Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Drunkard Jack

The girl did not answer immediately; instead, she turned around, bent down, and gently stroked a pure white horseshoe orchid in the back garden, creating a beautiful curve.

"Shadia, do you know what conditions a person needs to meet to become a Transcendent?"

The Chief Maid furrowed her brow, deep in thought over the question.

Though she was literate and often read books, they were mostly about noble etiquette, introductions to noble emblems, or the daily management of estates.

The scope of this question frankly exceeded her knowledge.

After a good while, the Chief Maid, frowning delicately and with some hesitation, replied, "Talent?"

The girl let out a gentle smile: "You've got one right."

"To become a Transcendent, one must have four conditions simultaneously: determination, talent, perseverance, and opportunity."

"I had seen determination and perseverance in Rein, which is why I asked you to call him to the back garden."

"Just now, I confirmed that he indeed possesses considerable talent."

Upon hearing this, the Chief Maid said with sudden realization, "I see, but..."

"Miss, you just mentioned three qualities that Rein possesses, but didn't you say one needs four?"

"Shadia, are you talking about opportunity? I am his opportunity!" the girl declared, her face blooming into a radiant smile.

....

Inside the Flashgold Town Inn.

Bushy brows were deep in conversation with a burly adult male in a secluded corner.

"Drunkard Jack, here are 10 silver coins; just break that kid Rein's sword hand and it'll be enough," Richard said sourly to the adult male beside him.

Skillful, even with a talent?

If his hand is broken, I'd like to see how the boy will learn swordsmanship!

"Just 10 silver coins? That's not enough to buy me two days' worth of drink."

The man known as Drunkard Jack was still somewhat sturdy in appearance, having once been a mercenary.

Though he now spent his years frequenting taverns or mingling with streetwalkers, his strength was no longer what it once was.

"Richard, make it at least 15 silver coins, and I'll take care of that kid for you!" Drunkard Jack gestured for more money, greed shining in his eyes.

"Fine, 15 it is! But you have to make sure this doesn't get out," Richard gritted his teeth and agreed to the price increase.

After all, with the money he had on hand, he couldn't afford to hire a real expert; he could only rely on people like Drunkard Jack.

But to deal with Rein, that would suffice, right?

"Today he should be heading home to stay the night, and tomorrow evening he will return to the manor."

"So, Drunkard Jack, if you're going to act, seize the opportunity and make your move quickly!"

"Burp... No worries!" Drunkard Jack belched, patting his chest in assurance.

"Just a little brat!"

Before leaving, Richard gave it some thought and reminded Drunkard Jack, "That kid's got some talent for swordsmanship; don't capsize in the gutter!"

"Pfft! Don't forget, I used to be a mercenary! A mercenary!" Drunkard Jack muttered, scoffing at Richard's caution.

After Richard left, Drunkard Jack planned to have a couple more drinks.

But as he lifted his head, he inadvertently caught sight of a familiar figure walking past the front of the tavern.

"Eh? Isn't that the kid, Rein?"

Drunkard Jack was overjoyed at once.

"Tsk tsk! Easy money!"

Immediately, Drunkard Jack stood up and began to follow him.

At dusk, as the sun set in the west, Rein hurried home, pondering what move Lady Creya would make next.

Would she recruit him directly, or would she say...

Suddenly, he heard the faint sound of footsteps from behind.

The wind whistled behind his head!

The effects of his agility raised to 7 points were now fully displayed.

Rein abruptly darted forward, causing the attacker's planned blow to the back of his head to miss entirely.

But Rein hadn't completely evaded injury; the strike still landed heavily on his back.

"Smack!"

A severe pain shot through his back, but it was much better than being hit in the back of the head.

At the same time, the attacker behind Rein had not expected his seemingly guaranteed strike to miss, and the person froze in surprise.

Seizing the moment of the attacker's hesitation, Rein quickly turned around and grabbed the stick used to attack him, pulling it with force!

The attacker, of course, was not about to let go and immediately gripped the stick tightly, but in his haste, he still staggered from Rein's pull.

With this pull, the attacker's mind momentarily relaxed.

Indeed, his opponent was just a youngster, whose strength was far from matching his own; even with the element of surprise, the young foe couldn't seize the stick from his hands, which was quite weak.

As he was thinking this.

"Snap!"

Rein delivered an extremely swift uppercut kick, striking hard at the center of his adversary's groin.

"Ahh!!"

The attacker's face went ashen as a pig's liver, releasing the stick in agony, clutching his groin with both hands, and immediately squatting down.

Rein, holding the stick, aimed it at the attacker's temple, and struck down hard!

"Bang!"

Without even a grunt, the attacker crumpled to the ground.

Only then did Rein start to breathe heavily.

Although the struggle had lasted less than ten seconds, it was his first time being attacked in this world.

It was a real fight!

Luckily, he had made significant progress in all his physical attributes and swordsmanship lately.

Otherwise, he might not have been able to react to the attacker's first blow in time.

He could have been taken down with just one strike of the cudgel!

Rein quickly looked up and scanned the surroundings.

At this time, most of the residents of Flashgold Town had already gone home for dinner, and there were few people on the nearby streets.

And Rein's home was at the end of the town's main thoroughfare, an isolated location, which meant even fewer passersby.

This meant that almost no one had noticed what had happened here.

After a moment's thought, Rein expended some effort to drag the attacker into the nearby woods and found a vine about as thick as a thumb to tie the person in loops around a large tree.

It was then that Rein ripped off the black scarf the attacker had used as a disguise.

"Eh! Isn't this... isn't this 'Drunkard Jack, ' who loiters in the tavern all the time?"

Flashgold Town was not a big place, and Rein immediately recognized the person's identity.

After a bit of contemplation, Rein thought of several suspects who might have been behind this deed—Bushy Eyebrows? Freckles? Or was it the other two scions?

Clearly, Bushy Eyebrows was the most likely.

After thinking it over, Rein woke Drunkard Jack up.

"Rein, you little brat, untie me right now!!!"

"Hmm....."

Rein swiftly pulled off Drunkard Jack's smelly socks and stuffed them into the fellow's mouth.

Although the dense forest had good sound insulation, to be on the safe side, Rein quickly covered his mouth.

A month's worth of stench from unwashed socks, once pressed into Jack's mouth, even made him tear up and drip mucus!

Rein, disgusted, rubbed the hand that had touched the opponent's smelly socks on the ground.

"I ask, you answer! If you understand, nod your head!" Rein crouched down and stared at Jack, who was tied up like a rice dumpling.

Apparently, the stench was unbearable, and Jack nodded his head frantically!

Rein took the dirty socks out of the mouth of Drunkard Jack and said, "Who told you to attack me?"

Drunkard Jack gasped for air and said, "Rein, you'd better let me go right now, or else...."

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Once again, Jack's mouth was gagged with the smelly sock.

Rein looked at Drunkard Jack fiercely and said, "Drunkard Jack, it seems you haven't grasped the situation. We're in the forest, and if I let a little blood, it won't be long before wild animals are attracted."

"You don't have relatives in Flashgold Town, and nobody cares about you there, so when people notice your disappearance, it's likely half a month will have passed."

"You say....."