Chapter 13: Cooperation

A steady sound of someone punching a practice dummy echoed through the courtyard. More than an hour had passed since Lin Zheyu started his training. He was panting heavily, and his face was beginning to pale. It was clear that he was close to his limit, but he clenched his teeth and pushed on. Each time he broke through his physical limits, it was both a trial and a baptism for his mind and body.

Another ten minutes passed by.

Finally...

Lin Zheyu collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, but a look of pure satisfaction was spreading across his face.

Refreshing! This feeling is addictive,

he thought.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 3]

[Skill: Barbaric Ox Fist (Initiation: 46%)]

Lin Zheyu got up after resting for a while, stretching his muscles and bones while enduring the sharp pain. Proper stretching after training could make the tendons stronger and more resilient, enabling greater bursts of power.

***

Late Night.

The moon was full tonight, its bright light spilling over and illuminating the dark streets. Three sneaky figures used the moonlight to make their way under the cover of darkness to the outside of Lin Zheyu's courtyard.

"Brother Yu, this is the place," said the skinny fellow.

"He actually rented such a nice little courtyard. Looks like he's been making good money lately," said Gao Yu with a chuckle as he thought about the profit they'd make tonight.

"Monkey, you're agile. Climb over the wall and open the gate from inside," said Gao Yu.

"Alright, wait here for me," replied the skinny fellow with full confidence.

Though his body was all skin and bone like a scrawny monkey, his movements were extremely nimble. He could climb walls and trees with monkey-like agility—hence his nickname. Gao Yu and the other companion crouched slightly and cupped their hands together, allowing the skinny fellow to step onto their hands and, with their boost, grab onto one part of the wall.

"Did he think building a wall this high could stop me?" muttered the skinny fellow. He chuckled slyly and went to grab another edge of the wall with both hands. "Hm?

Fu...!

"

A searing pain shot from his palms. The skinny fellow gritted his teeth, holding back a cry, but the pain made him lose his grip and fall. He started to roll on the ground in agony.

"Monkey, what's wrong with you?" Gao Yu and the other man exclaimed in a low voice, careful not to make too much noise. It would be over if they were discovered; they'd definitely be hauled off to prison for forced labor.

"That damned brat put a bunch of long spikes on the wall!" said the skinny fellow, cursing under his breath.

Blood seeped heavily from his gloved hands. As a seasoned thief, the skinny fellow knew to guard against sharp objects hidden on the wall; he had even worn gloves. But he hadn't expected that on Lin Zheyu's wall there weren't just spikes, but also small blades and long needles. Worse still, each long needle had barbs!

"So what now?" asked Gao Yu as he frowned at the sight of the blood-soaked gloves.

"It's fine, I've got another way. I learned a special lockpicking trick from an old friend in prison. Give me a moment to recover, and we'll go in through the front gate!" the skinny fellow said as he bared his teeth.

It seemed that the pain was truly intense. His hands felt like they were on fire as he hissed in sharp breaths.

Seeing the skinny fellow's pale face, Gao Yu asked in concern, "Are you sure you're okay? Why don't we come back another day?"

"No need, I'm fine," replied the skinny fellow.

However, his mind was gradually growing more hazy. He figured it was just from hitting his head when he fell. None of these thieves could have guessed how many precautions Lin Zheyu had taken in his courtyard against a possible sneak attack from Jia Yanyong.

Those needles didn't just have barbs; they were also coated with poison Lin Zheyu had obtained through special channels. He maintained them diligently every morning and evening to ensure the poison's potency never faded.

Gao Yu, seeing the skinny fellow's voice grow weaker and his eyelids twitch as if about to close, asked anxiously, "Monkey, Monkey... What's wrong with you?"

"I... I'm fine... I... I'll just..." said the skinny fellow in a broken, faltering voice.

"Woof, woof...! Woof, woof, woof...!"

Before he could finish speaking, however, the barking of a young puppy came from inside the courtyard.

"Not good! This guy has a dog. Come on, let's head back. If we make too much noise and get caught, we'll be in trouble," said Gao Yu, deciding on the spot.

The inner city was nothing like Baishan District; control was much stricter, and patrols roamed even at night. He hoisted the increasingly dazed skinny fellow onto his back, gestured to their other companion, and disappeared into a dark alley.

Inside the courtyard's kitchen, Lin Zheyu awoke with a start. Hidden within the firewood pile was a small space where Lin Zheyu lay on bedding spread across the floor.

"Someone's here?" muttered Lin Zheyu.

Lin Zheyu immediately grew alert. He had taken many precautions against a possible sneak attack from Jia Yanyong. He had even placed a decoy in his bedroom, while each night he rested in the kitchen's hidden sleeping area to avoid being caught in his bed. Having seen plenty of TV dramas in his previous life, he knew many people liked to strike under the cover of darkness.

Rising cautiously, Lin Zheyu gripped his hatchet and pressed his ear against the door. Outside was silent except for the barking of his recently purchased puppy. He waited patiently for over an hour, but there was still no movement outside. Lin Zheyu exhaled slightly in relief, cracked the door open to take a look, and only after confirming nothing was amiss did he fully relax.

A false alarm. None of the traps in the yard was triggered. Maybe someone or some animal passed by and startled Little Huang,

Lin Zheyu thought to himself.

He patted Little Huang's head to calm it down. Little Huang was a native mongrel, just over three months old, with two downward-slanting brows that made it look both melancholic and comical.

"Tomorrow I'll go to Jia Yanming and discuss a potential cooperation. Living in constant fear like this isn't a solution," mused Lin Zheyu. In this world, there were no eternal enemies, no eternal friends, but only eternal interests.

***

Morning.

Lin Zheyu stretched lazily, wincing at the pain in his sore muscles. After washing up, he ate five big bowls of rice with braised meat. His appetite was growing, and his digestion and absorption were getting better and better.

Early in the morning, there were few people in the Overflowing Fragrance Teahouse, though it was still busier than the Jade Pill Teahouse. The Overflowing Fragrance Teahouse was of a higher class, and some wealthy patrons liked to come in from early morning to enjoy tea.

Lin Zheyu entered the teahouse and chose a seat by the window. Influenced by Master Liang Song, Lin Zheyu had grown fond of sitting by the window, where he could watch passersby and enjoy the scenery outside.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Waiter, bring me a pot of Immortal Mist Phoenix Tea, sesame flatbread, dana, and lejiang[1]... one plate of each."

After ordering his breakfast, Lin Zheyu added, "Let Jia Yanming know that someone named Lin Zheyu is here to see him."

"Got it!" replied the waiter. He turned and quickly went to place the order.

"Lin Zheyu... Lin Zheyu... I think I've heard that name before?" Then the waiter's eyes lit up as he muttered, "Isn't Lin Zheyu the storyteller from the Jade Pill Teahouse? Why would he come looking for Manager Jia? Could it be that he wants to tell stories here at the Overflowing Fragrance Teahouse instead? If that's the case, that would be great. Business here would definitely soar."

The waiter, inwardly excited, hurried off to inform the manager. The better the teahouse's business, the more wealthy young masters it would attract, and the more chances the waiters would have to receive tips.

While waiting for his food, Lin Zheyu took the opportunity to look around the Overflowing Fragrance Teahouse. He was quite interested. Unlike the high-end Overflowing Fragrance Teahouse, the Jade Pill Teahouse was not particularly upscale; its patrons were mostly from the middle and lower classes.

However, as Lin Zheyu's reputation spread and his stories were passed around by word of mouth, they grew increasingly popular. In recent days, more and more young masters had been coming to the Jade Pill Teahouse to hear his stories, taking away many customers from the Overflowing Fragrance Teahouse.

"Mr. Lin, hello," greeted Jia Yanming as he approached briskly with a slight smile on his face.

1. Not sure what type of food the author is referring to. This might be something that the author created. ☜