"If I directly move stones to crush him to death, or transport flames to burn him alive, it won’t work! After all, I still need to rely on him to deal with the anomalies in the ancient tomb. However, though I can’t do anything to you, it doesn’t mean I can’t control you." The Fox Spirit’s eyes twinkled, and the next moment, her soul emerged from her body and headed towards the back mountain.
The next morning, Zhang Chen had a good sleep. As he looked at the sunlight streaming in through the window, he cast a mysterious smile across his face and muttered, "That Fox Spirit exhausted her tricks! There was no movement all night. It seems she truly can’t do anything against my Golden Light! It’s time to settle accounts with the Fox Spirit! I’ll go prepare gunpowder and first blow up her physical body to see if she has any other tricks!"
Just as Zhang Chen was about to prepare gunpowder in the mountains, a rapid knocking sounded at the door. His younger sister, Zhang Tuowei’s voice came from outside, sounding somewhat anxious, "Big brother, are you at home?"
Zhang Chen’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly turned over and jumped down from the cabinet, opened the door, and saw Zhang Tuowei, panting and drenched in sweat: "What’s the matter?"
Zhang Tuowei had clearly run all the way there. Seeing the sweat flowing down her ears and her back soaked through, an ominous feeling rose in Zhang Chen’s heart.
"Our house was robbed, and mother asked me to call you over." Zhang Tuowei panted heavily.
"Robbed?" Hearing this, Zhang Chen felt a sinking feeling in his heart. He picked up Zhang Tuowei without caring about the things in his house and quickly headed to Liwan Village. Before long, he arrived at Mrs. Zhang’s house, only to see her sitting inside, crying. Her eyes were swollen like peaches, with a face pale without a trace of blood.
"Mother!" Zhang Chen quickly walked to Mrs. Zhang’s side and whispered a call.
"It’s all my fault! It’s my fault for sleeping so soundly last night, I didn’t even notice when the thief came in. All that money was earned by you risking your life. I planned to save it for you to marry a wife, but who knew such a calamity would happen." Mrs. Zhang looked up, her eyes filled with self-blame and pain, and her expression lost the hope it usually held.
Zhang Chen, shocked, said: "How did the house get robbed last night? Is there no clue at all? You didn’t hear any noise?"
Zhang Chen was curious. Mrs. Zhang was alone with two children; her sleep shouldn’t have been that deep.
Mrs. Zhang shook her head, her eyes full of bitterness: "I checked in the morning, all the doors and windows were intact, there were no signs of tampering, and not even a footprint left behind. I don’t know how the thief got in or how they moved so many goods."
Hearing Mrs. Zhang’s words, Zhang Chen scanned the room, his pupils suddenly shrinking, catching sight of the red experience points on the ground.
Seeing those red experience points, Zhang Chen’s face darkened like water. Even a fool would know that the matter must have been done by the Fox Spirit, as she was the only anomaly around, and he had played tricks on her last night, giving her every reason to seek revenge.
"I can’t tolerate it! I’ve tried my best to avoid contact with Liwan Village, to prevent the Fox Spirit from affecting my mother and little sister or brother. But who knew this damned Fox Spirit would still target us."
Zhang Chen looked around the bare room; all the rice, grain, and oil were gone, and even the fabric was taken by the Fox Spirit. Not a drop of water was left in the jar. The whole house was empty, even a mouse would shed a few tears before leaving.
Zhang Chen, his face dark, filled the jar with water. A person can go a day without food, but not without water. Then he stood up and walked out of the house, saying to Mrs. Zhang, "Mother, don’t worry, I have food over there. I’ll bring some over at noon."
"Chen’Er, I’m sorry! You entrusted me to hide those supplies, and now I’ve lost them all, I... I..." Mrs. Zhang’s voice was hoarse, and as she spoke, tears flowed down her cheeks again.
"Mother, don’t worry. It’s just some external possessions. Given my current capabilities, if I can earn some once, I can earn it again, and even more." Zhang Chen quickly comforted Mrs. Zhang. To be honest, he didn’t care much about the cloth or the dried meat.
If he could open that large tomb, take out the ancient items within, then he would make a huge profit. Fortune would just be a bonus, those measly riches wouldn’t count for anything.
Saying that Zhang Chen thought of his plan to blow up the Fox Spirit. Once the gunpowder explodes, the commotion will be huge, and he might need to hide deep in the mountains for a while. He said to Mrs. Zhang: "Mother, I need to tell you something. If there’s an explosion at home in the future, don’t worry, nothing will happen to me."
Mrs. Zhang was stunned, looking at Zhang Chen in surprise, but before she could ask, he waved her off, "Don’t ask and don’t overthink. Just know that nothing will happen to me! If anyone asks, just say you don’t know! Even if my house gets blown up, blown into a big hole, I won’t be harmed!"
After speaking, Zhang Chen forced a smile, then turned around, turning expressionless as he walked back home.
Now, as Zhang Chen returned home, his face grim, no sooner did he enter the door than he heard the sound of water from the neighboring yard. Through the fence, he saw the Fox bathing in a large jar. As it played and splashed around, countless droplets of water spilled from the jar.