C5 He Picked up a Little Beauty

Nie Feng was taken aback, unsure of how to react. Was the little monkey being too honest? They had known each other for less than a day, and he was already handing over his entire month's salary?

"Hehehe, just take it, Feng. You can pay me back next month. I know you're a good guy; you won't cheat me," the little monkey said, scratching his head.

"Alright, I'll borrow three thousand for now and pay you back next month. I can't thank you enough for this," Nie Feng said as he counted out three thousand and slipped it into his pocket.

Dawn broke soon after. Nie Feng had worked all day and, as per the rules, was entitled to a day's rest at home. After breakfast, he rushed back to his rental, knowing the landlord was probably furious since he hadn't returned the day before.

Reaching his doorstep, Nie Feng was surprised to find the door ajar with two young men inside, packing up his belongings.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing? This is my place!" Nie Feng protested, shoving them out the door.

"Oh, look who's back. I was starting to think you'd never return! So, you've got money now?" the landlord taunted, waddling over with her hefty frame.

With a cold snort, Nie Feng handed over two thousand four hundred yuan to her. Her mood instantly brightened at the sight of the cash. "Well, well, looks like you did manage to scrape some money together. Fine, I'll let you off the hook this time. But don't forget to pay next month's rent on time!"

With that, the landlord strutted off with her cronies in tow. Nie Feng sighed with relief; after paying the rent, he was left with just six hundred yuan. Thankfully, his job provided three square meals a day, or he'd be in dire straits.

Nie Feng shut the door and collapsed into bed, too exhausted to tidy the chaotic room. His possessions were few and mostly old clothes; nothing of value. His military medals, however, were safely stored at Gao Yang's house, a far more secure place than this rental that he seldom visited. It would be a disaster if they were stolen.

When Nie Feng awoke, it was already evening. For years, he had been practicing the Dark Night Spell even in his sleep, but despite the time invested, his cultivation remained stubbornly in the Middle Period of Foundation Building. The thought of never advancing to the Qi Refining Stage weighed heavily on him, a source of constant frustration.

Gao Yang gave Nie Feng a call, inviting him out for a meal. Nie Feng, seeing an opportunity to save on food expenses, gladly accepted.

"How's the security gig treating you?" Gao Yang inquired.

"It's manageable. Busy, sure, but not exhausting. The best part is the free meals," Nie Feng replied with a chuckle. "However, I ran into something utterly bizarre last night."

Without holding back, Nie Feng recounted the previous night's events to Gao Yang. If there was anyone Nie Feng could confide in, it was Gao Yang. Without Gao Yang and his wife's help, Nie Feng might not have made it this far.

"From what you're describing, the body decomposing so quickly, I'd bet the guy used Corpse Dissolving Powder. It's a Gu technique from Miaojiang that can eat away at any animal's remains. He probably applied it to himself before taking action, so once he took his own life, the powder did its job, dissolving his body. It's a tactic often employed by major organizations; nothing too out of the ordinary," Gao Yang explained with a dismissive gesture.

With decades of experience in the martial arts world, Gao Yang was a veritable encyclopedia of its secrets, earning him the nickname "Mr. Know-It-All." Naturally, he didn't mind trading information for a fee now and then.

"I see," Nie Feng said, nodding. Gao Yang's explanation triggered a memory of a similar encounter during Nie Feng's military service.

"Regarding that white-robed elder, I doubt he's associated with the man in black. Had he been, he would've taken you down, given his superior skills," Gao Yang mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

Gao Yang was well aware that Nie Feng was no ordinary man but a cultivator, capable of evading attacks with ease.

"Trouble seems to have found you, regardless. Keep those two guns on you for self-defense," Gao Yang advised, furrowing his brow.

"Got it, they're on me!" Nie Feng assured him, patting his chest confidently.

Leaving Gao Yang's place after a round of drinks, and with the clock striking past ten, Nie Feng's thoughts lingered on the Corpse Dissolving Powder. If he could get his hands on some, he could potentially take lives without leaving a trace. Such a substance could indeed obliterate all evidence.

"Help! Help!" As Nie Feng was deep in thought, a desperate plea for assistance pierced the silence from a nearby alley.

"Go ahead, scream. No one's going to bother helping you even if you lose your voice," jeered two disheveled thugs as they cornered a young girl against the wall, their intentions clear in their lecherous gazes.

The girl appeared no older than eighteen, her simple attire and the large canvas bag slung over her shoulder giving her an air of innocence. Her hair was tied into two neat braids, enhancing her pure, youthful charm. Nie Feng paused for a moment, taking in her appearance; it was evident she was a country girl, and unfortunately, an easy target for the local bullies.

The district sandwiched between Nie Feng's rental and Gao Yang's place was Silkwick's notorious red-light area. Come nightfall, it became a hub for gang members, each one more indifferent to the plights of others than the last, to avoid sparking gang conflicts.

"Sweetheart, you look like you're here for work. Don't fret, just keep us company for a bit, and we'll hook you up with a great job," said the thug with the red-dyed hair, his smile dripping with insincerity.

"Yeah, with looks like yours, you'll be great for business," chimed in his blue-haired accomplice, snickering maliciously.

Their idea of 'work' was nothing more than trapping girls into a life of exploitation—a fate all too common for many young women from neighboring villages. Nie Feng had no intention of getting involved, but the thought of such an innocent girl being forced into such a grim reality was suffocating.

"Please, I'm begging you, let me go!" the girl implored through her tears, her eyes wide with terror.

"Let you go? Nah, we're going to have a little fun first," Red Hair sneered as he grabbed the girl, both he and Blue Hair beginning to rip at her clothes.

That's when Nie Feng stepped in, landing a solid punch on Red Hair's face, knocking him out cold. Enraged, Blue Hair grabbed a wooden stick and swung at Nie Feng.

With a swift punch, Nie Feng snapped the stick in two. His fist hovered just inches from Blue Hair's face, who could feel the tremor of the impending blow, causing him to gulp nervously.

"Scram, or it's the end of you!" Nie Feng said coldly, without a trace of emotion.

"Listen here, punk. This isn't over. I'll get you for this, just you wait!" Blue Hair spat out the words, then bolted, leaving Red Hair unconscious on the ground without a second glance.

"Big brother, thank you for saving me," the girl said to Nie Feng in a rush of gratitude.

"Don't mention it. Just stay away from places like this in the future," Nie Feng replied, and without turning back, he walked away. The girl paused, then quickly caught up to him.

They had walked an entire street, and the girl was still on Nie Feng's heels. Initially, Nie Feng thought they were merely heading in the same direction, but it soon became clear that she was deliberately following him.

"Why are you following me?" Nie Feng stopped and asked, his brow furrowed in annoyance.

"Brother, my money was stolen as soon as I got off the train. I'm penniless and alone in this strange city. You seem like a good person, brother. Could you please help me? I promise to repay you," the girl pleaded, dropping to her knees before Nie Feng.

Nie Feng shook his head and sighed. Struggling to afford his own meals, how could he help her? But Nie Feng was a former soldier, and regardless of whether the girl was deceiving him or not, he couldn't just walk away.

So, Nie Feng pulled out the only 600 yuan he had and handed it to her. "Here, take this and find somewhere to stay. It's not much, but it's all I've got. I can't help you any more than this, so please stop following me."

With a heavy heart, Nie Feng wondered how he would make it through the next month after giving her the 600 yuan.

The girl clutched the money, her hands shaking. Nie Feng gave her one last look, then turned and walked away. He expected her to take the money and leave, but to his surprise, she followed him again.

"Didn't I make myself clear? I'm out of money. Why are you still following me?" Nie Feng asked, his patience wearing thin.

"I... I don't want your money. Please, take it back," the girl said, her voice tinged with hurt as she pushed the money back into Nie Feng's hands.

"You're out of cash, so where will you stay?" Nie Feng asked, taken aback.

"I guess I could just sleep by the roadside! I'm really moved that you'd offer to help me, thank you," the girl said, giving Nie Feng a respectful bow.

"Err... why don't you come to my place? I promise I won't do anything to you, and it's certainly better than sleeping on the streets," Nie Feng suggested after a moment's thought, concerned that she might run into trouble with some street thugs.

"Sure!" The girl's face lit up, and she quickly accepted, "I'm Wuh Lingyue. And you are?"

"I'm Nie Feng." He replied, then turned and headed for his rental, with Wuh Lingyue hurrying after him.

Truth be told, Nie Feng hadn't really expected her to take him up on his offer. She was quite bold to agree—what if she'd run into someone with ill intentions? Luckily, she'd run into him instead...

Well, now he'd somehow ended up with a beautiful girl in tow...

Reaching his rental, Nie Feng opened the door and invited Wuh Lingyue inside, "This is where I live. It's not much, but you're welcome to crash here for the night."

"It's more than fine, thank you so much," Wuh Lingyue expressed her gratitude.

She tiptoed into the room, setting her canvas bag on the floor, then stood off to the side with her head bowed, her heart pounding with apprehension about what Nie Feng might do.