Volume One, Chapter 38: The Yellow Weasel Seeks Reward and Revenge

“Why not just ask him then!” The yellow weasel bristled, hands on hips, glowering at the man with obvious irritation.

The man, his head swollen with several lumps, the back of his skull aching, and his backside sore, sobered instantly under the weasel’s withering stare.

He stammered, “W-what nonsense are you spouting? I’ve n-never even s-seen you before. What d-do you want to ask me?”

“Are you sure you haven’t seen me before?” The weasel’s beady little eyes swiveled, a cold, threatening glint in their depths. “You’d best think carefully before you answer.”

His words seemed to jog the man’s memory. He pointed at the weasel, terror-stricken. “You—you’re real? I didn’t just dream you up?”

The yellow weasel let out a cold snort, glaring with deep-seated resentment. “I’d really love nothing more than to sink my teeth into you!”

“What are these two going on about?”

“They’re driving me mad with their riddles.”

“What on earth happened?”

The woman hurriedly shielded her son behind her, terrified the yellow weasel might harm him again.

“Da Dong, what did you do to anger the weasel… that is, anger it?”

Da Dong shook his head and fell into recollection.

Last month, he’d gone on a rafting adventure.

Everything had been going smoothly, until a huge wave crashed over them, sweeping him away from the group.

He drifted downstream, ending up in a secluded, winding mountain area.

He tried to call for help, only to discover his phone had no signal.

Just then, he heard a rustling from behind a large tree.

Afraid there might be snakes in the mountains, he didn’t dare move and just huddled in his little boat.

Before long, something emerged from behind the tree—a fluffy yellow weasel. What was even more bizarre, the weasel kept bowing and saluting to him.

Da Dong found it rather cute, and slowly lowered his guard.

But the weasel didn’t look pleased; it seemed anxious, darting up and down restlessly.

Puzzled, Da Dong patted his pockets and tossed out his only piece of chocolate.

The weasel didn’t want the chocolate—instead, it stepped closer toward Da Dong.

Just as he was wondering what the creature wanted, it suddenly spoke. “Do I look like a person to you?”

Da Dong’s mind went blank. Thinking he’d misheard, he rubbed his ears, but the voice repeated, “Do I look like a person to you?”

“A monster!” Da Dong yelped in fright.

“And then?” Qin Yu pinched the bridge of her nose; this yellow weasel really was unlucky.

“Then I woke up. The staff explained I’d been knocked out by the wave and had swallowed some water. I just assumed I’d dreamed about the weasel.”

Qin Yu rubbed her forehead. “No wonder it’s getting revenge on you.”

Da Dong was completely bewildered. “Huh?”

“It’s been cultivating in the mountains for hundreds of years. It finally gained sentience and wanted to ask for a blessing to improve its spiritual power. Instead, you called it a monster.”

Da Dong muttered, trying to defend himself, “I’d never seen anything like that before. I was just scared. I didn’t mean it.”

“Do you have any idea how many years I’ll have to cultivate again because of your careless words? You mortals are expendable, but my painstaking cultivation—what a waste!” The weasel stamped its feet in a fury.

Da Dong hadn’t realized a careless remark could have such dire consequences. He felt a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry.”

“If sorry was enough, what would we need the police for?” The weasel rolled its eyes. “If I don’t get my revenge today, I won’t rest easy!”

“This weasel is hilarious—it’s got so many tricks up its sleeve.”

“A true 5G surfing master.”

“Aside from the harm it causes, I think it’s both pitiful and cute.”

“I have zero resistance to fluffy animals~”

“But it eats raw meat, all bloody and gruesome...”

“Uh…”

“Suddenly, it doesn’t seem so cute anymore…”

“Enough!” Qin Yu cut off the weasel’s threats.

“Enough? I’m not leaving here until I’ve taken someone with me, even if it’s the death of me.” The weasel’s voice grew cold as it looked at Qin Yu. “I know you’re powerful—you could destroy me with a flick of your wrist. But…”

Its flickering gaze slid toward Da Dong’s mother.

“Did it just look at Da Dong’s mom?”

“I was just thinking it was cute, but now I’ve got chills down my spine.”

“Weasels are notorious for being cunning, after all.”

“I clawed her face—it won’t heal. It’ll rot away bit by bit, and she’ll accompany me to the grave. Hahahaha…” The weasel’s laughter was that of a classic villain.

“If you have a grudge, take it out on me! Why target my mom?”

“I’d like to target you, but right now I can’t touch you.”

Qin Yu’s eardrums ached from the weasel’s cackling. Her gentle voice resonated with deep spiritual power. “That’s enough! Stop laughing!”

At her command, the weasel quieted a little.

“A creature who’s cultivated for centuries, holding a grudge against a kid in his twenties—what’s the point?”

Da Dong glanced at Qin Yu’s beautiful face on his phone screen. …Aren’t you also in your twenties?

“There’s no helping it. We yellow weasels believe in repaying grudges, no matter the age.”

“You’ve had your revenge—let it go. If someone dies, you’ll lose all your cultivation for real.”

Qin Yu could tell the weasel never intended to kill from the start; at most, it wanted to torment Da Dong’s family as payback.

The weasel’s small eyes darted around calculatingly. “I’ll let them go on one condition: you help me restore my cultivation.”

Qin Yu narrowed her eyes. “Do you know what happened to the last ghost who tried to bargain with me?”

The weasel flopped to the ground, playing the rascal. “I don’t care what happened to other ghosts. I just want my cultivation back, and I know you can do it.”

It even rolled around on the floor for good measure.

Qin Yu’s lips twitched.

Having listened in silence for some time, Da Dong’s mother finally spoke up, “Master, if you have a way, please help it. Think of it as helping me and my son. I’ll pay whatever you ask, as long as you save my son.”

Qin Yu looked at Da Dong’s mother and raised two fingers.

The woman breathed a sigh of relief and nodded quickly. “Alright, alright, I’ll transfer twenty thousand to your account right away.”

“No! I want two hundred thousand!”

Da Dong’s mother gasped, feeling as if Qin Yu was taking advantage of their desperation.

“But last time, when you caught five ghosts, you only asked for two hundred thousand…”

She had watched every one of Qin Yu’s live streams and knew the master was the real deal.

That’s why, when her son was in trouble, Qin Yu was the first person she thought of.

“To be honest, I think Master Qiu’s fees are all over the place. If a family is poor, she charges less, but if they’re well off, she charges more—it feels a bit like she’s just milking them.”

“I don’t get it either, but I trust my wife unconditionally! If I could understand her thinking, I wouldn’t still be a wage slave.”

“But isn’t that unfair? Rich people’s money doesn’t grow on trees. The host should just list clear prices for everyone.”

Qin Yu turned to the camera, flashing a dazzling, commanding smile. “In my stream, my word is law. You can complain—but I’m not changing it.”