ushernet Chapter 7: Is Your Combat Ability High?
Chapter 7: Is Your Combat Ability High?
Chapter 7: Is Your Combat Ability High?
One hour later.
Xu Qing stood inside a fast-food restaurant, picking up two orders of pork trotter rice, then paused to think if there was anything he’d forgotten to buy.
Clothes, toothbrush, towel, even two packs of "Seventh Space"... He wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but there was a hint of caring for a disabled girl about it.
Besides that, he also selected two books from a bookstore along the road—Five Thousand Years of Chinese History and A Practical Guide to Simplified and Traditional Characters.
"Doesn’t matter if they're useful; just leave them at home for now."
"Two orders of pork trotter rice, ready!"
"Thanks."
Accepting the food, Xu Qing, his hands full of bags, started walking home.
Beiwang Road wasn’t bustling; it lay in a quieter corner of Jiang City, a bit secluded compared to the city center’s noise and excitement.
Still, it was a modern city, with all the nearby amenities one would expect.
After yesterday's rainstorm, puddles of water remained in some of the low-lying areas along the road, gleaming under the sunlight. Uncle Zhao, the security guard, was relaxing in a chair under an umbrella after his lunch, smoking leisurely. Noticing Xu Qing approaching with all his bags, he casually called out, “Little Xu, doing some shopping?”
“Yeah, have you eaten yet?”
“Just finished. Oh, right, yesterday you called me...”
“It was a misdial; nothing serious.”
Xu Qing smiled—couldn’t exactly tell him he picked up a person from ancient times.
“Be careful, keep your doors and windows locked. Aunt Liang mentioned there’s been some petty theft going on lately. If you see anyone suspicious, make sure to watch out.”
Hearing Uncle Zhao’s words, Xu Qing paused and nodded. “Got it, I’ll keep that in mind.”
He made his way back to his apartment door, pulled out his keys, and opened it. The moment he looked up, he saw Jiang He standing in the living room, sword in hand. Seeing it was him, she sighed in relief, put down the sword, and sat back on the couch.
“I told you, it’s perfectly safe here.”
“Mm.”
“You being so tense is kind of strange here. Relax... Come on, let’s eat.”
Xu Qing placed all the bags on the side of the couch, noticing Jiang He’s gaze. “I bought you some daily essentials. We can organize them after eating.”
“Thank you.”
“...”
Noticing Xu Qing had paused, Jiang He asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”
“Shouldn’t you add a direct object?”
“My identity... I’m an unemployed recent graduate, about to become a wage slave—or to explain in terms you’d understand... well, it’s like having finished the imperial exam but not yet taking a post, just looking for something else to do for a living.”
“A wealthy family?”
“Hardly, just working-class. There are many professions here, and not all scholars go into government.”
Jiang He seemed to understand partially, still categorizing him mentally as a “landlord.”
“How do I go back?”
“I don’t know... It seems difficult. How did you get here yesterday?” Xu Qing asked, curious—could it have been lightning?
“I don’t know either,” Jiang He replied, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. “Yesterday... I was chasing a thief, it was raining heavily, and I got lost in the woods, turned left, then right... and suddenly, I saw these tall buildings.”
“...”
The woods?
“There aren’t any woods nearby...” Xu Qing scratched his chin, unsure what to make of it.
They sat in silence on the couch for a moment before he coughed lightly and said, “For now, just focus on living well here. We can think about getting you back later.”
Jiang He nodded quietly.
“By the way, what’s your combat skill level?” Xu Qing glanced at her long sword, curious if real martial arts from 1,200 years ago were indeed so amazing.
“Combat skill?”
“I mean, how skilled are you?”
“In the Yan Gang, I’m... relatively strong.”
“What’s ‘relatively strong’? Did you practice any inner strength? Swordsmanship? Do you know any lightness skills...”
Xu Qing grew excited, moving to the window and pointing outside. “Roughly, how high could you jump without getting hurt?”
“Around...” Jiang He looked out and pointed, “there.”
Huh??
“Just there?” Xu Qing was puzzled. The second floor... That wasn’t what he’d imagined.
Even parkour athletes could jump from the third floor!
She could probably go higher; she might just be holding back.
With that in mind, he adjusted his expression and challenged, “I don’t believe it; it has to be higher.”
“Um... maybe that spot too,” Jiang He hesitated, lifting her hand a little higher.
Xu Qing looked up. Fourth floor.