Chapter 6: City Guard
Chapter 6: City Guard
The sky was still dark, and the air was chilly as the morning mist lingered.
In the firewood shed, Chen Mu gracefully wielded his saber, creating a gust of wind with each swing.
He had been practicing for an unknown duration, until the system panel notified him of an 'Experience+' prompt. Only then did he pause, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a faint smile.
A month had passed since Zhang Hai's incident. During this time, Zhang Butcher and Chen Hong had been trying their best to rescue Zhang Hai from prison, but to no avail. He remained incarcerated, though temporarily safe.
As for the matter of Chen Hong's younger sister, 'Young Ying,' it was never mentioned again, and Chen Mu didn't inquire further. Perhaps Zhang Butcher had intervened, or maybe they didn't think highly of him—a sentiment Chen Mu didn't resent. After all, he was merely a lowly patrol officer, and it was normal for others to look down upon him. Now, although he had embarked on the right path, he hadn't yet made a significant impact, and he certainly wasn't arrogant enough to believe that even the most powerful figures would hold him in high regard.
Everyone had their own aspirations, and he didn't force his ambitions upon others.
After nearly a month of relentless saber practice, Chen Mu had finally accumulated a thousand experience points.
He decided to upgrade his Gale Swordsmanship from Unranked to Rank 2, which cost him a hundred experience points. Advancing from Rank 2 to Rank 3 required three hundred points, and the leap from Rank 3 to Mastery demanded a full thousand points, consuming nearly two months of arduous cultivation.
"In truth, I've already found my path in saber practice. Even without guidance, I know how to improve. As long as I have the time to practice, I can gradually reach Mastery, even without the system..."
Chen Mu shook his head.
He could have saved some experience points for later use, but he chose not to.
On the one hand, mastering Gale Swordsmanship solely through daily practice would take several years, a lengthy and tedious process. On the other hand, he desperately needed strength to protect himself.
Rank 2 Gale Swordsmanship provided little confidence in this chaotic world. However, achieving Mastery would enable him to handle five or six armed bandits single-handedly, and even during the most dangerous night patrols, he would feel more assured.
After all, many patrol chiefs, gang enforcers, and even bodyguards hired by wealthy families, often possessed the skill level of Mastery in various martial arts. Those who had cultivated 'Aura,' a rare ability that only a few could comprehend, were considered highly skilled.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Mu spent a thousand experience points in one go.
A buzzing sound filled his mind, and his entire brain went blank.
The process of advancing from Unranked to Rank 2 had instilled in him the memories of a year's worth of arduous practice. This time, the leap from Rank 2 to Mastery felt like an eternity, spanning through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, enduring all seasons.
It was as if he had lived through it all, practicing day after day, month after month, honing his skills in the spring breeze, under the summer sun, amidst autumn frost, and between winter snows... Seasons came and went, and years passed in an instant.
When Chen Mu's consciousness finally regained clarity, his entire back was drenched in sweat, and he had no idea how long he had been standing there in a daze.
But as he tightly gripped his patrol saber, a sense of control and fluidity emerged.
At the Unranked level, he had merely practiced the correct direction and details of force, mastering the basic techniques.
Rank 2 meant he had fully grasped the techniques and their variations, enabling him to adapt and respond spontaneously in actual combat. He could execute various techniques seamlessly, becoming a true martial artist on the right path.
And as for Mastery...
This was the pinnacle of Gale Swordsmanship, where he was no longer bound by techniques and variations. He had internalized the techniques to the point where he could apply them with ease, adapting to any situation. Whether facing a single opponent, multiple foes, or different types of adversaries, he could handle them all with finesse, a true master of his craft.
Once unleashed, he could directly kill two or three armed bandits, and even five or six would struggle to get close.
"Finally, I have some real strength," Chen Mu said with a smile, feeling the power he now possessed.
Strength was the foundation for navigating a chaotic world. With this ability, he could handle many more situations, even without the status of a patrol officer. He no longer feared bullies, thugs, or gang members causing trouble.
At this level, he could even work as an enforcer for certain factions or as a bodyguard for the wealthy, earning some silver.
Of course, Chen Mu didn't become complacent with this small achievement. Mastery in saber skills merely provided him with a means of self-defense and survival skills to rely on his own capabilities. It wasn't enough to drastically change his status.
Only by advancing Gale Swordsmanship to Mastery, cultivating the 'Aura' that few martial artists could comprehend, would he have the foundation to truly make a difference. Whether he aimed to become a patrol chief or strike out on his own, he would have the necessary abilities.
Chen Mu took a deep breath, then retrieved some meat from beneath the stove and chewed it, swallowing it with water.
He had invested heavily over the past three months.
He had spent all the silver he had painstakingly saved over the past two years on meat, as saber practice was not only about gaining experience points but also about strengthening his physical body, which required ample nourishment.
The results of his hard work were indeed significant.
At least, under Chen Mu's clothes, after three months of intense training and occasional meat feasts, his entire silhouette had filled out. While he didn't turn into a muscle-bound figure, he was no longer as frail as before.
However, the painstakingly saved silver was almost depleted. Chen Mu was considering his options when he decided to pawn his 'Gale Swordsmanship' book. After all, he had memorized the diagrams, and it held little value now.
Moreover, he was even contemplating buying a few more martial arts manuals from the pawnshop if he got the chance, to see if the system could extract the techniques for him... Unfortunately, while these books weren't extremely valuable, they still started at ten taels of silver, a price he couldn't afford at the moment.
If he were to sell, he'd only get two or three taels, which just proved how ruthless the pawnshop was.
"Alright, it's probably getting late. I should head to the City Guard first."
Chen Mu paused and put away the small booklet of Gale Swordsmanship. He cut off a piece of the remaining jerky, hid the rest, and then lifted the pot, preparing porridge for breakfast. He went into the inner room to wake Chen Yue for their meal.
While he ate meat, he couldn't let his sister go hungry. However, he couldn't provide too much, not yet. Soon, they wouldn't have to worry about such things anymore.
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Chen Yue woke up from her slumber, stretched her arms, and opened her small arms, wanting a hug from Chen Mu. But as she grew older, despite their poverty and lack of nutrition, her body was developing. Chen Mu rarely made such intimate gestures anymore.
Still, Chen Yue clung to him, and he had no choice but to embrace her and ensure she ate properly.
Afterward, Chen Mu changed into his patrol uniform, strapped on his patrol saber, and walked out the door.
Chen Yue tied the door securely and watched through the crack as Chen Mu's back disappeared from view before reluctantly returning to her room.
...
The city of Yu where Chen Mu lived was vast, divided into inner and outer cities. The outer city was further split into four sections—North, South, East, and West—and each section had ten 'Li,' a term used for a district within the city, equivalent in size to a township outside.
Consequently, in addition to the four 'City Guard Headquarters' in the North, South, East, and West, each 'Li' had its own 'City Guard Branch Office,' led by a 'Patrol Commander,' with several 'Senior Patrol Officers' and dozens of 'Patrol Officers' under their command.
Chen Mu's residence was in the 'Nine Streets,' under the jurisdiction of the 'Nine Streets City Guard Corps.'
Nowadays, with the bureaucratic governance in disarray and chaos rampant, the City Guard Corps had become private soldiers for some inner-city factions. They rarely took action regarding city affairs unless there were specific orders from above.
The Nine Streets City Guard Corps was located north of a spacious square.
The square served as the Nine Streets' marketplace, bustling with people during the day. In the past, there were occasional public executions of notorious highway bandits, but such occurrences had become less frequent in recent years.
North of the marketplace was a row of stone walls, with cracks showing signs of age. Compared to the grandeur of the City Guard Headquarters, these walls appeared rather ordinary. Still, they were more solemn and imposing than the typical residential compounds.
Within the stone walls, the Nine Streets City Guard Corps didn't have any towering buildings, only a few clean and tidy barracks.
Chen Mu entered the compound, first exchanging his 'Duty Badge' for the day, essentially 'checking in.' Then, he made his way to the backyard of the barracks to look for his teammates, Liu Song, and Li Tie.
However, as he turned into the backyard, he noticed something unusual. Usually, numerous patrol officers would be scattered around, drinking large bowls of bitter tea, but today, many of them were huddled together, surrounding a younger officer in their midst, creating quite a commotion.
Chen Mu raised an eyebrow, recognizing the young officer in the center as Ren Yan, someone he knew but wasn't in his team. Being two years younger than Chen Mu, Ren Yan was the youngest patrol officer here.
"Chen Mu's here! Come, have some tea and take a break."
Liu Song and Li Tie, sitting under a massive pagoda tree, waved him over with smiles.
Chen Mu joined them, sitting down beside the pair, and noticed that those gathered around Ren Yan were mostly the younger officers. The older ones like Liu Song and Li Tie, in their forties, kept their distance.
Chen Mu took a sip of the bitter tea and glanced at the crowd, curious, "This is..."
Liu Song chuckled, "Ren Yan's got some good fortune. His father recently met a patron and cultivated a relationship. The other day, he arranged for Ren Yan to learn swordsmanship at the 'Mountain Opening Martial Academy' in the inner city. Now, everyone here wants to tag along and see if they can get some guidance from Ren Yan too."
(End of Chapter)
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