Have you ever wondered? In the city, every passerby might have two faces: one turned toward you, while the other glares at you with malice from among their hair.
The uncanny, the gods, the monsters? Containment objects left behind by another age?
Rules-based horror? People in this city sure know how to have fun, Shen You remarked. Behind him, a deity’s statue stretched out, gazing greedily down over the whole city. “What is this? Food? A city’s worth of food.”
“My lord, stop messing around! If you keep this up, we won’t get to be the main characters!”
When the false becomes real, and words spoken without a thought become truth, Shen You’s life is destined to be extraordinary.
When obedience is twisted into mere posturing in someone’s eyes, and family affection becomes the most vicious poison to swallow, he should have known his older brother hated him most of all.
My name is Shen You. I am the current mountain attendant of Wangyue Mountain, tasked with catching demons and capturing evil spirits on behalf of the gods. I hold the Mountain God’s Order, chant the demon-summoning incantation, and form hand seals with my fingers.
In the dark of night, pairs of scarlet eyes open, greedily watching the evil spirits. The bewitching fox demon beats the drums and clangs the gongs! Tonight, we summon the gods!
Tonight, the Mountain God makes his rounds. Come across a yaksha, bring it down! Sweep away every evil spirit without mercy. If a man-eating ghost dares show its face, skin it, pull out its tendons, and use it for lamp oil!
When an evil spirit broke through the procession, a crane’s claw suddenly came down from the sky and seized its head. In a muffled voice, the deity demanded, “My mountain attendant already told you... we’re making our rounds tonight. Are you deaf or what?!”
Em is original after all