Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chen Ji carried many memories of this temple. Though distant, those fragments remained vividly etched in the depths of his mind, as clear as if they had happened just yesterday.

The vibrantly colored statue of the Mountain Lord was adorned with gold and intricate designs, and colorful prayer flags hung from every available corner of the main hall. The offering table, newly crafted, exuded a fresh scent of oil and wood. Offerings, though humble, were always present—fresh and complete.

His gaze drifted from the cobweb-covered beams to the distant, misty mountains outside the window. What was still missing? What else...

Ah, yes—the bronze bells. He remembered copper bells hanging from the eaves in his childhood. Whenever the wind blew, faint, clear chimes could be heard, drifting far across the mountains.

Chen Ji slowly walked out and looked up, a wry smile playing on his lips at what he expected to find.

The devotees of the Mountain Lord Temple were mainly villagers from the foot of the mountain. Living by the mountain's bounty, it was natural for them to pray for a good harvest and safety when they came up. But where there were believers, there were also skeptics. With no one tending to the temple for so long, the bronze bells—being brass—were likely taken and sold as scrap metal for a dozen yuan per pound.

Chen Ji sat on the doorstep. The morning breeze was cool and pleasant. Mist wreathed the lush mountains in the distance, leaves rustling softly in the wind. Occasionally, birds soared from the woods, gliding away after a brief flight, appearing and disappearing amidst the clouds.

He took a sip of the freshly offered *Xiangpiaopiao* milk tea, then clicked his tongue and set it aside, picking up a small bread roll instead. Halfway through eating, the System Cat emerged yawning from inside. Chen Ji, bread in mouth, glanced sideways at it. The cat looked back with slightly confused amber eyes.

Chen Ji shifted back slightly, and the System Cat rested its front paws on his legs, staying put. Chen Ji smiled, picked up the sturdy orange cat, and settled it on his lap.

"Gimme something warm~" the System Cat demanded.

Chen Ji held the milk tea to it. The cat hugged the can with its front paws and clamped onto the straw—though it looked like a small cat barely hanging on, it was actually a product of high technology perfectly capable of sipping milk tea.

The man and the cat finished their breakfast facing the beautiful scenery. Just as they finished, the sun emerged, warming their skin pleasantly. Chen Ji squinted contentedly, enjoying the moment, and the System Cat did the same. About half an hour later, the cat suddenly shot up. "Hey, wait! We're on a mission here! Isn't it wrong for you to just sit around like this?!"

The System Cat, officially known as the '8839 Cultural Relic Protection System,' was also a system that had to work. It assigned tasks to Chen Ji, while its own performance was evaluated by higher-ups—it was too naive, having spilled all its secrets after a little coaxing from Chen Ji.

Chen Ji held the cat tighter, giving its plump belly a pinch and sighing, "The emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is frantic."

"Of course I'm anxious! There's a time limit to get you the top reward! If we don’t complete the task..." The System Cat suddenly realized the insult and swatted at Chen Ji’s face with its thick paw. "Pah! You're the eunuch! Go sweep the floor! Can’t you see all this dust?!"

Chen Ji caught the cat’s paw, idly playing with its pink pads. "A simple sweep won't cut it. Just wait."

The System Cat watched Chen Ji’s leisurely demeanor, countless curses swirling in its mind, but there was little it could do—otherwise, it wouldn’t have taken half a year for its host to finally take action.

Other hosts would jump right into tasks after binding with a system, but this one was... a real piece of work. What kind of host goes to a mental hospital the next day to check if they’re schizophrenic?!

After Western medicine, he even tried traditional Chinese medicine, stringing the cat along all the while. If it hadn’t promised a billion-yuan reward and shown tangible proof that systems exist, they wouldn’t even be here now!

The System Cat slumped on Chen Ji’s lap, looking utterly defeated.

Once bound, unless the host died, it couldn’t unbind itself. So what else could it do?

Fine, just roll with it! Half a year had passed—what was another day or two?

About an hour later, as both man and cat slept soundly under the sun, the System Cat’s ears twitched. It alertly stood up, looking toward the path leading downhill, and swiped Chen Ji with its tail. "Someone’s coming!"

Chen Ji lazily scratched the cat’s fur. "So what if someone’s coming... Uncle Liu! Auntie Wang, over here!"

He called out loudly.

"Hey, Xiao Chen!" someone responded from afar. As they approached, the System Cat saw two people carrying some tools.

Chen Ji stood, set the cat aside, and went to greet them warmly.

The water on the small stove was still hot. Chen Ji served tea, and after a short break, they split up and started working energetically. Auntie Wang took a broom and cloth into the main hall to clean, while Uncle Liu circled the Mountain Lord Temple twice, making a list of repairs needed before discussing with Chen Ji.

Chen Ji offered a cigarette, which Uncle Liu accepted. Through the smoke, Uncle Liu said, "Xiao Chen, we're all family here. As your uncle, I won’t cheat you. These spots definitely need fixing, and the roof tiles must be redone. What do you think?"

Chen Ji smiled humbly, but his eyes were sharp. "What do you suggest, Uncle Liu?"

Uncle Liu took a drag. "Twenty thousand yuan! I’ll cover labor and materials! We might not gild the Mountain Lord’s statue, but I’ll make sure it’s windproof, rainproof, and livable! If you agree, I’ll get workers started tomorrow!"

Chen Ji mentally calculated and didn’t haggle. "Deal, as you say! I even ate at your place as a kid—I'll defer to you completely! My grandfather left some quality materials, probably in the cellar. I’ll check if they’re usable..."

"Great! If they are, it’ll save trouble and cost. I’ll use the savings to do a better job!"

The System Cat was stunned to hear them settle everything so quickly, with Chen Ji even paying a deposit. It howled, "Chen Ji! How could you do this? This is your task! Your mission!"

Chen Ji replied coldly, "What nonsense are you spouting? Leave professional work to professionals. You expect me to learn masonry from scratch? Even if I dared, I wouldn’t trust the result!"

Mixing cement, ensuring walls stay straight, applying plaster, laying roof tiles—how could one person manage all that quickly? Who else would do it if not professionals? Chen Ji had no desire to be crushed by a collapsing roof in his sleep.

The System Cat fell silent—it made sense, and it had no rebuttal.

Uncle Liu, pleased with the deposit, finished his tea and joined Auntie Wang in cleaning the main hall.

While the temple had been left to decay with no one around, now that someone was living there, the main hall had to be cleaned—a silent sign of respect.

Oh, right, they needed to install an internet connection!

Chen Ji patted the cat and sighed, "Sometimes you don’t realize how incompetent you are until something happens."

System Cat: "Are you talking about yourself?"

"I’m talking about you." Chen Ji pinched its ears. "You can’t even provide Wi-Fi. What’s the use of having you?"

System Cat: "Don’t push it! You damn..."

Before it could finish, Chen Ji cut in, "Enough. Settle the task rewards first. Move the stored bricks and materials to the cellar. Don’t make me discipline you."

Hearing it was actual business, the System Cat grudgingly got up to work.

By lunchtime, the Mountain Lord Temple was mostly tidied. Chen Ji warmly invited Uncle Liu and Auntie Wang to share a self-heating hot pot meal. After they left, Chen Ji went to inspect the materials in the cellar. The System Cat followed, explaining, "Everything’s here. Your grandfather’s belongings are in the east corner... right there."

Chen Ji glanced over. The cellar had no electricity and hadn’t been entered in fifteen years—it should have felt eerie, but instead, it felt strangely peaceful. Chen Ji walked over with a flashlight.

There was a half-cubic camphorwood chest. Inside, mostly clothes resembling silk. Following his grandfather’s habits, Chen Ji felt around and found a small box. Inside were four items: a palm-sized bronze bell, a wooden bracelet of unknown material, a similar wooden talisman, and a small booklet.

For some reason, Chen Ji recalled last night’s dream. He closed the box and took it with him.

Though he often had mystical dreams, last night’s felt too real. His grandfather had been the temple keeper. He didn’t know if these items would help, but they carried significance. He’d keep them for peace of mind.

The busy day passed uneventfully. That night, the System Cat suddenly woke, puzzled, and seeing Chen Ji sleeping soundly, it settled back down.

***

"Chen Ji... Chen Ji..."

"Chen Ji... Chen..."

It was as if someone was calling his name.

Chen Ji became aware of this in his sleep, but his thoughts quickly grew chaotic.

The handsome young man on the bed frowned. Under the thin blanket, something bulged unnaturally, snaking like a serpent. Soft murmurs escaped his throat. His wrists strained as if pinned by an invisible force, his fingers clenching then forced open inch by inch.

A thin sweat coated his skin, glimmering like gauze under the moonlight. Suddenly, he jerked upward in pain but was pressed firmly down. His thin pants rode up, revealing pale calves and ankles.

A red mark, like a snake’s trail, slowly appeared, turning bluish-purple. His toes curled, and the sheets wrinkled under his restless feet.

Similar red marks appeared on his slender neck, nearly choking him.

"Chen Ji..."

"Chen Ji..."