The Great Martial Saint!

"The girls at Chunyu Lou are truly made of gold!"

Every time he left Chunyu Lou, Houzi would sigh deeply, looking up at the sky.

Chen Ping'an, along with Houzi and Dashan, went to collect their waist badges and sabers before exiting the gates of the Town Patrol Office.

As temporary officers, they usually didn't have the privilege to carry sabers. They had to hand in their waist badges and sabers before they could go home after their shifts.

However, they were allowed to wear their official uniforms home, with two sets each to alternate.

Only full-time officers enjoyed the privilege of carrying sabers.

"By the way, where's Officer Qin?"

As they left the Town Patrol Office and walked down Liuye Alley, Chen Ping'an asked curiously.

Generally, patrolling the streets required a team of four. This way, if something happened, they could support each other.

One could go for help while the other three handled the situation.

Moreover, among the four, there had to be at least one full-time officer to fully exercise their law enforcement authority.

Officer Qin, whom Chen Ping'an asked about, was the full-time officer assigned to their group.

According to the rules of the Town Patrol Office, Officer Qin should have been with them.

"Him? He disappeared right after roll call. He's probably at home with his wife and kids or drinking tea in some teahouse."

Houzi pouted. Though he sounded disdainful, his expression betrayed his true feelings.

Ah! How I envy him! I wish I could do the same!

Being on duty without actually working—that's what you call earning your monthly salary!

Chen Ping'an wasn't surprised by Houzi's response.

Officer Qin had been a brave and daring man in his early years, rising from an unregistered officer to a full-time one through sheer effort.

But as he grew older, he no longer had the same drive. With a family to support, he no longer had the same fighting spirit. A peaceful retirement was all he wanted now.

When it came to work, he would slack off whenever possible. If he could avoid it, he would. Let the young ones handle the tough stuff—he was old and just wanted to quietly collect his monthly salary.

Liuye Street was two blocks away from the Nanquan Lane Town Patrol Office, not too far. As they chatted, they turned a corner and arrived at Liuye Street.

Liuye Street was bustling with shops, much livelier than other streets. However, it was still morning, and the street was far from its busiest time.

The three of them, dressed in the Town Patrol Office's uniforms, stood out as they walked down the street.

They wore green robes with red vests and green sashes around their waists, the standard attire for temporary officers.

Full-time officers, on the other hand, wore green robes with narrow sleeves, red belts, and a more formal look.

So, whether someone was a full-time officer or a temporary one was obvious at a glance.

Still, even as temporary officers, the three of them, armed with sabers, cut an impressive figure.

"If only I could wear the full-time officer's uniform. That would be truly impressive."

Houzi walked with his saber at his waist, looking quite imposing.

This guy usually didn't walk like this. Today, he was putting on quite a show.

Chen Ping'an glanced at Houzi and couldn't help but tease him.

"Houzi, why not just wear a fish-scale armor and walk down the street? That would surely dazzle the ladies!"

"Ha! If I could ever get a captain's cloak in this lifetime, it would be a blessing from my ancestors. Fish-scale armor? I don't even dare to dream about it!"

If a full-time officer rose to the rank of captain, their uniform would be more refined, and they would also get a cloak.

The cloak symbolized status and authority, enhancing their presence and deterring troublemakers.

At a glance, anyone would know that this person was a captain of the Town Patrol Office, not to be trifled with.

As for fish-scale armor, that was a privilege reserved for the deputy chief level.

Such power and prestige were beyond the wildest dreams of a temporary officer like Houzi.

"No ambition! It's okay to dream a little. Right, Dashan?"

Chen Ping'an teased.

With his golden finger, his mood was undoubtedly brighter than before.

"Hehe~"

Dashan chuckled.

"Fish-scale armor? A captain's cloak? If I could even wear the full-time officer's uniform, my dad would be laughing in his dreams. If I were a full-time officer, the Wild Wolf Gang wouldn't dare to overcharge my family's blacksmith shop. At the very least, they'd charge us fairly and not just make up prices!"

Houzi grew more animated as he spoke, as if he were already a full-time officer in the Town Patrol Office.

"Being a full-time officer means you're eating from the public trough! You'd have some face on these streets."

The Wild Wolf Gang, like the Tiger Head Gang, was one of the gangs that roamed Nanquan Lane.

"Then work hard."

Chen Ping'an patted Houzi on the shoulder.

"Full-time officer? Easier said than done!"

Houzi's face fell.

"It's not that easy! Even if I had merits, I'd still need to break into martial arts! And that's only if I have the right connections and grease the right wheels. Otherwise, even if I reached the first level of Qi and mastered skin refinement, I still might not become a full-time officer."

Breaking into martial arts was incredibly difficult!

Without talent or a good teacher, forcing oneself to practice martial arts would not only drain resources but could also lead to all sorts of problems.

Even if one barely managed to break into martial arts, they might not develop much combat power, wasting time and money.

A few years ago, his father had him practice martial arts for a while, but he just wasn't cut out for it. Though his family was relatively well-off, they couldn't compare to the truly wealthy. Without medicinal baths or a proper teacher, after a few months, he only learned some superficial moves.

These superficial moves were enough to handle ordinary people, but they didn't truly put him on the path of martial arts.

"Dashan, I'm not cut out for this. But you're naturally strong—you might have a chance. Try to get close to Officer Qin. Maybe one day he'll be in a good mood and teach you a move or two."

Houzi said to Dashan.

"Mm."

This time, Dashan didn't just chuckle. He nodded seriously. Clearly, he had similar thoughts.

If you wanted to rise quickly in the Town Patrol Office, martial arts were undoubtedly the best way. Even connections and background couldn't compare.

Even with powerful connections, you still needed to have some level of skill!

Without strong abilities, even if you had the best connections and became a deputy chief, what good would it do?

If your strength couldn't command respect, relying solely on connections would only make you a laughingstock. People might obey you on the surface, but they wouldn't respect you in their hearts.

"Strength! Strength!"

"If I can master Iron Shirt, would that count as truly stepping onto the path of martial arts?"

Chen Ping'an walked down Liuye Street with his saber, feeling as if he were walking on a path of golden light, with endless possibilities and hope ahead.