[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ring-of-fate":3,"chapter-the-ring-of-fate-the-ring-of-fate-chapter-116":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Ring of Fate",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2298085,4496,"Chapter 116: Life Experience (Third Update, Requesting Monthly Tickets)","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-116",116,"\u003Cp>At six a.m. on the first of May, the sky had not yet brightened; the setting red moon and stars along the horizon cast a faint glow, thinning the darkness and revealing the outlines of nearby objects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian woke early, washed up briefly, put on yesterday’s slightly formal clothes, and donned a wide-brimmed hat, forcing a smile into the glass window that served as a mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he slowly descended the stairs, hurried footsteps came from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Charles’s figure appeared in Lumian’s view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still wore his linen shirt, black trousers, and unlaced leather shoes, but his previously ruddy face had grown pale, and his small blue eyes betrayed unmistakable exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good morning, Xia Er,” Charles greeted him with full voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His spirits, however, were unusually high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you supposed to have left already?” Lumian asked with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had woken and washed up only after hearing the church bell strike six, but Charles was supposed to have left at six.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles, still bending to adjust his clothes, muttered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I drank too much last night, had a wonderful dream, and didn’t want to wake up…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, the two reached the first floor, passed through the filthy, dark lobby, and headed toward the gate bathed in starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door was opened by an elderly couple, both white-haired and slightly hunched, around sixty years old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were short: the man no taller than one meter sixty-five, the woman under one meter sixty; whether their dark jackets or yellowish skirts, all were ragged and stained with grease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are they?” Lumian had assumed the morning door-opener would be Mrs. Fels or the stingy innkeeper, Mr. Ev.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles didn’t slow his pace, answering casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Rul and Mrs. Michelle—they’re the couple I told you about yesterday, the street vendors who trick tourists into buying things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They rise early every day; Mrs. Fels lets them open the inn’s door in exchange for turning a blind eye to how filthy and stinking they make the rooms.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know what? Since I moved in, they haven’t changed their clothes—not once—in seven months, seven months!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder they’re so dirty… Lumian remembered his own filthy state during his homeless days, but his habit of cleanliness, cultivated by Aurora, still made him frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles hurried out the front door of the Golden Rooster Inn and asked, puzzled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xia Er, why are you up so early too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the two stepped onto the street, a lively scene immediately filled their vision:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers, clerks, and laborers in gray, blue, black, or brown clothes hurried past, occasionally stopping to buy food from street vendors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some women carrying wooden baskets moved more slowly, walking between vendors to compare prices and quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vendors were scattered along both sides of the chaotic street, blocking half the road, leaving only enough space for a single cart to pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They shouted loudly, trying to attract customers:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sour wine, apple sour wine—two ricks a liter!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Freshwater fish from Bondi Pond!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fresh cod and herring—come take a look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Onion bread—one rick, only one rick!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Salted meat, delicious salted meat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Soap and wigs imported from Ruin!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Buy your children a bottle of bright soda!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hot sauce, bean paste, small onions, watercress!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to the overlapping cries and feeling the morning energy of the chaotic street, Lumian turned to Charles and smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I couldn’t sleep well after arriving in Triel, so I thought I’d wander around and see if I could find a decent job.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a “Hunter,” familiarizing himself with the area he’d often operate in and mastering its specifics was a task he must complete quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waiting until something actually happened to start learning would be too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles nodded, understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said enthusiastically:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You could try your luck on White Coat Street, between Honest Man’s Market and the Steam Train Station.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Many managers of inns, hotels, and restaurants like to chat at cafés there, and they often hire dishwashers, floor cleaners, toilet attendants, and junior waiters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you have money, buy the café staff a drink—they’ll introduce you to the right people and give you a chance at a better job.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Lumian could respond, Charles shared more advice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pay attention to your appearance—do it like me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he raised his hands and slapped his cheeks—lightly, like a gentle pat, not a hard strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Charles’s pale face regained a hint of “ruddy” color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look, look,” he pointed proudly at himself. “Aren’t I looking much more energetic? Managers won’t hire someone who looks desperately poor or unhealthy—they think it’ll bring trouble, either refuse you good work or slash your pay. Do this before entering the café—make yourself look like someone who has a bed to sleep in and has eaten breakfast. Too early won’t work; this ‘ruddy’ look fades quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This small trick for finding work was entirely unfamiliar to Lumian, who’d grown up as a vagrant, and he found it fascinating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded with a smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I still have enough money for rent and food—for now, I don’t need this. But who knows if I’ll need it later?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He deliberately didn’t hide the fact that he still had many Ferkins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe a kind soul would “donate” again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles understood, and casually pulled out a five-kopeck copper coin to buy an onion bread from a nearby vendor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This instantly gave Lumian a sense of familiarity:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his homeless days, whenever he received money, his first choice was always to buy an onion bread:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, it was cheap; second, the onion’s scent lasted long, tricking him into feeling he’d just eaten well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian bought an onion bread too for breakfast, and walked with Charles through the crowd of vendors, exiting the chaotic street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I love the mornings here so much!” Charles looked back, his voice bursting with characteristic enthusiasm. “Those bastards in the gangs can’t wake up this early—they can’t ruin this captivating energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved at Lumian:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m heading to the subway, or I’ll be late—damn foreman will dock my pay!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After parting with Charles, Lumian circled outward from the chaotic street, like a tourist measuring the area with his steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Honest Man’s Market district lay south of the Sailunzuo River, at the southeast corner of Triel, also called the Market District; its official designation was “District 13”—Triel’s districts were numbered, but historical and regional conventions gave them common names, sometimes even used officially.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was named after the Honest Man’s Market; near the Sailunzuo River stood the Suxi Steam Train Station, serving travelers from southern Ruin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around the market and train station, many streets were dangerously lawless, packed with the poor—among Triel’s several slums.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>North of the Market District, south of the Sailunzuo River, lay District 5—the old town, also called Memorial Hall District or University District, home to the Triel Higher Normal College, Triel Higher Mining College, and the Ruin Academy of Fine Arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Northeast of the Market District, north of the Sailunzuo River, was District 12—also peripheral, called Noer District, housing a veterans’ home, a soldiers’ hospital, and several major hospitals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Northwest of the Market District lay District 6—the Observatory District, which Lumian would soon visit; it contained the main entrance to the underground crypts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Southwest of the Market District was District 14, commonly called the Botanical Garden District; on Sunday, Lumian would receive psychological treatment at Mason Café there. It was also known as the No-Pants District, because south of the botanical garden lay vast factories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Lumian spent nearly the entire morning walking every street in the Honest Man’s Market District.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Near noon, he returned near Suxi Train Station, planning to find a random place for lunch, then head to the crypts to find the fake wizard named Osta Trul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he walked, Lumian spotted Mr. Rul and Mrs. Michelle, fellow residents of the Golden Rooster Inn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were holding stacks of items sealed in paper packets, selling them to what appeared to be outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lumian approached, the white-haired, ragged, wrinkled Rul leaned toward him and whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Want photos of street academy beauties?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s a ‘street academy beauty’?” Lumian didn’t hide his confusion or his distaste for Rul’s stench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rul shook the thin, envelope-like paper packets and whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In Triel, beautiful girls who pose as life models for painters are called ‘academy beauties.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Later, with cameras and photographers, they started taking photos—you know, those kinds of pictures. Some were sold to painters as references; others…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rul then gave a sly smile and shook the packets again:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Four ricks for two photos!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elsewhere, they charge over ten ricks!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian laughed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Rul, Mrs. Michelle—this is what you sell to tourists as souvenirs?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Lumian call them by name, Rul and Michelle turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They spun around, trying to flee, but Lumian moved faster, gripping Rul’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Michelle, squeezed into the crowd, saw her husband couldn’t escape, grimaced, and returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I also live at the Golden Rooster Inn. I’m Xia Er,” Lumian introduced himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing why he knew them, the Rul couple relaxed slightly and looked at Lumian with pleading eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you want, Mr. Xia Er?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly are these photos you’re selling?” Lumian asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rul answered timidly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Scenic photos of the Sailunzuo River, and pictures of Triel’s castles and palaces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one bothers you?” Lumian asked with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rul swallowed hard:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Buyers dare not open them on the spot, and never come back to complain—they’re too guilty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And selling scenic photos won’t attract police attention,” Lumian nodded. “Do people really sell photos of street academy beauties?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes,” Rul answered firmly. “Last month, the police arrested a group of photographers and print sellers—they seized over ten thousand photos. If we’d gotten those, we’d have made a fortune!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Michel, with her wrinkled face and hunched body, muttered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We once had a life model staying at our inn, but she hasn’t shown up lately—maybe she became some painter’s mistress, or got arrested as a street academy beauty…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guests at the Golden Rooster Inn really are diverse… Lu Mi asked with interest:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much do you make each week scamming outsiders into buying photos?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We sell them cheap—about ten Faeljin,” Ruel answered, his eyes avoiding Lu Mi’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be a bit more than ten Faeljin, but not by much—call it twelve Faeljin, or twelve hundred Kopek, two hundred forty Rik… Sixty fools tricked every week? Lu Mi glanced around the station square, sneering at the average intelligence of these humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruel and the Michels risked great danger for barely fifty Faeljin a month—nowhere near the pay of an apprentice attendant, let alone a laborer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their stooped backs, gaunt frames, and deeply wrinkled faces, Lu Mi understood they weren’t unwilling to take more respectable, better-paying work—they simply couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved goodbye and left Suxite Steam Train Station, heading northwest toward the Observatory District.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Third update—requesting monthly tickets~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1810,"2026-06-20T06:22:34.374Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","743324a2f5bde51b0c1992caf86958f4b1b7500bb0d68a50a321cde9fb6338a7","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-117","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-115",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ring-of-fate-cover.jpg"]