A Surge in Luck

"Stone Crystal Fruit?"

Hong Ming was a little surprised. He hadn't expected stabilizing his Fate Grid to come with a reward.

But he didn't pay it much mind. He didn't yet know whether the reward was any good.

Instead, he memorized the location of the precious herb, intending to make plans to get it when he had the chance.

He continued examining the changes to his Fate Grid. The benefit had arrived, and a new requirement had appeared alongside it:

[Fate Grid: Child of Luck]

[As the Child of Luck, you will have divine assistance in your cultivation and are certain to become a Dark Force martial artist within two months.]

[Failure will lower your Fate Grid, entangle you in calamity, and shorten your lifespan by ten years.]

As always, the icy words were utterly cold and merciless.

Compared to before, the content was more or less the same. The difference lay in the deadline and the required level.

The former had been extended to two months, while the latter had been raised to Dark Force.

There was still no reward listed, but Hong Ming knew from experience that it would appear once he fulfilled the requirement.

He didn't think much of it. He was more interested in the changes to his luck.

[Fortune: 20 points (4%)]

Hong Ming glanced at the panel, his expression brightening with delight.

The change in his Fortune was no less impressive than the change in his strength!

It had shot straight up from five points to twenty, a full fifteen-point increase.

This undoubtedly gave him more options and would greatly benefit him when he solidified Traits in the future!

Only magic could defeat magic!

By now, he understood that his own efforts alone weren't enough to stabilize his Fate Grid. He also had to rely on Traits.

"It's getting late. I'll repay my former employer first, then head home!"

After glancing at the sky, Hong Ming slowly ended his cultivation.

He'd been tense for days. Now that he'd finally succeeded, there was no harm in relaxing a little.

Martial arts training still required a balance between work and rest.

As for registering his level, there was no rush. He could go tomorrow.

Back at his dormitory, Hong Ming tidied himself up and changed into clean clothes before setting off for the Zhong Family Cloth Shop.

It had once been his employer's shop.

The one who received him was the shop's manager, Zhong Ping.

When he saw Hong Ming, Zhong Ping paused, then asked with a frown, "Hong Ming, what are you back for?"

"I came to repay the money!" Hong Ming replied stiffly.

From his memories, this fellow was a skinflint who often found excuses to dock their wages.

Hong Ming couldn't be bothered with idle pleasantries. As soon as he'd spoken, he took out the money, intending to repay what he owed.

To his surprise, the other man stopped him. "Repay what? You already paid off the money you owed for the goods."

"Paid it off?" Hong Ming asked, momentarily stunned.

Zhong Ping nodded, replying impatiently, "Your grandfather paid it off for you a few days ago!"

Grandfather?

Hong Ming's expression changed. How had he found out?

And where had he gotten the money?

"All right, the debt's been paid. If you've got nothing else, don't get in my way. I've got work to do, so hurry along!"

Without giving Hong Ming a chance to ask anything else, Zhong Ping bluntly told him to leave.

He was busy and had no time to waste.

Hong Ming was full of questions, but he didn't ask any. He simply took his leave.

There was no point in dwelling on it now. He might as well go home and ask his grandfather what had happened.

The Hong Family Grocery Store, the courtyard.

The autumn wind howled, sending withered leaves drifting down.

They landed on the smooth, darkened flagstones by the entrance, adding to the desolate air.

The same desolation hung over the courtyard.

A sharp voice shattered the silence in an instant. It came from his eldest aunt: "Father, how could you borrow money at lamb interest? And use the deed to our shop as collateral?"

Her fury was plain to see. She'd never imagined that, rather than marrying off his daughter to repay Hong Ming's debt, Hong Zheng would borrow money at lamb interest.

Was that the sort of debt an ordinary family like theirs could afford?

With interest piling upon interest, it was a bottomless pit that devoured everything, burying countless people in ruin and driving their families apart!

Borrow once at lamb interest, and it would ruin your life and your whole family. It was easy enough to take the money, but could you ever pay it back?

What she found even harder to accept was that Hong Zheng hadn't breathed a word about it, let alone discussed it with them.

He'd simply gone and done as he pleased!

By the time they found out, the deal was done, and there was no turning back.

"Father, Third Sister is right. You're pushing the whole family into a pit of fire!"

Her aunt chimed in angrily, her voice full of resentment.

The deed should have included her family's share, but Hong Zheng had used all of it to plug Hong Ming's hole.

But what truly drove her to despair wasn't being denied her share of the money. It was being saddled with a debt that should never have been theirs.

Ten taels of silver—they could work themselves to death, and the three of them still wouldn't be able to repay it!

"I was wrong not to discuss it with you first. But could I really use Magpie to settle the debt?"

Hearing the two women's furious words, the old man knew he was in the wrong, and his voice weakened.

But after showing weakness for only a moment, he stiffened and said, "Besides, I did it for the good of our family—for your sake!"

In the past, upon hearing those words, his aunt would have torn them apart without hesitation.

How was this for their sake? It was clearly only for Hong Ming's sake!

But now, perhaps exhausted and weary, she strangely didn't argue.

Instead, after a long silence, she spoke with a resolve that sounded like resignation: "Father, things have come to this. We should split..."

"Oh, the whole family's here, are they?"

Before she could finish, a mocking voice abruptly cut her off.

Qian Biao strolled over with a dog's-tail grass between his teeth and two lackeys behind him.

"That's convenient, then. Saves me the trouble. You'll pay up today."

As he spoke, he pulled a contract from inside his robes. It was the lamb-interest loan Hong Zheng had taken.

At his words, the eldest aunt, her sister-in-law, and the youngest aunt all looked at Hong Zheng in alarm and confusion.

Hong Zheng rose, leaning on his cane, and forced a smile. "Master Biao, have you made a mistake? Didn't we agree that I could repay in installments?"

"I moved the deadline up," Qian Biao replied casually.

His tone brooked no argument. It was obvious he'd come for the deed to the Hong Family Grocery Store!

Hong Zheng and the others all turned pale.

They were especially frightened when they saw the two lackeys behind Qian Biao gripping long clubs, eager for a fight.

They were a family of old folks, women, and children. How could they stand against these vicious men?

Hong Zheng swayed slightly as he tried to explain, his voice trembling. "Master Biao, the date was set in black and white. How can you just change it?"

"Enough nonsense. If you can't pay, then hand over the deed to your shop!"

Qian Biao snapped impatiently. He was a bully, after all. What was the point of being one if he still had to honor the terms of a contract?

After he'd spoken, he seemed to think of something and grinned. "What, are you still hoping to wait until Hong Ming joins the Water Army before you pay me back?"

"What do you mean by that?" Hong Zheng asked, his expression changing.

"What do I mean?" Qian Biao sneered. "That kid Hong Ming probably hasn't told you, has he? There are conditions for joining the Water Army."

He held up three fingers and added unhurriedly, "Three months! If he can't cultivate Inner Force in that time, he can forget about joining the Water Army!"

He sounded increasingly smug. "Unless something unexpected happens, Hong Ming's good days should be just about over!"

"That's true?" Hong Zheng's expression froze.

If he remembered correctly, Hong Ming's three-month deadline was nearly up. But there'd still been no sign of progress. Did that mean...

He didn't dare think any further. His mind went blank.

What Qian Biao had said struck Hong Zheng with a cruelty beyond anything the lamb-interest debt could inflict.

In a daze, he felt as though the sky he'd pinned all his hopes on had collapsed!