The patrol captain's daughter, Xu Zhen.
Chen Xia thought quietly to himself as he approached the captain's house. He climbed up the wall and glanced inside but saw no one. He jumped down and knocked firmly on the door twice, calling out.
"Xu Zhen, are you there? It's your brother Chen."
Hurried footsteps came from within, soon reaching the door. The door was gently pushed open, revealing a small head and a pair of bright, lively eyes.
"Hello, Brother Chen,"came the clear voice, tinged with a hint of shyness.
"Hello, hello,"Chen Xia replied with a smile and explained, "From now on, I'll be taking care of you. Your father must have told you, right?"
"Mm-hmm,"Xu Zhen nodded nervously, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.
"Then I'll go grab my clothes and bedding to move in!"Chen Xia suggested.
"Ah?!"Xu Zhen was taken aback, her pretty face quickly turning red as she shook her head in a hurry. "No, no, no, that's too fast. Besides, I'm not of age yet, and even if I were, it might not be with you, Brother Chen."
"Even though you're a good person, Brother Chen, I must refuse for now."
She finished in one breath, placing her hands in front of her belly and bowing respectfully to Chen Xia.
It was a textbook 'friend zone' moment.
Chen Xia was somewhat bewildered; he just intended to move in to take care of Xu Zhen. But upon reflection, he realized it was easy to misunderstand. So, he let it go without insisting.
"If you need anything, just find me. Your brother Chen lives across the street, third house down,"Chen Xia instructed.
"Alright, alright."Xu Zhen nodded quickly, her face still tinged with blush.
Xu Zhen was only a 15-year-old girl, and with no family around, although she was sensible and capable of chores, there were things a young girl couldn't handle on her own.
So, Chen Xia began helping her.
For instance, buying meat, vegetables, and clothing. If Xu Zhen went to the market alone, she would likely get scammed. Being quoted falsely was one thing, but if prices were outright exaggerated, it would be even more frustrating.
So, Chen Xia took it upon himself to handle these errands for her.
In the market area, Chen Xia was well-known, especially now that all the other patrol officers were gone.
Whether it was oil, salt, sauces, vinegar, writing supplies, or even undergarments, Chen Xia bought them for Xu Zhen.
And he didn't use her money—he spent his own salary. Not that it cost much; Chen Xia always got discounts, at least 50% off, sometimes more.
At first, Xu Zhen was a bit uneasy, but she got used to it over time. However, when Chen Xia bought her personal items, she would still blush with embarrassment.
Aside from this, Chen Xia also taught Xu Zhen, explaining concepts in math and physics.
"A sword immortal leaps from 100 meters up and strikes with his sword but fails to kill the enemy. Keeping all other conditions the same, the sword immortal jumps from 10,000 meters up and pierces right through the enemy. Why is that?"Chen Xia asked.
"The sword immortal wasn't using full strength the first time?"Xu Zhen guessed innocently, her bright eyes blinking.
"Nope,"Chen Xia shook his head.
Xu Zhen furrowed her delicate brows, thought for a long time, but couldn't find the answer, so she asked, "Why?"
Chen Xia waved his hand grandly. "Because of gravitational acceleration!"
Xu Zhen's eyes widened, and at that moment, a new door opened in her heart.
Physics!
Besides teaching, Chen Xia would show magic tricks, like crushing a kitchen knife into a ball or smashing rocks into powder with his bare hands.
Each time, Xu Zhen's wide eyes would sparkle with amazement as she exclaimed how incredible it was.
In reality, there was nothing mysterious about it; the explanation was simple.
Chen Xia just had immense strength.
Life moved along at a slow pace. Weixi Town was remote and untouched by the ravages of war.
Year Four
Chen Xia continued to invest in strengthening himself, and now he could punch the ground, creating a hole as deep as his arm. Even a single stomp would leave a pit. Every movement he made exuded raw power.
This forced Chen Xia to restrain himself in daily life.
Life in Weixi Town, however, began to grow more turbulent. Hunters who ventured into the mountains were found dead, reportedly killed by bandits, according to a fellow hunter who barely escaped.
As the only patrol officer in town, Chen Xia naturally had to investigate.
When he arrived, there was no sign of the bandits—only the body of the hunter, pierced by a large blade.
Chen Xia brought the body back, throwing the entire town into a state of fear.
Historically, bandits were often deserters from battlefields, raiding remote towns. If they had any conscience, they would only take money, sparing lives. But if they were ruthless, they would take both wealth and lives.
Given the current military shortages, Weixi Town had no soldiers left, and even the young and strong men were few. There was only Chen Xia, the lone patrol officer—how could he possibly fend off a group of bandits?
The wealthier residents began fleeing to the city, while those without means could only hope for mercy and pray that the bandits were not entirely heartless.
Chen Xia searched the mountains twice but found no sign of the bandits. All he could do was warn the townsfolk to stay put and avoid leaving town.
In such a situation, it was possible that the bandits already had informants in the town.
Chen Xia told the residents to be vigilant and report any strangers immediately.
The townspeople had no choice but to lament the hard times. First, there were demonic disturbances, then conscription, and now bandits had arrived.
It was anything but peaceful.
In the distant mountains, the bandits gathered, discussing their plans.
A man hurried over—it was the town blacksmith. With a fawning smile, he addressed the group.
"Brothers, I've got the information."
The bandit leader stepped forward, his heavy blade dragging on the ground and leaving a scar in the dirt, and asked, "What did you find out?"
The blacksmith nodded eagerly, smiling. "Weixi Town now has only one patrol officer, and the soldiers from the city won't come to help. Many of the wealthy folks have already fled to the city."
"Damn it,"the leader cursed, spitting to the side. "They ran off with my silver!"
The blacksmith quickly waved his hands. "It doesn't matter; it doesn't matter. Even though they ran, the town merchants are still here. With them, you'll make plenty."
"Heh."The leader sneered. "It better be true. If any silver is missing, you'll be the one to make up for it."
Cold sweat trickled down the blacksmith's forehead as he nodded quickly. "The brothers won't be shorted, I swear."
"It better be that way,"the leader said, placing a hand on his waist. "You said there's only one patrol officer left in Weixi Town?"
"Yes, yes,"the blacksmith nodded, adding, "And this one patrol officer is young, just appointed a few years ago. He poses no threat."
"Heh, you know quite a bit, don't you?"The leader smirked.
The blacksmith laughed nervously, hesitated, and said, "Boss, we had an agreement before, didn't we?"
The leader nodded. "Of course. Once the brothers make their haul, you'll get your share."
"And... and..."The blacksmith's eyes shone with greed as he said, "And that girl, Xu Zhen."
The leader nodded, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't worry, she's yours. Just wait."
Hearing this, the blacksmith expressed his gratitude and left.
The next night.
The night was exceptionally dark, and the wind blew fiercely.
A group of bandits quietly descended from the mountain.
A moonless, windy night—the perfect night for murder!