Ji Si said, “They’re already dirty.”
And they really were dirty.
When people accidentally consume rice soaked in zombie toxin, their mouths become unbearably foul. The stench is so bad that the moment they speak, it’s like a wave of rotting flesh, as if they’ve bathed in a latrine and brushed their teeth with sewage, filling the air like a biological weapon.
No amount of stomach pumping or teeth cleaning can rid the stench. Ji Si still remembered that night when he helped the two fools wash out their stomachs at the lab—despite opening windows for ventilation all night, spraying air fresheners, using flower water, and dousing the room in menthol oil, the foul odor couldn’t be suppressed.
In the end, they had no choice but to change labs and put up a sign at the door: Mr. Yu Mingyang and Mr. Jiang Qining are not allowed to enter!
The two silly kids were both aggrieved and terrified, afraid they’d stink forever. Upon hearing that Ji Si had returned to Eight Treasure Hall, they rushed there like they had found their long-lost father, eagerly seeking help.
But Ji Si, as cold-hearted as ever, rejected them at the door, every strand of his hair screaming, Don’t approach me.
The High Priest was always heartless—throwing anyone out was no big deal. But Ji Si had underestimated something: the world’s toughest things to take care of were the naturally black and children.
As expected, the two silly kids broke down emotionally, no longer caring whether Ji Si was the reincarnation of a grand High Priest. They were determined to die, even if it meant jumping out of the building, all in the most tragic way, singing “Little Cabbage, yellow in the field” at the top of their lungs.
“Ji Si, please, we won’t eat anything weird again, we were wrong!”
“Great Ji Si, please, if we end up stinking while living together, it will be double the stink!”
At that moment, they stood in the wind at Ji Si’s courtyard, pleading tragically. The waves of rotting stench blew their way, like mixing canned herring with Laoshan snake herb water in a microwave, filling the air for miles. Cats and dogs scattered within ten miles, and anyone who smelled it nearly passed out.
But the naturally black ones were purely complaining and seeking help with no ill intentions. They didn’t even realize they were standing in the wind, let alone know that the foul odor had snuck into Ji Si’s room.
Ji Si: … I’ve truly become dirty.
Perhaps heaven finally took pity on them, as they eventually waited until Ji Si opened the door. In that moment, the two silly kids felt as if the Buddha’s light had illuminated the world. It was the most beautiful sight in the world. Ji Si was like the compassionate Guan Yin, bringing them cleansing sounds for their soul.
Ji Si gently said, “Drink more water.”
The two fools: …
Drink more water? Is there any solution more traditional in Zhongzhou that can cure all ailments?
“Three meals of glutinous rice, no side dishes,” Ji Si continued, his words becoming increasingly devilish. “Soak in glutinous rice baths, drink glutinous rice water. Until all the remaining zombie toxins are expelled, your scent will return.”
“If you don’t want to do that, you can still stink for three to five months. It’ll eventually return to normal.” Ji Si smiled. “But, do you really want to get rid of the smell? While the rotting stench isn’t pleasant, it can save your life. At least, if you ever cross paths with a monster, it won’t try to eat you.”
Yu Mingyang firmly said, “I don’t care if I die, but as a man, I absolutely can’t lose my scent! I’ve thought it through—what’s five months of stinking? It’s no big deal! By the way, I’m going to check the garbage heap to see if there’s any black glutinous rice left. If it has no smell, I’ll definitely need to supplement!”
With the most righteous expression, he said the most cowardly words. How could anyone be surprised that Yu Mingyang was the one who wanted to plaster himself in plaster?
Ji Si: …
Jiang Qining: I’ve never seen such a spineless person!
But Yu Mingyang couldn’t escape. To prevent the air in Juwang City from being polluted, Si Nuocheng personally supervised their eating and drinking. Under the cold gaze and sharp-tongued sarcasm of the Big Boss, the two silly kids trembled in fear as they accepted their fate.
Afterward, they ate glutinous rice for three days straight, to the point where they wanted to throw up just from seeing white rice. After this ordeal, they swore never to eat strange things again.
…
On the evening of February 1st, nothing unusual happened in the heavily guarded city in the northwest of Zhongzhou. By February 2nd, no terrifying news had come from the northwest either. Seeing this, normal netizens who had been waiting for a whole day sighed in relief, joyously telling everyone the good news. Meanwhile, the usual trolls poured into Ji Si’s Weibo, spewing mockery.
[Say You]: “I’ve been waiting all day, and no news! Were you just playing with us? A fake, self-promoting feudal swindler calling himself a High Priest? Haha, reported!”
[Shen Mountain Recluse]: “You can predict but can’t save people? Doesn’t it feel good to have a crowd worshipping you? Pretending to be high and mighty while being a petty villain. I’m really disappointed that the government is paying attention to this scammer instead of focusing more on the people’s livelihood—how about giving some money to the poor?”
[Turbulent Heart]: “If your predictions are so accurate, why don’t you give out some lottery numbers? If you had more money, you could move to a safer city. What’s the use of your predictions? All you do is spread panic.”
They seemed to forget how accurate Ji Si’s predictions had been in the past, ignoring the fact that his foresight had saved many from tragedy. They also ignored the government’s attention to Ji Si, dismissing it entirely.
They grabbed their keyboards and relentlessly criticized, unable to bear seeing others living better than they were. It seemed that when the world felt out of balance and life became hard, they wanted to drag anyone better than them down to their level and wallow in misery together.
Seeing this, the netizens’ worldviews shattered.
To be honest, any person with a normal brain should be hoping for a prosperous nation, peace, and stability for a hundred years, right?
Anyone with eyes should know that the High Priest’s predictions were meant to minimize loss and casualties. Since when did saving people become an obligation?
To be blunt, the fact that he even makes predictions is a great kindness—he has no obligation to take care of everything in Zhongzhou. The ignorant fools just love to complain, not even seeing how many foreign netizens are waiting to “recruit” him.
And the trolls seemed completely unaware of the consequences of attacking Ji Si on Weibo.
[Beauty Queen]: “@Global Fan Club of Ji Si, friends, come on! Let’s drop some facts and scare them!”
The mature fan club didn’t jump into petty bickering or waste words. They simply organized a few facts into a long image and posted it in the comments. The image had three sections: first, it listed the trolls who had attacked Ji Si’s Weibo along with the date; second, it followed up on the consequences for the trolls; and third, it displayed their current status.
“In December 2021, a troll named ‘Rampant Knight’ insulted Ji Si’s Weibo and was hit by a rich second-generation speeding car. He is still in the ICU.”
“In January 2022, a troll named ‘King of Men’ used Ji Si’s name to scam people and was arrested by the police in three hours. He’s currently serving time in You Mountain Prison.”
“Same month, a troll named ‘Wants to Lose Weight’ accused Ji Si of being a foreign spy and spread rumors that Ji Si was an anti-social doctor at a biological mutation lab. He was arrested by the police in half a day and is still in detention.”
“…There are 95 more similar cases, details can be found in the link. Lastly, we hope everyone will be kind and avoid attacking where it’s not deserved. Otherwise, the retribution will come, and no one can save you.”
[Global Fan Club of Ji Si] added with a serious tone: “Although we are Ji Si’s fan club, we’re never worried that Ji Si will be hurt by the trolls’ comments. We’re just worried that the trolls will suffer too badly after they finish attacking.”
“Enjoy your trolling while you can, make sure to get a nice coffin.”
After the long image was posted, Ji Si’s comment section became eerily quiet. Onlookers were stunned, and the trolls who had posted their insults were visibly trembling. Only the normal crowd was still commenting in awe: “I’ve never seen such a bold fan club. They’re amazing!”
Soon after, the trolls started deleting their comments in a panic.
This was the kind of people they were—always thinking they could harm others behind the safety of their screens without consequence. Once they realized they might actually pay the price, they were the first to backtrack.
As expected, veteran netizens weren’t surprised by this anymore.
What was even more surprising was that the authorities, seemingly unsatisfied with how hard the fan club had slapped the trolls, released the following statement: [On the early morning of February 1st, the Great Tomb in the northwest “Juwang City” was unearthed. Humanoid monsters attacked the city’s residents. Thanks to @High Priest JS for extending a helping hand, we managed to minimize casualties.]
Silence. Silence was today’s internet.
Every word was understandable, but why did some of those words feel so subtly different?
If they remembered correctly, every city in the northwest had released a video about preparing for battle, except Juwang City had no activity. The Great Tomb being unearthed in Juwang City was the equivalent of a wolf entering a sheep’s pen. Surely it would be a bloodbath.
Yet the official statement said—thanks to the High Priest’s helping hand.
Helping hand… Helping… Hand… The word was so subtle! It felt as though the High Priest had fought off the monsters for them.
Wait a minute, did the High Priest actually go to Juwang City?
Netizens: … Now this is getting terrifying.
Holy crap! Idol, let me buy a ticket to see you!
Ten seconds later, Weibo completely crashed!
Meanwhile, the center of the topic, Ji Si, was on his way to visit Zhang Yan. For Ji Si, his phone was just a tool for making predictions. No matter how much the internet erupted, it didn’t concern him. Others’ admiration or curses were insignificant compared to his ultimate goal in this world.
Ji Si pushed open the door to the hospital room.
The first thing he saw was a young man with honey-colored skin sitting on the hospital bed, reading a book.
He looked very clean, with an air of someone who had been raised well. His black-and-white cat-like eyes were clear, his eyebrows slightly slanted downward, his nose straight, and his lips full—he had the look of a kind scholar. If his fate had been kinder, he would never have dropped out of school to work.
It was a shame, though, that his fortune had been taken away…
Ji Si chuckled. “Sorry to disturb you.”
“Please, have a seat!” Zhang Yan hurriedly replied.
Zhang Yan wasn’t very old, barely nineteen, but his early experiences had made him mature beyond his years. Years of physical labor had made him sturdy and tall, making him appear much older than his actual age.
“May I ask, why have you come here…?”
“I had some free time, and thought I’d drop by to tell you a few things you should know,” Ji Si smiled. “But before that, do you mind sharing your life story with me?”
Zhang Yan set the book aside and gave a wry smile. “My life story doesn’t have much to say, but if I had to describe it… it’s like an avalanche, I guess.”
He tightened the blanket around himself. For some reason, his defenses started to crumble under Ji Si’s gentle gaze. The wounds he had always kept hidden from others, the secrets buried deep within him, now seemed easier to speak of.
He paused for a moment, and quietly began, “I was born in a rural village in Xibei. My father was the only university graduate in the village. He was handsome, but poor, so he couldn’t afford to pursue further studies. My mother was the only daughter of a pig farmer, not particularly good-looking, but from a more well-off family.”
His mother was very fond of his father and chased after him relentlessly. The whole village knew the story of how the pig farmer’s daughter fell for the son of a broken family, and the elders were happy to see it happen.
“My mom was just twenty when she married him, and the next year, I was born.” Zhang Yan turned his gaze towards the window, his eyes full of quiet sorrow. “She probably thought that having a child would make him settle down, but my grandfather took out his savings, helping him with contacts, finding work, and starting a business, doing everything he could to help him.”
“But my biological father wasn’t cut out for business. He was arrogant and incompetent. He didn’t manage to make much progress with his business, but he sure made plenty of enemies. My mother suffered along with him.”
“When I was five, his business suddenly began to improve. Life at home got better, but he became busier and never came home…”
At the age of nine, Zhang Yan’s grandfather died in a car accident. The following year, his mother, who was five months pregnant, found out that his biological father had cheated on her, and she decisively divorced him.
Zhang Yan recalled, “It was a long and hard court battle, but it ended with a lump sum of money.”
Afterward, they returned to the countryside. Unfortunately, rural values were backward, and many people felt that it wasn’t proper for a woman with two children to be divorced. They insisted on introducing remarriage candidates for his mother.
“My mother got tired of it and moved to the county town to start a business.” Zhang Yan smiled bitterly. “When my younger sister was five, my mom started thinking about remarriage. The man was another divorced pig farmer, and his character was similar to my grandfather’s—seemingly caring.”
“Two years later, she remarried.” Zhang Yan continued, “But we soon discovered that this pig farmer liked to abuse her.”
“Isn’t it strange? With such a terrible past, yet everyone around him helped him cover it up. Didn’t they think this would harm my mother?”
Zhang Yan gripped the blanket tightly, then released it: “If I hadn’t grown up and gotten strong, that scumbag would have only gotten worse. But I had to live in a school dorm for the competition and couldn’t take care of home. My mother tried to leave him again, but that scumbag wouldn’t allow it. When they were struggling, my mother was pushed down the stairs.”
After that, his life became like an avalanche. Even continuing his studies became a luxury.
And now, living itself seemed like an impossible dream.
Zhang Yan laughed bitterly, “I even wonder if I did something terrible in my past life…”
“I can’t tell whether you committed any bad deeds in your past life, but I do know that you were a good person in your previous life,” Ji Si said with a smile. “If not for your good karma, you would have died long ago. And if you died, your biological father would have soared to success.”
Zhang Yan was stunned, sitting there, frozen at the bedside.
“Tigers may not eat their own cubs, but humans, on the other hand, are eager to eat their own children,” Ji Si said, feeling a flicker of sympathy for Zhang Yan as he thought of the twin heirs. “Do you know? Your birth date and time were taken by your biological father, and he used them to borrow fortune.”
“Borrow fortune?”
“Yes, you can think of it as ‘stealing life,’” Ji Si said. “Your birth time is like a code to your destiny, containing your entire lifetime’s wealth, health, and happiness. Your biological father took that code, unlocked your ‘safe,’ and took what was rightfully yours for himself.”
Zhang Yan’s lips trembled, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. “Stealing life…”
His dark eyes slowly turned a deep crimson.
“Those who borrow fortune without blood ties can’t borrow everything, and there’s a risk of backlash. But when blood relatives borrow fortune, they can take up to 80%, with much less risk. Your biological father must have met a ‘talented’ person, using you as the price for his own wealth.”
If Ji Si was correct, that “talented” person would have turned into a demon by now, and it was likely that others of its kind were nearby. As early as three months, or as late as five, this situation would turn into a disaster.
Ji Si continued, “Those who do evil will meet their downfall. You don’t need to rush into revenge.” He raised an eyebrow, smiling wickedly. “Right now, living well is the best punishment for him.”
The non-human, non-ghost beings linger between the realms of life and death. Zhang Yan’s current fortune was something no ordinary human could borrow.
“Three thousand years of flying zombie poison isn’t something everyone can neutralize. Though you can’t get rid of the poison in your body, you’re still alive, aren’t you?”
Ji Si lowered his gaze. “Except for not being able to eat cooked food anymore and being averse to sunlight, you’re still a ‘human,’ not some ghostly creature. If you spend another six months under the moonlight, there may be some unexpected results.”
“Under the moonlight?”
“Yes, don’t resist the changes in your body,” Ji Si said, looking him straight in the eye. “Let nature take its course, and go with the flow. The flying zombie poison is a disaster for you, but it might not be the end—it could be your rebirth.”
Zhang Yan: “I… What will I… What will I become?”
“Become what? That depends on your fate.” Ji Si chuckled. “I’m here to fan the flames of that fate, making it burn brighter.”
He placed a piece on the board. “Take advantage of the fact that the young general of Juwang City is still here. Join his ranks. When you do, your mother and sister will be well taken care of.”
“As long as you remain human.”
Take this opportunity to borrow the hand of the young general and enter the whirlpool at the heart of the high ranks. Use your non-human, non-ghost body to search for the internal demons.
They will “befriend” you, pull you in, and treat you like one of their own. Little do they know, you, who have been harmed by the fall of a fallen one, will become the beginning of their self-destruction.
Ji Si smiled. “I believe you can do it.”
…
Si Nuocheng and his team stayed in Juwang City for ten days. Once Jiang Qining and Yu Mingyang had dealt with their stench and the Great Tomb was settled, they decided it was time to leave.
During these ten days, Juwang City remained in a “lockdown” state. Perhaps because Ji Si was still in the city, the authorities had blocked all video resources from leaking, severely preventing reporters from spying, and even stopped the influx of tourists into the city.
After half a month, the collapsed houses were cleared. The soldiers had dug out more than ten mummified zombies from the ruins. Not knowing how to deal with them, they were forced to seek Ji Si’s help again.
“Burn them,” Ji Si said. “Don’t be naïve and think they’re ‘dead.’ Even if their bodies are severed, they still can’t be understood by common sense.”
“Especially zombies that are three thousand years old. No matter how they’ve died, sometimes all it takes is a little sunlight and a sprinkle of fresh blood, and they might just ‘come alive.’”
Hearing this, the soldiers piled up firewood, placed the zombies on top, and set them on fire precisely at noon. By the time the zombies were reduced to ash, Ji Si’s team had already left the city and was heading toward their next destination.
A day later, the lockdown in Juwang City was lifted, and crowds of reporters and tourists flooded in. The authorities then released photos of the zombies online, proving the accuracy of Ji Si’s predictions.
Three days later, the King’s Tomb was opened, revealing the horrors of a three-thousand-year-old history. The cruelty and savagery of the slave society dynasty were vividly displayed in the terrifying scenes of the tomb’s sacrificial remains…
But that’s a story for another time. Right now, two off-road vehicles were speeding down the road toward Ningyuan Mountain.
The journey was long and boring, and Si Nuocheng finally asked the question that had been on his mind: “Ji Si, do you believe in past lives?”
PS:
Si Nuocheng: Do you believe in past lives?
Ji Si: I don’t.
Si Nuocheng: Do humans have past lives?
Ji Si: No.
