Unintended Immortality

The man asked, “When can you start catching the rats?”

“Tonight.”

“And how long will it take to clear them out?”

“Just one night.”

“How could you possibly catch them all in one night?”

“I have a special method.”

“Don't toot your own horn!”

“After I'm done, no new rats will dare to come for at least a month.”

The man said, “I still have some shopping to do at the moment. I'll come back later to fetch you and your cat. If you don't catch even one rat, I won't let you off easily!”

The man initially threatened, but then his tone softened. “Our whole street has a rat problem, and it’s full of high-ranking officials' residences. The rats have been feasting on their meat and fish so much, it's like they've turned into spirits. The nobles are all quite troubled by it. If your cat is effective, I can introduce you to them.”

“Thank you.”

“Then I'll be off.” The man cupped his hands in farewell and left.

Song You withdrew his gaze, still smiling broadly. As he walked back into the house, he spoke to the cat by his side, “It seems I'll be relying on you to make a living from now on.”

“Of course!” The calico cat's response was quick and enthusiastic, as if it had suddenly found the purpose of its feline life.

Song You couldn't help but be taken aback for a moment.

That was right. Lady Calico was originally a cat god, not just any ordinary cat. Helping people catch rats was not only a means of survival for her, but also her duty and the way she attained divinity. This gave her a sense of joy and fulfillment.

“By the way, the man earlier didn't know that you’re a cat god. He just thought of you as a stray. Please, Lady Calico, don't take offense or let it bother you.”

“I’m used to it.”

“...”

Halfway through the afternoon, the steward returned. This time, he introduced himself, saying his surname was Yang and that his master was an official in the Ministry of Works.

His master was busy with government affairs during the day, but the rat infestation at home made it impossible to get a good night's sleep, which was becoming quite a nuisance. It was especially problematic since there were children in the household studying, and a lack of rest at night was a serious matter.

“We should hurry up. You'll need to return later; otherwise, you'll get caught by the curfew. If you run into the guards, you might get caned as a minor punishment. But if you run into demons, it could cost your life.”

“Thank you for the warning.”

Steward Yang quickened his pace, while Song You took the situation seriously and followed closely behind him.

The cat trotted alongside them. The two of them, along with the cat, made their way through the city, finally stopping in front of a courtyard.

“This is the place!” Steward Yang pushed open the gate of the courtyard and turned to ask, “How do you plan to arrange things?”

“No need for any arrangements,” Song You replied. “Just let my cat know which household this is. She will hunt mice here tonight, and I'll come to pick her up tomorrow morning.”

“And how will you get the mice hiding in the holes to come out?”

“I have my own methods.”

“Then please explain it to your divine cat.”

“Sure.” Song You then turned to the calico cat and said, “Lady Calico, I'll leave you here. Tonight, it's up to you. Tomorrow morning, I'll come to fetch you.”

“Meow!”

Steward Yang observed the man and his cat, finding the situation rather curious. He recalled how this man had previously traveled with the cat, not carrying it but letting it run on the ground, and the cat had closely followed. Now, he was speaking so earnestly to the cat, even calling it 'Lady Calico,' and the cat seemed to understand him.

This, combined with the exorcism sign outside the man's shop, made Steward Yang think that perhaps this was indeed a man of some peculiar abilities. But, considering that Changjing had its fair share of strange people, he wasn't too surprised.

“Is that all?”

“That's all.”

Song You smiled and cupped his hands toward Steward Yang. “Please take good care of my cat, and don't let her be mistreated.”

“Rest assured, my master is kind and gentle, and the young masters are of the age to study for their imperial exams. They're well-mannered and won't mistreat your cat.” Steward Yang paused. “But you'd better hurry back; it's almost time for the curfew. As I said before, a beating is the least of your worries if you encounter a demon.”

“Thank you.” Song You cupped his hands in farewell and turned to leave.

Steward Yang remained at the doorway, watching him walk away at a slow, steady pace. He was about to call out a reminder but then reconsidered and held back his words.

He closed the door. When he looked down, he saw the cat sitting upright, staring straight at him. After thinking for a moment, Steward Yang cupped his hands and said to the cat, “I'm counting on you, Lady Calico.”

“Meow!” The cat turned its head to glance at the setting sun.

“Heh...” Steward Yang felt as if he had understood what she was saying.

***

Although this was the eastern region of the city, it wasn't far from the west region. On the way, Song You bought two mantou to eat. As he crossed the main street between the Eastern and Western Districts, the curfew drums began to sound.

By the time the drums were beating, night had fallen. There were already few people on the streets, and even fewer shops and residences remained open. At the sound of the drums, those few open businesses quickly closed their doors, and the people still lingering outside hurried back to their homes. The drums would beat a total of three hundred times.

The sound of the drums mingled with the slamming of doors. By the time half the beats had passed, there were no pedestrians left in sight. Under the moonlight, the city quickly became quiet. The streets grew empty, with only a solitary traveler still walking.

It was as if he were just taking a stroll, bathed in the moonlight.

Some houses along the street still had lights on, their windows glowing with dim firelight, from which voices and the cries of children could be heard. Some gambling dens and taverns, though their doors were shut, were brightly lit inside with the sounds of lively conversation spilling out. From the intricately constructed pavilions came music, laughter, and the sound of string instruments.

The streets themselves were cold and lonely, lit only by the moon and occupied by a lone wanderer. But inside the buildings was the hustle and bustle of life in Changjing, filled with songs and dances.

Occasionally, a patrol of imperial guards marched down the street. The wanderer would simply step into the shadows by the side of the street, and it was as if they couldn't see him; they would pass right by without notice.

Every now and then, golden-armored divine officers floated across the sky, resembling some of the Martial Gods from the City God Temple. Their sharp eyes scanned the streets below.

These officers could see the Daoist, but mostly they would descend to inspect him more closely. When they found that he was human and not a demon, they would leave. Sometimes, noticing that the Daoist was also looking at them, they would come down and ask a few questions before departing.

He then reached Willow Street and returned home smoothly. The Daoist felt no disappointment; although he hadn’t encountered any demons, he had gained a different perspective on the city at night, enjoying more freedom than during the day.

He fetched water to wash up and then went upstairs to rest. At some point, he fell asleep, drifting into a hazy slumber. Yet, suddenly, his mind became clear. Looking around, he found himself dressed neatly and sitting by the bed, with three figures standing beside him. There was a man in official robes and two deputy officers—one civil officer and one military officer—surrounded by mist and clouds.

They were none other than the City God of Changjing and his two deputy officials.

Song You was not surprised. He cupped his hands and greeted them, “Greetings, Your Excellency City God.”

“Greetings, Immortal Master.”

“What brings Your Excellency to see me tonight?”

“Following the advice you gave me a few days ago, my subordinates and I have been investigating for several nights. We have identified one of the demons. However, that demon is highly skilled, and he managed to escape the city even after a long battle with several military officers and the imperial guards.”

City God replied with a bow, “I suspect he will return, and I fear he might escape again. Thus, I humbly seek to borrow one or two artifacts from you to catch the demons.”

“I have no artifacts to lend, but I can give you two talismans. Come and collect them in the morning.”

“Thank you, Immortal Master.”

“I only wish to help you protect the people and eliminate evil.”

“Then, I will take my leave.”

“Please, take care.”

At that moment, the dream abruptly ended.

When Song You opened his eyes, he was still lying in bed. It was already nearing dawn outside. He decided to take another quick nap, and by the time he awoke again, it was broad daylight.

He retrieved the talisman paper from his bedding, along with a brush and cinnabar. He drew out his spiritual energy and effortlessly drew two talismans—one for lightning and one for fire.

After pondering for a moment, he also wrote a note on a piece of paper to remind the City God that the talismans were to be used only for this demon-exorcism task.

Satisfied with his preparations, he tidied up the writing materials and set out to pick up Lady Calico, who was working a night shift.

***

At the residence of Official Liu of the Ministry of Works…

In the courtyard, four neat rows of mice were lined up, each one robust and fat. They were so large that they might be even bigger than small cats. All the mice lay motionless, their heads and tails all aligned in the same direction, spaced at regular intervals.

Next to these mice sat Lady Calico, perfectly poised, and diligently licking its paws.

“It’s truly miraculous!”

Everyone couldn’t help but marvel. If not for the curiosity of a servant who had peeked through the window all night and witnessed the cat bringing each mouse from different rooms of the residence and arranging them here, they might have suspected that someone had scaled the walls, placed the mice, and then left.

Suddenly, the cat moved. It noticed that one of the mice was slightly misaligned, so it extended its paw and adjusted it to the correct position.

“Truly miraculous!” Everyone exclaimed again. Some were counting the mice, others were observing the cat. Meanwhile, some were recounting the chaotic noises from the previous night at the residence, painting vivid pictures of the events for their listeners.

“Knock, knock…” A knock sounded at the door, and someone quickly went to open it.

They saw a young Daoist standing outside, smiling as he greeted them. “I am the one who brought the cat to catch the mice last night. May I ask how many mice my Lady Calico caught?”

“Please, come in!”

“My master invites you in!”

“Thank you…” Song You followed them into the residence.

A crowd had gathered in the courtyard.

The servant who opened the door quickly introduced him, saying that the elderly man in the middle was the master of the residence, Official Liu of the Ministry of Works.

Official Liu looked at him with shining eyes and said, “Sir, your cat is truly remarkable!”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“May I inquire if you are willing to sell your cat?”

“I am not selling.”

“How about one or two taels of silver?”

“Not for any amount.”

“The current empress is a lover of cats. If she were to learn of your cat’s extraordinary abilities, she would surely be thrilled! If you present it to the empress through my introduction, you would undoubtedly achieve great success!”

“Official Liu, you’re mistaken. Lady Calico is merely a companion, not my cat.” Song You bowed. “She travels with me as a friend, not as a pet.”

“I see…” Official Liu’s face showed regret, and he returned the bow. “If you truly regard the cat as a friend, that is indeed a refined sentiment. I apologize for my presumption.”

“May I ask how many mice my Lady Calico caught?”

“Have you counted them?” The elderly man turned to the steward.

“We’ve counted!” The steward, greatly astonished, said, “Forty-six mice—more than we expected!”

Another round of amazement and excitement followed.

The crowd buzzed with whispers, discussing the tumultuous noises from the previous night and the cries of the mice, while the elderly man continued to lavish praise on Lady Calico.

Song You, however, ignored the chatter and focused on his cat. Despite her pride, she was feigning casualness while licking her paws.

Seeing her happy made him happy too.

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