Martial Arts Training Ground.
Lin Fan led them on a run around Jiangdu City. By the time they returned, they were sprawled on the ground, panting like dogs. But under Lin Fan's whip-like commands, they headed back to the Martial Arts Training Ground to continue practicing the "Head of Steel."
Tired?
That isn't an option.
Anyone too exhausted to stand would be stripped of their clothes by the others and thrown outside. If you want to laze about and sleep, fine—sleep naked out there.
This was the first time the constables saw such a strict side of their leader.
Bang!
Bang!
The training ground echoed with the sounds of collisions.
With a loud crash,
Lin Fan crushed a brick into powder with a slap. The second layer of "Head of Steel" had been mastered, and he had entered the third. Bricks now posed no challenge to him.
Next, he planned to ramp up the intensity, perhaps by smashing his head into iron blocks.
The speed of his progress was inseparable from his natural talent and tireless effort.
"Huh? At this rate, I'm starting to feel like even without the extra helpful hints, I could rely solely on my hard work and talent to become a master."
"This probably isn't just an illusion."
Lin Fan pondered inwardly, nodding silently. Reality must be like this—he didn't believe in silly notions like illusions.
At that moment,
a government official came running in a hurry, stopping in front of Lin Fan. "Sir, someone just asked me to deliver a letter to you."
The official extended his hands to present the envelope while casting a nervous glance around at the training scene. His heart shuddered violently—it was truly terrifying.
Thankfully, he was just a paper-pusher official, not a constable.
Otherwise, such training would have surely killed him.
"Who sent it?" Lin Fan asked out of habit as he took the envelope.
"A child delivered it," the official replied, then added, as though remembering something, "A kid eating a lollipop."
Lin Fan froze for a moment, slightly dazed. A child delivering a letter? It sparked a surge of thoughts in his mind, as countless tropes from hundreds of drama series flooded in like a wave of inspiration.
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the official.
Opening the envelope,
"To uncover the truth about Ten Miles Territory, come alone at midnight tonight. Tell no one. Anyone around you might be in collusion with the enemy."
The letter was terse, unsigned, consisting of just one simple line.
"This is trouble," Lin Fan muttered, narrowing his eyes. Clearly, someone was out to get him.
He had seen this kind of scenario play out countless times. In past drama tropes, key supporting characters often encountered situations like this to prove their mettle.
At the same time, it served as a way to expose the mastermind behind the scenes.
Boldly meeting alone, they'd imagine they could glean some useful intel—
only to end up hacked to pieces.
Another possibility was a frame-up: arriving at the location only to find a corpse, followed shortly by a horde of officials arriving to catch the "culprit" red-handed.
The likelihood of such scenarios was sky-high.
"Hah, you're all bound to be disappointed. I, Lin Fan, am just a simple constable. The incidents at Ten Miles Territory are in the past, and I have no desire to stir up whatever forces lie behind it anymore. I'm not playing your game."
Lin Fan tucked the letter away.
As for whether he'd actually go to Ten Miles Territory?
Only an idiot would.
"But wait, then who's the protagonist here?"
The question of protagonist versus supporting character once again plunged Lin Fan into deep thought. He did not believe himself to be a mere side character—at the very least, he was striving to become the protagonist of his own story.
Lin Fan had no intention of getting involved.
But no matter how many tropes he was familiar with, human nature had to be considered.
Curiosity killed the cat, after all.
"You all had better stick to your training—no slacking off!" Lin Fan left the training ground, heading to find Wang Zhou. Better to have Wang Zhou investigate the matter while he stayed safe within the city.
Wang Zhou was busy with some official business.
"Sir, are you there?" Lin Fan called from outside the door.
"Come in."
Wang Zhou's voice came from within.
Lin Fan stepped through the door, producing the envelope. "Sir, this letter was just delivered to me. Please take a look."
Wang Zhou took the letter with a puzzled expression, opened it, read it, and remained stoic, though his tone betrayed curiosity. "Do you know who sent it?"
"Not exactly. The official said it was delivered by a child, probably given a lollipop by the sender," Lin Fan replied. This method of delivery wasn't rare, but for Wang Zhou, it might not have been a common occurrence.
"And what's your take on this?" Wang Zhou asked.
"Sir, I believe this is a plot to lure me into a trap. If I do go, a few things might happen."
"I could be ambushed and hacked to death."
"Or perhaps framed—arriving there to find a corpse, only to be quickly surrounded by officials bearing 'evidence' of my guilt."
Lin Fan laid out several possible outcomes.
Wang Zhou's expression shifted from initial approval to astonishment, his slightly open mouth rendering him momentarily dumbfounded, as though Lin Fan's deductions had thoroughly shocked him.
"Brilliant… absolutely brilliant…"
Wang Zhou couldn't help but praise him. If he once merely valued Lin Fan's potential, now that esteem had reached new heights: this was talent among talents, someone who could one day take his place.
"How did you figure all that out?" Wang Zhou asked.
Lin Fan couldn't exactly tell him, "Well, if you've sat through hundreds of drama series out of sheer boredom, you'd know too."
"Sir, I just deduced it logically. Sun Tao and Lu Nian died by my hand—they won't let this slide easily, so now they're targeting me," Lin Fan said calmly, a glint in his eyes. It was as if he were saying: Give me even the faintest thread, and I'll unravel it to the very core, exposing every hidden secret.
"So then, what's your suggestion on how to handle this?" Wang Zhou asked.
He was now determined to mentor Lin Fan.
"Well, that depends on your view, Sir. If we pursue it, we're bound to uncover more problems."
"If we leave it be, they'll simply try another angle."
Lin Fan laid out his thoughts while idly rubbing his bald head, feeling as though his brain had somehow become sharper post-shave.
Wang Zhou walked to the window, clasping his hands behind his back. Slowly, he spoke: "I have some ideas about this. There are things I suspect, and I may know who's targeting you. But you're someone I want to nurture—I won't let them act so brazenly. They need to be taught a lesson."
"So, tell me, what's your plan?"
Lin Fan fell into contemplation. He really didn't want to leave the city—staying within its walls was the safest choice. But given the circumstances, staying put was clearly not an option.
Besides, he kind of wanted to go cut down some enemies.
And see if he could loot anything good from them.
Lin Fan leaned in close to Wang Zhou, whispering into his ear…
…
Giddyup! Giddyup!
A gallant horse rushed out, galloping straight toward Ten Miles Territory.
Shortly after the horse's departure,
a snot-nosed child holding a lollipop ambled over to the gate and handed another letter to the government official outside. "For Lord Wang Zhou," the kid instructed.
Two lollipops a day.
So much fun—Uncle was so kind.
If only there were more letters to deliver tomorrow.