Lin Sheng died saving someone and was reborn as a fox demon.
Being a fox demon is a dangerous line of work.
Coveted by evil spirits and shunned by the righteous, fox demons have an incredibly harsh environment in which to survive.
After seeing a monster injured by an official's righteous aura, Lin Sheng furtively came up with a brilliant plan:
Become an angel investor and fund promising young scholars. The day they pass the civil service exams will be the day Lin Sheng can cling to their coattails.
Unfortunately, the scholars never get their act together!
Scholar No. 1 stammered, "I'm sorry, Boss Sheng. I know the provincial exam is just around the corner, but Xiao Xie needs me..."
Scholar No. 2 said, utterly unapologetic, "Isn't the whole point of the exams to get rich and become an official so you can marry a beauty? I've married Miss Fu, so why bother studying by lamplight?"
Scholar No. 3 wept, "Boss Sheng, save Liancheng! Without Liancheng, I don't want to live either."
Lin Sheng: "...Why are they all hopeless romantics?"
Scholar No. n: "Um..."
Without even looking up, Lin Sheng said, "Got it. You need to save another beauty, right? Get lost."
Scholar No. n: "No. The government is corrupt. What good is passing the jinshi exam? I'm tired. Goodbye."
Lin Sheng: "!! You have an exceptional build. You're just the kind of promising talent who can stand up for the people!"
Scholar No. n: "?"
That year: Overthrow the landlords! Divide the land! Develop new human-demon technologies! Let the people rise up! Revolution to topple the old order!
--
To pass the time, a god took the form of a scholar.
The spirited confidence of a scholar, striding boldly through the world: surely it would be fun?
Unfortunately, this world had long since rotted. Everywhere the god looked, humans, ghosts, immortals, and demons alike were corrupted.
How boring.
The god was about to ride the wind back home when a little fox tugged at the hem of their robe.
A burning flame seemed to glow in the little fox's eyes. "If this world is no good, why don't we turn it upside down?"
Ah.
The god heard the sound of their heart stirring.
Theme: A fox in the world of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, a heart beneath the red flag.
