Republic of China era: A hundred-year-old still practicing martial arts? Is that right?

Inside the restaurant, the crisp clinking of cutlery occasionally mingled with the melodious strains of a violin.

Two exquisitely dressed girls in slightly open-necked uniforms carried plates through the corridor, attracting the attention of the surrounding diners.

Both girls looked Chinese and had delicate features, suggesting they came from good families.

"Xiao Cui! Are you going to the English Corner tonight? Mr. Prouss said that when I can communicate with him in English, he will take me to see the beacon of freedom and civilization on the other side of the ocean."

"I'm not going. Mr. Charlie invited me to the movie theater tonight, and I've never seen a movie before."

The two took advantage of a break to chat, their conversation filled with a hint of excitement.

Their conversation drifted into the ears of Lin Ji and the others along with the violin melody.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yanqiu, who was sitting opposite Lin Ji, shook his head: "Freedom and civilization are nothing but false illusions."

"Britain, which is known as the beacon of civilization and the empire on which the sun never sets, is nothing more than a tiny island."

"If resources were plentiful and products abundant, these people wouldn't have had to travel all the way across the ocean to come here."

Gu Yanqiu picked up his knife and fork, cut off a piece of steak, and put it in his mouth, chewing gently. Seeing that Lin Ji hadn't touched the steak on the table, he gestured to him:

"Uncle Lin, please."

Lin Ji picked up the knife and fork.

The long-lost metallic feel pressed heavily against Lin Ji's palm.

After a slight pause, Lin Ji skillfully wielded his knife and fork, cutting into the steak on his plate.

Liu Qingzhu, who was about to speak up to remind him how to use the knife and fork, was slightly taken aback. This old man in front of her was actually more skilled at using these foreign gadgets than she was.

Gu Yanqiu glanced at her from the side, and was about to ask a question when she saw Lin Ji put a piece of beef into his mouth and chew it gently.

"Old man Lin, when did you learn to use a knife and fork?" Liu Yuanbao clumsily brandished the knife and fork in his hands, getting his hands covered in grease. He looked dejected when he saw Lin Ji easily cut off a piece of meat.

The rich juices burst in his mouth, and the intense aroma of meat made him want to chew a little longer. Lin Ji couldn't help but chew a little longer before turning his head to look at Liu Yuanbao, who had already started to eat.

Liu Yuanbao held the steak in both hands, his face covered in grease as he ate.

"This old man has lived to be a hundred years old; surely he's seen these foreign trinkets before?"

Lin Ji casually cut off another piece of meat and put it in his mouth.

After hearing Lin Ji's explanation, Liu Qingzhu and Gu Yanqiu both withdrew their curious gazes.

However, Lin Ji, this centenarian, only added to their sense of mystery.

The centenarian not only knows how to use Western-style cutlery, but also has a set of good teeth that can eat meat.

However, in their eyes, Lin Ji's ability to use a knife and fork was a trivial matter, not worth asking.

Liu Yuanbao was busy eating his steak and didn't pay attention to Lin Ji's words.

After several rounds of drinks...

Lin Ji ate to his heart's content.

The three chatted idly, making small talk.

Uncle Lin.

Liu Qingzhu lightly brushed against Gu Yanqiu with her shoe.

Gu Yanqiu paused for a moment, then slowly began to speak, feigning normalcy.

"Uncle Lin, I forgot to tell you, the wind was strong the night before last, and a tile on the wall of the Martial Arts Hall came loose. Be careful when you patrol at night."

Lin Ji's heart skipped a beat.

Where did that strong wind come from the night before last?

This girl probably guessed that the old man was the man in black from that night.

"Okay. The old man will be careful. Thank you for your concern, Instructor Gu." Lin Ji replied calmly, without any change in expression.

Clearly, this was not the answer Gu Yanqiu wanted. A hint of anxiety appeared in her eyes as she prepared to continue asking questions.

Liu Qingzhu, standing to the side, spoke first, gently stirring her coffee with her fingertips, her words carrying a hidden meaning:

"Uncle Lin, actually, we heard from the patrolling constables yesterday that things have been very chaotic in the city lately. Foreign constables and soldiers from the governor's mansion are still searching people from house to house in the middle of the night. Your gatekeeper's house is in the most remote corner of the martial arts hall, and it's deserted at night. You're also old, so you must make sure to bolt the gate tightly at night. Don't answer the door easily no matter who knocks, so as not to get into any trouble."

Lin Ji gently placed the knife and fork on the edge of the porcelain plate, making a soft, crisp sound.

He picked up a napkin and slowly wiped his mouth, his eyelids half-closed, looking completely obedient as if he had heard the instructions. His tone was slow and flat.

"Thank you both for your trouble, young ladies. This old man is too frail to stay up late. I lock the door and go to sleep as soon as it gets dark. I wouldn't hear the sky falling outside. How could I dare to open the door in the middle of the night and cause trouble?"

He spoke frankly, without a trace of unease on his face, truly like an elderly man who guards the gate and never leaves his house.

Gu Yanqiu tightened her grip on the silver fork slightly, pursed her lips, and didn't ask any further questions.

When an ordinary old man is subtly asked about his nighttime whereabouts, he would be somewhat bewildered or surprised, but Lin Ji was too calm, as if he had been prepared all along.

"Hey, those foreign devils and soldiers are all the same!"

Liu Yuanbao, having just finished the last bite of his steak, smeared oil all over his face and leaned over, breaking the delicate atmosphere at the table with his rough voice:

"Yesterday I went shopping and saw them drag an old beggar away in the street, shove him into their car without saying a word, they were so aggressive!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingzhu's expression darkened slightly. Following the train of thought, she looked at Lin Ji and finally prepared to get to the point: "Uncle Lin..."

"Yoshi, the pretty girl is so big."

Just then.

A sudden, abrupt voice rang out in the restaurant.

Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to it.

A Japanese man in a kimono pinched a waiter's face, a lewd smile spreading across his face, his eyes constantly peering into the waiter's collar.

"Let me go!"

The waiter's chin was pinched until it turned red, and the wine glass on the tray he was carrying suddenly tilted to the side.

"Splash!"

The wine glass fell to the ground and shattered.

The girl swung her hands and slammed them at the Japanese man, but she couldn't hurt him at all. Instead, it made the Japanese man's smile even wider.

Inside the restaurant.

The violin music stopped abruptly.

The foreign musician, carrying his violin, stepped forward and attempted to communicate with the Japanese man in broken Japanese:

"Sir, this is a restaurant run by French people. Please have some self-respect!"

The Japanese man swung his arm violently, throwing the waiter aside, and turned to glare angrily at the foreign musician:

"Baka!"

He uttered a curse.

The Japanese man suddenly drew his short sword from his waist.

The blade flashed across the restaurant.

A spray of blood splattered throughout the restaurant.

"what!"

"Murder!"

In an instant, the restaurant descended into chaos.

Liu Qingzhu, not wanting to continue talking to Lin Ji, pulled Liu Yuanbao into her arms, preventing him from seeing the tragic scene inside the restaurant.

"Let's go."

Liu Qingzhu lowered her voice, quickly stood up, and prepared to leave the restaurant with the others.

Inside the restaurant.

The Japanese showed no panic at all about killing someone on the spot.

She grabbed the waiter and ripped open his shirt, revealing a large expanse of white skin.

"Let me go! You beast, my boyfriend is Charles of the British Empire! He won't let you get away with this!"

The waiter cried out and shoved the Japanese man forcefully.

The Japanese man remained unmoved, his eyes gleaming with lust as he grinned:

"Charlie? You mean Charlie, the one who sold you to me for five dollars?"