Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 37: Slaying the Wolf

The wind and dust blowing in his face made Lu Chang’sheng squint his eyes.

The anger in his heart was also gradually fading under the sweep of wind and sand.

"Mr. Zhao, how much do you know about the Shaving Knife Gang?"

"Shaving Knife Gang—" There was a trace of complexity and fear in Zhao Hu’s eyes.

"They’re a bunch of ruthless desperados. I heard their gang leader and some of the inner circle were all carpenters once—hell, they were all skilled with the planing knife. At first, they made a living with their hands, but later got into trouble, killed someone, and had no choice but to walk the shady road!"

"Of the Four Gates, if you ask which place sees the most ears cut and lives traded, it’s gotta be the South Gate!"

"They say even the dead pile higher over there than they do here!"

"The prefecture doesn’t care?" Lu Chang’sheng asked, surprised.

Zhao Hu gave a bitter laugh. "The people are as cheap as grass! When I first got here, I heard the officials were strict, but after a couple years, they barely bothered with those murder cases in the Four Gates! As long as it wasn’t too much, the yamen’s men—none of them had the will to track killers or anything!"

"Besides, these people know the rules of the trade—they don’t just kill. Like, in the dead of winter, they’ll chop off a guy’s finger and toss him out at midnight. The cold itself is enough to kill! Or they’ll dump a bucket of ice water over a fella, then roast him by the fireside, again and again, until he’s sick with chills. When they’re sure the cold’s deep in the bones, only then do they throw him out."

"When the prefecture men come to check, all they can say is he froze or died of illness."

Lu Chang’sheng felt a sigh in his heart.

Even the joy of passing the Child Examination vanished completely.

Turning back to look at the massive city walls of Black Mountain Prefecture, he only felt it was a thick barrier—one you couldn’t see or touch, but always there!

"For me, the child examination isn’t over yet!"

"Even if I am a child scholar, if I really cross the Shaving Knife Gang, then what?"

If I get them angry and they throw three or five lives away to get mine, will the prefecture really go to bat for me then?

With those thoughts, the courtyard was already coming into view!

His eyes sharpened slightly, and he murmured, "In the end, the wolf still needs killing."

"What wolf?"

Zhao Hu, Niu Dazhuang, and Li Nangua turned to him, baffled.

Only Li Nangua seemed to have a guess, but with Lu Chang’sheng right in front of her, her mind wasn’t turning as fast as usual, and she couldn’t quite figure it out.

She just thought silently: Chang’sheng wants to kill a wolf, then I’ll follow and kill wolves too!

Soon enough, they had arrived in front of the courtyard.

"The main man is back!"

A white-bearded, horse-faced man stood at the door. Seeing Lu Chang’sheng, Zhao Hu, and the others, he showed a faint, calm smile.

"Who are you?" Lu Chang’sheng said coldly.

The man licked his lips, then seemed to realize that was rude, so he composed himself. "Young master, just call me the Second Mo."

"As for where I’m from, young master can find out if you come with me."

Lu Chang’sheng didn’t even look at him, crossed the threshold, and walked into the yard.

Inside, there wasn’t a soul.

"Where to?"

"South Gate, Traveler’s Inn."

"Clang!"

The sound of a sharp blade unsheathing rang out.

Zhao Hu quietly walked over to a big empty water jar, reached in, and drew out a wide-backed saber over two feet long.

Niu Dazhuang just charged at the Second Mo straight away.

Li Nangua pulled her bow and arrow off her back—in just two seconds, the bow was drawn, arrow at the ready!

The sudden change caught not only the Second Mo off guard—even Lu Chang’sheng himself was a little surprised!

"Wait! What are you guys—"

The calm look on the Second Mo’s face vanished. Though he was with the Shaving Knife Gang, he wasn’t one of their diehards—just a fringe runner at best.

"Motherfucker, I can’t stand your type acting cocky in front of me!"

Seeing Zhao Hu ready to swing, the Second Mo lost it, legs giving out as he crumpled to the ground.

"No! It’s my fault, it’s my fault! Master Hu, spare me!"

The blade at his neck changed course, and instead of cutting, Zhao Hu spat an old gob of phlegm right in the Second Mo’s face.

"All I do is run errands for the Shaving Knife Gang. The idea to grab Wang Heihou wasn’t mine! I was just here to deliver the message—"

"Talk!"

"I’ll talk, I’ll talk. The Gang Leader said, if you don’t show up in three days, Wang Heihou loses a finger. Every day after that, another finger. Once all ten are gone and you still haven’t shown, he—"

"He what?"

"He’ll treat Master Monkey to a little taste of ice and fire—both at once!"

Pfft!

Lu Chang’sheng just busted out laughing!

"Chang’sheng, this is funny to you?"

Zhao Hu glared at Lu Chang’sheng—Wang Heihou’s still in their hands. In three days, he’ll start losing fingers.

"I’m laughing because I’m pissed," Lu Chang’sheng argued.

Actually, the moment he saw the Second Mo, he realized Wang Heihou wasn’t in any real danger for now.

"Tell me, where’s the Shaving Knife Gang holed up?"

Lu Chang’sheng looked at the Second Mo.

"It’s—It’s at the Traveler’s Inn by the South Gate!"

Lu Chang’sheng nodded slightly, turned, and walked out the door.

"Chang’sheng, where are you going?"

"Wolf-hunting."

"You’re still being mysterious at a time like this?" All three of them were anxious now.

"This is something you guys can’t help with. Just wait here for me—I’ll bring Black Monkey back!"

"Wait!" Zhao Hu grabbed his sleeve, eyes wide. "You’re really heading to the South Gate? Those folks will swallow you whole and spit nothing out. They’re after your archery skills—if you go now, you’ll never get out again!"

"I know! But—you’re wrong." He cracked a smile and said, "Guess, who’s bigger—the officials or the Shaving Knife Gang?"

"I—" Zhao Hu was about to lose it, but seeing that familiar smile on Lu Chang’sheng’s face, he relaxed a little.

"I’m going with you! My blade may not have a name, but it can still kill a man!"

Niu Dazhuang and Li Nangua ran over too, looking at him with fierce determination.

Lu Chang’sheng’s heart warmed a little. He smiled, "Then let’s hunt some wolves—together!"

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1:00 PM.

Two figures walked into the government office.

Tall gates, heavy eaves, blue bricks, and red tiles.

"What’s your business?" The Black Mountain Army guard at the gate was all authority and muscle—looked like he could wrestle a tiger to the ground.

"So this is a martial artist, huh?"

The man’s eyes swept over, and Li Nangua’s heart started pounding like a drum.

But glancing at Lu Chang’sheng beside her, she calmed right down.

"Sir, I’m Lu Erdan, this year’s child scholar—I’m here to the office to change my personal details!"

Lu Chang’sheng spoke respectfully.

"So you’re this year’s child scholar!" The Black Mountain Army guardsman looked genuinely surprised, then his expression relaxed a bit.

Child scholars may not have any real power, but they’re halfway in the door—practically colleagues—and since Lu Chang’sheng was still young, who knows, maybe he’d go far. No point acting superior like usual.

He led Lu Chang’sheng inside, over to the place for changing one’s info.

"Changing your details?"

The junior official handling it didn’t give Lu Chang’sheng any trouble—just asked a couple questions and pulled the records out.

"What do you want to change?"

"My name, and where my official certificate gets sent."

Before the official could start to frown, Lu Chang’sheng slipped his sleeve against the man’s wide cuff.

The man felt the weight at his cuff, his face brightening with a little knowing smile.

A moment later—

"Lucky it’s just the name, not your native place. If it was your place of origin, even the gods couldn’t save you!"

"And as for your official credential’s destination, it’s still Black Mountain Prefecture. Otherwise, that’d run up the costs!"

While the junior official muttered about costs, Lu Chang’sheng nodded his thanks and stepped back.

Changing your place of origin was a hassle—it could take years, even half your life.

But changing where your official credentials went—that was different. Back when the Great Yuan Emperor first took the throne, he made a new rule to raise the status of readers. It was clear as day in writing.

If a student passed the exams, a junior official could bring the certificate right to their door, or wherever the examinee was living.

If they read your name out loud, that’s glory right there!

"Where to next?" Li Nangua asked as soon as they left the office.

"South Gate, Traveler’s Inn."

Lu Chang’sheng said quietly.

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