Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chen Ji watched it, his face expressionless. He experienced all the expected reactions—weak legs, trembling, cold sweat—but they were all futile.

Whether the nearly nine-foot-tall creature before him was real or not, these reactions were pointless.

The giant weasel cackled, its voice piercing and clear as it called out, "Chen Ji! Chen Ji! Chen Ji! Chen Ji!"

It seemed obsessed with a response, repeatedly shouting Chen Ji’s name. Its voice grew increasingly shrill and urgent, the blood-red sunset bathing it in crimson light. The sound assaulted Chen Ji’s eardrums, making his temples throb with pain.

The ‘coiling fiery dragon’ around his waist seemed to come alive, constricting him tightly, the areas it rubbed against burning with pain and heat. His neck felt as if strangled by invisible hands, making it hard to breathe.

"Chen Ji, what’s for dinner?" System Cat leaped nimbly over the threshold, tilting its head as it looked at Chen Ji, who stood motionless by the woodshed door. "What are you doing standing around here? Aren’t you cold?"

The weasel let out a sharp laugh. "You saw me! You saw me! Chen Ji! You saw me!"

Its gaping maw opened wide, nearly enveloping Chen Ji’s entire head. One slight snap, and Chen Ji would go from a whole person to scattered pieces. His vision was obscured by the raw, fleshy interior of its mouth, the stench so foul it made him want to vomit. Chen Ji almost uncontrollably stepped back.

But he couldn’t retreat.

Chen Ji knew instinctively.

"Seeing" was a crucial point. It said he had seen it, so why hadn’t it bitten down? It… was waiting for confirmation.

If he retreated, that would be confirmation.

The fleshy maw quivered slightly, allowing a sliver of fresh air to seep in, saving Chen Ji’s nostrils.

Chen Ji twirled the rope in his hand and said calmly, "How about I cook you two dishes?"

System Cat let out a disdainful "Tch." "Even a dog wouldn’t eat your cooking."

Chen Ji paused, the taste of blood from his bitten tongue filling his mouth, and said, "Come here."

"You want to hang me up and beat me, don’t you? Don’t even think about it." System Cat plopped down on the main hall’s threshold, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "What did you do?! Your heart rate just shot up to 160!"

Chen Ji took a couple of deep breaths, then chuckled softly. "I’m fine. Let’s have self-heating hot pot for dinner. I’ll open two packs of crispy fried pork for you…"

With that, Chen Ji took a step forward. In the next instant, the giant beast dissipated like smoke. The last of the sunset returned to the young man’s vision, as if he too were bathed in blood. System Cat shivered inexplicably, eyeing Chen Ji warily.

Chen Ji’s heart rate had jumped another ten points in that single second. If it weren’t for the fact that Chen Ji’s heart showed no issues, System Cat would have dialed 911 right then—even so, it was still afraid Chen Ji might have a heart attack at any moment.

Chen Ji walked step by step to System Cat’s side, bent down, and picked it up. The clammy, cold sweat on his palms made System Cat feel uneasy. Just as it was about to ask something, Chen Ji scratched its head and said, "Get some sleep after you eat."

System Cat replied, "Take your medicine first. Don’t let it get worse tomorrow."

Chen Ji paused. "Okay."

After preparing dinner for System Cat, Chen Ji ate a bit himself. Though he had no appetite, he still ate until he was mostly full, as usual, before lying down on the bed.

System Cat lay on his legs, swishing its tail as if comfortably asleep. In reality, it could access the internet through its own system, browsing freely without needing a phone or other external device.

Chen Ji rubbed the bracelet his grandfather had left him on his wrist, thought for a moment, then took out the wooden box from the bedside table, carefully examining each item inside.

There were four items in total: the bracelet on his wrist, a bronze bell he had seen his grandfather use for summoning spirits, a wooden plaque with no carvings, and a notebook. After a moment of silence, he opened the notebook.

The contents were written in minute brushstroke characters. Decades later, they remained clear, the pages not even yellowed but instead glowing with a soft, smooth luster. Chen Ji ran his fingers over them and had a sudden intuition—this wasn’t paper but… skin.

The skin of some animal.

The contents of the notebook were jumbled, as if his grandfather had jotted them down casually.

"Red-clad ones—avoid when unprovoked."

"Mischievous spirits, headaches."

"Tip of the tongue blood is highly yang, can repel evil."

Chen Ji paused at this line… That dream had been so bizarre and terrifying, standing out even among all the supernatural dreams he’d had, so he remembered it clearly. In the dream, he had bitten the tip of his tongue, causing the weasel to retreat a step. That was why he had bitten his tongue again earlier.

He licked the still-painful wound, confirming that this method worked.

He continued flipping through the pages. Some entries were cryptic, and Chen Ji couldn’t make sense of them. For example, the line "Red-clad ones—avoid when unprovoked." What did "red-clad ones" refer to? Why avoid them? What did "unprovoked" mean? He had no clue.

Probably referring to some kind of spirit, right?

Since his grandfather had said to avoid them, Chen Ji made a mental note to steer clear of anything with similar characteristics in the future.

The rest were handy tips, such as "Grains carry yang energy, can ward off evil," "Salt can repel evil," "Sugar can please spirits and ghosts," and so on. Most focused on "avoiding," "repelling," or "pleasing," with almost nothing on outright destruction.

Chen Ji thought wryly: It seems Grandpa didn’t have it easy either. It’s like working a 9-to-5 and having to please the boss. Being a temple keeper means having to please spirits and ghosts too.

Should he… give it a try?

Chen Ji didn’t believe what had just happened was a hallucination. Thanks to System Cat, he had undergone several comprehensive medical checkups at the hospital over the past six months, especially in psychiatry and neurology. His health insurance was maxed out. If there were any issues, they would have been detected. It couldn’t be that his condition only manifested after coming to the mountain.

If such a vision were a hallucination, it definitely wouldn’t be a mild mental disorder.

"Notes on Repelling Evil." Chen Ji tried to free his pinned hand but soon gave up. System Cat let out a pitiful meow, then rolled over to expose its soft belly, looking up at Chen Ji with its fur-tips fluttering like a soft sea urchin.

Chen Ji: "…?"

System Cat meowed again, coyly. When Chen Ji remained motionless, it paused, then said fiercely, "Why aren’t you petting me? The internet says humans would kiss a little cat like me to death!"

Chen Ji replied coldly, "Is it possible that my hand is trapped under you, and I can’t move it?"

System Cat lifted its leg slightly, allowing Chen Ji to free his hand. Chen Ji rubbed its belly, the thick layer of fat he’d helped it accumulate swaying with his touch—the sensation was top-notch. If System Cat were a real cat, Chen Ji would have considered putting it on a diet.

After a few strokes, System Cat leaped up and darted to the windowsill with unnatural speed, refusing further pets.

Judging by its demeanor, it had likely returned to surfing the web.

Chen Ji sighed regretfully, kicked off the covers, and got up. System Cat was too engrossed in its online activities to spare him even a glance. Without saying a word, Chen Ji pushed the door open and stepped outside.

The mountain night breeze was chilly. The moment Chen Ji took a step, he heard the familiar, eerie laughter again. The calls of "Chen Ji, Chen Ji" echoed faintly in his ears, sometimes from behind him, sometimes from beside him. It felt as if someone were tapping on his shoulder or trying to trip him.

Suppressing the urge to look back or down, Chen Ji headed to the cellar. He retrieved some sugar. Knowing he’d be coming to this mountain without electricity, he had prepared plenty of snacks.

According to his grandfather’s notes, he could place the sugar at the woodshed door—the place where he had encountered the weasel. Leaving sugar there would serve as an offering, a way to appease it and hopefully stop it from frightening him again.

The main hall was dimly lit by candles. As Chen Ji passed by, he looked at the mottled statue, clasped his hands, and bowed respectfully. Exiting the main hall, the woodshed was on the right. Chen Ji stood under the eaves, moonlight streaming through the holes above and casting patches of light on him. He gazed at the desolate courtyard.

The leaves he hadn’t swept were once again scattered across the ground by the wind.

The shadows of the trees swayed, twisting like demons.

"Squeak—!"

A sharp shriek shattered the silence. Chen Ji turned toward the sound and saw the yellow weasel he had encountered during the day standing upright like a human on the woodpile, staring straight at him. The moonlight illuminated it, casting an infinitely enlarged shadow that seemed ready to devour him.

Chen Ji took a step back, gazing at it from the shadows.

"Squeak, squeak—!" The yellow weasel waved its paws, and its shadow on the wall advanced two steps, its shadow's wide-open mouth now hovering directly above Chen Ji’s head. It was as if one wrong move would send those fangs snapping down on his skull.

Chen Ji smiled at it and placed the candies on the steps, then retreated another step.

The yellow weasel’s shadow remained motionless.

A menacing laugh echoed around him.

Then, a faint, eerie song began to drift through the air:

"A girl at home—just eighteen—!"

"So young and fair—soon to wed—!"

"A hundred families congratulate—a hundred cheer—!"

Chen Ji pointed at the candies on the steps and added a few more. The singing didn’t stop; instead, it grew louder and closer, as if whispered right into his ear. He could even feel a cold breath brush past his ear.

He showed a panicked and flattering smile, dropping to his knees beside the candies with a thud. "Grandpa Huang, please, spare me the fright! I’ve only just returned and have nothing worthy to offer. These candies are rare treats from the city—expensive and hard to come by. Please, accept them!"

"Tomorrow, I’ll go down the mountain and bring you wine and meat as tribute!"

"You knew my grandfather—he was so poor he had no pants. What good could a deceased old man possibly leave? Nothing compares to real meat and drink!"

The yellow weasel’s shadow still didn’t move, but Chen Ji sensed its hesitation.

He pressed on, "If you let me off this once, I’ll make offerings to you from now on—my descendants as well! We won’t miss a single festival or season. How does that sound, Grandpa Huang?"

The yellow weasel stared intently at Chen Ji and waved a claw.

Chen Ji immediately coaxed, "Why not try the candies first? If you like them, we can discuss the rest?"

The yellow weasel descended from the woodpile like a human and slowly approached the steps of the Mountain Lord Temple. Chen Ji knelt nearby, looking as if he wanted to flee but didn't dare, utterly pitiable, his voice shaking. "Please, taste them! They’re incredibly rare! I wouldn’t dare lie to you—how could I?"

Just as the yellow weasel bent down to pick through the candies, Chen Ji’s hand shot up. A blue flash cut through the night, and the yellow weasel let out a sharp cry before collapsing to the ground, motionless.

Chen Ji stood coldly, holding a high-voltage stun baton. He had modified it himself—capable of delivering up to 10,000 volts. Enough to take down a tiger, let alone a yellow weasel.

Remembering how the creature could grow two meters tall, he zapped it again—just to reinforce the values of prosperity, democracy, civility, and harmony.

The yellow weasel convulsed once more and fell completely still.

Pulling out a cheap, red plastic rope he’d bought online, Chen Ji began figuring out how to tie the creature up.

…

Inside the main hall, a full jar of candies on the weathered altar gleamed under the moonlight.