Time passed, second by second. At 10:30, the light above the emergency room door went out.
The door creaked open. Supporting Rachel Lan, I hurried over as the doctor and nurses exited.
"Doctor, how is she?"
"Sir, you should go in and see for yourself. Sudden heart thrombosis—there's nothing more we can do."
"What? What do you mean...?"
I didn't finish my sentence. Rachel Lan began to tremble violently, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed. It was as if she'd been struck, collapsing weakly. I held her up and walked into the emergency room.
On the hospital bed, Mona Tong was already covered with a white sheet.
There had to be a way. There had to be. I searched my mind desperately.
"Rachel, you're here. Haha, I feel so much lighter now. Ethan Zhang, you brought me to the hospital, didn't you?"
Suddenly, we turned around and saw Mona Tong—her figure blurred—standing behind us with a cheerful look.
"Rachel, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"Why can we see her?" I wondered aloud. I remembered the blind old woman once told me that when someone dies, you can't see their soul right away.
"That time... Oh, your soul had left your body, your three souls weren't complete, so you couldn't see. But Mona... her time in the sun has ended."
"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Mona Tong came closer.
"Isn't there anything we can do?"
Rachel Lan stayed silent. Suddenly, her expression changed drastically as she looked around.
"The Hades Circle's agent for this area is coming."
"Ah..." Mona Tong cried out, staring blankly at herself.
"Rachel, what's happening to me? What's happening? Why can't I feel anything at all?"
Rachel Lan walked over and looked at Mona Tong.
"Don't be afraid, Mona. Don't be afraid."
Mona Tong reached out, but her hand passed right through Rachel Lan's body. She screamed again in terror.
Rachel wiped away her tears and pulled back the white cloth. Mona stepped closer, trembling.
"Is this... Is this me? Am I dead?"
Rachel Lan nodded.
"Rachel, I don't want to die. I don't!"
Mona broke down in tears.
Rachel had said the people from Hades Circle would be here soon. If they took the soul, Mona would have to report to the Underworld, and things would get complicated. I walked over and picked up Mona's body.
"Let's take her body back first. I'll find Blind Granny and the others, see if there's a way. Hold on to the body."
"It's useless, Ethan."
Rachel approached Mona.
"Mona, don't be afraid. I'll figure something out." With that, she pulled out the little purple clay gourd, took a martial stance, and began chanting under her breath.
"Ethan, the people from Hades Circle are already here. Try to stall them, please?"
I rushed out. Sure enough, at the stairwell, I saw a man around thirty, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, black sunglasses, and jeans.
"Hey, aren't you Old Wang?" In my panic, I ran over and grabbed him.
"Sir, I think you've got the wrong person." The man removed his sunglasses, revealing a scar beneath his eye.
"No, you are Old Wang! Hmph, pay back my money!" I clung to his shirt, reaching out my hand.
It was the only thing I could think of to stall him.
"Sir, let go. You've got the wrong person. If you don't, I'll get rough."
"Money! You owe me two thousand yuan, and it's been months!"