Free Web NovelChapter 1: Chapter 1: Chaotic Times
Cangshui County, Qingshui County.
The inner courtyard of the County Yamen.
"Han Yuan, what in the world are you good for?"
"I gave you three days, and you can’t even catch a petty thief?"
"I’ll give you one more day. If you still can’t catch him, don’t bother coming back to the County Yamen."
Wang Cheng, his face covered in pockmarks and dressed in the light blue, cloud-patterned Constable Uniform, berated the young man standing before him.
It was currently the changing of the guard, and people were coming and going throughout the inner courtyard. Wang Cheng’s actions showed he had no intention of saving any face for Han Yuan.
The passing Government Officials all showed looks of pity, but no one spoke up, merely hurrying on their way.
The young man, clad in a blue Governmental Uniform, had bloodshot eyes, a clear sign he had been up all night. Faced with Wang Cheng’s harassment, a helpless look crossed his face as he sighed, "Understood."
"If it weren’t for the sake of your dead brother,"
"I would have fired you long ago."
Wang Cheng snorted coldly and turned to leave.
Han Yuan watched Wang Cheng’s back, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
’One day...’
’That bastard is just trying to run me into the ground.’
Han Yuan’s eyes turned grim.
But he had been up all night. His Heart Spirit was exhausted, and he couldn’t take it anymore. He decided to go home and rest.
Just as he stepped out of the County Yamen, a withered arm suddenly pulled him into a nearby alley.
"Old Wang... is something wrong?"
Han Yuan asked, confused.
The person who had pulled him aside was a short, thin old man in his fifties with graying hair.
This old man was named Wang Changbai, and he had been watching over the County Yamen’s storeroom for over a decade.
Wang Changbai carefully looked all around. After confirming no one was there, he whispered, "Xiaohan, you need to be careful."
"Yesterday, while I was on night watch at the storeroom, I happened to overhear Wang Cheng talking to someone."
"It turns out he’s been making things difficult for you lately because he wants to kick you out of the County Yamen and get his brother-in-law in."
Realization dawned on Han Yuan. "No wonder..." he said.
In these chaotic times, with the world collapsing and human lives as worthless as weeds, countless people were starving to death. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Although being a Government Official at the County Yamen was somewhat dangerous, it came with a government-provided meal, a reason for which countless people would fight to get in.
Even Han Yuan himself had only managed to get in through his brother’s connections.
Besides, the number of Government Officials in the County Yamen was fixed; there was one spot per person. Wang Cheng didn’t have the power to break the rules, so his only option was to kick someone out to make room for another.
And Han Yuan, having lost his backer, was undoubtedly the perfect candidate.
"With your brother gone, no one in the County Yamen will stand up for you."
"You need to find some connections and smooth things over, quickly."
Wang Changbai gave Han Yuan’s shoulder a meaningful pat, then turned and left.
.....
’I have to find a way to keep my post as a Government Official.’
Walking home, Han Yuan observed the scenes on the street, his expression stirred.
Scores of vagrants and beggars pleaded for alms on the streets.
Occasionally, one could even see a stiff, stinking corpse.
Gangs roamed the streets, causing all kinds of chaos.
Fighting over turf, arranging brawls, even engaging in bloody battles.
Chaos, savagery, darkness...
Without this uniform, he would very likely be plunged into the same turbulent life. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
’How did I end up in such chaotic times...?’
Han Yuan felt a sense of helplessness.
In his past life, he had died in a car accident. His soul then unexpectedly transmigrated, possessing the body of a minor Government Official in the Qingshui County Yamen.
The original owner of this body had lost his parents early on and depended on his older brother, Han Jiudao, to survive.
Later, Han Jiudao mastered his Martial Arts and became a constable for the County Yamen, bringing Han Yuan along to serve as a Government Official.
That is, until half a month ago, when Han Jiudao went missing in the wilderness while tracking a notorious Martial World Thief.
No one has seen him alive, and no corpse has been found.
Without Han Jiudao, the great tree that had sheltered him from the wind and rain, Han Yuan’s good days were naturally over.
After Han Jiudao disappeared, he was assigned to Wang Cheng’s unit, where he suffered all sorts of malicious harassment.
Not long ago, Wang Cheng had even sent the original owner of the body to arrest a thief who had recently been active on Nanshi Street.
The original owner had a cowardly nature and didn’t dare to resist. Even knowing it was impossible for one person to catch the thief by staking out the area, he still did so for days on end, working himself to death and conveniently making way for the transmigrated Han Yuan.
Following the memories in his mind, he walked past two main streets before turning into a small alley.
A house with a courtyard came into Han Yuan’s view.
This was Han Yuan’s home in this world.
He pushed open the courtyard gate.
To the left was the kitchen, and to the right was Han Yuan’s room.
The main hall in the center was originally Han Jiudao’s room. After his disappearance, Han Yuan had not moved in.
Having been up all night, Han Yuan was completely exhausted. He returned to his room and fell into a deep sleep.
When he opened his eyes again, the sun was just setting, and the twilight was dim.
After finding something in the kitchen to fill his stomach, Han Yuan didn’t head to Nanshi Street for the stakeout. Instead, he picked up his standard-issue long saber and went into the courtyard.
From the original owner’s memories, Han Yuan knew that this world truly had powerful Martial Artists who could walk on eaves and walls and tear tigers and leopards apart with their bare hands.
Moreover, in these chaotic times, martial strength was all the more precious.
If Han Yuan were as formidable as his brother Han Jiudao, how would Wang Mazi dare to provoke him?
Unfortunately, the original owner’s talent was average. Coupled with the fact that Han Jiudao had always taken care of him, he had neglected his practice, and his martial skills were mediocre at best.
Han Yuan recalled the Blade Technique the original owner had cultivated.
The Thousand Falcon Saber.
It was a Third-Class Blade Technique that required strong muscles to continuously exert force, allowing the blade’s light to flash like a hunting falcon as it cut down enemies. Its power was considerable.
Han Yuan took a deep breath, adjusted his qi and blood, and put strength into all ten fingers, gripping the long saber tightly.
"Flying Falcon Strike!"
The next moment, the long saber transformed into a streak of white light and thrust forward.
This move imitated a flying falcon and was extremely fast.
But when Han Yuan thrust his saber out, it was soft and powerless.
This was the result of neglecting his Cultivation and not having mastered the way to exert force.
Han Yuan paid it no mind. Everything required a gradual process.
To practice martial arts, one must endure hardship!
If he gave up so easily, how could he ever master martial arts? How could he survive in these chaotic times!
With the next move, he took a large step forward with his right leg, the saber’s edge tracing an arc as it slashed diagonally.
"Flying Falcon Flashing Past!"
"Falcon Dance in the Sky!"
Han Yuan practiced the Thousand Falcons Blade Technique, move by move.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he stopped, drenched in sweat.
After practicing it just once, he could feel his muscles aching all over.
His shoulders, in particular, felt as if the fascia was tearing.
’Still not enough training... I’ll have to practice more diligently in the future.’
Han Yuan wiped the sweat from his face. He was about to rest for a moment before continuing his Cultivation.
Just then, his vision suddenly blurred.
In a daze, Han Yuan seemed to see something pop out.
When the blurry object came into focus, a transparent, silver-rimmed box appeared before his eyes.
Host: Han Yuan.
Thousand Falcons Blade Technique: Uninitiated (1/100)
Seeing this transparent box, Han Yuan was stunned for a moment, then his face lit up with ecstasy.
’I knew it... How could I not have a golden finger?’
Han Yuan calmed himself down and began to study the transparent box.
He quickly figured it out.
It was a Martial Arts Skill Proficiency Panel.
Any Martial Arts he cultivated would appear on it. As long as he worked hard to grind out proficiency, he would be able to break through quickly.
