At the dinner table, Lan jie'er was in high spirits, smiling brighter than ever as she picked up two pieces of rabbit meat for herself—something she had never done before.
After all, the taxes were finally paid, and the village bully was out of their lives. Anyone would feel relieved and happy.
"Shi ge'er," she said softly, eyes full of admiration, "that Qin fellow must've heard about your skill. No wonder he doesn't dare mess with us anymore. You're amazing."
A man who could kill a wild boar alone—of course he was strong. No wonder she'd always felt that her Shi ge'er had such strength in him.
After dinner, Gu Xinlan sat by the bed as usual, waiting for him. But tonight, Chen Sanshi didn't come to bed.
When she lifted the curtain, she saw him sitting under the candlelight, quietly reading a book.
"You're not going to rest early tonight?"
Gu Xinlan sounded a little disappointed, but she didn't disturb him. Instead, she quietly laid down and fell asleep first.
[Skill: Reading (Beginner)]
[Progress: (120/300)]
[Effect: Clear Mind; Perfect Memory]
Chen Sanshi closed the book softly. Once Lan jie'er's breathing grew steady, he slipped the kitchen knife into his belt, slung his bow over his shoulder, and silently disappeared into the night.
…
At a brothel.
"Stay the night, big sir. What's the rush?"
"Get lost! I've got things to do!"
Qin Xiong shoved the courtesan aside and staggered toward the door.
Overnight stays cost three times as much—he wasn't stupid.
He couldn't waste money meant for his younger brother's future.
He'd raised that boy himself after their parents died, selling baked cakes to scrape by. Later, when business got better, he'd saved enough to send his brother to study martial arts at Tianyuan Martial Hall—the best in Poyang County.
But learning martial arts was a money pit.
The registration fees, the master's fees, medicine expenses—none of it came cheap. And if you wanted the true techniques, that cost even more.
Most martial masters only passed their real skills to their own sons or personal disciples. Outsiders rarely got the genuine teachings.
His brother was no exception.
After three years, he still hadn't learned a full martial art.
Fortunately, he'd gotten close with the young hall master. That man was a notorious womanizer, so if Qin Xiong could keep supplying him with pretty women, maybe—just maybe—his brother could get the real thing.
"Speaking of which… that Gu woman is really something."
"That face—no way she's just some farmer's wife."
"What a damn shame…"
Thinking of her made Qin Xiong grind his teeth.
He'd had to swallow his pride and apologize to that bookworm today.
But it was only temporary.
Once his brother had the time, what was a mere hunter, anyway?
No matter how skilled Chen Sanshi was, could he possibly stand against a trained martial artist?
He'd just wait for the right chance. His brother could kill that bastard in the mountains—and as for the woman… he'd keep her for himself.
"Hahaha!"
He laughed out loud, picturing her shapely figure, her full, round hips like millstones.
A gust of cold wind blew through the darkness, sobering him up.
When he looked around, he realized he'd already wandered far outside the city. The night was pitch-black, and the only sounds were a couple of crows cawing in the distance. The silence felt eerie.
"Heh, I'm getting jumpy in my old age."
But even as he joked to himself, unease crawled up his spine. He could swear someone was following him.
He forced a laugh and turned to head home—when suddenly, another cold gust sliced through the night.
This "wind" was sharp and needle-like. It pierced the back of his skull and came out through the top of his head, making it look as though a horn had sprouted from his forehead.
Qin Xiong fell forward without a sound, dead before he hit the ground.
…
"It's not enough."
Chen Sanshi stepped out from the shadows of the forest and looked down at the corpse.
Martial men fought with blades and blood, but he didn't need to.
A single draw of his bow, and it was over. The kitchen knife he'd brought never even left his belt. It had been too fast—too clean. Qin Xiong hadn't suffered nearly enough.
He sighed. "Guess I'm just too kind-hearted."
Chen Sanshi searched the corpse and found roughly three qian of silver.
"That's it?"
"This bastard's been bleeding the villages dry for years—he must've made at least several dozen taels of silver every year. Where the hell did it all go?"
"Could his brother's martial training really eat up that much money?"
Pocketing the silver, he began to think about how to deal with the body.
He couldn't just leave it here—the arrow wound would be too obvious. There were only a handful of hunters within a few dozen li, and someone would easily connect the dots.
Cutting off the head separately would splatter too much blood—too messy, too risky.
"Better just dump it in the mountains."
He hoisted the corpse onto his shoulder.
With his Tracking and Hiding skill making his body light as a swallow, carrying a full-grown man didn't even slow him down.
In less than one hour, he reached the Second Mountain. Finding a thick, hidden patch of forest, he dumped the body and returned home before dawn.
Lying beside the sleeping Lan jie'er, Chen Sanshi finally let out a long breath.
"Well, that's one pest less in this world."
"I just hope his brother doesn't come looking for trouble."
"I need to start training as soon as possible."
He felt no regret at all.
A man like Qin Xiong—an apology from him was nothing but an act. Once his brother gained influence, he would've come back for revenge a hundred times worse.
Better to strike first than wait around in fear.
…
The next morning, the rooster crowed at dawn.
Chen Sanshi got up early, as usual, to practice archery.
But after reaching mastery, his progress had slowed dramatically.
The problem was simple—the bow was too light.
Now that he could draw a one-stone bow, the four-strength bow felt like a toy, no longer offering any training value.
"Getting my hands on a heavier bow won't be easy."
"Even martial halls aren't allowed to keep such weapons privately. Otherwise, it's considered rebellion."
"Apart from finding a heavy bow, I also need to start proper martial training soon."
He ran through his plans quietly in his head while, from the kitchen, Gu Xinlan called him for breakfast.
Clang, clang, clang—
Just as he sat down, lost in thought, and picked up a cornbread bun, the sound of gongs and shouting came from outside the village.
Officials!
Chen Sanshi's heart gave a jolt, but he quickly calmed himself.
"It can't be about Qin Xiong. He's only been dead one night."
"And he's not worth such a big commotion. Must be something else."
Sure enough, it wasn't about him.
Officers from the Poyang County yamen arrived, yelling for everyone to come out. Once the entire village had gathered, they announced shocking news.
A barbarian warrior had infiltrated Poyang County—and assassinated the county magistrate.
The whole village erupted in disbelief.
The officials explained that they were conducting a thorough search for the assassin's whereabouts.
They herded the villagers together, then went from house to house, rummaging through everything. After turning the place upside down for half a day, they finally left, frustrated and empty-handed.
"The magistrate's been killed?"
Gu Xinlan whispered, "Didn't this one only take office less than two years ago? Seems being an official isn't much safer than being a peasant."
"Yeah."
Chen Sanshi watched the constables disappear down the road, frowning slightly.
'Why would a barbarian kill a magistrate?'
'The border defense is handled by the garrison army, not the county yamen. If they really wanted to invade, shouldn't they be targeting the soldiers instead?'
"Forget it," he muttered. "Doesn't concern me anyway."
Still, the world was getting more chaotic by the day. That alone reminded him how badly he needed money.
Only with wealth could he grow stronger—and survive in these turbulent times.
After gulping down his breakfast, he slung his bow over his shoulder and headed up the mountain to hunt.