Chapter 116: Rookie Thief

On the streets of Chang'an, a middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance held the arm of a young man, pointed to an alley not far away, and said, "Don't worry, it's just a few words, what can I do to you?"

After saying that, he walked over on his own.

The young man stood there, hesitated for a moment, and finally followed.

As he walked into the alley, he put one hand behind his back and made a secret gesture.

In a restaurant somewhere on the street, by the window on the second floor, Butler Wu's face changed. He was about to take action, but when he saw the young master's gesture, he sat back helplessly.

Deep in the alley, Zhao Wu looked at the rookie thief in front of him and said with a smile: "Little brother, you are young but your skills are superb. In the past two days, I have seen you make hundreds of moves and you didn't miss once..."

The young man showed fear on his face and trembled as he asked, "Who are you..."

Zhao Wu smiled and said, "Don't worry, little brother. I'm also in this business. Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

When the young man heard this, the fear on his face eased a little.

Zhao Wu asked, "What's your name, little brother?"

The young man rolled his eyes and did not answer.

Zhao Wu was not unhappy at all, but was very pleased. Being cautious is the way of a thief, and this kid is born to be a thief.

He did not ask further questions, but asked: "Have you ever heard of the robbery door?"

The young man shook his head.

His reaction was within Zhao Wu's expectations. It was normal that this young man didn't even know the basic rules, so he didn't know how to steal.

Zhao Wu smiled and said, "It doesn't matter if you haven't heard of it before. You will know it in the future. Scholars have Confucianism, soldiers have military strategists, and we thieves also have robbers. If you are alone and get into trouble, you don't even have anyone to help you. But it's different if you join the robbery sect. There are many colleagues together, and you can take care of each other. You can also discuss and communicate with each other, promote each other, and improve together... How about it, are you interested in joining our robbery sect?"

The young man looked hesitant and asked, "If I join the Thieves' Sect, I have to hand in half of what I stole with great effort?"

Zhao Wu understood his concerns very well and said with a smile: "Little brother, that's not how you calculate it. I'm telling you, as a thief, you can't just focus on the small profits in front of you. You have to have a long-term vision. How much money can you steal by working hard all month? Stealing a little each time is risky. After joining the robbery group, you only need to do one or two jobs every month, and you can earn hundreds or thousands of times what you are making now..."

The young man's eyes flickered, and he was obviously interested.

But he had some concerns. After thinking for a long time, he said, "Can I think about it?"

After all, this is a big deal, so it is understandable that he would be cautious. If he agreed directly, Zhao Wu would suspect whether he had ulterior motives.

He patted the young man on the shoulder and said, "Okay, but don't take too long. If you have figured it out, come find me here tomorrow morning..."

The young man nodded, and the two of them left the alley together.

Watching the young man disappear in the crowd, Zhao Wu winked, and the two peddlers setting up stalls at the entrance of the alley slowly stood up and followed him.

After a long time, the two returned to Zhao Wu again and spoke slowly.

"I followed him to where he lived."

"He lives in a slum area in the north of the city."

"He has a wife at home. We saw her when we opened the door for her. She is average looking, but has a great figure..."

"It's more than good, it's simply too good. This kid is so lucky..."

…

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wu nodded slightly. Having a family and a wife meant that there was nothing wrong with his identity.

However, this little guy is still too inexperienced and didn’t even know he was being followed. When he gets the hang of it, he’ll need to find someone to teach him how to avoid being followed.

How could a thief be followed home?

The two men agreed that the young man would give him an answer the next day.

The next morning, Zhao Wu was waiting here.

It was not until noon that the young man finally arrived.

He seemed not to have slept well last night. He looked a little tired and had dark circles under his eyes. I don't know if it was because he had been thinking all night or because of his love affair with his lady with a perfect figure.

He walked up to Zhao Wu, took a deep breath, and said, "I've made up my mind. I'm willing to join the Daomen."

Zhao Wu smiled and said, "Welcome to join the Daomen family."

…

Chang'an.

A simple dwelling.

The houses here are located deep in a complex alley. Unless you have lived here for a long time and are very familiar with the place, it is difficult for outsiders to find it.

This is one of the strongholds of Zhao Wu, the thief's sect.

A cunning rabbit has three burrows. People in this line of work naturally cannot stay in one place. They have to move to a new base every month.

Several figures were squatting in the yard, gathering the stolen goods together and chatting.

"Hey, why did you get so little this morning?"

"Don't mention it. I was eyeing a fat sheep for the whole morning, but I accidentally lost my grip and was almost caught. If I hadn't run fast, I wouldn't be seeing you now."

"Are you sure you didn't hide it?"

"Go to hell, you can doubt my craftsmanship, but you can't doubt my character!"

"Okay, okay, be careful next time. Speaking of today's competition, if the boss doesn't go himself, who is he going to send?"

"Who knows? The boss hasn't said anything yet. It's a pity that my skills are not good enough, otherwise I would definitely go. This is a good opportunity to rise to the top overnight. Maybe I can become the boss's boss tomorrow..."

Bang bang bang bang bang!

There was a knock on the door.

There were three long and two short voices, and a man ran forward, opened the door, and said with a smile: "Boss, you are back..."

Zhao Wu nodded, looked behind him, and said with a smile: "Little brother, come in."

The young man standing at the door glanced into the courtyard with an obviously hesitant expression on his face. After a moment, he took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to step in.

Zhao Wu smiled. This little guy was really alert.

The young man walked into the thieves' base and took a quick look.

In addition to the man who opened the door just now, there were several other people standing in the yard, four men and one woman.

These people all looked plain, including farmers wearing straw hats, women wearing coarse cloth and headscarves, scholars dressed in blue shirts, and peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders...

At first glance, almost no one would associate them with thieves.

Zhao Wu took him into the inner room, poured him a cup of tea, and said, "Sit down."

After the young man sat down, he hesitated for a moment and finally asked, "What's your name, big brother?"

Zhao Wu smiled and said, "In our line of work, it is impossible to tell others our real names. My stage name is Zhao Wu, and you can just call me Brother Wu from now on."

The people who were standing outside the door and eavesdropping were very surprised that the boss was so polite to this new guy. It seemed that they would have to curry favor with him in the future.

The young man thought for a moment and said, "Fifth Brother, you can call me Xiao Song."

Zhao Wu nodded and said, "Xiao Song, since you have joined our gang, there are a few rules that I need to explain to you first."

The young man said, "Fifth brother, please speak."

Zhao Wu said, "First and foremost, the things you stole must be handed over to the higher-ups for distribution. If you keep them for yourself, you will be expelled from the thieves' sect..."

The young man nodded.

Zhao Wu continued, "This is the most important point. You must remember what I am going to say next. We are organized and have rules. We are not like those scattered thieves. We are a thief sect. We believe that there is a code of conduct for thieves. We must follow principles when we act..."

The young man asked in confusion: "What principle?"

Zhao Wu said calmly: "Don't steal from the old, don't steal from the young, don't steal from the sick, don't steal from the disabled, don't steal from the poor, don't steal from the kind, don't steal from beggars, don't steal from the orphans, don't steal from officials, don't steal from the powerful... These are the ten things not to steal."

The young man was surprised and asked, "Why don't you steal so many?"

Zhao Wu explained: "Those who take advantage of the old, the young, the sick and the disabled are the scum of the scum. In this world, it is hard enough for the poor to survive. Stealing from them may kill an entire family. Good people have great merits and will be punished if they are stolen from. Beggars have fallen to the streets, how can you bear to steal from them? Orphans and widows are pitiful, and as long as you have some humanity, you should not take advantage of them. As for not stealing from officials and dignitaries, it is for our own good. Once caught, exile is the least of the punishment, and you may even lose your life...

In addition, there are some small rules, such as stealing money but not stealing people, taking things but not taking lives... You must remember these firmly. "

The young man nodded solemnly and said, "I remember it."

In fact, to sum up these principles, it means not stealing from the weak, as this will make matters worse and may even force others to death.

You can't steal from a strong person. If you fail, you will be the one to die.

Those who have some money but little power are the best targets.

Zhao Wu took a sip of tea, looked at the young man, and asked in confusion: "Xiao Song, you are obviously not very old, how did you acquire such exquisite skills?"

The young man pondered for a moment and said, "It's a long story. Actually, I didn't know these things at first. But one winter, I remember it snowed heavily that day. An old man fell down in front of my house. I helped him into the house, gave him a bowl of hot soup, and let him stay in my house for a while. In order to thank me, he taught me these things..."

He sighed and said in a complicated tone: "I thought I would never need these things in my life, but I didn't expect that, hey..."

Zhao Wu patted his shoulder and consoled him, "It's not shameful to be forced by life. In this damn world, why do some people get up early and work late, working themselves to death, but can only get enough to eat and wear, while some people do nothing and are born with endless wealth and glory? We make a living with our skills and earn money with sweat, there's nothing to be ashamed of..."

After comforting the young man, he said with emotion: "It seems that the old man you saved must be a master of thieves. You have inherited his legacy. If you work hard, you will have a bright future. Maybe I, the fifth brother, will also rely on you one day. At that time, you should call me Xiaowu..."

The young man said in fear and trepidation: "I dare not..."

"Hey, people still have to dream, and never underestimate themselves." Zhao Wu encouraged him, and then changed the subject, saying, "Right now, there is a golden opportunity in front of you. Today, my thief sect will hold a competition. Originally, only the manager and senior thieves can participate, but you are outstanding in thief skills, and Brother Wu wants to recommend you..."

After the young man heard what he said, he was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Me, participating in the Thief Sect Competition? No, no, I can't do it. I've only just entered the sect..."

Zhao Wu said seriously: "Don't underestimate yourself. I'm going to tell you something from the bottom of my heart. I can't compare to you in terms of your ability. Even if you can't win the championship in this competition, you can still show your face in front of the higher-ups. If you are noticed by the higher-ups, your promotion will be very fast in the future. When the time comes, don't forget to help your brothers..."

Zhao Wu is the manager, so he can directly participate in this competition.

But with his ability, he would just be a foil for others if he went up, so it would be better to recommend Xiao Song. He looked at the young man in front of him and asked, "Do you know the six arts of thieves?"

The young man was stunned: "The Thief Sect also has the Six Arts?"

Zhao Wu said, "Of course. Climbing over walls, picking locks, removing stuff, picking, cutting hair, and buying things are the six arts of thieves. How much did the old man teach you?"

The young man nodded and said, "So these are the six arts of thieves. I know a little bit of them then."

Zhao Wu smiled and said, "That's good. If you're lucky, after today, I'll call you Master Song..."

The two chatted for a while, and suddenly there were three heavy knocks on the door outside the courtyard. Zhao Wu walked into the courtyard and said to several of his men, "Go out through the back door."

After several disciples left the gate, Zhao Wu walked to the door himself, opened it, and saw a masked figure standing outside. He immediately bowed and saluted, saying respectfully, "Master Wu..."

The masked figure glanced at him and said calmly, "The time has come. Do you want to participate in this competition?"

This time, the competition for promotion to the first seat is mainly against these stewards.

Zhao Wu waved his hand and said, "No, no, I don't have the ability to do that. But I just recruited a little brother. Although he is young, he has superb skills. Why not let him participate in the competition on my behalf?"

The masked man didn't say much. He glanced at the young man standing behind Zhao Wu and said, "Follow me."

After saying that, he turned and walked outside.

The young man walked a few steps, turned back, looked at Zhao Wu timidly, and asked, "Brother Wu, aren't you going?"

Zhao Wu knew what he was worried about, so he smiled and said, "I can't go. You can go with Manager Wu without worry. He will bring you back after the competition is over..."

The young man followed the masked man along the intricate alleys and came to an alley entrance where a carriage was parked.

The masked man walked up to the carriage and said calmly, "Get in."

The young man got on the carriage and found that there were three other people on it. The three managers of the Thieves' Sect looked at the young man in surprise and couldn't help but speak.

"Zhao Wu didn't come by himself?"

"With his limited ability, it would be embarrassing if he went, so it's better not to go."

"Then there's no need to send such a young boy. Has his hair fully grown yet? Does he think he can compete for the top position?"

The masked man glanced at them and said coldly: "Shut up!"

After hearing this, the three of them dared not say a word.

The masked man took out some black cloth from his arms, threw it into the carriage, and said, "Blindfold your eyes."

The four of them obediently picked up a piece of black cloth and covered their eyes.

The masked man lowered the curtain and waved the whip in his hand. The carriage started slowly and drove in a certain direction.

High in the sky, a wooden kite flapped its wings slowly and landed far behind the carriage.

Hundreds of feet away, in another carriage.

Li Yun closed his eyes and said to Butler Wu and Li An Ning outside the carriage, "They are moving. Judging from the direction, they should be heading to the north of the city..."

…

Li Nuo was sitting in the carriage with his eyes blindfolded, completely unaware of what was happening outside.

They had to cover their eyes while sitting in the carriage and were so cautious. No wonder the thieves could remain active under the emperor's feet.

But he wasn't too worried.

For this operation, Li Anning specially went to Prince Chun's Mansion to invite Li Yun.

What warriors and legalists cannot do, Mohist mechanical masters can easily accomplish.

He can control the flight mechanism and monitor his position in real time.

Although this mission was a bit difficult in the early stages, it went exceptionally smoothly afterwards.

Although Fifth Brother is not a good person, he is a good leader.

Such a precious opportunity was given to me.

Li Nuo originally planned to use coercion and inducement.

After his eyes were blindfolded, his perception of time was not as sharp. He didn't know how much time had passed before the carriage slowly stopped with a "whoosh".

"get off."

Hearing the sound coming from outside, Li Nuo and the three men took off the black cloth covering their eyes and got off the carriage.

The first thing he did was to look around. There were low and dilapidated houses all around. It should be the slums in the north of the city.

Led by the masked man, the four people walked into a yard. In addition to them, there were already several figures waiting in the yard.

Among them, there were two figures, their faces also covered with black cloth.

The rest of the people, six men and two women, looked like passers-by who could not be found in the crowd. Who would have thought that they were actually the managers of the thieves' sect...

Li Nuo was glad that he had foresight.

If Phoenix hadn't transformed him, he would never have been able to join this mediocre team.

Inside the courtyard, a masked man asked, "Old Wu, why are you here just now? I've been waiting for you."

The masked man who brought Li Nuo and the other three here said, "It's always better to be careful. I walked around outside a few more times."

The man didn't say anything. He glanced at Li Nuo and the other three and said, "Since we're here, let's get started early. We have to go to the next place soon."

Li Nuo's eyebrows slightly raised. From what the other party said, this was not the final competition venue.

A competition has to be divided into different areas. These guys are so cautious that it's scary.

He took a quick look and saw that there were only twelve people in the yard, apart from the three men in black.

There are sixty-four managers of the Thieves' Sect, plus other masters. Logically, there should be no less than a hundred people participating in the competition, and there must be other competition venues.

They even went so far as to divide the examination rooms.

Twelve people stood side by side. A man in black glanced at them and said, "After this level, only half of you can stay. The rest can go back to where you came from."

When everyone heard this, their expressions changed to varying degrees.

I didn’t expect that half of the people would be eliminated in the first level. Doesn’t that mean that if they fall behind in this level, they will lose the opportunity to show other skills?

The man in black pointed to a courtyard wall in front of him and said to the man in Confucian robes standing in the first place, "Climb over that wall, and then climb back."

Li Nuo stood at the end of the crowd. Climbing over walls is the first of the six arts of thieves and also the most basic skill.

Compared to stealing from someone's wallet in front of them, it is of course safer to break into a house when the owner is not at home.

Climbing over the wall is the first step to enter the house, so it is ranked first.

Upon hearing this, the man in the Confucian robe walked out of the line, ran for a distance, and easily jumped over the nearly ten-foot-high courtyard wall, landing on the ground with a "bang".

Soon, he flipped back from the other side. When he landed, Li Nuo, who was two meters away, could feel the ground shaking slightly.

Li Nuo shook his head slightly. He did climb over the wall, but the sound of landing was too loud.

Climbing over a wall to steal a house is not just a simple matter of climbing over it. The requirement is that the noise made when climbing over someone else's wall should be as small as possible.

Thieves usually steal in the middle of the night when everything is quiet, and if they make too much noise, it can easily alert the neighbors.

It's not a good idea to not alarm the neighbors, but it is also a good idea to alarm the guard dog.

Inside the courtyard, the three chiefs also frowned.

He did a good job of climbing over the wall, but the sound he made when he landed was so loud that I can only give him a B rating.

The second person to climb over the wall was a woman with a sallow complexion and dressed like a village woman. She was petite and chose to use several pits on the wall for help. After trying several times, she successfully climbed over the wall.

When she climbed down from the wall, she did not jump straight down like the man in the Confucian robe. Instead, she climbed up the wall with both hands, slowly lowered her body, and after lowering the height, she jumped down lightly, making only a slight sound when she landed on the ground.

When she turned back, she used the same method.

Li Nuo continued to shake his head. The sound of the body landing was smaller, but the speed was too slow.

Climbing over walls is not only the basis for breaking into a house, but also a guarantee for escaping.

If she were discovered by her owner or chased by the guard dog, she would have been caught eight hundred times if she had been crawling like this.

When climbing a wall, what matters is speed and lightness.

Next, the rest of the people also followed the order and quickly climbed over the wall.

I have to say that the manager of the thieves' sect is quite capable.

Not to mention the speed of climbing the wall and the sound of landing, at least everyone successfully climbed over this high wall.

Li Nuo was the last one. He took a light run-up and used his toes to gain leverage on the wall several times. Then he jumped onto the top of the wall and leaped down without any pause.

When he was in the air, he could see the situation on the ground clearly.

He avoided the uneven road surface and chose a relatively flat location. He landed on his knees and did a forward roll. The whole process made almost no sound.

Then he flipped back in the same way and landed silently.

The three leaders standing at the foot of the wall showed surprise on their faces.

They were so close that they didn't hear any sound.

Just in terms of climbing over the wall, even they probably couldn't do it as perfectly as he did.

This young man has something.

When the young man returned to the team, a leader couldn't help but ask, "Whose manager is this? He must be quite capable..."

The other masked chief was also surprised, and then explained: "He is not a steward, but a newcomer recommended by one of my stewards. No wonder Zhao Wu recommended him so much. This kid is really capable and not too old. He is a good candidate..."

Upon hearing this, the other two leaders looked even more surprised.

Newcomer?

Is this fucking newbie?

If this face wasn't so young, they would have believed him to be a guardian just based on his ability to climb over the wall silently...

(End of this chapter)