Chapter 1: Critically Injured and on the Verge of Death, Duty System Activated

Chapter 1: Severely Wounded and Near Death, the Duty Fulfillment System Activates

Great Qian Dynasty, Yongchang 372nd Year, Autumn.

Qingxi County, Patrol Officer Wooden House District.

The night was thick, and all was silent.

Lin Chen leaned against the bed.

His chest ached terribly, and every breath tore at his internal organs.

He raised his hand, his fingertips trembling as they touched the wound beneath his clothes.

His mind was still a jumbled mess.

One second ago, he was a corporate drone who had worked continuous night shifts and ultimately died suddenly at his workstation.

When he opened his eyes again, he had Transmigrated to the Great Qian Dynasty, a world where martial arts reigned supreme, becoming a lowly Patrol Officer in the Qingxi County Yamen.

Lin Chen, sixteen years old, an orphan.

In this world where human lives were cheap, the Black Uniform on his body was his only reliance.

But it was also this Black Uniform that became his death warrant.

The last scene in his memory was the hustle and bustle of South City Lane during the day.

Second Young Master Zhao Hu, the local tyrant of Qingxi County and the Second Young Master of the Zhao Clan, rode his horse recklessly through the streets.

His guards even forcibly snatched a civilian girl.

The original owner, this naive young man who had been on the job for less than three months, actually rushed forward.

He shouted the dry Great Qian Law, his hand tightly clutching his waist saber.

But all he got in return was a light sneer from Second Young Master Zhao Hu.

"An insignificant Patrol Officer dares to meddle in this Young Master's business?"

"Break his bones and throw him back to the Patrol Division."

"Let Clerk Chen see, this is the consequence of meddling."

Then, a powerful surge of Qi and blood from the Body Tempering Late-Stage erupted.

An iron fist smashed squarely into the original owner's chest.

The dull thud of bones shattering made his ears ring.

As he lay in a pool of blood, the last thing he saw was the desperate cries of the snatched girl.

The numb, dodging faces of the passersby, and the retreating figures of Second Young Master Zhao Hu and his entourage.

The original owner thus died in the line of duty.

And he himself became the new owner of this body.

"Hah, I changed places, but I still died at my job."

Lin Chen pulled at the corner of his mouth in self-mockery.

The intense pain immediately made him gasp.

The same bottom rung, the same desire to do his job well, the same... dying for nothing.

No, it was even worse than his previous life.

Here, the life of a stray dog was more valuable than his, a Patrol Officer.

Blood loss and severe pain made his consciousness increasingly blurry.

The shadow of death was slowly engulfing him.

Just as Lin Chen thought he was about to set the record for "shortest Transmigration in history," a mechanical voice devoid of emotion echoed in his mind.

[Detected host's persistent 'duty fulfillment' obsession even when near death!]

[Binding conditions met!]

[Daily Settlement System, officially activated!]

The series of sounds invigorated Lin Chen's scattered consciousness.

System?

My Golden Finger?!

Immediately after, a light blue screen unfolded before his eyes.

The screen was filled with a sense of power that transcended this world.

[System Explanation: The Daily Settlement System will daily settle the host's actions in adhering to their post and award corresponding points.]

[Points can be used to improve Cultivation, deduce Cultivation Techniques, and accelerate Cultivation.]

[Newbie Tip: As a Patrol Officer of the Qingxi County Yamen, completing patrol duties, stopping disturbances, and protecting the common people are all duty fulfillment actions that can earn settlement points. The more meritorious the deed, the richer the reward.]

[As a Patrol Officer of the Qingxi County Yamen, the daily basic reward for patrolling is 20 points.]

Lin Chen's breathing quickened.

Fulfilling duties earns points?

Then, what happened during the day, the original owner desperately stopping Second Young Master Zhao Hu, did that count as a duty fulfillment action?

As the thought arose, the screen refreshed.

[Performing first settlement!]

[Settlement Event: During his duty today, host Lin Chen, facing the evil deeds of the local powerful Zhao Clan's Second Young Master Zhao Hu, who committed violence and forcibly snatched a civilian girl in the street, defied authority, stepped forward bravely, upheld the core responsibility of a Patrol Officer to protect the common people, and died heroically in the line of duty.]

[Action Judgment: Heroic duty fulfillment, outstanding merit!]

[Reward doubled, granting newbie initial points: 200 points!]

Looking at the words on the screen, Lin Chen was stunned.

Immediately, a mix of emotions surged in his chest.

Heh.

He chuckled softly.

The laughter pulled at his wound, causing a violent cough, and bloody foam emerged from the corner of his mouth.

So, doing things seriously really does have a purpose.

His gaze was fixed on the bottom of the screen.

[Current Points: 220 points.]

[Detected host is critically ill, consume points to heal injuries?]

"Heal!"

Lin Chen roared in his mind.

As the thought flashed, a warm current erupted from thin air, instantly washing over his entire body.

His shattered ribs forcibly reset with crackling sounds, broken meridians were rapidly reconnected by a mysterious energy, and damaged internal organs were quickly repaired.

In just a few breaths.

The excruciating pain that could drive a person mad vanished without a trace.

Lin Chen sat up from the bed, his movements swift and decisive.

His previous near-death experience felt like an illusion.

He looked down at his chest.

His skin was intact, without even a single scar.

He even felt his body was lighter than before the injury.

Not only were his injuries healed, but even old hidden injuries from Cultivation were cleared?

His gaze returned to the screen, and his point balance had changed.

[Current Points: 180 points.]

Healing such a fatal injury only cost 40 points.

As for the remaining 180 points, the screen showed clear uses.

[Current Rock Solid Skill Realm is Entry Level, consume points to advance Cultivation Realm?]

[Current Realm: Body Tempering Early Stage (unstable Foundation).]

The four words "unstable Foundation" were glaring.

The original owner was only at the Body Tempering Early Stage at sixteen, Cultivating the basic Cultivation Technique of the Yamen, the Rock Solid Skill, which clearly indicated average talent.

He relied on his meager salary to buy low-quality medicinal materials and forcefully pile them up, resulting in an utterly poor Foundation.

"Advance!"

Lin Chen didn't hesitate at all.

[Consuming 180 points, Cultivation advancing!]

[Rock Solid Skill has been elevated to Major Achievement, Foundation solidified, Bottleneck broken, Body Tempering Realm, Middle Stage!]

A more vast energy than when he was healing just now erupted in his Dantian!

His entire body's blood was instantly ignited, rushing and roaring, washing over every inch of flesh and every bone!

The impure medicinal residue in the original owner's body was swept away by this pure energy.

The unstable Qi and blood visibly condensed and became heavy!

Strength was rising steadily!

The energy subsided.

Lin Chen slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid Qi.

The surge of Qi caused the bean-sized candlelight on the table to flicker, almost extinguishing.

He stood up and walked to the corner, where a spare standard waist saber hung.

Lin Chen raised his right fist, without using any Move.

He merely activated the condensed Qi and blood within his body, and casually threw a punch at the saber sheath three feet away.

Whoosh!

The fist wind surged, emitting a dull thud.

The next second.

Crack.

A crisp sound.

A crack appeared on the hard wooden saber sheath.

Immediately after, the crack rapidly spread.

Bang!

The entire saber sheath shattered in response, turning into a pile of wooden fragments on the ground.

Lin Chen looked at his fist, his heart pounding.

The Body Tempering Realm involves tempering oneself.

Only by tempering one's Qi and blood to an extremely pure degree can one throw a punch with accompanying wind.

To be able to shatter hard wood with just fist wind from three feet away, one would at least have to be a Martial Artist at the Body Tempering Late-Stage!

And he had only spent 180 points.

In one step, he had leaped over seven or eight years of arduous Cultivation by others!

Lin Chen's breathing was hot.

He completely understood.

As long as he still wore this Black Uniform, as long as he was still "working."

Every act of duty fulfillment could be exchanged for points.

And points could make him infinitely stronger!

In this world where human lives were cheap, this was his only Law for survival, and even for satisfying grudges!

Lin Chen's gaze fell on the blood-stained, torn Black Uniform in the corner of the bed.

He walked over, picked it up, and gently smoothed out the wrinkles.

Then, he brought a basin of water and carefully wiped away the bloodstains from his face.

In the basin, a delicate face was reflected.

Those eyes no longer held the confusion of a sixteen-year-old boy, only the coldness of one who had experienced death.

He slowly put on the Black Uniform and re-hung the standard waist saber at his side.

The cold hilt pressed against his palm, and a thought became incredibly clear in his mind.

Second Young Master Zhao Hu, and that guard who killed him with one punch...

The arrogant faces flashed through Lin Chen's mind.

His hand gripped the hilt.

"Work time has arrived."