The Great Martial Saint!

On Liuye Street, there were many vendors and pedestrians coming and going, but Chen Ping'an and his companions didn't encounter any fights or brawls. 

Weishui County was no ordinary small town—it was a bustling county seat with strict order. Although there were many gangs and factions of varying sizes, they all adhered to an unspoken rule: unless absolutely necessary, no open conflicts would break out. 

Well, at least on the surface, that was the case! 

Any fierce disputes had to remain behind the scenes. If a large-scale brawl broke out in broad daylight, where would the face of the Nanquan Lane Town Patrol Office be? If something like that happened, the offenders would be dealt with harshly! 

The entire morning passed without incident. 

The Nanquan Lane Town Patrol Office provided lunch. After patrolling all morning, Chen Ping'an, Houzi, and Dashan returned to the office to eat. 

Most of the time, they ate at the office. After all, eating outside cost money, and saving that money could be put to better use! Unless someone treated them, they wouldn't eat out. 

The food at the office wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. A small meat dish with a bit of oil, two fresh vegetable dishes, and unlimited rice. 

After getting their food, they found a spot, sat down, and started eating. 

Having only eaten porridge in the morning and patrolled all morning, Chen Ping'an was starving. Perhaps because he had started practicing Iron Shirt, his appetite was much better than usual. He devoured three large bowls of rice before stopping. 

This scene surprised Houzi. 

"Ping'an, what's wrong with you today? You're eating like a starving ghost!" 

"I didn't eat much in the morning, so I'm really hungry today," Chen Ping'an replied with a laugh. 

"I'm so tired of these dishes. It's the same few things over and over again!" Houzi complained, looking at the oily meat dish. 

Among the three, his family was the wealthiest, so he was more particular about the food. 

Before Chen Ping'an could respond, Dashan let out a loud burp. 

"Burp~" 

"You oaf!" Houzi slapped Dashan lightly. 

Dashan chuckled and scratched his head. 

The life he was living now was like a dream compared to his family's situation. He didn't have to do heavy labor or work in the fields. All he had to do was walk around with a saber, and he got free meals! 

It was incredible! 

Plus, walking around the streets, he felt incredibly威风 (impressive)! 

"The captains have it so much better than us! Their food is way better!" Houzi put down his half-finished meal, leaned back, and sighed. 

The lunch provided by the Town Patrol Office was the same for both full-time officers and temporary ones like them. But for captains, the food was much better. 

From what they had observed, captains got at least two meat dishes, with unlimited vegetables. And these meat dishes weren't like their small, oily ones—they were full of rich, fatty goodness! 

"Envious?" Chen Ping'an glanced at Houzi. 

"If you're envious, why don't you start practicing martial arts? The captains are all martial arts experts. Without enough rich food, how could they have the strength and energy to train?" 

At the mention of martial arts, Houzi deflated. 

"Forget it, I'm just not cut out for that! Dashan might be, though. Right, Dashan?" 

"Yeah, I've been practicing my strength!" Dashan said in his deep voice. 

"Hahaha, Dashan's got ambition! Keep at it. When you make it, Ping'an and I will be basking in your glory!" Houzi clapped Dashan on the shoulder, grinning. 

"..." 

Chen Ping'an watched their banter, feeling both reassured and motivated. 

If captains enjoyed such a different standard of food, what about the chief officers? 

The chief and deputy chief of the Nanquan Lane Town Patrol Office had meals specially delivered to them every day. They could eat whatever they wanted, with no limits! 

In Nanquan Lane, these two men were like gods! 

The difference in food was just a small reflection of the hierarchy, but it represented power! 

After eating, the three of them rested for a while at the office before heading back to Liuye Street to continue their patrol. 

At noon, the sun was directly overhead. While they were supposed to be patrolling, they weren't exactly diligent. They found a secluded spot and lounged in the shade of a tree, resting comfortably. 

It was so much better to eat at the office! If they were ordinary laborers or servants, they wouldn't have the chance to slack off like this! 

First, they rested openly, then they slacked off in secret, all while earning their monthly salary. 

It was a win-win situation! 

Usually, Chen Ping'an only rested for half an hour to catch up on sleep. But today, perhaps because he had been practicing Iron Shirt the previous day, he slept for nearly two hours. 

By the time he woke up, Houzi and Dashan were already chatting. After waking, Chen Ping'an joined their conversation. They talked about street gossip, family matters, and all sorts of fresh topics. Even though they spent so much time together, they never ran out of things to talk about. 

After resting in the shade for over two hours, they finally got up and continued their patrol. 

By this time, Liuye Street was much livelier. Even the street thugs, who were rarely seen in the morning, started appearing. 

Some small-time hoodlums would run away as soon as they saw the trio patrolling with their sabers. But the more seasoned gang members weren't afraid of them. 

Of course, while they weren't afraid, no one was foolish enough to provoke them intentionally. 

When they saw the trio, most of the thugs either ignored them or gave a slight nod as a greeting. 

Only a few particularly shrewd and ambitious thugs would go out of their way to greet them. After all, while the trio wore official uniforms, they were still just temporary officers. 

They might look impressive on the street, but they didn't have much real authority. Once their shift ended, they had to return their badges and sabers. 

If the thugs wanted to curry favor, even Officer Qin wouldn't be enough. They would need to target the senior officers who were on the path to becoming captains! 

As they chatted, time flew by. The day passed without incident. 

When it was almost time, Chen Ping'an, Houzi, and Dashan returned to the Nanquan Lane Town Patrol Office to report. 

Even then, they still hadn't seen Officer Qin. 

When it came to slacking off, Officer Qin was the real master. Compared to him, their two-hour nap under the tree was nothing. 

After returning their badges and sabers, the three said their goodbyes and headed home.