In the Underground, who wouldn’t fawn over a Night Watchman—especially one who was a captain? That kid was practically throwing himself away these past two days in his daze.
“Oh, this is what I need. Just set it here. You’re off duty now,”
Captain Luo Jin said, pointing toward the desk’s edge.
Casey waved her hand dismissively.
“Not so fast. Clocking in late or leaving early means a wage cut. I’m right outside—how about a cup of tea? I brewed some Hundred-Flower Tea.”
“Alright then, serve me one,” Luo Jin replied with a wry chuckle as he began poring over Li Xin’s file. He was rather intrigued by that kid.
As he read further, a smile slowly tugged at the corner of his mouth. Lin Fei… it couldn’t be a namesake. The case from years ago flashed before his eyes—ah, what pitiful souls they all were.
Six years ago, Li Xin was taken in by Lin Fei. He survived by hunting. By judging his prey, it was evident that his psionic awakening must have occurred roughly five years ago. Endowed with formidable combat talent, he made his living hunting and—through the sale of game, protection fees, and several altercations with the Spade Crew—he managed to carve out a niche.
Afterward, the Spade Crew not only refrained from retaliation but became noticeably more disciplined. Gone were the days of vandalism and petty theft; they organized to collect a uniform protection fee once a month and even took on maintaining order throughout Blackwater. They clashed with rival gangs on several occasions, even when noticeably outmatched, yet they emerged victorious each time. The neighborhood around Li Xin’s home soon became a safety zone in Blackwater.
This, Luo Jin mused, was likely the very reason why Blackwater’s security had remained remarkably stable in recent years.
Stroking his chin, he recalled the way Qi Eight-Blades had eyed Li Xin. Chances were, the two had struck some kind of deal.
Getting a hardened gangster like Qi Eight-Blades to toe the line wouldn’t be easy—he was ruthless, but brutality alone was worthless when the gang needed to survive. Without money, why risk your life? A misstep by one of the underlings could bring down the boss in an instant.
They might not announce it openly, but behind the scenes, things were being managed: regular collection of protection fees, maintenance of order, and the building of street credibility. Whether it was Li Xin’s idea or Qi Eight-Blades’s, it turned out to be a clever strategy—after all, City Hall didn’t care about the Underground, and even a modicum of order was preferable to chaos.
Luo Jin continued reading. The Night Watchmen’s investigation revealed that Li Xin still made a living by hunting and wasn’t sharing any profits with the Spade Crew. Their interactions were few and far between.
Now that was interesting—a kid barely sixteen or seventeen, with not only the skills but also the discipline to rein in his desires. Luo Jin couldn’t help but feel a grudging respect. Frankly, if he were in Li Xin’s shoes, he’d be eager to grab a slice of the pie too.
The investigation was detailed. Li Xin was shown to be exceptionally devoted to his adoptive mother and younger sister—a family man of commendable character.
There was even a list detailing several rare exotic beasts and unique medicinal herbs. Since specialty herb shops and Hextech recycling stations meticulously recorded their sources, the kid had managed to build a small reputation in the market. Some of these creatures were extraordinarily dangerous to hunt—like the Enchanting-Eared Rabbit, which wasn’t much of a fighter but possessed startling perceptiveness. In fact, among the noble circles who favored the Enchanting-Eared Rabbit, only Li Xin could capture one alive, thanks to his uncanny insight and nimbleness...
“?”
Luo Jin couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. Damn it—by the look of it, Li Xin must have already noticed him when he was taking down that Licker. Perhaps the kid intentionally kept his back turned, luring the creature in with a chance to strike. With such keen perception, it wasn’t surprising that he hadn’t even flinched when Luo Jin arrived.
And then there was the matter of the Licker itself. It was normal for a Licker to try to scurry away after sensing one’s presence, but what in the hell made it suddenly blow its own head off? At the time, Luo Jin assumed something was wrong with the creature itself, but now... that explanation didn’t quite add up.
Absentmindedly stroking his chin, Luo Jin laughed to himself. What was he even thinking? It was just his professional habit—to overanalyze every odd detail. After all, he’d seen his fair share of unusual characters.
His earlier reservations about Li Xin’s murky dealings with gangsters had subsided now. This kid had a set of principles and truly valued family. That earned Luo Jin’s admiration. A Night Watchman needed to be ruthless, yes, but never at the expense of one’s core self. This kid was a born Night Watchman.
Li Xin remained oblivious to all of Luo Jin’s grudging praise. Then, on the sixth day, the prodigal son finally returned home.
This time, from his latest hunting trip, his bone spear was missing, and so was his dagger. The only thing he had was a tattered canvas backpack riddled with holes. His clothes were in shambles—ragged pieces of fabric held together by makeshift strips—and his hair looked as if it had been roughly rubbed and untamed. His face was blotchy—bruises of blue and purple smeared all over—and he reeked of a bizarre odor, as though he’d been washed in a sour, dried-out soy sauce vat.
When he stepped through the door, little Xueyin didn’t even recognize him. Pinching her nose, she handed him a steamed bun.
Staring at that bun, Li Xin’s eyes welled up with tears. If he ever used that damned, god-awful Die again, he might as well be a dog.
Suddenly, a warm embrace enveloped him. Aunt Fei cupped Li Xin’s head affectionately, wordlessly ushering him inside as she meticulously checked him over.
“Are you hurt?”
Li Xin managed a crooked smile.
“I’m fine—just didn’t catch anything on this trip, and I ended up losing my gear.”
“Good as long as you’re alive. Get cleaned up—I’ll fix you something good to eat,” Lin Fei said softly.
Li Xin nodded. Though Aunt Fei was known to shout at the drop of a hat, when it mattered, she was as calm as a mountain. Her demeanour was utterly unshakeable.
“Why are you standing there? Take off your clothes—I need to see what I can salvage.”
After a few dry coughs from Li Xin, Lin Fei grinned.
“Oh, so you’ve grown up, huh? Now you know how to be shy? I’ve seen every inch of you.”
****
Li Xin crouched in a shabby wooden bucket, scrubbing the gunk off his body—god only knew what kind of filth was stuck to him.
He’d practically rolled through every mud trench in the forest. He’d had enough.
This can’t go on.
He needed something better. A real job.
Getting into the city wasn’t easy without connections. And that Luo Jin guy… he wasn’t the worst option out there. If it weren’t for Li Xin’s distaste for the Night Watchmen—their sky-high casualty rate, the way they threw lives at problems—he might’ve latched onto the guy already.
Still, the way things were going, he couldn’t hold out much longer.
Aunt Fei spent every day putting on a brave face, her hair messy, her voice firm. But he could see through it—she was holding everything together with sheer will. And Xueyin… she was old enough now to attend a Grace Class. But those things cost money. And more importantly, they needed legal city status.
He couldn’t give them that with just a spear and a lucky roll of the Die.
Once the decision settled in, Li Xin actually felt a little better.
After a good bath and a full meal, he crashed into bed and slept like a log.
The next morning, he pulled on clean clothes, picked out the finest piece of smoked meat he had—thick, perfectly dried, rich with flavor—wrapped it up neatly, and set off.
His destination: the Night Watchmen HQ.
He knew the path from the Underground to the inner city like the back of his hand. He could walk it blindfolded.
Technically, the Night Watchmen answered to City Hall. But since they dealt with Awakened matters, the Church handled most of their operations. Their headquarters was practically next door to the Cathedral.
To keep his clothes from getting dirty, Li Xin didn’t cut through the alleys. He took the long way—up to the surface. It cost him extra time, but it was worth it.
By the time he reached the city… it was nearly noon.
(End of Chapter 5)