"Hello there," the greeting completely bewildered the two martial brothers.
Then, with a wave of Zhuge Lan's hand, the elder brother was pushed aside, and the young man found himself standing between the three of them.
"Let me see… your walking posture and the route of your internal qi circulation earlier, they carry a hint of Shaolin, but you're not a monk. Judging by your appearance, you don't seem like a lay disciple of Shaolin. Your martial arts are quite good, half-step Grandmaster. You're so young, your potential is limitless," Zhuge Lan scrutinized the young man, nodding repeatedly.
"He's that capable? He looks so much younger than me, like a fresh graduate just entering society," Wang Qiran also observed the youngster, noting his bewildered and dazed expression, akin to a blank slate fresh out of school.
No wonder he was instigated to come and steal.
Dongfang Jingjing chimed in with a nod, "He's just a bit dark-skinned, but that's normal. For someone who practices martial arts, if they're not dark-skinned, they're probably not from Dragon Country!"
"You guys…"
The young man was a bit stunned, feeling as though the situation had taken a very strange turn.
"It's nothing. I overheard you and your brother saying you wanted to get some money from Jingjing later," Zhuge Lan stared at him, a smile on his face.
However, beneath the smile, his formations were already in motion, and his internal qi had been released, controlling the young man's movements.
Sensing the internal qi, the young man exclaimed in surprise, "You're even more powerful than my master!"
While his master was also a Grandmaster capable of externalizing his internal qi, the imposing aura was far inferior to Zhuge Lan's!
"How about it? Want to be a bodyguard?" Zhuge Lan asked, "Room and board included."
"Really?!"
The young man had initially intended to get enough money to cover his living expenses and then look for some work.
He never expected this person to offer him room and board! Why would he bother with his martial brother in petty theft here?
"Of course. Only you, though. As for him… never mind," Zhuge Lan glanced at the elder brother standing awkwardly to the side.
He understood that this young man had been deceived and misled. He was inexperienced, and if he encountered a bad influence like this martial brother, he could easily be led astray. But this elder brother clearly looked like a seasoned rogue, his skills were not well-learned, and his rudimentary abilities wouldn't allow him to do much else besides being a guard or a minor bodyguard.
However, judging by his demeanor, he wasn't someone who was willing to work diligently for money, which was likely why he resorted to petty theft here.
"Brother can't do it?" the young man tilted his head.
"Yes, his abilities are lacking," Dongfang Jingjing said, glancing at the elder brother. Her eyes clearly conveyed that if he didn't leave, she would call for help.
"That's true, his abilities are indeed a bit poor. My master said back then that he had no talent for martial arts and sent him away early," the young man scratched his head, then looked at his martial brother, "Brother, I'll earn money first, and then I'll find you after I've got some!"
"Yeah, yeah! Okay!"
His martial brother quickly nodded, then said, "I just remembered, a relative asked me to help them at their place. I'll be going now! Little brother, work hard for them!"
With that, he scurried away.
"Brother is running so fast," the young man tilted his head, looking perplexed.
"It shows that he's very eager to leave."