The weather seemed to conspire against us, or perhaps it was just our ill fortune, as a light rain persisted on our journey home. Fortunately, just as we had a car to pick us up on the way there, a driver was there to take us back.
Several times along the road, I wanted to ask Zhang Dabiao if his plan was reliable, fearing we might end up with nothing but trouble. But each time, Zhang Dabiao would feign sleep and cut me off.
It wasn't until we reached the doorstep of my home that Zhang Dabiao yawned widely, claiming he was awake, and told the driver to head back.
However, the driver adamantly refused to leave, stating he wouldn't be paid if he didn't wait for us to load our belongings before taking us back.
Seeing this, I couldn't force him to leave. I invited him into the courtyard to warm up, as we weren't planning to return that night and would need to stay for one night before heading back the next day. But he flatly refused. I could only inwardly label him a fool.
Was working for the boss worth risking one's life? Money could always be earned, but this manager Xue had sent someone so stubborn; no amount of persuasion would make him enter the courtyard. He simply said he'd be fine sleeping in the car and repeatedly asked us to inform him when we were ready to leave.
I've always believed that having strong convictions and sticking to them is a commendable trait, worthy of praise for never wavering in one's beliefs.
Under the driver's watchful eye, I closed the courtyard gate and then roared at Zhang Dabiao, "Brother Zhang, are you crazy? If there are no evil spirits, we'll just find one to fake it? Isn't this dishonest? This money feels wrong!"
Zhang Dabiao pouted at my questioning, grunted, and said, "You know nothing. Let's eat first, and I'll explain later." Then he loudly called out his wife's name, saying he was hungry and asking what delicious food she was preparing for the evening.
I felt the veins in my forehead throb. I couldn't understand how Zhang Dabiao had become this way. Even for money, would he resort to deception? If this were exposed, it would be a dream to ever operate in the supernatural realm again. Wouldn't everyone just call us fraudsters?
Moreover, some of the people who came to the supernatural realm knew Zhang Dabiao and even called out his name. This made it impossible to maintain any pretense.
The fact that we returned the same day made Zhang Sao very happy. In the morning, the official had sent a sheep, which was perfect for showcasing her culinary skills. There was lamb and radish soup, stir-fried lamb, and the meal was undeniably sumptuous.
But I had no appetite for any of this food. Zhang Dabiao had promised the client that we would catch a malevolent spirit tomorrow and had even agreed to let them observe. What could I say to that?
"Sigh!" I had lost count of how many times I had sighed.
Zhang Dabiao remained cheerful, eating and drinking as usual. However, Zhang Sao noticed my unease and asked, "What's wrong, little brother? Is the lamb not to your liking? Or should I learn from city folks and roast it for you next time?"
I could throw a tantrum or say nonsensical things to Zhang Dabiao, but I couldn't say these words to Zhang Sao. I could only claim that I had eaten too much in the city and had lost my appetite.
Zhang Sao naturally didn't believe my explanation. She turned her gaze to Zhang Dabiao, her hand under the table subtly nudging him, her silence conveying her question.
"He's just eaten too much. Don't worry about him, he's fine. Stop pinching. If you pinch any longer, the meat will fall off."
Zhang Dabiao explained, baring his teeth as he batted away Zhang Sao's hand. Zhang Sao blushed, chided him, and then turned and went into the house.
"Brother Zhang, what exactly are you thinking? Are you really planning to find a black evil spirit to fool them? Setting aside whether this plan can be exposed, where are we going to find a black evil spirit?
You saw those people. They are all from the supernatural realm. If this is revealed, we won't have a foothold in Jianghe City. Not only will your reputation be ruined, but my master's reputation will also be tarnished. Your agreement is too... too much."
"Too wise and decisive?" Zhang Dabiao chuckled, taking a sip of wine as he looked at me with a smile.
I took a bite of lamb and retorted irritably, "Too self-righteous."
Zhang Dabiao put down his wine glass and looked at me seriously. "How am I self-righteous? Sun Chuang dug a pit for you, and you just accepted it and jumped in so eagerly. Isn't that self-righteous? If you truly believe that, then I have nothing more to say. You can tell the driver outside right now to go back and tell Manager Xue that we're not taking this job, and they can find someone else. Just say there were no spirits in the pit, and it was all Sun Chuang's fabrication. Why are you complaining to me?"
"You..."
I pointed my finger at Zhang Dabiao, then lowered it.
He was right. I could tell Manager Xue the whole story. But what role did Manager Xue play in this? Was he in league with Sun Chuang? There was no way to predict that.
If they were in league, my confession would be like throwing myself into a fiery pit. Besides, a boss who could offer such a high price of five million was not someone I could afford to offend.
After thinking for over ten minutes, I finally spoke, asking, "What if we're discovered then aren't we..."
Zhang Dabiao slapped the table and said, "No 'what ifs.' If we do it, we can make a fortune. If we don't, we'll be ruined, and we can forget about taking jobs in the provincial capital. Our reputation in the entire supernatural community might even be tarnished. You choose." Su Dan Novel Network
"I..."
I started to say "I," but I couldn't continue. I knew Zhang Dabiao was right. But the problem was, where could we find a black evil spirit with fur to pass it off as genuine?
Black evil spirits aren't stray cats or dogs that can be bought or stolen. They are malevolent entities that ordinary people rarely encounter, let alone capture and make them obedient.
"What's so difficult about that? A black evil spirit is just a corpse with resentment. Isn't the North Mountain in your area a mass grave? I don't believe there are no spirits there. We just need to find one to satisfy them."
Zhang Dabiao's words left me speechless. However, considering my reputation and the possibility of being framed by Sun Chuang, finding a spirit to appease them wasn't impossible. At worst, if it was exposed, we would just forfeit Manager Xue's money.
When Bai Ling'er returned from her outing, I told her about this idea. She actually laughed and spun in the air, saying it sounded like fun and that she wanted to go along to see how we would deceive people.
Watching the human and the snake strike a deal, I felt an urge to question the heavens. It seemed like all the unreliable things in the world had found me.