One Trait Draw Per Year Even Simulations Count

Shen Qingshan knew all too well the horrors of the yamen prison and resolutely refused to let Han Sheng take you away.

As the two sides were about to come to blows, a stern voice rang out.

”Banner Officer Shen, what are you doing?”

The newcomer was the Chief Commissioner of Baiyun County’s Demon Slaying Division, Feng Yucheng, Shen Qingshan’s direct superior.

His martial arts realm was second to none in Baiyun County, having already reached the Soul Tempering realm!

Once Feng Yucheng appeared, Shen Qingshan knew he couldn’t keep you there today.

Helpless, he could only watch as you were taken away.

”Fourth Brother, don’t worry, your brother-in-law won’t abandon you. I will definitely appeal to the County Magistrate for justice and uphold fairness for you!”

By now, you had realized this was a trap. To prevent Third Sister’s family from being implicated, you repeatedly said.

”Brother-in-law, don’t worry about me! Protect Third Sister and my niece!”This was just a simulation. You weren’t afraid of death at all; at most, you’d just draw a few fewer traits.

Inside the county yamen prison, you were tied to a torture rack.

Before you was a dense array of torture instruments: branding irons, leather whips, nose-cutting knives, foot-chopping axes, nail chairs, wooden donkeys...

”Chen Yi, I advise you to confess honestly and plead guilty obediently, otherwise...”

”I plead guilty.”

”Huh?”

”That’s right, I killed those people. I did it all, damn it. The confession statement, it’s already written up, right? Bring it here, I’ll press my fingerprint. We’re all busy people.”

”...”

Han Sheng was dumbfounded.

He had prepared a whole set of practiced rhetoric, valuable experience honed from his past interrogations and forced confessions, terrifying enough to scare even ghosts.

He had also prepared a full set of ’major memory restoration techniques’ and a complete professional toolkit that no one, no matter how strong their willpower, could withstand.

How come not a single one was needed?

He hadn’t even started asking questions, and you confessed?

”Truly me, the master of avoiding suffering...”

Never mind not having ”Superbeast’s Pain Threshold” equipped.

Even if it were equipped, it only reduced pain sensation, not eliminated it.

It was clear that protesting innocence would still lead to torture until a confession was forced. Better to just admit it directly and save oneself the physical torment.

Han Sheng pulled out the confession paper, still going through the motions.

”Chen Yi, do you plead guilty to the Huowang Village case?”

”Guilty.”

”Do you plead guilty to the Xiping Village burglary and murder case?”

”Guilty.”

”Do you plead guilty to the Guangtian Village plow ox killing case?”

”Guilty, guilty, guilty, hurry up. It’s just balancing the books, I get it, I get it.”

After you pressed your fingerprint, Han Sheng, having lost his temper, put you back in the main cell.

Not many days later, the yamen held court. The fat-headed county magistrate sat above, went through the motions, and finally sentenced you to military exile.

”Military exile?”

You were quite surprised. Normally, it would definitely be beheading, just like Shen Qingshan in the last simulation.

The County Magistrate said absentmindedly.

”In recent years, the war with the Southern Borderlands has been tense. His Majesty has shown great mercy. All capital crimes, if there are extenuating circumstances, can be commuted to military exile.”

Presumably, it was because you had balanced many accounts for this County Magistrate, hence the ”extenuating circumstances.”

On the day of departure, a pair of steel hook spirit artifacts were pierced through your collarbones, sealing the flow of your Vitality Energy and preventing you from using much martial power.

Otherwise, to escort a martial artist like you, they would have to arrange several martial artists of higher realms, an expense the yamen couldn’t afford.

Chen Yun and Shen Qingshan brought their daughter to see you off.

”Time to go! Don’t waste time!”

The yamen runners responsible for escorting you said impatiently.

Third Sister walked up with a smiling face and slipped some silver to these two runners.

”Two officers, why not go have a little wine to warm yourselves up before setting off? It won’t be too late...”

The runners walked away, beaming.

”Don’t talk too much!”

”Yes, yes, yes...”

Watching Third Sister bow and scrape before two minor officials made your heart ache.

Shen Qingshan sighed. ”It’s your brother-in-law’s incompetence, unable to save you.”

Chen Yun could no longer control her tears. ”Fourth Brother, your brother-in-law tried his best too, could only get it changed to military exile...”

Only then did you learn that the lack of a death sentence was due to Shen Qingshan’s efforts outside.

This time, he had probably emptied the entire savings of Third Sister’s family and the wealth left by Shen Qingshan’s ancestors.

”Third Sister, Brother-in-law, don’t worry. Military exile is good. What if I achieve military merit? I might even return home with honors!”

Shen Qingshan understood perfectly well how difficult it was for a low-level martial artist to achieve merit on the battlefield in this martial artist’s world.

”Fourth Brother, twenty li outside the city, I’ve arranged for two trusted men to meet you. They will impersonate bandits, knock out the runners, and then you...”

”Brother-in-law, that’s not necessary.”

”Fourth Brother...”

The County Magistrate had threatened you: if you dared to run, Third Sister’s family would be punished under the collective responsibility system.

You didn’t want to implicate them.

Third Sister’s family watched you leave. She had already cried herself into a mess. Your still-too-young-to-understand niece waved at you, shouting, ”Uncle, come back soon!”

Year three, age twenty.

Beginning trait draw...

Draw successful!

「Photographic Memory」(Purple): You possess superhuman memory. Everything you see and hear will be firmly remembered.

Adjust traits?

Yes/No

”Whoa—”

Chen Yi’s mouth instantly formed an ”O.”

The purple-tier historical trait with a 1% probability, just drawn like that, fresh and tender?

”Am I that lucky?”

Thinking about it carefully, it made sense.

If a 0.001% probability mythical-tier trait could be drawn, wasn’t 1% just a drop in the bucket?

The Photographic Memory trait must be equipped.

Trying to achieve merit on the battlefield through martial force means competing in martial prowess.

Chen Yi’s current level is clearly not up to par.

But if he had memory abilities far beyond ordinary people, he might be valued.

”Damn County Magistrate, just wait until I achieve merit and become a general. I’ll come back and chop your head off!”

You replaced 「Dragon Plays with Phoenix」 with 「Photographic Memory」.

Looking at 「Dragon Plays with Phoenix」 in your trait library, you felt deeply regretful. You hadn’t even had a chance to experience this trait’s effects this round.

Baiyun County is located in Baling Prefecture, Qingzhou, of the Great Qian Imperial Dynasty.

Great Qian unified the entire Central Plains, with two capitals and eighteen provinces.

South of Qingzhou is Suzhou.

The Zhennan Border Army, located at the southernmost tip of Suzhou, is your destination.

This world is vast. The distance spanning two provinces took you over a year to traverse.

South of the Central Plains lies the Southern Borderlands, an area not much smaller than the Central Plains.

The Southern Borderlands contain over a hundred small kingdoms. They constantly war amongst themselves and frequently harass the Central Plains.

The Zhennan Border Army exists to deter and resist these border troubles in the south.

As a military exile convict, after entering the military camp, you were assigned to the unarmored, weaponless labor battalion, responsible for dirty, tiring work like whittling wooden stakes, setting up tents, and handling camp sanitation.

The dozen or so soldiers sharing your tent were also convicts exiled to the army. They were all military scoundrels. As long as no one was watching, they were a disorganized, undisciplined bunch.

One of them, an old soldier named Old Liu, was the boss of this tent’s soldiers. Seeing you, a newcomer, he prepared to give you a hard time.

”New guy, what did you do to get in here?”

”Murder.”

”How many did you kill?”

”A hundred or so.”