Chapter 2, Unsettled Debts

I will say it again! A coarse and unpleasant voice shouted. He Hao looked over and saw another man from last night, a stout figure as round as an egg. The egg-shaped man, with bloodshot eyes, waved his arms, as thick as He Hao's thigh, and roared at the reporters: "There has absolutely never been a case of missing persons at my Yayi'an Supermarket. The police have already stated that those people are missing and have nothing to do with my supermarket. If you continue to spread rumors that my supermarket has had cases of missing persons, I will sue you for defamation in court! My Yayi'an Supermarket offers fair prices, superior quality, attentive service, and is honest to all customers! My Yayi'an Supermarket offers fair prices, superior quality, attentive service, and is honest to all customers! It is the ideal choice for shopping..."

"What is wrong with my voice?" He Hao asked in confusion, but the young girl said nothing more, merely staring at He Hao and examining him repeatedly. This made He Hao feel both strange and nervous, while also experiencing a certain delight—after all, any man would likely feel this way when being gazed at by such a beautiful girl he had never met before. Lost in this reverie, He Hao was taken by surprise when the girl suddenly leaped into the air, executing a spinning kick. Her elegantly arched ankle made intimate contact with He Hao's face, and the untrained He Hao was immediately sent rolling over a meter away.

"No way." Zhang Keke shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum, "In our line of work as exorcists, we trade our lives for money; there is no reason to help others for free." At that moment, the girl named Zhang Keke ignored the persuasion of the three police officers, forced He Hao to write an IOU, and made him press his fingerprint before allowing him to leave the building.

"You big pervert!" Zhang Keke's face turned crimson as her delicate foot kicked at He Hao's head while she shouted, "Do you think I have my eyes on you? With your looks, you might as well dream for a thousand years! A toad wishing to eat swan meat!"

"One hundred thousand?" The impoverished Hao He turned pale, trembling as he asked, "Is it really that expensive?"

"Get up, useless man!" Zhang Keke said, kicking He Hao with her foot clad in branded sneakers: "Since you have no cash, you can repay the debt with your body instead."

"I have already given you a discount," Zhang Keke said confidently. "I charge two hundred thousand for exorcising this supermarket once, and for saving your life twice, I only charge one hundred thousand. You are getting quite a bargain."

Get up! The young girl furrowed her brows and shouted fiercely at He Hao: "That kick just now was a lesson for you for getting that filth on my face. And I haven't yet settled the score with you for abandoning me at the start and refusing to help divert the attention of the Qiongqi!"

As Zhang Keke spoke, the other two police officers were rapidly taking notes in their notebooks. Once Zhang Keke finished, the middle-aged man asked again, "What about that ancient book? Where is it now?" Zhang Keke blinked her big eyes and casually replied, "I forgot; I saw it when I was very young. How could I remember where it is now?" The middle-aged man believed her, lamenting the loss, thinking that the non-existent ancient book must have contained secrets for dealing with other monsters.

Isn't the owner of Yayi'an Supermarket nicknamed "Se'an," that old lecher? He Hao suddenly recalled the rumors from the bar where he once worked. At that moment, a soft little hand grasped He Hao's arm, and a voice like silver bells whispered, "Come with me, or I will immediately shout that you broke the door of Yayi'an Supermarket, and you can prepare to go to prison." He Hao didn't need to look down to know that the owner of this voice was the exorcist girl, Zhang Keke, who had an angelic face but a devilish heart.

"Waste, at your age you still haven't found a job; sooner or later you'll starve to death," Zhang Keke disdainfully mocked He Hao. He Hao smiled wryly, wanting to explain that it wasn't that he didn't want to find a job, but rather that he couldn't find one. Suddenly, Zhang Keke asked, "How many times have you had a high fever since childhood?"

"Three hundred yuan a month? And that doesn't even include food and accommodation?" He Hao exclaimed, "You are simply too ruthless. The minimum wage in this city is still seven hundred and fifty yuan a month. You are worse than Zhou Bapi..." At this point, He Hao dared not continue his complaint, as Zhang Keke had already raised her hand in front of him.

Zhang Keke's home is a luxurious villa located in the suburban area, covering a vast area, with just the backyard being as large as a football field. The opulence of the building's decoration is something He Hao, a country bumpkin, has never seen in his life, nearly causing his eyes to bulge out. However, it seems that Zhang Keke lives in this villa all by herself, as she even opens the door on her own. The yard is equipped with luxurious facilities such as a tennis court and a swimming pool, which makes He Hao feel even more ashamed of himself.

No. He Hao shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum. After his encounter with Qiongqi last night, the usually timid He Hao was already terrified beyond measure, and he no longer dared to engage with other spirits. He Hao said, "It's too dangerous; you should find someone else."

The clay figurine still retains a bit of its earthy temperament. He Hao, who has always been somewhat spineless, felt a surge of anger rising within him. Ever since he entered Zhang Keke's home, she had never even glanced at him properly, not even allowing him into the living room. Her disdain for him had reached an extreme. At that moment, He Hao suppressed his fury and said, "Well then, Miss Zhang, please enjoy your meal. I shall take my leave now." After leaving this remark, He Hao turned and walked towards the front door.

In less than a moment, more than ten police officers rushed to the third floor, brandishing their guns and shouting at He Hao and the young woman: "Don't move, raise your hands." He Hao quickly raised his hands, while the young woman, with her back to He Hao, presented a piece of evidence to the police. A man who appeared to be the head of the police took the evidence, glanced at it twice, and immediately returned it to the young woman with both hands. He waved his hand behind him, and the police officers promptly holstered their weapons. The police chief then smiled at the young woman and said: "Miss Zhang, please wait a moment, I will contact them right away, and they will arrive shortly."

"Alright, I will do it, I will do it." He Hao also had a principle of just getting by, not caring to argue with that girl about the salary. First, he needed to ensure his own survival. With a mournful expression, He Hao said, "But if you don't cover my food and accommodation, how can I afford to pay rent? That's not even the main issue; the key point is that I have no money for food. In less than three days, I will starve to death, and your 100,000 yuan will truly go to waste."

Seeing He Hao obediently drink the water, Zhang Keke's delicate face revealed a hint of satisfaction. However, she was also quite hungry, so she temporarily ignored He Hao and grabbed a chicken leg from the wooden tray to devour. Despite Zhang Keke's beautiful and charming appearance, her eating manner was truly unrefined, with food remnants all over her mouth, and the sound of her chewing was quite loud, occasionally accompanied by an ungraceful smacking noise.

"Of course, it was me who eliminated it!" the girl replied irritably. At that moment, the sound of police sirens echoed from downstairs in the supermarket, followed by the hurried footsteps rushing into the supermarket's sales area. A frown appeared on the beautiful face of the girl as she said to He Hao, "If you don't want to go to jail, then don't say anything later; I will explain everything to the police." He Hao hurriedly nodded in agreement, and the girl snorted coldly, turning away and no longer looking at He Hao, who was making her increasingly angry.

It is a Qiongqi! Another police officer, wearing white gloves, picked up several green thorns that had fallen from the Qiongqi and presented them to the middle-aged police officer, saying: "The thorns measure four inches and six tenths in length, which means this Qiongqi has already cultivated for three hundred and sixty years and is considered an adult Qiongqi."

No. He Hao found it strange that Zhang Keke asked this question, but he still answered honestly: "My health is very good; to my recollection, I have never had a high fever even once."

"Do you have any objections?" Zhang Keke jumped up and pointed at He Hao's nose, shouting, "Your monthly rent is only 1,000 yuan. It is already very generous of me to let you work as a cleaner to pay off your debt. If you are unwilling, I will have my Uncle Jiu send you to prison right now and cast a spell to make you suffer." After saying this, Zhang Keke picked up the small phone on the table and was about to dial.

The young girl nodded slightly and said to the police chief, "Please seal off the scene immediately, and do not let any bystanders see what is happening inside." The chubby police chief quickly nodded and, with a cheerful smile, led the other officers to carry out the order. Thus, only the young girl and He Hao remained on the third floor. The girl seemed tired, found a resting chair to sit down, and closed her eyes to rest. He Hao slowly got up from the ground, intending to sit next to her. However, as he approached her, she suddenly opened her eyes and glared at him fiercely. He Hao was startled and dared not come closer, instead shrinking back to a distance, fearing that he might provoke the girl, whose temper was as fierce as that of a Tyrannosaurus rex. The girl seemed tired, found a resting chair to sit down, and closed her eyes to rest. He Hao slowly got up from the ground, intending to sit next to her. However, as he approached her, she suddenly opened her eyes and glared at him fiercely. He Hao was startled and dared not come closer, instead shrinking back to a distance, fearing that he might provoke the girl, whose temper was as fierce as that of a Tyrannosaurus rex.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to, I think I have caught a cold," He Hao hurriedly apologized, yet he was utterly bewildered. How could this beautiful girl, like a celestial being, end up in his arms? This was something He Hao had longed for even in his dreams.

"Refusing to drink the toast but accepting the penalty drink!" Zhang Keke kicked He Hao again and then recited, "Upper garment and lower garment, should feel the mystery of yellow and black." As soon as the words fell, He Hao felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. "Come here." Zhang Keke sat back down on the sun chair, and He Hao dared not sulk any longer, obediently standing beside her, resembling an ancient servant facing their master.

"I'll gouge your eyes out if you look at me like that." Zhang Keke noticed He Hao's lewd gaze, her face flushed as she shouted at him, "Come here." Zhang Keke led He Hao to a green lawn in the backyard, where there was a set of lightweight plastic tables and chairs. Like a master commanding a servant, she ordered He Hao to wipe off the water from the tables and chairs before she arrogantly sat down, while He Hao could only stand beside her.

"It is still Uncle Jiu who understands me," Zhang Keke said shamelessly, "I once read an ancient book that recorded that the only weakness of Qiongqi is the tuft of white fur located seven inches below its throat. As long as one uses the Five Thunder Heart Method to drive a sword into that tuft of white fur, Qiongqi can be eliminated. I tried it last night, and it was indeed effective"

"I dare not, I dare not." He Hao, holding his head, lay on the ground pleading for mercy, "You misunderstood, I didn't mean it that way." At this moment, people exercising in the park noticed the commotion between He Hao and Zhang Keke, and some busybodies had already gathered around. Zhang Keke bent down and grabbed He Hao's ear, saying fiercely, "Get up, let's go to my house to talk."

"No, no, I am willing, I am willing," He Haom shouted, drenched in sweat. Only then did Zhang Keke turn her anger into joy, ordering He Hao to sign the contract of servitude on the spot and press his fingerprint. Zhang Keke then waved her hand and said, "You can go back now. I didn't sleep last night, and lack of sleep is a beauty's nemesis. Starting tomorrow, you will officially start working."

"Keke, forget it. Look at how pitiful he is. He was kind enough to save you last night, so let's just let him go this once," the middle-aged police officer advised.

"Your name is He Hao, right? How old are you this year? Where are you from? Do you have a job?" Zhang Keke asked

But I only have one yuan and three jiao on me. He Hao was sweating profusely as he took out the only four coins he had. Just as he pulled out the money, Zhang Keke snatched it away. Zhang Keke then took a piece of paper and a pen from a police officer and handed them to He Hao, saying: "If you don't have it now, you can pay me back in the future. Write me an IOU for ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight yuan and seventy jiao, and I will collect it from you slowly."

"What bad luck it is to hire an assistant like you. You haven't done a single task and already come asking me for money and food. I must have been cursed for eight lifetimes," Zhang Keke grumbled as she returned to her room without any semblance of a lady's grace. Before long, she emerged with a plastic bag, handing it to He Hao like she was giving alms to a beggar. He Hao took it and, upon looking inside, saw that the bag contained two thousand yuan in cash, three loaves of bread, two packs of instant noodles, and a box of cold medicine.

"You can choose not to do it, but I can also choose to make you suffer to the point of death. Out of sight, out of mind. I will consider the one hundred thousand yuan as a loss," Zhang Keke said with a stern expression, speaking fiercely.

He Hao was scolded by a girl named Zhang Keke from https://mhetushu.com until his face turned red, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to hide in. A police officer approached him and asked to see his identification. After noting down He Hao's ID number, the officer said to him: "Forget about what happened last night. If this gets out, we can arrest you at any time on the charge of attempting to rob this supermarket." Understanding the situation, He Hao nodded repeatedly. The officer then took his hand and said, "Come on, I will take you out now."

In the midst of Zhang Keke's charming laughter, the middle-aged police officer was left dumbfounded for a long time. After a while, he finally gave Zhang Keke a thumbs up and shook his head, saying: "Well done, a fully grown Qiongqi requires at least three ordinary disciples of the sixty-fifth generation to defeat. To be honest, how did you, a disciple of the sixty-sixth generation, manage to do it?"

"What a peculiar fellow, he can be put to good use," Zhang Keke thought to herself as she stood up and walked over to He Hao's side. She kicked He Hao lightly and then said, "Are we going or not? Do you still want to procrastinate?"

"Very well." Zhang Keke snapped her fingers crisply, placed her hands on her hips, and said to He Hao: "Since you are unemployed and not a local, when will you repay the money you owe me? How will you repay it?"

"This is a secret," Zhang Keke said playfully, unapologetically taking all the credit for herself. She added in a charming manner, "If Uncle Jiu can give me your most treasured five-hundred-year-old peach wood sword, I can tell you the secret."

"You owe me money," Zhang Keke said slowly. "I have thought it over; since you don't have cash to repay me, it just so happens that I need an assistant for my exorcism work. You can work for me to pay off your debt."

"I won't leave; I can no longer dare to default on my debts." At this moment, He Hao could no longer understand what the exorcist girl had made him drink from that cup of black water.

Little Money Fan! The middle-aged police officer sighed as he touched Zhang Keke's smooth and radiant forehead, saying, "Alright, I will send someone to deliver it to your home when I return. If I don't give you, this money fan, some benefits, you won't even regard me, your Uncle Jiu, with any respect."

Thank you. He Hao was somewhat moved; although this girl was greedy for money, fierce, and stingy, she still had a kind and attentive heart, and she even remembered that He Hao was ill, preparing medicine for him.

He Hao nodded and honestly replied: "Yes, my name is He Hao, I am twenty-two years old, I am from Shandong, and I am currently unemployed"

But I haven't eaten anything yet," He Hao said with a bitter smile. "And there's also the rent you promised to lend me. If I don't pay the rent today, I'll have to sleep on the streets again.

When a police officer escorted He Hao out the back door, he sympathetically said to him, "Young man, you should find a way to move. With that girl pressuring you for debt, no matter how many lives you have, it won't be enough for her to torment you." He Hao nodded in gratitude for the kind officer's advice. Not to mention that he couldn't repay the debt of 100,000 yuan even if he sold himself, just considering the close relationship between the girl and the police officer, He Hao definitely could not afford to offend her.

"Miss Zhang, I truly did not help you out of fear," He Hao said, covering his bruised face from being kicked by the girl, his expression one of despair as he pleaded for mercy. At this point, He Hao recalled something and asked, "Miss Zhang, what about that monster Qiongqi?"

He Hao had not eaten a single grain of rice for nearly a day. Upon seeing Zhang Keke's manner of eating, he felt even hungrier and said with a longing expression, "Miss Zhang, I haven't had breakfast either." Zhang Keke's rude way of eating suddenly froze, and she replied ambiguously, "What does that have to do with me? You and I are not related, so why should I invite you to eat?"

Zhang Keke pouted her small face, tilted her head in contemplation for a while, and finally, with great effort to suppress her heartache, said: "Alright, I can take care of your three meals a day, but your salary must be reduced by one hundred yuan each month; you are still benefiting greatly. As for your housing situation..." Zhang Keke glanced at her luxurious and extravagant home, then looked at He Hao, who was poorly dressed and often stole glances at her chest. She decided against letting He Hao stay in her garage or the gatehouse, and gritted her teeth at Tushu, saying: "I can lend you money for rent, but you must clean the house, wash the car, mop the floors, and trim the lawn every day, using the wages of a part-time worker to repay the debt!"

"Who is he?" After talking with Zhang Keke for quite a while, the middle-aged police officer finally noticed He Hao. Zhang Keke disdainfully curled her lips and said, "He is a useless man. Last night, he probably heard the sounds of my fight with Qiongqi, so he broke the glass to come in. Who would have thought that upon seeing Qiongqi, he would run away immediately? Not only did he fail to help, but I also had to divert my attention to protect him, which was a hindrance. Truly useless and of no help at all."

"It is Qiongqi!" The young girl's delicate face blossomed with a smile like a flower as she ran over and hugged the middle-aged police officer's arm, shaking it and saying, "Uncle Jiu, am I impressive? I eliminated Qiongqi on my first attempt; you have to reward me." The middle-aged police officer, referred to as Uncle Jiu by Zhang Keke, was taken aback and exclaimed, "Qiongqi? That can't be possible!"

I know that the missing person was eaten by a monster, thought He Hao to himself. However, He Hao did not have the courage to voice this, firstly because no one would believe him if he did, and secondly because He Hao had a principle in life—never offend the police. Given He Hao's current predicament, he could not guarantee that he would not resort to desperate measures one day, so it was better not to leave a bad impression on the police for now

He Hao, who was calculating how many years he would have to work like a horse to repay his debts to Zhang Keke, was taken aback again. He stammered, "Are you saying that with such a large house, you would only hire me as a part-time cleaner?"

Seeing He Hao leave in anger, Zhang Keke calmly swallowed the food in her mouth, took a high-quality tissue to wipe away the crumbs at the corner of her mouth, and with her delicate, fair hand, formed a handprint, slowly reciting: "Should feel the mysterious yellow, upper garment and lower skirt"

When He Hao arrived at the front door, the area in front of the supermarket was already crowded with onlookers. However, due to the police blockade at the entrance, those who came to the park for morning exercises could not rush into the supermarket to see what was happening. There were also many reporters from newspapers and television stations conducting interviews. The two overweight men He Hao had seen last night were also present, surrounded by a large number of reporters. He Hao vaguely heard a reporter asking, "Manager Yu, why did the security fail to detect the robbery at the Yayi'an chain supermarket in a timely manner?" Another reporter inquired, "Manager Yu, is this robbery related to the six cases of missing persons that occurred at Yayi'an supermarket this month?" The morning was still quite cool, but the manager, nicknamed 'Fat Fish,' was sweating profusely and was hoarsely explaining something.

"This is more like it," Zhang Keke pouted, "Three hundred yuan per month, excluding meals and accommodation, report at seven in the morning, and I will decide the end of the workday each day. Once you have earned one hundred thousand yuan, you will be free." After a moment of thought, Zhang Keke added, "Of course, the money you owe me will accrue interest, calculated at the same rate as bank loans, which is quite generous of me."

Ah! He Hao shouted, and it felt as if a fire was burning in his belly, like dozens of small knives were stabbing at his insides, causing him to bend over and clutch his stomach, crying out in agony. However, Zhang Keke's mouth fell open in surprise. The talisman water she had given He Hao was a soul-binding talisman drawn by her grandfather, known for severing the intestines. For an ordinary person, if they recited the incantation to activate the talisman water, even an ordinary cultivator with spiritual power would at least roll on the ground in pain. Yet, looking at He Hao's condition, it was clear that the talisman water's effect had not been fully realized.

"Do you have a choice?" Zhang Keke said coldly, assuming a posture as if to recite a spell. He Hao was startled and quickly nodded, "Don't recite it, don't recite it, I promise."

"Wait a moment." Zhang Keke rushed over in three steps to block He Hao, placing her hands on her hips and saying to him: "No, you cannot leave. I saved you twice last night, and you have not yet paid me the exorcism fee. It is fifty thousand each time, totaling one hundred thousand. Hand it over."

About half an hour later, Zhang Keke came out holding a wooden tray. At this moment, Zhang Keke had changed into a white dress, the hem of which reached just above her knees, revealing two segments of her fair and rounded calves, along with her snow-white elbows, which were almost the same color as the white dress. He Hao couldn't help but swallow, his eyes fixated on the small amount of exposed skin of Zhang Keke, unwilling to look away.

Zhang Keke picked up a cup of water from a wooden tray filled with delicacies and handed it to He Hao, saying, "Drink this." He Hao had not had a drop of water all night and was running a high fever, his throat parched and burning. Although there were some dark, murky substances in the cup—seemingly burnt paper ash—He Hao could not wait to gulp down the water.

"Wait here." Zhang Keke did not allow He Hao to enter her family's hall, but instead ordered him to wait at the entrance. After saying this, Zhang Keke walked straight into the hall. He Hao felt a surge of anger and thought to himself, "Are you afraid I will steal from your home?" However, when he looked at his shabby clothing and then at the luxurious Zhang family villa, he felt somewhat disheartened

"What are you thanking for?" Zhang Keke's small face was slightly flushed, and she tried hard to put on a fierce expression, "Get lost, don't make me regret it! Is it easy for me to earn money? I actually have to pay rent for you, the debtor!" Later, ... Zhang Keke regretted her decision to pay rent for He Hao to the point of feeling sick, not only because of the lost money, but also because of ...

He Hao almost doubted that he had misheard. His first reaction was that the good fortune of romance in dramas had finally come to him. He sprang up from the ground, saying, "Alright, I will use my person to repay the debt. Miss Zhang, what do you want me to do? Do you want me to be your boyfriend, to fend off those boring men who are pestering you? Or do you want me to accompany you to..." Before He Hao could finish his sentence, Zhang Keke executed a beautiful spinning kick, sending He Hao tumbling.

"I really have no money," He Hao said with a mournful expression. "Miss Zhang, please let me off this once. I haven't eaten a single bite since noon yesterday, and I owe my landlord a total of 2,000 yuan for two months' rent. Even if you sold me, I couldn't come up with 100,000 yuan."

But I really have no money. He Hao was pushed back a few steps by Zhang Keke, squatting on the ground with a bitter smile and said, Even if you send me to prison, I absolutely cannot repay 100,000 yuan. At this moment, He Hao felt an immense regret in his heart, cursing his own conscience for awakening last night, having failed to save the beauty, and instead attracting a greedy and vicious little devil.

Achoo! Achoo! He Hao did not remain unconscious for long this time before waking up. The first thing he did upon waking was to sneeze. Little did he know that this would lead to a great disaster. The young girl was still lying in his arms, lost in thought. Caught off guard, her delicate face was splattered with saliva and mucus from He Hao's sneeze.

"No way." Zhang Keke pouted her delicate little face, her slender fingers fiercely poking He Hao's chest as she said, "It is only right to repay debts; you cannot evade your responsibility. As you can see, my uncle holds a high position in the police station. If you do not repay, I can send you to prison at any time."

"Your voice?" The young girl noticed that He Hao's voice had suddenly changed, shifting from the powerful and resonant tone he had displayed earlier to a timid and hesitant one. Although it was the same voice, it felt as if two different personalities were speaking.

Ah! The girl let out a startled cry, struggling to jump out of He Hao's embrace. While wiping the dirt off her face, she began to scold He Hao furiously, "Bastard, do you want to die? How could you get your saliva and snot on my face? It's disgusting to the extreme"

Zhang Keke seized He Hao's arm and forcibly dragged him away from the crowd, only releasing him in a secluded area of the small park across the street. She crossed her arms and tilted her head to look at He Hao. Although he was being stared at by the charming and alluring Zhang Keke, the lecherous He Hao felt a chill rising from the base of his neck and instinctively wanted to evade her captivating gaze.

More than twenty minutes had passed, and the sky was already dimly lit. Three middle-aged police officers ran up from downstairs, and one of them smiled at the girl from a distance, saying: "Keke, well done. You resolved it smoothly on your first attempt. What kind of monster is this?"