Chapter 47 Making Money

Senior Sister is truly ruthless!

Luo Zijun limped along the road home.

The setting sun was casting a warm glow, and a gentle breeze caressed his face.
The streets were bustling with pedestrians, and peddlers were shouting out their wares, presenting a lively and prosperous scene.

For some inexplicable reason, at this moment, he felt a sudden sense of trance. Images and faces from that world and this world involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

What if he were to live here forever...
A family who loved him, drinking buddies, an improper master, a beautiful senior sister—he had them all now...

As for that world, aside from a cold and gloomy apartment, what was left?
Romance, family bonds, friendship—all gone...
His entire life and world had long since shattered into pieces, plunged into utter darkness.
Even if he managed to survive, what meaning would it hold?

At this instant, a wave of hesitation and restlessness rippled through his heart.
What was the point of all this struggling?
Was it to return to that cold and dark world once more, to meet the people who had driven him to despair and heartbreak all over again?

He shook his head, trying to banish these sudden, bizarre thoughts.
Yet, they lingered stubbornly.

"It's all fake!"
He comforted himself this way.
Everything here had been meticulously pre-arranged—the people, the stories, the city, even the entire world—it was all fake!
This world would eventually vanish.
And as for him, once he completed his mission, he would be able to leave this place, be reborn, and gain eternal life.
Perhaps, once he returned, everything would somehow turn for the better.

He continuously reassured himself inwardly, forcing his mind to stop wandering.

"Let's buy a roast goose to go with Brother-in-law's wine!"
Passing by a roast goose shop, the tantalizing aroma of roasted meat wafted over, temporarily driving away his unsettling thoughts.
Since he had earned some silver today, he would buy a large one.

With the packaged roast goose in hand, just as he crossed an intersection, he suddenly sensed that he was being followed again.
This time, there were two of them, and both were brawny fellows.

Luo Zijun immediately thought of what had happened that morning.
Without breaking his stride, he kept walking forward and quickly turned into a narrow alley.

The two men exchanged glances and immediately followed him in.
"It must be this punk, no doubt about it!"
"Let's take care of him right here, make it quick! Today we'll make this little bastard piss and shit himself, and carry him out horizontal!"
The two quickened their pace.

To their surprise, the figure ahead also suddenly sped up and vanished around the corner just ahead.
"After him!"
Their expressions changed, and they broke into a run.

Just as they rushed around the corner, with a *swish*, a cloud of white powder was suddenly flung right into their faces!
Caught completely off guard, both men got a face full of it.

Immediately afterward, a powerful fist came flying from around the corner, striking *bang!* heavily against one of the men's chests!
The big man let out a miserable cry and flew backward, the sound of cracking ribs echoing from his chest!

The other fellow was startled and hurriedly tried to retreat.
*Bang!*
Luo Zijun's other fist swiftly slammed into his chest as well.

This fellow didn't fly backward, but he staggered back a few steps and collapsed onto the ground.
Still, for the moment, he couldn't get back up.

The two men groaned on the ground, their faces covered in lime powder, their hands frantically rubbing their eyes, only to find the burning pain growing worse with every wipe.

"You little bastard, how dare—"
*Bang!*
The man sitting on the ground was just about to curse when Luo Zijun's fist followed up swiftly, smashing heavily into his mouth.
Instantly, blood splattered and front teeth flew out.
With a muffled groan, the big man could no longer curse.

Luo Zijun stepped closer and delivered a punch straight to the man's temple, knocking him out cold.
Then, with a cold flash of light, he drew a dagger and severed the man's heel tendons.
Since this fellow practiced martial arts, he naturally had to be crippled!

"I am Invincible of the West from beneath Blackwood Cliff in Lingshan, dedicated to punishing the wicked and upholding justice! The two of you conspired with those two women to set traps and defraud countless kind souls! And today you attempted to waylay the scholar who just passed by! You deserve to die!"
"However, Heaven is merciful and cherishes all life. Today, I shall spare your lives! If you dare to commit evil again in the future, I will show no mercy!"

After saying this, Luo Zijun turned to the other man and knocked him out with a single punch as well.
Then, with two *thuds*, he shattered the man's leg bones.

These two likely had no backing or powerful connections, and even if they practiced martial arts, it was bottom-tier stuff; otherwise, they wouldn't have had to rely on those two women to show their faces and lure targets into traps.
Anyone with even a sliver of real ability would have moved on to safer and more lucrative ventures.
That was why Luo Zijun had dared to ambush them here.

However, to prevent any future retaliation, he had to resort to ruthless methods and leave them crippled.
As for committing murder, he still lacked the nerve.
If these two villains were merely crippled, even if the authorities found out, they wouldn't bother investigating too deeply.
But if they were killed, it would become a major case.
He didn't want to take that risk just yet.

Searching their bodies, he found a total of twenty-three taels of silver.
Combined with the seventeen taels he already had, he was now carrying a small fortune of forty taels.
If he went to the pleasure house tonight, there might even be another two hundred taels waiting for him.
He could now be considered a wealthy man.

Surprisingly, his first real taste of physical combat had left him remarkably calm.
Judging by today's events, martial arts were indeed essential.
Practicing martial arts not only strengthened the body but also bolstered one's courage.
If he had just been an ordinary scholar, upon realizing he was being followed by two thugs, he probably would have peed his pants from fright—let alone had the guts to fight back.

He decided that he must continue to train diligently in martial arts to make himself stronger.
Only then would he have the means to protect himself.
At the same time, only by growing stronger could he effectively prevent Xu Xian and Lady White from getting together and handle any unexpected mishaps.
After all, Lady White was a thousand-year-old snake demon.

Earn money diligently, train hard in martial arts!
Combining the two was the only way to successfully complete the mission!

He picked up the roast goose from the corner, brushed the dirt off its surface, and hurried away.
Soon, he arrived home.

Just as he reached the front door, he suddenly heard the voices of his elder sister and brother-in-law quarreling in the courtyard.

"Li Zhengshan, if we can't make it work, let's just end it! Go live with your sworn brother instead! A full twenty taels of silver, that was our family's entire fortune, and you just handed it all over to him! Are you trying to drive me to my death?"
"Big Head got hurt because of me, and he almost lost his life. If I don't pay for his medical expenses, who will?"
"The yamen should pay for it! Didn't the yamen give him money? Why are you acting like the big benefactor? You gave away all the silver we had, how are the four of us supposed to live from now on? Do you have any idea how long we had to sweat and save to save up those twenty taels? You... you... sob, sob..."
"Alright, alright, my dear wife, stop crying. I'll earn the silver back. The yamen giving Big Head money is right and proper, and me giving it to him is right too. He was injured because of me, I couldn't just do nothing."
"Sob, sob, you could have given him five taels, ten taels, that would have been enough! You took every last coin our family had, you... sob, sob, I won't live anymore!"
"My wife! Don't!"

Luo Zijun hurriedly stepped into the small courtyard.
Brother-in-law and Xiaohuan were holding onto his sister's arms from left and right. His sister was weeping tears, struggling and trying to throw herself into the household well.

"Zijun, hurry up and talk some sense into your sister!"
Seeing him return, Li Zhengshan immediately called out.

Luo sobbing, Luo Jiaorong cried, "Nobody's words will work! If you don't get those twenty taels of silver back for me today, I'll drown myself in this well right now!"
Li Zhengshan sighed, "I've already given the silver away, how do you expect me to—"
"I don't care! I don't care! Sob, sob, sob..."
Luo Jiaorong struggled to throw herself into the well again.

Luo Zijun spoke up, "Brother-in-law, Xiaohuan, let go. Let her jump in, we can just fish her out later. The well water is so shallow, it won't kill her; though her newly made dress will probably get ruined."
Luo Jiaorong: "..."

Understanding the hint, Li Zhengshan let go of her arm.
Xiaohuan, however, continued to hold on tightly, refusing to let go.
Luo Jiaorong flew into a rage, marched over, and snatched up a broom: "Luo Zijun! You little ungrateful wolf! Not only do you not help your own sister scold your brother-in-law, but you actually—"
"Sister, stop!"
Luo Zijun quickly stopped her, pulled twenty taels of silver from his pocket, and said, "Look, Sister, the twenty taels are right here!"

Luo Jiaorong's anger froze instantly, and she lowered the broom in her hand.
Li Zhengshan's expression changed dramatically: "Zijun, you... you actually went to Big Head's place and got the twenty taels back?"
Luo Zijun: "..."