It was nearly two in the morning by the time Chen Ping’an returned home. Just as he expected, Chen Erya was still awake, waiting for him with a worried look on her face.

When Chen Ping’an had left in the dead of night, Chen Erya hadn’t asked what he was doing, but she had been worrying about it ever since.

"Brother~"

Seeing Chen Ping’an return, the gloom on Chen Erya’s face melted away, replaced by a smile.

"Yes, Nannan. It’s too late. Go to sleep now," Chen Ping’an said softly, patting Chen Erya’s head.

It was the middle of the night, and their surroundings were silent. Speaking in the courtyard, there was no guarantee the neighbors wouldn’t overhear. At that moment, the thought of moving to a new house surfaced in Chen Ping’an’s mind once again.

If they could move to a larger residence, they would undoubtedly have much more freedom.

’With my current progress in the Martial Dao, that day might not be too far off!’

"Ah!"

Chen Erya had accidentally spotted the bloodstains on Chen Ping’an’s feet and couldn’t help but cry out. But she understood the situation and instantly stifled the sound.

"Brother, the blood on your feet..."

The little girl seemed to have realized something.

Chen Ping’an didn’t explain. He just patted the little girl’s shoulder and walked into the kitchen by himself.

He had to dispose of the shoes. Not just the shoes—his clothes were also stained with the stench of blood and needed to be dealt with.

Watching the fire catch in the stove, a pang of regret suddenly struck Chen Ping’an.

’Damn it! How could I have forgotten about that!’

He had erased his tracks, but the stench of blood was a trail that could be followed. The Garrison Commandant’s Office was full of experts; if they were to truly investigate, they might be able to follow the scent of blood right to his home.

Now that he was already home, it was too late for regrets.

’Still too inexperienced,’ Chen Ping’an thought with a wry smile. ’No matter how much I planned, I still missed something.’

’This kind of work really needs an experienced hand! The average person can’t handle it.’

Fortunately, the ones who died were just a few ruffians from the Tiger Head Gang, not anyone important. Under these circumstances, the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office wouldn’t bother investigating. Even if they did, it would likely be a half-hearted effort.

In the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office, a ruffian’s life was the cheapest of all. Nanquan Lane was hardly peaceful; gang fights broke out from time to time. The deaths of a few ruffians were nothing out of the ordinary.

’They’re just a few ruffians. Even if they’re dead, it’s unlikely the Tiger Head Gang will put in a full-scale investigation. At most, Young Master Xiao Hu will fly into a rage and look into it a little.’

’Live and learn! I can’t make a mistake like this again!’

Chen Ping’an thought to himself.

As he sorted through the details, Chen Ping’an committed the lesson to heart, and the regret he felt gradually dissipated.

’Thank goodness, thank goodness... Back when Zheng Shiyong and Tan Huacong stole the credit for my work, I endured it. If I hadn’t, if I had lashed out in anger, the consequences would have been unthinkable!’

After his regret faded, a sense of relief washed over Chen Ping’an.

Zheng Shiyong and Tan Huacong were nothing like Popei Liu’Er. If they were to die, the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office would take it extremely seriously, from top to bottom. An official constable dying under mysterious circumstances? Unacceptable! It would be a direct provocation to the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office, and the higher-ups would definitely assign special constables to investigate.

With the lesson he’d just learned, Chen Ping’an was no longer confident he could pull things off flawlessly and evade the Garrison Commandant’s Office’s investigation.

’Truly, impulse is the devil! One must always think thrice before acting!’

Sometimes, patience isn’t weakness, but a sign of great wisdom.

’It’s true what they say: knowledge from books is shallow; true understanding comes only from practice.’

Chen Ping’an sighed with emotion.

He had the Golden Finger Panel and a boundless future ahead of him. As long as his principles and bottom line weren’t crossed, there was no need to clash with others head-on. Once his Martial Arts Realm advanced further, problems that seemed thorny now might become trivial matters he could resolve with a flick of his wrist.

Understanding this, all of Chen Ping’an’s previous frustrations melted away, and he felt a sense of sudden clarity.

After cleaning up the traces in the stove, he quickly washed himself off and got into bed.

After lying down, Chen Ping’an realized the little girl still hadn’t fallen asleep.

"Nannan, why aren’t you asleep yet? Is something on your mind?" Chen Ping’an asked softly.

After what she had witnessed during the day, and then seeing the bloodstains on him at night, it would have been a miracle if the little girl could sleep.

"Brother, I’m so worried about you."

The little girl turned over and threw her arms around Chen Ping’an, her voice choked with a sob.

"Nannan, don’t worry." Chen Ping’an hugged Chen Erya back, gently patting her back. "Brother will definitely protect himself and protect us. If not for myself, I’ll do it for you."

Their parents were already dead. Chen Ping’an couldn’t begin to imagine if he were gone too, in a world like this, how a little girl like Chen Erya would survive, or what kind of cruelty she would face.

’To be in this vast world, with not a single relative to turn to! What kind of loneliness and isolation is that?! What kind of sorrow and grief?!’

For Nannan, for himself, for the both of them, he would definitely live on, and live a good, prosperous life.

Definitely!

He swore it!

Perhaps it was Chen Ping’an’s emotions, or perhaps the steady, secure patting on her back, but the little girl finally, gradually, fell asleep.

Holding Chen Erya, Chen Ping’an’s heart filled with infinite tenderness.

’As long as she’s here, I’ll never be alone in this world!’

When he killed Popei Liu’Er, he could have kept his mask on. But in the end, he took it off. His revenge for Chen Erya wasn’t just physical; it had to be psychological as well.

The reason he took off his mask was to make Popei Liu’Er know exactly why he was dying, not just to die in confusion.

Only by making Popei Liu’Er understand the reason could Chen Ping’an’s heart be at ease. Only then would his revenge have meaning.

Lying in bed, holding Chen Erya, Chen Ping’an replayed every detail of the night in his mind, reviewing his mistakes and oversights, absorbing the lessons.

’Even experts were once beginners! As long as I keep improving, one day people will have to look up to me!’

...

Early the next morning, after practicing with his Flying Locust Stone and eating breakfast, Chen Ping’an prepared to leave.

Before he left, he gave Chen Erya some extra instructions, telling her to stay hidden at home and not go out under any circumstances. If anyone from the Tiger Head Gang came to the door, she should cooperate as much as possible, as long as their demands were reasonable, and try not to provoke them.

Popei Liu’Er was, after all, a minor leader in the Tiger Head Gang. Once his death was discovered, it would cause some ripples. Things would probably get turbulent, especially in Pear Blossom Lane, which was controlled by Young Master Xiao Hu.

The Tiger Head Gang’s influence spread across several streets and alleys, and Pear Blossom Lane was under the complete authority of Young Master Xiao Hu, one of the gang’s three Protectors.

Listening to Chen Ping’an’s warnings, Chen Erya seemed to foresee what was coming and nodded with a solemn expression.

After leaving home, Chen Ping’an’s thoughts kept returning to the little girl at home. Though he knew there probably wasn’t a major issue, he couldn’t help but worry.

’For instance, will Chen Erya be okay at home alone?’

’Will Young Master Xiao Hu suspect me for Popei Liu’Er’s death?’

’Is there some expert in the Tiger Head Gang who can trace the clues right back to my home?’

All these thoughts left Chen Ping’an feeling restless.

At that moment, he wished more than anything that he was a Constable Chief in the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office. If he were a Constable Chief, the Tiger Head Gang would be scrambling to curry favor with him. How would they dare offend him? Why would he need to worry about any of this!?

...

PS: As the title says. Not sure what to say. Three hundred followers, but only about 150-160 active readers. Didn’t make it through the promotion round. I’m numb!