The fierce sun baked the streets.
Summer had no mercy this year. Hotter and heavier. But people still worked. Complaining didn't fill stomachs.
That included a certain shut-in who'd recently been reincarnated here.
"Hahh… hahh…" Jin exhaled, sweat gluing his shirt to his back. The body's original owner had taken nice care of himself. Strong legs, steady breath, good habits. Jin was just borrowing the benefits.
Dawei paused mid-loading, glancing between Jin and his stacked boxes. Every crate packed, every bag tied neat.
'He did that in under an hour. Even with all of us, it'd take two.' Dawei thought.
"So he gets tired too, huh," Yaoqing muttered, wiping his forehead.
'Why does every damn summer feel hotter than the last?' he grumbled inwardly.
"Of course he's human too. Let's go, we've got plenty to load before tomorrow's trip," Dawei said, giving Jin one last curious glance before heading off.
Jin sat beneath the tree, listening to their footsteps fade. The shade was cool, the air thick with heat and dust.
"Was my acting good?" he asked, his breathing calm now, as if the exhaustion had never been real.
[Yes, Master. Best not to show all your cards yet. Their intentions are still unclear.]
"Yeah. Thought so."
He shifted into a lotus position, spine straight, eyes closing.
"Phewww…"
Slow inhale. Slow exhale.
He looked inward. At his body, his pulse and the faint hum beneath his skin.
'As I thought… even after all that work, I'm not tired at all. The qi might be gone, but the body it built isn't.'
Jin stood and stretched till his joints popped. "Still, it only gives me an edge over mortals." he muttered.
'Two days since I woke up. I can't say I've gotten close to them… but at least they don't treat me like an outsider anymore.'
He wandered through the streets, weaving between merchants and chatter. Hawkers shouted over each other, kids ran past with sticks and coins, and the smell of grilled meat clung to the air.
This had become his routine. Finish the day's work faster than anyone, then spend the spare hours observing, listening and learning.
'Dawei says I've got no street sense and should mingle more. But I already know who to avoid and what tone to take, when to smile and when to walk away. He worries too mu-'
A thud cut the thought short.
A small, red wooden ball rolled to a stop at his feet.
"Ah-"
A boy, no older than eight, skidded to a stop in front of him. Even at a glance, Jin could tell the child's robes were expensive. Fine weave and subtle embroidery. After two days in a cloth shop, he didn't need to guess,
'Shit. That's silk!'
"Nooo! The ball got touched by a commoner!" the boy shrieked.
Heads turned instantly. The crowd rippled with whispers.
"You dare!"
Jin barely had time to lift his gaze before a heavy fist slammed into his gut.
"Gwak!" The air left his lungs. He dropped to one knee, clutching his side as the bodyguard loomed over him.
"I didn't even touch it-"
"Get lost!"
Another punch to the face sealed the deal.
"Hahaha!"
The child's laughter shattered what little tension was left.
"Let's go, young master," the guard said. "You don't need to concern yourself with lowlifes. I'll fetch you a new ball."
As the criminal and his judge walked off, the crowd shifted.
Some shook their heads. Others smirked.
No one stepped forward.
Jin pushed himself up, one arm wrapped around his ribs. Pain throbbed through his side.
'Fuck my life.'
. . . . . . . . .
As the sun touched the horizon, the streets fell quiet. This wasn't the kind of town that came alive at night. Just a few stubborn shops still open and lanterns flickering in the heat.
Jin returned to the inn.
"Oh, look who finally decided to show up-"
The room went silent. The four sat around a round table, one seat left empty for him.
"Pfft- HAHAHAHA!" Yaoqing burst out laughing, pointing at Jin's face. One eye normal, the other swollen purple.
Chunsheng sighed. "Junior Brother, didn't I tell you not to pick fights you can't win?"
Dawei stood and handed him a small wooden box. Inside was a pale green paste that smelled faintly of herbs. "Apply this on the sore spots. It'll help."
"Wait, wasn't this the guy who said, 'I already know how to act outside, you don't need to worry,' HAHAHAHA-" Yaoqing was practically in tears from laughing.
Jin didn't bother replying. He just sat down, grumbling, and started eating. Yaoqing's laughter still echoed as Chunsheng leaned forward.
"So what did you do to get beaten up, Brother?"
"I didn't do anything. I literally didn't even touch the kid."
"Oh? Then maybe you said something? Looked at them wrong?" Dawei asked, half-grinning.
"Of course not, I-" Jin exhaled sharply and explained everything from start to finish.
When he finished, the room went quiet for a beat.
Then, all three nodded at once. "Oooohhhh."
They exchanged knowing looks and shook their heads in perfect unison.
"So it was one of those days, huh," Chunsheng said.
"Yeah," Dawei agreed. "One of those."
Jin frowned. "Those days? Is that some new term I'm not aware of?"
"It just means you were unlucky," An Guoli said, finally speaking up after staying quiet the whole time. "You didn't do anything wrong. Bad luck just found you."
He leaned back in his chair. "Don't worry. The Peng Domain's mostly waterways, so guards are scarce on the streets. The next place we're headed will be better."
'I hope so,' Jin thought, letting out a quiet sigh.
'This world really is just one massive continent. Not quite what I expected. Guess it's not following the usual Murim patterns after all.'
Night fell over the town. Everyone had turned in for the evening.
Everyone except Jin.
He'd somehow climbed onto the inn's roof again, legs crossed in lotus position under the quiet sky.
Trying.
Reaching.
Hoping.
…Nothing.
'Still nothing. I can't even feel a trace of qi. The only lifeline I had hasn't given me a single mission either. If this keeps up…'
He caught himself before the spiral deepened and exhaled. "System, why haven't I gotten a single quest? I should've had one by now, right?"
[By normal standards, yes, Master. You should have several. But even I can't predict its nature-]
"It just means you're doing things the wrong way." The pipsqueak's voice cut in, smug and certain.
Jin and the System both stared. One with a deadpan look and the other with silent disapproval glowing faintly on the panel.
That shut her up.
"But what she said is half right," Jin muttered. "This world isn't all that different from the ones I read about back home. Most big moves start in the demonic factions. Maybe if I head west to the Demonic Cult, something might finally happen."
[That's too risky, Master. We still don't fully understand how this world works. Gambling with the Demonic Cult could get you killed. How about the Shaolin in the east? Much safer.]
"The Ice Sea Palace in the north or the Sacred Beast Palace in the south might be better," Shuye offered. "You might not believe it, but they resemble the sects of the upper realms. I saw it myself when my seal was being tossed around."
Jin shook his head. "No. Both are too far. I'm not risking to go to the outer regions while I'm like this. I'll stay within the inner walls."
[Then that leaves only the Five Noble Families. The Seven Great Sects and Six Martial Clans won't even look at you without some cultivation.]
As Jin thought about his next move, a soft shuffle sounded behind him.
An Guoli stepped onto the roof, hands clasped behind his back. "Out here this late?"
Jin bowed slightly. "Had too much on my mind. Thought some air might help clear it."
"Oh?" An smiled faintly. "Then share it. I make it a habit to listen to my people."
Jin looked at him, then up at the moon. "Before that, I was curious about how you built such a solid business with just a few mortals under you. You said this world's cruel. So… how did you manage it?"
An Guoli didn't answer right away. He sat beside Jin, gaze following the same moonlight.
After a long pause, he asked quietly, "Tell me, Jin, what is it that you want in life?"