Chapter 258 Hulu Brothers

"Here, take this. Don't you dare open it and do something stupid. Remember what happened to that weasel, got it?"

Zhou Ze reached out and patted the monkey, who was gnawing on a wild ginseng root, and tossed the Yin-Yang Book to it.

This monkey was extremely clever. Although it didn't have the supernatural powers of a demon monkey from its previous life, the Yin-Yang Book was actually quite safe with it. The reason Huang Daxian hadn't stolen the Yin-Yang Book before was because it was in the monkey's possession.

And perhaps it was because the monkey was a pushover at heart. Zhou Ze knew better than anyone what kind of temperament the monkey had. No matter what, it wouldn't hurt him if it were keeping the book.

Most importantly, Zhou Ze didn't want to carry the thing around with him, constantly being reminded of who was about to die. It was too annoying.

Capturing Huang Daxian was just something Zhou Ze did on a whim. Although Huang Daxian's tactic of trying to steal first and then pretending to be polite and negotiate was a bit hypocritical, Old Zhou's initial move of picking up the Yin-Yang Book and shouting at Auntie Ba, "Dare you answer if I call your name?" was also a bit nasty.

It was the pot calling the kettle black. From Old Zhou's perspective, he had the Yin-Yang Book, which was perfect for restraining those immortals who liked to play "astral projection" and possess people's bodies.

Even if Old Zhou didn't know what collecting this "animal world" was good for, it was like Squirrel Hang constantly gathering pine cones,

or like Bai Yingying getting half an hour of loot in PUBG only to get headshot right after, but still being happy about it.

The thrill and satisfaction of collecting was a common human failing. Oh no, it was the instinct of any intelligent life form.

Different positions led to different ways of thinking. If it were a person, Old Zhou wouldn't do this, but in Zhou Ze's eyes, these immortals weren't people. Since they weren't people, he couldn't be bothered to talk to them about benevolence and morality.

He'd just collect them first. Who knows, they might be useful in the future?

Old Zhou never claimed to be a good person, and he couldn't be one even if he wanted to.

The street performer hadn't woken up yet and was just standing there motionless, as if in a daze. Zhou Ze ignored him and went straight upstairs.

Xu Qinglang was still soaking in the bathtub. He had been soaking for a long time, but his skin hadn't turned white, and there were no other problems. Zhou Ze figured it was because of the monkey's mud.

Many hotels these days like to tout a hot spring theme, but a lot of them are just fooling people. For example, if your skin starts turning white after soaking for half an hour, it means the "hot spring water" isn't worth a damn.

Next to Old Xu was a small tea table with a bowl on it. The bowl contained a red liquid, and next to it was a long incense stick wrapped with hair, slowly burning.

Inside the bowl, there was something white and round, like an insect egg, wriggling slightly.

Zhou Ze stood by the tea table, observing the insect egg.

"What are you looking at?" Xu Qinglang said grumpily.

"Just thinking about how that bug will crawl into your body tonight and wander around, giving you a smooth, sensual tour of your A-side and B-side,

and I'm really looking forward to it."

"............" Xu Qinglang.

Zhou Ze handed Xu Qinglang a cigarette and sat down by the bathtub.

They didn't talk anymore. The two men were silent. Before a cigarette was finished, Zhou Ze's phone rang. It was an unknown number.

"Hello," Zhou Ze answered the phone.

"Is Lu Fangweng one of your employees?"

"Who's Lu Fangweng?" Zhou Ze asked Xu Qinglang.

"The old Daoist," Xu Qinglang reminded him.

"Oh, yes."

"He's been spending money here, but he doesn't have enough to pay the bill. Please come and settle the account for him."

"Doesn't have enough to pay the bill?"

"That's right, doesn't have enough to pay the bill."

"What kind of establishment is this?"

"The Bishui Lantian SPA Club in Gangzha."

"Let him answer the phone. I need to confirm something," Zhou Ze said.

The other end of the phone went silent.

Zhou Ze shook his head. He never expected the old Daoist to go and try to get a free massage.

"Boss, boss..." The old Daoist's voice came through, but then it sounded like his mouth was being covered, and he couldn't say anything else.

"I want him to talk to me," Zhou Ze demanded.

Paying for the old Daoist wasn't a problem. Although Boss Zhou was poor, he was still generous to his employees. But Zhou Ze needed to make sure the old Daoist was safe.

"Just come over and pay in person. Look up the address on the map yourself. You have one hour to get here. Otherwise, we can't guarantee his safety."

The voice on the other end of the phone carried an undisguised threat.

"Give me your Alipay number. I'll just transfer the money directly," Zhou Ze said.

"Sorry, you have to come in person to settle this account."

"Are you after money?" Zhou Ze sensed something else. It seemed like they weren't just after money.

"Beep beep... beep beep..."

The other party hung up the phone.

"What's wrong?" Xu Qinglang asked.

"They hung up," Zhou Ze shrugged. "Something's not right."

"Then go take a look."

"Mm."

Zhou Ze nodded, went downstairs, and sent a message to Bai Yingying as he was about to leave the bookstore, telling her to stop playing games and come back to watch the store.

Then, Zhou Ze took a taxi to the club.

The club was across from RT-Mart and was quite large. It looked high-end, at least. After getting out of the car, Zhou Ze didn't waste any time and went straight to the elevator to the fourth floor.

The elevator doors opened.

The interior was magnificent, and the front desk staff bowed to Zhou Ze in unison.

"Welcome to Bishui Lantian. We hope you have a pleasant time."

Zhou Ze couldn't help but laugh to himself. He knew the old Daoist's tastes. He only liked to go to street-side hair salons or foot massage parlors to spread the love. The old Daoist didn't like coming to these high-end places.

He was there to find big sisters, not granddaughters.

"Sir, would you like a foot massage or a health treatment?"

A tall receptionist walked up to Zhou Ze and asked.

Zhou Ze remembered the old Daoist explaining this to him.

Generally, when you go to these places, asking if you want a "foot massage" or a "health treatment" is like industry code. A foot massage means hiring a regular technician to give you a foot massage. If you answer "health treatment," you're also hiring a regular technician, but the latter comes with some R-rated services.

However, before you can do any R-rated services, you're required to deposit money and get a membership card.

"I'm here to find someone. Someone here told me to come," Zhou Ze replied.

The receptionist nodded, took out a walkie-talkie, and asked a question. Then, she smiled and bowed to Zhou Ze. "Sir, please follow me."

She led the way, and Zhou Ze followed behind. After turning several corners, the receptionist opened the door to a small private room and gestured for Zhou Ze to enter.

Zhou Ze walked in. There was a bathtub, a sofa, a large TV, and a round bed with sheer curtains.

"What's the meaning of this?" Zhou Ze asked.

"Sir, this is the Emperor Package your friend booked for you. The technician will be in shortly."

"I'm here to pick up my friend."

"I'm not sure about the specifics," the receptionist said, turning to leave.

But Zhou Ze reached out from behind and grabbed her neck.

"If you don't explain clearly, you're not going anywhere."

"Sir, I'm also available for private appointments, but my prices are higher than the technicians'," the receptionist said without changing her expression.

The next moment,

Zhou Ze suddenly felt an itch in his lower body. A furry tail grew out directly from behind the receptionist. The tail carried a kind of intoxicating fragrance that made his blood boil.

A pair of soft, boneless hands suddenly climbed onto Zhou Ze...

The receptionist was very confident in this. She had never failed before.

But soon, she was stunned.

Because a sharp fingernail was already lying across her delicate neck. One more inch forward, and it would draw blood.

How could he not react?

How could he be so self-controlled?

The receptionist was shocked and had to retract her tail and remove her hands.

"A fox spirit?"

Zhou Ze looked at the receptionist, focusing on the long tail behind her.

"Now, can you take me to see my friend?"

"Yes, he's next door," the receptionist replied calmly.

Zhou Ze continued to control the receptionist as he walked with her to the next private room.

In there,

the old Daoist was lying on the bed, embracing a technician with a look of intoxication on his face. Even when Zhou Ze came in, he didn't seem to see him at all. Behind this technician, there was also a tail.

Clearly, the old Daoist had been hypnotized and was immersed in some indescribable fantasy, constantly talking in his sleep.

"Mr. Zhou, we yao cultivators of the Old Mountain Forest value rules above all else, and we value 'courtesy' most of all. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many households in the Northeast worshiping us.

Perhaps Mr. Zhou, you're not from the Northeast, so you don't have that kind of sentiment. Or perhaps, you've read too many strange tales and have some misunderstandings about us yao cultivators.

Your friend is fine. We haven't done anything to him.

Even now,

we're still reasoning with you.

Auntie Ba went to your dojo without permission and was taken by you. That was understandable. It's a great taboo to trespass on someone else's dojo without prior notice.

Huang Daxian tried to steal something from your dojo and was also taken by you. That was also understandable.

We admit our mistakes, and we accept the punishment. They were not skilled enough and still ran rampant in the mortal world. They deserved what they got.

Mr. Zhou, you're a magnanimous person. Please forgive us and show mercy.

This little one is endlessly grateful. Furthermore, this little one has settled down in Tong City for a while. If Mr. Zhou ever needs anything in the future, just give this little one a call."

"Am I to understand that if I don't agree, I'll have rat spirits and hedgehog spirits coming to bother me in the future?"

"The Old Mountain Forest is one family."

"Fine, I can let them go. You just have to come back to the bookstore with me."

"Hehehe, this little one wouldn't dare. Your bookstore is too strange. This little one is afraid of going there and never coming back. That's why I invited your friend over and then invited you over."

"Then I'll make a call and have someone send them over."

"That's fine."

"Wuwuwu..." The old Daoist, still lying on the bed, groped around contentedly and said as if talking in his sleep, "Hehehe, to die under a peony is worth it, even as a ghost! But as a ghost, you can't be like the boss. That's so boring. You can't even be romantic."

The receptionist covered her mouth and giggled.

She knew exactly what he meant.

Zhou Ze took a deep breath.

He took out his phone and looked at the receptionist, asking, "Can I refuse now?"

"Hmm?"

"I suddenly think it would be good if you guys killed this old fart."