Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil in the Cultivation World Chapter 3: Better to Be a Peaceful Dog

A faint glimmer manifested deep within Jiang Fan’s sea of consciousness at that very moment. He reached out with his mind, gently brushing against the light, which triggered a fresh torrent of information to flood his thoughts.

“Travel to the entrance of Osmanthus Village at the stroke of midnight. Dig three hundred meters beneath the Osmanthus tree located there. You shall retrieve an Eighth-Grade Opportunity, completely devoid of danger.”

The realization struck Jiang Fan instantly. It appeared that as long as he successfully navigated through calamities, his Life Chart would grant him access to various risk-free opportunities.

The timing was strictly set for midnight. Attempting the task at any other hour might prove hazardous; perhaps he would be spotted by fellow villagers, leading to unforeseen complications.

Consequently, despite his burning desire to unearth the Eighth-Grade Opportunity immediately, he was forced to remain patient until the dead of night.

Regarding his Luck Points, their specific utility remained a mystery to him for the time being.

“Is this truly the manifestation of the saying: surviving a great disaster brings fortune?”

Jiang Fan inhaled deeply, marveling at the sheer potency of his Life Chart.

In this world, it was common knowledge that diligent Cultivation or hard work did not always yield rewards. Blessing did not inevitably follow in the wake of misfortune.

Quite the opposite—bad luck often compounded upon itself. When it rains, it truly pours.

His previous life experiences served as a grim testament to this fact; misfortune seemingly had no bottom.

Had overcoming disasters always resulted in such compensation, he would never have endured such a miserable existence in his past life.

At the very least, there would have been a chance for a comeback.

He couldn't help but wonder what this Eighth-Grade Opportunity entailed.

Would it be enough to shift the trajectory of his current destiny?

“Ah!”

Suddenly, a piercing shriek rang out from the distance, followed by the chaotic sounds of combat and desperate pleas for mercy that made one’s blood run cold.

“What is happening?”

Su Weiwei’s expression paled with fear at the sound. She instinctively turned toward Jiang Fan, her sole source of protection.

“Wait here. I am going out to investigate,” Jiang Fan instructed her before stepping out of the house.

By then, the neighbors had also been alerted by the commotion and were emerging from their homes one by one.

“Uncle Fugui, Uncle Ziqiang.”

“Do you have any idea what occurred?”

Jiang Fan exchanged greetings with the villagers. As residents of Osmanthus Village, they were all well-acquainted with one another.

“Sigh, tragedy has struck the Old Meng Family.”

“Word is the Dragon King Gang demanded a thirty percent increase in the monthly salary. While Old Meng didn’t intend to defy them, he let out a few complaints.”

“Because of that, those savages from the Dragon King Gang beat him mercilessly.”

“They even ransacked his home and stole his valuables.”

The speaker was Song Fugui, a forty-year-old fisherman with skin darkened by the sun. Having endured many hardships, he felt a deep sense of shared sorrow seeing the ruin of his neighbor, Meng Da.

“Be quiet! Who told you to run your mouth?”

“If the gang catches wind of this, you’ll be the next one they beat.”

Liu Zhuzhu, Song Fugui’s wife, grabbed him immediately to silence him. Her face was etched with anxiety, terrified that the Dragon King Gang might overhear his remarks.

Should his words reach the gang's ears, a brutal beating would be the least of his worries.

Their meager savings and household goods would likely be pillaged as well.

Such incidents were not unheard of in the past.

Song Fugui fell silent at once, casting wary glances around. He only exhaled in relief once he was certain the Dragon King Gang members had departed and were out of earshot.

“This…”

A cold shiver ran down Jiang Fan’s spine as he processed the news.

The fact that a minor complaint resulted in a man being beaten nearly to death highlighted the ruthless nature of the Dragon King Gang.

It was likely that Zheng Wenbing and his cohorts had orchestrated this as a display of power within Osmanthus Village.

The sudden thirty percent hike in the monthly salary had naturally caused a wave of resentment throughout the village.

To suppress any dissent, Zheng Wenbing needed to make an example of someone—killing the chicken to scare the monkeys.

Had Jiang Fan not been prudent enough to pay the fee promptly, he might have been the one targeted for that demonstration.

The Old Meng Family had failed to grasp this reality, and their verbal dissatisfaction had invited immediate catastrophe.

They became the tools for this intimidation.

And so, they met with this disaster.

Jiang Fan looked toward the Old Meng residence and saw the devastation firsthand.

The front door hung wide open, revealing a ransacked interior. Tables and chairs lay in splinters, while various cooking pots and pans had been smashed across the floor.

Even the heavy wooden door had been ruined by kicks.

Uncle Meng, in his forties, was sprawled on the ground groaning in agony. Blood leaked from his eyes, mouth, and nose as he curled his body like a cooked shrimp.

His son, twenty-year-old Meng Tie, had also been assaulted and lay nearby with a fractured arm.

Only Uncle Meng’s wife remained standing, weeping quietly. Her face bore red welts, clearly the result of being slapped.

Though the villagers felt immense pity, they were powerless to intervene.

They couldn't even offer a helping hand.

Yet, one could hardly blame them. No household possessed any surplus resources.

The existing monthly salary demanded by the Dragon King Gang was already a heavy burden that stifled every fisherman.

Adding another thirty percent was akin to a death sentence.

Assisting Uncle Meng might very well mean starvation for their own families.

Kindness had become a luxury reserved only for the prosperous.

In such a dog-eat-dog era, simply refraining from doing evil was enough to be considered a good person.

“But what is the reason behind the Dragon King Gang’s demand for more money?”

“The monthly salary was already excessive; why have they done this now?”

Jiang Fan inquired.

He suspected that despite their tyranny, the Dragon King Gang wouldn't normally "drain the pond to catch the fish." Their goal was profit, not the total annihilation of their source of income.

There had to be an underlying cause.

“Supposedly, it is due to the Emperor’s pursuit of alchemy.”

“To concoct an Immortal Pill for longevity, the Emperor is seizing herbs from across the land and hiking taxes without restraint.”

“It is pure plunder.”

“Because the Emperor demands more, the local officials use it as an excuse to squeeze even more from the populace.”

“The Dragon King Gang seized the opportunity to hike the salary as well.”

“With every layer of authority taking a cut, our burden has become unbearable.”

The explanation came from Zhao Ziqiang, a thirty-eight-year-old carpenter and Jiang Fan's neighbor.

While most in Osmanthus Village were fishermen, the need for boat repairs and furniture allowed Zhao Ziqiang to maintain a decent living.

As a skilled craftsman, his earnings were stable enough to cover the monthly fees.

Furthermore, he was better informed than most, possessing certain connections within Tonghe County.

“Indeed, the northern territories of the Wei Kingdom have been plagued by years of drought, leading to failed crops and masses of refugees.”

“I have heard that many of these victims are migrating south just to stay alive.”

“The Emperor offered no aid; instead, he increased taxes, which is driving us to our graves.”

“Rumors say several uprisings have already broken out to challenge the Imperial Court.”

“There is no telling when the chaos might reach our Yunmeng Lake.”

Song Fugui added, his voice heavy with trepidation.

It was often said that it is better to be a dog in a time of peace than a human in an age of chaos.

Once true disorder erupted, the common people would suffer the most, and even their survival would be left to chance.