Chapter 52: Their Past Selves Are Dead

Cai Xianggao was deeply shocked.

The two people he had just thought of were legendary figures.

Years ago, their names had resounded through the land.Th.ê most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m

As a child, he had admired heroes, so he had paid particular attention to them.

That’s why their names felt so familiar when he heard them.

“But are these two really the same people I know?” Cai Xianggao muttered to himself.

The two figures in his memory were heroes.

But look at Niu Jinxi now—dark-skinned, fat, and ugly—how could he have the aura of a hero?

Of course, judging by appearance alone was wrong.

It didn’t prove anything.

But what about Wei Wentong?

He reeked of alcohol, was unkempt, and bullied the common folk.

None of this matched the heroes in his memory.

Cai Xianggao suspected these were two different people with the same names.

But it was too much of a coincidence for two such people to end up together.

His curiosity piqued, he decided to ask someone.

He approached the strange old man with the sarcastic tone. “Sir, I have something to ask.”

The old man, never letting go of his black box, held it in one hand while the other was behind his back.

But then, he vanished.

Cai Xianggao, a child at the time, couldn’t find out where Wei Wentong had gone.

Over time, he had forgotten about him.

Niu Jinxi was a similar figure, but his battlefield exploits brought him fame.

Born in the borderlands, Niu Jinxi had immense strength, making him a perfect soldier.

He joined the border army and participated in countless battles over ten years, earning the nickname “One Man Army.”

When Cai Xianggao was twelve, Niu Jinxi did something extraordinary that made him famous. During a barbarian invasion, Niu Jinxi led five thousand cavalry across plains, mountains, and snowfields to the barbarian’s golden tent, capturing their nobles and even their chieftain.

His victory was unprecedented, as it was the first significant triumph against foreign enemies in hundreds of years.

Niu Jinxi became a household name, an idol for many, and a figure of legend.

But like Wei Wentong, he disappeared after reaching his peak.

People soon forgot him.

“Yes, it’s them,” the old man admitted with a cackling laugh.

“Are they really these two heroes?” Cai Xianggao found it hard to believe.

Jiangnan’s number one constable who solved seven major cases, and the border army’s one-man army who performed miracles—how could they end up like this?

It was beyond his imagination.

The old man sighed, his eyes filled with memories. “If not them, who else could they be? The number one constable of Jiangnan, the one-man army of the border—they’ve likely forgotten those titles themselves.”

Cai Xianggao swallowed hard, feeling heartbroken. “How did they end up like this?”

His childhood idols were shattered.

“How did they end up like this?” The old man laughed darkly, his expression turning grim. “Because their past selves are already dead!”