the spot. The Tiger Head Gang isn’t exactly easy to deal with, so they just broke down the door and started searching the house."

"Hmm." Constable Zheng listened quietly, his expression unchanging even as he heard about them breaking down the door and searching the house.

"Actually, this matter has something to do with that Chen Ping’an!"

"Oh?"

"That Chen Ping’an is a reckless greenhorn, just bursting with a sense of justice. When he saw the Tiger Head Gang ransacking the house, he stepped right up and stopped them."

"Didn’t that Little Tiger teach him a lesson?! Oh, right, with the Town Patrol Office cracking down right now, Little Tiger probably didn’t dare to act himself. He must have had his underlings do it! How did Chen Ping’an fare?"

"You are wise, Constable. That Little Tiger was indeed cautious. He didn’t make a move himself, but one of his men did. The result was a bit unexpected! That kid Chen Ping’an has actually reached the Martial Arts Introduction level! The guy from the Tiger Head Gang who fought him was just a common thug, no match for him at all!"

"Martial Arts Introduction?" For the first time, Constable Zheng looked Tan Huacong straight in the eye. "He’s only had the Public Door Thirteen Sabers for a few days, hasn’t he? How could he have reached the introduction level already?"

"I find it strange, too! The kid is thin, with an ordinary constitution. He doesn’t look like a martial arts genius! My guess is it has something to do with Old Chen. He probably left behind some Major Medicine for tempering Qi Blood. After all, Old Chen was a man who nearly became a Constable himself! It’s only natural he’d leave something behind for his only son before he died."

"Hmm, it’s possible." Constable Zheng nodded slightly, accepting Tan Huacong’s explanation.

"Now that the kid has reached Martial Arts Introduction, on top of the official constable position he got through sheer dumb luck... this is becoming a bit of a problem." Tan Huacong’s expression darkened.

’After all, he and Chen Ping’an had become bitter enemies over that Hairy Fish incident with the Cyan Fish Gang. The better Chen Ping’an did, the worse it was for him.’

’It shouldn’t have mattered at first. He was just a temporary constable. But who could have guessed he’d get so damn lucky, time and again? First, he luckily succeeded in delivering that report and became an officially registered constable. Now, just a few days later, he’s successfully reached Martial Arts Introduction!’

’This was not good news for him at all!’

’Fortunately, he wasn’t alone. He still had Constable Zheng!’

Constable Zheng was silent for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk as he lowered his head in thought.

Tan Huacong also remained silent, waiting quietly.

"In two days, isn’t it time for the annual collection of donation silver? When the time comes, assign Chen Ping’an to the Tiger Run Gambling Square."

Constable Zheng said, looking up.

"Assign Chen Ping’an to the Tiger Run Gambling Square?"

Tan Huacong was stunned at first, but then his mind raced and he understood the plan. A look of delight crossed his face as he praised, "You are wise, Constable!"

"Oh, right. This time, increase the Tiger Run Gambling Square’s share of the donation silver by one-tenth."

Constable Zheng added.

"Increase their share of the donation silver by one-tenth!"

Tan Huacong’s eyes lit up.

’Of all the places we collect from, the Tiger Run Gambling Square is already one of the most difficult. If we increase their share by another tenth, they’ll be even more unwilling to pay. It will make a hard job even harder! That way, when Chen Ping’an goes to collect the donation silver, he won’t just be met with a cold shoulder. When he comes back empty-handed, he’ll inevitably be reprimanded. At that point, with a little maneuvering, whether that kid Chen Ping’an is round or flat will be entirely up to the Constable’s whim!’

"Yes. Go and see to it," Constable Zheng said flatly.

"Yes, sir." Tan Huacong clasped his fist in a salute and left the office.

’Chen Ping’an...’

There was something Constable Zheng hadn’t mentioned. After Chen Ping’an failed to collect the donation silver, he would send Zheng Shiyong. At that time, he would drop the artificially inflated one-tenth share back to the original amount. With the contrast between the two attempts, and with his backing, Zheng Shiyong would surely succeed in collecting this year’s donation silver from the Tiger Run Gambling Square.

Then, with a little more maneuvering on his part, he could add another merit to Zheng Shiyong’s record.

Killing two birds with one stone. It was a flawless plan.

...

BAM!

A rock was slammed viciously into a pile of other rocks.

+1!

An experience symbol appeared before Chen Ping’an’s eyes.

"That’s enough!"

A look of delight on his face, Chen Ping’an gazed at the panel that had appeared before him.

Name: Chen Ping’an

Realm: Qi Blood Third Layer

Martial Arts: Iron Cloth Shirt (Perfection), Flying Locust Stone (Minor Achievement, 40/40), Public Door Thirteen Sabers (Entry Level, 6/15)

...

Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Ping’an focused his mind and once again clicked the plus sign after Flying Locust Stone.

SWOOSH~

The experience points swirled, transforming into streams of starlight that flowed into the spot between his eyebrows.

A vast amount of insights, practice experience, and combat scenarios related to the Flying Locust Stone technique flooded into Chen Ping’an’s mind. He then assimilated it all at an incredible speed.

None of this was forcefully crammed into his head. Instead, it felt as if he had accumulated it bit by bit, through countless days and nights of arduous cultivation and innumerable real battles.

Flying Locust Stone, Great Success!

As the Flying Locust Stone technique reached Great Success, the Qi Blood in Chen Ping’an’s body began to surge wildly.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Chen Ping’an’s heart pounded powerfully.

The surging Qi Blood tightened the connections between his great tendons and muscles, binding them together to unleash an even more terrifying power.

Qi Blood Third Layer, Perfection!

"Success!"

Chen Ping’an slowly opened his eyes, his heart soaring.

After just a few days, his Martial Arts Cultivation had advanced once again!

Qi Blood Third Layer Perfection! This meant that his current strength was exceptionally impressive, even among the constables of the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office!

As far as he knew, among the five constables at the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office, people like Constable Huang and Constable Li had been at the Qi Blood Third Layer for years but were still some distance from reaching Perfection. Only Constable Yan and Constable Liu had achieved Qi Blood Third Layer Perfection.

As for Constable Zheng...

He had broken through to the Qi Blood Fourth Layer, the Bone Forging Realm, five or six years ago!

At the Qi Blood Fourth Level Bone Forging Realm, one’s bones were like iron, and one’s arms were like blades. They could catch ordinary weapons with their bare hands. Dozens of ordinary, able-bodied men would be no match for a Bone Forging Realm expert.

Only a squad of dozens of elite, uniformed soldiers in full armor could hope to take down a Bone Forging Realm expert!

This Martial Arts Cultivation at the Qi Blood Fourth Layer was the reason for Constable Zheng’s supreme status among the constables of the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office.

’However, now that I have reached Qi Blood Third Layer Perfection in one fell swoop, and with my three Martial Arts Techniques, I’m probably second only to Constable Zheng among the five constables of the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office.’

’An ordinary martial artist would find it incredibly difficult to practice a technique to the point of Perfection. Even after many years of practice, most would only reach the Great Success level! That’s because you can’t guarantee that every practice session will yield progress. It’s highly likely that with improper methods, you could practice for a long time and still be running in place.’

’But that doesn’t apply to me. As long as I have a suitable Cultivation Technique, my progress on the Martial Dao will never stop!’

’In another two days, once I have enough Cultivation Experience, my Public Door Thirteen Sabers should smoothly reach Minor Achievement. When that happens, there’s a very high chance I’ll be able to break through to the Qi Blood Fourth Layer, the Bone Forging Realm, in one go!’

"Perhaps then I can finally start settling some old scores!"