“Ah... This is comfortable.”
Matthew submerged his entire body into the warm pool water, leaving only his face from the nose up above the surface.
The pool water had a faint, milky white hue, and tiny, almost imperceptible particles emitting a soft glow seemed to be suspended within it.
An elegant aroma, a blend of crisp herbs and some mineral scent, drifted out with the rising steam. Breathing it into his lungs, it felt as though even his mind was instantly cleared.
He leaned his back against the smooth jade wall of the pool and closed his eyes, letting the specially prepared warm medicinal liquid envelop every inch of his skin and every single pore.
Almost instantly, a gentle and steady warmth permeated through his skin, sinking deep into his muscles.
Under the soaking warmth of this current, the tension and soreness in his muscle fibers—so subtle from his high-intensity testing and sword swinging that they were almost imperceptible—quickly eased and dissolved like spring snow melting away.
To his pleasant surprise, the effects of this medicinal bath went far beyond merely soothing his muscles.
He could clearly perceive that a certain gentle energy contained in the pool water was, in an extremely soft manner, resonating with and guiding the surging, active life energy in his body that had resulted from his recent breakthrough.
This external energy did not force its way in or act as a crude supplement. Instead, it was like a pair of invisible, dexterous hands, gently smoothing out the minute agitations and rough edges in his life energy cycle that might have arisen from his rapid advancement. It made the flow of energy more harmonious and smooth, spontaneously adjusting it toward a more stable and efficient state.
“You really get what you pay for...” Matthew marveled inwardly. The effect of this “Tranquil Spring” medicinal bath indeed far surpassed an ordinary relaxing soak.
“But it's also too expensive. A single session costs around five gold coins.”
Matthew felt distressed about his finances again for a moment.
“However, once I retrieve Nathan's treasure tomorrow, things should improve significantly.”
With his thoughts settled, he relaxed his mind and stopped intentionally guiding his energy. He simply felt the blending of the medicine and his body, enjoying this rare tranquility and nourishment after his breakthrough.
Time flowed slowly amidst the dense steam. With every passing second, his state edged closer to its peak.
...
Early the next morning, before the sky was fully bright, Matthew and Aidan quietly left the inn.
Avoiding the crowded streets along the way, the two walked straight toward that quiet courtyard.
Since he did not want to expose his identity, sneaking in was undoubtedly the safest choice. With his current Silver Rank Agility and Perception, moving during the hour when the morning mist had not yet dispersed would leave almost no trace.
The courtyard wall was not high. Matthew leaped and scaled over it, landing as silently as a falling leaf.
The two inside the house still seemed to be fast asleep. He gently pushed the door open and entered. The layout of the three-story building immediately mapped itself in his mind, and he quickly walked toward the second floor.
In an instant, he arrived in front of the mother and daughter's bed.
Before the mother and daughter could even open their eyes, he knocked them unconscious with precise strikes.
Matthew stood in the room, his gaze sweeping over the two calm but unfamiliar faces.
Judging from their faint resemblance to Nathan, he had indeed guessed correctly—this was Nathan's wife and daughter.
He could not detect even a hint of combat aura from either of them; they were clearly just ordinary people. Matthew could not help but feel a touch of self-mockery: it seemed he had indeed been a bit too cautious.
Yet, he did not lower his guard because of this.
When operating in an unfamiliar place, caution was never a mistake. Moreover, there was no difference whether he retrieved the contents of the chest early or late—it was nothing more than gold and silver wealth, which was not an urgent need for him. He was merely wrapping up this matter in passing.
He gestured for Aidan to begin, while he remained in the room. Keeping watch over the unconscious pair, he used this brief window to search their personal belongings for any clues that might be related to Nathan or the Blood Hand Gang.
In the courtyard, Aidan had already tiptoed to the old tree. Following the pre-memorized location, he quickly dug up the soil—
Before long, a large wooden chest covered in dirt was exposed.
He quickly whispered the signal they had agreed upon beforehand.
Relying on his Spirit perception, Matthew went downstairs immediately.
Seeing the wooden chest, Matthew could not help but smile, thinking to himself, He really didn't lie to me... This trip went quite smoothly.
He then signaled Aidan to take the wooden chest back to the inn.
He himself slowly walked back upstairs. Pulling a dark cloth mask from his breast pocket and putting it on, he stood before the bed of the mother and daughter, waiting for them to wake up.
As the morning light grew brighter, the mother and daughter slowly woke up.
The mother was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a thin face, slightly high cheekbones, and fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Her long brown hair was simply tied back, with a few loose strands hanging beside her pale cheeks.
Her eyes were light brown, currently filled with lingering confusion and dread. Her lips were tightly pursed, and she wore a faded linen dress. Her large, rough knuckles were clear evidence of years of hard labor.
The daughter was younger, looking only twelve or thirteen years old. She shared seventy percent of her mother's features, though her face still retained some childish roundness.
She had the same curly brown hair, which was messily draped over her shoulders. Her large eyes were now brimming with tears as she tightly clutched her mother's sleeve, her body trembling slightly in fear and helplessness. She wore old, patched clothes, and on her feet was a pair of ill-fitting old cloth shoes.
Seeing them wake, Matthew, speaking through his mask with a deliberately lowered and slightly altered voice, directly asked a few key questions:
Who were they?
What was their relationship with Nathan?
How did they make a living?
Why did they seem so indifferent to Nathan's prolonged absence?
The mother's reply was shaky, but she hid nothing.
They were indeed Nathan's wife and daughter, and they were unaware of his true identity, mistakenly believing he was a traveling merchant.
As for why Nathan had not returned home for so long, a trace of complex numbness flickered across her face as she whispered, “We... my daughter and I never ask about his affairs, nor can we. If he returns safely, it is a blessing. If he doesn't... life must still go on.”
The daughter merely hid behind her mother, sobbing softly and nodding along.
This response was no different from Matthew's previous deduction. It seemed Nathan's connection to his family had long since grown distant. This mother and daughter merely lived passively in his shadow, likely completely ignorant of his secret activities, let alone involved in them.
Matthew fell silent for a moment, a trace of hesitation flashing deep in his eyes. In the end, he pulled a small coin pouch from his breast pocket, counted out ten shiny gold coins, and gently placed them on the worn wooden table before them.
Without another word, he turned and quickly melted into the morning mist that had not yet fully dispersed, as if he had never been there.
...
...
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