"There's still one more special building draw available."
"System, draw."
Chen Ye silently commanded in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Commencing special building drawâŠ]
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the special building: Martial Training Ground.]
[Martial Training Ground: Training and practicing martial arts here will yield enhanced growth.]
Seeing the drawn building, Chen Ye frowned slightly.
A martial training ground wouldnât be appropriate inside the orphanage courtyard.
"Looks like itâs time to expand."
He had already made up his mind.
Once Xiaofu grew a little older and could run around the whole courtyard, the space would start to feel cramped.
For children, a courtyard wasnât just a courtyard.
It was their entire world.
Xiaofu didnât have the best start in life, but Chen Ye wanted her to have a happy childhood.
Every child deserves love. No matter their past or circumstances.
"Thereâs still a long road aheadâone step at a time."
The corners of Chen Yeâs lips curled slightly as he settled into his reclining chair, eyes half-closed, fingers tapping lightly against the armrest.
Night deepened.
Silence fell over everything.
After putting Xiaofu to sleep, Chen Ye sat cross-legged on the bed, training his control over his Innate Qi.
If his Innate Qi were a reservoir, then what he needed to practice wasâprecisely controlling the flow of water when releasing it.
His internal energy was limitless, with an incredibly high quality.
But if he couldnât wield it with precision, he would never be able to fully unleash his strength.
Of course, maybe⊠he was already invincible in this world.
There was no real need to refine his control over his Innate Qi.
But a person needed a goalâone couldnât just drift through life blindly.
Who knew? Maybe, if he pushed himself further, heâd ascend to immortality on the spot!
Damn, while others practice martial arts, am I actually cultivating immortality?
Just imagining it gives me chills!
Chen Yeâs mind was filled with grand fantasies.
[Ding!]
[Commencing daily settlement!]
A translucent blue screen appeared before Chen Ye.
The daily event reports of the orphans were laid out before his eyes.
Da Ming, Xiao Lian, and Xiaofu were all fineânothing out of the ordinary.
The only problem was⊠Sun Sheng.
[Sun Sheng dragged a Grandmaster-level expertâthe South Sea Phantomâinto the water, earning 500 points.]
[Sun Sheng viciously beat up the Grandmaster-level expertâthe South Sea Phantomâearning 500 points.]
[The Grandmaster-level expertâthe South Sea Phantomâwas beaten so badly by Sun Sheng that he called him âGrandfather,â earning 500 points.]
[Sun Sheng robbed the Grandmaster-level expertâthe South Sea Phantomâearning 500 points.]
Chen Ye stared at the event log, falling into deep thought.
WaitâŠ
System bro, hold up.
I need a second to process this.
Are you absolutely sure thereâs no error in this daily settlement?
Chen Ye was utterly shocked by what he was reading.
Xiao Sheng⊠just how tough is your life?!
You made a Grandmaster call you âGrandfatherââŠ?
And then you robbed him?!
Chen Ye stared at the system screen in silence for a long time.
[Ding!]
[Total points gained: 2,120]
[Current remaining points: 2,195]
[Ding!]
[Sun Shengâs gratitude level has increased!]
[Current gratitude level: 73%]
In an instant, the points Chen Ye had previously spent were replenished, climbing back to over two thousand.
"Not badâjust 7% more gratitude, and Iâll be able to draw another Orphanage Director Skill."
A satisfied expression appeared on Chen Yeâs face.
[Ding!]
[Activating Sun Shengâs exclusive mission!]
[Sun Shengâs Exclusive Mission: Water Bandit]
[Mission Details: Carry out 100 raids.]
[Mission Rewards: 5,000 points, 200 taels of silver, Sun Shengâs exclusive wish item 1]
Seeing the sudden mission notification, Chen Ye sighed.
Another one straying off the path.
Please, Da Ming and Xiaofu, donât go astray tooâŠ
Living an honest life as an ordinary personâis that really so bad?
Chen Ye closed the system interface, slowly shutting his eyes, focusing his mind inward.
âŠ
Pingjiang Prefecture, Haijing Gang Branch
Night had deepened, and torches burned brightly along the docks.
The flickering flames illuminated the surroundings, turning night into day.
Dozens of brawny men, clad in coarse hemp clothing, carried heavy cargo on their shoulders.
The damp wooden planks creaked beneath their weight.
A man who had just placed his load in the warehouse stretched his shoulders and shouted, "Two more ships to unload, brothers! Put your backs into it!"
"The sooner weâre done, the sooner we can crawl into our wivesâ beds!"
The man had a rugged face, and the back of his coarse garment was embroidered with a whale emblem.
At his words, the surrounding workers burst into laughter.
"HahahaâŠ"
"Weâre dead tired, and you still have the energy to âhandleâ your wife?"
"How about I take your place instead? Some of us arenât as lucky, you know!"
"Get lost! Go practice your âsolo techniquesâ somewhere else!"
The men joked and bantered, and the dockâs atmosphere lightened considerably.
Among them, a leaner man chuckled as he placed his cargo in the warehouse, wiping sweat from his forehead.
A cool night breeze drifted in from the sea, carrying a faint salty scent.
It brushed against his skinârefreshing and soothing.
âWhoosh⊠whooshâŠâ
Gentle waves lapped against the shore, sending white foam spraying into the air.
The man turned toward the vast ocean, taking a deep breath of the salty night air.
Suddenly, he froze, his face shifting to one of utter shock.
He immediately shouted, "Brother Bao!"
The burly man who had just been rallying the workers looked up, a sack of goods on his shoulder. "Whatâs wrong?"
The lean man pointed toward the sea, his voice trembling. "Brother Bao, there's someone on the water!"
Bao Laosan narrowed his eyes and set down the sack.
"Which idiot dares to mess with the Haijing Gang?"
"No⊠no! Itâs not pirates! Itâs just one person!"
The lean manâs voice was filled with panic.
Bao Laosanâs heart tightened. He quickly turned to look.
Under the night skyâ
The dark ocean churned like ink.
Through the shifting waves, Bao Laosan barely made out a shadowâa figure sprinting across the waterâs surface at incredible speed.
That figure was fastâwithin just a few breaths, they had closed the distance.
Now, everyone could see them clearly.
It was⊠an old beggar.
His patched-up robes were tattered and filthy, his appearance completely unkempt.
Yetâ
He ran on water as if walking on solid ground.
With each step, his feet barely rippled the surface.
And in the next momentâ
He leaped onto the dock.
Seeing that this man could actually walk on waves, the members of the Haijing Gang were all stunned.
âGet me the person in charge!â
The old beggar leaped onto the dock, standing arrogantly as he shouted.
Upon seeing the old beggar, Bao Laosanâs heart pounded violently. He hurried forward and respectfully said, âMaster Nan, Iâm the one in charge here.â
Nan Yiyun glanced at him sideways, then suddenly cleared his throat and spat a thick glob of phlegmâright onto Bao Laosanâs face.
âYou think youâre worthy of calling me âMaster Nanâ?â
Bao Laosan remained utterly respectful, allowing the mucus to slide slowly down his face.
He immediately corrected himself: âGrandpa!â
Nan Yiyun nodded in satisfaction. Then, without hesitation, he cleared his throat again and spat another glob of phlegm on the other side of Bao Laosanâs face.
âA little reward for you.â
âThank you, Grandpa, for your generous reward.â Bao Laosanâs face now bore two streaks of phlegm, yet he remained as deferential as ever.
The old beggar didnât spit again but instead asked, âLet me ask you something!â
âHave there been any recent rumors in the martial world about treasures or valuable items?â
Bao Laosan replied respectfully, âIâve heard that the chief escort of Zhenyuan Escort Agency is currently transporting a sacred Vajra Pestle from Shaolin Temple, intending to return it to the monastery.â
Upon hearing this, Nan Yiyunâs eyes gleamed.
âHeh! Those bald donkeys from Shaolin actually let the Vajra Pestle slip out into the world?â
Bao Laosan added, âThe Vajra Pestle was stolen by the Renegade Monk Qingyuan from Shaolin Temple. Now that heâs dead, the chief escort of the Zhenyuan Escort Agencyâwho has ties to Shaolinâhas taken it upon himself to return the relic.â
âPah!â
The old beggar spat another thick glob of phlegmâthis time, right onto Bao Laosanâs forehead.
âYou think I didnât already know that? Why the hell are you running your mouth?â
Bao Laosanâs eyelids twitched slightly. His face was now adorned with three streaks of phlegm.
Around them, the Haijing Gang members clenched their fists, their eyes wide with rage. Their veins bulged in fury.
Bao Laosan was the branch leader of the Pingjiang Prefecture division, a formidable expert at the late third-rank level. He was a leader who led by example, never shying away from hard work, and was deeply respected by the gang members.
Seeing him being humiliated like this made them seethe with anger.
If Bao Laosan hadnât stayed silent, they might have already rushed forward with their weapons.
âYouâre right to discipline me, Grandpa.â Bao Laosan called out respectfully.
He remained in a submissive stance, hands clasped in a respectful salute, not daring to move an inch.
Nan Yiyun glanced at him, satisfied with his obedient demeanor.
âGet me a roast chicken and some good wine.â
Nan Yiyun swaggered toward the warehouse on the dock.
âBrothers! Get my grandpa a roast chicken and some fine wine!â
Bao Laosan quickly assigned someone to handle the task.
âEveryone, keep working. Iâll be back soon.â
He called out to the other gang members before quickly hurrying after Nan Yiyun, ready to serve him.
The other gang members still didnât quite understand what was happening.
But one thing was clearâBao Laosan treated that old beggar with extreme respect.
Yuyu: This is the current situation of the Challenge goals
1) 10 votes on NU for a bonus chapter.
Initial votes: 26
Current count: 5
2) 400 people on reading list ( NU reading list) for 2 chapters
Current count: 284
3) 2 reviews on NU for a Bonus chapter till 10 reviews.
Initial reviews: 1
Current count: 0
Here's the link /series/raising-orphans-not-assassins/