NOVEL NEXT Chapter 380: Master of Deception Part 2
「Early the next morning.」
Xia Liang woke up to the sound of the System's prompt.
[Ding—This month's work task has officially loaded.
Occupation: Divine Calculator
Daily Task: You must operate your stall for at least 6 hours every day.
Days Completed: 0/90
Salary Reward Upon Completion: 320,000 RMB, 160 Work Points.]
What the...? A fortune teller? Is the System assigning unconventional jobs now?
A dark look crossed Xia Liang's face.
And to top it off, the first task lasts for ninety days! More importantly, I don't even have the relevant skills! Am I really supposed to just scam people with a silver tongue? This is... forget it.
Xia Liang considered it. Luckily, he had saved up a good amount of Work Points. For the sake of his new profession, he had no choice but to purchase the relevant skills. Putting everything else aside, Xia Liang immediately began browsing the marketplace.
Hemp Robe Physiognomy
Cost: 300 Work Points.
Divine Physiognomy Water Mirror
Cost: 250 Work Points.
Stargazing Physiognomy
Cost: 150 Work Points.
Great Karma Technique
Cost: 1,500 Work Points.
Great Fate Technique
Cost: 2,100 Work Points.
A ripoff! A freaking ripoff! God-level skills only cost 50 Work Points at most. The most outrageous part is that after saving for so long, I can only afford a single skill! Dammit! If I'm buying one, it might as well be the most expensive!
After some thought, Xia Liang purchased the Great Fate Technique.
Fate. All things in the world, their life and death, are matters of fate. The ceaseless flow of clear and turbid energies contained many wondrous forms: human shapes, mountains, clouds, thunder, dragons, tigers, devils, emperors, and generals. All were interconnected by countless intricate threads, woven together by a mysterious force. The slightest movement from any living creature evolved into a multitude of fates.
Xia Liang felt his head fill with a wealth of knowledge.
When he opened his eyes again, Xia Liang wasted no time washing up. He stepped out onto the busy street and activated the Great Fate Technique. Looking into the air, he saw it was filled with countless threads.
So this is fate? Xia Liang mused as he touched the threads. Through them, he could directly see a person's past and future.
That man is going to be caught cheating today. His wife is a medical student; she's going to stab him 37 times, and yet he'll only be diagnosed with minor injuries. Hmm? This woman is lucky today! She'll win 200,000 from a scratch-off ticket! Holy crap! And that guy is going to fall into a stinking ditch today!
He was now incredibly grateful that he had been willing to spend his Work Points on something so expensive. Other physiognomists cultivated karma. Although they could also make predictions, karma was all about cause and effect. Generally, those who could perceive destiny and understand fortune and misfortune tended to have short lives and meet untimely ends.
It was a practice that shortened one's lifespan, which was why they always spoke in profound and mysterious ways, never telling people things directly. This allowed them to preserve what little time they had. But Xia Liang was different. He practiced the Great Fate Technique, a power meant to defy the heavens and alter destiny. Even when Xia Liang changed a person's fate, he wouldn't be punished. Instead, he would receive blessings.
You really do get what you pay for! Xia Liang couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
In high spirits, Xia Liang retracted his divine ability and prepared to find a place to set up shop. He had no Taoist Robe, no Bagua board. Xia Liang went to the commercial street he owned and directly set up a small storefront to serve as his stall. The shop was only forty square meters, just as Xia Liang had requested. After all, he was just telling fortunes, so he didn't need much space.
The sign was handwritten by Xia Liang himself: Understand Destiny, Do One's Utmost!
And just like that, Xia Liang's fortune-telling stall was open for business.
But an hour passed. A cold wind howled, sending fallen leaves scattering across the street outside his door.
What's going on today? I've been sitting here for an hour. How has not a single person shown up? Does my shop lack appeal? Xia Liang lamented.
This was a bustling commercial street; normally, people were always passing by. But today, most passersby just glanced at his shop before hurrying away.
If a person won't come, I'd even take a ghost. Helping a ghost solve its problems would count too. Just then, he noticed someone passing by his door.
He immediately sprang from his chair and rushed out, only to see a captivatingly beautiful woman leaning against a nearby tree, her head hung low as she vomited. From his position, he couldn't see the woman's face clearly, but her figure alone was enough to make a man's blood boil with desire. She wore a tight, red, hip-hugging skirt that revealed her long, snow-white thighs. Combined with her current posture, her rear was arched high in the air, a sight that nearly gave passing men a nosebleed.
Xia Liang subconsciously used the Great Fate Technique.
This beauty's luck is extremely good! Since there's no business, I'll just have to find it myself!
With this in mind, Xia Liang patted her shoulder. She immediately turned her head to look at him.
She's absolutely devastating!
Her long, curly hair was seductive and enchanting, her eyes were narrow and mesmerizing, and her lips were small and red. Her features were perfectly proportioned, radiating an air of nobility. One look at her face was all it took to know that this woman was undoubtedly wealthy and distinguished. She probably wasn't sober yet, as she seemed somewhat bewildered.
"Miss, are you okay?"
Honestly, while this stunning creature was very much to Xia Liang's taste, he truly had no intention of making a move on her. After all, Xi Yiqian was by no means less attractive and was, in fact, several degrees more pure and innocent.
However, the woman's arms suddenly wrapped around Xia Liang's neck, her face drawing closer to his.
"Handsome, I need someone to sleep with me. Can you help me out?"
Whoa, whoa, we're just talking here!
"Miss, please don't be like this. Let go of me first, and we can talk properly."
The beautiful woman's eyes instantly misted over as she pouted her bright red lips. "I really must be unattractive. Nobody will ever love me."
Her soft, fragrant body suddenly pulled away. Then, her foot slipped, and she began to fall backward. Xia Liang quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her upright.
"Why? Why is it that anyone who gets too close to me meets a bad end? Why do the men who pursue me never stick around? Just why?" she murmured, her voice filled with pain and helplessness.
The situation she described was a sign that her innate life force was too strong, a condition known as the legendary Heavenly Lone Star. Furthermore, a glance at her face revealed a distinct aura of death in the areas representing her parents' fortune and longevity.
"Miss, it's not that no one loves you. It's likely that you were born with the fate of a Heavenly Lone Star. Also... have your parents already passed away?"
How could a woman so beautiful—one who could make men instantly aroused and women green with envy—not be loved by anyone? They probably don't dare to get close, afraid of the dire consequences. Besides, this woman's features scream of a life of glory and riches. A wealthy, beautiful girl like her is the absolute cream of the crop. If it weren't for the Heavenly Lone Star, the line of her suitors would probably stretch from my rundown storefront all the way to the Qingyun City moat.
"You... you... how do you know?" the beautiful woman asked, her eyes reddening as she stared at him through her tears.
"I just do. Our meeting today is fate. If you trust me, give me an item of your personal clothing, and I can help you resolve this. However, if I help you, you must give me a portion of your luck in return. Are you willing?"
She had drunk a lot and probably wasn't even aware of what she was doing. Batting her alluring eyes, she asked with a naive innocence, "Can you really resolve it?"
Xia Liang smiled, his eyes narrowing. "Of course."
"Okay, I trust you."
She must be completely out of it from the alcohol, with no idea what she's doing. That's why she agreed so readily, Xia Liang guessed. After all, this line of work is full of swindlers, and I look so young.
The two of them entered the storefront. She began to unbutton her clothes—and she was going for her innermost layer of clothing.
"Uh, Miss, you really don't have to do that."
"This isn't okay? Then I'll give you something else."
With that, she quickly slipped off her panties and handed them to Xia Liang.