Chapter 5 Unexpected Character Appearance

"I'm here to collect this month's wages," Xin Ci said, head held high.

"Wages? Xin Ci, I recall you already came to collect them a few days ago," Su Rong scoffed, seemingly dismissing Xin Ci's request as if it were a joke.

A good-for-nothing who could only chop wood for the Su family, and he expected to receive wages?

Mu Qingqing, watching from within the space of consciousness, saw Su Rong's ugly expression and understood. This guy was feigning ignorance, deliberately withholding Xin Ci's wages from his main personality.

"Heh heh, this extra doesn't know yet, but the male lead nowadays is not someone he can afford to provoke."

What followed was a scene she had eagerly anticipated. Mu Qingqing, from within the consciousness space, watched with keen interest.

Xin Ci's eyes darkened, his voice cold and stern, "I said, I'm here to get my wages!"

Su Rong was startled by Xin Ci's fierce gaze. What was with this kid? Usually, he wouldn't dare to talk back when Su Rong said a few words, but today he was so arrogant.

However, no matter how bold he was, this kid was ultimately a cripple who couldn't cultivate.

"I'm not giving you wages, and if you have the guts..."

Before he could finish, Xin Ci, having lost all patience, grabbed Su Rong by the collar and flung him out. He crashed heavily onto the ground, and before Su Rong could catch his breath, Xin Ci rained blows upon him.

Su Rong tried to resist, but found his Body Refining Triple Realm strength no match for this kid. He was quickly beaten black and blue.

"Hand over my wages quickly!"

"Stop hitting me, I'll give it... I'll give it to you, alright?"

What had gotten into this kid? His strength had increased significantly.

Su Rong, with his eyes half-closed, struggled to pull a bag from his clothes. It contained around five hundred wen.

After Xin Ci took it, he didn't stop his assault. Instead, he warned with a menacing tone, "I said all of it. Don't think I don't know that you've been embezzling my previous wages and pocketing them all for yourself."

"There's really nothing left. I already spent your previous wages."

"You ungrateful wretch!"

Xin Ci couldn't be bothered to argue further and landed another slap, sending Su Rong's head spinning. He reached into Su Rong's clothes and retrieved twenty taels of silver. This old scoundrel, still pretending to have no money. As an accountant, he had secretly withheld the wages of countless servants. Xin Ci had to teach him a lesson this time.

Seeing all his belongings confiscated, Su Rong dared not speak out of anger.

"Stop!"

A furious roar echoed. Su Zhuo, the supervisor of the Su family, appeared at the accountant's door, his face contorted with rage as he glared at Xin Ci. Su Rong, as if finding a lifeline, scrambled to Su Zhuo's feet. He clung to his leg and burst into tears.

"Supervisor Su, you're finally here! If you hadn't come, this kid would have beaten me to death."

"Xin Ci is arrogant and inherently malicious, a man of many wicked deeds. He dares to beat me, an accountant, right in front of you, Supervisor Su. He utterly disregards the Su family and shows no respect for you."

Su Rong, filled with resentment, complained to Su Zhuo, painting Xin Ci as deserving of death. Enraged by Su Rong's embellished account, Su Zhuo's face turned ashen.

"Xin Ci, I remember you made a mistake only yesterday, and today you dare to assault Su Rong? You truly have no regard for the law, and I see you have no respect for anyone in the Su family!"

"Supervisor Su, as the supervisor of the Su family, are you not being unreasonable by jumping to conclusions based solely on Su Rong's one-sided story?"

"Su Rong, as the accountant for the Su family, has been personally withholding the wages of the servants. Shouldn't you hold him accountable first?"

"This..."

Su Zhuo was momentarily speechless. Su Rong's private withholding of servant wages had his tacit approval, and a portion of the ill-gotten gains had also flowed into his own pockets. This made it difficult for him to criticize Su Rong.

Furious, he roared, "Xin Ci, what you're saying is merely your conjecture. But what I saw at the door, you beating Su Rong, is a fact. Don't think you can argue your way out of this!"

Seeing the look on his face, Xin Ci understood that these two had been colluding for a long time, truly birds of a feather.

"Supervisor of the Su family? How laughable," Xin Ci sneered dismissively.

"You! You cripple, I'll apprehend you and bring you to justice!"

Infuriated, Su Zhuo attacked. His body emitted six explosive sounds like popping beans. Body Refining Sixth Realm! His fingers formed claws, intending to capture Xin Ci.

Xin Ci didn't flinch. He balled his fist and met the attack head-on. With a resounding crash, they each retreated ten paces. Su Zhuo's hands felt sore, and his expression was one of horror. When had this cripple broken through to Body Refining Fifth Realm?

Xin Ci's situation was slightly better. Although his realm was one level lower than Su Zhuo's, his body, tempered by the Earth Spirit Milk, possessed strength far beyond that of ordinary people, comparable to Body Refining Sixth Realm. Xin Ci's fighting spirit flared. He stomped his foot and lunged forward.

Su Zhuo hurriedly responded, but facing Xin Ci's torrential assault, he found himself increasingly unable to cope. Panic began to set in. This cripple was too bizarre; despite being a realm lower, he was suppressing him. With a moment of carelessness, Xin Ci seized an opening and landed a heavy punch on Su Zhuo's chest. A sharp cracking pain shot through his ribs, and Su Zhuo let out a muffled groan. Before he could regain his footing, he felt a sweetness in his throat, a nauseating sensation rising from his stomach to his mouth.

"You... you...!" Before he could finish speaking, a trickle of blood flowed from his lips, and he stumbled back several steps, unable to stand firm. Xin Ci showed no mercy and intended to press his advantage. Su Zhuo, however, was terrified of this kid. He was no match for Xin Ci, and his expression was one of sheer panic.

"You impudent brat, cease your insolence!"

Just then, an angry shout rang out. A middle-aged man with a dark face suddenly appeared behind Xin Ci. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a mid-grade Human-tier martial skill—Fiery Palm—striking Xin Ci in the back. Xin Ci spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward with great force. His back clothes were incinerated, and his flesh was burnt and mangled.

"Cough... cough... this strength is at least Body Refining Ninth Realm..." Xin Ci's injury was severe, nearly costing him his life. Fortunately, his body had been tempered by the Earth Spirit Milk; otherwise, he would not be able to retain consciousness as he was now. Su Lie was also quite surprised. He was, after all, a Yellow Realm expert, and yet his full-force palm strike couldn't kill this kid.

Within the space of consciousness, Mu Qingqing's eyes widened in disbelief. "No way... Su Lie wasn't supposed to appear at this point in the original story..." "Could it be that the system was right, and the plot will change, with many things that didn't exist before appearing inexplicably?" Su Lie's early appearance was indeed unexpected. Xin Ci's current strength was insufficient to defeat Su Lie. Su Lie hadn't intended to enter the accountant's office; he had merely passed by and overheard the commotion of the argument.