Chapter 59 : Chapter 59
Chapter 59. He Was Simply Too Cautious!
For a martial artist, there were two ways to increase strength. The first was cultivation realm, and the second was martial techniques.
“In terms of cultivation, although my Aptitude has improved somewhat, breaking through to the Fifth Meridian is not something I can accomplish in a short time. More importantly, I still do not have the stance art for the realm beyond the Fourth Meridian.”
Xu Yuan understood this very well. The Fourth Meridian held a special status. Even though it was only the beginning of the month, he could turn around, return to the residence, register his promotion, and collect the follow-up stance art and a new assignment.
“But it is better to wait a little longer.”
Xu Yuan shook his head. After all, once he advanced to a four-striped steward, there was an unspoken understanding with the Bai Family. Martial artists of that level were generally used to hold the line and would not easily take the field themselves.
It would be better not to advance just yet. That would also make it easier for him to earn some battle merit first.
“Now that I’ve reached the Fourth Meridian, I can first cultivate Benlei Fist to Minor Mastery. At this rate, it should only take another five or six days.”
“At that point, even if I run into a martial artist of the same realm whose Qi and blood foundation is deeper than mine, as long as his martial technique has not reached Minor Mastery, I should still be able to fight him, or even defeat him.”
Xu Yuan’s brows gradually relaxed.
“And as far as I know, both Street Guard Hong and the Bai Family’s street guard are only at the beginner level as well. Once I reach Minor Mastery, that should be enough to fight them.”
After thinking through the key points, Xu Yuan formed a plan. For the next few days, he would have Yang Yan cover his shift while he cultivated Benlei Fist to Minor Mastery before going back out.
He deeply understood one principle: only by avoiding recklessness and never courting death could one live long.
...
On the following afternoon, Xu Yuan invited Yang Yan over and brought up the matter of having him cover the night watch.
Since Zhao Qiusheng had already specifically spoken up for Xu Yuan, Yang Yan naturally agreed to such a small favor without hesitation.
In truth, this sort of thing was quite common. If a colleague had some temporary matter to deal with, or needed time for cultivation, having someone else cover a shift was nothing unusual.
Then Xu Yuan took out one tael of silver and handed it to him. “Then I’ll have to trouble Captain Yang.”
“No, no, you are too polite.”
Yang Yan waved his hand. “Besides, even if you want to pay me, this is a bit too much.”
In the end, he accepted only half a tael.
The base pay for a street captain was five taels of silver. He typically worked a little over ten night watches a month, so when it was spread out, it came to about half a tael each time.
“Captain Yang works hard leading the squad. Consider the rest my treat for everyone to have a cup of tea,” Xu Yuan said with a smile.
Hearing that, Yang Yan looked at him again, inwardly sighing over how properly Xu Yuan handled things. He no longer refused. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony with Captain Xu.”
“How about this? We are both in the Third Meridian, and I am older than you. If you do not mind, you can call me Big Brother Yang from now on.”
“Then many thanks for your care, Brother Yang,” Xu Yuan replied smoothly.
“Why be so polite? We’re brothers now.”
The two men looked at each other and burst into laughter.
...
That evening, Hu Quanshui and the others came over, preparing to go out on patrol with Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan merely waved a hand. “No need. I already asked Captain Yang to cover tonight’s shift. He’ll be taking his own squad out on patrol.”
“How can that be?” Hu Quanshui blurted out instinctively.
The moment those words left his mouth, Li Shun, Liu Yu, and Qi Li all turned to look at him at once, their expressions strange.
Night patrol was dangerous. Surprise attacks from the Bai Family happened from time to time, not to mention that their territory had now contracted, and no one knew when they might launch a counterattack.
The three of them had secretly breathed a sigh of relief when they heard they would not need to go out tonight.
Yet from Hu Quanshui’s reaction, he almost seemed unwilling?
‘The Bai Family really picked someone who can’t hide anything at all!’
Xu Yuan sneered inwardly, though a look of surprise appeared on his face as well.
Hu Quanshui quickly gave two dry coughs. “I... I mean, this cover shift was obtained by using Captain Xu’s personal favor. Isn’t that a little inappropriate?”
As soon as he said that, realization dawned on Liu Yu and the others.
“That’s true,” they said hurriedly. “How about we all chip in some money to make up for it?”
Xu Yuan looked at Hu Quanshui with interest, then waved his hand. “No need. This matter is due to my own reasons. You do not need to concern yourselves with it.”
Over the next few days, Xu Yuan remained occupied with cultivating Benlei Fist and had no time to spare, so he continued to have Yang Yan cover his shifts as usual.
Li Shun and the others were naturally delighted, but Hu Quanshui’s expression grew uglier and uglier.
...
Several streets away from Changshun Street lay Changning Street,
which was currently occupied by the Bai Family.
Smack!
Chen Qimei suddenly slammed a palm down, leaving a deep mark in the hard elmwood table as he said angrily,
“That little bastard—has he crawled into a hole to breed or something? He hasn’t come out on patrol for even a single day!”
“He’s as slippery as an eel,” Quan Xiong said helplessly as well.
The two of them had originally followed the plan perfectly. They had invited two Third Meridian martial artists to assist them and had also contacted a Bai Family squad preparing to launch a sneak attack on Changshun Street.
Everything had been made ready. All that remained was to wait for Xu Yuan to come out on patrol and then strike with thunderous force.
But what happened?
That brat had simply holed up at home and stopped coming out.
The ninth day could be excused. Perhaps Xu Yuan had something to do. But a full three days passed without a trace of him. Only after asking around did they learn that he was still having someone else cover his shifts.
That piece of news immediately shattered their composure.
“Slacking off every day and constantly having someone else cover for him? He can actually do something like that? Does he not have even the slightest sense of duty?”
Chen Qimei kept shaking his head, looking deeply grieved. Anyone who saw him would have thought he was some elder of Xu Yuan’s, lamenting that the young man had failed to live up to expectations.
“We can’t keep waiting like this. Who knows whether he’ll keep having someone else cover for him?” Quan Xiong frowned tightly and said in a deep voice,
“That kid has good Aptitude too. If he breaks through to the Fourth Meridian at some point, we won’t have any chance left at all.”
“Impossible! Stop saying things that make no sense.”
Chen Qimei cut him off irritably, then let out another sigh. “But what can we do? We can’t exactly charge straight into Changshun Street, can we? The higher-ups still haven’t issued any word about a counterattack.”
A street outpost might look easier to break through than Shangyang Manor, but the street guards stationed there were all Fourth Meridian martial artists. Without the Bai Family’s support, barging in rashly would be no different from seeking death.
“Let’s wait a little longer. I refuse to believe that little bastard will never come out at all.” At that point, Chen Qimei let out a cold laugh.
“He can do this without his colleagues objecting, perhaps, but once his immediate superior hears about it, he’s bound to grow dissatisfied.”
“Oh?”
Quan Xiong’s brow twitched, and realization dawned on him. “You mean...?”