C19 Countdown

Yingchang Prefecture, a bustling city situated over a hundred miles south of Kaifeng Prefecture—the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty—was a hub of commercial activity within the capital's trading zone. The city's formidable walls, constructed of massive stones and lime mortar, soared to impressive heights, with soldiers patrolling vigilantly along the ramparts.

A snaking queue of people waiting to enter the city stretched for several hundred meters from the towering gates. Among them were two men clad in coarse clothing and dark gray caps, lingering at the back of the crowd. Their complexions were sallow and their skin rough, bearing the hallmarks of farmers, yet their eyes were unusually bright, occasionally flashing with an icy sharpness.

These men were none other than Lee Cha and Gao Shuai. They had journeyed over a hundred miles from Aozi Mountain, a trek that took them three grueling days. Just two days prior, in Linying City, Gao Shuai's adversaries had tails on them, nearly blowing their cover.

They had managed to capture and interrogate a spy, learning that the mysterious figures who had slain Gao Xiong and his wife were bandits from Black Wind Ridge, located well over a hundred miles to the east of Yingchang Prefecture. The very idea that such a group could thrive so close to the capital without official complicity was laughable to anyone familiar with the area.

But Black Wind Ridge was merely a pawn. The true enemies behind it, Gao Shuai's formidable foes, were the real threat, instilling fear in him at the mere mention of their name. Caution was paramount for the pair.

Adding to Lee Cha's worries was the system's abrupt announcement of a mission countdown—now standing at 361 days, 16 hours, and 25 minutes. He discovered that failure to complete the mission before the countdown ended would result in failure.

In less than a year, he faced a stark choice: complete the main mission or face the consequences of either losing his mind or his life. Cursing the system, Lee Cha's anxiety surged as he rubbed his middle finger. Time was of the essence. He needed to grow stronger, amass wealth, acquire a Cultivation Technique, and obtain miraculous elixirs.

Perhaps unconventional measures were in order...

Given a few years, he could systematically complete each task without much risk, but he was only allotted one year.

Indeed, plans often fall behind the pace of change.

...

"Where are you two from?" The city gate soldier's tone was far from welcoming.

"Ru Zhou," Gao Shuai replied icily.

The soldier's expression soured. "Ru Zhou? You look more like you've come out of the mountains. Perhaps bandits in disguise, looking to stir up trouble in the city."

Lee Cha quickly intervened with a smile, "My good man, we truly hail from Ru Zhou, here to join relatives. This is my younger brother; he's inexperienced with travel and unfamiliar with the ways of the world. Please accept this small token of our respect, and kindly overlook any offense."

He discreetly slipped a cloth bag into the soldier's hand. Feeling the weight, the soldier gruffly said, "Alright, but remember to abide by the city's laws, or you'll regret it."

"Yes, of course..." Lee Cha, pulling Gao Shuai along, hastened into the city.

Once secluded, Lee Cha spoke sternly, "Keep your foul temper in check from now on, or I won't be there to bail you out again."

Gao Shuai responded coolly, "Keep your word. I'm at your disposal for a year, but if you fail to dismantle that bandit stronghold, don't expect any courtesy from me."

'Courtesy? Whether I'm even in this world in a year is uncertain,' Lee Cha mused. If he didn't have reservations about other bodyguards, who in their right mind would tolerate such a temper?

"Rest assured, I'll handle the bandits within the year. You're not the only one seeking vengeance; I have my own scores to settle."

Upon entering the city, Lee Cha noticed the streets were smoother than those in Linying City, and the throngs of people were many times greater.

The air was filled with vendors' calls, offering everything from food and clothing to shelter and transport. Lee Cha could almost envision a scene from the vibrant Along the River During Qingming Festival.

Just then, several knights and a carriage thundered by, prompting the street-goers to swiftly make way.

"Isn't there a rule against galloping horses in the city?"

"Take a look at who that is. They're from the Xiao family of Yingchang Prefecture. Rumor has it, their wealth ranks among the top in the entire Great Song Dynasty."

The Xiao family? A spark of recognition flickered in Lee Cha's mind. He recalled Xiao Qingsong, whom he had met once. Perhaps he could forge a partnership with the Xiao family through Qingsong.

He leased a spacious quadrangle dwelling and, with a local child as his guide, explored every corner of Yingchang Prefecture, gaining a preliminary understanding of its commercial landscape.

But most significant was his encounter with the elusive martial arts fraternity, the Beggar Sect, which Gao Shuai had identified for him.

Not every beggar belonged to the Beggar Sect. To join, one had to meet certain criteria: no physical impairments and robust health with the capacity for movement.

It seemed the Central Plains' most esteemed sect wasn't as lofty as the legends suggested...

Lee Cha was intrigued. How did Gao Shuai know so much, and how was his vision so sharp that he could instantly spot members of the Beggar Sect among a crowd of beggars?

What was his background?

And who were his adversaries?

Lee Cha pondered deeply, the factions of the Heavenly Dragon Eight Styles flashing through his mind, yet Gao Shuai's name was nowhere to be found.

Gao Shuai himself remained a mystery.

The following day, Lee Cha dispatched Gao Shuai to purchase several jars of rice wine. Meanwhile, he took out various design schematics and visited five different blacksmith shops, commissioning the craftsmen to create the specialized tools he required.

Indeed, he intended to craft distillation apparatus to produce distilled spirits.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, although the wine trade was a government monopoly, brewing facilities could be leased to private individuals. The privately produced wine would then be collected by the state and distributed to taverns and shops.

Thus, the local brewing industry thrived. Yet, with government warehouses in competition, they frequently hosted events akin to modern-day Tobacco and Liquor Conventions and launched various advertising campaigns to boost sales.

Lee Cha surmised that this was akin to what would be called KPIs. The more his warehouse sold, the greater the salary and bonuses from above.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, white wine was typically low in alcohol content; high-proof distilled spirits had yet to make an appearance. This presented a unique opportunity for him.

He needed to capitalize on this opening to secure his initial funding without delay.

Distilling spirits was not a complex task, especially for someone like him who had delved into concocting evolution potions. To him, it was as simple as cooking.

By exploiting the different boiling points of water and alcohol, he could heat the mixture to the appropriate temperature, then collect the condensed alcohol vapor after it passed through a cooling device, resulting in a clearer, higher-proof white wine.

As dusk fell, Lee Cha, having toiled all day, persisted in honing his strength and muscles in his courtyard. With great precision, he practiced the Tiger Subduing Palm and the Six Directions Stick Technique.

In the absence of Gao Xiong, Gao Shuai had taken on the role of his instructor.

Since Gao Xiong's passing, Gao Shuai had become more reticent, occasionally sitting in the yard, lost in thought.

Nevertheless, Gao Shuai was committed to guiding Lee Cha, consistently pinpointing his pupil's errors and oversights, which proved immensely valuable to Lee Cha.

Moreover, Gao Shuai imparted to him a set of close-combat martial arts called Traceless, which utilized a dagger as its weapon. This technique aimed for the enemy's critical points with cunning and ruthless strikes.

Whenever Lee Cha watched Gao Shuai demonstrate, he could sense a wave of murderous intent sweep past his throat, causing a shiver to run through him.

Yet, having survived several near-death experiences, he had grown to appreciate this combative martial art.

Gripping the dagger in a reverse hold, Lee Cha fixed his gaze on the swiftly rotating wooden dummy.

In the next instant, his pupils narrowed, he lunged forward, and the dagger sliced through the air at an angle.

Crack! Crack!

A jolt of pain shot through Lee Cha's wrist, nearly causing him to drop the dagger.

He had been struck by the wooden dummy—more than once.

"Eliminate any superfluous steps. Move as quickly as possible to your desired position, and don't assume your enemy will be distracted by your movements," Gao Shuai advised from a distance, arms folded.

"To your opponent, you're nothing more than a target."

"The best defense is a strong offense. A single, lethal blow is the most formidable attack."

"If you miss, retreat immediately and seek another opening. Never remain stationary."

Gao Shuai's voice was firm.

"Keep your eyes on his neck."

With that, Gao Shuai approached and set the wooden dummy spinning once more.

Lee Cha shook his sore wrist and inhaled deeply, his pupils mirroring the spinning wooden dummy.

He understood that the so-called 'neck' he was focusing on wasn't its actual neck, but rather the critical spot he aimed to strike—a vital point for a lethal, one-hit kill.

Slightly bending his knees, he lunged forward with the speed of lightning.

Crack!

He sprang back explosively, then with a push off his left leg, he darted to the right side. Crack!

At that moment, the first severed arm tumbled to the ground.

He didn't pause; instead, he stayed in close motion around the dummy, the wooden man's swinging arms grazing his neck.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Three cuts in the span of a second.

The arms of the wooden dummy were completely severed.