Chapter 440: If You Want to Eat Me, Then You’re Done For

The small temple was filled with the thick scent of incense and candle oil.

The little girl stood in the middle of the temple, tilting her head back as she stared blankly at the childlike deity statue on the altar.

This scent felt oddly familiar to her. But when she thought about it carefully, she realized that it had already been more than eight years since she had last smelled it.

“Mm...”

Lady Calico withdrew her gaze and sniffed the air. However, she had no awareness of being an offering. Instead, she was as lively as ever, wandering around the temple, climbing up and down, poking around here and there. She lifted the lid of a crude incense burner just to see what was inside.

She climbed up to pull away the red cloth draped over the statue, her clear and curious eyes inspecting what lay beneath. And as for the offerings on the altar, she had to examine each one, sniffing them all.

Was there any particular meaning behind her actions? Only the cat herself would know.

“The incense here smells bad...”

The little girl leaped down from the altar with a light and graceful landing. Looking around and not seeing her Daoist priest anywhere, she grew bored. She tilted her head upward and called out to the swallow in the tree outside.

“Let me tell you, back when I was a Cat God, the incense made by the people there smelled so much better!”

“You only think that because you're used to it,” the swallow replied from his perch. “Just like how you think rats taste good.”

“Rats are delicious!”

“Yes, yes...”

“And the Daoist priest even went out of his way to find an old incense maker to learn how to make good incense!”

“Then I suppose it really was a fine fragrance.”

Hearing this, the swallow stopped arguing with her.

The Daoist had many habits when traveling the world. He liked visiting temples and palaces—not necessarily to worship gods, but to read the couplets at the entrance. He enjoyed smelling different incense, and whenever he encountered one that was unique or pleasant, he would ask the monks or incense-burning visitors about it.

Then, he would personally visit the incense makers, humbly requesting to learn their craft and ingredients.

Since he was a Daoist, polite, and had traveled far, most incense makers were willing to share their skills with him—if not entirely, then at least in part.

The swallow, of course, knew this well.

“It smelled good! And it tasted good too!” The little girl reminisced fondly for a moment, but she quickly shook her head, tossing these random thoughts out of her mind. Then she muttered, “When is this Mountain God going to show up...?”

“This so-called Mountain God may bear the title, but it hasn’t been a god for long. And now, having strayed onto an evil path, even this temple is filled with dark and sinister energy—it’s already more like a demon,” the swallow explained.

He wasn’t sure if Lady Calico was asking him or just muttering to herself, but he answered seriously nonetheless. “If I had to guess, it won’t appear easily during the daytime, when the yang energy is strong, even though this is its own temple. I suspect it will wait until deep into the night before showing itself.”

“You seem really good at guessing!”

“...Lady Calico, don't blow our cover!”

“I’m the best at catching rats!”

“That’s true.”

“...?”

“W-What is it...?”

“Nothing,” the little girl scratched her head, feeling puzzled. “It just sounds familiar.”

“...”

“...”

The cat and the swallow both fell silent.

The sky had darkened, and the little girl wandered outside the temple again.

The black pig lay on its back on the ground, its legs tied tightly. Perhaps it had struggled too much earlier, for now, it only lay there, panting silently.

“Truly pitiful...” Lady Calico couldn’t help but murmur.

Several trees of varying sizes stood in front of the temple. Beside the pig, the goat had been tethered to a small tree. It was still lowering its head, lazily munching on grass.

“How stupid...” She mumbled again, shaking her head.

The yellow dog and the farm cattle were tied to the same large tree. Both had their heads raised, gazing at her—one with pitiful, pleading eyes, the other with a quiet, desperate longing. They stared at her intently, hoping she might free them.

“I will save you...”

The frail, spotted horse was tied to another tree.

Lady Calico had always had a soft spot for horses. Seeing this one in such poor condition made her heart ache. She walked over and gently stroked its neck, feeling utterly bewildered.

Such an expensive horse—how could those villagers bear to offer it to the Mountain God as food? And how could the Mountain God bear to eat something so precious?

For a moment, her emotions were a tangled mess.

“I will save you, too.” The little girl continued muttering softly, her expression serious.

The only one left was the large red rooster.

“You...”

She swallowed, smacked her lips, and scratched her head. But in the end, she didn’t say anything. She simply paced around for a bit before heading back inside the temple.

Inside, the oil lamps burned brightly, and the lingering incense smoke had yet to disperse.

This time, she climbed onto the altar and sat down—no longer moving.

Lady Calico wasn’t in a hurry.

She had once been a deity. Though she had never been officially enshrined by the imperial court nor recognized by the Heavenly Palace, from another perspective, the Cat God of Jinyang Road had been far more legitimate than this crooked Mountain God.

Even though she had long since ceased being a god, she still understood their ways. If the Mountain God chose to manifest through the temple or its statue, she would definitely sense it.

The night deepened, and thick clouds veiled the moon. The little girl lay sideways on the altar, eyes open, blinking occasionally, lost in thought.

The swallow hunched his neck, still awake.

The mountain air grew colder, heavy with thick dew.

“

Whoosh...

”

A sudden gust of cold wind swept through the mountains.

That one gust set off a chain reaction—the dogs began barking wildly, the cattle and horses neighed and bellowed, even the rooster and black pig stirred in fear, letting out startled noises.

For a while, the area outside the temple was filled with restless commotion. Lady Calico frowned, staring at the doorway in confusion.

But nothing else happened. No one entered, nor did any deity descend. Before long, the outside world fell silent once more. And then, it stayed silent.

Time passed. It felt like hours had passed, stretching from late evening into the dead of night, before there was finally some movement outside again—but it was just the sound of regular footsteps.

“

Woof! Woof!”

The yellow dog barked twice. But only twice.

It wasn’t because it had been harmed—rather, after those two barks, its wariness shifted into confusion.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Lady Calico was also puzzled and kept watching the entrance.

“Great Anle God! I am a wanted man, pursued by the authorities, with nowhere left to run. Fleeing under the cover of night, I have come here to seek your divine protection! If I escape with my life and return someday, I will surely bring six kinds of livestock and fine incense to properly express my gratitude!”

A rough, deep man’s voice called from outside.

“If the great deity does not approve, then just make a sound, and I will leave immediately without causing further disturbance!

“Mountain God?

“...It seems the great deity agrees!

“Then I shall enter!”

Creaaaak...

With that, the temple door swung open.

The oil lamps lit by the villagers during the day still had at least half their oil remaining, but their tiny flames barely managed to keep the darkness at bay. Shadows flickered weakly across the temple, casting everything into dim, eerie half-light.

Through this gloom, the little girl could see a man stepping inside—dressed in rough, tattered hemp clothing, his face tense with fear yet carrying an underlying air of violence.

But the moment he stepped in and saw the little girl lying on the altar, he froze.

Shing

!

In an instant, he drew a curved farming blade from his waist, his gaze wary as he stared at her.

“You—girl! Why are you in the Mountain God’s temple? Is there anyone else here? Show yourself!”

“There’s no one else...”

The little girl rubbed her eyes, speaking in a soft, timid voice.

Outside, the swallow, perched on a tree branch, also opened his eyes. His glossy black pupils peered through the doorway, staring into the temple.

“Then why are you here? Speak up!”

“The villagers said today is the Mountain God’s birthday. He’s very happy, so he wanted a young child to serve as his attendant, saying the child would become an immortal in the future. So, I was brought here to become an immortal for the Mountain God....”

“...Become an immortal?”

“Yes...”

“You were offered to the Mountain God?”

“I don’t know...”

“How old are you?”

The man’s brows lifted in shock.

“I... I forgot...”

“You forgot?”

“Seems like... I just turned eight...”

“Your accent doesn’t sound local.”

“We came from a very faraway place...”

“Ah, no wonder...”

The man furrowed his brows but still kept his fierce glare fixed on her. No wonder she was chosen as an offering to the Mountain God.

If she were a local child, with her parents and relatives all in the area, who would be willing to send their own flesh and blood to be sacrificed?

“I also heard that today is the Mountain God's grand ceremony, but I was under the impression that the villagers of Jiuruang Village had already gathered the six livestock to offer to the god. Why would they still send you?”

“I’m going to become an immortal...”

“Become an immortal?” The man narrowed his eyes, hesitant to mock or expose her words. He gritted his teeth and muttered, “Those damn villagers, utterly heartless and cruel! Not only did they gather six livestock to appease the Mountain God, but they even tricked an outsider girl into coming here as well!”

“...” The little girl’s bright, glistening eyes stared straight at him.

“What’s your name? Where are your parents?”

“Ca...lico...”

“You only have a nickname?”

“...”

The little girl seemed frightened by him. No matter how he questioned her after that, she remained silent, staring at him blankly.

The man couldn’t help but size her up.

Her appearance had been slightly altered—no longer as stunningly pretty as before, her skin no longer flawless and porcelain-like. But she was still delicate and fair, with a face that carried a quiet charm. Most striking of all were her clear, intelligent eyes, filled with innocence and liveliness.

The slightly faded tricolor robe she wore suited her perfectly—just the right balance between refinement and simplicity.

She was a child that anyone would pity at a glance. How could anyone bear to offer such a little girl to the Mountain God?

The man’s expression flickered, his face shifting between pale and dark shades.

But he had come to the Mountain God's temple seeking divine protection. He knew how effective this temple was. How could he dare defy the god’s will?

“Forget it, forget it. Everyone has their fate,” he muttered, waving his hand dismissively as if trying to rid himself of guilt. “Go serve the Mountain God, become his immortal servant. The god himself has called for you. He will surely come tonight to... take you away.

“In that case, I best not stay here any longer. You seem clever enough—pray for your own fortune.”

“...” The little girl continued to stare at him, utterly puzzled.

“Hmph! Whatever!” The man turned and strode toward the door.

But just as he took his first step—

He suddenly whirled around.

“

Roar

!”

His head swelled grotesquely, expanding to the size of a millstone. His mouth gaped open into a massive, bloody maw, lined with rows of razor-sharp fangs gleaming like steel swords. A putrid, icy stench filled the air.

His neck stretched unnaturally long, carrying his gaping jaws straight toward the girl on the altar, as if he intended to swallow her whole in a single bite.

“

Whoosh...

”

But in that instant—

The girl, who had been lying still just a moment ago, suddenly shot backward into the air.

No one knew how she reacted so quickly, nor how she exerted such force. Despite lying down, she leaped straight up—so high she nearly touched the temple ceiling. Then, using her limbs in perfect coordination, she landed steadily atop the deity statue. She looked down at the monstrous being below with sharp, piercing eyes.

And the first thing out of her mouth was—

“You want to eat me? You’re done for!”

At that moment, she didn’t look like a human child at all. She looked like a cat.

And the words she spoke weren’t something any ordinary person would say when faced with such a horrific sight.

“

Flap, flap, flap

...”

Outside, the swallow had already taken flight.