In the end, under Qi Gu's encouraging gaze, Lin Hanzhi hung the two sachets on either side of his jacket, though his expression remained distinctly sour.
Pubu Gesang knew the demon king was in a bad mood and hurried off to join Mu Xingchen, playing with the fallen leaves on the ground.
His mental age was about the same as Mu Xingchen's, so they got along well enough as playmates.
The production crew spent roughly ten minutes or so sorting out what they needed to take up the mountain, had each guest bring their own essentials, and prepared to head up.
Qi Gu stared at his suitcase full of snacks, his lips pressed tightly together.
But taking an entire suitcase up would be rather excessive and would hamper his movements.
Seeing his expression, Lin Hanzhi more or less guessed what was on his mind and immediately said, "I still have room in my pockets for a few packets of snacks. I can carry some for you. But you'll have to protect me properly once we're up there... otherwise, I'll have no choice but to feed your snacks to the ghosts."
As he spoke, he gave Qi Gu a little wink, his alluring eyes shimmering.
Qi Gu failed to read anything else into it. "You'll be fine with the sachets. Mine are an improved version. They can repel evil and ward off spirits three times."
Even for the unluckiest person, the odds of encountering ghosts three times in a row were very low.
Lin Hanzhi: "..."
He shut his mouth and stuffed snacks into his pockets.
With both his pockets and cheeks bulging, Qi Gu stepped off the coach while everyone looked on, long since used to the sight.
Seeing that everyone was there, Song An had the staff hand out a backpack to each person. "These contain emergency mountaineering equipment: offline maps, GPS devices, foil blankets, and so on. The instructions are inside too. If anything unexpected happens once we're up there, stay calm and don't panic. Follow the instructions, and you'll be rescued."
He had settled on all this equipment after consulting the mountaineering enthusiasts he knew, and it was very practical.
Everyone was curious about the unfamiliar equipment and examined the items as soon as they received their backpacks.
Qi Gu did not bother-he could perform most of the functions offered by the contents of the backpack himself, so there was really no need to resort to tools.
He might as well spend that time eating snacks.
Work was annoying enough already. Wouldn't it be even more annoying if he couldn't eat snacks on the job?
[Wow, the crew really came prepared this time. Pretty responsible of them.]
[I checked the brands. This really is professional equipment.]
[Mu Xingchen and the little dude seem to get along really well. They're huddled together studying the equipment again.]
[Could it be that they get along because Mu Xingchen has the mental age of an eight-year-old?]
[LMAO.]
[Gugu hasn't looked at the equipment at all. Is he that confident?]
[Maybe it's because his hands and mouth are both busy. He is eating shredded beef jerky, after all.]
[That beef jerky looks so good. Now I want some.]
[I get it. He makes everything he eats look delicious. Wouldn't being a food streamer be way more enjoyable than being a guest on Investigating the Strange?]
[Shh! If he sees this, he might actually do it. Then who's going to make such a genuine paranormal variety show for me to watch?]
[You know... that really would fit his foodie persona.]
Qi Gu had no idea the viewers were worrying about him changing careers. Right now, his mind was entirely occupied with what he should eat first after finishing the beef jerky.
Maybe the chips. The bag's edges are too sharp. They're poking through my trousers and making my thigh hurt a little.
"You know, it really is cool up here, just like spring. I'm only wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and I'm actually a little cold," Song An said.
It was four in the afternoon, when the sun should have been blazing, but fortunately, the trees in the mountain forest blotted out the sky, allowing no sunlight through and making it much cooler.
Before Song An could finish, Qi Gu went into work mode. "A place that gets no sunlight all year round has heavy yin energy, making it easy for evil entities to breed."
The staff and guests immediately stopped in their tracks. "..."
Then, looking at the layers of tree shadows around them, they found themselves seeing ghosts in every tree and bush, their hearts pounding with fright.
Song An instinctively quickened his pace too, moving closer to Qi Gu. "W-well, how about we talk about something a little sunnier?"
Mu Xingchen obligingly chimed in, "Sure, sure! It's summer now, so the sun shouldn't set for another two hours or so, right?"
Song An: "..."
He really had to bring up the last thing anyone wanted to hear.
Sha Chuan had resolved to restore his image before quietly tripping Qi Gu up, so he immediately said, "Don't be afraid. With Qi Gu here, nothing will happen. I trust him to protect us."
Qi Gu glanced at him. "Nothing in this world is absolute."
As he looked, he felt that the yin energy on Sha Chuan was being nourished and growing increasingly dense.
The smile on Sha Chuan's face froze awkwardly for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "Hahaha, Master Qi is as philosophical as ever."
[Honestly, anyone who dares hike up a mountain at night is hardcore. It's cold and there are barely any people. What if there are wild animals, or you can't see the path clearly and sprain your ankle...]
[Mountains in major tourist areas are a bit better, but on a remote mountain like Qingji Mountain, you really could hike for hours at night without seeing a single living thing.]
[Who says there aren't any? Wasn't there an extra one in that photo?]
[Holy shit, you did not just say that.]
[Sha Chuan's genuinely repented, hasn't he? He keeps trying to be nice to Qi Gu, but Qi Gu still won't show him any consideration. His EQ is seriously low. No wonder he got hounded out of the industry.]
[Uh, you really are something else. Isn't Qi Gu just telling the truth? Nothing in this world is absolute.]
[Just watch the show, okay? Leave the fandom nonsense out of a paranormal variety show.]
The group followed the map for another hour, slowly gaining a little elevation. Meanwhile, the rustling leaves, faint animal howls, and chirping insects in the mountain forest grew clearer.
"Listen, there's water," Lin Hanzhi said, looking up.
Everyone listened closely and, sure enough, heard running water. Following the sound, they found a stream about two meters wide. Its water was crystal clear and looked very shallow, with gleaming pebbles worn smooth and round by the current lying on the bottom. It was a lovely sight.
"This scenery looks even prettier and more natural than those 5A-rated scenic areas," a staff member could not help remarking.
"It really is beautiful," Sha Chuan agreed, staring at the bottom of the stream. He spotted an imperial-green jadeite bangle lying on the gleaming pebbles.
The jadeite was richly colored and naturally crafted. Who knew which wealthy woman had lost it here? If it was genuine, it could be worth a million!
Most people who went mountaineering were fairly well-off, so Sha Chuan thought nothing more of it. After a quick glance at the others, he soon realized that no one but him had noticed this treasure.
His heart began racing. "Director Song, it's already five. Why don't we have dinner on this flat patch before heading farther up?"
Song An raised his wrist to check his watch and found that it was indeed about time. "All right, let's eat here."
Having walked for over an hour, everyone was already tired. At his words, they felt as though they had been granted a reprieve, setting down their gear and backpacks and collapsing onto the ground to snatch a rest.
Excitement surged through Sha Chuan, and the corners of his mouth lifted high without his realizing it.
Next, all he had to do was secretly retrieve the bangle while no one was looking, and he would make a windfall!
Qi Gu had even said he would have bad luck on the mountain. Wasn't this good fortune right here?!
Clearly, Qi Gu's abilities were not all that impressive.
Before you continue