Chapter 2

Suppressing the joy and excitement in his heart, Fang Xu stared at the virtual panel's 【Inherit】 and 【Give Up Inheritance】 buttons, lost in thought.

He noticed the line on the panel: he could randomly inherit one of Wang Ergou's three legacies, randomness meaning uncertainty.

As for Legacy One, no need to mention—even with a deed and proper procedures, Wang Erhu is a warrior and a government soldier; the Great Yu Dynasty's law grants privileges to warriors, so a commoner like me might not get the house even with the deed.

If mishandled, I might end up with no mutton, stir up trouble, and wrongly bear a murder suspect's blame.

As for Legacy Two…… Wang Ergou's wife is lovely and still charming, but Cao Zei, for the sake of a Zou woman, killed his own eldest son, nephew, and general Dian Wei—proof that a good wife can be had, provided you have the strength.

Legacy Three is naturally the best.

One hundred taels of silver may not be a huge fortune now, but it's still a considerable wealth.

Warriors tempering their bones need not only a master's guidance but also medicinal pills and blood food to nourish the body; these require great expense, and Fang Xu has spent most of his income on these over the years. Though he hasn't yet joined the martial practitioners, he is already at the Bone Refining Realm, far stronger than ordinary folk.

One hundred taels of silver should be enough for him to buy a month's worth of medicinal pills and blood food.

Staring at the light screen before him, Fang Xu pondered for a long time, then suddenly laughed.

Why should he worry about this problem?

They're all free stuff—why would anyone refuse? If the random draw gives Inheritance Three, he'll simply take that hundred taels of silver; if it really gives Inheritance One and Inheritance Two, then not taking them is fine.

Thinking this through, he directly chose to inherit.

The light screen flowed, the three inheritances rolling quickly; after a moment, the rolling speed gradually slowed, and then the light screen gradually froze.

【Congratulations, Host, you have obtained Inheritance Two.】

【System active: Wang Ergou's lovely wife, Lady Wang, has developed affection for the Host; please choose carefully.】

Looking at the words appearing on the light screen, Fang Xu gave a slight shake of his head.

It's neither the worst nor the best, but it's the most troublesome outcome—what should be done now?

The light screen before him slowly faded, yet Fang Xu found himself mired in hesitation.

After a long while, he finally set down the rice-washing jar in his hand, looked at the sky now completely dark, tidied his clothes a bit, and carried out a jug of homemade rice wine as he left the house.

At the third watch of the Xu hour, the townsfolk had already rested after a day's labor; walking the streets, Fang Xu quickly arrived at the front of Wang Ergou's two‑courtyard residence.

Having a brother who serves as a government soldier, Wang Ergou, though not matching the wealthy landowners of Maple Forest Town, is still considered a prosperous family; if not for Wang Erhu's salary being mostly spent on medicinal pills to temper his body, the Wang household's circumstances might be even better.

Dong dong dong!

Dong dong!

Standing outside the door, hesitating slightly, Fang Xu, as if possessed, knocked on the gate.

Who's there?

After a moment, a soft, tender voice came from inside the courtyard, followed by the patter of small steps drawing near.

"Sister‑in‑law, it's me." Afraid the neighbors would hear, Fang Xu lowered his voice.

The gate creaked open a crack; a young woman wearing a hairpin, her hair coiled, dressed in a purple gown, poked her head out. As Wang Ergou said, his wife rarely touches water, seldom works, and is well‑kept; her bare face, without powder, has a slight sheen, her brows and eyes holding three parts allure and seven parts reserve.

Seeing Fang Xu outside, Lady Wang gave a faint smile, a hint of blush appearing on her face.

It's Little Brother Fang, please come in.

Her slender waist gave a slight bow; after Lady Wang performed her salute, she stepped aside and spoke softly.

Fang Xu, seeing this, was secretly astonished—the system's power truly lived up to its reputation; knowing that Lady Wang usually presented a cold, aloof beauty, when had she ever looked so seductive?

Entering the courtyard, Fang Xu, feigning ignorance, asked: "Sister‑in‑law, isn't Brother Ergou here?"

Lady Wang shook her head slightly: "He said he was going to reclaim wasteland at the mountain base during the day; it's this hour already and he still hasn't returned."

Not returned… It seems Wang Ergou died outside; Fang Xu sighed inwardly, yet feigned concern on his lips:

"At this hour he still hasn't come back—there are many fierce beasts in the mountains; could Brother Ergou have met with some mishap?"

Hearing this, Lady Wang's face flashed with a trace of worry; she immediately looked at Fang Xu, somewhat at a loss.

"Sister‑in‑law, don't worry; how about I accompany you to look for him?" Fang Xu comforted.

Lady Wang, feeling a touch of gratitude, bowed slightly, then hurriedly said: "Thank you for the trouble, Little Brother Fang; let me fetch a lantern."

……

On the small path outside town, Fang Xu carried a hoe for self‑defense while Lady Wang held a lantern; they walked slowly along the winding mountain trail, occasional unknown beast roars echoing from the hills, making Lady Wang fearful, her body involuntarily leaning toward Fang Xu, her other hand unconsciously gripping his clothes.

At the end of the mountain path, guided by Lady Wang, the two soon arrived before an open field.

Is this the plot?

Fang Xu let out a faint sigh.

This is hardly any unclaimed wasteland; it was originally the cultivated field of Old Man Liu of the town, only that Old Man Liu went hunting in the mountains in winter and was bitten to death by a vicious beast, his family's sole son having gone astray in his early cultivation, leaving him with a half‑crippled body unable to farm…

"Little Brother Fang, that looks like our family's ox!" Lady Wang, holding the lantern, half‑her body hidden behind Fang Xu, pointed at a dark mass on the left, her body trembling as she spoke.

Fang Xu focused his gaze; sure enough, not far to the left lay a draught ox on the ground.

The two hurried over, and by the lantern's light they made out the ox on the ground——

Ah!

Lady Wang suddenly let out a startled cry; the lantern in her hand flew from her grasp and fell to the ground, her arms instantly wrapping around Fang Xu's arms.

Fang Xu too was frightened by the sight before him.

The massive draught ox had lost all breath; its whole body was profoundly strange, its flesh and blood seeming to have evaporated, leaving only the hide wrapped around the skeleton!

He gathered his courage, picked up the lantern from the ground, raised it and carefully scanned the surroundings, only to discover a pair of feet in the distant grass.

"Sister‑in‑law…" he called out; Fang Xu, hoeing in hand, walked slowly toward those feet, Lady Wang following behind, trembling, her arms locked tight around his arms.

Drawing near the grass, he handed the lantern to Lady Wang, then used the hoe to part the weeds and saw that the feet belonged to Wang Ergou.

At this moment, Wang Ergou appeared to have encountered great terror before death—his eyes bulged, his face wore an expression of fright, a gory wound on his throat nearly severed his head, his blood staining his cloth garments.

Seeing such a bloody scene, Lady Wang's eyes rolled back and she fainted dead away.

Fang Xu quickly supported her limp body, pinching her philtrum with his thumb as he shouted.

"Sister‑in‑law! Sister‑in‑law!"

Lying in Fang Xu's arms, Wang Shi woke up slowly, and in a dazed moment she caught sight of Wang Ergou's corpse; not knowing whether from fear or grief, she flung herself into Fang Xu's arms and began to cry.

"Sister-in-law, don't cry; Brother Ergou... he... who could he have offended in his daily life?"

Wang Ergou was clearly killed with a single slash to the throat; from the wound, the murderer was highly professional.

Wang Shi cried for a while, then whispered, sobbing: "Although Ergou was a bit overbearing in his daily life, he wasn't a bad person... Apart from having a couple of arguments with the Zhang family's Second Young Master at the Earth God Temple and in town a few days ago, he really hadn't offended anyone."

"Little Brother Fang, what... what are we to do now?" Wang Shi, at a loss, looked at Fang Xu with a pitiful, helpless expression.

Fang Xu glanced at Wang Ergou's corpse, pondered for a moment, then said: "Sister-in-law, don't panic; the urgent matter is to report this to the authorities first."

"At the very least, we must let Brother Erhu, who is far away in Huangzhou Prefecture, know of Brother Ergou's death."

Wang Ergou's death presented him with an opportunity to inherit an estate; although the estate is now somewhat troublesome, this shows one thing—he needs friends.

By helping Wang Shi and befriending Wang Erhu, then, when Wang Erhu later dies, wouldn't he again obtain a chance to inherit an estate?

(End of chapter)