Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Chapter 78: Chapter 74: Has Senior Sister Lin Not Had Enough Killing Yet?

”Junior Brother Lin, what’s the situation over there?”

Jiang Qing saw Lin Chen returning and asked, with not much change in her expression.

”There are a dozen children in the yard, a few of them have superficial wounds.”

Hearing Lin Chen’s response, Jiang Qing’s beautiful eyes flashed with coldness: ”With that Black Constable there, we don’t need to handle things here. Let’s go.”

”Go?”

Lin Chen was puzzled, just leaving like that?

”To kill Zhou San’s family.”

Jiang Qing’s words stunned Lin Chen; was Senior Sister still not satisfied with the killing?

”Pfft.”

Seeing Lin Chen stunned, Jiang Qing suddenly laughed out.

”Just kidding, Junior Brother. These people have committed many sins. I have no burden in handling them. As for Zhou San’s family, the government officials will arrest them. With someone like Zhou San dead, his family will not fare well.”

In Liang, crime by one does not implicate the whole family.

”Senior Sister Jiang, won’t this trouble you?”

”Yes, it will, so we’ll head back to the Martial Arts Hall. There, no one can do anything to us.”

Jiang Qing answered crisply, leaving Lin Chen a bit bewildered. He found he couldn’t quite understand Senior Sister Jiang; one moment she was decisive and ruthless, the next, she was like the mischievous girl next door.

Seeing the slyness in Senior Sister Jiang’s eyes, Lin Chen realized she was just joking, and they couldn’t just walk away from this situation.

”Don’t worry, this issue won’t affect us. As long as the government officials aren’t foolish, they should know what to do. As for Zhou San having someone backing him...”

Jiang Qing snorted lightly: ”A human trafficker doesn’t have much backing; even gangs look down on something worth so little.”

Jiang Qing didn’t mention that even if there were backing, the ones to be worried should be those behind Zhou San.

Lin Chen seemed thoughtful; maybe he was taking Zhou San too seriously.

A guy who abducts some children from villages and towns, since there’s no such thing as organ trading, he’s just a trafficker bullying commoners; he really isn’t anything significant.

After waiting for half a stick of incense, hurried footsteps approached the alleyway.

The Patrol Office people arrived.

The leading man appeared to be around thirty, followed by a dozen constables, all Martial Artists of the Opening Acupoints Realm.

”Such audacity, to dare commit murder in the city!”

The leading Chief Constable glanced at the bodies in the yard and shouted angrily, voice like a bell tolling. Lin Chen’s eyes sharpened; this person likely opened more than the Ten Acupoints.

Government offices require the Ten Acupoints to qualify for a position, but qualification doesn’t ensure a position.

”Chief You, these two are new students from the Jingshui Martial Arts Hall. Zhou San was abducting children. Miss Jiang and Young Master Lin followed the clues and dealt with him for the public good. There are a dozen children in the yard, all from nearby villages and towns, whose parents reported this to the government offices.”

Hearing the footsteps, Lin Xiuyong emerged from the opposite yard and quickly explained the situation.

He knew Chief You, one of the four chief constables of the Patrol Office, reportedly having opened twenty acupoints, and the most likely among the four to enter the Refining the Viscera stage.

”Even Martial Hall students must not administer private punishment.”

Hearing they were Martial Hall students, You Siqi’s anger faded slightly. Human traffickers deserve to die, but if Martial Hall students executed them at will, what would be the point of the government?

”Chief You, these are Jingshui Martial Arts Hall’s newest students. This is Young Master Lin, who has already opened six acupoints, and Miss Jiang, Senior Sister to Young Master Lin.”

Hmm?

You Siqi’s anger dissolved completely. Martial Hall students aren’t much; he also came from a Martial Hall, and each term only has a few promising students. He was among the top five in his time.

But for new students to open six or eight acupoints so quickly, this background commands consideration.

Is it worth offending two promising students over a dead man like Zhou San?

The math was clear; You Siqi needed little thought to know the choice.

He wasn’t familiar with Zhou San. Guys like him weren’t in his dealings. At most, some constables underneath might have taken bribes to cover for Zhou San.

”Chief You, upon learning that village children were abducted by Zhou San, I came seeking him, but he refused to release them and attacked us with more people. My Senior Sister and I had no choice but to fight back.”

Lin Chen spoke up timely, causing You Siqi’s mouth to twitch. No choice but to fight back?

If he believed that, he’d be foolish.

Someone like Zhou San wouldn’t dare offend promising Martial Hall students; these two probably saw his vile act and, unable to suppress their anger, killed him outright.

Still, offending these two over Zhou San isn’t worth it.

As a Chief Constable, You Siqi had dealings with many powerful people. This male disciple showed no hints, but the female disciple seemed significant.

Facing his arrival, she remained unfazed, not regarding him as a Chief Constable.

Someone who could open eight acupoints in three months wasn’t just arrogant; dismissing him meant backing.

”I see now. You two indeed embody the Martial Hall’s valor. I will send a letter to the Martial Affairs Office, thanking you on behalf of the Patrol Office. May I know your names?”

You Siqi’s attitude shifted. Lin Chen glanced at Jiang Qing; Senior Sister Jiang was right—strength matters.

”I am Lin Chen, this is Senior Sister Jiang.”

Lin Chen, deciding not to make enemies, noted the other didn’t seem to be Zhou San’s patron.

This case isn’t closed, and Lin Ming’s whereabouts, the patrol must investigate.

”The Eight Great Martial Arts Halls are family. Let me call you Junior Brother Lin. Junior Brother Lin’s righteous act deserves praise, yet as Chief, I must ask questions.”

”Ask away, Senior Brother You.”

Their attitude was good, so Lin Chen was willing to cooperate.

Ultimately, with mutual understanding, the matter quickly clarified.

Zhou San’s child trafficking was irrefutable. Lin Chen and Jiang Qing confronted Zhou San upon witnessing him bullying women, intervened, but Zhou San’s gang attacked, forcing both to retaliate for safety.

Eyewitnesses included: Linhu Village Chief, Black Constable Lin Xiuyong, Linhu Village residents Lin Liang and Gu Fei, and two mothers of missing children.

”Thank you for your cooperation, Junior Brother Lin.”

You Siqi grinned, then lowered his voice: ”About your cousin Lin Ming...”

Since he’s showing goodwill, You Siqi intended to go all the way. Lin Chen shook his head: ”Senior Brother You, handle it as it should be, no consideration needed.”

”Chen?” The village chief was worried; he thought it best to extricate Lin Ming first, then privately deal with him through the village council.

The village held ancestral halls and village rules!

”Chief, leave it to the Patrol Office.”

Lin Chen understood the chief’s concerns over his reputation; he could sympathize.

After all, the mindset of the people in this world is different from his own. The concept of clan and blood relations is still very strong. Sometimes when one person in the clan commits an offense, it often implicates the entire clan’s reputation.

”Alright, you don’t need to worry about the village. If anyone talks nonsense, see if I won’t beat them up.”

Since Lin Chen decided to leave it to the Patrol Office, Zhao Canghe did not insist further.

Lin Chen looked at Aunt Zhou who was holding her daughter: ”Aunt Zhou, Qianqian might have been frightened. Go back and spend some time with her.”

The little girl was at this moment hiding in Aunt Zhou’s arms, her whole body still trembling.

”Tha...thank you, Young Master Lin.”

Hearing Aunt Zhou’s words, Lin Chen sighed inwardly and said nothing more. Until Lin Ming was caught, Aunt Zhou would still be distrustful of him.

People’s hearts are inscrutable.

If it were him, it would be the same. Who can guarantee that what they say is not just nice-sounding lies?

”Big brother, Fei, you two go back with the village chief.”

Seeing Gu Fei lost in thought, Lin Chen patted Gu Fei’s shoulder: ”You’ve seen the might of a martial artist. Work hard to cultivate Essence Qi.”

Gu Fei being in a daze, Lin Chen could guess the reason.

Senior Sister Jiang killed someone, yet the Patrol Office didn’t arrest her, but even wanted to commend her, which was one shock.

Chief You referred to himself as a fellow disciple, which was another shock.

In the town, let’s not mention Chief You, even those constables who came with Chief You were big figures.

The changes Lin Chen underwent in just a few months caused a shock to Gu Fei.

Lin Chen hoped that this shock could bring motivation to Gu Fei on the Martial Path.

”This year I will definitely cultivate Essence Qi. I may not be as mighty as you, Chen, but at least I want to call the constables my brothers.”

There was a fervent light in Gu Fei’s eyes. At this moment, he finally understood what practicing martial arts meant.

...

...

”Senior Sister Jiang, I’m sorry to take up your time.”

After handling everything, Lin Chen looked apologetically at Jiang Qing.

”It’s fine. I stepped in only because Zhou San’s actions deserved death.”

Jiang Qing looked indifferent. Her intent to kill arose when she saw Zhou San bullying that woman. As for why she accompanied Lin Chen to find Zhou San, she hadn’t yet disclosed to Junior Brother Lin.

...

...

South of the city.

In a certain courtyard.

A young man said lightly, ”I already know about this, you may leave.”

After the subordinate left, the beautiful maid behind the young man couldn’t help but ask, ”Master, Zhou San has been quite filial over the years, are we just going to ignore this?”

”Zhou San’s filiality allows him to establish himself in the south of the city. It would be the same if it were Zhou Si or Zhou Wu.”

The young man shook his head and then said, ”But Zhou San has sent me quite a bit of money over the years, look after his family well.”

The maid’s pupils contracted slightly, she understood Master Pang’s meaning.

Zhou San is dead, but Zhou San still has family wealth.

”I will pass on the instructions.”

...

...

Martial Arts Garden.

”Elder, something happened in the south of the city today.”

Yan He’an recounted what happened with Lin Chen in the south of the city, Zhao Qianqiu’s eyes turned cold: ”To not root out the problem is foolish. Has he not thought about the Zhou family retaliating against his family?”

”What do you mean, Elder?”

”Does Zhou San have any descendants?”

”Zhou San has a son, fourteen this year, and will enter the Martial Arts Hall next year, and a daughter who is already sixteen, untrained in martial arts. Zhou San probably put all his thoughts into cultivating his son.”

”They’re fourteen or fifteen. Zhou San’s filthy money, his children have also enjoyed, so let’s eradicate them all.”

As a woman, Zhao Qianqiu despised people like Zhou San. Only because of her status, she had not paid attention to such matters before, otherwise Zhou San would already be dead.

Are Zhou San’s family innocent?

Liang already has laws regarding collective punishment, so where comes the idea of innocence?

...

...

The moonlight descended.

Jingshui Martial Arts Hall.

Lin Chen did not continue to practice today. Reflecting on today’s events, he pondered if there were any aspects he hadn’t thought through.

After much thinking, Lin Chen finally gave a bitter smile.

There were areas he didn’t think through, but he didn’t want to think in that direction. Senior Sister Jiang already reminded him during the day.

Zhou San’s family still exists!

Senior Sister Jiang isn’t afraid of Zhou San’s family seeking revenge, and naturally, he isn’t either, but his parents and elder brother are just ordinary people. What if the other party, crazed, seeks revenge on his family?

Initially, he was unwilling to think in that direction because the education he received in his previous life taught him that one’s actions bore their consequences alone, not involving wives, children, and elders.

But after thinking it over, he realized his views were wrong.

The money Zhou San got by trafficking children, did his family not enjoy it too?

Eating blood-stained bread, claiming they’re innocent?

”I’ll go check on the Zhou family’s situation.”

There was a decisive look in Lin Chen’s eyes. If Zhou San’s family knew of his deeds and harbored revengeful thoughts, he wouldn’t mind reuniting the whole family.

At 7 p.m., Lin Chen climbed over the wall of the Martial Arts Hall and left. Just moments after he left, another figure also flew over the wall from almost the same spot.