Free Web NovelChapter 4: Chapter 4: New Mission
The turn of events happened in an instant.
Ye Jingshuang only snapped out of it after Jiang Ran had finished speaking, hastily closing her mouth, which had fallen open in shock.
Looking at Jiang Ran again, she had a sudden realization.
"It was you?!"
At this point, how could she not understand?
The piercing cry she had heard earlier had come from none other than Jiang Ran.
She hadn’t considered him before because he was too young, and... he’d been drying his clothes shirtless.
There was no way she could have connected Jiang Ran to the mysterious expert whose cry had been filled with such profound Inner Strength.
’After all, an expert of that caliber could easily use Inner Strength to dry his clothes. Why would he bother with something so tedious?’
Hearing this, Jiang Ran gave Ye Jingshuang a bright smile.
When he looked away, however, he frowned slightly at a translucent panel in front of him.
[Mission Triggered: Apprehend the Leader of the Celestial King Stronghold, Zhang Dongxuan!]
[Accept Mission?]
This prompt had only just appeared. To be precise, it materialized only after Ye Jingshuang revealed Zhang Dongxuan’s identity and mentioned the Court’s bounty of one thousand silver taels for his capture.
Yet when Zhang Dongxuan had appeared before Jiang Ran, masked and clad in black, the system hadn’t reacted at all.
’Does this mean... the key to triggering the mission is whether or not I know he’s a wanted criminal?’
At this thought, he suddenly felt that his system was kind of pathetic.
’Other people’s systems calculate everything and set up missions before anything even happens. They’re practically omniscient.’
’But mine... I have to figure out the person’s identity myself before it’ll even generate a mission.’
’The one praiseworthy thing is that the mission rewards are generous.’
’Then again, I can’t rule out that it’s just a bonus for completing my first mission...’
As he mulled this over, he had already silently accepted the mission.
He’d thought that, at the earliest, he would have to reach the county town to accept his next mission from a bounty board. He never expected that a life-saving remedy... no, a wanted criminal, would deliver himself right to his door.
How could he possibly turn such an opportunity away?
[Mission Accepted!]
[Objective: Apprehend the Leader of the Celestial King Stronghold, Zhang Dongxuan!]
[Apprehension Progress: In Progress...] ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Seeing this, Jiang Ran gave a slight nod.
Then, he walked over to Zhang Dongxuan.
The palm strike they had just exchanged was no small matter.
Zhang Dongxuan never imagined that Jiang Ran was such a deeply hidden master.
The instant their palms met, before the expression on his face could even change, Jiang Ran had shattered every meridian in his body.
Kneeling on the ground, he was on his last breaths. Forget escaping; he couldn’t even move.
Watching Jiang Ran approach, he forced his head up to look at him, grinding out his words through clenched teeth:
"Who... who are you?"
"Jiang Ran."
"’Jiang’ like a river, ’Ran’ for serenity."
Jiang Ran said it earnestly, appearing exceptionally sincere.
"You!"
Zhang Dongxuan was already grievously wounded and on the verge of death. Hearing this, a surge of uncontrollable rage welled up within him. He coughed up a great mouthful of blood, fell backward, and breathed his last.
"!!!"
Jiang Ran was momentarily dumbfounded.
’My name really is Jiang Ran, I wasn’t lying... Why did you have to die just because you didn’t like what I said?’
He rushed over to check his pulse, but the man was beyond saving.
He immediately pulled up his system panel again.
When he saw that the mission progress bar still read ’In Progress,’ he breathed a sigh of relief.
’Looks like dead works too.’
But as he looked at the corpse, Jiang Ran felt a bit troubled.
’This is going to be a pain to move.’
’And what if the Government Office thinks I just grabbed a random look-alike corpse to try and fool them... completing this mission won’t be easy.’
Thinking of this, he glanced back at Ye Jingshuang.
Seeing that she was still unable to stand, he dragged Zhang Dongxuan’s body over to her and took out the medicinal pill from before.
"Miss Ye, take this healing medicine first."
Ye Jingshuang glanced at Jiang Ran, accepted the pill, and swallowed it. Only then did she cup her fist in salute and say:
"So your name is Jiang Ran... Thank you, Young Master Jiang. I never imagined you possessed such peerless martial arts.
"It was I who was ignorant, failing to recognize a true master right in front of me. You must think me a fool."
"Please don’t be offended, miss. I didn’t mean to hide it."
Jiang Ran smiled.
"It’s just that I didn’t know you were looking for me. We were strangers who had just met by chance. I couldn’t very well introduce myself by saying I possess profound Inner Energy, now could I?"
"That’s true..."
Ye Jingshuang found his words amusing and couldn’t help but smile. She then cupped her fist again solemnly.
"Regardless, I owe my life to you, Young Master Jiang.
"First, you showed me the kindness of a meal, and now you have saved my life... I truly don’t know how I can ever repay you."
"You’re exaggerating."
Jiang Ran waved his hand dismissively and glanced at Zhang Dongxuan’s corpse.
"This man was vicious and cruel.
"I was saving you, but I was also protecting myself. You don’t need to feel so indebted.
"However, there are a few things I’d like to ask you about."
"Please ask, Young Master Jiang."
Ye Jingshuang quickly replied, her expression serious.
Jiang Ran, however, gave a slightly embarrassed smile.
"Well... if I wanted to take his body to the Government Office to claim the reward silver, what should I do if they don’t believe he’s Zhang Dongxuan?"
Ye Jingshuang was taken aback. Seeing that Jiang Ran wasn’t joking, she said:
"You don’t need to take his entire body to the Government Office, Young Master. Just his head will suffice.
"He was a notorious bandit in his day, and his case is a significant one.
"The local county office would have to report it up the chain of command and wait for someone from the Cangzhou Prefecture Government Office to come and verify the identity.
"Therefore, your best bet is to go directly to the Government Office in the prefecture to turn him in.
"That will save you a lot of trouble.
"Also, if you don’t know anyone at the Government Office, Young Master Jiang... it would be best to find a witness who can confirm Zhang Dongxuan’s identity and vouch for you."
"A witness?"
Jiang Ran grew thoughtful, his gaze falling on Ye Jingshuang’s face as he mused for a moment.
"Miss Ye, forgive me for asking, but where are you headed on this journey?"
"I... I’m heading to Cangzhou Prefecture."
Ye Jingshuang sighed softly.
"Young Master Jiang, you heard what Zhang Dongxuan said earlier. Though I studied at the Liuyun Sword Sect, I am from the Ye family—their eldest daughter.
"Tonight, the Ye family suffered a great disaster. Of my entire household, only I and my younger sister, who is studying away from home, survived.
"I fought my way out. I’m on my way to Cangzhou Prefecture to seek help from an old friend of my family."
"You’re going to Cangzhou Prefecture too?"
Jiang Ran was overjoyed. He had only asked Ye Jingshuang where she was going in the hopes that she would agree to be his witness.
After all, she was the one who had recognized Zhang Dongxuan tonight.
Besides, given her background, she wasn’t some nobody; she might even have some sway with the Government Office.
That was why he had asked.
He just never expected that they shared the same destination.
"Are you also going to Cangzhou Prefecture, Young Master Jiang?"
Ye Jingshuang asked, surprised, "Are you going to see family or visit friends?"
Jiang Ran gave a wry smile.
"To save someone."
"Huh?"
Ye Jingshuang was flabbergasted.
"Who could possibly require someone of your stature to rescue them, Young Master Jiang?"
"My master..."
Jiang Ran thought of the letter for help sent by that old drunkard, and he couldn’t help but sigh.
