I, the screenwriter, have experienced a resurgence of inspiration.

"What's wrong with saying this?"

The old man's tone softened:

"It's nothing shameful. I'm 101 years old, I should have died long ago."

When I was fighting the Japanese, one of my soldiers called me "Big Brother" in the morning, but at noon he was shot and killed.

No one can predict when they will die in this lifetime.

Song Mo stood up, walked past Qian Fang, and went to Yu Songmian's side, whispering, "Come out for a moment."

The two immediately followed her out of the ward.

The family member who opened the door also came out, and the four of them stood in the corridor. Song Mo's face appeared remarkably calm under the light.

"This matter can be reported."

"Huh? You're just going to report it like that?"

Yu Songmian whispered, "The old man is clearly..."

She was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly realized she didn't know what to say next.

Shen Nanshan was perfectly conscious, his vital signs were normal, there were no supernatural creatures causing trouble, and there were no fluctuations in the surrounding area.

But nothing in this whole affair can be considered normal from beginning to end.

"No ghosts were following him."

Song Mo shook his head: "I checked, it's not a ghost, but we can't deal with it either."

Qian Fang immediately followed up: "Then let's go through the formalities?"

"Let's go through the procedures," Song Mo nodded.

The family members stood quietly by, listening without seeming surprised.

After Song Mo finished speaking, she pursed her lips:

"Actually... I had a premonition a long time ago. My great-grandfather is getting old, but I didn't dare to think about it, so I called the Special Investigations Bureau."

Yu Songmian wanted to say a few words of comfort to her, but then felt that any words would be too weak, so he simply reached out and patted her shoulder:

"Don't be too upset. We'll report the situation to the authorities."

At the end of the Song Dynasty, a low voice reminded him:

"If it really is the City God exam... then the old man will sleep a lot these two days, eat whatever he wants, and keep him company if anyone talks to him, don't stop him."

That's pretty clear.

The old man's time has come.

The family members nodded vigorously, their expressions filled with grief.

Qian Fang submitted the task details and audio recording attachment together using the app, and the system provided an official response fifteen minutes later:

[This case has been transferred to the Third Division of the Special Investigation Bureau, and a higher-level specialist will be dispatched to investigate. They are expected to arrive within 24 hours. Volunteer players are requested to evacuate now.]

"The efficiency is quite high."

Song Mo put his phone back in his bag and looked up at the hospital building.

The lights upstairs were mostly off, except for Shen Nanshan's room on the fourth floor, which was still lit.

"I always felt that the old man would actually pass the exam."

Suddenly, Yu Songmian, who was standing to the side, said something out of the blue, as if he were talking to himself.

"Why?" Qian Fang asked.

"Just a guess."

Yu Songmian said mysteriously, "Assuming the City God exam is true, that clay ghost told the old man to study the statutes more beforehand, as if he was certain he would pass the exam."

"It's also possible that the elderly person was superstitious when they were young, and now they're having dreams that they believe to be true."

"Please, the spiritual energy has been restored, do you dare say it again to your player information?"

"That still needs to be based on science. Who can prove that the City God's examination really exists? But—"

Qian Fang suddenly turned his head and praised, "Song Mo reacted quickly and had a lot of knowledge. He guessed it right away. Otherwise, the old man probably wouldn't have told us these things."

"In fact, there are similar records in 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio' and 'What the Master Did Not Say,' which say that after a person dies, a ghost with good virtue will take an exam."

Song Mo sat in the back row, his fingers tapping unconsciously on his knees:

In the story of Xin Shisi Niang, a scholar falls in love with the beautiful fox spirit Xin Shisi Niang. Xin Shisi Niang was originally devoted to seeking the Tao, but the scholar went to ask his ancestor, who was a minister in the underworld, to force Shisi Niang to marry him.

There's also a related story about a scholar who died without his family's knowledge. They heard him talking to himself in his study, and later they indeed saw him emerging from his grave in a sedan chair.

—It is evident that the underworld, like the human world, has government offices, official ranks, examinations, and promotions.

Yu Songmian and Qian Fang only vaguely understood what they were hearing.

……

……

When Song Mo returned to his rented room, it was already afternoon.

"My lord! My lord, why didn't you take Ayan with you?!"

The vengeful ghost pounced and buried itself in Song Mo's arms, its scattered hair curling up around Song Mo like a butterfly's cocoon.

"Squeak squeak squeak!"

"Squeak!"

One by one, mud gourds rolled out from under the bed. Song Mo flicked A-Yan's head and chuckled softly.

Something interesting happened to me today; I'll tell you about it later.

It can be basically confirmed by the end of the Song Dynasty that the "City God Examination" that Shen Nanshan encountered was inextricably linked to the "Land God Temple" and "City God Temple" she had previously placed there.

She peered out the window and saw that the small grave across the mountain had been moved.

Under the streetlight at the alley entrance, the shadow of a cat with two tails flashed by.

Song Mo thought for a moment, then opened the scriptwriting system and added a few more strokes:

[...All beings are equal, and the City God's examination is not bound by his original background or prototype.]

……

……

……

……

Wang Jiafei has a cat named Tietou, whose full name is "Wang Tietou".

She named the cat Wang Tietou for two reasons: first, to give the cat her surname, and second, because the name sounds powerful and imposing.

Although this cat is not tough at all.

Wang Tietou is a pure black cat with no stray hairs.

Its eyes are golden, and when the pupils are upright, they look like two pieces of fine amber.

But most of the time, those eyes were narrowed into slits, through which a lazy light shone:

[Hey human, you're back! I just woke up. Food, give me food!]

Ironhead's greatest hobby is sleeping, followed by eating; otherwise, he is indifferent to everything else in the world.

It doesn't like catching mice, cockroaches, or playing with cat toys.

All the cat toys Wang Jiafei bought ended up gathering dust under the bed.

Wang Tietou's only favorite activity was jumping onto Wang Jiafei's chest at 7:30 every morning and stomping on her with his 10.5-pound weight to wake her up.

Then it let out a very reluctant "meow".

After the spiritual energy revived, the Special Investigation Bureau issued many public announcements.

The radio, television, and pop-up ads on the Lingjing app all repeatedly emphasize:

If you notice any unusual changes in your pet, you should report it as soon as possible.

For example, it might grow a second tail, suddenly start talking, begin walking upright, start staring at a certain direction for a long time without moving, or start baring its teeth at its reflection in the mirror.

Wang Jiafei's parents both advised her to send Tie Tou away as soon as possible.

According to folklore, black cats are believed to possess supernatural abilities.

Although the Special Investigation Bureau's official documents don't say this, it's been circulating wildly among casual gamers, who say that the Black Cat is the easiest to turn into a fairy.

Wang Jiafei's cousin, who is a teacher, also owns a black cat. Three months ago, that black cat suddenly started standing on its hind legs.

It can also open windows by itself, press the air conditioner remote control with its paws during the day, and squat on top of the wardrobe at night, singing opera.

Finally, my cousin was so frightened that she quickly called the Special Investigations Bureau to come and take the cat away.

Wang Jiafei couldn't understand how anyone could bear to give away a cat they'd raised from a kitten. Her cousin simply replied:

"When it starts explaining breathing techniques to you, and when it sits at the table eating like a human, you'll realize that some things can no longer be kept as pets."

You treat them like pets, but they are intelligent beings now. If you can't adjust your mindset, things can easily go wrong.

I had my cat spayed/neutered before, and it probably hates me now. I just hope it doesn't hold a grudge and come back to me.

……

Something happened? Holding a grudge?

Wang Jiafei looked at his black cat, which was lying sprawled out under the air conditioner, and fell silent.

Leprechaun?

Who?

Wang Tietou?

The black cat was lying on its back with its belly up, its four paws spread out in different directions, and a few crumbs of cat food still clung to the corner of its mouth.

"Can you become a spirit?"

Wang Jiafei squatted by the sofa, poked Wang Tietou's belly, making a dent, and it bounced back two seconds after he let go.

"Meow……"

Wang Tietou didn't even open his eyes, but impatiently kicked her finger with his hind legs and flicked his tail.

"Other cats can do it, but you definitely can't." Wang Jiafei finally felt relieved, pounced over and buried her face in the cat's belly, and began to rub it frantically.

"Meow meow meow meow meow meow!!"

Wang Tietou immediately woke up, pressed his flesh against her face, kicked her chin with his hind leg, and cursed her filthyly.

"You heartless bastard," Wang Jiafei cursed, but then saw Wang Tietou pause for a moment and then turn around.

The golden eyes shone almost too brightly under the light.

It looked behind Wang Jiafei for two seconds, then opened its mouth and let out a very soft "meow" that didn't sound like a cat's meow.

Wang Jiafei suddenly felt a chill, and the next second, she heard a knock on the door.

The knocking was very soft, four times, then paused, then four more times.

She walked to the door and looked out through the peephole.

Two people stood outside the door, one in black and one in white, their clothes looking like ancient costumes or paper-mache garments.

The two people laughed sinisterly, and their voices seemed to come through indistinctly.

[Wang Tietou! Wang Tietou is taking the exam!]

Is Wang Tietou home?

People outside the door are shouting.

Wang Jiafei placed her hand on the doorknob, and for some reason, she felt she should open the door.

Because someone was calling her cat.

Her cat has to take an exam.

That makes perfect sense.

Exams are a good thing.

Her cat has become a spirit.

She should open the door.

But just as Wang Jiafei turned the doorknob, a piercing meow exploded from beneath her feet.

"Meow—!"

Wang Tietou had somehow rushed to the doorway, his back arched, all his fur standing on end, his tail bristling like a feather duster.

"Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow!!"

It opened its mouth and barked wildly at the door.

Wang Jiafei had never heard Wang Tietou called that before.

She woke up suddenly.

When her vision returned, she found herself standing in the doorway, her hand on the doorknob.

The living room lights were off, but a faint light from the motion-activated hallway light seeped in through the crack in the door.

Her fingers were on the doorknob, and she had already opened the door a crack.

Cold wind blew in through the cracks.

Was it a dream?

Was she sleepwalking?

Wang Jiafei froze for a moment, then, remembering the two figures in his dream, he was so frightened that he immediately closed the door and, trembling, dialed the Special Investigation Bureau's number:

"Feed? Yes, yes, I need to report this to the police! There's a ghost knocking on my door!"

"They can take my life if they want, but not mine, Tie Tou's, waaaaah... Tie Tou? Tie Tou is a cat..."

"I didn't waste police resources! There really is a ghost! A ghost is calling for Tie Tou to take the exam!!"

Inside the cat's bed, Wang Tietou was curled up on the mat, snoring, clearly fast asleep.