Chapter 28
The next morning, Lu Chuan pretended to tell Little Xia about the previous night’s attack by criminals and asked how one should deal with such petty thieves.
Little Xia was extremely nervous. “Boss, you’re okay, right?”
She had initially been sent by the village chief to watch Lu Chuan’s family, but after working at the fruit shop, she realized the family were all good people. They were even cooperating with her village for the orchard. If something happened to the boss, it would affect the whole village.
“I’m fine, but now we probably can’t stay at the fruit shop at night. We need to find a new place.” Lu Chuan sighed.
“Then stay at my house. I’ve got empty rooms, and my parents, brother, and younger siblings are all there. No thief would dare show up.” Little Xia volunteered.
“No, we can’t crowd your place. We’ll find somewhere else.” Lu Chuan waved her off, refusing without giving her a chance to persuade him further.
Little Xia had no choice. At noon, she returned to the village and immediately reported the situation to the chief.
The chief pounded his thigh. “This must be because I gave him the divine statue. If they’re staying, they should stay at my place. I’ll clean the house and move their luggage there at night. Little Xia, keep following them and don’t say anything yet, or they won’t agree.”
“Yes, chief.”
Once Little Xia left, Lu Chuan went to the nearby store to buy two red envelopes, withdrew a few bills, and put them in the envelopes for Starry Shasha. He also asked Shen Li to pick some good fruits and assemble a gift basket.
Shen Li was a bit confused but obediently began to pack the basket. “Shasha’s not having a birthday. Why are you giving her red envelopes?”
“Shasha, the chief will probably come tonight to help us move. When we get to his house, give the envelopes to his son and daughter. Got it?” Lu Chuan rolled his eyes, then turned to Shen Li. “Captain, you really don’t understand human relations. Even if the chief invited us, we can’t go empty-handed. The fruit basket and red envelopes are a gift for the chief’s family.”
“I know proper etiquette,” Shen Li said, proud of being an adult. “When the chief arrives, we’ll just shove the money into his hands. I plan to also buy some good wine and cigarettes for them.”
Shen Li understood social niceties.
“We’re big clients for the village. The chief won’t want to accept money directly. Wine and cigarettes might be okay, though he’ll probably share the cigarettes. The basket looks nice but isn’t expensive, so he’ll likely accept it. As for the money, the chief definitely won’t take it. But if I give red envelopes to his children, it shows my regard for them. He can’t refuse. Having Shasha hand it over is perfect; she’s their age, so it won’t raise suspicion. Once the children accept, they’ll tell the parents. The money isn’t much, so the chief and his wife will accept with just a polite refusal.” Lu Chuan explained without hesitation.
Parents who love their children are naturally pleased when others respect them. Giving red envelopes to the children costs less than paying the chief directly, but it’s more thoughtful.
Lu Chuan wasn’t about to freeload—he knew that even good relationships could be ruined if one overstepped.
Why waste money on the wrong thing when it matters most?
Details matter—interpersonal relations are all about attention to detail.
Across cultures and eras, gift-giving is an art: how to give gifts, how to hit someone’s heart with minimal cost, all require careful thought.
Shen Li hadn’t fully grasped this yet, still trying to piece it together.
“Also, this dungeon isn’t exclusive to us. Other Star Guild members will come. The chief’s children are clever; even if they don’t become chiefs, their status in the village will be high. Showing respect and giving some red envelopes now will help our guild’s players in the future clear this dungeon more smoothly.” Lu Chuan added.
Starry Shasha was shocked.
“Captain, Brother Lu is so smart, so thoughtful… like an adult!” She had unconsciously become Lu Chuan’s little fan. Listening to him, she felt like a child herself, clueless about maintaining relationships.
Shen Li seriously reflected on his own life.
Even as a captain in the Star Guild, he couldn’t compete with senior members in handling favors. Maybe it was because he didn’t know how to play social games?
Usually, he thought his actions were fine, but after listening to Lu Chuan, he realized his behavior seemed childish.
“I am an adult,” Lu Chuan said with a smile. “NPCs have desires and ideas. Storylines are just a small part of their lives. We need to find out what they want outside the plot. That way, it’s easy to predict their next moves.”
Starry Shasha nodded in agreement.
She had heard people say “you need to know how to get along with others” but never understood.
Now she realized it probably meant becoming like Lu Chuan.
[Host, your past life was really tough.] #888 couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.
Even though he was still young, he was so socially adept—he must have gone through a lot.
“Not too bad. Poor, a bit unlucky, but I grew up fine.” Lu Chuan thought for a moment. “Learning to get along with people isn’t hard. Just observe. When I worked odd jobs, I liked watching customers’ expressions. You notice patterns, and you can guess what they’re thinking. Even professional actors can’t maintain their emotions constantly. I found it interesting.”
Lu Chuan enjoyed it and didn’t consider it hardship.
By afternoon, the fruit shop once again displayed a “Sold Out” sign.
Before the shop had even closed, the village chief had already mobilized his children and relatives to help Lu Chuan’s family pack up their things. He insisted that Lu Chuan stay at his house no matter what.
There was a lot of back-and-forth in the process.
Village chief: “How could I possibly accept your money? That wouldn’t look right.”
Village chief: “I’ll take the fruit basket, but the rest—forget it.”
Lu Chuan: “The red envelopes I give to my niece and nephew aren’t for you. What are you saying?”
Lu Chuan: “If we’ll be working together frequently in the future, you’d better accept it, or I won’t come again.”
Starry Shasha and the chief’s children watched wide-eyed, fascinated. They had no idea that the negotiations and subtle tug-of-war over etiquette and social obligations were just as intense as a fierce battle.
In the end, the chief’s family cheerfully escorted Lu Chuan’s family to their home.
The chief even gave up his master bedroom and went to stay in the guest room.
He also instructed his children to treat Lu Chuan’s family as relatives, to visit often, and to make sure they felt welcome—after all, the Li family would need their favor in the future.
“Oh, and if anyone in the village is planning to slaughter a cow or sheep, buy the best ones. We can’t let our guests see our village as shabby!”
Thus, Lu Chuan and the others moved into the chief’s house in comfort. The neighboring villagers had all been reminded to stay alert at night to prevent any trouble from disturbing the guests.
Meanwhile, the divine statue originally given to Lu Chuan was respectfully placed back on the shrine by the chief, with offerings of fruits and vegetables.
Seeing this, the other players had no choice but to halt their attacks on Lu Chuan and his party.
If they angered the village chief, this dungeon run would be a complete failure.
Lu Chuan soon settled into a routine: selling fruit in the shop during the day and feasting at the chief’s house at night.
Within a few days before the formal sacrificial ceremony, he had gained two pounds, looking more like a tourist than a dungeon adventurer.
To [Shadow Fiend] of the Abyss Guild, this greatly increased Lu Chuan’s perceived threat.
“I thought this newbie was just a pawn of the Star Guild, but now even Shen Li and Starry Shasha are following his orders. Incredible.” [Shadow Fiend] knew Shen Li well—if Lu Chuan couldn’t truly convince him, Shen Li would never follow so obediently, even if Lu Chuan was the Guildmaster’s illegitimate son.
[Arrival of the God of Wealth] reaching seventh place on the newbie leaderboard in such a short time proves his real talent.
Perhaps only the sibling duo of the Resurrection Guild could be worthy opponents for such a prodigy.
People like this had to be eliminated—he couldn’t let the Star Guild rise again.
“Hold off for now,” [Shadow Fiend] ordered his subordinates. “Tomorrow is the formal sacrificial ceremony. Even if it costs us the dungeon, we cannot let Lu Chuan claim the Lord title.”
“Major General, what should we do?”
“I acquired a useful tool in the previous dungeon. Just follow my orders.” [Shadow Fiend] knew that using this tool might leave only him and Shen Li alive in the dungeon, while everyone else could perish. But if it could destroy the last two hopes of the Star Guild, it would be worth it.
Five guilds are too many; resources are limited. Four is just right.
The formal sacrificial ceremony was tomorrow. Lu Chuan closed the fruit shop early and returned home. Shen Li and Starry Shasha checked their items while discussing plans with Lu Chuan for the next day.
“Tomorrow is the most critical point of the dungeon. Those players will act, especially [Shadow Fiend] Wang Feng. He’s utterly loyal to the Abyss Guild, a die-hard type. I’m afraid he’ll go all out to kill you.” Shen Li was worried.
He had only been with Lu Chuan for a few days but could already sense his massive potential.
It’s true that every top-level player shows exceptional traits even as a newbie.
No other new player in the Star Guild has a higher chance of becoming a pro than Lu Chuan.
If they make it out of the dungeon safely, Shen Li would definitely ask the vice-guildmaster to personally mentor Lu Chuan.
“It’s fine. If it gets dangerous, Shasha, we’ll have a code. Once I say it, you unleash all your abilities and throw everything into chaos. Got it?” Lu Chuan, used to being schemed against, stated plainly.
“There really are divine beings in this dungeon. If you unleash your power, Shasha, we won’t survive,” Shen Li disagreed. “Her ability is a trump card, but it must not be used lightly.”
“But they have no useful clues yet. All advantages are on our side. If I were them, knowing I couldn’t clear this dungeon, I wouldn’t let the enemies succeed either.” Lu Chuan rested his chin on his hand. “So unleashing Shasha’s power is necessary. I also want to see whether extreme misfortune hits me or if I, like Shasha, am the only lucky one.”
Lu Chuan was visibly excited.
Shen Li opened his mouth to argue, then stopped.
It seemed Lu Chuan’s only rational concern was making money.
Shen Li suppressed his complaints and discussed a few contingency plans with Lu Chuan, in case their enemies didn’t want mutual destruction.
For the Li Family Village, the annual sacrificial ceremony was the most important day, even more than the New Year.
The chief slept only a couple of hours and woke at dawn, dressing in ceremonial attire, supervising villagers to build the altar, and checking offerings repeatedly, fearing any mistakes.
Other players were also making last-minute plans.
Shen Li kept turning over in bed, determined to protect Lu Chuan and Starry Shasha at all costs.
Starry Shasha wondered whether she could protect Lu Chuan if she unleashed her power. Could she control it enough?
That night, no one slept soundly except Lu Chuan.
At sunrise, Lu Chuan was awakened by the chief’s children.
“Boss Jin, have some breakfast first. Then we’ll go to the altar together. This is a ceremonial priest outfit we prepared overnight for you. Wear it, and you’ll receive divine blessings.” The chief’s daughter carefully presented a bright red priest robe.
The robe was large, embroidered with intricate symbols in gold and silver thread. A strange matching mask came with it.
Lu Chuan obediently put it on.
The main system’s notification sounded:
[Congratulations, player [Arrival of the God of Wealth] has obtained the Li Family Village special priest robe. This robe cannot be taken out of the dungeon.]
[While wearing the robe, the player gains some divine contamination, preventing becoming a parasitic vessel for divine offspring.]
[Congratulations, player has gained deep friendship with the Li Family Village chief’s family. Villagers’ trust level increased by one.]
[You are now under divine observation. Please keep the gods pleased.]
Lu Chuan paused and asked #888, “System, am I already being observed by the gods?”
[Yes, Host. The symbols on this robe request divine attention. Rest assured, the mark of the God of Wealth candidate is already on you. Under normal circumstances, no other deity can parasitize you.] #888 answered.
“Under normal circumstances, you say… so there’s still a chance I could be parasitized?” Lu Chuan frowned. He had never heard of such a thing.
[Because you are not yet the true God of Wealth. There was once a candidate contested by multiple deities. If that happens, it proves the candidate is exceptionally powerful. Only deities of equal status can contend. In this world, except for the Main God System of the Evil World, no other deity can rival you.]
Lu Chuan nodded. He shouldn’t yet be on the Main God System’s radar.
“Boss Jin, hold this.” The chief’s son, also dressed in the ceremonial robe, carefully handed the divine statue to Lu Chuan. “During the ceremony, you and we will be guardians of the statue. When the deity appears and the red cloth is lifted, we will receive divine blessings.”
This was the result of the chief’s efforts over the past few days.
Convincing the village’s elder priests wasn’t easy, but considering that Boss Jin would be a benefactor, they secured a position for Lu Chuan that made the villagers envious.
“This is such an important task. I’m worried,” Lu Chuan said playfully.
“It’s fine. We’ll be with you,” the chief’s children smiled, flanking him. “Once you try, you’ll see. There’s nothing to fear; we do this every year.”
Lu Chuan nodded and carefully held the statue.
It was heavy!
He almost couldn’t hold it. Had they poured lead inside?
———-
Author’s note:
Number 9: I could crush you with this!
