Chapter 2: Resolution

The dark-faced man froze, slowly turning his head to see Lin Yan. He was furious.

"Boy, are you trying to meddle in other people's business?"

Lin Yan didn't answer, simply staring at him with indifferent eyes. "You won't be collecting this money."

The dark-faced man laughed, and the group of underlings behind him immediately followed suit. "Heh... and why won't we?"

"Because I'm going to find your boss and have him forgive Li Xiu Niang's debt."

With his Max Level Golden Bell Shield, Lin Yan would despise himself if he ignored such a situation.

The dark-faced man flew into a rage. He was just about to order his men to attack, but an oncoming fist choked the words back down his throat. The punch slammed into the bridge of his nose with a crisp CRACK. His dark face caved in entirely before he crashed heavily onto the ground, instantly knocked out cold.

The alley fell silent.

Then, the seven or eight men swarmed toward Lin Yan like a kicked hornet's nest. Clubs whistled through the air, and a flurry of fists rained down.

Lin Yan didn't even flinch. Before their fists and kicks could reach him, they were blocked by a golden barrier swirling with Sanskrit characters. The barrier then reflected their exerted force back at them, multiplied. Within a few breaths, the seven or eight men were scattered all over the ground, their wails echoing one after another. Lin Yan hadn't even lifted a finger, yet they had already broken their own bones and snapped their own tendons.

Li Xiu Niang stood at the back, staring blankly at the scene in utter confusion. She had never imagined that Lin Yan would be this formidable. "No wonder he dared to escort me back..." she thought.

Lin Yan bent down and searched the now-lifeless dark-faced man, pulling out several pieces of broken silver. He then turned and walked toward Li Xiu Niang.

"Take it." Lin Yan handed the coin pouch over.

Li Xiu Niang looked at him blankly, her lips trembling, but no words came out.

"Your family might not be well-off. This money will allow you and Niu Niu to settle down for a while," he said.

"Lin... I can't..."

"It's not for you," Lin Yan interrupted. "It's for Niu Niu."

Li Xiu Niang lowered her head, tears finally falling. She took the pouch and suddenly pulled Niu Niu down to her knees.

Lin Yan stepped aside to avoid their bow. "There's no need." He turned and walked toward the ox cart.

"Lin!" Li Xiu Niang called out from behind him. "It's getting late. You should rest here for the night before leaving."

Lin Yan didn't look back; he simply waved his hand. A widow's doorstep was a magnet for gossip. He might not care, but he couldn't let his presence ruin her reputation.

The ox cart slowly made its way out of Bluestone Town. Lin Yan leaned against the front of the cart, closing his eyes and letting Old Niu find the way back. However, his mind never stopped working for a single moment.

The system's quest had been triggered, and he had received the reward. But why Li Xiu Niang? What was so special about her? Or was it that simply escorting a woman would trigger a quest? He didn't have an answer for now.

However, there was still one matter at hand: Li Xiu Niang's creditor. Lin Yan usually didn't meddle in other people's business, but once he did, he would never do it halfway. After all, if he didn't pull up the weed by the roots, trouble would eventually find its way back to Li Xiu Niang.

Early the next morning, Lin Yan wasn't in a hurry to take on carting jobs. Instead, he headed straight for the West Market.

Li Xiu Niang's creditor was named Qian Wantong. The man was in his early forties, pale and plump, and smiled like a laughing Buddha. However, his heart was exceptionally ruthless. Relying on his connections with the Government Office, he had driven countless families to ruin.

When Lin Yan arrived, Qian Wantong was sitting in the backyard of his shop, sipping tea. Two guards stood out front. Seeing a stranger enter, they immediately stepped forward to block him.

"What are you doing here?"

Lin Yan didn't waste time with words, raising his hand to deliver a swift slap to each of them. The two guards were sent flying; one crashed into a wall, and the other face-planted into a flowerbed.

The smile on Qian Wantong's face instantly froze, but he quickly recovered, though he looked much more strained. "My friend, let's talk this out."

Lin Yan sat down opposite him. "Return the IOU written by Li Xiu Niang's husband."

Hearing this, Qian Wantong narrowed his eyes, having already guessed Lin Yan's identity. Yesterday, his subordinates had informed him that Li Xiu Niang was being escorted away.

"So it's Lin in the flesh. You beat my men to such a state, and now you want to force me to cancel a debt..." He chuckled. "That's against the rules, isn't it?"

Lin Yan had no intention of wasting breath on him. He casually picked up the teapot on the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. The ceramic crumbled into powder, yet his hand remained completely unscathed. "I don't have much patience," Lin Yan said. "If you don't hand it over today, you'll never have to hand it over again."

Qian Wantong stared at the pile of dust, falling into complete silence. After a long while, he offered a bitter smile and nodded. "Fine, I admit defeat this time. I'll have the IOU sent to Li Xiu Niang tomorrow."

Lin Yan didn't say another word. He stood up, looking down at the local thug from above. "If you're not satisfied with this, you can come looking for revenge. But you'll only get one chance."

Qian Wantong squeezed out a smile. "I wouldn't dare. Since Lin came personally, I naturally wouldn't dare..."

Lin Yan didn't stay to hear him finish, turning on his heel and leaving.

By the time he left the West Market, the sun was fully up. He drove the ox cart toward the city gates, planning to take on jobs as usual. However, before he even reached his usual spot, someone was already waiting for him.

"Lin! You're finally here!" A familiar porter greeted him, his face covered in a wide grin. "I heard you took down seven or eight of Qian Wantong's men all by yourself, and one even died! Is it true?"

Lin Yan didn't answer.

The porter didn't mind, continuing on his own, "Early this morning, several clients specifically asked for you to deliver their goods, offering three times the usual price! They're all waiting over there!"

Lin Yan looked in the direction he was pointing and, sure enough, saw several shop-assistant-looking figures craning their necks by the roadside. These people weren't seeking him out because of his exceptional cart-driving skills, but because his martial arts were more than good enough. In this turbulent world, being a skilled fighter was a form of security in itself. Lin Yan didn't refuse. He also wanted to see if he could trigger another quest.

In the days that followed, Lin Yan took on quite a few jobs. His clients were both male and female, young and old. Every time he took a job, he paid close attention to the dormant system in his mind. Unfortunately, it never reacted. Lin Yan began to doubt his own speculations. Could it be that quests were only triggered by women like Li Xiu Niang—those in dire peril and pushed into a dead end? Or did triggering a quest require specific conditions that he simply hadn't encountered yet?

Days passed by one after another. He was no longer just driving an ox cart. Sometimes, people hired him as a temporary guard, and others asked him to watch over their shops. He accepted all of these offers. The pay was better than driving a cart, and it was less exhausting.

Nearly half a month passed in this manner.

One evening, as Lin Yan finished his work and headed home, he spotted a carriage parked in front of his house from afar. Putting everything else aside, the fine horse with its glossy, shining coat alone wasn't something an ordinary, humble family could afford. As Lin Yan drew closer, he noticed a young girl dressed as a maid standing next to the carriage.

Spotting him, she quickly hurried over and bowed. "Mr. Lin, my Madam invites you."

"Which Madam?"

"Mrs. Liu of the Liu family, from the east side of the city."