Chapter 23: The Beginning of Provocation

Why did Long Yin trust him so much? Rather than placing his faith in the man himself, it was more accurate to say he trusted Little Hammer. If Little Hammer was certain there would be no trouble, and Long Yin found the person unobjectionable, then entrusting him would save a great deal of hassle—so why not?

Afterward, Long Yin and Little Hammer treated themselves to another round of well-deserved indulgence. Looking at the dwindling supply of materials in his storage, Long Yin decided it was time for another spree.

Three years had passed. Tonight, Dezhou’s main street was once again thrown into a frenzy. Since the old man and child had departed, a new pair had finally arrived—a human and a beast who swept through eight blocks’ worth of high-end material shops.

Leaving Dezhou's main street, Long Yin collapsed limply onto Little Hammer’s shoulder, so exhausted he didn’t want to move a finger.

“Yin, where shall we go?”

“Since we’ve already paid, we’re heading back to Dexin, of course!”

Little Hammer nodded, carrying Long Yin back to Dexin. He had already informed the dormitory manager that morning, so settling the two of them into their luxurious single suite went smoothly.

For the first time in three years, Long Yin slept on a soft, spacious bed. Yet, he found his body ill at ease, so accustomed to the hard wooden cots of the past. In the living room, Little Hammer sprawled on the carpet, snoring thunderously. Clutching his pillow, barefoot, Long Yin climbed onto Little Hammer’s back—the familiar scent, the rumbling snore, the steady vibrations—all these reassured him, and soon he drifted into sleep.

A tremendous pounding at the door roused him from his dreams. Sweaty and groggy, Long Yin ignored the noise and headed straight for the bath. When he emerged, he found Little Hammer eyeing the door, which now sported a gaping hole, with a look of frustration. Drying his damp hair, Long Yin fetched some sheet metal, a hammer, and nails from his storage. “Let’s patch it up for now; we’ll get a new one tomorrow.”

“Yin, they broke our door!” Little Hammer’s voice quivered with anger. “I gave those guys a good beating and dumped them out on the lawn!”

“Oh,” Long Yin replied, nodding to show he understood.

“I beat them up!” Little Hammer pressed, raising his voice.

“Mm.” Long Yin nodded again.

Suddenly, Little Hammer felt reassured. If Long Yin didn’t react, it meant the problem was minor. After patching the door, Little Hammer helped dry Long Yin’s hair, and the two went back t