The four of them wandered about the construction site. A "rat plague," as it was called, naturally implied a terrifying number of rats.
But so far, they hadn't seen a single trace of one.
In the human world, aside from dogs and cats, rats are probably the most common small animal. But unlike dogs and cats, which are praised for guarding the home, rats are seen as nothing but villainous pests. And yet, they are also incredibly spiritual, intelligent, and mysterious little creatures.
For thousands of years, folk legends have spoken of the primitive animal worship of the so-called "Four Great Families" and "Five Great Gates." The Five Great Gates are the Five Great Immortals. The Snake is called Immortal Bai, while the rat is known as the Gray Immortal among them, which speaks to its status. This also reflects the reverence people held for foxes, Weasels, hedgehogs, rats, and Snakes.
