Ren Xiaosu stood at the entrance of his shack, watching the band walk away. Old Wang was still beside them, apologizing nonstop: "Ren Xiaosu does have a bit of a mental issue, but not like this! Let me explain…"
The band's staff didn't want to hear any of it."Wang Fugui, I'm giving you six hours to find a suitable guide. Even if this kid weren't crazy, we wouldn't use him. We depart at dawn—don't cause any more trouble!"
Ren Xiaosu stood there grinning, watching the scene unfold as if it had nothing to do with him. But at that moment, the girl in the baseball cap—the one from earlier—suddenly turned back and looked at him.
Ren Xiaosu instantly felt as though she had seen right through him.
He hadn't even seen the expression beneath her cap, yet he felt his heart skip.
Instinctively, Ren Xiaosu activated his "Skill Learning Map," and the palace voice echoed:
"Randomizing target skill…"
"Randomizing?"
"Randomly selected the target's firearm skill. Learn it?"
"Learn!" Ren Xiaosu answered quickly. If he didn't learn it now, the skill map would disappear anyway.
"Learning complete. You have acquired Advanced Firearms Mastery."
"Hold on—didn't I receive only the basic-level skill map? Why can I learn something advanced? Shouldn't it be beginner level?" Ren Xiaosu asked internally.
The palace replied:
"There are only two types of learning maps:
Basic-level map — can directly learn any skill below master level, including advanced skills.
Master-level map — once you possess an advanced skill yourself, you can learn another person's master-level skills, and there is a chance to acquire their supernatural abilities."
Ren Xiaosu froze.He could learn someone else's supernatural ability?!
He thought for a moment about the girl and asked:
"Can you tell me her firearm skill level?"
"For targets whose skills you've learned, I can disclose."
"What's her level? Master?"
"…Perfect."
A basic map could let him learn any non–master level skill at random.A master map required his own skill to reach advanced before he could learn master-level techniques—or even supernatural powers.
The palace judged the levels, and while the success rate wasn't guaranteed, the possibility of copying supernatural abilities made Ren Xiaosu's heart race.
Before this, he and Yan Liuyuan had debated whether supernatural abilities varied in strength.Ren Xiaosu believed the ones suited for fighting were stronger; Yan Liuyuan, who had the "good luck" ability but couldn't fight, insisted all abilities were simply different, not stronger or weaker.
But now…An ability that could copy other people's abilities—how strong or weak could that be considered?
Still, what shocked him most was that girl.
The moment he acquired advanced firearms mastery, his head was flooded with firearms knowledge, merging into instinct.
He now understood models, disassembly, maintenance, usage, recoil—everything—as if he had practiced for ten years.
Accuracy?A score of 95/100 within 100 meters seemed to be the standard for "advanced."
But none of that excited him as much as the palace's evaluation of the girl—
Perfect firearms mastery.
Ren Xiaosu couldn't even imagine how strong a master-level shooter was, let alone someone perfect.
Someone like that… working in a band?
It was clear the mercenaries and band staff had no idea they had such a terrifying figure among them. They treated her like an ordinary staff member.
She probably didn't expect Ren Xiaosu had obtained her secret through a mysterious ability, either.
Good thing Ren Xiaosu had refused to join them.This decision now felt even wiser.
He felt a strange thrill at having learned something others didn't know.
"Brother, why are you staring at her back like that?" Yan Liuyuan poked his head out of the shack.
Ren Xiaosu was startled from his happy thoughts. He looked back at Yan Liuyuan, ready to put on his older-brother authority, when the curtain of the neighboring shack suddenly lifted.
A female voice asked, "Whose back? Where?"
Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan froze.The person who came out… was Xiao Yu!
Yan Liuyuan asked curiously, "Sister Xiao Yu, how come you're in the shack next door?"
Xiao Yu brushed her hair and smiled. "I moved here. I'll be your neighbor from now on."
"What about the family of three who lived here before?" Yan Liuyuan asked. "Where'd they go?"
"I traded living spaces with them," Xiao Yu explained.
Yan Liuyuan dragged Ren Xiaosu back into their shack and whispered, "Brother, Sister Xiao Yu really went all in! She used to live in a stone-brick house! That's a huge upgrade for them!"
Ren Xiaosu didn't respond. He simply ducked into the shack, and Yan Liuyuan gave Xiao Yu a polite smile before following.
Inside, Yan Liuyuan suddenly asked:
"Brother… you're still a virgin, right?"
Ren Xiaosu glared at him. "Liuyuan, you're not that little anymore. I think it's time we had a talk about certain… educational topics."
Yan Liuyuan instantly sat upright, serious."Okay! If you don't understand anything, just ask—"
Before he could finish, Ren Xiaosu kicked him flat onto the ground. But Yan Liuyuan didn't get angry; he just giggled.
"You're getting way too bold," Ren Xiaosu muttered, fixing the bedding. "Try not to mess with Sister Xiao Yu. Don't go matchmaking nonsense. With the state we're in, we can barely take care of ourselves, let alone others."
"Okay…" Yan Liuyuan nodded obediently. "But she brings us potatoes and medicine, and she cares about you so much. Are you really just going to ignore her?"
Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment."The most important thing in life is to act openly and have a clear conscience. And if you happen to not have a clear conscience… convince yourself until you do."
Yan Liuyuan: "???"
He had been ready to listen earnestly at the first half, but by the second half he was completely lost.
But maybe… this was the real Ren Xiaosu.
In this world, people like Ren Xiaosu might actually survive better. And Yan Liuyuan didn't mind at all what kind of person Ren Xiaosu was. Every bit of pettiness and vigilance came from the scars he had survived.
Yet Yan Liuyuan also knew—Ren Xiaosu still had unspoken thoughts in his heart.