Aimless Ascension

Sun Ziang enjoyed playing Go, not just because he was good at it, though it was the most apparent reason. Go somehow helped in his abstract thinking, and also, it could give him the much-needed break from spirit arts.

He already played a couple of games with Grandma Yushen. He lost in the first game, though he made a comeback in the next one, though he wasn't sure whether or not the old woman was holding back. She had beaten him utterly in the first game, after all.

However, his current opponent–the old captain–wasn't much of a player. Sun Ziang could already see his victory, and it hasn't even been a quarter of an hour.

Well, everyone couldn't be an opponent like Aunt Min, whom he hadn't managed to win even once. A match with Aunt Min was always interesting, although it was terribly frustrating not to win.

Aunt Min had spent decades outside the clan, and she didn't cheap out on fascinating topics she came across to tell him.

Well, the old captain's experience was appealing, too. Although Sun Ziang wanted to know more about the war, which the old captain deliberately left out, Sun Ziang understood what he was lacking after hearing about his experience.

Experience, dependable comrades, and challenging situations. Perhaps that's why Mother sent him here in this backwater town to do some gruelling work.

"Looks like you have the game in your pocket already," Old Ziran, the enforcer captain, told him with a burst of mild laughter. "Well, that's the way of the world, younglings surpassing the old, though I haven't been that much of a player."

Sun Ziang made his move. He was about to reply when he felt changes in the atmosphere as a group of four entered the office as if they were the owner of the place. It was exactly like the prodigal son returning home.

Apart from the four, Sun Ziang sensed another presence, hidden, watching over the group.

Sun Ziang reckoned he was there to protect the young lords. He thought nothing of it and turned to view the newcomers. All of them were young, mostly his age or a bit older. Three of them were iron rankers and were led by a copper ranker whose arrogance seemed to reach heaven as he yelled inside the office, asking who was in charge.

"Old Ziran, you know them?"

"Young master of the Han family," the old caption said with an ugly expression, as if he ate a fly. "Along with his group, he's a top contender in creating trouble. You wait here. I'll see what he cooked up this time."

"No," Sun Ziang said and stood up immediately. "I'll deal with this."

"Are you sure?"

Sun Ziang nodded and stepped out to meet Young Master Han. It didn't take long for the troublemakers to find him in the office's hall as Sun Ziang stood out wherever he went with his attractive face, silver hair and aura.

"What's happening here?" the noble scion of the Sun clan asked sternly.

That earned a sneer from Young Master Han. "Are you the one who imprisoned my man?"

"Your man?" Sun Ziang raised an eyebrow. "Are you talking about the assassin I came back with last night?"

"Who else other than him?" Han Xiao continued, evident hostility in his eyes. "I heard you injured him severely. Is this how you make a first impression? Beating the people you're supposed to protect?"

Sun Ziang's eyes narrowed at the baseless accusation. "Your man was caught spying on others, harbouring malicious intentions."

"What malicious intention?" Han Xiao snorted. Still holding onto the tone of superiority. "He was just watching for a troublemaker. If such an act is a crime, then you have to capture me, too."

"I have that in mind," Sun Ziang admitted simply. "The prisoner had admitted he was spying on your order. Do you have anything to say about this matter?"

Han Xiao's eyes grew incredulous and then he burst into laughter. The three others joined a little late, brisking the whole office as if it were theatre.

"Did you hear him? Hahaha!" Young Master Han came forward to slap Sun Ziang on the shoulder. "Hahaha! How I've missed this! Do you know what happened to the last enforcer that tried to act smart before this young master?"

"I don't know, nor am I interested." Sun Ziang shrugged off the hand from his shoulder. "Also, don't act impudently like this with an enforcer. It is a punishable crime."

"Hahaha!" Han Xiao looked over to meet the old captain's gaze. "Hey, old man, are you hearing him? This new--"

The next word hadn't left Young Master Han's lips when his world tilted as he was shoved into the concrete ground, face first. He groaned exaggeratedly and tried to get up, but a foot on top of his back held him in place. No matter how much strength he exerted, it all turned futile against the boulder-like presence that stood above him.

"Throw him into the prison," Sun Ziang ordered.

The guards or the junior enforcers didn't move from the spot and looked at the old caption in the corner of their eyes. Whereas the three iron rankers moved closer to rescue Young Master Han.

"Bastard! Bastard!" Han Xiao didn't rest his scream, however. "You don't know what you're doing. You don't know who my uncle is."

Sun Ziang stared dead at the three iron rankers and flared his Silver ranked Qi, overwhelming them in pressure. One of them took the knees immediately, while the other two soon followed, eyes alert in terror of power.

"You'll pay for this. My uncle, he'll--"

The young enforcer exerted more pressure on his foot to silence the nuisance.

"Didn't you hear me?" Sun Ziang told him. "I'm not interested." He turned his head toward the guards. "Didn't you hear me? Lock him up. As for the other three, charge them with the usual fee for creating trouble inside the precinct."

Sun Ziang waited to see if the hidden expert would make a move, but he was disappointed to find the presence withdrawing.