Master Gu spoke calmly, flicking ash from his cigarette.
He then added, as if it were nothing, "Of course, the test is dangerous.
It could lead to a faster, more gruesome death.
You might not even have a whole body left.
Even if you pass, you might not learn my skills.
Furthermore, you'll have to sign a contract for an advance on your wages.
You'll work at my shop for at least five years, with no days off. Your monthly salary will be three thousand, but I'll only pay you five hundred.
The remaining two thousand five hundred will be deducted to cover the cost of saving you.
Five years amounts to one hundred fifty thousand, with one hundred thousand as principal and fifty thousand as interest.
The penalty for breach of contract is three hundred thousand.
You can also refuse, but I assure you,
if you leave this door, you won't survive till tomorrow morning.
Even if you chant the entire Diamond Sutra, you won't see the sun rise tomorrow."
Master Gu spoke slowly, without even looking at me.
After flicking his ash, he refilled his pipe, lit it, and took another drag.
I stood frozen, feeling quite helpless.
Master Gu wasn't as bad as I'd imagined, but he wasn't as good either.
Setting aside whether I could pass his test,
even if I did and was saved,
the next five years would likely be arduous.
A five-year contract with no days off, five hundred a month, and a three-hundred-thousand penalty.
In essence, it was a contract selling myself into servitude for five years.
He would save me only if I sold my future to him.
Now, I had only two paths before me.
Either walk out and wait to die, be killed by that female ghost tonight and have my life taken to replace hers,
or agree to Master Gu's terms and take a gamble.
Pass his test, receive his help, and work for him for the next five years.
For me, at this moment, the choice was clear.
So, without much hesitation, I immediately said to Master Gu,
"Master Gu, as long as I can live, I choose to accept the test."
Upon hearing my agreement, Master Gu finally looked up.
He glanced at me, a faint smile on his face, and said unhurriedly,
"Good! Tonight, go to the Chenghuang Temple at Longgangzi in the city center. Sell some rice and eggs for me."
Hearing this, I felt a sense of bewilderment.
Selling rice and eggs, what kind of test was this?
Was he deliberately going easy on me, or was there another hidden meaning?
With a trace of doubt, I asked,
"Master Gu, sell rice and eggs?
Why go to Longgangzi in the city center?
That place has been demolished, there's no one there."
As soon as I finished speaking, my heart tightened.
Suddenly, I realized.
If there was no one there, who would I sell to?
Master Gu chuckled at my startled expression, "Heh heh heh," and said,
"Yes, just rice and eggs.
If you go, there will definitely be customers.
But you have to buy the rice and eggs from the Rose Supermarket in the Nanshan Cemetery."
I felt a sense of unease.
Who on earth would open a supermarket in a cemetery?
I had a strong suspicion of who Master Gu wanted me to sell to.
Most likely, it was something unclean.
Master Gu probably wanted to test my courage and mettle through this.
After all, Master Gu dealt with the deceased, his business was with the dead, and he handled supernatural and strange affairs.
If I wanted to stay and help, I'd need to be brave.
Though I was somewhat nervous, for the sake of survival,
I had no choice but to brace myself.
I took a deep breath and then asked,
"Master Gu, are there any other important details I need to know?
How should I sell the items? What should be the price?"
Since I would be dealing with spirits, it was better to be detailed.
Master Gu exhaled smoke and said in a low voice,
"It's simple. You just need to arrive at the location before ten o'clock tonight.
Set up the rice and eggs, light the incense, and lie down under the altar.
No matter what you encounter, do not come out.
But if anyone asks you what you're doing,
just say you're selling goods and will leave after one night.
If they ask how to sell your goods, say rice for money, eggs for medicine.
Only old money and old medicine are accepted.
You can leave the temple and return at six o'clock the next morning.
Remember, sell the rice for ten coins, and exchange the eggs for ten medicines."
I listened intently to Master Gu's words, memorizing every syllable.
I kept repeating them silently in my mind.
Seeing me murmuring to myself, Master Gu asked,
"Have you remembered everything?"
"I have, Master Gu," I confirmed, nodding.
Then, I saw Master Gu take out two bowls made of black paper from a drawer behind the counter.
He also took out three short incense sticks and handed them to me:
"Take these. Light the incense as soon as you enter the temple.
Put the rice and eggs in these paper bowls."
I took the incense sticks and paper bowls, feeling a slight apprehension.
Master Gu calmly continued,
"The Rose Supermarket opens only after dark. You must be at the temple before ten o'clock.
Otherwise, you won't be able to enter the temple, and the entity that's bothering you will take your life.
It's getting late. You should go prepare!"
With that, Master Gu, ignoring me, turned and entered the inner room with his pipe.
Watching Master Gu leave, I called out,
"Master Gu, I will definitely complete this task."
Without further hesitation, I turned and left Wanfu Hall.
Outside, I used my map to search for the location of Nanshan Cemetery.
I discovered it was quite far.
Moreover, Nanshan Cemetery and Longgangshan Chenghuang Temple were located in the south and north respectively, tens of miles apart.
I might be cutting it close on time.
But to survive, I had to do as Master Gu instructed.
First, I would go to Nanshan Cemetery to find the Rose Supermarket that only opened at night...