C13 More People to be Added

Liu Xiaobao helped the mother and son pack their belongings and leave the impoverished district after dismissing the two fallen servants. He learned that they had fled from the coastal region of Aeseaba to the capital. The mother, Zhao Rong, was thirty-six years old, and her son, Cao Yang, was the same age as Xiaobao—sixteen. Zhao Rong had spent half her life savings, a hundred taels of silver, to purchase a wooden house in the capital's poor district.

The day before, Cao Yang had been out with his mother when they witnessed Chen Wenkai knocking over a street vendor's stall. Cao Yang confronted Wenkai, but the unreasonable man lashed out, slapping Cao Yang twice. Realizing the danger, Cao Yang quickly fled the scene with his mother, only to be pursued by Wenkai, who seemed to enjoy the chase as if it were a game of cat and mouse, commanding his three servants to go after Cao Yang. This led to the incident Liu Xiaobao had witnessed.

Thankfully, Liu Xiaobao and Zhong Tingyue arrived just in time, or Cao Yang and Zhao Rong might not have escaped unscathed. Unexpectedly, two servants, captivated by Zhao Rong's beauty, had come to the poor district earlier that day. After inquiring around, they located Zhao Rong's home and, driven by lust, intended to force themselves upon her. Once again, it was Liu Xiaobao's timely intervention that prevented a tragedy.

Zhao Rong and Cao Yang followed closely behind Liu Xiaobao, carrying nothing but their clothes and a few taels of silver in their bundles. Having fled to this place, they had little else to take with them.

Suddenly, Liu Xiaobao came to a halt, and Cao Yang, not paying attention, bumped into him, sending Xiaobao tumbling to the ground. "Young Master, it was an accident," Cao Yang exclaimed.

"Stop talking and help the Young Master up," Zhao Rong urged as she crouched down and gestured for her son to assist.

Together, they lifted Liu Xiaobao to his feet. Cao Yang asked anxiously, "Young Master, are you okay? Young Master? Mother, why isn't the Young Master speaking? Did I injure him?"

Zhao Rong was at a loss. Liu Xiaobao's eyes were alert and his pulse was normal, yet he was unresponsive, like a statue. With no other option, they supported Liu Xiaobao to a nearby noodle shop and seated him.

Ding, ding, ding!

Karma point +50

Karma point +50

Host level 1, 500 karma points required to level up, 102 remaining karma points.

Function Unlocked: Sanctum of Invocations

"Wow, an extra 100 points? Why's that? Could it be because I helped Rong and Cao Yang, giving them each 50 points for finding a place to stay? That must be it. Helping those in need—Rong and the others fled to the capital seeking a safe haven, didn't they?"

"100 karma points... What should I do with them? Maybe continue summoning characters? No, that won't do. At level 1, the characters I summon will be too weak. Better to save up and reach 500 points to level up."

"Yeah, that's the plan. I can't squander karma on summoning level 1 characters. With Butler Yan, the Black Iron Knight at Liu Manor, that's sufficient. 500 karma points... looks like I'll need to perform more good deeds."

Liu Xiaobao snapped back to reality and found himself in a noodle shop. "Aunt Rong, how did I end up here? Well, it's actually perfect timing. I'm famished after that scuffle."

"Hey, boss, I'll have a bowl of Zhajiangmian!" Liu Xiaobao didn't hesitate to order as soon as he came to.

"Young Master, I'm so sorry. It wasn't intentional earlier; I didn't mean to knock you over," Cao Yang continued to reproach himself for the accident.

Liu Xiaobao responded, "Why apologize? Did something happen?"

"Young Master, you're not aware of what just occurred? You seemed completely out of it," Zhao Rong explained the recent events to him.

Only then did Liu Xiaobao understand why Cao Yang was apologizing. He realized he had been oblivious to his surroundings while engaging with the karma system. This wouldn't do. He couldn't just carelessly dive into the karma system again; he needed to find a secure place next time. Otherwise, an encounter with a criminal could tarnish his good name for nothing.

Liu Xiaobao reassured them, "Don't worry about me. I just get deeply absorbed in thought when I ponder too much. It's normal, perfectly normal."

Cao Yang inquired, "Young Master, what's on your mind? You seem deeply engrossed in thought."

With a heavy sigh, Liu Xiaobao replied, "You might not be aware, but I'm known as one of the capital's notorious scoundrels. Half the people in the capital laugh at me upon sight, while the other half laugh behind my back."

"That's terrible. I can't imagine you, Young Master, as such a person. Is there perhaps some misunderstanding?" Zhao Rong found it hard to believe that the man who had bravely risked his life to save her and her son could be a wastrel, the butt of everyone's jokes.

"Have you noticed the looks we're getting from the patrons in this noodle shop? Listen closely to what they're discussing."

Indeed, Zhao Rong and her son scanned the room and noticed the disdainful glances directed at Liu Xiaobao. Tuning in to the conversations, they heard several patrons badmouthing him. "Why is the Young Master's reputation so tarnished?"

Liu Xiaobao explained, "It's a long story. I lost all my caretakers at the age of six. Without anyone to teach me, I had no concept of money and spent it lavishly. To others, my actions were the epitome of squandering. Within a few years, my family's fortune was depleted. By last year, all the staff from Liu Manor had left, leaving only Labino and me."

His demeanor brightened as he continued, "But now, things are different. After a brush with death the other night, I've resolved to turn over a new leaf. I'm determined to make something of myself and pursue my grand ambitions."

"Look at this spendthrift, mooching off a mother and son, and still speaking so eloquently. A complete disgrace."

"Indeed, the Young Master can't even produce a single copper coin and has stooped to sponging off others for food and drink. It won't be long before he joins the ranks of the destitute in the abandoned temple."

"This mother and son clearly aren't from around here, associating themselves with such a disgrace."

The locals were well aware of Liu Xiaobao's financial ruin and subsequent suicide attempt, and they were quite critical of his freeloading ways.

Cao Yang inquired, "Young Master, what is your grand endeavor? Could you share it with me? Once Cao Yang makes something of himself, he'll surely assist the Young Master in achieving this goal."

Liu Xiaobao responded, "My grand endeavor is quite challenging. It requires a benevolent heart."

"I am kind-hearted, Young Master. Please, tell me."

"To save the world. Impressive, isn't it?"

"What? Young Master, could you repeat that?"

"To save the world!"

"It seems I won't be much help with such a grand endeavor. Cao Yang lacks the power," Cao Yang thought Liu Xiaobao was merely teasing him.

Zhao Rong bit her lip, struggling to hold back her laughter.

"Hahahaha!"

"This loser claims he's going to save the world. That's the best joke I've heard all year."

"Indeed. With your frail physique, you're talking about saving the world? You should focus on saving yourself first."

Liu Xiaobao cast a scornful look at the bystanders and silently pulled out the Black Iron Knight medal from his clothing, holding it aloft. "See this? The Young Master became a Black Iron Knight in just one day. What about you?"

"A Black Iron Knight in one day, a Bronze Knight in five, a Silver Knight in ten, and a Golden Knight in a month," Liu Xiaobao declared, not to boast but to make a point. In this world, the simplest way to alter how people perceive you is through strength. By showcasing his might, he aimed to slightly shift their views. Even if he remained a pariah in their eyes, he would be one with power. Once his good deeds became known throughout the capital, he would no longer be seen as a pariah or a failure.

"How can that be? This loser became a Black Iron Knight? He didn't just find that medal, did he?"

"Don't spout nonsense. Knight and Mage Medals can't be separated from their owners unless they've passed away. We're in the capital; it's not like Knights die so easily that a loser could get their hands on a medal."

"It looks like this loser really did become a Black Iron Knight."

Liu Xiaobao contentedly devoured the fried sauce noodles brought by the server, then escorted Zhao Rong and her son back to Liu Manor.

Labino bounced excitedly as she opened the door for Liu Xiaobao and his companions. "Young Master, who might these people be?"

"Miss, don't you recognize me? You saved us just yesterday!" Zhao Rong recalled that it was Labino who had appeared and driven off Chen Wenkai and his servants.

Labino suddenly remembered, "Ah, it's you folks."

Liu Xiaobao explained, "Labino, from now on, they will be part of our Liu Manor. This is Aunt Rong; you should call her that from now on. And this tall gentleman is Cao Yang; you can call him Brother Cao Yang."

"Hello, Aunt Rong, hello, Brother Cao Yang. It's great that you've arrived. I was worried that once Labino left, Yongchun would struggle to look after the Young Master by herself." In Labino's view, Liu Xiaobao was quite the handful. She worked tirelessly every day just to keep the Liu Manor in order and to attend to Liu Xiaobao's daily needs. If she were to leave, Yongchun, unfamiliar with the workings of the Liu Manor, would be overwhelmed.

Cao Yang inquired, "Labino, you're departing?"

"Don't call me 'Miss.' I'm simply the young master's maid; 'Labino' will do." Labino, feeling melancholic about her departure the next day, suggested, "Tomorrow morning, the young master will entrust me to a big sister. Let's go inside."

Observing Labino's sadness, Zhao Rong turned to Liu Xiaobao, "Young Master, are you really sending Labino away?"

"Aunt Rong, it's not what you're thinking," Liu Xiaobao felt compelled to clarify, lest his reputation suffer. "I'm merely allowing Labino to accompany my friend to the Imperial Capital Academy for her studies. Labino is exceptionally gifted; despite being only ten, she's already a Black Iron Knight."

That revelation put things into perspective for Zhao Rong, who felt fortunate that she and her son had encountered Liu Xiaobao when they were in dire straits. Despite his less-than-stellar reputation outside, she saw a young master with a heart of gold, who was also incredibly kind. He even arranged for his maid to attend the Imperial Capital Academy, a gesture of generosity rarely seen.

With Labino's impending departure, the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Liu Manor would fall to Yan Yongchun. A woman of her caliber, born into a wealthy family and far from fragile, possessed both business acumen and management skills. She was undoubtedly the right choice for the job.

Labino had entrusted the 1,600 taels of silver to Yan Yongchun, repeatedly cautioning her to ensure that the Young Master didn't squander the money.

"It looks like I need to work on changing Labino's perception of me," Liu Xiaobao mused. Yet, he faced another pressing concern he wasn't sure how to tackle. "With another 1,600 taels, plus the 200 or so I have with me, and considering the growing number of people at Liu Manor, it's clear that I'll need to do even more charitable work in the future. Earning money is definitely a must."