Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After I got back, I collapsed onto the bed and went straight to sleep.

Cheng Jie and Jiang Shaotian were sleeping next door, and there wasn’t any commotion from them all night.

Early the next morning, Jiang Shaotian came knocking on my door.

He was seriously fired up about this whole monster-hunting job now.

“Sister Ruyi, where are we going today?”

After washing up a little, I slung my bag over my shoulder and left the hotel with Jiang Shaotian.

“Song Yu still has another solo concert today, right?”

Jiang Shaotian said, “Yeah, but I didn’t buy a ticket for today.”

I waved a hand. “It’s fine. We can just wait at the entrance to the stadium.”

After we found a place to sit, I turned to explain things to Jiang Shaotian.

“A Charm Fox isn’t quite the same as an ordinary monster. It doesn’t increase its cultivation through training, but through the power of faith.”

Jiang Shaotian said, “The power of faith?”

“That’s right. It’s extremely vain, and naturally full of confidence in its own looks and charm. The more people adore it and worship it, the stronger the power of faith it gains. And the stronger that power is, the faster it cultivates.”

“In ancient times, Charm Foxes usually hid in brothels and performance houses. By the Republican era, dance halls became their first choice.”

Jiang Shaotian thought for a moment, then asked, “Then why did Song Yu want to hurt Cheng Jie and the others?”

“That doesn’t seem like it’d help his cultivation at all. It would only add to his karma.”

I rapped him on the head in exasperation. “Didn’t I already tell you what a Charm Fox is like? Jealous! Jealous!”

“If you can’t remember something important, shouldn’t you be writing it down?”

Jiang Shaotian frantically dug a notebook out of his bag and started taking notes.

I withdrew my hand and took a sip of coffee. “Back to what we were saying.”

“A Charm Fox cultivates through the power of faith, but it also needs a medium. That’s the restriction the Heavenly Dao places on it.”

“For example, if you curse your grandpa at thin air, your grandpa won’t know a thing. Would he get mad? No.”

“But if you cursed your grandpa to my face, then I’d pass it on to him. Would he get mad? Yes. And he’d probably beat you up, too.”

Jiang Shaotian twitched at the corner of his mouth. “Sister Ruyi, if you don’t know how to make an analogy, you really don’t have to.”

I rubbed my nose. “Was it that bad?”

Jiang Shaotian said, “It was terrible.”

I said, “Sowwy~”

Jiang Shaotian summed it up. “So we came today to find the medium the Charm Fox uses to gather the fans’ power of faith! As long as we destroy that medium, the Charm Fox will be badly weakened!”

“Then you’ll be able to take advantage of the opening!”

I said expressionlessly, “You’re not wrong, but could you use a different phrase?”

Jiang Shaotian raised a hand. “Sowwy~”

After the two of us sat in the café across from the city stadium and drank several cups of coffee, Song Yu’s concert finally ended.

People started pouring out of the stadium entrance.

I set down my cup and stood up. “Let’s go.”

…

“Aaaahhh! Song Yu is so handsome!”

“My life is complete! He even smiled at me!”

“He even said this bracelet of mine was pretty! Aaaahhh! Basically, that means he said I was pretty!”

“Where did you buy that bracelet? I want one too.”

I slipped naturally into the conversation. “Wow, your bracelet is gorgeous!”

The girl looked a little smug. “Of course it is. It wasn’t easy for me to get this.”

The girls around her immediately started bombarding her with questions.

A little proudly, she lifted her hand. “I spent thirty thousand on products endorsed by Song Yu before the brand finally gave me this bracelet as a bonus!”

…

The girls gradually disappeared into the distance.

Jiang Shaotian walked over.

I tilted my chin toward the girl wearing the bracelet. “That bracelet is what we’re looking for.”

“So that’s how the Charm Fox chooses the people who provide it with the power of faith.”

Jiang Shaotian said, “It really is… pretty smart.”

Anyone willing to spend thirty thousand boosting their idol’s sales was either especially rich or utterly obsessed with their idol, the type to support him no matter what.

Those were exactly the kind of people Song Yu was looking for.

I turned to Jiang Shaotian. “Can you figure out a way to get one?”

Jiang Shaotian said, “How am I supposed to get one??”

I shrugged. “How would I know?”