[Name: Li Jie | Level: 9]

This was the highest level William had seen. Not including Daoist Chen, of course. The old man’s status was hidden anyway, so did it really count?

That was something to think about at a different time since William was worried that this was one of those situations where a guard would harass someone who looked weak. If that was the case, this Li Jie picked a suitable wagon as his target.

William was completely useless with his level one strength. While Wang Xiaoling could easily injure him with her greater strength, he was sure she would fare no better than him against this guard.

“Wang Xiaoling! I was worried you wouldn’t come to Xuanjing City!”

“Li Jie?” Wang Xiaoling asked with surprise, “Why are you on patrol? I thought you were promoted the last time I was here.”

“Ah, it’s a favor for a friend of mine. I’m taking his place for today.”

“Tsk,” Wang Xiaoling shook her head, “That’s what you always say! You’re always on patrol when I arrive, and you always say you’re picking up an extra shift. Li Jie, that might be okay when you were a patrol guard yourself, but it’s wrong of them to ask you when you’re their boss!”

William looked between the two and blinked at Wang Xiaoling’s impassioned lecture. It was obvious that they were familiar with each other, and it was also obvious that Li Jie was trying to pursue Wang Xiaoling.

William looked at her with a disappointed look, barely believing that she didn’t see the feelings the guard held for her. It made him wonder why anyone would like the crazy woman like that. He couldn’t bear the thought of having to tip-toe around her volatile personality.

“I understand,” Li Jie sighed, “This will be the last time, Wang Xiaoling. I promise.”

“…You also always say that.”

Li Jie laughed sheepishly and looked away from Wang Xiaoling in embarrassment. That brought his attention to William. He had been so focused on Wang Xiaoling that he hadn’t noticed the young boy sitting beside her.

William narrowed his eyes as he stared at Wang Xiaoling and tried to figure out what the guard saw in her. It certainly couldn’t be her appearance since she was a scruffy mess from having been on the road for so long. Even when William first saw her, she wasn’t in the best of states with her unkempt hair and dirtied face.

Perhaps when Wang Xiaoling was cleaned up, it was a different story?

“Hey, brat! What are you looking at?” Wang Xiaoling asked with an annoyed growl.

“Wang Xiaoling, who’s this little brother? He looks hurt.”

“Ah, that,” Wang Xiaoling chuckled nervously, “I thought he was a scammer, so I kicked him a little too hard. It’s okay, though! He’s working for me now.”

“What is this little brother’s name?” Li Jie asked William while looking like he was apologizing for Wang Xiaoling’s actions.

William floundered briefly before dipping his head slightly and said, “Hello, I’m Wei Liang.”

His eye twitched in irritation when Wang Xiaoling burst out in laughter and slapped his shoulder, making it throb in pain.

“Don’t be fooled, Li Jie,” Wang Xiaoling said between chuckles, “This brat isn’t this polite at all. All he’s been doing so far is causing me trouble.”

Li Jie doubted that when looking at William’s frail body. In fact, he suspected that the boy had been bullied the whole way with how sorry he looked.

“I see,” Li Jie said as he looked on with pity, “Little brother Wei Liang seems to need medical attention. Come, I’ll let you skip the line as an emergency.”

William looked down at himself and saw nothing that would be an emergency. Not that he didn’t appreciate the favor, of course.

“I thought you said you didn’t have any connections,” William whispered to Wang Xiaoling as she stirred the horses to follow Li Jie.

“Connections?” Wang Xiaoling repeated with confusion, “This is just Li Jie, a friend of mine. Wei Liang, you don’t use friends as connections unless you don’t treasure them as such.”

William noticed the slight smile on Li Jie’s lips and looked at Wang Xiaoling with a bit of admiration. Either she was a genius manipulator and said that because she knew Li Jie would overhear, or she really meant that. William would bet on the latter.

“Captain!”

The guards at the gate saluted Li Jie and stood to attention until he waved them off.

“Check the goods and let them through,” Li Jie ordered as he pointed at Wang Xiaoling’s wagon.

William was looking at each of the guards carefully to observe the levels they were at and was surprised at what he saw.

[Name: Xu Hao | Level: 5]

[Name: Wang Lei | Level: 4]

[Name: Liu Sheng | Level: 6]

[Name: Yang Ming | Level: 4]

There were plenty more, but the levels were all similar. It gave William more of a clue about each level’s strength. With Li Jie being a guard captain, he was likely much stronger than most mortals.

That brought William’s attention to a rather significant issue that became even more troublesome. The blue text appeared in his vision again.

Traits:

Soul Damage (Major) - Chance of all base attributes to reset to 1 with every point added

Main Quests:

Restore your Soul! (Reach Level 10 to enable the system to restore your soul to a more complete state)

Level ten was no longer a simple matter to achieve from what he had seen with the guards. Other than Li Jie, they were all well into their adulthood. William hoped he was wrong, but he had a feeling it would be more challenging than he expected to preserve those precious stat points. His Soul Damage trait would be a headache to deal with.

While William fretted over his future, the guards hastily did the barest of cursory checks before waving them through the gates.

“Let’s leave little brother Wei Liang at the Jade Healing Clinic,” Li Jie suggested as he led them through the crowd, “He’ll be fully healed by tomorrow.”

“That’s unnecessary,” Wang Xiaoling shook her head rapidly, “A pharmacy is fine, Li Jie. The clinic is too expensive, and Wei Liang’s injury is too minor to be worth the expense.”

“The elder there will treat him for free as a favor to me,” Li Jie replied with a smile, “Since little brother Wei Liang is with Wang Xiaoling, he has to get the best treatment.”

“… You’re too kind, Li Jie,” Wang Xiaoling sighed in resignation.

William ignored what he would consider an almost unbearable public display of affection between the overly helpful Li Jie and an oblivious Wang Xiaoling. He had far more exciting things to pay attention to.

Entering Xuanjing City seemed like traveling back in time to William. It reminded him of the historical dramas in his old world.

The moment they stepped past the grand archway, the road broadened into a spacious avenue flanked by trees and unlit lanterns. From his seat on the wagon, the sea of people seemed unending, with each busily going about their business. The low murmur of chatter was a constant in the background, with the occasional yells of merchants trying to advertise their wares.

William loved the atmosphere, and it was evident by the broad smile on his face.

“Looks like this is little brother Wei Liang’s first time inside a city,” Li Jie commented when he saw him looking everywhere.

“He’s from a backward village,” Wang Xiaoling helpfully explained, “He’s pretty much a country bumpkin.”

“… Wang Xiaoling, saying that could be hurtful to him.”

Wang Xiaoling blinked and turned to William as if confirming what Li Jie said was true. “Is that true, Wei Liang?”

“Yes, I’m very hurt,” William replied blandly.

“Oh,” Wang Xiaoling shrugged before saying to Li Jie, “I don’t believe him.”

William rolled his eyes when Li Jie smiled at Wang Xiaoling deferentially. He blocked them out to take in the sights and eventually noticed that the buildings started to get slightly taller and far more ornate.

“Here we are,” Li Jie stopped in front of a small building with a jade green exterior, “Jade Healing Clinic.”

William climbed down from the wagon with a wince when Li Jie motioned for him to follow.

“Take this token and show it to the attendant,” Li Jie handed William a small jade piece with an engraved eagle, “They’ll heal you without taking payment.”

“Thank you,” William said appreciatively before waving goodbye to Wang Xiaoling.

As he walked inside, Wang Xiaoling yelled, “I’ll have a stall set up in the market! Find me there after you’re done!”