A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

Three days later, before dawn had fully broken.

Ji Zuodao led Gouye and Li Shuwen, stepping on the wet bluestone slabs, to the mountain gate of Jinding Temple.

Simply put, this family is the richest.

The first place on Deputy Director Liu's list is this Jinding Temple, and it's specially marked next to it: "Widespread incense offerings!"

It is said that it was a deserted temple in its early years, with only sporadic incense offerings, and the monks were almost starving and running away.

Later, a fat monk named Jinchi appeared out of nowhere and led a group of disciples and followers. They made the place magnificent and the incense burned brighter every day.

People seeking wealth, children, or fame flocked here in droves.

It is said that the Bodhisattva at Jinding Temple is efficacious, but one needs to be "connected" with the deity.

The entry requirements are high, the incense offerings are expensive, and the consecrated items are even more exorbitantly priced.

The more expensive it is, the more people believe in it, as if the sound of the silver being thrown in is the crisp sound of merit falling into a pocket.

The infamous King Yama is about to visit the mountain; the news reached the abbot's ears last night.

At the time, the old monk Jinchi was dozing off while hugging a small gilded hand warmer. Upon hearing this, the hand warmer fell to the ground with a "clatter" and rolled a long way away.

The young novice monk standing in the hall trembled with fright.

The old monk was only stunned for a moment before the panic on his face was quickly replaced by an expression that was a mixture of heartache and ruthlessness.

Greed ultimately triumphed over fear.

I can't bear to part with it, I really can't bear to part with it.

Paying so much tax would break his heart.

"Proceed according to plan!"

The old monk Jinchi gritted his teeth and squeezed out four words.

"They've all played their part perfectly for this old monk! If anyone slips up and ruins the temple's century-old legacy... Humph!"

With a cold snort, the temperature in the hall plummeted.

Thus, when Ji Zuodao and his companions, along with their dog, stepped into the mountain gate, this was the scene they witnessed—

Solemn and dignified? Not at all.

The vermilion paint is peeling off, the walls are yellowing, and the old locust tree in the courtyard, which is said to have been planted during the Tang Dynasty, has sparse leaves and exudes an air of decay and decline.

Pilgrims? Not a single one in sight.

There were a few emaciated monks, dressed in patched robes, listlessly sweeping the fallen leaves on the ground with brooms that had lost their bristles.

The noise was like tickling a dead person.

Inside the main hall, the Bodhisattva statue, which should have been gilded, was now dusty and gray. If you looked closely, there seemed to be a faint crack at the corner of its eye.

On the offering table were several chipped, rough earthenware bowls, filled with withered, unrecognizable offerings.

The most amazing thing is that donation box.

The wood was thick and heavy, but the box was riddled with small holes from wormholes, and the lock was so rusted that it was almost fused to the box.

Peeking through the coin slot—

Good heavens, it's completely empty; you could run a horse there.

Only a few stained, one-cent coins lay forlornly at the bottom of the box, reflecting a desolate light in the dim sunlight filtering through the broken window.

Ji Zuodao stood at the entrance of the palace, squinting as he looked the desolate scene from head to toe.

The corners of his mouth, unable to resist, curved upwards into a subtle, joyful arc.

Unsurprisingly.

They've started pretending to be poor, just as expected.

And the way they put on the show... they really went all out.

This old bald monk is quite something; he even dares to age a Buddha statue.

"Amitabha……"

A Buddhist chant, aged, weary, and tinged with a perfectly timed cough, came from the side hall.

Then, the old monk Jinchi was seen being helped out by two young novices, walking out unsteadily.

The robe he wore was faded from washing, with numerous patches on the cuffs and hem, the stitches crude.

His once plump and round face now appeared deliberately pale and sickly, his eyelids drooping, and his gaze darting away, revealing a timidity stemming from long-term malnutrition.

"This old monk, Jin Chi, respectfully welcomes... Shangguan from Bureau 749."

His voice was hoarse, and he was about to cough again. He quickly covered his mouth and nose with the sleeve of his tattered robe, his shoulders shaking, and it took him a while to recover.

"The temple is austere, and the incense offerings are few. Please forgive our lack of hospitality..."

The wicked flower in Ji Zuodao's heart bloomed even more brightly.

He quickly put on a harmless, slightly shy and apologetic smile, stepped forward, and offered the old monk a helping hand.

"Master Jinchi, you flatter me. I am Ji Zuodao, and I have come here on orders. It is merely a routine matter. I will register you and ask you a few questions. I have no other intentions. Please take good care of yourself."

His tone was sincere, and his posture was extremely humble.

"Register?"

The old monk Jinchi's eyelids twitched, a wary glint flashed in his cloudy old eyes, and his bitter expression deepened.

"Shangguan Mingjian, our humble temple... really has nothing worth registering. As you can see, it's in such a dilapidated state that it's not much better than the local earth god temple down the mountain..."

"Oh, Master, you are mistaken!"

Before Ji Zuodao could speak, Li Shuwen stepped forward, his face beaming with enthusiasm and "straightforwardness."

He was now dressed in a slightly more presentable outfit, and was holding a brand-new clipboard and pen in his hands, looking quite serious.

"Our investigator, Ji, is most considerate of the people's situation and acts in accordance with the law! Registration is not to cause trouble, but for record-keeping and protection!"

"Think about it, every brick, every tile, every blade of grass in this temple is a Buddhist asset, a testament to this ancient temple that has stood for a thousand years!"

"In case anything changes in the future, or if some unscrupulous thief sets their sights on us, our 749th Bureau's official register will serve as irrefutable evidence! No one can deny it!"

He spoke with great enthusiasm and passion, as if he were truly there to support and defend the Golden Summit Temple.

"Besides, with everything clearly registered, if the incense offerings become a little more popular and we need to buy something, it will be easy to record everything clearly and neatly, and no one can find any mistakes! This is a great thing, Master!"

The old monk Jinchi was a little bewildered by his set of "official reasoning" and looked at Ji Zuodao with suspicion.

Ji Zuodao nodded at the opportune moment, his expression serious yet encouraging:

"Shuwen is right. Master Jinchi, we are doing this for the long-term benefit of your temple. The inventory and registration process is compliant and good for everyone. Rest assured, we will only register what we can see at the moment and will not make things unnecessarily difficult."

Two people—

One loudly boasts about the benefits, while the other speaks gently and politely about the rules.

The old monk Jinchi looked at the two young men in front of him, one "stunned" and the other "cooperative".

He thought to himself: You will naturally not see what I'm hiding.

What good will registering all this rubbish that's right in front of you do?

Perfect timing, let's make a show of it and get rid of these two plagues as soon as possible.

"Sigh... Since the superior is so understanding, then... let's do as the superior wishes."

The old monk Jinchi sighed heavily and waved his hand as if resigned to his fate.

"Everything in the temple is here. Please feel free to look around and register."

"The master is profoundly insightful and understands the greater good!"

Li Shuwen immediately gave a thumbs up, then turned to Ji Zuodao, straightened his back, and spoke in a loud voice:

"Investigator Ji, I'll get to work right away! I guarantee I won't miss a single detail, and I'll record everything clearly and completely!"

"Yes, be more careful." Ji Zuodao nodded reservedly.

The stage has now been officially set up.