Volume One, Chapter 16: Completely Different Attitudes

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Caiyun City, West City Office of the Patrol Department.
Zhang Jiuwan was still buried in organizing the report on tonight’s events, while the team members beside him gradually stood up and left.
“Captain, we’ve finished our tasks. We’re heading back first.”
Zhang Jiuwan nodded. “Everyone’s tired tonight. Take half a day off tomorrow morning and work in the afternoon.”
“Thanks, Captain. You should get home early too.”
After bidding Zhang Jiuwan farewell, the two patrol officers took the elevator downstairs together.
The heavier-set man asked, “What do you think the relationship is between that kid and the captain? Even when he secretly kept a spirit weapon, the captain pretended not to see it.”
The younger guy laughed, “Fei, you don’t get it. That kid actually has no real connection with the captain.”
“No connection?”
The younger man nodded. “If there’s any connection, it’s barely something.”
“Stop teasing—just say it.”
The young man grinned, “That kid’s homeroom teacher is Murong Xue.”
“Murong Xue?”
“Yeah, the Murong from the Murong City Lord.”
The fat man suddenly understood, but he sensed there was more to it. “It’s not just because of that, is it?”
The younger man hooked his arm around the fat man’s shoulder and whispered, “Fei, you’re sharp. To be honest, I suspect the captain likes Murong Xue, and that kid seems to get special treatment from her.”
The fat man looked incredulous. “How do you know?”
The young man said meaningfully, “A couple of nights ago, that kid snuck out of the city at midnight. The captain and I happened to be on duty at the city gate. The captain told me to respect others’ fate and let go of the urge to help, then immediately used that as an excuse to call Murong Xue.”
“You don’t know, after Murong Xue found out the captain let him out, she gave the captain a fierce scolding.”
“You know the captain’s temper—he’s never been wronged before. But that time, Murong Xue scolded him for half an hour straight, and he didn’t even make a sound.”
“When it was over, he was worried she’d be tired from scolding, so he even bought her a milk tea.”
The two grew more animated, even deciding to head to the bar together for a proper chat.
However, unlike their relaxed mood, Jiang Huan was at home with a complex expression, receiving Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu sipped his tea, his gaze sweeping over the modest yet tidy room, emotions swirling in his heart.
He recalled the harsh words he had said to Jiang Huan that morning about being poor in both spirit and means.
It was said in anger; if it had been anyone else from an ordinary family, perhaps it wouldn’t have mattered.
But for Jiang Huan, it felt like a sting of a needle to the heart.
“Jiang Huan, where’s your mother?”
“My mother is sick, she’s sleeping.”
“Oh, and your father?”
Jiang Huan didn’t answer but instead turned his gaze toward a memorial tablet in the corner of the living room.
Following his eyes, Zhang Yu noticed the tablet standing there.
The atmosphere thickened; the two tacitly fell silent.
At this moment, Zhang Yu’s mind was in turmoil.

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He vaguely remembered he had said to Jiang Huan that morning, “Are you worthy of your parents?”
Such a common phrase was like a knife trampling on Jiang Huan’s dignity.
Now he understood why Jiang Huan had boldly challenged him in that situation.
Before, he pitied Jiang Huan’s misfortune and resented his lack of fight.
But tonight, Jiang Huan’s performance far exceeded his expectations!
Consider a boy from such a poor background—how much effort must he expend to gather enough resources to refine a spirit weapon even once?
His heart was overwhelmed with guilt.
Feeling at a loss, he picked up the tea again, taking sip after sip.
It seemed only this ritual could ease the unease within him.
At that moment, the bedroom door opened.
A pale-faced woman came out.
“Huan’er, guests at home? Who is this?”
Jiang Huan hurriedly stood, helping Su Liuxiang to the sofa.
“Mom, this is Teacher Zhang from my practical combat class, here for a home visit.”
Su Liuxiang forced a smile. “Hello, Teacher Zhang. You’re paying a visit so late—is Huan’er in trouble at school? If he made a mistake, feel free to scold him; I won’t object.”
Zhang Yu’s guilt deepened upon hearing this and quickly explained to Su Liuxiang, “No, no, you’ve misunderstood. Jiang Huan’s performance at school is excellent; this is just a routine home visit.”
Jiang Huan was filled with doubt—when did old Zhang change his tune?
Not only did he stop scolding, but he even spoke well of him.
Yet Su Liuxiang took Zhang Yu’s words as face-saving for Jiang Huan. “Huan’er, go back to your room. Your teacher and I need to talk alone.”
Jiang Huan understood his mother’s meaning and nodded, returning to his room.
He quietly pressed his ear against the door, hoping to hear what Zhang Yu would say to his mother.
But moments later, he felt even more puzzled.
“What’s up with old Zhang tonight? He’s just babbling nonsense.”
Jiang Huan clearly heard Zhang Yu asking mostly about household matters, with no hint of complaints.
After pondering and finding no answer, he decided not to dwell on it.
A thought occurred, and the system panel appeared before him.
[Host: Jiang Huan]
[Level: Stage One, Two Stars]
[Experience: 93%]
[Abilities: Mutual Progress, Purify Mind]
[Martial Skills: Stealth, Backstab]
[Physique: 395]
He switched to the spirit weapon [Thousand Blades] interface.
[Spirit Weapon: Thousand Blades]
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[Quality: D]
[Effect One: Sudden Cold Gleam]
[Effect Two: Ever-changing]
[Experience: 93%]
[Compatibility: 62]
[Refinement Count: 2]
“Hm, looks like Thousand Blades is about to advance again? But this time, it seems to need much more experience than before.”
Jiang Huan then switched to the system space.
There, besides the eighteen sword boxes floating continuously, was the spirit weapon [Ronin].
However, he clearly saw that [Ronin] seemed to be trembling.
[Spirit Weapon No. 1 strongly protests the host’s placing of [Ronin] within the space.]
[Spirit Weapon No. 18 believes [Ronin] is too low-grade to be among them.]
…
[Spirit Weapon No. 3 is somewhat curious about [Ronin]; after a glance, it thinks the host has poor taste.]
Jiang Huan muttered, “They really despise [Ronin].”
The next moment, [Ronin] appeared in his hand.
Jiang Huan could sense [Ronin] was relieved to be out of that space.
“System, what’s going on?”
[There is a hierarchy among spirit weapons. [Ronin] feels immense pressure from the eighteen spirit weapons and trembles in fear.]
Jiang Huan murmured, “Hierarchy? So the status of these eighteen spirit weapons is quite extraordinary. I wonder how they’ll regard Thousand Blades.”
With a thought, Thousand Blades appeared in his hand, and Jiang Huan immediately placed it back into the system space.
In that instant, Jiang Huan distinctly sensed eighteen pairs of eyes scrutinizing Thousand Blades.
Among those gazes were curiosity, doubt, and surprise.
But none showed the disdain directed at [Ronin].
On Thousand Blades, Jiang Huan also felt a calm, unshaken attitude, as if it didn’t regard the eighteen spirit weapons at all.
“Thousand Blades and Ronin are both D-grade spirit weapons, yet their attitudes are completely different…”
Jiang Huan tried to seek answers from the system, but it seemed to have frozen, offering no response.
He sighed, “Forget it. Maybe the answer will come in time.”
He looked again at [Ronin] in his hand, intending to contract another spirit weapon.
Although [Ronin] was no match for his other spirit weapons, as long as the contract succeeded, Jiang Huan could impersonate a spirit weapon user and receive an additional subsidy.