Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 29: Chapter 28: Dragon Eagle Wan Ze, Pleased to Meet You

”Take this Secret Pill.” The Hall Master produced a White Porcelain Bottle and took out a date-red Medicine Pill.

Wan Ze didn’t ask questions. He took it, swallowed it, and only then asked, ”Master, what is this?”

”Your Dragon Eagle Secret Martial Arts has reached a minor level of mastery. Adding special medicinal ingredients will accelerate how you strengthen your Power.” The Hall Master said with a faint, knowing smile, having seen through Wan Ze’s true strength at a glance.

He wasn’t angry that Wan Ze had hidden his strength, however. In his eyes, it was a wise move.

He passed the White Porcelain Bottle over. ”There are five Secret Pills in here. Take one every two days. Come find me when you’ve finished them. But remember, just because you’re taking Secret Pills doesn’t mean you can stop your Cultivation. Hard training is essential. The medicinal herbs are just an added bonus.”

”Yes, Master. I understand.” Wan Ze’s heart tightened.

”Go back and get some rest. Don’t overthink things,” the Hall Master said with a slight nod.

”Yes, Master.” Wan Ze pressed his palms together, bowed, and retreated.

Outside the door, Lei Ming didn’t press for details. He drove Wan Ze home, making sure to remind him, ”I’ll pick you up at nine tomorrow morning to go to Lingyun Manor.”

Wan Ze nodded and got out of the car.

Just as he was about to leave, Lei Ming suddenly felt a pang of sympathy and called out, ”Ah Ze!”

”Hm? What’s wrong?” Wan Ze turned back, looking confused.

Lei Ming’s voice was heavy. ”I was about your age the first time I killed someone. I’d been kidnapped, and the kidnappers took the ransom but still weren’t going to let me go... I understand that feeling of powerlessness, but you need to relax. We aren’t the sinners here, they are. If the law can’t bring them to justice, then we’ll use our own rules as Martial Artists!”

”I get it, Senior Brother. Thanks.”

”Of course. I’m heading out. See you tomorrow.”

The car went HONK HONK, then drove off into the distance.

When Wan Ze went upstairs, he found his whole family staring at him eagerly. His little sister, Xiaoyu, rushed over and threw herself into his arms. ”Bro, did you come back in a biiiiiiig car?”

Wan Ze realized his family had seen his senior brother’s car. He looked up to meet his parents’ gaze and said, ”It belongs to my senior brother from the hall.”

”Oh, so it was your senior brother.”

Father Wan sounded quite disappointed.

Wan Ze was speechless. He put his sister down. ”I’m going to wash up.”

As he turned to leave, he didn’t notice his sister Xiaoyu’s nose twitching, as if she had smelled something. But when their mother called her over to eat some fruit, she completely forgot about the strange scent.

「...」

A heavy rain fell on Friday night.

By the next morning, the sky had cleared. But when Wan Ze pushed open the window, a blast of wind rushed in, so bone-chillingly cold that his sister Xiaoyu yelped and hopped around.

”Bro! Bro! Bro! It’s so cold! Please, close the window! Your sister is going to freeze to death in the middle of autumn!”

”...”

Wan Ze closed the window again, a look of resignation on his face. ”It’s so early. Instead of sleeping in, what are you doing in the living room?”

”Your little sister here is about to die of starvation! Does anyone in this house care if I live or die anymore!!!” Wan Xiaoyu wailed dramatically.

Wan Ze was at a loss for words. ”What about the food in the kitchen?”

”Mom and Dad didn’t leave any, but I made some.”

”Huh?”

”I made breakfast. I’m not giving them any. It’s for us.”

”You know how to cook?”

”Yeah.”

”How come I never knew?”

”Congratulations. Now you know.”

”...” Wan Ze hesitated, but in the next second, a rolled pancake was stuffed into his mouth.

He turned to see his sister staring at him with a fiery gaze, a spatula still in her left hand.

”...”

”How does it taste?” his sister pressed.

”Why aren’t you eating any?” Wan Ze asked warily.

”I’m afraid it doesn’t taste good,” his sister fretted.

”...” Wan Ze’s chewing faltered. Then, with a deadpan expression, he nodded. ”It’s delicious.”

”Really?”

Wan Xiaoyu was skeptical. Seeing Wan Ze finish the entire pancake, she immediately relaxed and happily took a super huge bite. The next second...

”BLEGH! It’s so salty! Water, where’s the water? Wan Ze, I’m going to kill you!”

Wan Ze brushed his hands off. ”A little less salt next time. Anyway, it’s time for me to go; I’ve got something to do. Don’t run off anywhere, okay? Mom said she’ll be back around noon with lunch for you.”

With her back to him, Xiaoyu tilted her head back and frantically chugged water.

Wan Ze shook his head and chuckled. He went to the door, put on his shoes, grabbed his keys, and left.

Just then, his neighbor’s daughter from across the hall was also coming downstairs. She was very cold, with a guitar on her back, and she walked quickly down the stairs, completely ignoring him.

Wan Ze looked unconcerned. He remembered that when the mother and daughter first moved in, this girl, who was two years older than him, had actually been quite polite. Now, whenever he ran into her alone, she acted like he owed her a fortune.

”Ah Ze, over here!”

Lei Ming waved from the entrance of the residential complex. Wan Ze hurried over, and the two drove off, laughing and talking.

Behind them, the guitar girl stood dumbfounded.

’A car?’

’He actually left in a car?’

’These days, the way you tell if someone has money is whether or not they can afford a car!’

’How could a normal person with a monthly salary of two or three hundred afford a car that costs over ten thousand!’

In an instant, her mind raced, imagining all sorts of scenarios. She was suddenly filled with regret. ’I’ve been way too cold and aloof!’

「...」

”Senior Brother, what kind of place is this Lingyun Manor?” Wan Ze asked curiously from inside the car.

Lei Ming smiled and explained, ”It’s a long story, connected to an elder from our Holy City. His surname is Ling. His family was very wealthy back in the day, and he was the third generation to inherit the fortune. But this was during a time of war and chaos. He was a charitable man who loved making friends. There were just too many displaced people back then. No matter how much money his family had, they couldn’t support everyone, so they eventually went bankrupt.”

”...”

Wan Ze hadn’t expected such a sudden turn in the story. ”Then this manor...?”

”This is the last estate that elder had left. His granddaughter inherited it after returning from her studies abroad. She opened it up as a place for friends from the Martial Dao Realm to gather.” Lei Ming sighed wistfully. ”Elder Ling was a man of honor his entire life. Everyone remembers his goodness. It’s just a shame this world is full of villains. Ah Ze, when you make friends in this field, you have to be extra careful.”

Wan Ze nodded in acknowledgment.

「...」

The morning sun dyed the carpet a shade of red.

A few people stood scattered about the main hall of Lingyun Manor. Aside from the man in the lead, who wore a sharp suit, the others were dressed casually. It was a mix of men and women, all of them wearing worried expressions.

The staff at the entrance were attending to these people.

The moment Lei Ming appeared, people started calling out greetings. ”Old Lei, you made it.”

”Heard that RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE from a mile away and knew it had to be you, kid.”

The man in the suit walked up with a smile and gave Lei Ming a big hug.

”I’m not too late, am I? Come, come, let me introduce you. This is my little brother, Wan Ze.” Lei Ming pulled Wan Ze over.

The man in the suit was taken aback. ”Your little brother? A big oaf like you has a little brother? You don’t look alike.”

”He’s my junior martial brother, but we’re as close as real brothers!” Lei Ming said, annoyed.

The man in the suit understood, and now he was even more surprised.

Wan Ze was also surprised. ’I didn’t expect my senior brother to have so many friends.’

”So Elder Situ took on another disciple? My apologies.” The man in the suit clicked his tongue in wonder and extended his hand. ”Zhao Qilong, head of the Longbang Detective Agency.”

”Dragon Eagle Wan Ze. A pleasure.” Wan Ze also extended his hand.

Thankfully, the man in the suit didn’t indulge in the cheap trick of trying to gauge Wan Ze’s strength through his handshake. He just smiled and joked, ”Lei Ming rarely brings anyone along. You two must be really close.”

”Of course they are. He’s his junior martial brother.” A woman beside them with a sultry gaze immediately reached out to touch him. ”Hello, little brother... you’re so... tender.”

”...”

Wan Ze turned his head to look at Lei Ming.

’This is one of your friends, too?’

’Senior Brother, you sure have a colorful social life!’