Go and capture those thirty-six fierce villains.

Thanks to the magical folding fan, Qin Ning's hearing is now excellent.

If he wanted, he could make the wind carry the sounds within a radius of several dozen feet into his ears.

But now, holding a folding fan, he could not hear the breathing and heartbeat of any living person in the dilapidated building before him.

So, the little boy's grandfather is dead... Qin Ning frowned, looked down at the timid little guy, and the little black cat Taizhao, who was perched on his shoulder, gently poked Qin Ning.

It let out a low growl and made two horizontal, slurred gestures.

Clearly, Qin Li's keen sense of smell had detected the scent of death.

With a sigh, Qin Ning entered the building with the little boy. The ground was covered in dust, but it was still relatively clean. On a pile of dry hay for wind protection, a thin figure lay, covered with a thin layer of straw mat.

Qin Ning walked over and bent down to see a gaunt old man with sunken cheeks and a pale face, clearly having been dead for some time.

He reached out and touched the other person's forehead, activated his supernatural power, then lifted the straw mat to take a look. His pupils trembled slightly, and he stood up and let out a long sigh.

Qin Ning turned and walked out. Behind him, from inside the dilapidated building, came the suppressed sobs of a little boy. He stared at the ground and said softly.

"Qin Li, the old man had no plague in his body. His chest and abdomen were emaciated, and there were no external injuries on his body. He starved to death."

"Meow?"

A hint of confusion flashed in the little black cat's yellow and blue eyes.

Death is not unfamiliar to Qin Li, but in her world, dying from hunger is a distant concept.

"After I finished treating those people, I should have taken a walk around the area."

With no one around, the little black cat whispered, "Qin Ning, this isn't your fault."

"I know, it's just that I feel a little choked up inside."

Qin Ning turned back into the dilapidated building and looked at the little boy, who looked like a kitten, lying on the straw mat, his body twitching and whimpering softly.

"Beian, known as the most prosperous city after the capital... Ha," Qin Ning chuckled self-deprecatingly and walked to the boy's side.

He raised his hand and lightly touched the other person's neck.

Already frail, if the little boy continues to cry so heartbrokenly, he will probably soon be reunited with his grandfather.

Perhaps I should take a nap first.

Holding the other person in one arm and using a straw mat to roll up the old man's remains on the ground with the other, Qin Ning walked down the street in a blatant manner.

Should we take him back to the Sichen Guard's garrison and hand him over to the Wang brothers for training, or send him to Gu Wenqu as an apprentice, or perhaps send him to Ji Heng...? Never mind, let him choose for himself.

Ignoring the strange looks around him, Qin Ning temporarily placed the person with Sichen Guard and left some money for Huang Mu to buy a coffin.

......

The setting sun cast its last rays upon the iconic eaves of the Tiangong Building.

Bai Gu hurriedly entered the waiting room.

"Guiyuan, didn't you just come here this afternoon? Why are you here again?"

"I've come to give you money."

Qin Ning slapped a thick stack of silver notes on the table, smiled, and then said seriously, "Ji Heng, I want you to disregard costs and develop a commercially viable steam engine as soon as possible. In addition, if it is profitable in the future, I would like to allocate 20% of it to research on food crops and work relief programs."

"I understood the first half, but what does the second half mean?"

Bai Gu looked bewildered. Of Qin Ning's long speech, he only understood the part about the steam engine. As for food crops and work relief, those were completely beyond the knowledge of this naturally gifted craftsman.

Qin Ning patiently explained, but omitted the story of the grandfather and grandson's ordeal. Otherwise, based on his understanding of Bai Jiheng, the latter would probably have abandoned his research on the steam engine and gone there to open a soup kitchen as soon as he found out about this.

Bai Gu pondered for a moment: "This is a good thing, Brother Guiyuan! Moreover, you were the one who proposed the steam concept, so naturally you should distribute the profits. I have no objection."

"Okay, it's settled then. We'll start research and development as soon as possible, regardless of cost. If you need money, just let me know."

Qin Ning patted the thick stack of silver notes on the table, got up and left.

......

Inside an inconspicuous courtyard on the side of the street.

Qin Ning, dressed in black robes and wearing a bamboo hat and mask, walked in.

Feng Hanying and the young princess had been waiting in the courtyard for a long time. As soon as he entered, they immediately went to greet him.

The transaction was conducted in silence. Qin Ning saw the other party take out the Luck-Breaking Hairpin, reach into the golden eagle ink pouch at his waist, deliberately showing a section of the eagle's claw shape, and take out the Blazing Flame Talisman from it.

The young princess, who was also well-concealed, slightly curled the corners of her mouth beneath her mask when she saw the exposed eagle claws.

The assassin of [Hundred Birds], and a Golden Eagle level one at that, humph, this princess already knows part of your background!

Qin Ning remained calm and handed over the talisman and a pre-written note.

The young princess took the talisman, checked its quality, handed over the "Bad Luck Hairpin," and then looked at the note with a puzzled expression.

Although this talisman is in excellent condition, it has been around for a long time. It is suitable for collection, but when used for defense, care must be taken to avoid accidental injury.

The young princess put the note away, nodded to Qin Ning, turned around and waved to Feng Hanying before leaving the courtyard.

Qin Ning took out a folding fan and listened silently to the sound of the wind. Only after confirming that the young princess had completely left did he speak.

"Thank you for your hard work these past two days."

"You're being a bit too polite by saying that."

"Then I..." Before Qin Ning could finish speaking, Feng Hanying stepped forward and hugged her tightly, the scent of cherry blossoms permeating her nose and mouth through the bamboo hat and mask.

No, it's only been one night, how come this girl has changed her personality... Qin Ning felt the softness in front of him, the corners of his mouth curled up, and he wrapped his arms around Feng Hanying's waist, the two of them embracing even tighter.

A dozen or so breaths later, Feng Hanying's breathing became heavy, and she punched Qin Ning's shoulder with her small fist.

"Alright, have you hugged enough? I need to go back and help my master refine pills."

Qin Ning loosened her arms and teased, "It's like someone pounced on me, so why are you asking if I've hugged enough?"

Feng Hanying gave a soft hum and lightly touched the ground with her slender legs.

"I'll let you hug me as much as you want next time. I'm going back now. Also, I'll guide your identity in the [Hundred Birds] section regarding the little princess."

After Feng Hanying finished speaking, she left using earth magic without waiting for Qin Ning's reply.

Smelling the lingering cherry blossom scent in her mouth and nose, Qin Ning shook her head and smiled, then pushed open the door and walked into the alley.

He hadn't gone far when, whoosh, a dark figure leaped down from the wall and landed precisely on his shoulder.

"Qin Ning, Da Huang and the others have caught another strange fish. Do you want to go take a look?"

"Go ahead, but there's something else I need to take care of first."

"What?"

"Go see the child and take him to bury the old man."

Qin Li wagged her tail and thought for a moment: "Hmm, this matter is indeed more important than going to see the strange fish."

Qin Ning nodded silently and continued walking. The little black cat's nose twitched: "Qin Ning, did you go and hug someone again?"

"Children shouldn't pry into adults' affairs."

"I'm not a kid."

.......

Night falls in the suburbs.

The flickering torches cast a yellowish glow on Qin Ning and Huang Mu's faces.

Before the two stood a new grave, and a little boy was kneeling respectfully before it, filling a basin with yellow paper.

The flames were blazing, and the yellow paper turned to ashes in the blink of an eye.

"Young Master Qin, would you like me to perform a short dance to see the old man off?" Huang Mu rubbed his hands together.

"You have this skill?" Qin Ning asked, glancing sideways.

"I learned a little bit about it when I was a kid, I was just trying to make a living."

"Forget it, most of those rituals are for the living. You and I don't need to see them now." Qin Ning pointed to the little boy's back. "He doesn't understand them yet."

Huang Mu nodded somewhat disappointedly and said nothing more.

Silently waiting for the little boy to finish burning the yellow paper, Qin Ning stepped forward, about to speak.

Suddenly, it was as bright as day behind me.