“I heard your skills were for sale. Is this true?” An injured classmate that would be quite handsome if his face wasn’t so bruised, asked after cornering her.
“Everything is purchasable at the right price, Young Master Kang.” Lin smiled at him as she rubbed her fingers.
“Although your personality, looks, and basically everything else about you is low-class, even I have heard rumors of your strength.” His eyes landed on the black bangles around her wrists.
“Gee, well thanks for the complement.” Lin loudly laughed at the young master’s rudeness. “But enough about me, let’s talk a little business, young master.”
“I’m willing to buy your skills for some time. Will there be a problem?”
“First off, I'm not a dog or slave at your bark and command. Second, I won’t involve myself in anything illegal without sufficient bonus pay. Third, our relationship is equal during the partnership. And lastly, if payment is delayed, I have the right to immediately terminate our partnership. Are these rules acceptable, Young Master Kang?” Lin asked.
“...” A look of frustration appeared on Kang’s face before he winced in pain for making the face.
“Fine, whatever! How much do I need to pay?”
“20 silver a week. If you are dissatisfied with my results, you can lower that to 5 silver a week. I trust that Young Master Kang is noble and gracious enough to not intentionally nitpick just to lower my pay in the future.”
“...! Fine. Take this and follow me.” He tossed a tied bag at her.
Lin shamelessly untied the string around the bag and counted the 20 silver inside right in front of him. She nodded as she got up, ready to follow Young Master Kang. Young Master Kang led her through the entire school before they arrived in the Training Area for first years. He specifically pointed out another handsome boy skillfully practicing his martial arts on a metal dummy.
“After school, I want you to crush him for me. I’ll take you where you need to be. All you need to do is be strong enough to beat him. I can trust you to do that much at least, right?” Kang snarked.
Lin purposely didn’t answer him for a few seconds as she observed the handsome youth her buyer wanted her to deal with. From what she could see, a well-known genius like Young Master Kang should easily be able to deal with what she’s looking at. Is he hiding his skills or did he have some sort of secret? She frowned at Kang.
“How did that loser humiliate you?” She asked. “Yes, I need to know so that I'm not caught off guard by whatever he did to beat you doesn’t happen to me.” Lin added after seeing the look of hatred on his face.
“He was nothing more than trash for months but suddenly his martial arts and cultivation sharply rose. In our fight, it felt like he knew everything about my family’s martial arts and could identify the weakness of my every move. Nothing worked against him.”
“Did you recognize the martial arts he used?”
“Yes. They were trash martial arts given to low-class people but they were also different. Too different.” Kang was completely lost.
“Alright. That’s all I needed. Just take me to him after school and your little problem will be dealt with.” Lin smiled as she walked away.
When school was over, Young Master Kang came straight to her empty club room. She smiled at him and he only coldly scowled at her. He led her outside the school toward the slums. Lin was a little surprised. There was no way Young Master Kang knew she lived out here, right? He didn’t seem like to type to care about anyone but himself.
It wasn’t until she saw the handsome guy in the Training Area at school that she understood. He lived in the slums and Young Master Kang wanted her to deal with him outside of school. That made a lot more sense. This way she couldn’t get in trouble even if he told the teachers at school no matter how far she went. It looked like her buyer had a little brain after all.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“Well?” Kang wanted to know what she was waiting on.
“Alright, alright.” Lin patted him on the back as she walked toward the cautious boy staring in their direction.
Lin approached him with a friendly smile and her arms opened wide like she was about to give him a hug. This confused the boy as he didn’t know whether to be alert or relaxed. She could see his brain synapses firing off desperately trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Young Master Kang seemed to have a rivalry with this guy or something because he was glaring at him and sometimes herself.
“Hey there. Can I get your name?” Lin held out her hand.
“Xu Tian...” He watched her vigilantly, refusing to touch her hand.
“My name is Lin. I’m here to deliver a message to you from Young Master Kang.” Lin snatched him by his shirt. “But just between the two of us, this isn’t personal, just business.” Xu gripped her arm something fierce.
Lin flipped Xu Tian through the air as she slammed him on his back to the ground behind her. Xu Tian cried out on impact with the hard concrete. The handsome martial artist tried to reach for his sword to retaliate but how could Lin let him do so without any opposition? The young female fighter swiftly punished the amateur swordsman for choosing the wrong action. Instead of going for his sword now, he should’ve fled to put some distance between the two of them.
Xu Tian wheezed as Lin’s elbow dropped on his chest and drained the air out of his lungs. She then grabbed him by his leg before putting his leg and her leg in some weird position. Lin gave him a warning that this was going to hurt, but Xu Tian didn’t understand what her words meant until the pain kicked in immediately. Even with all his willpower and determination, Xu Tian couldn’t help but scream as he felt his knee being bended in a way it was not supposed to. His resistance was futile as it only took 2 seconds until he heard a snap coming from his leg. That increased the volume of his scream and attracted the attention of several other folks from the slums.
Lin released her leg lock on the handsome boy’s leg and got back to her feet. Xu Tian was cradling his leg screaming bloody murder and Lin finished him off with a punt kick to the face. The handsome boy was knocked out as teeth flew from his mouth. Younger Master Kang couldn’t help himself from clapping and laughing in amusement.
“This is the strength of Wrestling! One of the strongest martial arts in the world! If you know anyone at Chu Zhou Academy looking to master a powerful fighting style, tell them to join the Wrestling Club!” Lin loudly shouted in the slums.
“Let’s go. I am satisfied with what I've seen today. Here’s a bonus for crippling his leg.” Young Master Kang handed her another tied bag.
“He isn’t crippled but he will be bedridden for half a year unless he knows a good doctor.” Lin told him as they walked away, leaving Xu Tian unconscious body on the ground.
“Heh, I'd love to see where trash like Xu will find someone willing to operate on him after getting on my bad side.”
“Is that all you needed or are we still in a partnership?” Lin was confused.
“Of course not. Your partnership with me lasts until I stop paying, right?” Kang grinned.
“Right.” Lin didn’t mind. 20 silver weekly was an amount that low-class commoners like herself could only dream of getting.
“I have a few other people I'd like you to take care of as well. After suffering a defeat from Xu Tian, they took the opportunity to kick me while I was down. People that I thought were satisfied being under me due to my status. People I once considered close associates... There’s also a woman I'd like you to meet and convince of something. Have you heard of Jiang Churan?” Kang asked.
“The school’s belle and most talented first year?” Lin replied.
“That is her. It turns out she isn’t interested in me whatsoever but for some inexplicable reason finds interest in that trash Xu Tian after showing off some obscure ancient knowledge when he was in class. Interrupting class, embarrassing the teacher, and proving Churan wrong. I didn’t realize she was a masochist that loved being proven wrong and whatnot but I care little for her personality. My interest in Churan is solely physical and social. I believe you understand what I'm getting at right?”
“Jiang Churan isn’t just anybody. Me weakening her enough for you to do whatever you want to her is going to cost at least 5 life gems unless you’re willing to relocate me to your estate as your personal bodyguard for my personal protection from her family and the school. Then it’ll only cost 1 life gem since I'm sure you’re planning to do something illegal to her.” Lin chuckled.
“That’s acceptable. Go prepare your things and I'll tell the servants ahead of time to prepare for your arrival. If anyone finds trouble with you, show them this.” Kang handed Lin an emblem with a golden dragon etched onto it.
“To think I'd be moving in with you so quickly. You really do move fast, don’t you, Young Master Kang.” Lin giggled as she teased him.
“Shut up and go already. We’ll start Monday at lunch break. Leave everything to me, you just need to be prepared to fight.”
“Aye, aye, partner!” Lin turned and started walking home.