In Lin Yi's words, the credential is, in the original work, a noble family that likes to take in outsiders and then torture and kill them.
This noble family is quite reputable in the imperial capital. They hide their inner evil very well. To outsiders, this family seems very charitable and kind-hearted.
So it's not hard to find them.
The master of this noble family is a count. The count's mansion is built in the heart of the imperial capital, on a bustling street, occupying a vast area.
Lin Yi is wandering around the count's mansion, preparing to stake it out and find a time to take action.
Suddenly, the main gate of the count's mansion opened, and a luxurious four-wheeled carriage drove out, accompanied by guards riding majestic horses, dressed in armor.
Seeing Lin Yi standing at the gate, the carriage suddenly stopped.
The curtain of the carriage was pulled back, and a young girl with golden hair that reached her shoulders, and a cute face, peeked out. After glancing at Lin Yi, her eyes lit up.
After a moment, the girl stepped out of the carriage. She exuded youthful beauty. She was wearing a white blouse with a beautiful bow tied at the front and a blue suspender skirt.
She looked, presumably, like many people's dream lover.
"Why are you standing here? Do you need something? If you have any troubles, please don't hesitate to tell me, and I'll help you."
The girl's voice was soft and caring, and she even winked playfully at Lin Yi.
Lin Yi was taken aback. He had originally planned to sneak in at night, but she came to him instead.
"I've heard that the count is very kind-hearted, so..."
Lin Yi awkwardly scratched the back of his head, his tone slightly embarrassed. He looked like a downtrodden young man, a bit shy in front of a beautiful girl.
"That's okay, you can stay at my place."
The girl leaned down and reached out her hand to Lin Yi.
"My martial arts skills are pretty good. I can serve as a guard." Lin Yi quickly waved his hand to indicate he wasn't here to beg.
"I see..."
The girl squinted her eyes, obviously more interested in Lin Yi.
"I believe you can definitely show your value. Your current situation is just temporary. Consider it as an early investment in you. Don't refuse, let's go."
Hearing this, two burly, fully armed guards beside her spoke up.
"I don't know what kind of luck you've had, but Miss Aria is just too kind-hearted. She wants to help everyone she meets."
Lin Yi quickly expressed his gratitude and followed the young girl into the luxurious mansion. Along the road at the entrance of the mansion, lamp posts stood on both sides, surrounded by neatly trimmed flower bushes.
The mansion's decor was extravagant and opulent.
As Lin Yi entered the interior of the mansion, he marveled at the luxury. The ordinary people in the capital were struggling to have a full meal, yet a mere count could live in such splendor.
This showed the extent of the capital's decay.
Lin Yi was led into the hall, and the young girl left on some pretext. After a short while, she returned, leading a beautiful mature woman.
The beautiful woman looked noble and dignified, with golden hair similar to that of Aria. Her facial features were stunning, and one couldn't tell she was approaching forty. She wore a gray-white evening dress, and her bust was quite prominent, much like that of Leone.
"Are you the outstanding young man that Aria spoke of? You indeed look promising. My husband will be back tonight. I'll recommend you to him to become a team leader," she said.
Any ordinary person would sense that this family's 'kindness' was excessive. Offering help and even promoting a stranger like this was like a sugar-coated bullet. Anyone unaware of the real situation would likely be utterly deceived.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yi pretended to be astonished and then overwhelmed with joy, quickly expressing his gratitude.
The beautiful woman seemed quite pleased with Lin Yi's reaction and nodded. "It'll take some time to arrange your position. In the meantime, you'll serve as Aria's bodyguard. She seems to like you quite a bit," she said with a smile. Aria, standing beside her, blushed slightly.
Lin Yi's mouth twitched, but he kept a straight face. "It's my honor," he replied.
And so, Lin Yi settled in for the time being.
That evening, the beautiful woman had her servant invite Lin Yi to join them for dinner. Apart from meeting the count, he also met two unexpected guests.
"Sayo, this is the young man I told you about, the one I met on the street. Isn't he impressive?" Aria said, hugging a handsome young girl.
Aria clung tightly to this girl named Sayo, and to the uninitiated, they might have looked like very close sisters. However, judging by Sayo's attire, she seemed to be a martial artist, and her clothes were a bit coarse.
"Leyasu, Lin Yi is only a few years older than you. I think you two will become good friends," the beautiful woman added.
The atmosphere at the dinner was so cordial, it felt like they were all one big family.
Lin Yi remained composed, but inside, he was intrigued. These two were probably friends of Tatsumi from the original story. Based on his judgment, neither was suited to life in the capital. They were fortunate to have survived.
"Wow, Sayo, how is your skin so flawless?" Aria said, occasionally laughing and touching Sayo's cheek enviously.
Beyond the admiration, Lin Yi distinctly noticed a burning jealousy in Aria's eyes.
However, others didn't seem to notice. Leyasu was busy eating, much to the mild chagrin of the beautiful woman who occasionally reminded him not to choke.
After dinner, everyone dispersed.
Aria took Sayo, saying she wanted to sleep with her to have a heart-to-heart chat. Leyasu didn't seem to mind.
Lin Yi shared a room with Leyasu. The boy was talkative and naive, much like Tatsumi. He praised the count and gushed about Aria's beauty, vowing to marry her once he made a name for himself.
As the night deepened, Leyasu suddenly asked, "Lin Yi, do you also like Miss Aria?"
He apparently saw Lin Yi as a rival.
Lin Yi twitched his mouth; no matter how beautiful she looked outside, he had no interest in a woman like her. "Silly boy," he said, shaking his head and getting up to dress.
"What are you doing?" Leyasu asked, feeling something was amiss.
"Do you want to see the true face of your young mistress? If so, follow me," Lin Yi calmly replied, already opening the room door.