Chapter 17: Temple on the Mountain (Patreon)

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Returning home in the afternoon, Yang Haoran raised the rolling door. Despite the lateness of the hour, he prepared to open his shop. Regardless of the business's fortune, earning even a small profit wasn't a bad thing.

Seated behind the counter, waiting for customers, he dialed Guanhai's number. He specifically reminded the lad not to associate with the university girl, Wang Qing. Guanhai chuckled on the other end, assuring he understood.

Wang Qing's vibes were off, and he didn't want his friend to get into trouble for fleeting pleasures. As night fell, Guanhai, the libertine, would likely be out foraging again. It was the best time to caution him.

As night descended, Yang Haoran hastily had his dinner, then resumed business at the general store. Having drunk too much the previous night, he had no intentions of carousing tonight.

Moreover, he wasn't in the mood. He wondered about Jiang Zhenzhen's situation. He harbored some concerns. Though a charlatan, he wasn't a scoundrel. He awaited Jiang Zhenzhen's call, ready to assist her if needed.

Taking someone's money meant taking on their troubles. Since he accepted Jiang Zhenzhen's payment, he had a stake in the matter. Retrieving the envelope she gave him, containing 500 New Genesis Coins, Yang Haoran frowned in contemplation, wondering what to do.

Late at night, Yang Haoran closed the general store, cleaned up, and collapsed into bed. Glancing at his phone, he found no messages or calls from Jiang Zhenzhen. He contemplated calling her but hesitated and ultimately decided against it.

Playing with his phone out of habit, Yang Haoran eventually drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, before dawn, Yang Haoran was awoken by his alarm. Groggily, he silenced it and got out of bed.

It was only six o'clock, still pitch black outside due to winter. Few pedestrians roamed the streets, but those engaged in business were already up, commencing a busy day.

In a sense, Yang Haoran was also a businessman, running a general store. Rising early, he aimed to open the shop and start his day's work.

Early birds catch the worm; without a good start, one had to rely on their own efforts. Laziness was a person's undoing. Those who weren't diligent couldn't become rich. Poverty often stemmed from laziness, except for a few exceptions due to special circumstances.

After getting up, Yang Haoran opened the rolling door and turned on the lights to begin business. Then, he attended to his morning routine, awaiting customers while engaging in physical exercises. Besides sit-ups due to space constraints, he enjoyed push-ups, squats, and dumbbell exercises. After working up a sweat, he prepared breakfast.

Typically, unless he had too much to drink the night before, Yang Haoran rose at six every day, repeating these activities. As he completed his tasks, the sky gradually brightened.

After breakfast, Yang Haoran conducted business, smoking a cigarette while browsing information on his phone. Suddenly, he received a text message.

"Master Yang, thank you so much. You're truly amazing. The old lady didn't bother me last night. I'm really grateful to you and my colleague. I wanted to call and thank you, but I was afraid of disturbing your sleep, so I couldn't help sending this text. Have a good rest, I'm off to work."

The message was from Jiang Zhenzhen. From her message, it seemed she hadn't encountered any trouble last night. Her mood seemed uplifted, referring to the old lady differently, now calling her "old woman".

Whether she was an old lady or not, as long as Jiang Zhenzhen was safe, even if she called her mother, Yang Haoran wouldn't care.

The heavy burden on Yang Haoran's heart dissipated into thin air with Jiang Zhenzhen's text message. He suddenly felt refreshed and considerably lighter.

"It's just a small matter, and the outcome was within my expectations," Yang Haoran shamelessly replied.

Calling it a small matter and claiming the results were within his expectations, at this moment, he truly had no shame. As long as he could elevate his image as a master in the other person's mind, he could say anything shameless.

"I didn't expect Master Yang to be up so early today. I should've called you earlier. But I have to go to work now, so I can't thank you in person," Jiang Zhenzhen quickly replied. And then another message followed.

"Master Yang, you are truly amazing. Your abilities speak for themselves. In the future, whenever there's business in this area, I will definitely recommend you wholeheartedly!" Jiang Zhenzhen's quick responses came, one after another.

"Exorcising demons and upholding justice is my duty. Whenever such matters arise, I will not shirk." Yang Haoran's response was even more shameless than before.

However, after sending this message, Jiang Zhenzhen didn't reply further, indicating she had likely gone to work.

Yang Haoran happily pocketed his phone, then retrieved the envelope Jiang Zhenzhen had given him. Without hesitation, he took out the bills from the envelope and put them into his wallet.

As for the now-empty envelope, he didn't discard it. Since it was still in pristine condition, he decided to keep it.

The old lady didn't continue to trouble Jiang Zhenzhen, whether it was due to the "ritual" he performed or the death god pendant, Yang Haoran couldn't tell. Nevertheless, since the client's issue was resolved, his business was successfully completed. This was the outcome he desired the most.

However, Yang Haoran didn't know that this matter was far from simple. Though it seemed concluded, it was only the beginning. There were greater troubles awaiting him, and because of this trouble, he would change his life.

In Yang Haoran's view, Jiang Zhenzhen was quite generous. Five hundred coins might not be much for the wealthy, but for an ordinary worker in Lecheng, it equated to several days' wages.

After happily pocketing the bills, Yang Haoran suddenly had an idea. After thinking it over, he seemed to make up his mind.

Excitedly, he rushed behind the green curtains, then returned with a yellow satchel slung over his shoulder, closed the rolling door, and left the shop.

Normally, if he didn't have other business, Yang Haoran would stay in the general store all day. Therefore, his departure signified something important to attend to.

Outside Lecheng's South Gate was a sizable park known locally as South Lake Park. Behind the park was a small mountain, atop which stood a temple known as the Death God Temple.

The Death God Temple wasn't small, and it only worshipped one deity: the god of death. There were quite a few temple attendants who were devotees of the god of death. They had forsaken worldly matters, dedicating their lives to their faith.

On regular days, the Death God Temple wasn't crowded, but there were still many visitors coming to pay their respects. It could be considered popular.

The death god pendant Yang Haoran lent to Jiang Zhenzhen was obtained from the Death God Temple, and the temple attendant even performed a ritual for him.

At this moment, Yang Haoran arrived at South Lake Park. The park was bustling with people engaging in various activities. However, he didn't waste time in the park but headed straight for the Death God Temple.

To reach the Death God Temple from South Lake Park, one had to climb a long staircase. The staircase was not only numerous but also steep, daunting for many. To climb such a staircase tested not only the physical strength and endurance of believers but also their faith in the god of death.

However, besides believers, there were also tourists who didn't believe in the god of death but climbed the temple for sightseeing or relaxation. Although they weren't believers, they increased the popularity of the Death God Temple, bringing in more visitors and revenue. The temple welcomed these tourists because, without money, it couldn't expand or attract more followers.

Years ago, the Death God Temple allocated funds to construct a cement road leading up the mountain from South Lake Park, along with a parking lot for tourists' use.

Of course, believers and ordinary people could still ascend the mountain via the cement road. There were no strict regulations. Some believers with mobility issues might even choose to take a car up the mountain.

Yang Haoran didn't choose the cement road but opted for the staircase. Not because of his deep faith in the god of death, but because he didn't have a car.

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Next Chapter ->Chapter 18: Why Didn't You Catch Him?!