At the Ability Squad base, Shi Long remained seated with his eyes closed.

A dull ache in his chest made his mood grow increasingly foul. Today, he couldn’t shake an inexplicable sense of foreboding, as if something terrible was about to happen…

Finally, a subordinate rushed in from the doorway. “Captain Shi, it’s bad! Jiang Ming and the others were captured by Cen An’s men. Qu Yue is there too. They’re asking you to come!”

Shi Long:?

He clutched his chest fiercely. Damn it, so this was what his premonition meant!

When he steeled himself and arrived at the scene, the situation was beyond his expectations.

The shabby hut’s door stood wide open. In the courtyard, masked figures had long since pulled off their veils and now huddled together in a circle, their purpose unclear. Jiang Ming stood alone nearby, bound like a dumpling by strangling vines, his face grim.

At the doorway, Qu Yue and Wang Lie fought side by side against the wall, as if the two strongest members of his Ability Squad had become his personal guards!

Inside the shack, waves of an indescribable, mouthwatering aroma wafted out, making one’s mouth water.

Three ability users sat leaning against the table. Yu Fei had his eyes closed—whether asleep or simply resting, it was unclear. Yu Lin propped his chin on his hands, his gaze fixed intently on the courtyard.

Tian Yuan banged pots and bowls, shouting, “Brother Cen, can we eat yet? I’m starving!”

A gentle voice drifted from the crowd in the courtyard: “Just let it simmer for three more minutes. You can’t eat cold meat in this weather.”

Tian Yuan grumbled in a pouty voice, “We eat it cold all the time, nothing ever happens…”

Only then did Shi Long notice Cen An standing right in the center of the crowd.

He was crouched down, treating the wound of a man in black. The man’s ankle looked like it had been bitten by some wild beast—the wound was jagged, the bone deformed.

Cen An applied dark green ointment, set the bone, and wrapped it with gauze. The tall, sturdy Zhao Wu knelt behind him, assisting with the task.

After the final knot was tied, the injured man’s eyes lit up. “I feel a cool sensation on the wound… it doesn’t hurt as much anymore…”

Cen An smiled. “Don’t get too comfortable. It’ll take a month to heal completely. You can’t walk or move during that time.”

“Thanks, Brother Cen! I know!” The injured man beamed. “Just getting it to heal is a miracle. Remember that villager who got bitten by a mutant beast? After it healed, his bones were all crooked.”

The other black-clad men chuckled along. “Thanks, Brother Cen!”

“Brother Cen’s medicine really works wonders. What kind of medicine is this?”

“Stop prying!”

“I was just asking…”

Shi Long watched the cheerful group, his expression darkening further. He cleared his throat harshly twice.

The group finally noticed his presence. One of the black-clad men immediately stood up. “Captain Shi!”

Shi Long asked with a stern expression, “What happened?”

The black-clad man hurriedly explained, “Zhang Bin had his ankle crushed by a trap. Brother Cen applied medicine to it, and then…”

Shi Long snapped impatiently, “Who asked you that! I asked why you’re here!” And they’d been caught red-handed!

The black-clad man froze, slowly lowering his head. He whispered, “Brother Jiang brought us to Brother Cen… Cen An’s place. He said… he said it was to check if his medicine was harming the village… then Brother Jiang himself got caught by the strangling vine…”

Jiang Ming, beside him, glared over with eyes like fire, struggling desperately to speak. But the strangling vine had sealed his mouth shut, making escape impossible.

Shi Long closed his eyes briefly. Damn idiots.

Opening his eyes, he said solemnly, “Mr. Cen, I’m truly sorry! I never imagined these members of the Ability Squad would trespass into villagers’ homes, causing such panic! Though I was unaware of this incident, they are ultimately my subordinates. I willingly accept the punishment.“

He glanced at Qu Yue, then at Yu Fei. ”Trespassing into someone’s residence carries a penalty of six months’ labor or a fine of two thousand crystal cores. Considering they’re members of the Ability Squad and have endured hardships these past years, even if they haven’t earned any merits, let’s settle with the fine.“

The others looked at him, none speaking. Behind them, Cen An’s voice rang out, ”Captain Shi truly is a paragon of impartiality, punishing his own people so decisively.”

Shi Long stiffened at the sound of his voice. This was the man! Last time, he’d cost Shi Long over a hundred crystal cores with a single remark and blocked his attempt to embezzle squad funds. Shi Long despised him intensely!

He’d rather deal with the terrifying psychic Yu Fei than exchange a single word with this man.

At least Yu Fei demanded lives outright. This man, though? He killed with a knife so sharp it left no blood.

Sure enough, as soon as Cen An finished speaking, the expressions of several black-clad figures shifted noticeably.

They had all followed Jiang Ming and Shi Long’s orders to carry out these shady deeds. Now, Shi Long was shifting blame, pushing them forward to take the fall.

Especially the one who had stood up to respond earlier—even Cen An, the victim himself, had offered to tend to their wounds. Yet Shi Long, their leader, wouldn’t even listen to a word…

Shi Long naturally noticed their expressions, but hadn’t yet decided how to handle it. He merely frowned and asked, “What do you want to do?”

This question was directed at Cen An. Cen An smiled faintly. “Nothing much. Just want to get to the bottom of this. If Team Leader Shi says they barged into my house on their own initiative, I’ll ask them why. If Team Leader Shi knows, he can explain for them.”

This statement only fueled Shi Long’s anger.

How could Shi Long let him investigate? One night of sorting through… asking why they came? Oh, so Captain Shi sent them to steal vegetables… Everything’s ruined!

The best solution was to simply take them away… Hmm, wait? Shi Long suddenly realized—his goal was the vegetables. Whether stolen, seized, or voluntarily given by Cen An, as long as he got the vegetables, everything could be negotiated…

Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity?

The thought flashed through his mind, his eyes darting as he immediately replied, “If you’re asking why they came, I do know a bit. Word is, they’re coveting Mr. Cen’s vegetables.”

After saying this, he couldn’t help but silently applaud himself.

As long as Cen An responded—whether with confusion (“What’s wrong with my vegetables?”) or denial (“My vegetables aren’t anything special”)—he could counter: “I hear Mr. Cen’s vegetables possess some miraculous properties, causing unrest in the village. Now that the opportunity has arisen, why not have Mr. Cen produce a few vegetables for us to examine? Even a single leaf would suffice. Whether they’re genuine or not, it would provide the villagers with closure.”

Having taken things this far, could Cen An possibly refuse? Did he even have the face to refuse? Of course not!

What a brilliant move! Now all that remained was for Cen An to respond!

Shi Long immediately fixed Cen An with a burning gaze, his narrowed eyes flashing with urgency.

But to everyone’s surprise, Cen An merely smiled faintly and said, “I understand.”

Then he turned and walked into the house.

Only when he was halfway through the doorway did Shi Long finally register: What did he understand? What exactly did he grasp?

Wait…

“I just want to ask them why.”

“I understand.”

Damn it!

He just wanted to know the masked man’s purpose! The reason for that purpose? He didn’t care about that at all!

Shi Long had calculated every possible outcome, but he never imagined Cen An wouldn’t respond! He wouldn’t respond!

Shi Long was furious. This Cen An was just rubbing him the wrong way!

A soft chuckle drifted from inside the house. Yu Lin, chin resting in his hand, drawled, “Some folks just aren’t cut out for scheming. They’d be better off leaving it to others. It’s laughable.”

Tian Yuan was still tapping his bowl impatiently. “Brother Cen, can we eat now? This meat smells to die for!”

Cen An shook his head helplessly and walked straight to the fire pit. “You’re a hunter—haven’t you eaten meat in three days? Coming to my place to eat like a big shot?”

Tian Yuan chuckled. “Is the meat Brother Cen cooked really that good…”

Beside them, Yu Fei opened his eyes in confusion. Seeing the figures outside, he instinctively murmured, “Kill them all…”

Cen An sighed. “Go back to sleep then!”

“Oh.” Yu Fei closed his eyes again, only to open them moments later. The aroma wafting through the air signaled that dinner was ready. Sleep could wait.

Shi Long was so enraged by Yu Lin that he nearly toppled backward. He tried to retort, but saw the other man hadn’t even glanced his way before diving into the pot to scoop out meat!

At the doorway, Qu Yue sighed, straightening her posture. “As members of the Ability Squad—as ability users—you trespassed into an ordinary household late at night. This is knowingly breaking the law, which carries an additional penalty. You will serve eight months of labor. Any objections?”

The men in black glanced around, simultaneously shaking their heads in shame. Though they hadn’t come here willingly, the fact remained they’d trespassed at night. Moreover, Cen An had been so kind, even offering to treat their injuries…

The entire group was willing to serve their sentence and make amends.

As for Jiang Ming, even if twisted into a pretzel, he couldn’t utter a single word.

Qu Yue turned her gaze to Shi Long, while Wang Lie stood up straight.

“Captain Shi… Shi Long,” Qu Yue’s voice was hoarse, “Several of them have confessed that you secretly directed their actions…”

Shi Long’s face darkened. “What? Are you framing me?”

“Whether it’s framing or not, it’s too early to say.” Qu Yue took a deep breath. “Captain Shi, please remain in the stone cell for a while. We’ll discuss this further once the matter is thoroughly investigated.”

“Qu Yue, you’ve gone mad!” Shi Long roared. “How dare you lock me up? Guards! Get him!”

He waved his hand. The black-clad men glanced around hesitantly, none willing to step forward. They were already willing to accept punishment themselves—why add to their crimes by aiding this former boss who held them in such contempt?

Seeing their expressions, Shi Long roared in fury, “You…”

Before he could finish his tirade, Qu Yue’s vines had already closed in.

The fire dragon followed close behind.

Zhao Wu didn’t intervene—not out of mercy, but because he was hungry too, busy scooping meat inside.

Knowing tonight’s matters would likely stretch into late night, Cen An had already mixed a basin of dough. Now he pinched off small portions, rolled them into thin pancakes, and placed them over the large iron pot. Each cooked in just thirty seconds—quick work.

Just as the pancakes were sizzling, a clatter erupted outside.

Cen An instinctively peered out to see fire, vines, and water swirling in a chaotic dance. Shadows bounced about in the darkness, indistinct figures leaping about.

He was about to squint for a better look when someone blocked his view.

Yu Lin beamed like a sunflower. “Brother Cen, Brother Cen! I want to make pancakes too. Will you teach me?”

Cen An snapped back to reality, rubbing his temples. “Don’t go wasting my flour… If you’re bored, go tend the fire.”

Yu Lin didn’t mind. He sat down cheerfully by the fire pit and adjusted the flames to a lower level.

Cen An understood they didn’t want him looking outside, so he stopped and focused solely on baking the flatbreads.

Tian Yuan stood nearby, slicing the braised meat. His knife skills were excellent; he cut the meat into thin slices, perfect for wrapping around the flatbreads.

Zhao Wu supervised nearby, keeping watch to prevent the cooks from sneaking bites—while occasionally sneaking bites himself.

They’d expected the fight outside to drag on, but within ten minutes, Shi Long was tangled in vines and tossed beside Jiang Ming.

This was only because Qu Yue and Wang Lie had shown mercy. As for why…

Shi Long was truly terrible in a fight.

He’d never been good at combat, only ever tagging along behind Liao Yongzhi to support. Now, after years of stagnation in the village without practice, his fighting skills had deteriorated even further.

A Level 3 Water Ability User, yet his combat prowess was likely inferior even to a Level 2 Ability User.

Qu Yue waved her hand, signaling for the group to be taken away—those who needed to be detained would be locked up, those who needed questioning would be interrogated. She and Wang Lie then entered the house together.

Neither of them looked particularly pleased. They had won the fight, but thinking about the beaten man, thinking about the past…

“You’re here! Come eat, we’ve been waiting for you.”

The words snapped them out of their gloom. They looked up to see Cen An beaming and waving at them, as if they were just ordinary guests arriving for a meal.

Warm steam enveloped them, carrying the rich aroma of meat and wheat. The two, who had been lost in their own thoughts, suddenly felt revitalized.

Wang Lie rubbed his nose and chuckled, “I’ve heard for ages that Brother Cen’s cooking is amazing. Today I finally get to taste it.”

Cen An smiled, “Today, I’ll make sure you eat your fill.”

They gathered around the table as braised meat and flatbreads were served one after another, accompanied by a plate of finely shredded scallions.

Cen An showed them how to roll the flatbreads, and though their attempts were messy, they stuffed the rolls into their mouths.

It was delicious, indeed.

The braised meat, having soaked overnight, was even more flavorful than when freshly cooked. The meat had turned a deep reddish-brown. When you picked up a thin slice and gave it a gentle shake, glistening sauce dripped off.

The flatbreads were so thin they were almost translucent, dotted with sesame-like specks. Still warm from the oven, they were delicious even plain—let alone wrapped around thick slices of marinated meat… topped with tender, spicy scallion threads!

A mouthful bursting with meat, vegetables, and bread… pure heaven! What? Crystal core? No way! Not trading!

Ability users are all big eaters. Cen An braised over ten pounds of roe deer meat and made plenty of pancakes—enough to fill them all.

The group tucked in heartily, devouring pancake after pancake as if they were cookies.

Partly because the wraps were delicious, partly because they’d pulled an all-nighter and were genuinely starving.

After the meal, as usual, he brewed a handful of herbal tea. Just as she took a sip, Qu Yue slammed the table and erupted: “Damn it! This is infuriating! What the hell is wrong with that bastard Shi Long? Is his brain scrambled doing such shitty things? Playing with my feelings! I used to treat him like my own father…”

Zhao Wu, beside her, dared not utter a word. Thank goodness he had multiple fathers-in-law…

Cen An listened silently. As an outsider, he naturally couldn’t grasp the feelings the Ability Squad harbored for Shi Long. He hadn’t deliberately targeted Shi Long today; he’d only wanted to verify the purpose of their visit.

He hadn’t expected Shi Long to be so straightforward and just blurt it out.

“There’s one more thing…” Cen An began, drawing everyone’s gaze.

He glanced toward the inner room and whispered about Xiao Yi’s situation. “I hope this matter can provide some closure for Xiao Yi.”

As soon as he finished, Qu Yue slammed her fist hard on the table. Wang Lie quickly interjected, “Brother Cen, rest assured. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

He hadn’t meant to interrupt; he simply knew Qu Yue was likely too enraged to speak.

A group of adults—ability users, no less—bullying an orphan with no parents. If word got out, the Ability Squad’s reputation would be utterly ruined.

The Ability Squad’s authority to maintain village security didn’t stem from ability users being inherently superior. It was earned through the strict discipline enforced by former leaders Liao and Shi, and the squad’s relentless efforts—clearing mutant beasts, battling natural disasters, and protecting villagers.

But what remained of the original squad now?

Captain Liao’s psychic outburst hadn’t fully healed, and Captain Shi had…

Qu Yue and the others all looked utterly dejected.

Cen An didn’t know what to say either, only silently refilling their tea.

They chatted for a while longer until dawn approached, then each went home to sleep.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Having gone to bed late, he woke up a little later than usual.

Cen An opened his eyes. Sunlight seeped through the window cracks, landing precisely on the other bamboo cot—Xiao Yi sat on the edge, lost in thought.

The child hadn’t slept well these past days. Though Jiang Ming and the others had only intervened yesterday, they’d actually been tailing him for days. It seemed the moment he left Cen An’s place, he was marked.

Xiao Yi wasn’t an ordinary child. He’d detected the tail on the very first day, leaving him perpetually on edge, almost keeping one eye open even while sleeping.

He was almost accustomed to this life of constant unease… yet unexpectedly, after Cen An coaxed him to sleep last night, he’d closed his eyes and slept straight through until dawn.

The sounds of people coming and going throughout the night hadn’t roused him. Even the adults drinking tea and eating meat in the dead of night hadn’t woken him.

This was utterly unbelievable to Xiao Yi. It wasn’t until he saw the traces outside this morning that he pieced together what had happened last night…

He realized it was partly because he’d been so exhausted lately and truly needed proper rest. But another reason was probably that that person was there, making him feel exceptionally at ease?

That person had said children should sleep well, and so he had actually slept well… Thinking of this, Xiao Yi’s face flushed slightly. He wasn’t a child anymore…

“Been awake long?” A slightly hoarse voice sounded. Xiao Yi startled, quickly shaking his head and stammering, “Not… not very long…”

Cen An rubbed his temples as he rose. Glancing at the sky, it was around nine in the morning—the child must be hungry.

After washing up, he walked to the outer room. Xiao Yi followed closely behind, silent and trailing like a little shadow.

Cen An couldn’t help but curve his lips. A thought he’d had before came back to him clearly.

He lifted the lid of the iron pot to reveal a piece of braised pork and several small pancakes—leftovers from the night before.

He swiftly rolled two pancakes, shoving one into Xiao Yi’s mouth and tucking the other between his own teeth. Pouring two cups of hot water, he made a simple breakfast.

He himself was fine, though the braised meat felt a bit heavy first thing in the morning. But he wanted to save some for Xiao Yi to taste. The child seemed to have grown thinner in the few days they hadn’t seen each other.

So, of the four rolled cakes, Cen An ate only one, feeding the remaining three into Xiao Yi’s mouth.

Today was the day to head into the mountains. After the Gloomy Rain Period ended, Cen An hadn’t ventured into the mountains yet. Yesterday, Qu Yue mentioned that the Ability Squad had already searched the nearby mountains and hadn’t found any high-level mutant beasts, so it was safe to go in.

As for low-level mutant beasts, well, they were impossible to keep track of.

Cen An looked at the child in front of him, thought for a moment, and said, “Xiao Yi, I’m heading into the mountains today. Would you mind staying home?”

Xiao Yi froze, then protested urgently, “I can go too! I can help you!”

He couldn’t just eat this man’s food for free. During the Gloomy Rain Period, he’d stayed here and even received subsidies from the Ability Squad. But now, what did he have? He’d nearly lost even the vegetables he’d been given. 

Xiao Yi’s eyes stung as he stammered, “I… I can pick mushrooms, gather wild greens…”

Cen An paused, exhaling softly. He ruffled the child’s hair, his voice growing gentler. “Brother knows you’re very capable. In fact, I have a favor to ask. Look here.”

He pointed to a pile of vegetables in the corner of the outer room. “These are for Yu Fei and the others. Could you deliver them? You know these are important and need to be kept confidential. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with them.”

These were the vegetables already allocated for several friends. It was just that yesterday had been too late, with too much going on, and Cen An had forgotten. 

Xiao Yi naturally agreed without hesitation. He listened carefully to Cen An’s instructions: eight cabbages for one family, five white radishes for another, six sweet asparagus for yet another…Being small and weak, he could only carry a limited amount at a time. These vegetables would keep him busy delivering all day.

After listening attentively, the child slung a leather pouch over his shoulder, hoisted the eight cabbages, and headed out. His little face was set in a serious, alert expression, as if undertaking some crucial mission. Cen An chuckled quietly behind him. Kids were so easy to fool. 

Shaking his head, he began preparing for the mountain trip. The most urgent need, of course, was materials for upgrading his house. He decided to venture a bit farther afield. First, while nearby mountains did yield timber, the supply was limited. After all, villagers needed these resources too. Cen An’s consumption alone equaled that of several households, and he had no desire to compete with them. Second, the upgrade materials included uncommon items like hardwood and softwood. He’d need to explore the map thoroughly to gather them, at least mapping out the surrounding areas.

Since this meant venturing far, preparations were extensive. Weapons were essential—his iron sword was a must, serving as a multi-purpose tool for Cen An. He still had 15 Azure Blast Crystal Pills left; since they only took up one backpack slot each, he naturally packed them all.

Rejuvenation Paste, Recovery Potions, and Monster Repellent Powder went without saying. The single vial of Dew Essence was the absolute priority. While this potion couldn’t literally raise the dead or regrow bones, it could certainly save a critically injured person—a true lifesaver.

With all this ready, Cen An flipped his hand, producing a stack of snakeskin. When the snake horde attacked, he’d complained about the foul stench and the terrifying sight of snakes everywhere. But now that he had the skins, they were suddenly precious.

Snake skins could be used for many things, but right now, he needed only one specific item. He opened the recipe:【Snake Skin Light Armor Recipe: Required Materials: Snake Skins x30】

Cen An had over forty snake skins on hand, so he immediately selected Craft. A flash of white light erupted, and the system ejected a gray leather armor set.

【Snake Skin Light Armor:Type: Equipment Effects: Defense +3, Stealth +2Note: 30% chance to be mistaken for a fellow serpent when encountering mutant beasts.】

Defense +3, Stealth +2—no matter how you slice it, this was excellent gear for the early game. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, Cen An equipped the Snake Skin Light Armor.