Chapter 6: Naturalization, Danger Approaches

"Hunter, one point every three days."

Su Mu lay in a pile of straw. The air was thick with the stench of sweat and feet, accompanied by the sounds of teeth grinding and snoring.

A dozen people were crammed into the dilapidated ancestral hall, with the person closest to him only a step away. The harshness of the environment was self-evident.

But Su Mu had hope in his heart, so he didn't find it unbearable.

It had been three days since he sold the wild rabbit, and the points on his panel had finally jumped from 11 to 12!

"I am still a vagrant, but a hunter's status is slightly higher than a woodcutter's. So, the points that originally took five days to increase now only take three."

Su Mu was very satisfied with this change. "Identity is divided into two parts: one is the common sense of status—vagrant, commoner, official—and the other part could perhaps be called a profession. Even as a vagrant, the profession of a hunter is better than that of a woodcutter.

Actually, it’s understandable. Even in my past life, among officials, the status of a department head in a powerful department and one in a weak department could not be mentioned in the same breath."

"I have 12 points now. With 88 points left to reach 100, at one point every three days, it will take two hundred and sixty-four days."

Su Mu calculated in his heart, his brows furrowing slightly.

Although it was much shorter than the original five hundred days, two hundred-plus days—nearly a year—was still somewhat hard to accept.

"Are there any professions better than a hunter that a vagrant can do?"

The professions available to a vagrant were truly limited. Without household registration, there were many jobs he couldn't take.

Among these limited options, being a hunter was already top-tier.

Hunting was a technical skill; it paid well and provided meat. This was already very good among ordinary people. The only thing that could compare to it was probably being a butcher.

However, one couldn't be a butcher without household registration.

Of course, the profession of a butcher was still much better than that of a hunter. The butchers in Wuling City were basically well-off families.

"I wonder if joining a gang counts as better than hunting."

Su Mu thought to himself.

He immediately shook his head.

He didn't want to become like Zhang Chong and his ilk, riding on the backs of the lowest-level commoners and throwing their weight around.

Su Mu considered himself to have some aspirations; he didn't want to leave such a stain on his life's resume. Besides, he really didn't think much of these gangs.

If you have the ability, go rob the rich to help the poor. What kind of skill is it to only bully hunters and woodcutters?

Rob the rich to help the poor?

Su Mu’s heart stirred slightly.

Would a lone bandit count as a better profession than a hunter?

"Forget it. With my entry-level blade technique, I want to be a lone bandit? I’d probably die before I even got started."

Su Mu only thought about it for a moment before dismissing the idea. He couldn't overestimate his own abilities.

"After so many days, no one should be paying attention to the deaths of Feng Debao and the other two anymore."

Su Mu said to himself, "If my status changes from vagrant to commoner, combined with the hunter profession, the rate of point increase should improve significantly."

After pondering for a long while, he made up his mind. As sleepiness set in, he soon drifted off to sleep.

…………

Early the next morning, Su Mu climbed up, washed his face, and headed toward the Southern City Office.

Wuling City was huge. Outside the inner city, there were four outer cities: East, West, South, and North. Each outer city was divided into many wards.

The Southern City where Su Mu currently lived had six wards and was the most chaotic of the four outer cities.

The City Lord's office was definitely in the inner city, but for the sake of management, each of the four outer cities had its own office.

Everything in the Southern City was handled by the Southern City Office.

Vagrant registration, criminal investigations, and arrests—anything concerning the Southern City was managed by them.

In Su Mu's understanding, Wuling City was equivalent to a city, the office in the inner city was the municipal government, and the Southern City Office was the district government.

Of course, the two worlds were completely different, so he couldn't draw a direct parallel.

But for Su Mu, it didn't matter what the government structure of this world was like; he only needed to know where to change his household registration.

"Vagrant registration: seven hundred wen."

Inside the Southern City Office, Su Mu found the clerk handling the registration.

The man didn't even look up as he said, "As long as you aren't a wanted criminal, you can register by paying the fee. A word of warning: this price is for those whose original household registration can be found. If it can't be found, it can still be done, but the price won't be this."

Vagrants were people whose hometowns had suffered disasters, forcing them into exile. Just because they didn't have Wuling City's registration didn't mean they didn't have registration elsewhere.

Wuling City accepted vagrants, not undocumented people.

This requirement was normal.

Su Mu had the memories of his predecessor and knew his background was clean, but he wasn't sure if Wuling City could actually find his original registration.

"What is your name, and where is your place of origin?" the clerk asked.

"Su Mu, originally from Pingyang, Hedong."

Su Mu answered according to his predecessor's memories.

The clerk turned and walked into the room behind him. Through the doorway, rows of bookshelves were vaguely visible.

While Su Mu waited anxiously, the clerk walked back slowly and sat down in front of the desk again.

"Found it. Pay first," the clerk said, repeating, "Vagrant registration: seven hundred wen."

"Isn't it five hundred wen?" Su Mu asked weakly.

The clerk looked up at him without saying a word.

Su Mu helplessly counted out seven hundred three-zhu coins and handed them over.

His earnings from months of woodcutting, plus the loot from Feng Debao and his two companions, and the money earned from hunting these past few days, left him with only seven hundred and twelve wen.

It was mainly because he had been eating too well these past few days; otherwise, he would have had a few dozen more.

He never expected that the price for household registration could be raised on the spot.

The original five hundred wen had actually risen to seven hundred. He was only a hair's breadth away from not having enough money.

"Su Mu, a native of Pingyang County, Hedong Commandery, age sixteen. Registered in Guangfu Ward, Southern City, Wuling."

Although the clerk was a bit ruthless with the money, he was efficient. He quickly completed the registration and gave Su Mu a certificate of household registration.

With this "ID card," Su Mu was now a resident of Wuling City, no longer a vagrant without status.

"Vagrants who register are entitled to one mu of wasteland per person," the clerk suddenly called out just as Su Mu was about to leave with his certificate.

"You must cultivate it and pay taxes on time."

Su Mu was stunned. There was such a thing?

"Sir, can I decline the land? Or can I pay the taxes in silver?" Su Mu asked hurriedly.

Being a farmer didn't fit his plans, and he really didn't know how to farm.

"You must take the land, and it must be cultivated. Since you have money, you can hire people to cultivate it. As for the taxes, both grain and silver are acceptable."

The clerk explained patiently after taking the money.

Even a landlord's family had no surplus grain. Although Wuling City was large, it didn't support idlers.

After registering, vagrants had to help Wuling City cultivate land, grow grain, and pay taxes.

Otherwise, why would Wuling City accept these vagrants?

"Some of this wasteland is near the city, some is far away; some is easy to cultivate, some is difficult; some has fertile soil, and some has barren soil," the clerk said leisurely.

Su Mu understood. Since it was all one mu of wasteland, where it was located definitely made a difference. The clerk's meaning was clear: if you want a good piece of wasteland—

You have to pay more!

Feeling his pockets, Su Mu politely declined the clerk's "kindness."

"As you wish. Turn right outside to collect the land deed."

The clerk didn't care; he had already made his two hundred wen.

…………

Wuling City, Guangfu Ward.

A lackey leaned into Zhang Chong's ear and whispered something.

Zhang Chong's face darkened at a visible speed.

"Hmph, he actually dared to spend my money to register," Zhang Chong said coldly. "Where is that brat?"

"He went out of the city. He should be going to look at the wasteland assigned to him. I’ve inquired, the wasteland assigned to him is in..." the lackey said.

"Well done!" Zhang Chong said. "You two come with me. We're going to get my money back!"