"That's enough, Wayne," I said, lying flat on the ground. Wayne Harris stood beside me, cane raised. Green lines still threaded through my nose and mouth. I felt nothing, but the sight made my heart race.
"You brat, do you know what kind of trouble you're in? Your organs are failing. If I hadn't intervened, you'd be bleeding from every orifice—dead by now."
I forced a skeptical smile.
Chief Stone was directing the rescue effort. Medical staff were everywhere. John Chou squatted leisurely in front of Helen Chen. I glared at him.
Michael Chen kidnapped that 21-year-old college student the night Richard Li was there. With witnesses present, we couldn't immediately confirm if Richard Li, the Construction Department chief, was actually Michael Chen.
John Chou provided the alibi for Michael Chen. That night, he made Sophie Su look like Michael Chen, keeping her at home. Later, Michael Chen escaped with John Chou's help after being wounded.
Last night, Hugh Thompson was suspicious. The area was surrounded, yet Michael Chen managed to escape silently. Everything he did was intentional, making sure we found him.
"Brother, this is for you," John Chou said, tossing me a sheet covered in tiny writing. He slipped another into Helen Chen's pocket.
John Chou did this so I could experience firsthand how the Immortality Society uses baleful energy. Unlike the overflow, it's internalized—injecting it to strengthen the body. My own body couldn't handle it; a slip, and my organs would rupture.
"Sorry, brother. I didn't expect another Immortality Society member to show up this time. It's really dangerous for you guys—especially since Derek White, the Blue Wraith, is also here."
"Liar! No one would believe you—you're too damn sinister, John Chou! Damn it!"
I spat the words out viciously as John Chou strode over, laughing loudly.
"You still need to grow, brother. With your current skills, any one of those three could wipe the floor with you."
I lowered my head, clenched my fists, and sighed. I glanced again at the corpses of Michael Chen and Principal Roy Chen, now covered with blue cloth. Waves of grief welled up from deep inside me—especially for Michael Chen. I remembered the look in his eyes, the gaze of someone who longed for death.
I unfolded the paper John Chou had handed me. It was written by Michael Chen.
"Ethan Zhang, if you're reading this letter, I'm already dead. I'm so tired. For so much of my life, I'm sorry for everything before. I noticed you when you started investigating the missing student case. Back then, I discussed with Roy whether we should be honest with you. I'm sorry I didn't trust you at first. It's hard for people to truly trust each other, especially given the dangerous things Roy and I have done. There are enemies around you..."
At that moment, I looked up, scanning the faces of the Ghost Burial Squad. I couldn't help but wonder—who was the enemy? Glancing at the ghosts in the building, fear tightened inside me.
"Oh, Ethan, don't look at us like that. We may be ghosts, but we're much simpler than people most of the time. Besides, everyone here is your friend—especially those two Ghost Lords in your yard. They'd never bow to humans."
Wayne Harris spoke, letting out a sigh.
"Sorry, Mr. Wayne."
"Ethan, don't worry. It's alright. Come see me often—I may be blind, but I can still see with my heart. I know when you're hurting inside."
I looked down at the paper again.
"Roy and I have spent over twenty years investigating the Immortality Society. Ethan Zhang, we're both bad people—you probably think so too. Rotten to the core. Even now, I still hope for forgiveness. Sorry, I'm rambling. What I need to tell you is about the Immortality Society. First, the Thirteen Tribulations Ritual..."
The so-called Thirteen Tribulations Ritual was developed from the Mount Mason Order's fortune-altering techniques. Every person must endure thirteen tribulations from birth to death, whether good or bad. Half a century ago, the Immortality Society began collaborating with the Mount Mason Order to research this ritual.
After completing the first step, you must find twelve others with similar fates and elemental alignments. They must obey you. First, they change their names to match yours exactly, then drink a special talisman water. This completes half the ritual.
Those twelve people's fortunes will shift from good luck to misfortune. The final, crucial step: the one seeking to escape the thirteen tribulations must personally oversee the process. When all thirteen people have endured 168 tribulations, the ritualist fakes their death using a special method—requiring the fresh blood of all thirteen.
Not everyone can survive this final ordeal. But if you escape the punishment of fate, you can safely pass through the Thirteen Tribulations, and your body will no longer succumb to them.
The letter was long. By this point, all I could think was—the people in the Immortality Society... no, those things aren't even human.
"Seven years ago, I was promoted to a cadre in the Immortality Society. I wanted to reach the core and expose everything. But if you fail, every lower member will be watched. The Ghost Syndicate provides special ghosts to monitor them. If your ghost leaves you, it means you've lost your status."
I remembered—there really was a pitch-black ghost inside Michael Chen. He simply said, 'It's time.'
According to the letter, the Immortality Society has a vast and complex structure. They use masks to indicate rank—the ordinary white mask is the lowest, like a field agent. They have some rights and duties, mainly to earn money for the Society.
Next up is the black mask, with the word 'life' written on it. The black-masked ones are mid-level, like the intermediary I met before. They handle tasks from above and direct those below.
Above that are the red masks—on the left, 'life'; on the right, 'eternity.'
"Ethan Zhang, remember—if you ever encounter someone with a red mask, run. I've only met one, but they're truly beyond human."
By the end, my heart thudded. Members of the Immortality Society communicate through special ghosts inside their bodies—the Ghost Syndicate makes these ghosts impossible to catch. If danger arises, they'll choose suicide without hesitation. It's rumored that there are even higher ranks with blue masks. Michael Chen had only heard of them, never seen one.
I folded up the letter. Hugh Thompson walked over, arms crossed, and smiled.
"Ethan, what's written on there?"
I made a noncommittal sound, planning to let him read it, but at the last second, I pulled it back.
"When there's time, I'll gather everyone and share what's in the letter."
"Let me see," Hugh Thompson said. I shook my head.
"Come on, let me see," Hugh Thompson insisted. I shook my head.
At the end of the letter, Michael Chen kept warning me—after I read it, I should burn it and never show it to anyone else. There are enemies around me.
"Alright, Ethan. Rest up and come see the Ghost Burial Squad in a few days."
I nodded.
"Heh, people are clever nowadays. The world isn't what it used to be, Ethan. Back in my day, folks were honest—no fake medicine or fake liquor. Now, people will do anything for themselves. Even the Immortality Society, chasing immortality like the old emperors." Wayne Harris sighed.
Wayne Harris's teasing made me laugh.
"Ethan, are you alright?" Rachel Lan walked over, head lowered, looking at me.
"It's nothing. I'm already falling apart anyway. A bit more damage won't make a difference." I chuckled.
"You brat, stop tormenting yourself. You're still human, you know. If John Chou had been any later, your soul would've been shattered by that ghost girl—and not even the gods could save you then." Wayne Harris scolded.
"But I have you, don't I, Mr. Wayne?"
I said, and Wayne Harris laughed.
"That's right. Back in my day, they called me the miracle doctor—raising the dead. When I was alive, I treated people; now, I treat ghosts. I just hope that little girl doesn't lose her mind."
I glanced over—Helen Chen lay on the ground, and Howard Lee watched her with concern.
Suddenly, laughter rang out. I looked over—it was Jordan Huang, chatting and laughing with Chief Stone.
"Oh, Ethan, looks like I can join the Ghost Burial Squad now! The officer says I can be a mainstay—no need to trouble you anymore."
I let out a surprised sound.
"So I saved you, but lost my own job?"