"I'm hungry. Buy me a meal, will you? Son-in-law."
"Enough." I looked at Old Moe with resentment and yelled.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop joking around. I'm really hungry."
I sighed, glanced around, and found a shop that was still open, though nearly closing. When the owner saw me bringing in a beggar, his face twisted with disgust. But once I handed him a few bills, he greeted us with a smile.
"Bring me a pot of wine."
Old Moe called out. I could barely stand the smell coming from him, but luckily it was masked by the aroma of barbecue.
"Old Moe, couldn't you clean up a bit?"
"Ethan, what do I look like to you?"
I looked him up and down, inspecting carefully.
"A... beggar..."
"Wrong. I'm a professional beggar."
I coughed, nearly choking on my saliva at his words.
"Ethan, you have no idea. I've been a beggar for so many years, and I've learned a lot. Want me to teach you some survival skills? As a professional beggar, you never know when you might need them!"
I raised my hand, gritting my teeth.
"Old Moe, can you be normal for once? Miss Lan already chased after you. You saw it too—such a huge wound. Miss Ouyang isn't an ordinary person. What if..."
"Alright, alright, Ethan. Young people shouldn't be so impatient. It'll be fine. Let me eat a chicken wing first."
I kept dry heaving, trying to hold back. Old Moe ate while licking his fingers, which were pitch black. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
"Old Moe, could you please wash your hands?"
"Hey, Ethan, look at me. All these years as a beggar, I've had meals few and far between. And the things I've eaten... sigh..."
"Just spit it out, already."
"Only Rachel and that little girl Vivian Ouyang would never be harmed. But now, for certain reasons, their fate together probably ends here."
"By the way, Old Moe, last time—was it you who found Lord Shenyan and got him to ask that god, Lord Shenyan, to save Rachel?"
Old Moe nodded, glancing at me.
"Don't ask too much. Even if you do, I won't tell. Just be careful—John Chou is no ordinary guy. He's cunning. Watch out for him."
"I know that without you telling me," I blurted. He never tells me anything anyway.
"Didn't the Ghost Burial Squad get something tonight?"
I let out a surprised sound.
"You know about that too?"
"Be careful. That thing was released by the Ghost Syndicate. I noticed their movements months ago. And the Nether Syndicate, these past months, has turned a blind eye to ghost-related matters—especially this time. You fought that Iron Mask for so long, but the Nether Syndicate did nothing. Doesn't that seem odd?"
I thought about it. When I got there, Officer Shi said the Nether Syndicate had been notified, but after hours, no one showed. Even when it was all over, still no sign of them.
"The thing released by the Ghost Syndicate isn't easy to catch. Do you really think it was that simple?"
I then recounted to Old Moe how we caught the Iron Mask. He remained skeptical.
"Heh, if I'd gone, I would've killed that Iron Mask in a couple of moves."
I shot Old Moe a sideways glance.
"Hey, Ethan, don't doubt me. I'm strong, at least..." Old Moe trailed off, not finishing his sentence.
Then my phone rang. It was Rachel Lan calling.
"Ethan, Ethan, Vivian's gone! I can't find her." Her sobs echoed through the phone. I told her to wait for me at the parking lot and hung up.
"Ethan, listen. You can enter dreams, and that Iron Mask has probably seen you too. The future is already twisted. In the coming days, keep a close eye on Rachel. Best move her directly into your apartment—it's at least safer there."
"Why?"
"You still don't know?"
I let out a surprised sound.
"That area is now John Chou's territory. Two Ghost Sovereigns are inside. Normally, not just monks or exorcists—even wandering ghosts wouldn't dare approach. So of course it's safe."
"Don't they want to take down John Chou?"
"Now, going after John Chou and Yuna Ji would come at a terrible cost. No one wants to start a pointless war. And those two ghosts are following the rules. Right now, everyone in the supernatural world knows your name, Ethan Zhang."
After leaving Old Moe, I sprinted all the way to the parking lot. Rachel Lan was still quietly sobbing.
I kept trying to comfort her. Suddenly, I glanced at her lips, remembering what Old Moe had taught me, and quickly shook my head to clear it.
"Don't cry, Miss Lan. Let's just go back, alright? Come to my place. I'll ask John Chou for help—maybe he knows something."
Rachel Lan nodded. I was exhausted too. After getting in the car, I took the wheel, while Rachel looked completely lost.
Around 6 a.m., we returned to the apartment building. Inside, singing echoed—Samantha Simons was singing, her voice full of ancient charm and melody. John Chou sat in the pavilion, quietly enjoying it.
"Good, good!" Yuna Ji kept clapping, while three other female ghosts busied themselves cleaning the courtyard.
"Brother, you're back."
I walked over.
"Yuna Ji, do you know anything about Vivian Ouyang? Can you tell me?"
Yuna Ji just smiled.
"Oh, Ethan, what are you talking about? How would I know? I've only met that girl a few times."
Rachel Lan pleaded desperately.
"Please, help me. Find Vivian for me."
John Chou stood up.
"Go wash up and get some sleep, little girl." Then he walked over to Rachel Lan, leaning in close.
"Why should we help you find someone? Besides, what difference does it make if we do or don't? Stop dragging Ethan Zhang into trouble, or else..." John Chou said, grabbing Rachel Lan's chin.
"Damn it, John Chou, what are you doing?" I walked over and glared at him.
"Alright, alright, John Chou, why are you so harsh with women?"
"Shut up, bitch."
John Chou shouted, then started laughing.
"It's not that I can't help, but this time, you two need to do me a little favor."
"You..." I pointed at him.
"Hey, brother, as a friend, I'm officially asking for your help."
Yuna Ji watched John Chou with a knowing smile, as if she understood something.
"Alright, what is it?"
"I know this—the Ghost Burial Squad's headquarters has something inside. I want you two to work together and steal it for me."
"What?" I widened my eyes and muttered.
"Steal? This..."
"I'll do it." Rachel Lan agreed without hesitation. John Chou smiled.
"Brother, look at her—she's braver than you. Why are you so hesitant?"
I let out a sound and nodded.
"The Ghost Burial Squad has existed for centuries. Little girl, you've seen their headquarters, right?"
Rachel Lan nodded.
"Even though I'm asking you to steal, just the two of you can't handle all the people in the Ghost Burial Squad. I only need you to destroy the Voidlock Barrier."
Rachel's eyes widened in shock.
"What's that?"