The car kept weaving through the city for nearly two hours. Finally, the blue disc in Rufina Howard’s hand began to glow with a faint blue light.
A whistle sounded. A traffic cop walked over. We were on an interchange, and Rufina Howard told me to stop the car, but vehicles kept crowding up behind us.
"Don’t go, Ethan. If we leave now, it’ll be much harder to find the Sunwater."
Seeing I was about to drive off, Rufina Howard shouted loudly.
The traffic cop came over. I quickly took out my police badge and told him there was a major case nearby, that I was in a hurry to handle it, and asked him to help me park the car in a nearby lot.
I handed the keys to the traffic cop, who was happy to help.
After Rufina Howard and I got out of the car, we walked into a wide alley flanked by residential houses. Rufina looked around suspiciously.
"Where exactly is it? The Sunwater you mentioned?"
Suddenly, I remembered—where would Rufina Howard look it up? She didn’t have a phone, and I’d checked her big backpack before. It only had Chinese and math exercises, nothing else.
"Right, how did you find out about it?"
"Stop talking."
Rufina Howard said, then suddenly started running. She was incredibly fast, so I hurried to follow. For someone so petite, it was surprising how quickly she could move.
"Swift..."
Rufina Howard spoke, her right hand forming a strange gesture. A faint blue glow appeared, and a long strip of talisman paper flew out, drifting forward, white and ethereal.
"Stay close, Ethan."
I responded and ran forward in big strides. The talisman paper floated over the tall wall to the right. I was stunned—there was no way in here, so how could we get through?
"South Wind Spirit, rise..."
Suddenly, a strong wind whipped up. I saw Rufina Howard leap into the air and clear the tall wall in a single bound.
"Ethan, hurry up!" came a shout from inside the wall.
I looked around, rolled up my sleeves. Just then, a motorcycle approached. I rushed over, stopped the rider, flashed my badge, and he parked the bike by the wall. Standing on tiptoe, I finally grabbed the top of the wall and climbed over.
"Where is everyone?"
Standing on top of the high wall, I scanned the area. This was a compound with shops in the front and residences in the back—a small courtyard with only one main road. But Rufina Howard was nowhere to be seen.
"Rufina Howard!" I called out loudly, sitting astride the wall, but there was no response. With no other option, I jumped down.
With a thud, I rolled on the ground and got to my feet. Luckily, my physical condition had been improving lately; otherwise, with a wall over two meters high, I would've been in trouble before. Now, my body reacts instinctively.
Suddenly, a chorus of chirping filled the air. I looked up and was stunned—this wasn't an apartment courtyard at all. There was a big banyan tree, a small tiled house, and a shriveled old man with white hair and beard, holding a birdcage covered in black cloth. The bird sounds came from inside.
Looking around, I was even more surprised. The surroundings were pitch black—there was nothing but this little courtyard.
"Young lady, you're quite special. The one who came in earlier is also very special, hehe."
The old man held up two fingers, pinching the white Spirit Scroll Rufina Howard had just released.
"Grandpa, do you have Sunwater here? We need it urgently to save someone. Could you spare us a little?"
"Hehe, it's not impossible. But here, catch—kid."
Just as the shriveled old man finished speaking, I yelped—"Ouch!"—as a broom struck my head. I stared at him in surprise.
"What are you standing there for, kid? If you want something from me, you have to pay a price. Clean up this courtyard."
I gave an 'oh' in reply, picked up the broom, and started sweeping the fallen leaves on the ground. But then I wondered—wait, is this old man human or ghost?
"Ethan, this grandpa is human."
Rufina Howard said, and somehow, she was holding a rag. With a creak, the door of the small tiled house opened.
"Young lady, go ahead and wipe down the inside of the house."
I smiled and started sweeping. Cleaning is my specialty—after all, I've been a cleaner for over two years. I take it seriously. These days, even cleaners need to know how to find clients, but I'm not good at that. Still, there's a reason the company hasn't fired me.
"Oh, not bad, kid. You work hard and take things seriously. Good job."
I smiled and kept sweeping. Because I was so thorough, whenever our team went out, I always took on the toughest cleaning jobs. Unlike the others, I didn't have any special skills, but after I cleaned, the owners always praised me. I enjoyed more than two years of peace.
Finally, after I finished, the shriveled old man nodded in satisfaction.