Chapter 8

In this materialistic, indulgent society, gambling is a popular pastime for many, and there's a saying that goes, "If you don't gamble, you won't know how high your luck is." The meaning is that if you want to know how lucky you are, you can go to a casino and find out. Indeed, if a person is lucky, they may sometimes win big at the casino. But more often, they lose everything, sometimes even going bankrupt. Yet, despite the risks, countless people continue to gamble, contributing their wealth to the casinos. The most addicted ones may even gamble away their lives. Lu Hang nearly became a tragic victim of the casino, if greed had taken control of him during one fateful gambling trip to Macau. The "time" Lu Hang refers to is that strange gambling journey to Macau. To understand this, we first need to look at how Lu Hang became addicted to gambling. Lu Hang was originally an honest person. After graduating from high school, he worked at a toy factory, diligently working his way up for more than ten years, starting as a production line worker and eventually becoming a sales manager. As a person's position increases, their income naturally rises. And when a man’s income increases, his mind often wanders, especially in a position like sales manager, where he frequently deals with clients. It's almost impossible not to be influenced. Lu Hang’s descent into gambling began when he befriended a major client who was addicted to it. At first, Lu Hang only gambled small amounts. But after winning some money, and with the encouragement of that major client, he started gambling more and more. Gambling often involves small wins and small losses, but as you gamble bigger, it becomes more about losing than winning. When Lu Hang started betting bigger, nine out of ten times, he lost. At his worst, he would lose an entire month’s salary and bonus in a single night. In this situation, if Lu Hang had stopped himself, there wouldn’t have been any further consequences. But like many gambling addicts, the more he lost, the more desperate he became to win it all back. Under the influence of his major client, Lu Hang traveled to Macau to gamble at the famous Grand Lisboa Casino. One Friday afternoon, after receiving his salary and bonus for the month, Lu Hang didn’t plan how to spend the money. Instead, he withdrew it all and rushed to Macau to gamble. That night, he was exceptionally unlucky and lost almost all of his money in under ten minutes. Naturally, Lu Hang was in a bad mood after losing so much money. As was his habit, he left the casino and wandered around, hoping to change his luck. Maybe it was because he was feeling so frustrated, but Lu Hang ended up in an unusually secluded area. This part of Macau had few shops and was sparsely populated. Lu Hang couldn’t believe that in such an international city like Macau, there could be such a place. What was even stranger was that despite the location being so remote, someone was still setting up a street stall. The stall was run by an old man. He had a white cloth spread out in front of him with the words "Fate and Palm Reading" written in large characters. Clearly, it was a fortune-telling booth. However, the old man wasn’t just reading palms. When he saw Lu Hang walking past with a gloomy expression, he suddenly began to chant with his eyes closed: “Do not ask why misfortune follows you. The Immortal will help you reverse your fate…” At that moment, Lu Hang was still brooding over his losses. When he heard the old man chant, his attention was automatically drawn to him. “What’s that you’re chanting, old man?” he asked, curious. “Young man, didn’t you hear what I just sang?” The old man opened his eyes and, without rushing, repeated the chant, “Do not ask why misfortune follows you. The Immortal will help you reverse your fate!” “I know what you’re singing, but can you really help people reverse their fate?” Lu Hang asked. “Of course,” the old man replied proudly. “If I didn’t have this ability, I wouldn’t be here setting up a stall and singing these words!” “But if you really have the ability to change people’s fate, why are you still here setting up a stall?” Lu Hang asked. “If you really had the ability, you would first change your own fate.” “Young man, you’re very wrong in saying that.” The old man shook his head. “Everyone likes different lifestyles. Some like to be on top, while others prefer a simple life. Although I have the ability to change fate, I personally prefer a simple life, so there’s no need for me to change my own fate.” “Is that so…” “Young man, it seems like you still don’t believe my words,” the old man said. “Right! As they say, seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving. If you want me to believe you, show me some real proof.” “I knew you would say that,” the old man smiled. He took out a bottle from his coat, which looked like peanut oil, and handed it to Lu Hang. “What’s this?” Lu Hang asked, curious. “From a normal perspective, this is what we call 'Ghost Oil,' made from the body of an infant!” “What? Body… body oil?” Lu Hang was startled. He almost wanted to throw the bottle away, but the old man’s next words immediately changed his mind. “However, from a fortune-teller’s perspective, this bottle is ‘Wealth Ghost Oil.’ It can bring you good luck in gambling.” “Good luck in gambling?” “Yes! It can improve your luck in gambling.” The old man spoke with an unquestionable tone. “You lost a lot of money gambling just now, didn’t you? Take this and return to the casino. It will help you win back what you lost, and even more.” “How… how do you know I just lost money at the casino?” Lu Hang asked, surprised. “Haha! If I didn’t know that, how could I dare claim I can help people change their fate?” The old man laughed. “Then… how much do I need to pay for this?” Lu Hang asked. “No money needed!” The old man’s answer shocked Lu Hang. “What? No money? Are you serious?” “Of course, I’m serious,” the old man replied earnestly. “You just need to return it to me once you’ve won back the money.” “Thank you, old man!” Lu Hang thanked him and was about to leave, but the old man stopped him. “Wait, young man!” “What is it?” Lu Hang asked, puzzled. “Here’s the thing: I won’t charge you any money, but I have three conditions. You must agree to them.” “What three conditions?” “First, you must return this to me before 2 AM.” “No problem!” Lu Hang agreed without hesitation. “Second, while you have this, you must not approach women!” “You don’t need to worry about that. I don’t go around visiting prostitutes or anything like that.” “Third, you cannot bring this into a temple.” Lu Hang found the third condition strange. Why would he go to a temple at such a late hour? Although he found it odd, Lu Hang still agreed to the old man’s conditions.