"Talking bad about me behind my back?"
"If no one envies you, you're just average. So honestly, I feel a little happy about it."
As a constable in Jiangdu City, how could he abuse his rank and status to bully ordinary citizens?
Others might do that, but he certainly wouldn't.
Lin Fan helped the terrified barber to his feet and said with a smile, "No worries. I'm not a petty man. Now, I must trouble you to shave my men's heads as well. Just make them look like me. My guys can't stop praising your skills and insist on having the same haircut as me."
The constables standing beside him looked like they were about to cry.
"Boss, you can't just lie with your eyes wide open!"
"When did any of us say something like that? Isn't this entirely your own idea?"
"I swear, sir, this hairstyle of yours is the finest I've ever shaved in my decades of work," said the barber, then swore earnestly, "Please don't worry. I'll make sure every constable looks absolutely perfect!"
Lin Fan nodded in satisfaction and sat to the side, waiting. "Bao Liu, you go first. Be a good role model for the group."
"Yes, boss." Wang Baoliu was thrilled to get the same haircut as the boss and to be the first to go. His heart soared, and he thought about telling his dad all about it later.
Bao Liu eagerly sat down, waiting for the barber to start.
Soon.
The sound of scissors snipping filled the room.
The other constables squirmed in their seats uneasily, as though needles were poking their behinds.
They desperately wanted to escape but knew it was impossible. The boss was right here, watching. No one could run away.
If they'd known this earlier…
Even if someone had beaten them to death, they wouldn't have praised their boss's haircut as being so good-looking.
Lin Fan was extremely satisfied with how things were going.
After shaving his head, he found himself getting attention wherever he went. It wasn't a great feeling. At first, it had been an impulsive decision, and now it was too late to regret it.
But now, the problem was solved—not only was he bald, but so were his men.
Sharing the spotlight was absolutely necessary.
Moreover, the most important thing was that this greatly benefited their cultivation of the "Head of Steel" technique, saving them a lot of trouble.
"Dad, Mom, your son has decided to join the monastery!"
One constable, sitting in the chair and thinking about what was about to happen, shed a few tears from the corners of his eyes.
He then gathered his courage and said, "Let's do it. I'm ready for whatever comes!"
Wang Baoliu admired himself in the mirror, rubbing his newly buzzed head. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it. It was truly stunning; he felt much more energized.
He was absolutely in love with his new haircut.
From now on, he would stick with this style.
Who knows how much time had passed?
When a group of bald-headed constables appeared in the streets, the citizens were utterly flabbergasted.
Some vendors were enthusiastically shouting to make sales, but when their side glances caught glimpses of those shiny heads, they froze, mouths agape, staring at the surreal scene before them.
"Is this the end of the world?"
"This is so humiliating!" A group of constables walked with their heads hanging low, feeling deeply embarrassed. They didn't dare to meet the eyes of the townsfolk, convinced they'd now been relegated to some sort of otherworldly category.
"Keep your heads up!" Lin Fan snapped, noticing their fragile mental state. They needed more discipline and character building, starting from scratch. From tomorrow onward, he'd begin intensive training for them.
As their leader, he had to take full responsibility for them. They could die heroically but not meaninglessly.
His commanding voice startled them into raising their heads.
Some of them were on the verge of tears.
They'd lost all dignity in front of the public.
That day, the story spread like wildfire through Jiangdu City: the constables under government service had shaved their heads bald, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle. Their shiny scalps blinded the eyes.
At the martial arts training ground.
"Listen up! The 'Head of Steel' is a second-rate cultivation technique. At its peak mastery, your head will be capable of smashing through cauldrons. Your foundations are shallow, so training must progress gradually. Don't rush it."
"I've prepared medicinal ointments for you. Seek out a tree for practice. Pair it with the Hun Yuan stance for twice the results with half the effort."
Lin Fan, now fully transformed into a stern arrest officer, was an absolute hardliner when it came to martial arts training.
"Bao Liu, you'll lead this group."
"Understood, boss!" Wang Baoliu responded loudly, feeling the weight of responsibility. Leading such a large team—didn't that make him a bit of a big shot himself?
Meanwhile, Lin Fan continued refining his own cultivation method. He had reached the second stage of "Head of Steel," and the third wasn't far off.
His rapid progress in training.
Probably had something to do with his innate divine ability of thick skin and tough flesh.
His innate foundation gave him a substantial advantage over others.
Together with his men, Lin Fan hauled bricks onto the martial arts practice field. He picked up a brick and smashed it against his head without hesitation, showing remarkable decisiveness and a complete lack of fear.
Training for "Head of Steel" was brutally tough. But no matter how painful or exhausting, they'd have to master it first.
As the designated leader, Wang Baoliu couldn't fall short. He charged forward, ramming his head into the bark of a tree. With a loud thud, he staggered, his vision spinning, stars dancing before his eyes, and felt unsteady as if he were drunk.
"The skies are spinning!"
The pain coming from his head nearly made him cry out.
Still, he held back the scream.
Having been personally appointed as the leader, it would be mortifying if he yelled now and lost face utterly.
One constable stood in front of a tree, touched its rough bark, then felt his smooth bald head. Ramming his head into it seemed increasingly problematic.
He glanced over at Lin Fan, who was smashing bricks on his skull like it was nothing, falling into deep thought.
Was there truly a difference between people's skulls?
"If you don't want to lose your lives during battle, then bleed and sweat right now! Otherwise, your wives will become someone else's, your children will become someone else's, and your parents will become lonely widows. Think about it—tragic, isn't it?"
"Whether you train or not is entirely up to you. All I can do is say my piece."
Lin Fan said his full piece, then resumed smashing bricks against his forehead.
Maybe his words had some effect.
The group started training relentlessly.
Lin Fan smiled contentedly. Now this was proper conduct. Lazing around, waiting for a meal was unacceptable. The threats they faced weren't just demons but other mysterious foes.
Like the forces behind Sun Tao and Lu Nian.
Bang!
Bang!
A particularly savage constable rammed his head fiercely into the tree, leaving his forehead covered in blood, yet kept striking the tree without pause.
Gao Zhenbin.
Not much of a talker usually.
Lin Fan often observed the personalities of everyone in his unit. Gao Zhenbin was steady and trustworthy; matters of importance could be safely handed to him.
In theory, people like him should achieve great things.
But alas.
Constables often came from impoverished backgrounds. Even if they wanted to train, they didn't have access to high-level methods.
"If your head starts bleeding heavily, remember to apply medicine and assume the Hun Yuan stance. Internal and external aid will prevent lasting injuries," Lin Fan advised.
Although the pain of practice was invigorating…
They still couldn't push themselves recklessly—forcing him to keep pace with their intensity, smashing bricks left and right.
"Brother Bao Liu, your head's bleeding!"
Sssssssss...
Wang Baoliu turned his head, confused. "Where's the bleeding?"
The group stared slack-jawed at Bao Liu's head, where a thin jet of blood sprayed from a tiny wound, curving gracefully before landing.