Night.

Outside the Yang residence, Xu Jingming quietly walked through the surrounding alleys in the night, familiarizing himself with the alleys.

There aren’t any guards outside the Yang residence, so an investigation is very easy. However, the residence inside is heavily guarded, so I can’t enter. I can only buy recorded videos of the Yang residence’s insides from the virtual world network, Xu Jingming thought.

That was another sum of money to be spent!

“Sob sob sob—” Crying sounded from some residential houses around the alley.

Xu Jingming shook his head slightly.

Over the past few days, he had heard many residents around him cry at night. Most of them were ‘pillars’ for many families who were forced to leave the capital.

In the eyes of the large clans, these subordinates are just pawns that can be sacrificed, Xu Jingming thought. In the past few months in the imperial capital, he had seen many of such situations and silently sighed before leaving.

In a residential building next to Xu Jingming’s.

“Don’t cry,” consoled a man with a scar.

“You’ll be traveling tens of thousands of kilometers on this trip.” The woman was heartbroken. “The journey will be fraught with danger, and it’s hard to say if you’ll survive.”

“I’ll definitely return,” the scar-faced man promised in a low voice. “I swear that I’ll definitely return to see you and the children even if I have to risk my life.”

The woman looked up at the man. “I know that once you leave… it will probably be difficult for our family to reunite again.”

The scar-faced man fell silent. Although he had sworn, he knew how difficult it was to escape and return.

“If I can’t escape in three months,” the scar-faced man said in a low voice, “just treat it as if I’m dead! I’ve already asked Brother Wang Chong for help! If you encounter trouble, get his help. He definitely won’t refuse.”

“Okay.” The woman nodded.

The scar-faced man fell silent again, feeling terrible. He knew how difficult it was for a woman to survive with two kids in the capital without a man.

Creak. 

The door suddenly opened. A thin boy looked at his parents in the room and said, “Dad.”

The scar-faced man was stunned. He immediately stood up and walked to his son’s side. Then, he stroked his son’s head lovingly and reluctantly.

“Dad, are you leaving tomorrow morning?” The boy looked at his father.

“I have to enter the Yang residence tomorrow morning and can’t come out again.” The scar-faced man nodded. “After I leave tomorrow morning, it might be a long time before I return. You are my oldest son, so you’re the only man in the house without me. You have to take good care of your mother and sister.”

“Okay.” The boy nodded immediately.

“Sleep early,” said the scar-faced man.

“Dad.” The boy gazed at the scar-faced man. “I haven’t learned the saber technique you taught me!”

The scar-faced man’s body trembled, and his eyes reddened slightly.

“I want to protect Mom and Sis,” the boy said. “I want to be as powerful as Dad.”

“Good, good.” The scar-faced man walked out of the house.

The father and son stood in a small courtyard outside the house.

“We only have one night. You have to memorize it.” The scar-faced man held a shield in his left hand and a saber in his right.

The boy also held a small shield and a knife.

“Shield Bash!” The scar-faced man held the shield in his left hand and immediately took a step forward, slashing down with his saber.

The boy followed suit.

Under the faint candlelight in the room, the father and son in the courtyard—one taught, and the other learned.

He learned the 64 forms of the Shield & Saber once, then a second time, and a third time. By then, the sky had already lit up.

“Dad, I’ve memorized it.” The boy looked at his father.

“Good.” The scar-faced man gazed at his child and handed a book to the boy. “Compare what I taught you today with what’s in the book. Think it through.”

The boy took the book.

“Remember.” The scar-faced man looked at his son. “Be careful not to be distracted when practicing the shield and saber technique! Think about why you are practicing it.”

“To protect Mom and Sis.” The boy’s eyes were firm.

“Then, remember it well.” The scar-faced man said, “You practice the shield and saber for your mother and sister! You have to remember them every time you practice them! Only when your thoughts are completely integrated into your shield and saber techniques can you awaken the boundless power in your body and become a qualified expert.”

“I’ll remember.” The boy nodded.

The scar-faced man looked up at his wife, who had already walked over. His wife said, “Have breakfast before leaving.”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A gong sounded outside.

“There’s no time to waste; the Yang family has summoned us.” The scar-faced man smiled bitterly.

His wife’s eyes reddened. She immediately went into the house to take out the man’s bundle and brought it to the man. “Your things are ready. There is also some flatbread in the bundle. Those that you didn’t finish can last you a few days. Also… the meatloaf we made this morning is your favorite. Take it with you.”

The scar-faced man looked at his favorite meatloaf. He probably won’t be able to eat the meatloaf made by his wife again in the future.

Even if I have a slim chance of survival, I have to escape and return, the scar-faced man thought to himself.

“Alright, I’ll bring it with me.” The scar-faced man carried the shield and bundle on his back and hung the saber at his waist. He ate the meatloaf as he walked out the door.

His wife and son watched from afar. There was a crying baby in the house.

“Dad.” The boy’s eyes were filled with tears as he gripped the short knife in his hand tightly.

…

The scar-faced man and many people arrived at the Yang residence. More than 200 people were gathered in a courtyard.

A person stood in the courtyard corridor—the Yang family’s second son, Yang Liao.

“From now on, all of you will remain in the Yang residence and aren’t allowed to take a step out,” Yang Liao said coldly. “Everyone knows that the journey to the eastern region is dangerous. News must not be leaked. If anyone dares to leave the residence without permission—heh heh, you know the consequences.”