Chapter 007: I Truly Am Here to Be Cannon Fodder

Old and decrepit as I am, I see that you are refined and cultured, unlike a martial artist. It would be wise to make plans early!

At least having a knife in hand means one is not completely defenseless

At this moment, Jiang Hao, dressed in uniform, walked directly towards a servant.

Quality: Ordinary (Even when dressed in casual clothes, taking it out can still prove your official status)

Combat power + 50

Listen to this old man, you should escape for your life

Alas, the bandits are powerful. With only this small number of people in my hands, wouldn't it just be delivering food if we went up? Enough, enough. Young man, you should go to the storeroom to collect your equipment and familiarize yourself with the environment. Tomorrow, be sure to rise early and do not be absent.

Now that I am a civil servant, I should not be treated poorly in terms of benefits

Recently, the bandits in the Xishan area have become increasingly rampant. The daughter of the prominent Su family in our city went to Hanyang for a visit a few days ago and was intercepted by bandits on her way back, with a ransom of 1,000 taels of silver demanded. The leader of these bandits was originally a disciple from a martial arts school, and his subordinates possess remarkable skills, with the Five Tiger Breaking Door Blade technique executed with great vigor. In the past, our Captain Wan could still engage him in a back-and-forth fight, but it is said that this leader has made significant progress recently. It is estimated that even Captain Wan would not be his match now. It is indeed difficult.

Salary? Haha, I fear it is only for those who have the life to earn it, but not the life to spend it

The Su residence truly lives up to its reputation as a prominent local household, its grandeur rivaling that of the government office, with two attendants stationed at the entrance

Jiang Hao went to the storeroom to collect a set of equipment from the accountant.

The accountant stood up unsteadily and walked over to a pile of bookshelves, rummaging through them as if searching for something

The county magistrate, feeling helpless, had no choice but to recruit talented individuals and extraordinary figures, hoping to eliminate the mountain bandits and rescue the young lady of the Su family

After a short while, the side door opened, and a young woman emerged. She had her hair styled in double buns and was wearing a plain, pleated long skirt, gracefully walking towards Jiang Hao.

Ding, your level has been upgraded to Lv. 2

Congratulations, Experience + 100, Experience Points + 50, Money + 1 tael of silver

Now the accountant is willing to say a few more words, which Jiang Hao could not have asked for more

[Pudao]: Standard weapon of the constables in Jiangzhou County government office

Jiang Hao realized the convenience brought by wearing a uniform. Clearly, ordinary citizens still fear the officials, so Jiang Hao found it much easier to handle matters. If it weren't for this outfit, the servants of the Su residence would undoubtedly have made things difficult for him.

Quality: Ordinary (This is the most standard type of clothing; do not expect its weak defensive capabilities to provide a sense of security)

Jiang Haoyue increasingly felt a sense of dread; even his own master had killed someone, which indicated an extraordinarily ruthless nature. Having grown up without even killing a chicken, to suddenly face such a challenging task was truly a hellish beginning

Searching while responding

Xiao Yu began to cry sadly after listening to it

May I ask what business you have with me, Your Excellency?

The day before yesterday, this Su gentleman came to seek out the county magistrate, but unfortunately, the constables in our yamen are all spineless. On ordinary days, they bully the villagers more ruthlessly than anyone else, but when it comes to confronting mountain bandits, they are like meat buns thrown to dogs—there's no return.

What? No salary? Only ten taels a year? Is that enough to eat? What else is there?

It is evident that the incident of the young lady of the Su family being kidnapped by bandits has become widely known throughout the city. Jiang Hao has also heard about it. The leader of the bandits in the Western Mountains is named Zhang Kui. Due to his master's unfairness in passing on the ultimate skills to his own disciple while excluding him, he devised a plan to kill his master. After seizing the secret manual, he fled to the Western Mountains to become an outlaw.

I am unaware of your presence here, esteemed official. What business do you have? If you are looking for my master, there is no need for trouble, as he has just gone to the yamen.

In the end, he reminded himself, Jiang Hao bowed to the old man and then exited the account room

May I ask, sir, how much is our salary for one month? When can we receive it?

Having completed the equipment acquisition and with nothing else to attend to, Jiang Hao reflected on everything that had happened to him, all of which began with the task he had accepted, a task that remained unfulfilled.

The exceptionally skilled Zhang Kui naturally gathered a group of bloodthirsty bandits, engaging in the business of robbery and plunder.

My father is usually in good health, so how could he suddenly fall ill? It must be because of my younger brother, who is utterly uneducated and spends all his time gambling, accumulating debts. Surely this has implicated my father. Last time, the debt collectors came to our door; otherwise, my father would not have sold me to the Su family as a maid. Now that my father's condition is uncertain, I, as his daughter, cannot fulfill my filial duties. Woe is me

Indeed, this is a scheme to conscript people as cannon fodder

Combat power + 10

Oh, there is nothing else. I have been entrusted by someone to deliver a message. May I ask if the maid Xiaoyu in the governor's office is available? I have a matter to discuss with her

Jiang Hao briefly explained the situation to the maid, Xiao Yu

Jiang Hao felt a sense of bitterness in his heart; the arrow was already on the string and could not be retracted. No matter what was said, it was too late, and he could only think about how to survive from now on

The badge of the constable: a symbol of the constable's identity in Jiangzhou County

Weapons can be stored in the backpack when not equipped, which can be considered a benefit for players

What? My father he ... ...

At this moment, a shout came from a distance, and a constable ran over, panting heavily

I have said all that I can, and further words would be of no benefit

Jiang Hao changed into a full set of equipment, fastening the waist badge at his waist, and placed his original clothes into the system pouch, which has 30 slots. At this moment, the clothes and weapons each occupy one slot.

Quality: Ordinary (A weapon that is slightly sharper, but should never be used to clash with a fine weapon)

The constables do not receive a salary; the annual "food allowance" is around 10 taels of silver. However ... ...

In the blink of an eye, we arrived at the gate of the Su residence

The Su residence is a prominent local household. By casually inquiring, Jiang Hao quickly learned its location. He glanced at the task deadline and realized he still had ample time, so he did not rush to go there, but instead strolled leisurely along the street.

Concerning his own interests, Jiang Hao had no choice but to remain vigilant. Without knowing whether the game he was in allowed only one life, he had to be cautious in all matters. Preserving his life was of utmost importance; if he were to die in the game, it would mean death in reality as well, which would be a tragedy. At 24 years old, he was in the most brilliant period of his life, and he had not yet lived enough.

Could you please clarify, sir

Ding, the task [Deliver a Message] has been completed

Oh, it is Xiao Yu. Sir, please wait a moment, I will be back shortly.

After speaking, Wan Butou no longer paid attention to Jiang Hao and went to the main hall on his own

As Jiang Hao entered the game, every detail he observed revealed an oddity, from Zhang San and Wang Wu to the sparsely populated government office, as well as the chilling atmosphere in the training ground, all exuding a sense of strangeness, as if a war was truly about to break out

After speaking, he no longer paid any attention to Jiang Hao

Yamen Officer Uniform: Standard equipment for the constables of Jiangzhou County Yamen

Upon seeing this situation, Jiang Hao immediately realized that there was more to the story. It seemed to him that this was a chain task, and the rewards should be considerable

"Wan Butou? Wan Butou? So you are here, I finally found you. Mr. Su is looking for County Magistrate Song again, and he is currently in the main hall. The magistrate is asking you to come over to discuss the matter of deploying troops"

The gentleman jested, where can I escape to now?