51-Siege.

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"Woo woo!"

Under the moonlight, Zhong Lin held a thief who'd just climbed over the wall, his right hand gripping the man's neck.

The thief's eyes were filled with terror. He tried to beg for mercy, but with his throat squeezed, all he could manage were muffled whimpers.

"It's getting more chaotic, huh!"

Zhong Lin sighed. With a surge of strength in his fingers, a crisp *crack* sounded, and the life faded from the thief's eyes.

Zhong Lin glanced down at the short knife on the thief's waist and muttered in a barely audible, cold voice, "Who brings a knife to steal? Don't bring one in your next life."

For petty thieves stealing to survive, Zhong Lin wouldn't go hard. But carrying a knife was different—that wasn't just breaking in to steal; it was breaking in to rob. Even the law judged them differently.

With a leap, he grabbed the thief's corpse and vanished from the courtyard, tossing it into some hidden spot. No need to worry about it being traced back to him.

The yamen was already in complete disarray, barely functioning at a basic level, let alone investigating a murder.

When Zhong Lin returned to the courtyard, a dark figure stood there, startling him into thinking another thief had come. He nearly attacked.

"Old Xu, not sleeping in the middle of the night—what are you up to?"

The figure in the courtyard was none other than Xu Lewu, Old Xu.

"I heard noises outside and got up to check. What happened?" Old Xu asked, frowning.

"Nothing much, just a petty thief. I sent him packing."

"Thank you, Zhong Lin."

"Hey, don't get all sentimental. Go rest!"

…

Under the sun, golden sunlight bathed the entire courtyard. A few stray leaves drifted down from above, mingling with the light to cast dappled shadows.

In the kitchen, Old Madam Xu was busy preparing food for everyone.

In the study, Old Xu held a disciplinary ruler, glaring fiercely as he supervised Xiu'er and Little Shi with their reading and writing.

Zhong Lin sat in the front hall by the entrance, guarding the door while flipping through a medical book, occasionally tilting his head to listen to sounds from outside.

Without a blood-condensing technique to advance his martial arts, Zhong Lin wasn't idle—he could at least brush up on his medical texts.

"System."

Host: Zhong Lin 

- Skills:

Methods: Iron Mountain Strength Technique (Max Level), Black Tiger Fist (Max Level).

Techniques: Archery (Max Level), Flying Locust Stone (Max Level), Instant Kill Technique (Max Level), Willow Catkin Footwork (Max Level), Wind-Splitting Blade Technique (Max Level), Rolling Stone Fist (Max Level), Iron Sand Palm(Max Level), Breath Concealment (Max Level), Breath Tracking (Max Level).

Miscellaneous: Realistic Painting (Max Level), Calligraphy (Max Level), Culinary Arts (Max Level), Medicine (Max Level), Pharmacy(Max Level), Disguise Technique (Max Level), Mimicry (Max Level), Lockpicking (Max Level).

Skill Points: ∞ 

The system panel had changed slightly. The main reason was Zhong Lin's earlier complaint about the skills being too cluttered, and now it was organized like this.

It was split into three broad categories: "Methods, Techniques, Miscellaneous."

"Methods" referred to martial arts techniques. Zhong Lin's current practices were the *Iron Mountain Technique* and *Black Tiger Fist*.

"Techniques" covered various fist, foot, movement, and weapon skills, plus some special abilities.

"Miscellaneous" was a catch-all—calligraphy, painting, medicine, mimicry, all lumped in there.

It was still a bit messy, but overall, it was a slight improvement.

Zhong Lin rubbed his chin. "So this dumb system does have some intelligence—just not much."

"Dinner's ready!"

Old Madam Xu's loud call drew everyone's attention.

Little Shi and Xiu'er zipped out in a flash, leaving Old Xu shouting after them in the study.

Zhong Lin closed the system panel, set his book down, and walked toward the inner hall with a smile.

The aroma of food filled the courtyard. The five of them weren't family, but in that moment, they exuded a quiet, peaceful vibe—like time standing still.

Yet, compared to the calm in this courtyard, the outside world was spiraling further into chaos.

With the city's garrison defeated, the rebel army led by Guo Yanhuai was steadily closing in on Heishan County.

Chaos in the city worsened—spies spread rumors, and local thugs started stirring trouble.

The war hadn't even begun, but Heishan County was already unraveling.

Yesterday's thief wasn't a one-off. Some even climbed walls in broad daylight, though Zhong Lin broke their limbs and tossed them out.

Killing during the day wasn't ideal—otherwise, with their actions, they wouldn't survive long.

…

Three days passed in a blink, and then came earth-shattering news.

The rebels had surrounded the city.

The County Magistrate ordered the gates sealed tight. The yamen issued an urgent summons, demanding all bailiffs and constables patrol and suppress lawlessness with harsh measures.

Zhong Lin, just a painter, wasn't included in the draft.

Old Xu, fighting his inner panic, patted his wife's hand and said gravely, "Zhong Lin, are we really okay?"

Old Madam Xu looked at Zhong Lin with worry too. In this moment, he was their backbone.

Zhong Lin nodded. "Relax, we're well-prepared. We've got silver, plenty of food, and martial strength."

"Worst case, even if the rebels breach the city, during the chaos, the looters won't be crazy enough to target regular folks like us. With that effort, wouldn't robbing pawnshops, banks, or rich households be more tempting?"

"And if they do come, it'll just be some stray soldiers or thugs. Those guys? Mere chickens and dogs."

Zhong Lin spoke the truth. With his Seventh Rank Bone-Tempering Realm strength and five hundred kilograms of force, he'd be a fierce warrior even on the battlefield. Handling some rabble soldiers or hoodlums was a breeze.

He'd stash Little Shi and the others in the cellar, leaving him free of worries. If it was a few, he'd kill them outright; if it was many, he'd flee.

No fear at all.

"Old Xu, did you get the stuff I asked you to prepare?" Zhong Lin turned and asked.

Old Xu nodded. "Done. I hit up several pharmacies and called in favors from old friends to get everything you wanted."

Before finishing, Old Xu went inside and retrieved a palm-sized porcelain bottle from the room. What was inside, no one knew.

A spark of joy flashed in Zhong Lin's eyes. He took the bottle, shook it, and nodded with satisfaction.

"Thanks."

This was why Zhong Lin worked with Old Xu—the old guy had connections! 

With Zhong Lin's current medical skills, he'd surpassed Old Xu entirely. He could whip up potions like the Eight-Treasure Blood Nourishing Soup with ease.

But some things weren't just about skill. Making potions required herbs, and without them, even the best cook couldn't make a meal.

Take the Eight-Treasure Blood Nourishing Soup—Zhong Lin gathering the herbs himself would take forever. But Old Xu? Even with herb restrictions in Heishan County, the old man could effortlessly find a way.

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