When I came to, I was lying in the shopkeeper's house. It seemed the shopkeeper had moved me there when I suddenly fainted. He was a rare kind-hearted person, and I thanked him when I regained consciousness.
"Thank you very much."
"What's the matter that you want to become a courier?"
"I think it's the easiest way to make a living."
"Couriers have a very humble and hard job... tsk tsk."
The shopkeeper clicked his tongue, and I agreed with him. Couriers are half martial artists but essentially work as laborers in the transportation industry. It was very rare for a courier to master top-notch martial arts, and most died after a lifetime of toiling with mediocre skills. Perhaps the shopkeeper in front of me might have an easier life.
The shopkeeper said, "I'm sorry, but I'm too busy to take care of you. Drink some water and leave."
"No, I'm very grateful."
"As I said, there's no courier agency around here. You have to cross several mountains to reach Wanghe to find the Siguang Courier Agency."
The shopkeeper soon handed me a neatly tailored outfit. It seemed to be roughly cut from an existing garment to fit my body.
"Um, I don't have any money..."
"Just take it. In today's world, looking like a beggar brings more misfortune than good."
"...Thank you. What is your name?"
"Haha, everyone calls me Mr. Song from the fabric shop."
"Yes, take care."
I changed into the clothes and left the fabric shop, making a mental note.
'Chang Tie from San Song Courier Agency... Mr. Song from the fabric shop... I will repay their kindness somehow.'
I know very well.
In this harsh world, it's incredibly difficult and rare for someone to do something without expecting anything in return. Even I, who was busy surviving, never helped anyone without gaining something. Chang Tie and Mr. Song, despite having lives not much different from mine, were people who could help others at the cost of their own well-being. This was a remarkable feat in itself. If I don't repay their kindness, I would be no better than a dog.
I started walking towards Wanghe. On the way to Wanghe, there were always wild animals to hunt, so I got to eat more meat. There were no bandits in the Huangshan area, perhaps because there were many minor martial arts sects, including the Huangshan Sect.
Swish—
When I saw a cold waterfall, I used my inner strength to protect myself and washed my dirty body. Normally, I might catch a cold, but with sufficient nutrition and well-cultivated inner strength, I didn't feel cold at all. After drying my clothes, I felt much more refreshed.
When I arrived in the Wanghe area, finding the Siguang Courier Agency was not difficult. Although I had rarely been to the Huangshan area, the Siguang Courier Agency was the largest in the region. It was easy to find the agency by asking around as soon as I entered the town.
Standing in front of the sign of the Siguang Courier Agency, I thought for a moment.
'Siguang Courier Agency... It's said to be established by the Siguang family, but I haven't heard much about it. Is it okay to rely on them? Well, there's no other choice right now...'
After a moment, I entered the Siguang Courier Agency.
Rustle rustle
"Hey, move that luggage over here!"
"The courier seal isn't stamped on this! Youngest, take this and get it stamped!"
"Yes, sir!!"
Inside, as befitting a courier agency, several people were busily moving cargo and preparing for travel. Despite the hectic pace, I knew I only needed to find the courier supervisor.
"Excuse me, I want to become a courier. Can you take me in?"
"Huh?! Kid, stop joking! I'm busy, so go away!"
I grabbed a courier and asked as a test, but he only frowned and dismissed me. After all, most couriers are laborers, and a young teenager wanting to become a courier is absurd. I would have given the same answer, so I decided to ask properly this time.
"I want to see the supervisor of the Siguang Courier Agency. Where is he?"
"Huh?! The supervisor is right there! The one in the white clothes!"
Swoosh
I looked in the direction the courier pointed. Indeed, there was a person wearing high-quality white clothes, different from the others. From his refined appearance, it was clear he was not a courier but from a noble family.
However, I was surprised by something else.
'A woman?'
Indeed, the person pointed out as the supervisor was a beautiful woman in white. She was even more beautiful than the concubine I had seen before. She was in her mid-twenties, with a well-defined face and flawless skin. Her clear eyes, which seemed to draw in the gaze of anyone who looked at her, proved her outstanding beauty.
It was the first time in my life I had seen a female supervisor. While supervisors do more administrative work and earn more money, they are fundamentally a physically demanding job. It was unheard of for a delicate woman to be a supervisor.
However, when I saw her walking around, I immediately understood.
'She has mastered martial arts!'
Her light movements were not wasteful and were very agile. This was a phenomenon that only appeared when one had mastered the upper-level stepping techniques, where the essence of martial arts was condensed in every step. She must have at least second-rate martial arts, which would be suitable for a supervisor.
I cautiously approached the female supervisor and said, "I want to become a courier!"
"Huh?"
She turned her head in surprise and looked at me. When I saw her face up close, I felt a momentary blankness. I had thought her profile was like a beautiful painting, but seeing her face up close, the term "rare beauty" was not an exaggeration.
Truly, a beauty that could topple a nation!
'Wow... I've never seen someone this beautiful in my life...'
She was so beautiful that it evoked admiration rather than lust. It was the first time I realized such a beauty existed in a mere courier agency. She gently smiled and caressed my cheek.
"Kid, what's your name?"
"My name is Bai Xiong."
"I am Siguang Lin, the supervisor of the Siguang Courier Agency. I'm sorry, but you're too young to be a courier. How about starting as a laborer first?"
She seemed to be considerate of a child, but I couldn't accept it.
If I worked as a laborer, I would end up doing odd jobs indefinitely. I knew that being a courier, responsible for transporting goods and providing security, was much easier. I shook my head and insisted.
"I can do the work of a courier!"
"Hmm..."
Siguang Lin smiled awkwardly. Even that light smile had a charm that made the hearts of many men flutter. Indeed, the laborers and couriers around her were glancing at her, paying attention. Despite the difference in rank, their male nature made them gravitate towards Siguang Lin.
"Then, do you know what a courier does?"
"I know as much as anyone else."
"Being a courier requires at least basic martial arts and physical strength. You're so young..."
"Watch this."
Whoosh!
Before Siguang Lin finished speaking, I used the Lightning Shadow Step to approach a nearby cargo. It was a wooden decoration, about ten feet wide and very large. It must weigh enough to require several strong men to move it with sweat.
"Haa."
But I easily lifted the heavy wooden decoration with both hands above my head. I could have done it with one hand, but I wanted to avoid looking too strong, so I lifted it steadily.
"Whoa!"
"What kind of strength is this..."
"Is this a kid's strength?"
The couriers and laborers around me murmured in surprise. Indeed, this was a weight that an adult man could not lift even if he died and came back to life. It required several skilled laborers to move it with well-coordinated effort. For a young child like me to lift it was truly astonishing.
Siguang Lin, who was surprised, said, "Ah... considerable inner strength. You must be the child of a renowned martial arts family?"
She, too, had mastered martial arts and recognized that I had used the power of the Thunder Dragon Skill to lift the wooden decoration. There was no point in hiding, so I explained to Siguang Lin.
"I lost my parents at a young age and have been looking for a way to use my martial arts. I really want to work as a courier."
"Wait here for a moment."
Whoosh!
She disappeared from the scene with a dreamlike stepping technique, like a cloud. She seemed to have entered a building inside, but I couldn't tell where she went. I realized that her level of stepping technique surpassed mine, which was quite surprising.
'She doesn't have the kind of martial arts a supervisor should have. She might be stronger than my second life before I died.'
At least a first-rate expert!
The martial arts Siguang Lin had mastered were not the kind developed by couriers over a long period through perseverance and effort. They were undoubtedly first-rate martial arts passed down through a prestigious martial arts family for generations. Moreover, the fact that she could use the stepping technique at the level of silent resonance meant that her martial arts were at a level