Wealth Flowing In

Half a quarter-hour later, Hong Ming had searched every inch of the room.

He found no Traits related to martial arts, but gradually worked out three rudimentary rules:

First, not every item had a Trait.

Second, the number of Traits was not fixed and was likely related to the item's own rank.

Third, he had to make contact before he could discover a Trait.

That third point put him at a disadvantage, as it meant the range in which he could obtain Traits had shrunk.

After committing these rules to memory, Hong Ming decided to go outside and take a look.

Beyond the room lay a small courtyard, with four low, dilapidated houses steeped in the passage of time.

The houses formed a quadrangle. The front was a general store, his bedroom lay to the left, and his uncle and aunt's family of three were crammed into the right-hand side.

The main house in the middle was where his grandfather lived, with a kitchen beside it.

Calling it a kitchen was generous. It was merely a rough shelter thrown together from yellow mud, blue bricks, and straw, low and cramped, without even a proper door or window.

Hong Ming began searching the courtyard for Traits when he suddenly heard an argument coming from the tightly shut main house.

"Father, why do A Ming's medicine costs and household protection fees have to be covered by us again? Where are we supposed to get that much money?"

It was his eldest aunt's voice, carrying seven parts resentment and three parts grievance.

"You know perfectly well what things have been like for my family lately. Your grandson fell seriously ill some time ago, and it cost us a great deal of money. It nearly emptied our savings—we can barely keep the pot boiling at home now!"

His aunt immediately joined in her complaints. "Exactly! It would be one thing if we were only helping A Ming pay his household protection fee, but why do we have to cover his medicine expenses too? Our money wasn't blown in on the wind. We earned every coin by rising before dawn and working until dark, yet more is spent on A Ming than on my own A Yi!"

Both women's words brimmed with the eruption and release of endurance pushed beyond its limit.

They had paid the enlistment costs after Hong Ming's aptitude had been tested!

They had paid all the various expenses needed for his martial training!

Even the household protection fees due every ten days had been paid by them!

And now they were expected to pay even his medicine costs? Did that mean that once Hong Ming married, built a career, and had children, every expense would fall on them too?!

"Enough!"

The old man was enraged by their attitude. He said in a low voice,

"I only asked you to help A Ming out a little, yet every one of you is making excuses and shirking responsibility. What sort of behavior is this!"

He first said to his younger daughter, "Cuihua, when you wanted to learn a trade, your husband's family refused to lend you money. It was A Ming's mother who gave you money without a second word, allowing you to live the good life you have today!"

Then he turned to his daughter-in-law. "And you—if A Ming's father hadn't taken A Wu's corvée labor in his place, then the one at home today would not be A Wu, but A Wen!"

His final words were nearly a roar. "All of this is what you owe A Ming!"

The instant those words fell, the room went silent for several breaths.

After a long while, his eldest aunt spoke, her voice weary and helpless. "Father, we haven't forgotten those debts of gratitude. But after helping A Ming for so long, we should have repaid them by now."

"Yes, Father. You can't keep living off this matter for the rest of our lives, can you?" His aunt's voice choked slightly.

"It won't take that long!"

Grandfather's words were firm as iron, carrying an unshakable resolve.

"As long as we wait until A Ming becomes a martial artist. Once he joins the Water Army, he'll receive a monthly salary. Then he can pay you back."

His eldest aunt had no patience for the grand promise Grandfather had drawn. "You've said that more times than I can count. You always say that once A Ming becomes a martial artist, we'll have good days ahead of us. But even now, we haven't seen the slightest shadow of it. And now A Ming is bedridden—who knows how much farther away that day has become."

"Don't worry. A Ming will definitely become a martial artist. If you help him now, you'll share in his glory later," Grandfather said with absolute certainty.

His eldest aunt and aunt said nothing. They did not ask to share in his glory; they only hoped Hong Ming would stop dragging them down in the future.

This medicine expense was no small sum to them.

If such additional expenses came a few more times, no one would be able to bear it!

Outside the room, feeling the old man's heavy trust, Hong Ming's emotions were complicated.

His expression darkened. His family's situation was even worse than he had imagined.

"Looks like I'll have to find a way to make money!"

Hong Ming thought to himself. It was not only for his family—he also needed money to buy resources for martial training.

With that thought, he unconsciously touched the pouch at his waist. It was empty.

The wages he had earned delivering goods during this period had almost all been extorted by Liu Hu. Only a few copper coins had escaped disaster.

That money should have been used to help support the household!

"Liu Hu!"

Hong Ming's gaze turned cold. After silently adding two debts to Liu Hu's account, he counted the money on him.

Only three copper coins—less than enough for a filling meal!

Just as he was about to put the money away, his expression changed slightly. To his astonishment, words appeared in the depths of his vision:

[Trait: Wealth Flowing In]

[Status: Can be solidified]

[Fortune required: 1 point]

[Solidification effect: Fortune shines overhead; you may find ill-gotten wealth.]

[Note: Duration: two hours.]

Hong Ming blinked, somewhat surprised. Were cheats this considerate these days?

Without the slightest hesitation, he stirred his thoughts and chose to solidify it.

[1 point of fortune consumed. Trait "Wealth Flowing In" successfully solidified.]

With the Trait on him and a time limit hanging over his head, Hong Ming made a prompt decision and headed out to test it.

Leaving the small courtyard, Hong Ming had barely stepped out of the general store before he halted.

Underfoot was a muddy road freshly washed by rain, full of potholes and slick mud.

The not particularly wide road was marked by footprints of every depth, as though they would wipe away even the broken gravel path running through the middle.

Yet what stopped Hong Ming was not the difficulty of the road ahead, but a glimmer hidden beneath the mud.

A copper coin!

Hong Ming's eyes brightened slightly. He stepped forward and quickly waded a path through the sludge.

Then he bent down, reached out, brushed aside the filth, picked it up, wiped it clean, and slipped it into his pocket. The movements flowed like drifting clouds and running water, completed in one smooth motion, unnoticed by anyone.

Finding money the moment he stepped outside was a good omen!

Hong Ming's mood lifted somewhat. Ignoring the wet mud entirely, he walked with renewed hope.

He followed the muddy road onward, deliberately seeking out places crowded with people and shops.

Mudstone Alley was not a street, but a proper district. It was not large within all of Clear River City, yet though a sparrow was small, it had all five organs.

There were places here for food, drink, pleasure, and entertainment as well, all gathered around West Ward.

Hong Ming headed west. He found money roughly every hundred paces, and by the time he reached West Ward, he had collected ten copper coins.

That was already comparable to half a day's net profit from the general store, yet he was far from satisfied.

"Only ten copper coins in half an hour. At that rate, I'll probably get around forty copper coins in two hours—not even enough to cover the medicine costs."

Hong Ming was somewhat disappointed. It seemed impossible to get rich by picking up money.

As he was worrying, a voice interrupted his thoughts. "Eh, isn't this A Ming? What are you doing here?"

Hong Ming looked toward the voice. Walking toward him were the bully Qian Biao and his two lackeys.

They were even more loathsome than the rascal Liu Hu.

Backed by the Tiger Gang, Qian Biao ran wild through Mudstone Alley, throwing his weight around without restraint.

The common people all hated him to the bone, yet dared to be angry without daring to speak.

"Brother Biao." Hong Ming took the initiative to greet him, following the principle of avoiding offense whenever possible.

Hearing Hong Ming's less-than-respectful, flattering tone, Qian Biao narrowed his eyes.

A flicker of displeasure rose in his heart, but vanished in an instant.

He smiled broadly. "A Ming, I heard you recently lost some goods and your employer demanded compensation. Are you strapped for cash? I have a way out for you—I can lend you some money to tide you over. Don't worry, we Mudstone Alley people don't cheat Mudstone Alley people. The interest is crystal clear: one copper coin of interest per mace of silver per day, settled every ten days. Pay it back whenever you have the money. What do you say?"