Fu Ruhai returned from the Heavenly Court, appearing preoccupied.
Liu Sandao noticed his unusual state and invited him to the rooftop of Building 1.
Fu Ruhai elaborated on his trip to the Heavenly Court:
The Heavenly Court planned to implement reforms in the mortal realm, intending to manipulate the cycle of karma through economic factors.
His angry tone suggested he disagreed.
Liu Sandao was indifferent; it didn't concern him. If he could bestow blessings, he would; if not, he could always terminate the agreement.
However, he wondered how karma could be manipulated through economic factors.
Fu Ruhai explained that the higher authorities hadn't specified the implementation methods. Since he had chosen to study economics, they expected him to devise a plan.
To satisfy his superiors, he could only say he would conduct investigations and report back once a plan was formulated.
However, the Heavenly Court was not easily fooled and had set a deadline for him.
He had to submit a plan within a month; this matter was urgent.
Liu Sandao understood little of human economics, nor had he any practical experience.
From his extensive studies of economics, he only knew that economics was not as simple as just "money."
It encompassed money and other elements, requiring coordinated efforts from various aspects.
Yet, the Heavenly Court's intent seemed to suggest that money could influence the direction of the Heavenly Court itself.
Fu Ruhai's resistance likely stemmed from his fear that such matters could eventually lead to what humans called being "obsessed with money."
Could the vast Heavenly Court be defeated by "money"?
Talks and complaints aside, the task still had to be done.
After all, he was living off the Heavenly Court's sustenance.
Having been a God of Fortune for many years, he had grown accustomed to letting things take their course.
Liu Sandao said nothing more; at this moment, he could only listen to Fu Ruhai vent his frustrations.
Normally, who would ever see a God of Fortune looking so troubled?
...
It was a Thursday morning, and without Master Wu's class, all the fourth-year economics students felt a sense of relief.
Liu Sandao leisurely accompanied Fu Ruhai to wander around Sandong City.
Since Bai Suxiang and her companions had taken him on a tour last time, he hadn't been back to the city.
Fu Ruhai had called Liu Sandao along because of a task.
In reality, it wasn't strictly necessary.
Liu Sandao could now independently bestow blessings without any issues.
However, his manual of blessings had remained inactive, indicating it wasn't a day for him to bestow blessings. Fu Ruhai simply wanted him to accompany him.
Alternatively, he still needed to learn how to bestow blessings.
Regardless of the reason, he had to go to the city.
To understand worldly affairs, he could find the relationship between economics and humanity, and by helping Fu Ruhai find a solution to his problem sooner, he could preserve his position as the God of Fortune.
Without this position, he might be able to extricate himself sooner, but seeing Fu Ruhai's distressed state, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
Moreover, Fu Ruhai's diligent work was for the righteous energy of heaven and earth. As he said, using blessings to balance the malevolent energy of the mortal world was a great fortune.
His trip to the city center this time was entirely different from his previous experience, even though he took bus route 56.
When the bus reached a place called Wali Bridge, Fu Ruhai signaled Liu Sandao to get off.
It was a very flat area, but he saw no sign of a bridge around, not even an overpass.
Fu Ruhai alighted from the bus and walked directly onto a dirt road behind the bus stop sign.
Liu Sandao followed, walking at a leisurely pace.
This dirt road was bumpy and uneven, over three meters wide, with large potholes in the middle, a stark contrast to the modern Sandong City.
After walking about a hundred meters, he could hear dogs barking.
A few more steps forward, and he saw a dilapidated wall.
A raggedly dressed old man sat by the entrance, his hair completely white, his eyes vacant.
"Elder, we are students from Qingkong University. We wandered here by chance and are a bit thirsty. May we beg for some water?"
Fu Ruhai seemed to have rehearsed his lines and stepped forward to strike up a conversation.
The old man sighed slightly but remained silent, nodding his head.
Fu Ruhai followed him into the house, preparing to find something to drink from, like a bowl or basin.
Liu Sandao did not enter. He sensed something strange about the old man but couldn't articulate it.
"Woof woof woof!"
A yellow-brown dog barked fiercely. If it hadn't been leashed, it might have bitten Liu Sandao.
Seeing that the old man didn't react much, the dog stopped barking after a while.
Fu Ruhai seemed to have found a bowl for drinking and brought a bowl of water, handing it to Liu Sandao as he came out.
"Here, have a bowl too!"
Although Liu Sandao wasn't thirsty, he accepted the bowl.
Just then, the yellow dog barked again.
This time, it wasn't directed at Liu Sandao but towards the outside of the wall, in the direction of the road they had entered.
Perhaps someone else was coming, who could it be?
"Rustle rustle!"
It sounded like many people.
Indeed, in a few minutes, a group of people entered.
Several of them were carrying a wooden plank, with a person lying on it.
The yellow dog barked ferociously, but it seemed useless.
A bald man at the forefront cast a glance at the yellow dog, and an icy chill shot out.
The yellow dog seemed to sense something and changed its bark from "woof woof" to "ao ao!"
The person lying on the wooden plank was motionless, and a lot of blood was flowing from the plank.
"Old man, come collect your son's corpse! Who told him not to repay his debts!"
The old man's eyes became even more vacant; he didn't even have the strength to glance at the person on the plank.
Fu Ruhai quickly took out his manual of blessings and drew something on it. After a moment, he threw a blessing fruit to the old man.
Liu Sandao understood; Fu Ruhai was saving the old man.
"It's all your fault, all of you, you damned loan sharks!"
The old man suddenly burst into tears.
He recounted his incomprehensible past over and over, and cursed the motionless young dead man on the plank again and again.
Regarding these matters, Liu Sandao's previously calm heart was stirred.
He had never thought that worldly affairs could touch his heart.
He had thought that he was not of this mortal realm and should be indifferent to everything in the human world. But the old man's breakdown at this moment shattered all that.
It turned out that the deceased was the old man's son, and the injuries on his body were undoubtedly inflicted by the group of people who had brought him.
There was a saying in the human world: "Debts must be repaid, as it is only natural!"
As bystanders, anyone could understand, but as family, who could remain unmoved?
"Giggle giggle!"
A burst of laughter came from the sky. Fu Ruhai looked up at the sky.
Liu Sandao also heard it, but no one else did.
He followed Fu Ruhai's gaze and saw a smiling face, sinister and somewhat terrifying, even though it was noon.
"It is the God of Death arriving!"