Chapter 42: King Chixin

　　Part 1: Poisoned Water　　I slumped against the wall, my cheek stinging. Pulling out my phone, I switched to the front camera. Yep, my face was a little red. But there was only me and Little White in this passageway. Was I seeing ghosts?　　"Little White, was this you?" I pointed at the red mark on my face, half-joking.　　"Gu gu gu!" It squawked proudly, then raised a wing in a mock-slapping motion.　　"Hey! It wasyou!" I couldn't believe it. In my entire life, I'd been slapped by a wild pheasant! "You little thief! What, you've become a spirit? Don't you know transforming into a spirit is illegal after the founding of the People's Republic?"　　While I was rambling nonsense, Little White suddenly took on the swagger of a little punk. It swaggered a few steps forward, gave me a sideways glare with its beady eyes, and with a flap of its wings, knocked over my canteen!　　"Little Feather Thief! Are you crazy?"　　"Gu gu gu!" Unrepentant, it started viciously pecking at the canteen with its beak.　　"Hey! My water!" I scrambled over, fighting to snatch the canteen back from under its beak. But when I looked at it, the perfectly good plastic bottle was now cracked!　　"My canteen! Twenty bucks!" I ran my finger over the crack, heartbroken. I just couldn't understand how a single trip could go this wrong! First, the borrowed high-end tent was gone. Then, the main pack bag and all the gear in it, tossed. And now this—my canteen, wrecked... Why is my luck so terrible? Argh!　　I slumped against the wall, my face throbbing. I pulled out my phone and switched to the front camera. Sure enough, my cheek was flushed. But in this tunnel, it was just me and Little White. What, did I get slapped by a ghost?　　"Little White, was this you?" I pointed to the mark on my face, half-joking.　　"Gu gu gu!" It cried proudly, then mimed a slapping motion with its wing.　　"Hey! It wasyou!" Unbelievable. In all my life, I'd been slapped by a pheasant! "You little feathery thief! Are you some kind of spirit now? Don't you know becoming a spirit is forbidden after the founding of the nation?"　　As I was ranting nonsense, Little White suddenly started strutting around like a little gangster. It took a few cocky steps, shot me a sideways glare with its beady eyes, then with a flap of its wings, knocked my canteen over!　　"Little thief! Have you lost your mind?"　　"Gu gu gu!" Not done, it started viciously pecking at the canteen.　　"Hey! My water!" I scrambled over, desperately rescuing the canteen from its beak. But when I looked, the perfectly good plastic bottle was now cracked!　　"My canteen! That was twenty bucks!" I traced