The couple lived nearby: the husband, George Guo, and the wife, Jenny Wu. Newlyweds of three years, they had only recently moved into the High-Tech District. But just two months after settling in, something terrible happened.
We walked along the road for a while and arrived at a residential complex called Pinnacle Residence. It was newly built, with six elevator buildings, each rising 27 stories high in a garden-like setting.
Once inside, we headed straight for Building 1. We’d already called ahead, and George Guo, hearing we were on our way, could barely contain his anxiety, urging us to come quickly.
At the entrance to the elevator building, we saw a man—about thirty, with a haggard face, wearing a plaid shirt. His hair and beard hadn’t been groomed for days. When he saw us, he was puzzled for a moment.
"Hello, Mr. Guo. We’re special police officers. May we come up and take a look?"
It was as if he’d seen his saviors. George Guo quickly explained how his wife, Jenny Wu, used to be gentle and kind, but everything changed one night two weeks ago. She started acting insane—scratching and biting him. He lifted his shirt, revealing bruises and scars on his back, chest, and thighs. Most shocking was a large bruise on his neck.
"What happened to your neck?"
George Guo looked at me in surprise. Rachel Lan shook her head at me, and as the elevator took us to the eighth floor, she quietly explained that the bruise was caused by a ghost—ordinary people couldn’t see it.
"Ethan, you’re so clueless. Don’t you know? Bruises left by ghosts aren’t just blue—they’re tinged with black." Lily Qian said.
I responded with a simple 'Oh,' thinking to myself that since this was an internship, I’d mostly observe. Unless things got critical, I’d let Lily Qian and Claire Zhang take the lead.
Along the way, Lily Qian peppered me with all sorts of questions, but I could barely answer any of them. Thankfully, Rachel Lan was there, patiently explaining everything.
"Ethan, how come you don't know anything?"
I gave an awkward smile.
"Yeah, when I get the chance, I might as well spend some time learning with the Ghost Burial Squad."
Laughter filled the van, and even Claire Zhang, who rarely smiled, let a grin slip. Just then, Rachel Lan began telling a story from her middle school days.
Back then, Rachel Lan had no way to defend herself against ghosts. She encountered a ghost in white, and once it realized Rachel could see it, it would pop out to scare her every so often, clinging to her like a shadow.
"That's awful! What happened next, Rachel?"
"With ghosts, the more fear you show, the more they latch onto you. Eventually, I couldn't stand it anymore and fought back. To my surprise, I could actually hit it—so I chased it for two blocks, and after that, it never dared to mess with me again."
I burst out laughing. The four of us chatted and joked the whole way, and before we knew it, midnight had arrived. We entered the High-Tech District—a newly developed urban area with sparse crowds. After grabbing a meal at a restaurant, we drove on, following the address to Northpeace Road.
Northpeace Road was the main artery of the High-Tech District, with eight lanes and broad sidewalks on either side. Most storefronts were still vacant, only a handful lit up with signs of life. We found a right turn, drove in, and after a bit, parked the car.