THE OMNIPRESENT MARTIAL ARTS SAGE

Chapter 2. Hope

Wei He came here not only to get work from this guy. There were three more children who wanted to use his services.

The matter was in the ability he discovered in himself in his past life - he could imitate different handwritings, regardless of whether it was an adult or a child.

Collecting a stack of homework, Wei He, rolling the paper like a scroll, hid it under his clothes. Then, getting up, he headed back to his house.

Walking along the street stretching along the river, he heard noise coming from the riverside bushes.

It was a male roar mixed with female screams. There were also sounds of dull blows, as if someone was being beaten with a stick.

Wei He paused for a moment, but then quickened his pace even more, trying to pass this place as quickly as possible.

The lecture hall was located in the inner city. It was safe there, as this area was constantly patrolled by the city guard.

However, his family lived in the slums, where real chaos reigned.

Stonebridge Street was also in the slum area.

Returning home, Wei He, taking a pre-prepared charcoal pencil, completed all the homework one by one. Then, brushing off the coal dust, he rolled up the sheets again.

His sister, Wei Ying, had finished dinner by this time, cooking vegetable soup. Then they sat at the table waiting for the return of the rest of their family members.

It was already starting to get dark outside.

His older sister, Wei Chun, was still not home, as were their parents.

Wei He's parents were masters specializing in stone carving. They were engaged in making stone statues. Recently, they had carved a statue of Buddha for the suburban Mingde temple.

"Parents might stay overnight at the temple again today," Wei Ying said in a quiet voice. "But why hasn't our older sister returned yet?"

Wei Chun came home at about the same time every day.

"..." Wei He silently looked out the window - he had no answer.

The sun had almost set by this time.

The wind blowing from outside, breaking through the cracks in the shutters, brought him the smell of someone's burnt cooking.

"Sister always came back at this time," Wei Ying muttered in a quiet voice, looking at her brother. It was unclear whether she was talking to Wei He or to herself.

"I'll go find out. Stay at home, don't go out," Wei He got up.

He felt that something was wrong - he was very uneasy at heart.

"Okay, go, but try not to stay long," Wei Ying asked.

"Mm," Wei He put on his jacket.

Although it was all patched up, at least it could keep him warm somehow.

Opening the wooden door, he saw tall, muscular men standing at the entrance to the alley.

Wei He knew one of these three, dressed in a gray short-sleeved shirt that didn't hide the muscles rippling under his dark skin. It was Chen Biao, a well-known local thug.

Chen Biao didn't work anywhere. He idled all day and no one knew where he got his money from.

But rumors reached Wei He that Chen Biao was associated with a gang involved in human trafficking. It was said that he kidnapped people and sold them to the gang.