Practicing is easy when one has infinite skill points.

---

"Mr. Liu, this is the tuition fee for my brother and me."

Zhong Lin respectfully bowed to Mr. Liu while holding Little Shi's hand. 

The purpose of making money was to learn how to read, and learning how to read was for the sake of mastering martial arts. The order could not be changed. So, after breakfast that morning, the two of them went straight to the southern part of the city to seek tutelage under Mr. Liu. 

Mr. Liu was a middle-aged man in his forties, thin, with a gaunt face and a neatly groomed beard on his chin. He wore a long blue robe, exuding an air of scholarly refinement that commanded respect. 

Mr. Liu glanced at the silver and pork placed on the table, nodded, and said, "At such an age, to still yearn for the teachings of the sages—not bad. Did you bring your brush, ink, paper, and inkstone?" 

"Yes, we did." 

"Very well. Go take a seat." 

"Yes, sir." 

Zhong Lin led Little Shi into the classroom and sat at the last desk. 

This classroom was originally Mr. Liu's home, which had been repurposed with desks arranged in three horizontal rows and six vertical ones, accommodating no more than eighteen students in total. 

As soon as Zhong Lin and his brother entered, they immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the room. A wave of giggles followed. 

Most of the students learning to read were young children, the oldest being no more than eight or nine years old. There was hardly anyone like Zhong Lin, who was already fifteen or sixteen, joining an elementary class for beginners. 

"Ahem!" 

With a light cough, the little rascals in the classroom immediately straightened their backs, sitting up properly and looking straight ahead. 

"Now, begin reciting after me. I will read a sentence, and you will repeat after me." 

"Yes, sir!" 

"The stars, the sun, and the moon move in harmony..." 

"The stars, the sun, and the moon..." 

Mr. Liu's teaching method was simple: memorize first, then learn to write, and finally understand the meaning of the words. 

To those young children, this was pure torment, but to Zhong Lin, it was pure joy. What he lacked most right now was a structured way to learn the characters of this world. 

By midday, they had learned ten new characters and then practiced writing them, stroke by stroke. 

---

"System." 

A flash of light appeared, and a translucent system interface materialized before his eyes. 

Host: Zhong Lin 

Skills: 

- Archery (Max Level) 

- Flying Locust Stone (Max Level) 

- Realistic Painting (Max Level) 

- Calligraphy (Beginner) 

Skill Points: ∞ 

Seeing the newly added "Calligraphy" skill on the panel, Zhong Lin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 

"I haven't even fully learned the characters yet, and I've already unlocked the calligraphy skill? This won't do. I need to pay more tuition this afternoon and see if Mr. Liu can give me some extra lessons." 

With that thought in mind, he casually maxed out the Calligraphy skill. 

A wave of knowledge flooded his mind. Though he still couldn't recognize every character in the book he was reading, he now instinctively knew how to write them beautifully, with elegant strokes. 

---

At noon, as soon as Mr. Liu dismissed the class, the students bolted out of the room like a pack of wild dogs let loose. 

Zhong Lin and Little Shi also bowed respectfully before leaving and heading back to Sweetwater Alley. 

On the way, they stopped by the East Market and bought an old goose, planning to stew it for dinner. 

For the past few days, their meals had been rich in oil and fat, and their bodies had started to fill out—they no longer looked like a pair of bamboo poles. 

As they entered Sweetwater Alley, they ran into one of the neighbors carrying water. 

Thanks to Little Shi's friendly nature, the entire alley now recognized them. 

"Dalinzi, where were you all morning? The yamen 1officers came by. They left a message for you to go to the yamen this afternoon." 

Feigning confusion, Zhong Lin asked, "Aunt Jiang, what happened? My brother and I went to Mr. Liu's house this morning to pay our tuition. Why would the yamen be looking for me?" 

"Oh, don't be scared, it's just a routine inquiry. Someone was killed last night—three people, in fact. Not only were they robbed, but there was also a case of assault. The bastard who did it wasn't just after money; he even violated the wife in front of her husband before killing them both. What a beast!" 

Aunt Jiang, a woman in her forties who lived right next door to Zhong Lin, spoke without restraint. She even described in detail how Qin Yong's wife had been killed, explaining how she had been forced onto the table, how her chest was bitten, and even how her lower body had been... 

Her descriptions were so vivid that Zhong Lin began to wonder if another criminal had snuck in after he had left last night. 

"…" 

Zhong Lin hesitated before asking, "Aunt Jiang, did they catch the killer?" 

"Not a chance! It poured heavily last night. Who knows where that bastard ran off to? The rain washed away all traces, not even a single footprint left. That's why the yamen is doing routine questioning. You should go in the afternoon. I told them you were out buying groceries." 

"Thank you, Aunt Jiang." 

"Oh, by the way, Dalinzi, have you considered what I mentioned a few days ago? My cousin's neighbor's daughter is quite a looker—big chest, wide hips, definitely good for childbearing. She doesn't even mind that you two are orphans—" 

"Uh—Aunt Jiang, I just remembered I left my clothes out to dry! Gotta go! We'll talk next time!" 

Grabbing Little Shi's hand, Zhong Lin quickly retreated to their house, glancing back like a thief to make sure Aunt Jiang wasn't following. 

---

"Second Brother, I think Aunt Jiang has a point. Maybe you should just go along with it?" 

Little Shi snickered. 

**Thud!** 

Zhong Lin flicked his forehead. "Still laughing at your brother? Write each character Mr. Liu taught you ten times." 

"Oh..." 

---

After lunch, Zhong Lin casually made his way to the yamen. 

Just as Aunt Jiang had said, the rain had erased all traces from last night. With the primitive investigative methods of ancient times, finding the culprit in an entire county was as difficult as reaching the heavens. There was nothing to be afraid of. 

"What business do you have here?" 

Zhong Lin stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said, "Officer, I am a resident of Sweetwater Alley. My name is Zhong Lin. I was out this morning when the officers came by, so I have come to report in." 

The young officer looked him up and down before waving him through. "Go in and turn left. Don't wander around." 

"Understood." 

Zhong Lin entered through the side gate and followed the stone-paved path. Before long, he reached the designated room, where several dozen people were already waiting. 

Without drawing attention to himself, he quietly took a spot at the back of the line, listening carefully to the ongoing interrogations. 

The questions were simple: Did they go out last night? Did they see any strangers? Once answered, the scribe would mark the record, and the officer would dismiss them. 

Zhong Lin felt relieved. Keeping his expression neutral, he waited in silence. 

After about half an hour, it was finally his turn. He stepped into the room. 

Inside, three officers were present. The one in charge was a middle-aged man, sitting beside a bored-looking young officer and an elderly scribe taking notes. 

The moment Zhong Lin entered, the middle-aged officer dropped a bombshell: 

"You committed the murders last night, didn't you?"