Chapter 43: [What a Tactic!]
After the transaction between the two foxes was completed, Chen Yan hung up the phone and continued eating.
A table full of dishes, Chen Yan devoured everything, eating and drinking to his heart’s content.
He called the waiter in to clean up the table and then brewed a pot of good tea.
A moment later, Chen Yan received an electronic document from President Fang in his inbox: [House Maintenance Contract], with a contract amount of fifty thousand.
The other side had already signed and stamped it.
Chen Yan quickly received five thousand into his account, with the payment note stating: House Maintenance Deposit.
Boss Fang was indeed very meticulous, leaving no loose ends.
Chen Yan smiled, his mood greatly improved.
Hu Licking Dog would have to compensate at least twenty to thirty thousand for the short-term rental house.
And Boss Fang gave fifty, which not only filled the pit but also earned a profit.
Chen Yan left the restaurant, not returning home but instead finding a room at a chain boutique hotel on the commercial street – he still had plans tonight.
Entering the room, he took out the brush, ink, talisman paper, and cinnabar bought today and carefully drew several talismans in the room.
Around 2 AM, Chen Yan left the hotel.
He snuck to Luoyun House under the cover of darkness.
At midnight, the shop was naturally closed.
There were three courtyards behind Luoyun House’s shop, with the left side having a wall facing the street.
Chen Yan walked around the wall, calculated the positions, and then stopped at several spots, crouching down to use a small knife to cut open the brick seams and insert folded paper talismans.
He repeated this operation at several selected locations.
He was busy for nearly an hour, luckily no one passed by during the late night.
Once he finished, Chen Yan returned to the hotel room to rest.
He couldn’t return home yet... during the day, he needed to see the effects!
In a villa, Gu Girl curled up on the sofa, hugging her legs.
"How can someone... not go home!!
Waiting and waiting, it’s been days, who doesn’t go home if they have one!!"
Chen Yan slept until around ten in the morning.
He leisurely got up, freshened up, then dressed and strolled to the commercial street, grabbing some snacks for breakfast.
Then, he went to a teahouse opposite Luoyun House, finding a window seat on the second floor.
A pot of tea and five or six dim sum items.
Having visited a few times, Chen Yan was familiar; the tea here was decent, and the osmanthus cake and mung bean cake among the dim sum were tasty and met the Dragon Country’s highest praise for dessert: not sweet.
Taking out his phone, he found a novel to read while drinking tea. The sunlight through the window warmed him, making him feel comfortable.
Close to noon, Chen Yan was engrossed in his novel when he suddenly heard a cry of surprise from the street below.
First one shout, then quickly a series of cries and screams.
Chen Yan smirked, put away his phone, and leaned out of the window to look down.
Opposite Luoyun House, the shop’s door was wide open, but the pedestrians nearby were already avoiding and screaming, frantically stomping and fleeing.
Just because a stream of rats was pouring out of the underground drains and manhole covers!
A swarm of rats ran crazy on the street, eventually converging and charging into Luoyun House!
In just ten minutes, the bustling street saw its pedestrians retreating far.
Some people jumped for higher ground, stood on tables, climbed counters, or perched on window sills...
Many young people kept their distance but took out their phones to record!
Rats continued emerging from the sewers, as if drawn, rushing madly into Luoyun House.
In such a short time, at least a few hundred rats poured into Luoyun House’s entrance.
Chen Yan smiled contently.
Luoyun House... you’ve made it.
Inside Luoyun House, chaos reigned. As the first wave of rats invaded, the few customers inside screamed and fled.
The shop assistants exclaimed in panic, running around until they finally managed to shut the main door.
Though the door was closed, the rats didn’t diminish, instead climbing the walls to get into Luoyun House!
Rats climbed the courtyard walls en masse, a sight that made onlookers’ skin crawl!
This spectacle drew an increasing crowd, nearly everyone holding up their phones to record.
The crowd was buzzing.
"Holy crap! This place must have stirred something unclean, huh?"
This comment immediately triggered discussions among the populace.
"Indeed, this is way too strange!"
"Right, who has ever heard of such a thing? It’s really eerie!"
"I heard Luoyun House specializes in feng shui and fortune-telling, and their business is the best around..."
"Holy crap, it must be something sinister. Could it be... Demon Sect or Evil Cultivator?"
"Come on, too many novels for you but Demon Sect and Evil Cultivator? It’s clearly Beast Taming Sect!"
"You say that, but you’ve read quite a number of novels yourself!"
"Stop bickering, I think there’s definitely something unclean here!"
"Exactly, businesses dealing with feng shui and fortune-telling must have invoked something unclean!"
Chen Yan sat in the teahouse, watching the crowd gossip.
Luoyun House was finished!
This mishap might not lead to its immediate shutdown, but it’d be at least seriously crippled!
For a long time, they wouldn’t recover.
What kind of business did Luoyun House do?
Simply put, it’s easy to understand: exploiting people’s superstitions.
What do superstitious people seek?
Good fortune, marriage, safety, wealth...
In short, they seek good luck, focusing on the word "luck."
Now, this place getting a reputation for being haunted, unclean...
Those superstitious customers and business owners would avoid it like the plague – who’d dare come here?
And remember, Luoyun House wasn’t the only business in the area offering such services.
Even if the onlookers didn’t spread the word aggressively...
The peers would seize the opportunity to sabotage them, or they’d be wasting their brains.
In this era, the fortune-telling business is small, and the circle tight.
With Luoyun House’s mishap, peers spreading the word would ensure the entire local industry knew: Luoyun House attracted evil!
Under that title, no rich business owner would come for feng shui or fortune-telling.
The crowd on the street wasn’t dispersing anytime soon, then the tightly shut doors of Luoyun House suddenly burst open, and seven or eight disheveled staff ran out.
Everyone yelled and fled, ignoring the door.
A furious shout came from inside: "Don’t run! Don’t run!!!"
"Uncle Qing! We’re just workers! This scary scene isn’t worth sticking around!"
One staff member shouted back as he ran.
With the door open, the crowd could see the shop floor covered densely with rats – a nightmare for those with trypophobia.
A few minutes later, Uncle Qing also ran out.
With a bruised face and a cap on his head, he stumbled out, looking at the crowd.
Uncle Qing’s face turned pale and blue, gritting his teeth, saying nothing, he bolted into the crowd.
At noon, street management personnel arrived, uniformed staff nervously dispersed the crowd, peeking into Luoyun House but not daring to enter, only looking from outside.
Someone had an idea, setting a ladder against the wall to peek into the courtyard...
The person on the ladder almost slid down in terror.
"Holy crap! It’s horrifying!!", he ran away shouting, "The courtyard is full of rats! It’s like they’ve become spirits, lying there motionless!"
Then, the street health station and local firefighters arrived.
A fire truck pulled up, firefighters approached and were also dumbfounded!
The call had mentioned rats...
It didn’t specify this many!!
So many rats could dismantle a house, right?
Yes, firefighters have rat extermination tools, but...
Seeing hundreds of rats lying motionless in front of you...
The firefighters shivered, hesitating to act!
Besides... who’d dare fight them?
Even those brave enough to swing shovels and axes...
With so many, the place would be smeared with gore, rendering it unusable.
Without waiting for the commotion’s end, Chen Yan settled the bill and left the teahouse, blending into the crowd as he departed.
Well, hidden achievements and fame.
He returned to his hotel room, packing to leave.
No need to wait for results... the rats would disperse in half an hour – the talismans’ effects would expire.
As Chen Yan packed, his phone rang. It was President Fang.
When answered, President Fang remained silent for a long time, then spoke softly: "Teacher Chen, impressive! I’ve truly witnessed it! What a tactic!"
Clearly, President Fang had already heard the news – after settling the deal last night, he had instructed Assistant Yan to monitor the situation at Luoyun House.
Chen Yan chuckled lightly: "President Fang, I don’t understand what you’re saying."
"Haha! Teacher Chen, we’ll have ample time to interact, I, Mr. Fang, most respect those with abilities! We’ll spend time together; you’ll see my sincerity."
After hanging up, Chen Yan immediately received a bank alert.
Incoming transfer, forty-five thousand. Note: House Maintenance Final Payment.
President Fang seemed very satisfied with his performance.
Fifty thousand in a day.
Chen Yan stretched widely.
Regarding the proprietress, he’d maneuver for a day or two before negotiating with Luo Qing.