3: Nightwalking and Unexpected Fortune

After applying the cheap liniment his second uncle had brought and drinking some broth he had barely managed to heat up, Qin Feng felt the piercing pain subside slightly now that there was food in his stomach. At least it was no longer like before, where every breath felt like needles stabbing into his lungs. He tried moving his limbs; though he was still weak and his joints felt rusted, he was finally no longer in a state of complete paralysis.

"This body is still too weak..." Leaning against the cold earthen wall, he felt the faint, stagnant chill in his chest—the mark left by 'Internal Injury Level 2.' The robust physique he had forged as a firefighter in his previous life stood in stark contrast to his current frailty, igniting an unprecedented thirst for power.

Time passed slowly amidst the silence and pain. Outside the window, the sky turned from a dusky yellow to an inky blue before being completely swallowed by the night. There was no lamp oil in the dilapidated shack; only the cold moonlight filtered through the window lattice, casting a few blurred patches of light onto the floor.

Qin Feng spent most of his time suffering in a state between sleep and wakefulness, partly due to physical discomfort and partly due to his intense anticipation for midnight. The System's daily refresh was his only current source of hope.

As the hour approached, he forced himself to stay alert and focused his mind on the System interface in his head.

When the moment arrived, the interface shimmered slightly and updated on time. Three new pieces of intelligence emerged, still emitting a common white glow.

[(White) The recent series of thefts of women's undergarments in the city was committed by Wang Er'mazi, a ruffian living in Sewer Alley of the West Market.]

[(White) The White Jade Kingfisher-and-Branch Pendant lost three days ago by neighbor Auntie Li is currently stuck on the edge of a magpie nest at the top of an old locust tree in the south of the city (approximately 790 meters from here).]

[(White) Beneath the fourth loose blue brick from the entrance of Qingshi Alley in the east of the city, there is a small iron box containing valuables.]

Qin Feng's gaze quickly swept over the first two. An underwear thief? This intelligence was truly... undignified. Auntie Li's pendant? He remembered her; that Auntie Li living nearby was a kind-hearted woman who had occasionally given him a pancake when he first arrived. She had been sighing for days after losing the pendant, which was said to be a memento from her wedding. It would be good to find it, but it wouldn't help much with his current predicament.

His breathing suddenly quickened when he saw the third piece of intelligence.

Qingshi Alley in the east, the fourth brick, valuables!

The word "valuables" was like a bright light, instantly illuminating his gloomy state of mind. No matter the amount, this could be the startup capital he desperately needed!

The sense of excitement overrode his physical pain and weakness. He no longer hesitated, took a deep breath, and struggled to crawl up from the wooden board bed. Every movement felt like his bones were falling apart, and a dull pain radiated from his chest and abdomen. Gritting his teeth, he leaned against the wall and shuffled toward the door step by step.

The night was deep, and most of Star South City had fallen into a slumber, with only the occasional sound of distant barking dogs. The moonlight was bright enough for him to barely see the uneven dirt road.

Qin Feng identified the direction and limped toward Qingshi Alley in the east as he remembered it. The journey of over three li would have been nothing more than a warm-up run in his previous life, but now it felt as long as a grand expedition. Every step aggravated his injuries, and cold sweat constantly seeped from his forehead, drenching his messy hair. He had to walk a distance and then stop to lean against a wall to catch his breath.

The cool night breeze blew against his weak body, bringing waves of chill. But the flicker of desire to obtain "valuables" in his heart sustained him.

About half an hour later, he finally saw the narrow and secluded Qingshi Alley. The alley was deep, flanked by mottled courtyard walls, silent and deserted.

Suppressing his excitement, he used the moonlight to carefully count the blue bricks from the alley entrance.

One, two, three... the fourth one!

The edge of this blue brick was indeed somewhat loose, with a slightly larger gap compared to the surrounding bricks.

He squatted down, a simple action that made his head spin again. He hooked his trembling fingers into the brick gap and flipped it over with force!

The blue brick was pried open, revealing a damp earthen pit. Inside the pit sat a palm-sized, rust-covered iron box!

Qin Feng's heart pounded like a drum. He glanced left and right to confirm no one was around, then quickly took out the iron box. It felt heavy in his hand!

He impatiently opened the lid.

In an instant, a glittering golden light dazzled his eyes!

Inside the box, coins engraved with intricate patterns were neatly stacked, shimmering with an alluring luster under the moonlight—Gold Coins! There was half a box full of them!

He did a rough count; there were about fifty!

Fifty Gold Coins! According to the exchange rate of this world, that was equivalent to five hundred Silver Coins or fifty thousand Copper Coins! To him, this was undoubtedly a staggering fortune! It was enough to pay the medical hall fees with plenty left over!

"Haha... Heaven never seals off all exits!" Qin Feng nearly wept with joy as he tightly gripped the cold iron box, feeling its heavy weight. This must be stolen loot hidden by some thief or someone else; now, it was his for the taking!

He carefully tucked the iron box into his robes, keeping it close to his body. The immense joy even made him feel as if the pain in his body had lessened slightly.

Now that he had the money, he thought of the second piece of intelligence. Auntie Li was a good person, and this pendant meant a lot to her. Helping her out while he was at it would be a good way to build some goodwill.

Relying on his excellent sense of direction and distance estimation from his previous life, combined with the memories of this body, he endured his fatigue and moved toward the south of the city. Sure enough, about seven hundred meters away, he found a lush old locust tree. Near the top of the canopy, a large magpie nest was faintly visible.

He picked up a few pebbles, aimed at the edge of the nest, and tried a few times. Finally, a pebble accurately grazed the edge of the nest, and with a "clack," a small white object fell from the tree, landing on the soft grass.

Qin Feng walked over and picked it up; it was indeed a white jade pendant carved with a kingfisher-and-branch design. The jade was warm to the touch and emitted a soft glow in the moonlight.

After completing all this, a wave of immense exhaustion washed over him. Carrying the fortune and the jade pendant, he dragged his even heavier steps and struggled back, one foot at a time.

By the time he returned to the dilapidated shack, it was almost dawn. He practically crawled back onto the wooden bed, hid the iron box and jade pendant, and before he could even take off his clothes, intense sleepiness completely overwhelmed him. Exhausted in both body and mind, he fell into a deep sleep that lasted until the sun was high in the sky the next day.

The sunlight streaming through the window lattice was somewhat glaring. Qin Feng slowly woke up, his first reaction being to reach for the iron box in his robes. Feeling the hard texture, he breathed a sigh of relief; it wasn't a dream.

His physical condition seemed to have improved slightly due to the sufficient rest. Although he was still in pain and weak, he at least had some strength.

He didn't delay. He took out a few Gold Coins, wrapped them carefully in a rag, took the white jade pendant, and pushed open the door to leave.

He first went to Auntie Li's house. Auntie Li was very surprised to see him, especially seeing his pale face and difficulty moving, and she repeatedly asked what was wrong. When Qin Feng handed the recovered white jade pendant to her, Auntie Li froze. Then, her eyes reddened as she took it with trembling hands, murmuring incessantly, "Found it... You really found it... Xiao Feng, you child, where did you find it? Your injury hasn't healed yet, why did you..."

"I found it by chance and thought it might be yours, so I brought it over." Qin Feng smiled and didn't say much more. "Please keep it safe. I have some business to attend to, so I'll be going now."

Ignoring Auntie Li's repeated thanks and her invitations to come inside and sit, Qin Feng turned and left. Having done a good deed, his mood felt a bit lighter.

Next was the main purpose of this trip—treating his injuries!

He identified the direction and walked toward the "Huichun Medical Hall in the north of the city" mentioned in the System intelligence. Carrying the "fortune" of fifty Gold Coins, his steps were still unsteady, but he had much more confidence.

The streets of Star South City gradually became lively, with the sounds of hawking and horse-drawn carriages filling the air. Qin Feng had no time for anything else and went straight to a relatively quiet street in the north. An elegant two-story wooden building with a plaque reading "Huichun Medical Hall" appeared before him.

He took a deep breath and stepped inside.