Hugh Thompson and I drove to the hospital where Lily Qian had disappeared. On the way, Hugh urgently called the police station to mobilize officers and retrieve surveillance footage from around the hospital.
"I hope we can find Lily Qian. Something about this feels off."
I muttered, and it was true—the whole situation was bizarre. Even the methods used by that female ghost were strange, especially why she returned the four missing students.
"It's the dirt..."
Suddenly, Hugh Thompson muttered something. I looked at him in confusion.
"Those students, after they came back, showed two obvious signs. First, they were extremely fatigued—some of them had blisters on their hands. Second, they were covered in dirt. The results came in this morning: that dirt was from underground, confirmed without a doubt."
"So, you're saying they went underground?"
Hugh Thompson shook his head.
"Not necessarily. I suspect they were used as labor, forced to dig something up—like corpses. One student's dirt even contained trace elements of bone."
Our car stopped at the Thirteenth People's Hospital. As soon as we entered, my teacher, Mr. Qian, and his wife, Mrs. Lisa Lee, were crying out in anguish.
We then checked the surveillance footage. It showed Lily Qian still hooked up to a ventilator, but then she suddenly got up, her eyes vacant, dressed in a hospital gown, and walked out of the room. This happened around 6 p.m., when her parents had gone out for dinner.
"She must have left on foot."
Hugh Thompson said, pulling out his phone and making call after call. After we got back in the car, we slowly drove along the direct route from the hospital to the school.
When we reached Fifth Avenue, Hugh Thompson received news—Lily Qian had been spotted on Market Street nearby, according to surveillance footage.
We followed Fifth Avenue and quickly arrived near Market Street, where police were already helping to search for Lily Qian. The street was crowded. Surveillance confirmed that Lily Qian had entered the street, but she never came out.
I moved quickly through the street, weaving around pedestrians, but it was no use—I couldn't find any trace of Lily Qian. There was only one road, not even an alley.
Just then, I felt a chill above me. Looking up, I instinctively dodged—bang! A flowerpot crashed at my feet. It was Lily Qian, staring coldly at me from the third floor of the shop right in front of me.
Immediately, the crowd gathered around. Without hesitation, I rushed into the shop and up to the rooftop, where clothes were hanging to dry. I called out several times.
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through. Several pieces of clothing flew into my face. I heard a whooshing sound, then something struck my chest. I cried out in pain.
"Ah...!" Lily Qian screamed.
"Qingyuan, are you okay?"
It was Hugh Thompson. After I pulled the clothes off my head, I saw that Hugh had already cuffed Lily Qian and pinned her to the ground.
"Let me go, let me go..." Lily Qian glared at us with hatred.
Rubbing my chest, I lifted my shirt—there was a large red mark. I'd just been hit by a bamboo pole.
"I know you're not Lily Qian. Tell us what you really want. If you cooperate, and you want revenge, we can help you."
"Accompany..." Lily Qian muttered, struggling.
"Looks like out here, your only power is controlling this girl, isn't it, Helen Chen?"
Hugh Thompson said this, and Lily Qian suddenly burst out laughing—loud, almost manic laughter.
"You know, life is like a series of choices. One wrong move, and you fall into an abyss. Heh, you wouldn't understand. You'd better let Lily Qian go, or those 23 members of your Ghost Burial Squad—I can't promise they'll all come back in one piece."
"Damn it!" I yelled.
"If you want to kill them, go ahead. Those guys were prepared for it long ago. But as for Lily Qian, we're not letting her go."
I glanced at Hugh Thompson, who gave me a meaningful look.
"Let me go..." Lily Qian's face twisted with rage as she glared and struggled violently.
"Why are you so obsessed? If you hand it over to us, we can help you get revenge..."
As soon as I finished speaking, Lily Qian laughed.
"The human heart is the scariest thing in the world. I heard that the Ghost Burial Squad seals away the ghosts they can't resolve—forever. Heh."
Suddenly, Hugh Thompson's expression changed.
"You're just a ghost who died a few decades ago. How do you know so much? Who told you about the Ghost Burial Squad?"
Suddenly, Lily Qian fell silent.
Then she locked eyes with me. I looked back, and suddenly an image flashed in my mind: Rachel Lan, bound by a red rope, with a stone cliff behind her, tied to a natural stone pillar.
"Don't you care if this little girl lives or dies? Because I'm going to eat her,"
"You." I pointed at Lily Qian, the influence in my mind fading away.
"What happened, Ethan?" Hugh Thompson looked at me.
"Rachel Lan caught her." I clenched my fists.
"How about this? Money for the girl, deal?"
Hugh Thompson said.
Lily Qian's eyes widened as she stared at me.
"You, personally bring Lily Qian here. Tomorrow night, I'll let you know." After saying this, Lily Qian collapsed into unconsciousness.
"Someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes," Hugh Thompson said immediately. I nodded.
At the school, after meeting up with Chief Stone, we went straight to the principal's residence.
"Officer, is something wrong?"
Before Principal Roy Chen could finish, Hugh Thompson grabbed his collar and landed several punches on his cheek.
"Hmph. We're arresting you for murder. You'll spend the rest of your life behind bars!"
Suddenly, Principal Roy Chen's eyes widened. He feigned innocence, looking at us with confusion.
"Hugh, don't be so hasty. Principal, may I ask, what is your relationship with Helen Chen?"
"Is it you who's helping her in this school?"
I asked. Principal Roy Chen still refused to confess, but from his slightly panicked eyes, we sensed something.
"I don't know what you're talking about." As expected, Principal Roy Chen immediately retorted.
I walked over and squatted down in front of Principal Roy Chen.
"I saw it. Thirteen years ago, you were reluctant, weren't you? Helping her again, reaching out to the students. Do you really want this to continue? So many have already died. She's no longer the wronged Helen Chen you once knew—she's become a vengeful ghost."
After I finished, Principal Roy Chen shook his head stubbornly.
"You're about to be promoted soon, aren't you?" Hugh Thompson suddenly said.
Principal Roy Chen stared at him in terror.
"If the Ghost Burial Squad discovers anyone cooperating with ghosts, regardless of who they are or what evidence exists, we will arrest them and send them to a special prison." Hugh Thompson squatted down, glanced at me, and smiled.
"Principal, with your record, you should have been promoted to Director of Education years ago. But for so many years, you've refused the transfer. I suspect it's because of Helen Chen—she needs you to help her. But now, things are ending, and you've accepted a transfer order. How about we make a deal?"
I looked at Hugh Thompson in surprise, recalling what he'd said about mutual benefit between humans and ghosts. Chief Stone seemed to notice my thoughts.
"Brother Zhang, your situation is special. As long as you don't disrupt social order, it's fine."
"What do you want? Threats won't work on me," Principal Roy Chen snapped.
"Just help us resolve this, and we won't bother you again. How's that? Good offer, right?"
"I refuse," Principal Roy Chen shouted.
"Fine then, Principal. Tonight, you'll spend the night at the police station." The door opened, and two Ghost Burial Squad members entered, cuffed Principal Roy Chen, and prepared to take him away.
"This is an abuse of power! I'll sue you! You have no evidence, no evidence..."
"Gag him," Hugh Thompson ordered. Principal Roy Chen's mouth was quickly covered, and Hugh Thompson gave him a cold stare.
"People like you are the ones I hate most—more than any vengeful ghost."
Principal Roy Chen whimpered as he was taken away.
Chief Stone scratched his head.
"Sigh, this is going to be a big deal. It's getting troublesome."
"Old Stone, good thing you didn't get arrested. Otherwise, your old bones would've fallen apart by now."
Hugh Thompson and Chief Stone joked around.
"Aren't you worried about the others?"
I asked.
"Brother Zhang, worrying won't help. We can only wait for tomorrow night. Howard Lee should be discharged tomorrow, he'll come over. Let him accompany you when you take Lily Qian."
I nodded.
Hugh Thompson's smile faded.
"This time, our most troublesome opponent may not be a ghost, but a human," Hugh Thompson said. The three of us left the principal's house, planning to rest first.
"By the way, Ethan, don't go soft again this time." On the way to the lodging, Hugh Thompson reminded me.
I nodded.
"I won't. She's become a full vengeful ghost. I can feel it—she's a ghost, I'm human. The dead students deserve answers."
"By the way, what did you mean earlier about our opponent being human?"
Hugh Thompson smiled.
"It's a city official, very close to Principal Roy Chen. I fear that twenty-five years ago, the records of Chenshire were altered through that official. There's some secret there, and the two seem to have a tacit understanding."
I looked at him in confusion.
"Today, a transfer order came down. Old Stone is getting promoted—he's going to work for the government."
I let out an 'ah' and looked at Hugh Thompson.