Government Front Street.
Hou's Noodle Shop.
On his way back from Shao Estate, Jiang Che passed by the noodle shop and caught the scent of stewed meat wafting out from within. His appetite was instantly stirred.
Once inside, he found the place packed to the brim.
Master Hou and his wife were busy inside. When Master Hou saw Jiang Che arrive, he lifted the cloth curtain and said with a smile,
"Young Master Jiang, what would you like today?"
"The usual. Beef noodles."
"Coming right up!"
"Boss, looks like business is picking up again. Congratulations," Jiang Che said with a smile.
He had been worried that the noodle shop might go out of business. It seemed he had worried for nothing.
"That's right, Young Master Jiang. They kept saying there were evil spirits about, and Martial Artists kept dying strange deaths. No one on this street even dared step outside! It worried me sick! If I hadn't heard that those evil spirits only harmed Martial Artists, I might've shut the place down! Luckily, the Yamen hired an expert and closed the case. The Yamen said it wasn't some evil spirit at all, but a Martial Artist who had gone mad from practicing an evil art!" Master Hou said.
"That's right. How could there possibly be evil spirits in this world?" Jiang Che said with a smile.
"I didn't believe it at first either, but the rumors just got more and more outrageous. Don't laugh at me, but in those last few days, I always felt like something was watching me from outside the shop door. It made my scalp crawl." Master Hou shook his head with a smile.
"Only human. I didn't dare go out back then either."
"Exactly! It was frightening! Good thing the Yamen found an expert, or