Realm of the Night God

Chapter 98: Two Foxes

After a whole night, Yang Haoran came up empty-handed, not even finding a single undead, which left him feeling quite helpless.

It must be said that Lecheng Night Watch was indeed diligent; not sensing a single undead throughout the night indicated just how clean the Lecheng district truly was.

The cleanliness of the Lecheng district was largely credited to Xu Meijing. Xu Meijing had almost monopolized the entire district. With her presence, it was indeed difficult for Yang Haoran to find an undead in the district or its surroundings.

It wasn't that Yang Haoran didn't want to search for undead further away to guide them. Rather, it was because he lacked a car, making it truly difficult to do so.

"It seems I must get myself a car first."

After paying respects to the Death God, Yang Haoran lay back in his chair, feeling that it was time to buy a car for himself.

The dilemma of whether to buy a car or a house was a choice Yang Haoran had to make. Previously, he had chosen to buy a house first, as it would allow him to bring his parents into the city, letting them enjoy a comfortable life without toiling in the fields.

Now, his thoughts had shifted somewhat. Due to the inconvenience of traveling and the need to guide more undead, he realized he must have a car. With a car, he could expand his search for undead several times over, a level of efficiency that walking could not match.

However, the New Genesis Coin in his possession was limited. With the three hundred thousand yuan from the Wu Family, plus his own savings over the years, buying a car posed no significant problem. Buying another house, on the other hand, seemed insufficient.

"My parents are already quite old. If I buy a car first, I don't know when I'll be able to bring them into the city. I must find a way to have the best of both worlds."

Lying in his chair, Yang Haoran pondered with a serious expression, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the table. Various solutions flashed through his mind.

Mortgage?

Buying a second-hand house?

Buying a used car?

Buying a motorcycle?

Buying an electric bike?

Buying a haunted house?

While these methods were feasible, none seemed ideal to him. They were all suboptimal solutions. If he couldn't think of a better way, he would have to choose the one that best suited him from among these methods.

He didn't make an immediate decision but continued to wrack his brains for a better solution. Suddenly, he paused his rhythmic tapping on the table, his eyes lighting up. A sly smile appeared on his face.

Yet, this smile seemed somewhat insidious, slightly cunning.

He took out his mobile phone and dialed a number—a number belonging to Master Wu.

It was still early, just after dawn. Many people were still fast asleep at this hour.

The call connected, ringing only a few times before Master Wu's voice came through on the other end, devoid of any displeasure and rather cheerful.

"Haoran, calling me so early in the morning, are you looking to accompany this old man for some Tai Chi?"

Since their gathering last night, Master Wu had changed his address for Yang Haoran. He had gone from calling him "Little Brother Yang" to simply "Haoran."

A simple change in address indicated a closer relationship between the two. This was what Master Wu wanted, and it was also what Yang Haoran desired. Thus, Yang Haoran didn't oppose Master Wu's change in address but rather pretended to be pleasantly surprised by it.

"It seems, old man, your health is as robust as ever for a reason. However, I won't come over. I have to open my shop for business; I can only work on my fitness in my own store." Yang Haoran chuckled.

"You're quite something. With all your skills, why confine yourself to that rundown small convenience store? As long as you speak up, arranging a high-paying and respectable job for you won't be a problem at all."

Master Wu's tone held a hint of dissatisfaction. It seemed that in his eyes, Yang Haoran spending his days in a dilapidated grocery store was a waste. His attitude toward Yang Haoran's actions seemed extremely incomprehensible to him.

"Hehe, I appreciate your kindness, old man. I have my own ideas. Although this grocery store may be a bit shabby and rundown, it holds a different meaning for me." Yang Haoran replied with a smile, but he didn't elaborate on what significance the grocery store held for him.

Master Wu was a wise man; he knew what to ask and what not to ask. Thus, he didn't inquire further about what significance a dilapidated grocery store could hold for Yang Haoran, instead retracting his previous disdainful attitude towards the grocery store.

"I take back what I said earlier. Since your small convenience store holds special meaning for you, then your actions are completely understandable to me now. In one's life, time is short. Being able to do as many meaningful things as possible in this short time is a good thing, even if others don't understand it. If it's something you personally find meaningful, then so be it."

Upon hearing that the grocery store held a special significance for Yang Haoran, not only did Master Wu's attitude change, but he even fed him some words of encouragement.

Whether Yang Haoran agreed or disagreed with Master Wu's words was secondary. With his personality, he would definitely go along with what Master Wu said.

"Old man, your words truly resonate with me. Whether others understand or not isn't the key. The key is to understand oneself, to know exactly what one is doing and whether it's meaningful." Yang Haoran said with a smile.

One person poured chicken soup earnestly, while the other person smiled and accommodated, occasionally sharing some insights of their own. The old and the young foxes chatted like this for an hour. The young fox didn't reveal his purpose, and the old fox didn't inquire. Their Tai Chi was exceptionally graceful.

After chatting for an hour, Yang Haoran's lips were dry, and his throat felt parched, but he didn't give up. He continued to engage in lively conversation with Master Wu, and neither the tone of their conversation nor Yang Haoran's efforts to please Master Wu seemed awkward in the slightest.

Master Wu seemed to genuinely regard Yang Haoran as his junior. The chicken soup kept flowing, as if his pot had an endless supply.

"What's gotten into this old guy today? He's usually so sensible, but why is he provoking me today? With his level of sophistication, wouldn't he know I have something to ask for his help with? And he's always eager for me to ask for his help. Today is strange. What's this old guy up to?"

As Yang Haoran accommodated Master Wu, he pondered silently, but before he could fully understand the situation, Master Wu suddenly changed the subject.

"Haoran, this Old Man is getting on in years, and I don't have much time left. But as long as this Old Man is alive, I can still have some say here in Lecheng. If you encounter any tricky situations outside, be sure to let me know. But you're a capable person. Even if this Old Man dies, you might not need my help. On the contrary, it might be me who needs your help quite a bit!"

Upon hearing Master Wu's words, Yang Haoran felt relieved. After playing Tai Chi for so long, the old man finally brought the conversation back on track.

"Old man, you're too kind. Although I have some skills, they're not omnipotent. Many things can't be done with just my limited abilities. But if you need my help, don't hesitate to ask. I won't stand on ceremony with you." Yang Haoran smiled.

"Haha, Haoran, you're really modest. Young people like you, with both ability and modesty, have limitless prospects! Limitless prospects!" Master Wu laughed heartily, appearing extremely pleased. However, his happiness wasn't due to Yang Haoran's modesty but rather because of Yang Haoran's promise. Even though he thought the promise was likely just polite words, it still made him happy.

"Old man, please don't make fun of me. Speaking of which, there's actually something I need to trouble you with." Yang Haoran pretended to be embarrassed and spoke up.

"Haha, there's something you need my help with? I'm truly honored! Just tell me. As long as it's something this Old Man can do, I'll definitely handle it for you properly!" Master Wu didn't show the slightest intention of refusal and instead happily pledged his assistance to Yang Haoran.

"Is it just this?" Master Wu's voice sounded surprised.

"Just this!" Yang Haoran's response was firm.

"Haha, I thought it was some tricky matter. Rest assured, I'll take care of it for you in no time."

After hanging up the phone, Yang Haoran licked his dry lips and smiled. His crescent-shaped eyes seemed even kinder, giving off a friendly vibe.

He didn't dwell on other matters and relaxed his entire body, resting on the chair. Although Yin spirit power could alleviate some of his physical and mental fatigue, he still needed proper rest.

Unfortunately, just a few minutes into his rest, he was awakened by a customer.

"Boss, give me a pack of cigarettes."

Yang Haoran opened his eyes to see a young man with long hair and a scruffy beard in front of him. The young man looked tired, with heavy dark circles under his eyes, emanating a foul odor.

Yang Haoran, who had just felt a bit drowsy, immediately woke up completely upon smelling the foul odor, feeling more refreshed than if he had used smelling salts.

"Brother, what brand do you need?" Yang Haoran asked with a smile.

"This one!" The young man pointed to one of the packs of cigarettes. Yang Haoran nodded with a smile and took out a pack for him.

"Ten yuan."

After handing over the cigarettes, Yang Haoran reported the price with a smile.

The young man nodded, took out some crumpled bills from his pocket, and counted them. They amounted exactly to ten yuan, neither more nor less.

Yang Haoran took the money, and the young man took the cigarettes. However, instead of leaving, the young man opened the pack of cigarettes right in front of Yang Haoran.

"Boss, let me taste them first to see if they're genuine. If they are, that's great. But if they're fake, don't try to wriggle out of it. You must replace them!" The young man said as he lit a cigarette for himself.