150. The Flea on the Drum

The boy who had picked the lock tugged at Zhang Xuan’s sleeve. "Tha..." He started to speak, but was interrupted by a violent fit of coughing. Zhang Xuan gently patted him on the back.

"Benefactor, thank you. My name is Shi Qian. May I ask what to call you?" Once the coughing subsided, the boy introduced himself.

"Oh, you can follow Nie Zheng’s lead and call me Brother Xuan, or if you prefer, Little Xuan. It’s up to you." Zhang Xuan continued to pat Shi Qian’s back, the name sounding strangely familiar. He paused, then suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, did you say your name is Shi Qian?!" Zhang Xuan’s jaw nearly hit the floor. His shout drew the attention of Yang Zaixing and the others.

"Yes, my name is Shi Qian. Did Nie Zheng and the others mention me to you? Or do you know me? You look like a stranger, though; I’m certain this is the first time I’ve seen you." Watching Zhang Xuan’s erratic reaction, Shi Qian assumed Zhang Xuan might know him, but he prided himself on his memory for faces and was sure they had never met.

Zhang Xuan stared at Shi Qian, his mouth agape. He muttered to himself, "No way, no way!" The characters from *Water Margin* were appearing in parallel? This world was truly insane—a total chaotic mess where all sorts of "demons and spirits" were emerging. At this rate, he realized he would eventually be able to accept hearing the name Song Jiang without batting an eye.

In his previous life, Zhang Xuan had always felt a sense of injustice regarding the "Flea on a Drum," Shi Qian. Although a thief by trade, he had performed incredible feats, such as infiltrating the Eastern Capital to steal the Golden-Ringed Armor to lure Xu Ning to Liangshan. He was instrumental in the victories at Daming Prefecture and Zengtou City. After the amnesty, he followed Song Jiang on every campaign, infiltrating enemy lines to set fires. It was often said that Liangshan could lose two of its Five Tiger Generals, but it could never afford to lose Shi Qian. Despite his immense contributions, he was ranked 107th—the very last position. The reason was clear: the other heroes looked down on his thievery as beneath them. Yet, ironically, many of those same "heroes" were cold-blooded murderers. Ultimately, Shi Qian had no connections or faction to back him up, and his low birth meant no one respected him.

Seeing Zhang Xuan’s dazed expression, Shi Qian didn't know what to do. Yang Zaixing, standing nearby, saw the awkwardness. "Shi Qian, is it? Don't mind him. Little Xuan is like this—he often, as he puts it, 'goes offline.' Yes, offline! His brain is probably pondering some unspeakable thoughts. He’ll be back in a moment. Look, he’s moving! He’s back. If you have anything to say, go ahead!"

"Brother Xuan, I’ll call you that too! Are you alright?"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "I’m fine. It’s just late, and after everything that happened, I’m a bit exhausted." He stretched his stiff body, and in doing so, his eyes fell upon the locked wooden shack he had noticed earlier. He pointed at it. "Shi Qian, tell me, can you pick the lock on that shack?"

Shi Qian and Yang Zaixing followed his gaze. Shi Qian assessed it and replied, "I should be able to, as long as it’s not an overly complex lock."

"Excellent. Later, we’ll open that door and see what’s inside. Maybe there’s some treasure! By the way, do you know where they hide the money in this stronghold?" Shi Qian was, after all, the legendary master thief, hailed as the "God of Thieves." Who better to ask?

Shi Qian stepped back, looking uneasy. Yang Zaixing chided Zhang Xuan, "What are you doing? Always thinking about money! He’s just a kid; how would he know where the stronghold’s loot is hidden?"

"No, I actually do know where they hide the money."

"See? How could he—wait, you do?" Yang Zaixing looked at Shi Qian in disbelief, and Zhang Xuan’s eyes lit up. He truly was the master of his craft!

"I won't lie to you both. The reason I was beaten so badly is because I found where they hide the money. But I didn't take a single cent—I wouldn't have anywhere to spend it anyway! They insisted I stole it and dragged me to the interrogation room. After they beat me, I kept insisting I hadn't, so they went to count the money. Not a penny was missing. They just warned me and threw me back in the cell. I was so wronged!"

Zhang Xuan hadn't expected the injuries to come from such a situation. Was there some kind of bug in Shi Qian’s nature? It was almost too coincidental that he had stumbled upon the stash. "Did you really not take any?" Zhang Xuan asked tentatively.

"I swear, I just saw where it was! I didn't take a single cent! If I'm lying, then..."

"If you're lying, then what?"

Shi Qian coughed a few times. "Alright, fine. I did take a little, but then I realized there was little chance of escaping, so I put it back. I was caught right as I was putting it back."