Saying this, I looked at my disciples. Roman watched from the side since I had told him to stay put. Lu Xiaoran had already taken care of all the thugs. Now, they and their leader lay on the ground, most of their bones broken. The thugs groaned in pain. Their leader still had some strength. He said, "You boy don't know that by doing this you become an enemy of people you can't afford to cross." He gestured for his men to leave. The thugs slowly walked back to their vans, some needing help to move. Eventually, all of them left.
After they departed, the old man and Jessy approached Lu Xiaoran. The old man bowed to him and said, "Boy, I don't know who you are, but I thank you for saving us." Soon Jessy also came up to him and said, "When I first saw you, I didn't expect you to be this strong. By the way, I forgot to ask your name. What is it?"
Just as Lu Xiaoran was about to answer, I interrupted. I leaned in and said, "His name is Lu Sheng. He is an orphan from Green Wood Village." Lu Xiaoran nodded at my words. Jessy then said, "So you are from Green Wood Village. That's why you look familiar to me. You must have come for the protest. And who are these two gentlemen with you?" She pointed at me and Roman.
I replied, "My name is Vik. I'm just a beggar who knows a little about fortune telling. The man with gray hair is Roman. Both Roman and Lu Sheng are my disciples. I teach them a bit about fortune telling and cultivation."
Jessy seemed to understand while Roman remained silent, only nodding after my introduction. However, I noticed a hint of doubt in Jessy's expression. She held Lu Xiaoran's hand and pulled him aside, saying, "Lu Sheng, are you sure this guy is your master? I think he's a scammer trying to take advantage of you both. Just look at him; he looks like a beggar."
Before Lu Xiaoran could respond, I cleared my throat and said, "Young lady, I can hear you from here. As for your doubts, I'm not a beggar. My cat accidentally fell into a garbage dump, and to rescue her, I found myself in this situation." I pointed at Pushpa, who refused to come into my arms even though the awful smell had faded. Lu Xiaoran added, "Yes, my master is not a scammer. Everything I have now is because of him."
Hearing this, Jessy looked a bit apologetic and said, "I'm sorry for my earlier comment. I shouldn't have judged you by your clothes. By the way, my name is Jessica, and I'm from Leaf Village in the Azure Mountains. Why don't we go inside and talk? I think you should rest a bit; it will soon be evening, and this place doesn't have many street lamps."
Jessica was a cheerful girl with blonde hair and red eyes. Her features suggested European descent, which is common among people from villages in the Azure Mountains, known for their diversity. She had bright, cheerful eyes, unlike most girls her age. I could see that her heart was as beautiful as her smile. Lu Xiaoran made a good choice; I would support my disciple if he wanted to pursue a relationship with her.
Once we entered, I got a clear view of the place. From the outside, it seemed only to contain the elderly, women, and children since all the men were likely outside, possibly arrested by the police. We arrived at a hall that looked like it was used for meetings, with a stage and many chairs. We all sat down, and the old man, named Zhou, told us about the current situation since we mentioned we had just arrived and were unfamiliar with the area. Most of what he explained, we already knew. After discussing the situation, he asked,
Zhou: "Why don't I see you in Green Wood Village? when I visit it often."
Vik: "Grandpa, both of my disciples are orphans cared for by the villagers. After becoming my disciples, they moved with me to the mountains for silent cultivation. We only recently learned about the situation in our village and many others in the Azure Mountains, which is why we came down to help protest against the government."
Since he seemed a bit suspicious, I took out three identity proofs I had forged with the help of a system. After seeing them, he finally believed us. We talked briefly about the men who had gone to protest and hadn't returned. Zhou decided that if they didn't come back by the next morning, we would go to the police station to inquire since the police could only detain protesters; they had no right to charge them with crimes.
After that, Jessica showed us some empty rooms. It was nighttime, and we spent some hours talking. Now, my disciples and I were in a room with two simple bunk beds on either side, a balcony, a small bathroom, and a table. Once alone with my disciples, I cast a noise-cancellation spell on the room. Then I said to them, "I know you must have many questions about why I asked you to act as you did today, and I will explain now."
Hearing me, both of them sat on the bunk beds while I took a chair by the table.
Vik: "Let's start with your enemy. Lu Xiaoran, the Lin Chen you despise, is not a simple person. He is one of the chosen ones, people you could call protagonists. They have incredibly high luck and can turn misfortune into fortune. It's tough to kill or defeat them. Even if you're stronger and try to kill them, luck will interfere and save them. They generally follow a narrative like in movies and novels. You, Lu Xiaoran, played the role of a minor villain in Lin Chen's story, fated to die by his hand."
Lu Xiaoran raised his hand and asked, "Master, if they have luck and destiny on their side, how are we going to deal with them?"
Vik: "That's a good question. There are actually two ways. First, if you have enough strength to bypass their luck protection, you can kill them. Second, you can act like a villain. In some stories, the hero doesn't always win. You can slowly chip away at the protagonist's luck and then kill him. But we will take a third path. We will make you a true protagonist, a real hero."
Lu Xiaoran asked, "But master, how will we do that?"
Vik: "By giving you a new identity. So, disciple, you are no longer Lu Xiaoran; you are now Lu Sheng. I've crafted a story for you. You were originally Lu Xiaoran, but after falling to your enemies, you ended up in the Azure Mountains and lost your memory. The people of Green Wood Village saved you, and after learning about their problems, you decided to come to the city to help them. This will lead you to clash with the authorities, saving the people's land and becoming a hero."