11: Safe and sound

[The third month,]

[Perhaps due to your Realm improvement, your Mizong Step and Void-Piercing Sword Technique have actually reached Minor Achievement.]

[After reaching Minor Achievement, the speed of your Mizong Step has doubled, and your Void-Piercing Sword Technique can now incorporate Internal Energy, allowing a single strike to split stones and break monuments!]

[At this time, your mother comes to find you, saying she has arranged a marriage for you—to the Meng Wenbin's daughter, Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo.]

[Your heart tightens, knowing that a year later, when Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo calls off the engagement, it will mark the time of the Qin Family's extermination.]

[You do not intend to sit and wait for death, deciding instead to take the initiative; thus, you propose to go out and gain experience with your father, though in reality, you want to uncover the mastermind behind the scenes.]

[Your father pats your shoulder with gratification: "Chener, Dad doesn't have any big demands for you, I just hope you can leave an heir for the Qin Family."]

[He leans close to your ear and lowers his voice: "Our ancestors were royalty! Our Old Ancestor, Qin Mo, established the Great Qin Dynasty two thousand years ago, but unfortunately, it perished during the Millennium Catastrophe. This bit of the Qin Family Bloodline must not be broken!"]

[This is the first time you have heard your father say these things, and you think he might be afraid that you will go astray while Cultivating martial arts.]

[But you insist on going out to gain experience with him, and he just smiles without objecting.]

[In the days that follow—you Cultivate and meditate at night, and follow your father around during the day, making every day very fulfilling.]

[The fourth month,]

[You have not forgotten Chu Chu, who sold herself to bury her mother; after burying her mother, you take her in as a maid and even arrange for her to Cultivate.]

[Chu Chu is both curious and guarded toward you—your kindness is too obvious, which makes her suspicious.]

[You only then realize that you must learn to disguise yourself in the future.]

[The fifth month,]

[You and your father go to the Meng Wenbin's residence.]

[You are very familiar with the Meng Wenbin, and his son, Meng Hao, is your drinking buddy.]

[After your father and the Meng Wenbin finish discussing business, Meng Hao drags you to the backyard, where Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo is also present.]

[Meng Hao jokes: "Brother, let's make our families closer; you marry my sister, and I'll marry yours."]

[You perfunctorily reply: "That girl Qin Yu will definitely be a tigress in the future; aren't you afraid of being devoured by her?"]

[Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo, who is on the side, suddenly speaks up: "Qin Chen, although the orders of parents are hard to disobey, I want to set three rules with you."]

[You are a bit surprised; didn't she always hope for you to call off the engagement before?]

[Why has her attitude changed?]

[Just because you have reached a Breakthrough in the Houtian Realm?]

[You don't care about Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo's demands at all, since you will call off the engagement in a year anyway, so you readily agree: "Fine, I'll listen to you."]

[Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo is stunned for a moment, then immediately sets the conditions: "First, after marriage, what I say goes; second, you are not allowed to go to Tianxiang Pavilion again; third, if I don't let you into the room, you cannot enter."]

[Meng Hao interjects with a mischievous smile: "Between my sister and yours, who do you think is more like a tigress?"]

[These words completely annoy Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo; she kicks out, sending Meng Hao flying until he vomits blood and rolls far away.]

[Looking at Meng Hao's miserable state, you swallow your saliva and secretly rejoice: It's a good thing the engagement will be called off in a year.]

[You use the excuse of taking Meng Hao to heal his injuries to take the opportunity to wander around the Meng Wenbin's residence, but you don't find anything unusual.]

[The sixth month,]

[Following your father around, you realize that you didn't understand him at all before.]

[Your father gets up before dawn every day to Cultivate, then goes to the Chamber of Commerce, the Herb Growers' Guild, and the herbal medicine market, and he also has to pull strings everywhere...]

[Just following him around, you are exhausted.]

[It turns out that earning a few thousand taels of silver every month is not that easy.]

[Seeing your parents working hard for the Qin Family, you are both moved and angry—for such a Qin Family, there are actually people who want to exterminate them!]

[The ninth month,]

[Chief Inspector Xiong Weihao of the Nanjiang City Inspection Bureau suddenly pays a visit.]

[This is one of the murderers!]

[You stand on the side nervously, listening to their conversation.]

[Xiong Weihao demands an increased supply of herbs, which your father readily agrees to, and he even stuffs a bag of silver into his hand.]

[From the conversation, you learn that your father and Xiong Weihao were once colleagues.]

[You judge that Xiong Weihao is likely not the mastermind, so the only possibility is—that mysterious person!]

[The second year,]

[The day for calling off the engagement is approaching, but you have yet to receive any news.]

[Instead, you receive the good news of your sister's Breakthrough in the Houtian Realm, and the Meng Wenbin's family even comes to offer congratulations.]

[This is different from the first simulation!]

[Why hasn't the engagement been called off?]

[You continue to wait.]

[One month later, the Qin Family residence is safe and sound.]

[Two months later, everything at the Qin Family residence is as usual.]

Watching the simulation, Qin Chen is dumbfounded:

"System, is there a bug?"

[Ding! Do not doubt the strength of this System.]

"Then why wasn't the Qin Family exterminated this time?"

Qin Chen feels a chill down his back.

This kind of unknown is too terrifying.

[Ding! This System is only responsible for simulations; other services... will cost extra.]

"There are other services?"

"How much? I have it!"

[Ding! This System does not accept your mundane silver; when you have the capability, I will naturally notify you to pay.]

[Ding! Please continue watching the simulation.]

[With no men in black coming to exterminate the family, you always feel uneasy.]

[You think of Tianxiang Pavilion and decide to take a risk.]

[After arriving at Tianxiang Pavilion, Xiaoya is very happy to see you: "Young Master Qin, I haven't seen you for a year; I thought you had gone missing!"]

[You show your hand directly: "Chief Steward Xiao told me to come and find Fragrant Lord Qiao."]

[Xiaoya feigns ignorance: "What is Young Master talking about?"]

[You coldly spit out three words: "Imperial City Guard."]

[Upon hearing this, Xiaoya's expression changes abruptly, and she immediately gets up and leaves. Not long after, she returns and leads you to the top floor of Tianxiang Pavilion.]

[The top floor is an independent penthouse, and the balconies on all four sides allow you to take in the entirety of Longyang Town.]

[A noblewoman sits in an elegant seat, staring at you with sharp eyes—she is exactly the Tianxiang Pavilion branch master, Fragrant Lord Qiao, who manages the intelligence network in Longyang Town.]

[You sit down calmly and get straight to the point: "Has anyone recently wanted to take action against the Qin Family?"]

["Do you know the consequences of using Chief Steward Xiao's name?" Fragrant Lord Qiao takes a light sip of tea.]

[Just as you expected, the Fragrant Lords in various regions are directly under Chief Steward Xiao of the Imperial Capital's Intelligence Pavilion.]

[You continue to bluff: "I want to see Vice Commissioner Duan."]

["Wait here; I have already sent a letter to Chief Steward Xiao. If what you say is not true..." Fragrant Lord Qiao puts down her teacup with a meaningful look.]

[Six hours pass, and it is already dark. You want to leave but are stopped, so you have to spend the night here. Fragrant Lord Qiao watches you without leaving your side.]

[The next morning, she receives a reply via secret letter—Chief Steward Xiao denies knowing you and demands that you be secretly escorted to the Imperial Capital.]

[Fragrant Lord Qiao strikes immediately. Her Xiantian Realm strength leaves you with no ability to parry, and she knocks you unconscious with a single palm strike.]

[While you are unconscious, you are fed a sleeping potion by Fragrant Lord Qiao and are escorted to the Imperial Capital overnight.]

[After waking up, you are already in the dungeon of the Imperial City Guard. Sitting in front of you is none other than Chief Steward Xiao.]

["Where did you learn my name?" Chief Steward Xiao gets straight to the point.]

[You spout nonsense, speaking clearly and logically about the five major organizations of the Imperial City Guard and the operations of the Intelligence Pavilion, even bringing up the name of Vice Commissioner Duan Kun.]

[The more Chief Steward Xiao listens, the more shocked he becomes!]

[A moment later, Duan Kun also arrives.]

[You immediately propose: "I want to join the Imperial City Guard and make amends for my crimes!"]

[The response you get is a lashing with a leather whip.]

[You are beaten until your flesh is torn, but you grit your teeth and endure it—since you have already entered the game, you must survive by facing death!]