During lunch, the food tasted good. Most of the time, they could choose to trust Ding Sihan's taste.
[Encountering a fellow sword cultivator should have been an opportunity for a joyous meeting. However, the bright sword has been stained with dust. A sword that should be open and aboveboard is used for despicable deeds. As a fellow sword master, you should set things right.]
[Task Triggered!]
[Task 3: Stop this cultivator from continuing to cause trouble and administer punishment.]
[Task Reward: Physique Improvement: Sword Dao Talent increased by 50%; Basic Sword Art 1.]
?
Looking at the message that suddenly popped up, Lin Li raised an eyebrow slightly.
A sword cultivator is doing evil?
So, on the surface, Lin Li calmly continued eating, but in reality, he slightly turned his head to observe the people in the restaurant.
Everyone was eating normally, chatting somewhat noisily, but it was peaceful. No one was making any suspicious moves, at least not in front of Lin Li.
He couldn't even find the shadow of a sword, let alone an evil sword cultivator.
It couldn't be two men fencing in the bathroom right now, could it?
Lin Li's gaze paused slightly, and then he immediately turned his head to look out the floor-to-ceiling window.
This was a task triggered in the middle of a meal, and the scope was limited to his surroundings. Since he had been eating without moving, and the people in the restaurant were also well-behaved.
Then the task target was very likely from outside the restaurant, those pedestrians constantly approaching and separating.
Looking out the window didn't require hiding. Lin Li narrowed his eyes and carefully observed the road and the pedestrians on both sides.
"What's wrong?" Chen Yuying put down her spoon. Seeing Lin Li suddenly stop eating, she followed his gaze out the window and asked.
Found him.
"Someone is stealing. Look at the bus stop over there," Lin Li's eyes lit up. He put down his chopsticks, stood up, and said to the four of them, "I'm going to stop him!"
There were indeed quite a few people on the commercial street on the weekend, and the area was wide. But since the other party was doing something bad, Lin Li prioritized locking onto pedestrians who looked sneaky or fierce.
And at a glance, he noticed a masked man who was not young, whose eyes had a kind of deliberate naturalness.
He was now pressing closely against a couple in their sixties waiting for a bus at the bus stop.
And if Lin Li didn't see it wrong just now, what this masked man held in his hand was a razor blade, and he was cutting the pocket of the old lady's clothes among the couple.
The action was actually quite hidden. If Lin Li hadn't deliberately observed, it would be hard to notice.
Razor blades are moving up in the world, even considered swords in the eyes of the system.
While the four people were still confused, Lin Li had already run out of the shop.
The masked man had already started walking quickly forward with the flow of people.
It wasn't that he was sharp enough to have noticed Lin Li's intention, but that he had already succeeded.
He was definitely a veteran. It took less than half a minute from start to finish to complete the cutting and stealing.
No wonder the system could even recognize him as a sword cultivator.
Lin Li didn't shout "catch the thief", but ran silently towards the masked man.
And while running, his eyes were looking at the road, so even if the masked man was cautious enough to turn his head upon hearing footsteps, he wouldn't think Lin Li was coming to catch him.
Until Lin Li was walking parallel to him, the masked man still had no sense of danger.
Got him.
Lin Li patted the masked man's shoulder.
The masked man who was patted on the shoulder turned his head alertly and swiftly to look at Lin Li.
"Bro, your clothes are about to fall on the ground." Enthusiastic citizen Lin Li spoke.
The masked man breathed a slight sigh of relief, thinking it was the victim who discovered he was stealing. Hearing this, he subconsciously glanced at the empty ground. After reacting, he frowned.
—My clothes are on my body, not in my hands, how could they fall on the ground?
This person is sick—
Fuck, it is possible.
The next second, the masked man realized this was possible.
Because an arm locked around his neck, and the next second directly took him down to the ground, pressing him down hard.
Can't argue with that, my clothes really did fall on the ground.
"What are you doing! Let me go, you fucker!"
The masked man started to struggle, but found that this young man, who didn't look old or robust, was exceptionally strong. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't move an inch.
Lin Li's actions and the masked man's screams and roars scared the surrounding pedestrians. Everyone immediately stopped and scattered, letting out sounds of surprise and doubt, looking at the two fighting people with confused faces.
Or rather, the masked man being unilaterally suppressed.
Lin Li, half-kneeling on the masked man, confirmed that the masked man didn't have a razor blade clamped in his hand, and used one hand to pin his two hands to the ground.
Then he reached into his pocket and rummaged out two phones, a wallet, and the crime tool, razor blades, and more than one.
So he turned his head and shouted towards the bus stop: "Grandpa, Grandma? The Grandpa and Grandma waiting for the bus, yes, it's you two. Grandma, check if you lost your phone and wallet? Are these them?"
Hearing this, the old man turned his head, reached into his jacket pocket, and his hand came straight out from the bottom of the pocket.
"My things are gone!"
"My clothes were cut!"
Realizing it belatedly, she hurriedly ran towards Lin Li with her husband. After taking the things from Lin Li's hand and confirming, she nodded excitedly:
"Yes, yes, yes! This phone and wallet are both mine! Thank you!"
"Thank you, young man! Thank you so much! If these were stolen, my wife would be nagging about it and feeling bad for half a year." The old grandpa also sincerely thanked Lin Li, who was sitting on the thief.
"It's nothing, it's nothing, it's what I should do." Lin Li waved his hand and said modestly.
The surrounding pedestrians also understood the truth following the conversation, showing expressions of sudden realization.
"Looking at your age, are you still a student? Or are you already working? Can you tell me your workplace or school? I have to let your workplace and school know about the good deed you did!"
The old grandpa continued to ask gratefully.
"Grandpa, there's no need for this. We students of Nansang Middle School are all kind and upright like this. So the school said, there's no need to report the school's name when doing good deeds outside. It's what we should do, we can't be utilitarian, so I won't say it."
Lin Li politely declined while continuing to pin down the thief.
Some onlookers who stayed to watch the drama: "..."
You fucking already said it, didn't you?
"Oh, oh, okay. Although it's a bit regrettable, I respect your school. Your school must be a good school, very great."
Hearing this, the old man nodded somewhat regretfully, but still expressed his praise.
Lin Li: "?"
No, Grandpa, didn't I just tell you?
Did you really not notice!?
It seemed he was probably older than sixty, and his hearing was a bit hard.
But Lin Li wouldn't try to cover it up. It really didn't matter, so he just smiled and nodded.
Bai Bufan and the other three also came to Lin Li's side at this time.
"Lin Li, should I call the police now?" After seeing the situation clearly, Bai Bufan asked.
"Why did you just rush up alone? What if you got hurt." Chen Yuying looked at Lin Li with some blame.
"Don't worry, not a single scratch." Lin Li patted his shoulder with his free hand, then took out his phone: "It's quite close to the Third Bridge here, I'll ask Uncle Yang."
—Lin Li easily restrained the masked man with one hand. No matter how he struggled, it was useless, and his other hand was very free to move.
[Lin Li: Uncle, it's the weekend today, are you on duty?]
[Yang Liang: Send me your location now.]
This is the bond. A pat on Yang Liang's butt and he knows what position to change to.
[Lin Li: [Location].]
[Yang Liang: Isn't this the food and beverage street next to us? Where did a chicken farm come from? How come I didn't know? Newly opened?]
"..."
There is no bond at all.
[Lin Li: Uncle, your stereotype of me is a bit serious. This time it has nothing to do with a chicken farm. I just ran into someone stealing.]
"Ah? Stealing? I'll be right there. What's the situation now, is the thief caught?"
Yang Liang stopped typing, but didn't call either. Instead, he sent a voice message. There were obvious footsteps in the background sound, he was already looking for a car.
[Lin Li: Caught him. He's under my butt cursing me in dialect right now. Can I hit him?]
"...Is the thief okay?"
Not caring if I, who is being cursed, am okay first, but caring about the thief first?
It seems there's a problem with Yang Liang, this Demon Suppression Envoy's thinking. It really makes Lin Li sigh with regret.
"What did he say?"
Seeing Lin Li put down his phone, Bai Bufan asked.
"Uncle Yang is coming right away, no need to report it." Lin Li waved his hand, then signaled to Chen Yuying and the other two, "Don't waste this good opportunity. Come, come, come, take a few handsome grappling photos of me."
After speaking, Lin Li's expression became cool. He stared at the masked man, raised his free hand high backwards, like a hero who had just descended from the sky and landed on the thief's ground.
The posture was much more handsome.
Chen Yuying, Ding Sihan, Qu Wanqiu, Masked Man: "?"
But the three of them then smiled, took out their phones, and started to satisfy Lin Li's request.
The masked man was too unsociable and refused to smile.
"Bufan, do you want to take a picture too?" Lin Li saw some envy in Bai Bufan's eyes and asked.
"A little bit."
"Then come up too. I'll step aside and give you the spot." Lin Li didn't care at all.
Masked Man: "??"
No?
What the fuck do you think you are!
"I'm afraid I can't hold him down." Bai Bufan was a bit tempted, but also had some concerns, "How about this, Lin Li, don't step aside, I'll get on too, and we'll take a picture that looks like the two of us caught him together, is that okay?"
"Sure. Uncle, can you give us a look with three parts gloomy ruthlessness, three parts calmness and regret after being caught, and four parts faint admiration for the two of us, your nemeses?
"Let's act out a feeling of a rivalry scene together."
Lin Li gave the masked man some directing advice.
"Don't you fucking go too far!" The masked man, feeling constantly humiliated, couldn't bear it anymore and cursed loudly.
"Heh, look, anxious again."
The task hadn't been completed yet. It seemed this kind of thing didn't count as punishment at all, he still had to wait for the Demon Suppression Division to come.
...
The Third Bridge was indeed quite close to here. In a few minutes, Yang Liang drove over with his colleagues.
As soon as he got out, he saw Lin Li and Bai Bufan enthusiastically leading the thief to be inspected by the surrounding crowd, while the thief kept cursing.
Yang Liang sighed. He could only say it was a consistent performance.
Please state who is the most human-like existence among Lin Li, Bai Bufan, and the thief, and explain why it's the thief.
"You two get up first." After signaling the two to get up and letting his colleague understand the situation, Yang Liang put handcuffs on the thief who could finally get up.
A case without any controversy.
Both witnesses and material evidence were present. The two old people specially waited for the police to come and explain, and the thief himself didn't quibble at all.
Let alone quibbling, the thief saw Yang Liang like seeing a savior, instantly confessed, and only hoped he would quickly take him away from Lin Li.
"Then we'll take the person away. Do you want to come along?" Yang Liang asked.
"Forget it this time. We haven't finished eating yet, and we have to go back to the library later. No time, definitely next time." Lin Li smiled and shook his head upon hearing this.
"Don't 'next time'." Yang Liang smiled and shook his head, driving the police car away.
[Task 3 has been completed.]
[You have received rewards: Physique Improvement: Sword Dao Talent increased by 50%; Basic Sword Art 1.]
The task was only completed when the police car went far away.
It seemed punishment still had to be official. His private punishment was not recognized.
This task took less than ten minutes in total to complete.
But after all, the rewards were indeed not that great, so it was reasonable that it was easy to complete.
The Sword Art was finally in hand. Lin Li looked forward to the "Formless Sword" playing more roles.
[The subjugation of the wicked person made the surrounding onlookers all clap and cheer. The Demon Suppression Division also suddenly realized that the good deeds you can do are absolutely not just eliminating the foundation of the Joyous Union demonic cultivators.
Having gained the expectations of the people and the hopes of the Demon Suppression Division, you should encourage yourself and take another step forward.]
[Time-limited Task Triggered!]
[Task 3: Keep up the good work. Within two months, within the territory of Nansang City, stop and punish evil cultivators attempting to commit crimes and do evil, at least eight cases.]
[Task Reward: Title: Light of Nansang; Physique Improvement: Martial Arts Talent increased by 100%, Random Ability 1; System Currency 200.]
[Light of Nansang: After obtaining it, [Light of Xiling] will be replaced. When equipped, your whole body will emit the light of the righteous path. The speed of cultivating righteous path cultivation methods will increase by 100%, resistance to evil path cultivation methods will increase by 100%, and evil spirits and demons will be exceptionally afraid of you.
When in the territory of Nansang, the title effect increases by 25%. When in the territory of Xiling, it increases by an additional 25%.]
The system popped up a second task at this time.
The rewards were good, and the Martial Arts Talent was even related to the completion progress of his Task 1.
As for the task content, it was just doing what he just did eight more times, catching eight more?
It seemed he could catch three right next to him.
"Bufan." So Lin Li looked at Bai Bufan.
"What's wrong?"
"Didn't you want to make money? I have a business opportunity, you don't even need to be sixteen."
"Tell me first."
"Look across the street," Lin Li pointed to the public service billboard "Build a Clean Xiling" across the street and introduced: "It says there that reporting someone spitting in a public place rewards thirty yuan once verified. You spit now, I'll report you, and after it's done, you get fifteen and I get fifteen, how about that?"
Bai Bufan thought carefully upon hearing this, nodded seriously, and asked: "Good logic, but I have a question. What about the fifty yuan fine?"
"Don't worry about that other stuff, it's not important. Let's make money first."
"This is very important!"
Bai Bufan smiled and gave a middle finger, cursing with perfect pronunciation: "Idiot! Not doing it."
Lin Li nodded. If the idiot wasn't doing it, then there was really no way.
"It seems I can only give you a new idea to make money."
"What bullshit do you want to say now?"
"After you go home next week, immediately lock your house door. This way you become a 'shut-in' (bi jia suo), and you can start painting to make money. Abstract art is what you're best at anyway."
(Translator's Note: "Bi jia suo" (shut-in) sounds like Picasso).
Picasso was one of the few painters whose paintings were valuable while he was alive. Bai Bufan wouldn't even have to die first to make money this way.
Bai Bufan: "...Your mom."
Lin Li didn't respond, looking at the billboard across the street again. Completing the task this way probably wasn't realistic either.
Spitting in places where it's prohibited is considered illegal, but as for 'committing crimes and doing evil', it doesn't reach that level.
This level of illegality shouldn't be recognized by the system.
Otherwise, in the past two months, there were always people around Lin Li littering without manners, but it never triggered a task.
So, the minimum requirement for this task should be theft like this, at least a serious illegal act or even a behavior that constitutes a crime?
"Your pant legs are dirty, Lin Li, pat them a few times." Chen Yuying's exhortation temporarily brought Lin Li back from his thoughts.
"Okay," after patting a few times, Lin Li straightened up and greeted the others: "Let's go back and continue eating."
The five people returned to the restaurant.
The meal was already coming to an end anyway, so although it was a bit cold, it didn't affect eating.
"How did you notice, Lin Li? When you said it just now, I didn't even see that thief." Ding Sihan asked curiously.
Hearing this, Lin Li took out his phone and lifted his chin towards Ding Sihan: "Sent you something."
"What?" Ding Sihan took out her phone with a confused face.
[Lin Li: [Cornea Donation Application Form]]
Ding Sihan: "..."
"Bai Bufan, step aside a bit." Ding Sihan raised her water cup, looked up with a cold face and said.
Bai Bufan really wanted to step aside, but he wasn't as strong as Lin Li, and had already been shielded in front of him by Lin Li.
"I have a sharp sword and sharp eyes, naturally I can notice these small details in life that you guys can't." Lin Li casually made up an excuse to explain.
"Tch—"
The girls went to the toilet in a group. Lin Li and Bai Bufan cleaned up the last leftovers together, occasionally staring out the floor-to-ceiling window, trying to find a task target.
But found nothing.
It was normal when you think about it. With the current public security, encountering that thief just now was a rare event.
"What are you looking for again?" Bai Bufan asked.
"This thrill of punishing evil and promoting good is a bit addictive. I want to catch a few more criminals." Lin Li told the truth.
"Catching them is easy." Bai Bufan said with a relaxed face.
"Oh, you have connections?"
Bai Bufan nodded and pointed out a clear path for Lin Li: "Go catch them in prison. There are tons of criminals inside, you'll catch one every time."
"..."
Lin Li smiled and pointed at Bai Bufan, finally shaking his head regretfully: "The prison's defense is too tight, I can't get in."
"You're stupid. As long as you exploit loopholes in the law, you can easily get in."
Bai Bufan said matter-of-factly, and gave more than one suggestion:
"Of course, if you don't want to exploit loopholes, you can use connections. I also know people in prison."
"Which relative went in?" Lin Li saw through the truth at a glance.
Bai Bufan's eyes suddenly became melancholy and deep, mixed with deep sadness:
"No, a friend of mine named Feifei went in. I don't even know if she's out yet."
"You kid, still can't forget her."
"Tch, as if you can forget Xiaojing." Bai Bufan sneered.
Lin Li smiled slightly.
Xiaojing? Who is that?
Sorry, I haven't cared for a long time.
"Reminiscing about the past is just carving a mark on a moving boat to find a dropped sword in the river of time." Lin Li patted Bai Bufan's shoulder, "Forget her, Bufan."
"When a person has disappeared, discovering the traces she left in this world again, how can one not be sad, how can one forget? Lin Li, I finally understand Lu Mingfei when he saw the flower ticket.
"If I had washed one hundred thousand three hundred and twenty feet for Feifei back then, would the ending for me and her have been different?"
"...That would be very smelly."
(End of Chapter)