Chapter 133: From Now On, This Is Our Home?

The three of them, feeling a bit dizzy, went upstairs, watched Jiang Cheng take out the key and open the door.

A gust of dust hit their faces.

It seemed the house hadn't been lived in for some time.

Fortunately the space was large and all kinds of furniture were in place.

"From now on, this will be our home?"

Lin Yue said in a trembling voice.

"That's right, from now on this will be our home," Jiang Cheng said with a smile.

He had long regarded Chen Sao and her daughter as family, and since Grandma was advanced in age, he feared he couldn't always be there to care for her; with Chen Sao around, he could be much more at ease.

"Xiao Cheng, you—where did you get so much money to buy this big house?"

Chen Sao was first delighted, then became very uneasy.

As she looked at Jiang Cheng, her gaze also assessed Hong Cha.

Her intuition told her that all these changes were inseparable from the person before her, and the good news was that he didn't seem like a bad person.

"Yes, Xiao Cheng."

The Old Man was also a bit scared, "Maybe we shouldn't live here and just go back."

In Jiang Cheng's mind he thought, there's nowhere to go back to; even if the Iron Fist Gang people don't keep harassing him, what happened this morning would still scare them half to death.

"Grandma, Chen Sao, don't worry; this house is mine, you can live here with peace of mind. As for the reason, I'll tell you later; please go in first."

The three of them were still hesitating.

"It's fine."

Jiang Cheng urged them repeatedly, and finally managed to push everyone inside.

"Grandma, I'll first see off Brother Hong Cha, then come back to explain everything to you in detail."

Downstairs, Jiang Cheng thanked him again.

Brother Hong Cha waved his hand, "That's all part of what the Society should do. In the next two days, someone will handle all the paperwork for you. However, to conceal your identity, the name on your ID won't be Jiang Cheng. Also, let me remind you: although the house is registered, it doesn't actually belong to you yet; you only own it after you pay for it. Fortunately you don't need to pay the full amount—just half. That's one of the benefits the Society offers. If—I'm saying if…"

He looked at Jiang Cheng, "If you were to die in a mission, you wouldn't have to pay the remaining money; the house would automatically pass to your family. But I guess you wouldn't want that day to come."

Jiang Cheng nodded.

Indeed.

"Spend the next few days taking good care of your family; once you feel ready, go to the place I mentioned—that's our headquarters. I might not be there then; someone else will receive you. There you can meet many like‑minded people, spar with and learn from them, and also exchange various Secret Martial Arts and Secret Medicine. Of course, the most important thing is to take on and submit the monthly missions."

"As a newcomer, the Society will look after you, having set aside a special task for you. If you complete it well, you can instantly earn enough to buy the house. Of course you can also use the reward to purchase Secret Medicine or Secret Martial Arts. Keep it up."

Brother Hong Cha patted Jiang Cheng on the shoulder.

After seeing him leave, Jiang Cheng took a slow breath.

It's time to go back and explain to his family what this is all about.

Pure lies are easy to see through; mixing one or two falsehoods among eight or nine truths prevents suspicion.

Fortunately both Grandma and Chen Sao are trustworthy, so there's no worry about leaks.

Inside, the three stood there, clutching their luggage, uneasy, until they heard the door open and saw Jiang Cheng walk in, then they all gathered around.

"Xiao Cheng, what on earth is going on?" the Old Man asked, his eyes full of unease.

"Brother Jiang Cheng, did you really buy this house?"

"Xiao Cheng, where did you get so much money?" Jiang Cheng signaled the three to quiet down, then said slowly, "Grandma, Chen Sao, Xiao Yue, do you know about Secret Martial Arts?"

"Secret? Secret Martial Arts?"

Chen Sao's complexion changed.

Lin Yue's gaze also shifted.

The Old Man, however, remained very bewildered.

"Xiao Cheng, what does this have to do with that?" Chen Sao glanced around subconsciously, whispering, "Did you sell Secret Martial Arts to get this much money to buy the house? But how come I never heard your family had such things?"

Jiang Cheng shook his head.

"Chen Sao, actually, I can sense the Force and have the aptitude for cultivating Secret Martial Arts, which caught Brother Hong Cha's attention and led to an invitation to join. As a joining benefit, I can bring my family to live in the Outer City District. The house wasn't bought by me; they merely let us stay temporarily. I need to use my salary to pay installments each month, and only after it's fully paid will the house belong to us."

Hearing this, Chen Sao let out a slight sigh of relief.

So it was only a temporary stay; that's acceptable.

If they gave it outright, that would be scary; there's no such thing as a free lunch.

"Xiao Cheng, you mean we'll work for them later? What kind of work?"

"Chen Sao, you know the three martial arts schools on the street, right?"

Chen Sao nodded.

"Just like over there, they have also opened a martial arts school in the Outer City District. After members pay the fee, they can learn some health‑strengthening martial arts; those who pay more can also study Secret Martial Arts. Of course, this must be kept under wraps,

they invited me because they saw my potential, intending to train me for a while; once I'm ready, I'll lead the Ordinary Members. After becoming proficient, I can also teach others Secret Martial Arts, and the salary will be higher then."

Jiang Cheng said half‑truthfully, half‑falsely.

The Dawn Society Headquarters is indeed beneath the martial arts school.

These people also hold positions in the school, but only titular ones; they never appear in front of anyone.

"Is that so?"

Chen Sao seemed to believe most of it, yet still had some reservations.

Because she knew that once someone discovered you possessed Secret Martial Arts, the outcome would be terrible.

Jiang Cheng going to practice Secret Martial Arts now was bound to be somewhat risky.

"Xiao Cheng, why don't we just go back?" Chen Sao sighed.

"Life over there may not be as good as here, but we've already gotten used to it. Be careful; it's not a big problem. Here, if—"

Chen Sao, we can't go back.

Jiang Cheng gave a bitter smile, "We've already come this far, and we've learned so much; do you think the other side will let us go back peacefully?"

Chen Sao was stunned.

Don't worry, Chen Sao, as long as we're careful, this place is much safer than the Poor District. You don't know that the Iron Fist Gang arrived a couple days ago, driving many people out of their homes, some even beaten to death. Speaking of safety, it's far worse than here.

Jiang Cheng shook his head, "In any case, since we're here, we should settle in. I'll take responsibility for everything. I said I'd let you live a good life, and I will."

Upon hearing these words, the three felt a warm current rise in their hearts, dispelling their unease and fear.

If there were a better life, who wouldn't want to live it?

Hopefully everything will turn out as Jiang Cheng said.

(End of chapter)