The fox's nails were as long as half a lighter, pitch black and very shiny.
It looked more like a crescent of black jade.
After I received this paw, the old fox nodded in satisfaction.
Squinting, she smiled at me:
"Young man, what's your name?"
"I, my name is Qin Ze!"
I answered with a hint of nervousness.
It seemed the old fox posed no threat to me, so I wasn't as scared anymore.
But I remained guarded and vigilant.
The old fox cackled a few times:
"Qin Ze. Grandma remembers your name.
But lost lives must be found by oneself.
If others find them, you won't be able to hold onto them.
Grandma can't interfere too much.
Now, go do what you need to do!
Grandma won't delay you..."
With that, the old fox leaned on her cane and moved aside a few steps.
Although I didn't quite understand what she meant by "lost lives must be found by oneself."
Seeing the old fox make way, I didn't hesitate any longer.
Holding the fox paw she gave me, I smiled slightly:
"Thank, thank you, Grandma!"
With that, I held the half fox paw and the cloth bag and ran towards the City God Temple.
After running more than ten meters, I looked back.
I found that the old fox had already disappeared.
Behind me was pitch black, with only swaying weeds and trees.
I felt quite dejected.
When one's luck is bad, truly strange things can happen.
In the past twenty years, I hadn't encountered anything unusual.
But in the last few days, bizarre events had been happening one after another.
Now, to survive, I had to go to the temple and do business with the unholy.
I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down to face reality better.
I quickened my pace and speed.
Because there were only a few minutes left until ten o'clock at night.
Fortunately, it wasn't far, and I soon arrived in front of the City God Temple.
It was already being demolished, and the City God Temple was even more dilapidated.
Weeds had grown on the roof, and patches of paint had peeled off the walls.
The courtyard was full of weeds and withered leaves.
I hurried to the front of the temple and pushed open the dilapidated wooden door.
"Creak..."
A harsh sound echoed, stirring up a gust of musty dust inside.
I fanned the air with my hand, coughing lightly while covering my nose and mouth.
The temple was chilly and dark, with very poor visibility.
I took out my lighter and ignited it to illuminate the surroundings.
The flame flickered, barely illuminating the area.
The temple was in a mess. There was no statue on the shrine.
Only a stone altar and an overturned stone incense burner remained.
In front of the altar, a torn yellow cloth was spread.
Besides these, the entire City God Temple contained only some broken bowls, dry grass, and plastic bags.
As Master Gu had instructed, upon arriving at the City God Temple.
My first action was to light incense.
I took out three short sticks of incense and quickly lit them.
Then I placed them in the stone incense burner on the altar.
The short incense sticks flickered, burning quickly as if someone were blowing on them.
As soon as the incense was placed, the rising smoke dispersed, swirling around the temple.
I didn't pay much attention to the short incense sticks.
Instead, I quickly took out two flattened paper bowls.
I propped them open with my hands and placed them neatly on the ground.
Then I put the rice and eggs I bought from Rose Supermarket into the bowls respectively.
I worked swiftly. After completing these tasks.
I immediately crawled under the altar to hide.
I checked the time, there was still one minute left until ten o'clock at night.
I felt a surge of relief.
After a night of twists and turns, I had finally completed Master Gu's instructions.
All that remained was to wait.
I remained motionless under the altar, only able to see the two black paper bowls through a small gap under the yellow cloth.
Ten o'clock arrived in an instant.
The temple seemed to have become even colder.
I stayed crouched under the altar, cautiously observing the changes in the temple.
After about half an hour, a cough suddenly broke the silence of the temple.
"Cough!"
The sound was not loud, but it was very clear.
And the sound seemed to come from the altar directly above me.
Hearing this sudden sound made my heart tighten.
I slightly raised my head and looked at the altar above me.
I felt as if the person who coughed was sitting on it.
Elderly people say; temples without gods are inhabited by ghosts.
This City God Temple had no divine statue.
Now, besides me, the only remaining beings could be the unholy.
Although I was mentally prepared.
When it came time to actually interact with these beings, I couldn't help but feel scared.
I nervously hunched my neck, even lowering my breathing.
I didn't know how these unholy beings would conduct business with me!
After about another half hour, two more coughs came from above.
"Cough cough..."
My heart felt hollow, and I gnawed my teeth in nervousness, not daring to move.
And following these two coughs.
I felt the moonlight entering the temple from outside being blocked.
The entire area in front of the altar turned dark.
Lowering my head, I looked out through the gap under the yellow cloth.
As I looked, I saw a pair of black cloth shoes, walking on tiptoe towards me.
Their steps were small and silent.
They approached step by step, finally stopping motionless before the two black paper bowls.
I could clearly feel a wave of cold air flowing under the altar.
That icy feeling made me shiver.
This intangible pressure made me feel like a heavy stone was pressing on my heart.
After a good while, I noticed the thing on tiptoe slowly bending down.
It extended a hand with very black fingernails but a very white hand, slowly reaching to grab the eggs in the black paper bowls.
I watched, not daring to make a sound.
Because Master Gu had told me that after entering the City God Temple.
Unless asked, I must absolutely not speak a word.
And that pale human hand, about to reach the eggs.
But as soon as it made contact, it was abruptly withdrawn.
It was as if the eggs were so hot they dared not touch them.
Afterward, I saw the person on tiptoe pacing back and forth before the two paper bowls.
After several minutes.
A complaining, low old man's voice finally sounded:
"What's the meaning of this? You let me look but not eat?"