Chapter 150: The Boy

"Holy shit!!!"

The beast-faced chariot slammed to a halt; even though Chu Danqing gripped tightly, he couldn't stabilize himself and lurched forward, flying out of the vehicle.

The archer and spear-carrier soldiers on either side swiftly grabbed the unsteady Chu Danqing and pulled him back.

They were soldiers on the chariot, naturally battle-hardened.

Chu Danqing was just a newcomer to the chariot—how could he react in time?

As for his five attributes already reaching 10 points? Let me put it this way—he couldn't even match the four barbarian-blood warhorses pulling the chariot.

The barbarian-blood warhorses each had Strength, Agility, and Constitution at 15 points, while Spirit and Perception reached 10 points, not to mention their innate talent, "Barbarian Blood War Beast," and two MAX-level passive skills: "Ferocious Trample" and "Charge Through Enemy Ranks."

The Beast-Faced Chariot's summoned entities weren't just the beast-faced soldiers—these four barbarian-blood warhorses were too.

Although the beast-faced soldiers' Strength, Agility, and Constitution were lower, all five attributes reached 13 points.

The spear-carrier, archer, and driver soldiers each possessed basic skills in melee/ranged combat/horseback riding, plus foundational skills in spearcraft/archery/chariotry—all at MAX level.

All three wore fine-quality armor: bronze beast-faced plates, and their weapons—long spears, heavy bows, and short swords—were also fine-quality.

Of course, the chariot itself, as the main body, was fine-quality equipment too.

Beyond basic skills and gear, they possessed an active skill called "Group Charge" and a passive skill called "Beast-Faced Blood Pattern" that boosted combat power.

Their innate talent, "Battle-Tested Soldiers," marked them as veterans.

The three soldiers activated "Group Charge" to accelerate, while the barbarian-blood warhorses' "Charge Through Enemy Ranks" skill further increased movement speed.

Combined with the driver soldier's horseback riding and chariotry skills, how could they not be fast?

"Are you alright?" Chu Danqing steadied himself, dismounted, and helped up the boy who had collapsed in terror.

The chariot had braked suddenly because the boy had suddenly darted out from the roadside.

Fortunately, the beast-faced soldiers and barbarian-blood warhorses weren't ordinary people or horses, and the chariot itself was fine-quality equipment—only then could they stop in time.

The boy was still shaken, but instinctively glanced behind him—as if being chased.

Chu Danqing noticed this, gave him some hot water to drink, and ordered the soldiers to steer the chariot to the roadside to avoid blocking the path.

"Bad! They're coming after us!" After drinking two sips of hot water, the boy calmed slightly, then shoved the bowl into Chu Danqing's arms and tried to flee.

But Chu Danqing grabbed him back: "Don't rush—tell me what's going on."

"I've got some standing." Chu Danqing looked at the boy's appearance—he didn't seem like a criminal.

The boy was barefoot, with calluses and frostbite scars—clearly he had no shoes.

He wore a patched hemp robe; when Chu Danqing helped him up, he could feel how emaciated he was.

His skin also bore several fresh, recently healed wounds—taken together, he looked more like a victim.

As soon as he finished speaking, several burly men emerged from the roadside.

From their appearance and clothing, they were clearly not on the same level as the boy.

They had charged forward with fury, but upon seeing the boy standing beside Chu Danqing, noticing Da Bao's claws extended, and spotting the beast-faced soldiers on either side,

their momentum immediately collapsed.

"Esteemed sir, I'm a servant from Yichun Pavilion," the lead burly man's face twisted into flattery: "This boy is a household-born child of one of our courtesans and her patron."

"Today he stole property from one of our patrons and fled—don't be deceived by him."

Chu Danqing had intended to reason with them, but upon hearing their crimes, he abandoned the idea of reason.

"You're lying—I'm not a household-born child of Yichun Pavilion!"

"You killed my mother yesterday, and today you're trying to sell me to the Azure Dragon Society!"

"The Azure Dragon Society isn't a place for humans—Bai Chushi and Zhang Wu'er were captured by you two days ago, and yesterday they were wrapped in straw mats and dumped in the mass grave." The boy keenly sensed the change in the Yichun Pavilion thugs' demeanor.

He immediately realized Chu Danqing was his only lifeline and seized it without hesitation.

"Pfft, your old mother was already half-dead in bed—why blame us?" one of the Yichun thugs spat angrily.

He was about to curse further, but the lead thug stopped him.

"Sir, this brat has always spouted nonsense. Look at all the scars on him—he got them for sneaking into our kitchen to steal food and was punished for it."

"He's our household-born child—a lowly creature unworthy of your concern," the thug said.

After speaking, he felt a chill crawl up his scalp.

"You say he's your household-born child? What proof do you have?" Chu Danqing's words weren't a request for evidence—they were a provocation.

He hadn't sensed any stolen goods on the boy.

As for stealing food—stealing property was wrong, but stealing out of starvation was another matter entirely.

Moreover, he didn't fully believe their story.

"Th-this…" The lead thug had no proof—they were lying outright. He gritted his teeth and threatened: "Sir, Wei Chu Yi is a person specifically requested by a high-ranking member of the Azure Dragon Society."

"I see you're heading to Lin Yuan City. Cross the Azure Dragon Society, and even if your status is high, you'll still face harassment."

"It's not worth it for such a lowly person."

Since peaceful resolution was impossible, they had to bluff with a bigger name.

Otherwise, if they failed to bring back Wei Chu Yi, they'd be the ones in deep trouble.

"I said it again—what proof do you have that he's your household-born child?" Chu Danqing repeated.

The archer nocked an arrow, the spear-carrier tensed, and Da Bao fixed his gaze on them.

If they didn't give Chu Danqing the answer he wanted—or offered a flimsy reply—they'd strike immediately.

The thugs swallowed hard. The lead one could only say: "None."

"Then get lost. Are you waiting for me to send you off?" Chu Danqing snapped.

The thugs, relieved, scrambled away on all fours.

Chu Danqing didn't kill them—what were a bunch of minor thugs? If blood had to be spilled, it should be the Azure Dragon Society's blood—that was the true culprit.

As for them running? If they had that kind of resolve and insight, why would they be hired thugs for a brothel?

More likely, they'd return and rally greater forces—exactly what Chu Danqing wanted.

He'd come this far—unless he stirred up trouble and disrupted the currents, how could he gain sufficient advantage?

Clear water holds no fish; only muddy water lets you catch fish.

Without power, he'd endure it. But with power, he had to change what he found unjust.

Otherwise, was his strength just for the amusement of this paradise? He had to carve out something for himself.

"Don't worry—I can handle this." Chu Danqing soothed Wei Chu Yi, then, seeing his condition, gave him a bowl of slightly meaty vegetable porridge.

The boy's eyes lit up; starving, he snatched it and devoured it greedily.

It wasn't that Chu Danqing was stingy—he simply knew the boy's stomach had no fat.

Giving him rich food all at once would backfire.

"Eat slowly, don't rush." Chu Danqing watched him finish in a few bites—he clearly wanted more.

But Chu Danqing didn't give more—the boy's body, starved for so long, didn't know satiety; overfeeding could rupture his stomach.

The bowl of porridge had restored some energy, but he still looked drained.

His earlier frantic run had been fueled by adrenaline—he hadn't felt fatigue then.

"Thank you, sir." Wei Chu Yi carefully returned the bowl to Chu Danqing—he'd never met someone so powerful before.

"No need for thanks." Chu Danqing took the bowl and stowed it in his storage space, then asked: "Why did the Azure Dragon Society specifically want you?"

Wei Chu Yi angrily replied: "They're lying—they're using the Azure Dragon Society's name to deceive you, sir."

"Actually, it's the son of a senior elder of the Azure Dragon Society—he he…" Here, Wei Chu Yi grew awkward, his anger fading: "He prefers men."

"He doesn't even favor the bookboys kept by Yichun Pavilion—he targets poor families like ours."

"Yichun Pavilion catered to his tastes—Bai Chushi and Zhang Wu'er were kidnapped by these thugs for a single copper coin."

"Then they turned their eyes on me." Wei Chu Yi's eyes filled with tears: "My mother was already gravely ill—they kept coming to harass us."

"Yesterday they drove her to death—I hadn't even buried her when these beasts came to drag me away by force."

At this, Wei Chu Yi burst into loud sobs.

He was young—barely eleven or twelve, even younger than Xie Yuan by two or three years.

Even if he'd grown up early due to poverty and his mother's illness, he was still just a child.

After Chu Danqing comforted him without effect, he gave him a small steamed bun.

The crying stopped immediately.

He nibbled the bun slowly, realizing he'd been unbecoming to cry so openly.

"I'm going into the city to confront them. Do you want to come with me?" Chu Danqing said.

Chu Danqing wasn't thinking of parading Wei Chu Yi around for show—he knew the boy couldn't survive alone.

Even if the Yichun thugs didn't pursue him further, his frail body and solitary state meant a perilous future.

But if he followed Chu Danqing back to Lin Yuan City, and remembered his mother's unburied corpse and vengeance, he'd surely give everything to aid Chu Danqing.

He might be weak alone, but he was still part of the accumulating force.

The path of Dao never rejects even the smallest aid.

Besides, heaven never creates useless people—Chu Danqing himself had once been an ordinary man.

"Sir, I want revenge," Wei Chu Yi whispered after swallowing the bun.

"Of course—that's why I called you." Chu Danqing replied.

(End of Chapter)