In a fog of confusion and dread, I came to. The sharp sting of disinfectant filled the air, mingling with the heavy scent of smoke. The moment I opened my eyes, I cried out in shock.
"Ethan, you're safe now."
As my vision cleared, I saw Hugh Thompson standing before me. Off to the side, Chief Stone sat quietly, a cigarette burning between his fingers.
"Where's Damian?" I asked. Hugh Thompson pushed up his glasses.
"Ethan, why do you still care about a guy like him? Most of your wounds were his doing, weren't they?"
Chief Stone rose, gave Hugh a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and Hugh stepped aside.
"Ethan, he's in the ICU. You were out for two whole days and nights. Sigh... Ethan, you lost control again, didn't you? Look at you, you're covered in injuries."
"What about Tina Yu?" I pressed.
"That ghost girl said she'd wait for you in the apartment building. She asked me to thank you for her."
I forced a smile, but I couldn't shake my worry for Damian.
"I've already notified the Nether Syndicate." Chief Stone had barely finished speaking when the door was kicked open. A woman stormed in, her hair wild and her face twisted in fury. Two members of the Ghost Burial Squad lay on the ground, clutching their chests, writhing in pain.
I recognized her immediately—Damian's senior, Maya Monroe. The last time we faced Yin Choujian, she was there. Back then, she was elegant and beautiful, poised and confident. Now, her face was drawn and haggard.
"Where is Ethan Zhang? Get out here!"
Maya Monroe barked the order as soon as she entered. Then, spotting me on the bed, she charged straight over. Chief Stone, grinning, stepped in front of her to block her path.
"Miss Monroe, what's the matter? No need to get angry."
"Move. This has nothing to do with your Ghost Burial Squad."
Hugh Thompson strode over, glaring at Maya Monroe.
"It was Damian who started this, wasn't it? Miss, this is a hospital—do you really want to cause trouble here?" Hugh had barely finished when a dozen Ghost Burial Squad members burst into the room.
"Get out, you trash. I'm here for Ethan Zhang, not any of you. Move!"
Suddenly, Maya Monroe's hair rose, strand by strand, floating in the air. A chilling aura swept through the room, and the temperature dropped sharply.
"Hmph. If you dare lay a hand on Ethan Zhang, the entire Ghost Burial Squad won't go easy on you."
One of them shouted, and the rest of the Ghost Burial Squad looked ready to rush in at any moment.
"Enough!" Chief Stone suddenly roared, and just like that, the chaos subsided.
"Miss Monroe, you should go check on your junior. He's in real danger, just as we told you before. It was your junior who started trouble with Ethan Zhang, and then he was ambushed by a Blue Wraith."
Maya Monroe's face flickered with anger and uncertainty. She shot me a vicious glare, her hair slowly settling back down before she spun around and rushed out of my hospital room.
"Sigh, dealing with the Nether Syndicate is never easy. All right, Hugh, and the rest of you—don't be so quick to throw punches. Do you really think you can win against them? Look at yourselves! It's not just ghost incidents causing damage this year. How many fights and brawls have you gotten into? Damn it, you're police officers, not thugs."
Stone's harsh scolding made me laugh.
But as soon as I laughed, pain shot through my wounds. Still, it wasn't as bad as I'd expected. Later, I devoured a meal, and when I raised my hand, flames flickered to life.
I later learned that Auntie Ghost had notified the Ghost Burial Squad ahead of time. She watched from the sidelines during my fight with Damian, and it was she who called the squad in. At first, Chief Stone got the call about my danger and, skeptical as he was, still led the team here himself.
I'm grateful to them—and to Auntie Ghost, too. She didn't wait for the squad; she brought Damian and me straight to the hospital.