Director Mo looked troubled too: “This area hasn’t been used in ages. After the last heavy rain, a lot of the rear ruins collapsed. Looks like it won’t be easy to search.”
Everyone knew the underground pipes interconnected everywhere. This ruins area spanned at least a kilometer or two. Finding the Big Gray Rat’s nest here was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Chu Yi remained unhurried and asked: “What’s today’s date?”
“September 18th.”
Chu Yi calculated with his fingers: “Year of the Tiger… September 18th.”
“Time?”
Mu Jiajun, who happened to have his Mobile Phone out, checked: “Three twenty.”
The Props Brother nudged his assistant Xiao Liu with his elbow: “What are they doing?”
Xiao Liu twitched his lips: “Probably trying to divine the location of the lost items?”
He glanced strangely at Director Mo, wondering why he, who disliked superstitions, wasn’t stopping them. Did he believe in it too?
In truth, Xiao Liu misunderstood Director Mo. With Eldest Young Masters Ouyang Yuyuan and Mu Jiajun cooperating so obediently, answering seriously, Director Mo was awed. Plus, waiting a bit wouldn’t delay anything, and he wanted the items back, so he stayed silent.
Chu Yi had already finished his rapid calculations: Year of the Tiger, September 18th—upper trigram Kan, Shen hour, lower trigram Xun. The changing line in the third position, resulting in Kan again.
“Two Kan trigrams, with the body and use in harmony. The item will not be lost.”
“What does that mean? We can find it?” Ouyang Yuyuan asked eagerly, seeming more concerned than Director Mo.
Chu Yi nodded slowly and asked another question: “Is there any place near water to the north?”
“Yes, there’s a small river over there.” The Props Brother pointed to the North confidently. As a props guy, he liked wandering around the set; anything he found might come in handy later.
Chu Yi led them to the riverbank. It was more like a narrow ditch overgrown with dead branches and rotten leaves—small enough to step across—but it stretched quite a distance.
Chu Yi then asked Ouyang Yuyuan: “Give me a word.”
“Huh? What word?” Ouyang Yuyuan was caught off guard.
“Any word.”
“Uh… ‘money’?”
Mu Jiajun shot him a look, as if he were too tacky.
Ouyang Yuyuan rubbed his cheek sheepishly. With props missing and the company facing a big loss, “money” was the first word that popped into his head, wasn’t it?
“Money”—five strokes on each side, pure Xun trigram. Shen hour, changing to Qian.
“Northwest, a high and dry place, beside scattered metal and stones.”
The group followed doubtfully. After walking ten or so minutes along the ditch to the northwest, they actually found such a spot. A plump Big Gray Rat poked its head out of a hole. Spotting the crowd, it squeaked and tried to flee.
Chu Yi was faster. He flipped out a copper coin, flicked his wrist, and sent it flying with his inner force. With a thud, it pinned the Big Gray Rat’s tail to the ground.
“Squeak—!!” The Big Gray Rat let out a shrill cry of pain.
Everyone was stunned by the move—Flying Copper Coin! A real Flying Copper Coin! In this day and age, someone could still use a coin like a flying dagger!
Even more miraculous, he’d located this dog-sized Big Gray Rat with just one word. Was it really not rehearsed beforehand?
The crowd’s minds raced with shock, doubt, and curiosity as they stared at Chu Yi…
“What are you all staring at me for? Hurry up and look for the lost items!” Chu Yi reminded them.
“Oh, right, the items.” Everyone snapped back. The Props Brother had brought a shovel and soon dug open the entrance. Inside the rat’s nest, they found the film crew’s missing props.
Fortunately, the Big Gray Rat had kept them in good condition. Apart from some damaged by water oxidation, the rest could be cleaned and disinfected for reuse.
“What about this rat?” Ouyang Yuyuan looked at the plump Big Gray Rat on the ground. Though repulsed, its pitiful little black-bean eyes tugged at him.
Chu Yi knew it had some spiritual awareness and had no intention of killing it. He stepped forward, pulled out the copper coin, and casually wiped it on the Big Gray Rat’s greasy belly.
The gesture was so nonchalant yet brutal that the Big Gray Rat froze in terror. Once Chu Yi stood, it dragged its injured tail, scrambled up, and scurried into another hole. Moments later, it returned, offering two snow-white, round pearls in its paws.
Spirit Pearl?
Chu Yi raised an eyebrow at the squeaking, groveling Big Gray Rat. Without any politeness, he took them and waved it off: “Alright, go on. Be more careful next time—don’t steal things so casually. It doesn’t look good.”
He hadn’t expected such a harvest from just helping the crew recover their lost items…
“Squeak squeak!” The Big Gray Rat nodded frantically before darting into the underbrush and vanishing.
Mu Jiajun was dumbfounded: “Is this still a rat? It’s basically a spirit beast now, damn it?!”
The rest of the crew: …
This really wasn’t staged? A rat this smart, even offering treasures to save its life! They’d seen people train cats and dogs, but rats? And that coin had nearly severed its tail—no need to go that far for acting, right?
A rat this personable could make bank as an internet celebrity in videos…
Everyone’s minds buzzed wildly, but no one dared voice doubts. Not even Director Mo said a word. Divination leading to recovered items was too fantastical. If they hadn’t seen it themselves, they wouldn’t have believed it!
