Chapter 5: Harvest, Elevation of Status

When you lose your conscience, you really can earn more.

Su Mu looked at the harvest before him with some pleasant surprise.

In the panic earlier, although he hadn't forgotten to loot the bodies, he hadn't had the time to check exactly what he had managed to grab.

Now, upon counting, he found that the three beggars had a total of four hundred and twenty *san-zhu* coins on them!

Feng Debao alone had two hundred and fifty coins on his person.

Aside from the *san-zhu* coins, the rest were just miscellaneous scraps: half-eaten sesame cakes, dry and hard steamed buns, rags, and the like—none of which had any value.

Expecting to find anything good on three beggars was clearly unrealistic.

Being able to get four hundred and twenty coins was already an unexpected joy; to hope for anything more would be greed.

"Four hundred and twenty coins, plus the three hundred and fifty I already had, means I now have seven hundred and seventy coins in my hands. That is more than enough to change my household registration."

Su Mu carefully put all the *san-zhu* coins into his tattered cloth bag, storing them with the coins he already possessed.

The heavy feeling against his chest gave him an inexplicable sense of security.

Money is the courage of a hero; indeed, no matter where you are, money is the source of one's confidence.

"Although I have enough money, Feng Debao and his two companions were just killed. If I go to change my registration immediately, it will inevitably attract the attention of those with ulterior motives."

After tonight's events, Su Mu became even more cautious.

He knew very well that although he had mastered the basics of blade technique, he was still at the very bottom of the bottom in Wuling City.

After all, anyone plucked from those gangs might have mastered a blade technique.

Even those who hadn't practiced martial arts, like Feng Debao and his two companions—if he hadn't ambushed them, Su Mu might not have been a match for them in a head-on fight.

"I’ve only been chopping a bit more firewood lately, and I was already targeted by Feng Debao and his lot. If I suddenly have money to change my registration, who knows what kind of trouble that might bring."

Su Mu pondered to himself, "No rush. I'll wait a few more days. It would be best to wait until my Fubo Blade Technique reaches the minor accomplishment stage before changing my registration. That way, I'll have more strength to deal with any unexpected changes."

…………

He survived until dawn according to his plan. Su Mu secretly returned to the ruined temple and found that the bodies of Feng Debao and the other two were already gone.

He observed for a long while and discovered that no government runners were hunting him, nor were there any wanted posters on the streets, which made him heave a sigh of relief.

It seemed his guess was correct: in this day and age, the death of three beggars was no different from the death of three ants; the government runners wouldn't pay it much mind.

However, Su Mu did not let his guard down. He did not return to the ruined temple, but instead used two coins to trade for a sleeping spot from a small beggar in an old ancestral hall two streets away.

Refugees are refugees; they live for today without a tomorrow. No one cares about the movement of such people.

To avoid attracting attention, Su Mu continued to go out of the city to chop wood every day.

It was just that, compared to before, the frequency of him carrying firewood back had decreased significantly.

He had indeed been a bit too anxious before, which was why he had attracted the attention of Feng Debao and his group.

Now, earning seven or eight coins a day was not even as much as what most beggars earned in a day of begging.

Several days passed this way. The disappearance of Feng Debao and his two companions was like a ripple that caused no waves at all in the Southern District where the refugees gathered, and Su Mu finally set his heart at ease.

On this day, he went out of the city as usual. When he was three or four miles away from the city, he stopped by the roadside to rest and took the opportunity to pull a large meat bun from his bosom and eat it in big bites.

Although he hadn't changed his household registration yet, Su Mu didn't mistreat himself now that he had money in his hands.

Since he couldn't solve the housing situation for the time being, he would eat better first.

At the very least, he had to ensure he had meat with every meal, right?

Whether chopping wood or practicing the blade, both required strength.

After a few days, Su Mu's complexion had become much ruddier, and his originally thin frame had gained some flesh; even his blade practice felt much smoother.

【Name: Su Mu】

【Identity: Woodcutter (Refugee)】

【Points: 11】

【Martial Arts: Fubo Blade Technique (Entry)】

"A month has passed, and the points have only increased by 6."

While chewing on the large meat bun, Su Mu observed the panel before him.

"The growth rate of the points is too slow. One point every five days—saving up a hundred points feels like a distant prospect. Is there any way to make the points grow faster?"

Su Mu pondered in his heart.

The increase in points was related to his identity. If he could change his household registration, he would no longer be a refugee, and the growth rate of his points would certainly accelerate.

But changing his registration now was still somewhat dangerous.

"I can't change my status as a refugee for now, but what about my profession? Can I change that?"

Back when he was a 'hooligan,' it took ten days for his points to increase by one.

Later, after he started chopping wood, he became a 'Woodcutter,' and the time it took to increase his points by one was directly halved.

"Perhaps—I can give it a try."

Su Mu said to himself, "When you're out in the world, isn't your identity whatever you claim it to be?"

Gradually, a serious expression appeared on his face, and his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

…………

*Puff!*

A flash of blade light streaked by, and blood splattered.

A rabbit fell to the ground, twitched twice, and then went still; its head had been separated from its body.

Su Mu panted slightly.

As expected of only entry-level blade technique.

It was so exhausting just to chop a rabbit.

He had crouched in wait for three full days before finally catching a rabbit, and he had almost let it get away just now.

With a thought, he summoned the panel.

The identity on the panel was still 'Woodcutter.'

However, Su Mu was not disappointed. Previously, when he became a 'Woodcutter,' his identity only changed after he had chopped the wood and sold it.

He found some leaves to wrap the wild rabbit in and stuffed it into his bosom, then hurried toward Wuling City.

"Su Mu, what's going on these past few days? Why is the firewood you're chopping getting less and less? If you keep this up, I'm going to have to raise your tribute money."

Just as he entered the city, he ran into Zhang Chong of the Woodcutter Gang, who grabbed Su Mu and said.

"Master Zhang, please forgive me. I caught a cold a few days ago and have been weak..."

Su Mu explained.

"I don't care about that."

Zhang Chong interrupted Su Mu, "If you still want to hang around Guangfu Ward in the Southern District, then don't try to pull any tricks on me!"

"Master Zhang, this is today's tribute money. Please look after me."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Su Mu had already pressed two *san-zhu* coins into his hand.

Anxious to verify his hypothesis about his identity, Su Mu didn't want to get entangled with Zhang Chong at all.

Taking advantage of Zhang Chong's momentary daze, he hurried away.

Zhang Chong looked at the two *san-zhu* coins in his hand, and his nose suddenly twitched.

"Something's not right. Why does this kid Su Mu have a smell of blood on him?"

Zhang Chong narrowed his eyes, a dangerous light flickering in his pupils.

Although the Woodcutter Gang was almost the weakest gang in Wuling City, a gang was still a gang. Zhang Chong had participated in several fights against other gangs in the past, so he was no stranger to the smell of blood.

"Interesting. This kid is as thin as a stick, yet he can pull off murder and robbery? He paid me the tribute money today without even selling any firewood; it seems his harvest was not small."

Zhang Chong stroked his chin, a look of greed appearing on his face.

…………

Su Mu did not expect that a casual action of his had already made him a target again.

Even if he had known, there was nothing he could do.

The bottom of society is just that cruel; people would kill and rob for a few hundred coins. No matter how cautious he was, he couldn't guard against every villain.

When you lack strength, there are simply too many bad people around; it's impossible to guard against them all.

"Seven catties of wild rabbit, two coins per catty, that's fourteen coins in total. I'll only charge you a two-coin fee, so here is twelve coins. Take it."

A burly man with bulging muscles counted out twelve *san-zhu* coins and tossed them to Su Mu.

He was the manager for the Hunter Gang in Guangfu Ward. Just like the Woodcutter Gang, if hunters wanted to sell their game here, they had to go through them.

This wasn't an official regulation, but if they found out you hadn't gone through them, the best-case scenario was a beating, and the worst-case scenario could even cost you your life.

For a wild rabbit, if sold to a restaurant, it would be at least five coins per catty. Now, not only was the price cut in half, but he also had to pay a two-coin "protection fee." The black-hearted nature of these gangs was evident.

Su Mu didn't want to cause trouble, so he could only swallow this bitter pill.

After taking the *san-zhu* coins and offering insincere thanks, he turned and ducked into a small alley, unable to wait to summon the panel.

【Name: Su Mu】

【Identity: Hunter (Refugee)】

【Points: 11】

【Martial Arts: Fubo Blade Technique (Entry)】

It changed! It changed!

…………

(End of chapter)