Hunter 107: The Thief

As the battle began, Lin Jiu quickly pushed off the ground and dashed forward. The [Dawn Shadow] appeared in his hand, and a silvery-gray light surged along its blade.

The cyborg adeptly raised his arm, transforming it into a cannon-like weapon aimed at the rapidly approaching Lin Jiu, spewing fire.

Lin Jiu shifted direction, dodging the barrage. The cyborg tried to follow Lin Jiu's movements, but in the brief moment it took to adjust, Lin Jiu had already closed in, and a silvery-gray flash filled the cyborg's vision.

[The personal battle is over: 19 consecutive wins!]

[Hunter's rank increased from 6,734 to 4,643 (Tier 1).]

The battles in the arena continued...

By the time Lin Jiu's stay in the reincarnation paradise came to an end, his rank had reached 89, with an impressive 72 consecutive wins. After one more journey to a derivative world, he would have the strength to challenge the top ten.

[The hunter is about to return to the real world. Please remember the rules of Reincarnation Paradise.]

[You are forbidden to disclose anything about Reincarnation Paradise in the real world by any means. Violations will result in a warning, and failure to heed the warning will lead to the hunter's execution.]

[The hunter cannot use any abilities acquired in Reincarnation Paradise in the real world, except for personal attributes and passive skills.]

[Most equipment or items obtained in Reincarnation Paradise cannot be taken out into the real world and will be locked, becoming usable again upon returning to Reincarnation Paradise.]

[Teleportation begins. Destination: the real world.]

…

In a rural mansion far from the city's hustle, Lin Jiu brewed himself a pot of tea. If he got restless, he could go fishing. He felt as though he wasn't a hunter battling in derivative worlds but rather a retiree decades ahead of schedule.

This was a good way to relax, allowing his nerves—tensed from fighting in Reincarnation Paradise—to unwind. Perhaps this is why contractors were given a few days of rest in the real world.

Nightfall.

While watching some shows in his room, Lin Jiu's ears perked up. He heard faint footsteps climbing over the wall and into the yard.

His first thought was that another contractor had discovered his whereabouts in the real world. After all, the first time Su Xiao returned to reality from Reincarnation Paradise, he had trouble with a contractor who had been notified by a psychic mage.

He immediately grabbed the sword hanging on the wall and silently climbed onto the roof through the window. Unlike[Dawn Shadow] in Reincarnation Paradise, the sword he wielded in the real world was a standard three-foot Qingfeng sword.

With the sword in hand, Lin Jiu could feel that while it wasn't as well-suited as [Dawn Shadow], it allowed him to fully utilize his swordsmanship expertise. He realized that while [Dawn Shadow]'s saber-like form was convenient, it didn't let him fully exploit his swordsmanship techniques. It seemed he needed to find a more suitable weapon.

But that could wait until he returned to the reincarnation paradise. For now, he had to deal with the intruders on his turf.

The countryside environment was much better—clear skies and a bright moon. The moonlight allowed Lin Jiu, whose physical attributes far exceeded normal humans, to see the situation in the yard.

There were two figures in the yard, not contractors trying to test him as he had suspected. These were two local ruffians from a nearby village.

These thugs had been causing trouble in the village long after Lin Jiu had left. When he returned, the elders in the village had told him about them.

Watching the two sneak towards the house, Lin Jiu couldn't help but laugh. They had terrible luck, choosing to "reap the autumn harvest" right when Lin Jiu was home.

Another possibility was that he had misjudged their intentions—they might have noticed someone was home and came to cause trouble on purpose.

"Boss, are you sure this is okay? I think I saw a light inside. Maybe someone's home!" the young man with yellow hair, clearly the lackey, was anxious about committing a crime.

"What's the problem? Even if someone is home, they'll have to pay up when they meet me, Ding Wenqiang, Brother Qiang!"

Ding Wenqiang snarled, trying to reassure his nervous companion.

His real name wasn't Ding Wenqiang—it was Ding Dachang. After watching The Bund, he changed his name to Ding Wenqiang.

"I heard the owner of this new house is a rich young man. Since he's made it big, it's only fair he gives us some financial support."

Ding Wenqiang prattled on, oblivious to Lin Jiu silently landing behind them.

"Ah!"

Just as Ding Wenqiang was about to check inside, his lackey let out a scream, startling him.

"What are you screaming for? You want to… die… you!"

Ding Wenqiang turned to yell but found himself face-to-face with a shadowy figure, backlit by the moon, making it hard to see clearly. However, he could see that his lackey was being held by the figure, his arm twisted into a grotesque angle. It was broken.

He could also faintly see the lackey's contorted face, tears and snot streaming down from the pain.

Before he could say anything, his vision went black, and he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Ding Wenqiang barely opened his eyes, feeling as though all his ribs were broken. He found himself leaning against a wooden post in the yard.

Lin Jiu released the yellow-haired thug, tossing him aside. He had held back significantly, ensuring no one was killed.

He then knocked out both thugs, tied them up, and made Ding Wenqiang leave his fingerprints on a machete before calling the police.

Lin Jiu spent most of the next day at the police station, drinking tea. After an investigation, it was clear that both the yellow-haired thug and Ding Wenqiang were seriously injured, but Lin Jiu hadn't used excessive force. After all, breaking with the intent to rob is a serious crime.

Carrying a weapon while attempting to commit a burglary, even if unsuccessful, is a major crime under Article 263 of the Criminal Law, which stipulates that for robbery involving breaking, the punishment is ten years to life imprisonment or the death penalty, plus fines or confiscation of property.

For attempted robbery, the penalty can be reduced by up to 50%, but it still means at least five to ten years in prison.

Ding Wenqiang and his gang of thugs only bullied the elderly and farmers in the village who didn't know the law, growing more arrogant over time. But this time, they met their match in Lin Jiu.

The case was resolved quickly, partly because of Lin Jiu's record. When his information was uploaded to the official database, it was easy for the enforcers to recognize him as a contractor.

Contractors who lived quietly in the countryside after leaving Reincarnation Paradise were extremely rare. The enforcers, often overwhelmed by newly returned, self-righteous contractors and powerful renegades, were pleased to see someone like Lin Jiu.

Since he had handled the situation legally, the authorities were quick to respond. Otherwise, if contractors felt that the legal system didn't work, they might handle things their way next time, creating even bigger problems.

The fate of these two thugs, apart from upsetting their families, was celebrated by everyone else. But none of this concerned Lin Jiu, who soon cut off contact with the outside world and returned to his peaceful life.

Time passed quickly in the real world, and soon it was time for another mission in Reincarnation Paradise.

[Beep, a new derivative world is about to open. The hunter will return to Reincarnation Paradise. Please ensure there are no witnesses nearby.]

[Teleporting... teleportation complete.]