The small town

Fang Weiyan returned home, and his excitement gradually began to build.

Back in that world, Fang Weiyan had not thought about much else. He had simply kept his cool and focused on getting through the crisis.

Now that he was finally safe, Fang Weiyan could think more about what he could do with the ability to travel to another world.

That world had ghosts and monsters, and it was extremely dangerous.

Well, his relationship with the Earth God was fairly good for now. He needed to hug that thigh tightly and, if possible, do his best to keep the god from fading away.

That would at least give him some protection in that world.

Then there was the Earth God's suggestion that he become the county magistrate of Linbei County.

A county magistrate could actually be considered a local emperor, with considerable power.

But he had heard that in ancient county towns like that, he would also have to watch out for the local gentry?

Someone like Fang Weiyan, arriving without any roots there, would have to be even more careful.

At that thought, Fang Weiyan's brows furrowed slightly. He needed to get some weapons for self-defense.

Tomorrow, he would buy a stun baton and protective gear like a stab-resistant vest, and put it all on.

With that in mind, Fang Weiyan set an alarm.

The next day.

Too excited to fall asleep until after three in the morning, Fang Weiyan got up at his alarm's urging and quickly washed his face and brushed his teeth.

Then he rode his motorcycle into the county town.

Aside from buying a stun baton, Fang Weiyan also picked up a few glass marbles. If it was ancient times, things like these ought to be quite valuable.

The main issue was that Fang Weiyan was a student who had only just graduated from university, and he had no other money.

He had even bought the stab-resistant vest on Huabei credit.

According to the shopkeeper, the vest was extremely durable. He sold it to Fang Weiyan for 2,800 yuan; he had originally wanted 3,300, but Fang Weiyan had bargained him down to 2,800.

Who knew how much profit the shopkeeper had made off him through his tears.

After buying everything, Fang Weiyan rode his motorcycle home. His parents would not be back for another five days.

He needed to get some money within those five days.

Only then could Fang Weiyan rent a place elsewhere. Otherwise, constantly disappearing from home would be too troublesome.

He could ask his parents for the money, but now that he had graduated from university, Fang Weiyan really felt too embarrassed to keep asking his family for money.

Besides, with this opportunity before him, he felt he could manage on his own.

After shutting the doors and windows, Fang Weiyan held his things and silently focused on the thought of going to that world.

The familiar sensation came again, like some inexplicable tugging.

Soon, when Fang Weiyan opened his eyes again, he had already arrived in the other world.

To his right was the Earth God's spirit tablet, just as before.

"It seems this young master has learned a few Daoist arts?"

Fang Weiyan had only just appeared when an aged voice sounded beside him.

Fang Weiyan froze at those words, then turned to look and saw a faint glow coming from the Earth God's spirit tablet.

Clearly, the Earth God had already awakened.

From the sound of it, he thought Fang Weiyan had learned some Daoist arts, which would explain why he had been unable to see through Fang Weiyan earlier.

Hearing this, Fang Weiyan knew the god had seen him suddenly appear just now and misunderstood.

Fang Weiyan did not explain. The misunderstanding was fine; it would keep the god from considering other possibilities.

"I am ready. Shall I go to Linbei County now?"

He had not merely made his nonphysical preparations; he had changed his clothes as well.

Although his hair was still short, Fang Weiyan had specifically put on a hat.

"Mm. I have already visited those households in their dreams. You need only go, young master."

Fang Weiyan felt a little anticipation at that and started down the mountain, but he had only just taken a step when he turned back to ask another question.

"But we agreed that you would let me avoid those demons and monsters."

That female ghost from before really had frightened Fang Weiyan a little. Those things were truly beyond his ability to deal with.

"Rest assured, young master. I have recovered a little divine power. Protecting you is certainly within my abilities."

The aged voice steadied Fang Weiyan's heart a little, and he set off down the mountain.

The Earth God watched him, divine light flickering faintly over the spirit tablet.

Alas, humanity is weak now. Who knows how many people are still clinging to life in this world? If this man can make Linbei County prosper again, perhaps I can gain some more incense offerings.

And use them to shelter these people.

But if Linbei County is destined to decline, I, too, will inevitably face the dissolution of my Dao.

Fang Weiyan walked down the mountain. After about half an hour, he spotted a small town at its foot in the distance.

But when Fang Weiyan drew a little closer, his expression changed drastically in shock.

"A town? This still counts as a town?"

At a glance, Fang Weiyan saw that nearly all the houses in the town ahead had collapsed. The entire town was deathly still.

The elderly people who remained came out, leading a few children by the hand.

Several men had starved down to skin and bones, as though a layer of skin had been pasted over their skeletons.

The people who came out all lay on the ground, seemingly unable even to move.

Fang Weiyan's heart clenched at the sight. Honestly, he had never seen what people looked like when starvation drove them mad, but now he seemed to be seeing it.

Looking at the people lying on the ground, Fang Weiyan's expression instantly turned utterly grim.

When the people saw Fang Weiyan, their mouths opened as though they wanted to say something, but in the end, no sound came out.

Fang Weiyan had thought that even if the town he was taking over was not particularly prosperous, it would at least have a little life to it.

Now that he saw it, where was there any sign of life?

The people who remained looked as though they would starve to death in another few days.

At a rough glance, there were several hundred people here.

Several hundred people meant several hundred mouths to feed!

Although Fang Weiyan could buy food in his own world to help these people, the problem was that he had no money.

Not only was the stun baton and the other things he had bought completely useless here, but he had gone into debt for them.

There were roughly four or five hundred people before him. Allowing one jin of rice per person per day...

At around two yuan per jin, buying rice would cost about two hundred yuan a day.

That would come to over ten thousand yuan a month just for rice. Where would he get that much money?

For a moment, Fang Weiyan felt an unbearable headache.

Yet looking at the townspeople before him, he could not truly leave them to their fate.

If he saved these people now, even if only a few dozen of them felt deeply grateful to him, he would at least have some supporters in the future.

"Stay calm. Ask whether there is any local gentry left in town. If there is, perhaps I can trade the glass marbles for some food later."

Fang Weiyan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down so he could think of a way to resolve the predicament before him.