NOVEL NEXT Chapter 381: Finally Trigger the Task_2
In less than two minutes, Wang Shouren's subordinate called to report that the taxi driver had been found. The contract was also located; the driver, who was about to end his shift, was now waiting for someone to pick it up.
"Sir, I can't thank you enough. I'm Wang Shouren. May I ask your name?" Wang Shouren was genuinely grateful. The contract issue had been resolved so quickly, all thanks to Xia Liang's help.
"My name is Xia Liang. You can drop the formalities, sir. Just call me by my name," Xia Liang replied. He had overheard Wang Shouren on the phone and knew the issue was resolved, as the man hadn't tried to hide the conversation.
"Xia Liang, my apologies. I'll transfer the money to you right now."
Wang Shouren promptly sent the transfer to Xia Liang via WeChat. As a businessman who knew how to prioritize, he then hurried away.
Ugh! After all this time, only one customer! Xia Liang thought. It's no wonder, really. Business Street is frequented by youngsters and young couples. How could people that age possibly believe in Fortune Telling? Forget it. I should find a more suitable place for Fortune Telling. I can think about building my reputation once I'm established.
Xia Liang shook his head and closed up shop.
He made his way to the pedestrian bridge at the interchange of the Qingyun City Comprehensive Market, a place where all sorts of people from every walk of life gathered.
Looking around after he arrived, he saw the bridge was about four or five meters wide and covered by a thick blue plastic roof. Below, a city-level thoroughfare bustled with traffic.
Xia Liang found an inconspicuous corner and set up his table and sign.
The spot was close to the Comprehensive Market, so it had a high volume of foot traffic, bustling with people from day to night. Many street vendors lined both sides of the bridge, selling socks and CDs. There were also other fortune tellers dressed in Taoist-like robes, complete with long goatees. At first glance, they really did have the air of immortal sages.
At that moment, a portly, big-eared middle-aged man rushed past Xia Liang and plopped down at another Fortune Teller's stall.
"Master, please tell my fortune! I need to know about my financial prospects."
The man, named Gong Wen, had a square face and appeared somewhat agitated. Clutching a black leather bag under his arm and fidgeting with an unlit cigarette, he was the spitting image of the nouveau riche.
"Master, to be frank, I've just gotten involved in a big deal. I want to know if it will go smoothly and if there's anything I need to avoid."
The Fortune Teller slowly opened his eyes and carefully stroked his beard. "What would you like to know, sir?"
"My financial prospects."
"Alright."
The Fortune Teller first asked Gong Wen for his birth date and time, then put on a show of calculating, occasionally furrowing his brow.
"Amazing!"
"What is it, Master?"
"This is incredible! Your birth chart shows the Five Elements in a state of mutual generation—an endless cycle of prosperity! This year, your lucky star is in the Central Palace. This is a sign of supreme fortune, a Da Ji omen!"
"Master! Are you serious? I knew it, my luck couldn't be bad. Ha ha ha..."
Just as they reached the exciting part, the Fortune Teller suddenly closed his eyes and furrowed his brow slightly. Gong Wen immediately understood the implication.
"Master, please accept this small token of my appreciation." The man took out several ten-Yuan notes and placed them on the stall. "Master, please continue..."
After listening to the charlatan's bout of deceit, Xia Liang was exasperated. Is this what helping people avert disaster and seek good fortune is? It's just a shameless scam, completely devoid of any real skill.
"Master, I really have to thank you," Gong Wen said. "If this deal goes through, I'll definitely come back and reward you generously."
As the man turned to leave, Xia Liang cleared his throat lightly and muttered under his breath.
"If you're still alive by then, you really should come back and give your thanks properly."
The man spun around and shot Xia Liang a scrutinizing, displeased glare. "Little brother, what's that supposed to mean? The Master just said my lucky star is in the Central Palace this year. I'm on the cusp of great fortune!"
Xia Liang gave a helpless, cold chuckle, then shook his head and said bluntly, "There's a streak of black energy between your brows, charging straight for your face. The red glow of your spiritual platform has faded, a sign of a clash between the visiting star and the emperor star. This isn't just about financial loss or disaster; within three days, you will face a bloody calamity."
"What? A bloody calamity?" Gong Wen scoffed. "Bah! Impossible. That's impossible."
With that said, Xia Liang closed his eyes, adopting an air of complete indifference. Gong Wen, indignant, rushed over to Xia Liang's stall. He banged his hand heavily on the table and roared furiously.
"Fine, I don't believe you! We'll see how accurate a little baby-faced punk like you can be. If things turn out as you say in three days, I'll come back and crawl between your legs!"
Once home, Gong Wen felt uneasy. He was in the jade business. A few days earlier, he and some partners had pooled their money to buy a 200-plus kilogram jadeite boulder from Mian Dian for two Yuan. In the stone gambling trade, this was known as a rough. Roughs are jadeite stones coated in an unweathered rind that hides their contents. One can't know the quality of the jade inside without cutting it open. The saying "one cut to poverty, one cut to riches" perfectly describes the dramatic ups and downs of the process.
If one was lucky and cut into top-quality Mutton-Fat Jade, the price of the rough could soar like a roller coaster, multiplying dozens of times over. If one was unlucky and found only impurities, fractured jade, or nothing at all, the price would plummet just as drastically, perhaps even becoming worthless.
After some discussion, his partners had wanted to sell the rough to make a quick, safe profit. Although it wouldn't be much, the risk would be low. Gong Wen, however, refused. It was such a promising stone; making such a small profit felt like a total waste.
The Master said today that the Tai Sui is on my side, my lucky star is shining, and everything will go smoothly, Gong Wen thought. I have to take this gamble!
That night, he secretly had several workers bring the jade rough to the cutting machine.
With that one cut, Gong Wen was utterly dumbfounded. The boulder was completely empty, containing nothing but a chaotic mess of stone patterns.
I'm ruined. Completely ruined...
When his partners found out, a fight broke out immediately. Gong Wen was beaten until his face was black and blue and his head was cracked open.
「The next morning」
Xia Liang set up his stall on the pedestrian bridge, just as he had the day before. He bought a bottle of soy milk and began to leisurely savor it.
"Master, save me!"
Gong Wen approached Xia Liang and, without a word, knelt before him with a THUD.
In a flash, he fulfilled his promise, crawling back and forth between Xia Liang's legs.
What the fuck?
"Master, I was wrong!" Gong Wen cried. "Please, forgive my offense—just look at my head! You can see I've paid the price. Your prediction was spot on. I'm begging you, please save me! I have nowhere else to turn."
Then, crying and sniffling, Gong Wen recounted the whole story.
It was all because of my greed. If I had just sold the rough stone, I wouldn't be in this mess. If only I had known...
Just then, the System's voice sounded.
[Ding—Congratulations, Host, for triggering the task: Fortune.
Task Description: Guide the person before you.
Task Reward: 80 Work Points, Divine-level: Beast Taming.]
Seeing the task trigger, Xia Liang put down his soy milk. He glanced at Gong Wen's face. The black energy over his brow had already dissipated, and his spiritual platform was gradually clearing. Today, his Palace of Wealth was in ascendance, and the malevolent energy had shifted south. This was a clear sign that his luck was turning.
Xia Liang nodded with a gratified expression.