I leaned against the car window, staring outside. The fog was thick. I opened the window and called out a few times, but no one responded.
I held up the Octagram Mirror, stretched it out, checking up, down, left, and right. Staring at its surface, nothing seemed abnormal. Then I shifted, planning to get out of the car—suddenly, a pair of withered, branch-like hands blocked my way.
I jumped in fright and looked over—it was that zombie, Xiao Hei. His pair of red eyes stared at me, as if he didn't want me to get out of the car.
"You want me to stay inside?"
Xiao Hei's outstretched hands waved up and down. I shut the car door.
I waited anxiously. Rachel Lan and Yuna Ji still hadn't returned. Outside, everything was a white blur. I wondered if I was being haunted again.
Suddenly, it seemed to get windy outside. I saw the white fog drifting away to both sides.
A short, slightly frail figure kept running, as if fleeing from something.
I rubbed my eyes. That figure looked familiar. The figure stopped, turned around—and I was stunned. It was me as a child, eyes filled with terror, staring off into the distance.
In the thin mist, a small valley gradually appeared, along with a burning town. The sounds of crying and shouting kept coming from the town. Then, my younger self turned, screamed, and started running.
Then, the fog gathered again, like the curtain in a theater, suddenly drawing open once more.
The scene changed to dusk. I was about ten years old, playing in a yard with a little girl. On a tree, a shadowy ghost squatted, its eyes fixed on the girl.
"Who is it?"
I shouted toward the window outside.
Immediately, the thick fog closed in again. The next scene showed me in my first year of high school, standing at the edge of a grove. Inside, I heard a girl's cries for help. Frightened, I turned away, pretending nothing happened.
With a click, I opened the car door and stepped out, glaring fiercely at my surroundings. Though I was in pain, I knew something was here.
The sound of clapping echoed from the fog.
Suddenly, a ball of black flame ignited in the mist and drifted over.
A figure gradually appeared before me.
"Ethan Zhang, what's wrong? Having your wounds exposed—doesn't feel good, does it?"
A face I absolutely loathed, a voice that made me cringe—it was Redmane, the red-haired ghost. A lock of hair covered his right forehead as he grinned wickedly. He extended a finger, and with a whoosh, a small ball of black flame appeared.
Instantly, I felt a wave of nausea. That small ball of black flame looked incredibly evil.
"What do you want?" I asked, but I wasn't afraid of him, even though I knew how dangerous he was.
Redmane covered his forehead and laughed.
"Relax, I'm not here to make trouble for you this time. Back in the city, because of John Chou, I couldn't meet you alone, so I had to wait until you came out. I followed you all the way here!"
I took a few steps back. This ghost was especially treacherous, and I really didn't want to talk to him.
Redmane stepped up to me, holding his finger with the black flame right in front of my eyes.
"What's this?"
"The flame of malice," Redmane said, waving his finger in front of my eyes.
Suddenly, my head buzzed, and my heart grew restless.
"People are foolish and vicious. With just a little temptation, they can become excellent pawns. What do you think?"
"What exactly do you want?"
Redmane reached out and patted my shoulder.
"Ethan Zhang, I actually feel sorry for you. Unlike John Chou, you could see ghosts since childhood and had no choice but to run away and pretend not to see them. That's just human nature, isn't it?"
Suddenly, I felt a strange warmth from what Redmane said.
"And you know, John Chou has saved you several times. Have you ever wondered why?"
I widened my eyes. Honestly, I had never thought about it, because now, deep down, I truly trust John Chou.
'
"And Yuna Ji—she's not helping you for no reason. You've never wondered why, have you? And neither of them have ever asked you to repay them, right?"
I was stunned, remembering Yuna Ji's hesitant look when she mentioned the soup she gave me.
"What do you mean by all this?"
Redmane patted my shoulder.
"I'll be honest with you, friend. The two of them—one's bloodthirsty and scheming, the other's..."
"Bullshit, Redmane, you bastard!"
Yuna Ji's voice rang out. Suddenly, she appeared before me, looking like a young woman in her twenties, glaring angrily at Redmane.
"Oh, I wasn't making things up, Yuna Ji. What's the matter?"
"Nonsense! No matter what, John Chou is way nicer than you. Ethan, don't listen to him. His specialty is manipulating people's hearts and sowing discord."
I snapped out of it and clenched my fists.
Redmane stepped back, putting on a helpless face.
"Don't get worked up, Yuna Ji. I'm not here to cause trouble today. You don't really enjoy being bossed around by John Chou, do you?"
Yuna Ji fell silent and crouched down.
"Redmane, I still remember you kicking me the other day. Want to try again now?"
"Enough, Yuna Ji. You probably don't even have a tenth of your old strength left. How are you going to fight me?"
Yuna Ji laughed, reached out, and suddenly, a white jade-like stone appeared in her palm.
"Netherstone?"
I saw Redmane's expression change—he looked surprised.
"I may not have even a tenth of my old strength, but if it really comes to a fight, I'm not afraid of you. Last time, I didn't have the Netherstone. This time is different. Get lost before I lose my temper."
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"I surrender, I surrender, Yuna Ji, don't get worked up. Haven't you noticed? This isn't even my real body."
Yuna Ji stood up and stared blankly. I glanced around, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
"A body of malice?"
Yuna Ji spat out a few words and put away the Netherstone. Suddenly, she screamed. I turned my head and saw her being dragged by something into the fog.
"Just stay put, Yuna Ji. I'm not here for you today."
Redmane approached me as I clenched my fists, trying to summon Deathbane Aura.
"Hey, friend, you'd better not use Deathbane Aura, or you'll start bleeding from every orifice."
Redmane pressed down on my hand, and I relaxed my fist. In front of him, I was powerless—resistance was useless.
"Good. You'd better think about what I just said. What John Chou wants you to do is no ordinary task."
"I don't need you to tell me," I replied firmly.
Suddenly, Redmane grabbed my mouth and forced it open, shoving the ball of black flame inside.
I coughed violently, clutching my chest and staring at him wide-eyed.
"What did you just make me eat?"
"Don't worry, friend, it won't harm you. Someday, it might even help you. You'll see when the time comes."
With those words, Redmane gradually faded away.
"Ethan Zhang, you'd better think carefully. If you stick with John Chou, you might regret it someday—especially when he regains his true self and becomes the Bloodbane Ghost Sovereign again."
Redmane's voice echoed faintly through the mist, and then the white fog began to clear.
"Ethan, are you okay?" Yuna Ji rushed over. Then I saw Rachel Lan lying just ahead of the car.
I hurried over to her. Her breathing was steady, and she seemed fine.
Back in the car, it was already 2 a.m. Rachel Lan still hadn't woken up. I laid her in the back seat while Yuna Ji looked at me gently.
"What's... wrong?"
"Ethan, don't trust that guy, no matter what he says..."
"No matter what he says, I won't believe him. You and John Chou are my... friends. I trust you both."
Then Rachel Lan woke up, and the car started moving again. We still had over a thousand kilometers to go to reach the place Yuna Ji mentioned.
Along the way, I would occasionally wake up from pain. Rachel Lan hardly rested at all. After three or four days, she had dark circles under her eyes.
It was noon. We had just left the city that morning and were driving on a muddy road. The car jolted violently, and with the rain, Rachel Lan drove slowly.
The road was slick and full of potholes. Suddenly, the road ended—a sign ahead read: No Entry. Danger.
I looked around. Before us was a vast expanse of hills, all bare. There were hardly any trees on the mountains, and mud flowed down the slopes, with rocks tumbling along.
The road ahead was broken off, the surface sunken down.
"Let's wait for the rain to stop," Yuna Ji said, staring blankly ahead.
I grew worried. If a landslide hit, wouldn't we be buried?
"To reach Xieyin Mountain, we need to travel for a whole day and night. But first, there's a town up ahead. Remember, whatever anyone asks you to buy, just pay for it without question."
I let out a cry.
"Why?"
"Exile Town—the town ahead—used to be a place of banishment. It was all barren hills and badlands, and criminals were sent here. Once inside, no matter what you see, don't be surprised. Just act like you don't know anything."
Yuna Ji's expression changed, turning serious.
"Also remember, in this town, people and ghosts mix together. I don't want any trouble—especially from you, young lady. Don't cause any trouble. We're here to find medicine."
Rachel Lan nodded.