HB Translations

  The past four days had seen Zheng Jun barely set foot outside his home. Other than heading to the market to buy meat and cook his meals, every waking moment had been consumed by rigorous, tireless practice of the 披挂刀 technique. As for why he hadn’t shown up for duty? Well, the office had granted him medical leave for his injury. Going in to “prove himself” during sick leave would have been outright foolish—was he trying to win Employee of the Month in feudal China? Burnout wasn’t worth it. That very afternoon, Zheng Jun—sweating profusely and dizzy from exhaustion—was hacking away with his broken saber once again. Then, a flash of inspiration struck him like lightning, blooming in his mind like an explosion. In that instant, his body and mind snapped into clarity. At the edge of his vision, lines of ink-like script from the Daoist Martial Tome manifested once again: 【Through persistent practice of the “披挂刀” routine, you’ve triggered a moment of insight. A new Trai...

  Faced with what amounted to two months’ worth of salary, Zheng Jun didn’t even bat an eye. He immediately declined the money, gripping Zhou Pu’s hand tightly and speaking with heartfelt sincerity: “I’ve been young and thoughtless these past few days. I’m already grateful for all the help you’ve given me, Brother-in-law! I can’t accept this money—let me treat you to a proper drink instead. Please, don’t turn me down!” The two taels and six qian paid for the broken blade weren’t cheap. But a standard-issue imperial saber from the Great Zhou wasn’t something you could simply buy with money. Even in the shadier corners of the world, one of these could easily fetch seven or eight taels—if you were lucky. After all, when the court forged its weapons, it didn’t use impure scrap metals. Had it not been for the recent demon-slaying campaign in Black Mountain—where a number of constables, bailiffs, and regional soldiers were killed—this broken blade never would’ve ended u...

   At dawn the next morning, daylight spilled across the sky. In the dilapidated courtyard, Zheng Jun splashed cold water on his face to stay sharp and awake. Though the night before had been spent eating meat and drinking wine, how long could a meal really take? Once dinner was over and there was no other entertainment to be had, Zheng Jun had ended up breaking off a firewood stick and practicing the Armored Blade Technique a few more rounds before falling asleep. [Current Debt Repayment Progress: 30/5000] After returning to his room last night, he had practiced the blade technique three more times with only a firewood stick—yet the debt only advanced by 15 points. So, using a stick instead of a proper blade does affect the result quite a bit, he thought. Zheng Jun shook his head and returned to the room after washing up. His muscles were slightly sore from all the practice last night, but he barely noticed it. Instead, he put on his constable uniform, feeling refr...

  Zheng Jun mulled it over silently. If that’s how it worked, then mastering the Armored Blade Technique —while admittedly rigorous—didn’t seem too difficult after all. But… no, wait! He was essentially cheating the system. After all, he was performing the technique with mastery already in hand. Of course he progressed faster. A true beginner, barely scratching the surface, would need several times longer to get through a single routine. Comparing himself to them wasn’t exactly fair. “ Good, good, good! ” At that moment, his brother-in-law Zhou Pu’s voice rang out in praise, snapping Zheng Jun out of his thoughts. Only then did he remember his sister and brother-in-law were still watching. He promptly sheathed the blade and walked over to them. “You rascal,” Zhou Pu scolded with a grin. “Turns out you haven’t been slacking off! That bladework of yours is better than your brother-in-law’s already.” He slapped Zheng Jun’s shoulder and added, “Didn’t I tell you? The commandery’s send...

“Zhao Da and Zhao Er—who are they again?” Zheng Jun paused, but quickly recalled the two brothers from the depths of his memory. Zhao Da was the head of the Soap Division, while Zhao Er was a fast-hand in the Rapid Response Unit. The two had a fairly decent relationship with Old Sun, the head of the Rapid Response Unit. Both brothers were bailiffs at the county office and were known for throwing their weight around. Just a few days ago, Zhao Er had one too many drinks—three taels of “horse piss” (cheap alcohol)—and picked a fight with Zheng Jun. Things nearly turned physical. Since then, Zhao Er had been watching Zheng Jun like a hawk. When orders came down to capture the thief known as “Wave Treader Lou Wei,” it was Zhao Er who assigned Zheng Jun to guard the gate alone. “Brother-in-law, what are you thinking? Killing an officer is a serious crime—you can’t bear that kind of burden,” Zheng Jun said helplessly, spreading his hands. “I just practiced the Armored Blade techn...

  The Great Zhou Dynasty. Bo Prefecture, Pingzhang Commandery, Heishan County. The county streets were empty and silent. Cobblestone roads stretched like winding rivers, flanked by old tiled houses casting jagged shadows. A chilling stillness filled the air, carrying a subtle aura of death. Autumn had arrived, bringing a sharp bite to the wind, and with the setting sun slipping below the horizon, the city felt even colder. Bathed in the dying glow of sunset, a constable clad in tattered official garments leaned against the doorway of a tiled house. Blood trickled from the back of his head, staining the ground beneath him crimson. The cold was unmistakable. The constable, sprawled on the threshold, suddenly shivered. His eyes fluttered open in a daze. “Hiss—” A sharp pain surged through his skull. Zheng Jun sucked in a breath, his head swimming. He cradled the bleeding back of his head and curled into a corner. At the same time, a flood of unfamiliar memories poured into his mind. “...