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墨書 Inktalez
On that morning, the massive city gate of Qingyang City was pushed open by the Guards, and to their surprise, they found a person sleeping outside the gate.
The Guards exchanged glances, wondering who this person was. Could it be someone who failed to return last night?
If that were the case, it would indeed be unfortunate. The outside of the city was not a safe place; not only was it cold at night, but one also had to be on guard against lurking beasts, which was quite nerve-wracking.
It was clear that this person had spent a fearful night; they probably only fell asleep at dawn, as even the loud noise of the gate opening hadn’t woken them.
Although it was somewhat pitiful, blocking the city gate was unacceptable. The fees still needed to be collected. With this sense of duty in mind, one of the Guards stepped forward to wake the person.
This Guard was Xiao He, who had entered the city with Lufan. As he approached the sleeping figure, he realized that it was actually a young boy, no more than sixteen or seventeen years old. He was sleeping soundly with a hint of a smile on his face, seemingly lost in a pleasant dream.
Though surprised, Xiao He didn’t care whether the boy was young or old; he needed to get him up to pay his dues.
Just as he was about to wake the boy, the youth suddenly stirred and stretched lazily.
“Ah—what a comfortable sleep! After rushing all night, I finally got ahead. If Old Five finds out that the mission token is missing, he’ll probably go crazy. Huh? Who are you, uncle?”
Xiao He’s expression darkened as he listened to the boy talking to himself. Hearing that last comment made his veins bulge—what did he mean by “uncle”? He was only twenty-six! Sure, he might be a bit tanned from the sun, but he was still in his prime.
In the past, Xiao He would have definitely dealt with this brat harshly. However, after being taught a lesson by Captain and witnessing the battle at Command Platform recently, he felt grateful and understood the importance of being low-key.
So despite feeling annoyed, Xiao He managed to keep his composure and said with a stern face, “What does it matter who I am? I want to know who you are! Why are you sleeping at the city gate?”
“Well, you closed the gate on me! I had nowhere else to sleep, so I had to doze off here. Oh? The gate is open now? Well then, I won’t chat with you anymore; I have things to do. Goodbye, uncle!”
The young boy was startled and, upon discovering that the city gate was open, he immediately felt delighted. He picked up his bundle and short sword, eager to head inside.
"Wait!" Xiao He called out to him.
"Is there something else, uncle?" the boy asked curiously.
"Is this your first time in Qingyang City?" Xiao He asked with a smile.
"Yes."
"No wonder you don't understand the rules. Do you not know that you need to pay an entrance fee to enter the city?"
"I think I've heard of such a rule," the boy said after a moment's thought, deciding to follow the customs of others. "How much do I need to pay?"
"For newcomers entering Qingyang City for the first time, the entrance fee is one tael of silver."
"What?!" The boy jumped up in shock. "One tael of silver! That's so expensive!"
He knew that he only had a little over one tael of silver left on him, and after paying the entrance fee, he would probably be unable to afford even a meal.
"What’s wrong? Do you think it's too expensive? This is the rule! Think about it; in this vast wilderness for hundreds of miles around, only Qingyang City can provide you with shelter. Is it unreasonable to charge one tael of silver?"
Well, it did sound somewhat reasonable. Although the boy was reluctant, he still paid the one tael of silver.
After paying, Xiao He also needed to issue him an identification badge as proof for future entries and exits through the city gate.
"What is your name?"
"My surname is Ci, and my name is Ci Qi. You can call me A Qi, Uncle. My dream is to become the greatest assassin in the world, an assassin under the sun!"
Xiao He paused, surprised, and raised his head, doubting whether he had heard correctly.
But he saw that the boy spoke with such determination, his face filled with seriousness, as if he were merely stating a fact without any doubt about whether he could achieve it. The sunlight hit his face, reflecting a golden glow.
Xiao He stared at him in a daze, and upon sensing that the boy's strength was even below First Rank, he couldn't help but feel a bit lost.
He was too familiar with those words because when he left home, he had announced something similar to the villagers.
At that time, he was full of ambition, believing that heroes in the world were nothing extraordinary. He had a similar wish back then, wanting to become a renowned swordsman who could shock the world.
Now, the long sword that once accompanied him was already chipped and worn out, and he had become a gatekeeper, racking his brain every day on how to scrape together a little more wealth. The grand ambitions of his youth had long since faded away.
Even that small village that haunted his dreams could no longer be returned to; he could only wander as a Loose Cultivator.
Wasn't this boy just like his former self? Xiao He couldn't help but sigh.
However, he did not mock him because he knew how important dreams were for a young person. It was their only source of support when facing the harsh realities and various hardships; a life without dreams was destined to be dull and lifeless.
Xiao He quickly wrote "Ci Qi" on the identity tag and registered it before handing it to him.
"A Qi, right? Welcome to Qingyang City. Also, I hope you can realize your dream soon and become a great assassin."
A Qi's eyes lit up as he took the identity tag and said with satisfaction, "Uncle, you have good insight! Thank you for your kind words. Just wait for the day I make a name for myself; I'll treat you to drinks then!"
Waving his hand, A Qi picked up his short sword and bag and walked into Qingyang City.
At that moment, a guard beside him said, "Wow, Xiao He has really changed lately, being so friendly."
Xiao He smiled and replied, "He's just a kid; there's no need to make things difficult for him. Besides, the young people nowadays are not to be trifled with. You all saw what happened recently; if we provoke another monster, we won't be able to handle it."
A few guards thought about it and agreed; being cautious is always wise. It's better to avoid trouble, especially with the current tense atmosphere.
However, once the topic was opened up, everyone couldn't help but discuss that great battle again. It was truly a topic that never faded.
Xiao He did not join in; he watched A Qi's back, lost in thought. Clearly, the earlier conversation had struck a chord with him.
After a long time, Xiao He snapped back to reality and chuckled at himself.
Dreams? That thing had long been discarded by him. The World's Number One Swordsman—how ridiculous he had been back then.
In this world, it ultimately belonged to the geniuses. Someone as ordinary as him, a Martial Cultivator, could only serve to cheer for those brilliant prodigies. A youthful figure flashed through Xiao He's mind.
Now, being able to secure a well-paying job was already considered fortunate. Living a stable life was the best choice.
Despite Xiao He trying to convince himself to continue his paid work, he couldn't understand why, during this time, what he used to enjoy—earning money—felt so dull today.
His hand unconsciously rubbed against his long knife, an old friend that had accompanied him for many years.
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