Chen Ji had to admit that picking the pearls off the Five-Step Snake’s fangs made him a little scared. They were both ferocious beasts whose bites could kill or maim with a single strike, yet even back when he wasn’t familiar with Grandpa White Tiger, Chen Ji had handled the task directly. With the Five-Step Snake, though, he only dared to use a straw to flick them off.
The soft, springy pearl slid off the fang that resembled a little crescent moon and whooshed straight down the Five-Step Snake’s throat. Chen Ji froze for a moment, thinking, oh no, it better not choke on its windpipe. The thought flashed through his mind, only for him to react and find it amusing—after all, it was a snake! What windpipe?
“All done.” Chen Ji tossed the straw into the cup. The Five-Step Snake slowly lowered its head, a hint of regret in its tone: 【What… flavor… didn’t… taste it…】
Chen Ji smiled and explained, “It’s sweet too, not much flavor to it—just a nice grainy aroma.”
【Mm…】 The Five-Step Snake let out a low hum. Suddenly, Second Master Huang shouted: 【Chen Ji! Over here!】
Chen Ji nodded to the Five-Step Snake in farewell, then turned and headed over to Second Master Huang. The weasel had already cleared half the hillside, his bamboo basket stuffed to the brim. Second Master Huang said irritably: 【Enough yet?】
Chen Ji had just touched the basket when the system prompt chimed: 【Congratulations, Tasker Chen Ji. ‘Collect Medicinal Herbs’ progress has risen to 60%. Keep up the good work.】
“That’s plenty, Second Grandpa. Thanks for the trouble.” Chen Ji smiled at him.
Second Master Huang casually tossed the sickle into the basket too. Compared to his dharma image, his petite true form was downright dainty. He leaped onto Chen Ji’s shoulder, draping his slender body around Chen Ji’s neck and hanging there with a long sigh: 【This stuff’s neither tasty nor useful. No idea what you want it for…】
Chen Ji gave Second Master Huang a rub, bid the Five-Step Snake goodbye, and continued toward the back mountain. Once they were out of the woods, Second Master Huang said: 【Old Five’s not bad. If you run into trouble in this valley from now on, just call him for help.】
He paused, then added in a mocking tone: 【Oh… not emergencies, though. For those, call me. By the time it slithers over, you’ll have crossed the Bridge of Helplessness and chugged Meng Po’s Soup.】
“Second Grandpa.” Chen Ji smiled slyly, more interested in the other details. “There’s really a Bridge of Helplessness and Meng Po’s Soup?”
【Of course.】 Second Master Huang’s tail swished back and forth across Chen Ji’s back, tickling lightly. He drawled lazily: 【When people die, they head to the Underworld. It comes with all the trimmings. Not just the Underworld bureaucracy—there’s Ox-Head and Horse-Face, Black and White Impermanence too. I’ll introduce you sometime.】
Chen Ji listened raptly, then suddenly asked, “What if someone dies overseas?”
Second Master Huang paused for a beat before replying: 【What else? Same deal! They’ve got offices over there, like embassies. If it’s not urgent, they wait to batch extradite folks back…】
“And if it is urgent?” Chen Ji was hooked now—he hadn’t expected Second Master Huang to know about embassies.
【Urgent? Charter a flight back!】 Second Master Huang said breezily: 【Can’t just sneak across, though. For urgent cases, handle the paperwork and hop the next flight from the airport—whichever’s fastest.】
Chen Ji chuckled. “Wonder how Brother Zhang’s doing over there.”
【Just call and ask. It’s not state secrets.】 Second Master Huang swiped Chen Ji’s phone with his tail, brushed it across Chen Ji’s face, and dialed Zhang Cheng’s video call in a flash. It rang forever with no answer, just about to auto-hang up when two blood-red eyes suddenly filled the screen.
They stared unblinkingly, eerie and vicious, rimmed in bloody glow. Traces of blood splattered the Red-Clothed Ghost’s face like garish makeup.
Second Master Huang bellowed: 【Little bro! How’s it going? Big bro’s thinking of you! When you heading back? I’ll throw you a welcome feast!】
Zhang Cheng grinned suddenly. His body shifted, and a scream erupted from the feed. Second Master Huang chuckled: 【Busy, huh?】
【Busy.】 Zhang Cheng nodded, brushing back his disheveled hair. His hand was streaked with crimson blood. 【Take a look?】
【Look my tail.】 Second Master Huang flicked his tail. 【Say hi to Chen Ji… You keep at it. Talk later—hanging up!】
Chen Ji barely got out “Brother Zhang” before Second Master Huang ended the call and shoved the phone back into Chen Ji’s hand: 【Kid, don’t watch that stuff. Might scare your soul right out of you—then I’d have to fish you back!】
Chen Ji checked the time: just before noon here, around 1 a.m. in the States. He remarked, “Brother Zhang starts early.”
【Tch.】 Second Master Huang explained: 【Most folks prefer three or four a.m.—more atmospheric. But your Brother Zhang? Blood feud. He’s probably wrapping up soon.】
Hearing this, Chen Ji messaged Zhang Cheng with the details for the pre-arranged express forwarding company. When he got back, he’d just toss his token in a package at the Express Station.
Second Master Huang peeked and grinned: 【You think of everything, kid.】
Chen Ji stroked Second Master Huang’s paw; the pink paw pad felt great in his hand. Second Grandpa let him. In the time it took to chat, they reached the plateau where Chen Ji often rested. Lush grass and water abounded here, so Chen Ji said, “Second Grandpa, take a break? I’ll go pick some acorus and mugwort.”
Second Master Huang hopped down from Chen Ji’s shoulder, scoffing: 【You know what that looks like? Go play. Sweet dragon bamboo shoots are up over there—grab some. I’ll cook you a feast tonight.】
Chen Ji was all for it.
The two-meter-eighty Yellow Weasel snatched up Chen Ji’s sickle and zipped toward the water. Chen Ji ambled to the bamboo grove, pulling out his second sickle, and began searching. It had been a while; plenty of new shoots had sprouted two or three meters tall. Chen Ji caressed a fresh green stalk, tempted—chop one for bamboo-tube rice?
He wasn’t kidding; bamboo-tube rice was simple and delicious. Stuff it with cured meat, sausage, greens—whatever was around—seal it, steam, and eat. Fragrant and not greasy; he could wolf down three bowls.
Or just glutinous rice. Packed tight, it came out like rice cake: dip in sugar, soy sauce… anything but shoe soles tasted great.
No time like the present.
Even new bamboo was as thick as both his palms clasped. Tough and flexible. Chen Ji picked his spot and swung. Suddenly, a faint whimper echoed. He paused, listened—probably his imagination.
Though unlikely, he decided to ignore it.
Against spirits, staying out of boundary domains was his biggest edge. Their dharma images couldn’t touch him outside. Short of Grandpa White Tiger, what couldn’t a high-voltage electric baton handle?
If one zap didn’t do it, he’d hit it twice.
Chen Ji swung again. A deep gash appeared. Satisfied with his strength, he struck a third time, fourth… Soon half the stalk was severed. He pressed down—crack—the bamboo toppled.
Shrill cries filled the air. Chen Ji ignored them, trimmed off branches, ends, keeping the verdant middle. He pulled out a folding handsaw for the precise cuts the sickle couldn’t manage.
The cries fell silent.
Moments later, arms full of four bamboo sections, Chen Ji turned to leave when the shrieks resumed. He kept walking steadily. But the sounds grew closer, nearer—like right in his ear.
The System Cat couldn’t help chiming in: 【Chen Ji, something’s targeting you. To your right.】
It had spotted it through Chen Ji’s eyes.
【No worries. Not a powerful demon.】 Chen Ji had already glimpsed a hazy gray shadow circling him.
Unlike Second Master Huang’s solid black dharma image or the Red-Furred Fox’s dark gray, this was faint gray—barely visible.
【Chen Ji~】 A voice whispered in his ear, calling his name.
Chen Ji kept his eyes down and walked on, musing that this bamboo grove was jinxed for him. Last time, the Crossing Peak Serpent had struck here after it died. A few days back, he’d woken from that dream nearby. Bad vibes all around.
The gray shadow rubbed against his leg. If it had form, he’d have tripped. Too vague to make out what it was.
Chen Ji pressed on. Then he spotted a mound in the ground. He hesitated, then decided on a snack—set down the bamboo and started digging for shoots.
The gray shadow, ignored, shrieked shriller. Gray mist sprouted two claws that latched onto Chen Ji’s pant leg, trying to climb.
In that instant, Chen Ji moved. He whipped out the high-voltage electric baton sealed with a Profound Penetration Talisman and swung at the shadow. The talisman activated on contact, forcing open the boundary between yin and yang.
Bang! The shadow yelped and flew back, blue arcs crackling over it. Chen Ji lowered the baton and said calmly, “What, I gave you face or something?”
The already blurry shadow churned with gray fog from the shock, spitting out a cat-sized rat. Chen Ji stomped its chest. No zap this time—just a direct baton strike.
Pure physical force.
The rat shrieked, blood pouring from its mouth and nose, writhing with squeals. Chen Ji watched coldly. Rats weren’t protected species, so he thumbed the shock button.
Black smoke billowed from the rat. Dead or out cold, who knew.
It probably wouldn’t be that easy to electrocute to death—but his electric baton had been modified since then, with its power doubled from before. Who could say for sure?
Sure enough, that hadn’t been a dream. It was real.
The Profound Penetration Talisman really worked on the electric baton.
Chen Ji shifted his foot aside, thinking he’d toss these shoes the moment he got home. He bent down to pick up the bamboo pole, ready to head back, when he spotted Second Master Huang staring at him in stunned silence. As Chen Ji turned his head, Second Master Huang offered an awkward smile. 【…Hey, you took care of it, huh… Cough cough, I showed up late.】
【…You okay?】 The words had barely left Second Master Huang’s mouth when he regretted them, wishing he could slap himself. Did Chen Ji look like he was in any trouble?!
He might as well check on that gray rat instead!
