Once in the room, Zhang Xianyu first took out the cash hidden in the inner compartment of his suitcase and counted it.
Not a penny more or less—exactly 8,000 yuan.
Adding the 17,000 in his bank card, he still had 25,000 yuan left in total.
That was all he and Zhang Jianguo had saved over the years.
Actually, in the past years doing rituals in the village, they had earned some money.
But aside from their own expenses, Zhang Jianguo also sent money every month to support an underprivileged student.
After that was deducted, not much remained.
Earlier, Zhang Jianguo had saved up 50,000 for his tuition.
But after he was diagnosed with lung cancer, the hospital stays and medication were costly, and with the funeral expenses on top of that, only half was left in the end.
Zhang Xianyu sat cross-legged on the quilt, did a quick calculation of his upcoming expenses, and couldn’t help sighing.
25,000 would be enough to pay for four years of tuition and dormitory fees, but there was still the cost of living during university to worry about.
Besides, he couldn’t just rely on this little bit of money and wait to run out.
Before coming, he had looked up the prices in Jiangcheng.
Just a night at a hotel cost more than a hundred yuan, and with meals and transportation, this one month of summer vacation would already cost quite a bit.
“Looks like I’ll have to find a job as soon as possible…”
Zhang Xianyu carefully put away the money and card, took a quick shower, and then went to rest.
The next morning, before the sun had risen, Zhang Xianyu went out to look for a job.
He planned to first walk around the area near Jiangcheng University.
If he could find a job there, it would be perfect—once school started, he could keep working part-time.
He first made a round of the shops near Jiangcheng University following the map, but found that those closest to campus had already hired enough people.
Helpless, he had to expand his search.
However, since half the summer vacation had already passed, most stores looking for summer workers were already full.
Those still hiring didn’t want short-term workers.
Zhang Xianyu went door to door asking, but after a whole day, he didn’t find a single suitable job.
As the sun set, he could only return to the hotel and continue looking the next day.
When he returned, the hotel’s front door was unexpectedly closed.
Zhang Xianyu pushed it, but it didn’t open.
He used a bit more force, and finally managed to push the tightly shut door open.
But…the atmosphere in the lobby seemed a bit off.
His sudden entrance seemed to disrupt some kind of standoff.
A fat old man guarded by two bodyguards; a middle-aged Daoist priest wearing yellow robes; and the young Manager Li from last night—whose eyes were blood-red and body covered in fine fur—all turned their gazes on Zhang Xianyu.
Zhang Xianyu acted as if he hadn’t noticed anything strange.
He gave a light glance, then calmly turned and walked toward the elevator.
The yellow-robed Daoist and Manager Li quickly took their eyes off this “ordinary person” and continued to glare at each other.
“Stinking Daoist, paying back debts is only right and proper. I advise you to mind your own business!”
Manager Li’s back hunched slightly, arms hanging down, human fingers already turned into beastly claws.
“The debt the Li family owed was settled two generations ago. Don’t be so greedy!”
The yellow-robed Daoist held a peach wood sword in his right hand, formed a hand seal with his left, and was ready to attack at any moment.
Manager Li let out two eerie laughs,
“The Yin debt owed to the Five Spirit Gods isn’t something you can just declare repaid. The Li family and their descendants, for generations to come, all have to carry this debt!”
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly leapt into the air, pouncing toward the Daoist.
Zhang Xianyu looked at the elevator that still hadn’t come down, then at the Daoist who was starting to show signs of strain.
His lips moved slightly, and he finally couldn’t help asking: “Need a hand?”
The Daoist spared him a glance and scoffed,
“Little kid who hasn’t even grown all his hair yet, hurry upstairs. Careful you lose your life watching the show.”
Zhang Xianyu: The hand in his pocket, holding a talisman paper, slowly withdrew.
Just then, the elevator descended, the door opened after a moment, and Zhang Xianyu walked in.
The slowly closing elevator doors completely sealed off the lobby’s noises.
That Daoist was no match for the Five Spirit God—or more precisely, the Five Rogues God.
Zhang Xianyu had wanted to help, but since the other party didn’t appreciate it, then so be it.
Back in his room, Zhang Xianyu first took a shower.
Having run around all day, he was covered in sticky sweat.
After finishing his shower, Zhang Xianyu came out to find his phone buzzing slightly on the table.
As he towel-dried his hair and glanced at the screen, he was surprised—it was a call from his childhood friend in the village, Zhang Shaoying.
“Hello? Shaoying-ge?”
Zhang Shaoying’s voice was as steady as ever.
After first asking how Zhang Xianyu had been lately, he half-scolded him for coming to Jiangcheng without saying anything.
“I only got here yesterday, didn’t have time to contact you yet.”
Zhang Xianyu leaned by the window, a relaxed smile on his face.
Zhang Shaoying was the village chief’s son, eight years older than him, and now worked in Jiangcheng as a criminal investigator in one of the district police teams.
Although they hadn’t kept in close touch since Zhang Shaoying started working, back when Zhang Xianyu was small, it was practically Zhang Shaoying who led him around the mountains and fields, raising him up like a little brother.
So they’d always been close.
Even though they hadn’t spoken for a long time, there was no awkwardness at all.
The two chatted casually about recent life.
Zhang Shaoying seemed busy on his end, so they arranged to have lunch together the next day before hanging up.
Zhang Xianyu slipped his phone into his pocket, stretched his arms with a big yawn, and was about to close the window and go to bed when he suddenly saw a very quick black shadow dart past.
He leaned out to take a look but only caught a blurry figure—it seemed to be that young Manager Li.
Looks like that yellow-robed Daoist really didn’t manage to catch the Five Rogue God.
With that thought, Zhang Xianyu shut the window and went to bed early.
They’d agreed to meet at noon, so Zhang Xianyu didn’t bother getting up early—he didn’t wash up and head out until ten.
The hotel lobby was as deserted as ever.
Only now did it occur to him belatedly that it wasn’t that there were no guests, but that this hotel simply didn’t do much business at all.
Neither the fat old man nor the yellow-robed Daoist were anywhere to be seen.
Instead, four or five hotel staff were gathered at the front desk chatting.
As the saying went: three women make a drama—now with four or five women, Zhang Xianyu didn’t even have to get close to clearly hear what they were saying.
“Hey, do you think Manager Li really got entangled with something dirty?”
“Of course it’s true! Didn’t he hire a Daoist just yesterday? I heard that dirty thing’s been possessing him for days already.”
The speaker giggled and looked teasingly at the unusually silent receptionist, winking slyly.
“Lili, weren’t you with Manager Li just two nights ago? If he was possessed or not, you’d know best, right?”
Lili’s face twisted but she couldn’t come up with a retort.
Her expression went dark, and she stayed silent.
Seeing how upset she looked, the others didn’t dare tease further, and quickly changed the topic—now gossiping about how much the boss had spent to bring in that Daoist.
Zhang Xianyu listened in, and when he found nothing useful, walked out of the hotel.
He was still somewhat curious.
This was his first time seeing a Five Rogue God.
There was an old saying: “Northern Fox, Southern Wutong.”
That “Wutong” referred to none other than the Wutong Gods possessing Manager Li—also known as the Five Spirit Gods, Five Manifest Gods, or Five Rogue Gods.
The cult of the Wutong Gods was most flourishing in Wucheng.
The Wuxian Lingshun Temple on Shangfang Mountain was said to be especially efficacious.
Every year on the 17th day of the eighth lunar month, the birthday of the Five Manifest Gods, many people from other regions would flock to Shangfang Mountain to “borrow Yin debt” from them.
It was said that if you could borrow Yin debt from the Five Manifest Gods, you would become prosperous and your family would thrive.
But the world only knew half the story.
This Yin debt borrowed from Shangfang Mountain might seem helpful, but it was actually a real, high-interest spiritual loan—no matter how many generations of descendants you had, you’d never truly pay it off.
Moreover, the Wutong Gods weren’t orthodox deities.
These sinister gods were notoriously capricious and violent.
If you ever failed to make timely offerings, they wouldn’t just take back your fortune—they might even stir up havoc directly in your household.
Who in Manager Li’s family was it, exactly, that went to borrow Yin debt?
Lost in these thoughts, Zhang Xianyu unknowingly arrived at the bus stop.
The restaurant was at Guangming Plaza—about a 40-minute bus ride—so there was still plenty of time.
He arrived early and waited nearly half an hour before Zhang Shaoying showed up.
Standing over 1.8 meters tall with a sturdy build from years of working out, Zhang Shaoying was only a few centimeters taller than Zhang Xianyu but seemed much bigger overall.
The two slapped palms just like when they were kids.
Zhang Shaoying sized him up and laughed,
“Still so skinny.”
Zhang Xianyu curled his lip—he was just like this, no matter how much he ate he couldn’t put on weight.
“What about you? Did you come back from Africa or something?”
Zhang Shaoying was so tanned he was nearly as dark as the locals there.
“I’ve been working on a case lately, running around the streets all day looking for evidence.”
Zhang Shaoying shrugged, ordered two beers and three dishes plus a soup.
“But enough of that. I heard from my dad you came here early to look for summer work? Found anything yet?”
Zhang Xianyu slumped his shoulders and shook his head gloomily.
“No one’s hiring anymore. I’ll keep an eye out on my way back this afternoon.”
Zhang Shaoying raised his eyebrows and handed over a business card.
“I figured. This is from a friend of mine—he runs a 24-hour convenience store near Jiangcheng University. They’re hiring now, decent pay. Contact him and check it out.”
Zhang Xianyu hadn’t expected to get such a pleasant surprise over a meal.
His drooping expression instantly brightened.
He tucked away the card, grinning so widely his eyes nearly disappeared.
“Thanks, ge! If it works out, next meal’s on me.”
They clinked cans.
After drinking and eating, Zhang Shaoying had to get back to work, while Zhang Xianyu called the number on the card and arranged to go directly to the convenience store for an interview that afternoon.
The interview went smoothly.
Zhang Xianyu had a good appearance and was a soon-to-be Jiangcheng University student.
Even though he could only work full-time for a month, the owner gave him special consideration because of Zhang Shaoying and hired him on the spot.
After agreeing to officially start the next morning, Zhang Xianyu happily returned to the hotel.
With work settled, he just needed to find a temporary place to stay.
He grabbed a quick bowl of noodles outside for dinner, humming a tune on his way back to the hotel.
He hadn’t even stepped through the door when it was suddenly pushed open from inside.
That yellow-robed Daoist stumbled out clutching his chest.
When he spotted Zhang Xianyu, he froze—then roared,
“Don’t go in there!”
Before staggering off into the distance.
Zhang Xianyu’s brows lifted slightly.
Could that Five Rogue God be causing trouble again?
He walked through the wide-open doors.
Inside, the lobby was pitch dark—compared to the bright daylight outside, it was nearly impossible to see a hand in front of his face.
Zhang Xianyu blinked, waiting a moment for his eyes to adjust.
There wasn’t a single person in the lobby, but faint, playful whispers drifted through the air.
Frowning, Zhang Xianyu pulled out a talisman from his pocket and recited:
“Capture the mists, sever the wicked. A thunderous quake, heaven and earth cleared. By Jade Purity’s command, urgently obey. As law decrees—break!”
The yellow talisman ignited in midair without being lit.
In an instant, the oppressive darkness was banished, and the hotel lobby brightened again.
There on a sofa, a monkey-like creature covered in fur had pinned down a half-undressed woman, just about to do something unspeakable.
The sudden light startled them both.
The woman let out a playful squeal and shyly lifted her face,
“Manager Li, why’d you suddenly turn on the ligh—”
But before she could finish, she saw that pointed, monkey-like face covered in fur.
Her eyes went wide and dazed for several seconds before a piercing scream ripped out.
She shoved the creature off and scrambled into a corner.
Their fun ruined, the Five Rogue God straightened his disheveled clothes.
His blood-red eyes swept toward Zhang Xianyu, sniffed the air, then sneered,
“Another stinking Daoist.”
Zhang Xianyu glanced at the terrified, nearly naked woman cowering in the corner and recognized her as the receptionist, Lili.
His brow furrowed slightly.
Turning back to the Five Rogue God, his gaze hardened.
“Borrowing Yin debt is between you and the Li family—but you shouldn’t harm the innocent.”
If he was taking revenge on the Li family, that could still be said to have a rightful cause.
But using sorcery to confuse ordinary people for his own carnal pleasure—that was absolutely unacceptable.
The Five Rogue God chuckled darkly,
“Being chosen by me is her good fortune. You trying to lecture me—little brat who hasn’t even grown all your hair yet?”
Zhang Xianyu narrowed his eyes and showed a faint smile.
“Perfect. I don’t like reasoning either.”
Five Rogue God: “I’ve never reasoned with anyone in my life!”
Zhang Xianyu, smiling cheerfully: “What a coincidence, neither do I.”