While the various parties were stirring restlessly, the end of the month was almost here.

No. 3 High organised a spring trip for Year 1 and Year 2 students. Those who didn't want to join only had to get a parent's or a guardian's signature and they didn't have to go. In this kind of situation, Yu Lanchuan would always sign the form in advance and leave it to Liu Zhongqi to decide whether or not to hand it in.

"Ge," Carrying a glass of milk, Liu Zhongqi chased after Yu Lanchuan and asked, "today's the deadline for registration. Aren't you going to sign for me?"

Yu Lanchuan paused in the middle of putting on his tie and said nonchalantly, "I advise you to go. Year 2's spring trip is basically the last group activity in your high school life. If you want to go next year, you won't have the chance anymore."

"It's not that. I just feel that it's a bit strange. Ge, are you purposely making me go elsewhere to stay for a couple of days?"

Yu Lanchuan's gaze shifted from the dressing mirror to glance at Liu Zhongqi.

"Oh, am I thinking too much… I keep feeling that the atmosphere in this courtyard here has been a little strange recently." The high school student who didn't bother himself with outside matters ran a hand through his hair and said rather as though to himself, "Maybe it's because Grandpa Yang is ill. No one is organising the morning exercise team and they just straggle around every day. I feel like the courtyard is no longer lively. There's no one next door too… By the way, is that big swindler on a trip? The last time I forgot my keys, I knocked on the door but no one answered."

Yu Lanchuan's eyelids dropped. "I'll change it to a fingerprint lock these couple of days."

Liu Zhongqi was startled. When they moved in, Yu Lanchuan had acted like he did not plan to stay there for long. All the furnishings in the house were the ones originally there. The few added items were basically those household items that the internet said could magically transform a rented place into a home.

"If there is anything else that needs to be changed, write them all down in a list and give it to me. When you're on summer vacation, I'll tidy up this place." Yu Lanchuan picked up his bag and prepared to leave for work as usual. When he reached the front door, he suddenly paused and asked Liu Zhongqi, "Do you still want to learn swordplay?"

Liu Zhongqi's eyes gleamed. "Yes!"

Yu Lanchuan studied him carefully with an odd gaze and asked, "What's good about learning swordplay? There won't be swords for you to use in the future."

Back then, the old Yu Huaide had asked him the same thing.

The teenage Yu Lanchuan had answered seriously, "Without a sword, I can use a stick in its place. Without a stick, I can still use my fists. After I learn swordplay, no matter what I encounter outside in the future, I won't feel completely powerless anymore."

The old Yu Huaide let out a laugh upon hearing that and told him, "How could there be something so wonderful, boy."

Liu Zhongqi stared blankly, then mumbled very honestly, "I just… want to learn. Why does it have to be useful? Then, what use is trigonometry and fill-in-the-blanks exercises? But we still have to sit exams for those so many times. If I learn swordplay, when I listen to wuxia stories in the future it'll feel even more real… Can that be considered a reason?"

Even if one studied a mountain of books, it did not guarantee a good life.

Learning a powerful skill that was unmatched in the world could not do that, earning a fortune could not do that, even having power and a high status could not do that.

"Sure. This use is not insignificant." Yu Lanchuan waved at him. "We'll wait until after your gaokao next year. I'm going to work."

Last winter, the Martial Arts General Assembly was organised like a mass arranged dating. Those who participated had all come in high spirits for the sole purpose of joining the excitement. They had brought their own snacks and drinks, and had come to see Old Alliance Leader Yu's grandson. A few days before, there were already people who had purposely hurried here from out of town. For the week before and after the event, there was an endless stream of visitors coming to Old Sect Leader Yang's home.

Who would have known that in less than a year's time, when Yanning had just started to recover from the harsh seasons and the spring blossoms were just starting to blossom, the affairs of the human realm had already turned completely upside down, a few cycles of the new replacing the old already passed.

This time, the small courtyard of No. 110 was silent and still. But when the last day of the month arrived, the people seemed to emerge from the ground, filling the space before anyone realised it. To Yu Lanchuan, those who came were mostly unfamiliar faces and there were barely any young people.

Old Sect Leader Yang entered on time. His hands were no longer holding the Dog Beating Staff. He sat in a wheelchair, Zhang Meizhen was pushing him.

Yu Lanchuan went over to greet him. Old Yang strained to lift his heavy eyelids, the age spots there a lot more prominent now, and smiled tiredly at him.

Yan Hao sent him a message: We're in the last row.

When Yu Lanchuan turned around, Yan Hao waved at him. Qiao-Qiao was sitting beside him, a baseball cap on her head. She had probably just come out of detention for a second time. She had gotten considerably thinner and her face was no longer bright and lively, and she looked like she had grown a few years older. Worried about the girl's mental state, Yu Lanchuan rolled his sleeves up and sat down on her other side.

"The few people behind Meizhen-jie can all be considered Travellers' Sect's people." Han Dongsheng came over and explained in a soft voice. "Meizhen-jie and Wang Jiusheng are actually not called 'Sect Leader,' they're called 'North Branch Master.' This is because Travellers' Sect is divided into a few sections. Other than the section here, there are also the ones in the south and in the west. They are basically made up of different groups. It's something like the 'wufu,' the division of near and far family relatives into five degrees of genealogical distance. Everyone minds their own business and they don't interfere with one another. This time, it's probably because there's a major announcement that they came to bear witness. Out of the four main sect elders of Beggars' Sect, three are held at the police station now. The ones here today are people I don't know… I heard that they retired a long time ago."

Han Dongsheng glanced at Qiao-Qiao. "...They all lost family members to that fire. I don't know where Old Yang found them."

Qiao-Qiao gripped her fists tightly.

Right then, Zhang Meizhen bent down and said something to Old Yang, then walked by herself to the barebones stage. She picked up the microphone and aimed it at the stereo system. A loud drone reverberated throughout the place, interrupting everyone's whispered conversations.

"It's me, the former North Branch Master of Travellers' Sect, Zhang Meizhen." Zhang Meizhen's gaze swept around the area, smile creases appearing on her bright red lips. "There are a lot of old friends here that I've not met for many years. I never thought that we would have the chance to gather everyone again."

Before she could finish her opening remarks, from below, someone called out in a sinister tone, "We, too, never thought that you would still have the nerve to stand here and talk. Zhang Meizhen, back then, for the sake of an outsider man, you put the sect on a fire to burn. How many of Travellers' Sect brothers have you harmed? Meanwhile, you dusted off your ass and just left like that. You didn't even care about whether we lived or died. What kind of shitty North Branch Master are you? Isn't Travellers' Sect just a tool for you to flaunt your status? Why, are your looks failing now so you can't hang on to that man taking advantage of you, or is it because Yang Qing isn't enough anymore that you finally remember us now, slut?"

After he spoke, burbling laughter rose from all around. There was an indescribable sense of vulgarity and obscenity in the air.

This kind of laughter was like a "background track" that would never fall out of fashion. As long as there was a woman standing in front of a crowd, as long as she was not a pure and saintly woman or a simple and down-to-earth mother, this track could be used.

"Who signed the Alliance Leader's Command? Little Master Yu? You gathered so many people here, just to make us listen to a hen clucking?"

"Zhang Meizhen, no matter how much lipstick you put on, your teeth are already falling out. If you have any shame left, you should cover up that old face of yours."

"Where's Little Master Yu? Come out and say something."

"Little Master Yu, you're still young. You shouldn't get the habit of worshipping every fart from an old lady, haha…"

Their words grew increasingly unpleasant. Yan Hao and Han Dongsheng both turned towards Yu Lanchuan."

Han Dongsheng said, "Little Master Yu, I still have a few friends. I'll get them to-"

"Can you tell?" Yu Lanchuan fished out his phone and texted Yu Yan. "Wang Jiusheng's back in the country."

Yan Hao looked at Zhang Meizhen on the stage. At the age of over seventy, her lipstick could no longer hide the sagging corners of her lips and the face powder trapped in her wrinkles stood out starkly under the bright lights. She was like the withered flower on a dried-out stick. "But… th-they are really too much."

After sending the text, Yu Lanchuan's eyes wandered around the perimeter of the area. Someone exchanged looks with him. Yu Lanchuan gave the person a slight nod and thought distractedly, Is Gan Qing here? Where is she hiding?

He said casually to Yan Hao, "What kind of storm has Zhang Meizhen not seen before? Would she care about a small scene like this?"

"Hah." Zhang Meizhen laughed. "I heard that just a few days ago, you people wanted nothing more than to bury your heads in the sand. Why, now that the one backing you people up has returned, you are confident again? Wang Jiusheng, if you can show your face openly just once in your life and come out to say a few things, then I'll say you're at least worth a little something."

"Are you worthy of speaking to our North Branch Master?"

Zhang Meizhen said, "Your North Branch Master keeps dogs but doesn't spay them. They shit all over the place, drool and hump table legs everyday, and all they can see with their eyes is a slut. Any passerby can call the police to check his dog license, isn't that right, Comrade Police?" Zhang Meizhen said.

Han Dongsheng snapped his head around to look at Yu Lanchuan.

"Why are you looking at me? This event has approval from the authorities." Yu Lanchuan put his phone away. "Otherwise, I wouldn't sign the Alliance Leader's Command for you guys."

Han Dongsheng, "..."

All at once, the place turned pin drop silent.

"I gathered everyone here today because of a few matters. Since someone is accusing me of not caring about whether my 'brothers' in Travellers' Sect lived or died back then, I have something to say too. Back then, those who were imprisoned had solid evidence proving their crime. They were involved in kidnapping and indirectly caused the deaths of those people. By the laws of any country, they would be jailed. Everyone, what do you think I should have done to show my care for them? Organise a jailbreak or bribe the public security officials for them?"

Her words were too sensitive. When she uttered the phrase "Comrade Officer" just now, many of them already became nervous. They suspect that Zhang Meizhen did not have any good intentions and wanted to use the mockery to set up a trap for them. For a moment, no one answered her.

"The people I didn't do anything for, did Wang Jiusheng do something? It's been thirty-six years. They've long since been freed. Those who took part in what happened back then, are any of them still alive now? Stand up and share with us."

A voice came from a corner. "He didn't."

Everyone turned their heads in unison to see a thin and small man stand up. His hair was greasy and streaked with gray at his temples, and he wore an ill-hitting outer garment that was stained all over with engine oil. Standing in the middle of the crowd, he swallowed, discomfited and flinching as he slowly rose.

"I… I'm Ruan Xiaoshan. Thirty-six years ago, because of this matter… I was imprisoned for seven years."

Right after that, another three to four people stood up silently. There were both men and women, all of them bearing the ashamed look characteristic of those who had been in prison. They stood in a row, their hands together like there were still handcuffs on them. Zhang Meizhen and Yang Qing had unexpectedly gathered the victims' families and the perpetrators together!

Qiao-Qiao shook and wanted to stand up. Yu Lanchuan and Yan Hao forced her back in her seat with a hand each.

At the same time, someone in a corner quietly took out their phone and swiftly typed out a message and sent it. A few seconds later, the phone showed that the message had failed to be sent.

The person finally realised that at some point, there was no longer any mobile signal in the event hall.