Rachel Lan had been on the phone with Hugh Thompson for a long time. Meanwhile, I kept staring out the window, feeling as though a bucket of cold water had been dumped on my head, shocking me completely awake.
Now, I was even more certain that the incident at the photo studio, as well as what happened to George Guo, were closely tied to the Immortality Society. This time, they must have set up this whole scheme to threaten me.
Clenching my fists, I saw Lily Qian and Claire Zhang walk in. Lily was trembling all over, and although Claire tried to stay calm, fear still showed on her face.
All of this was far too cruel for them. On what was supposed to be a hopeful first day, something like this had happened.
Suddenly, I remembered the matter of a traitor in the Ghost Burial Squad. Could it be that someone tampered with the mission we were assigned this time?
I hurriedly grabbed the phone. For a moment, Hugh Thompson's face flashed through my mind, but I quickly shook my head—there was no way it could be him.
Once the call connected, I spoke.
“Hugh, why did they assign us to handle this case?”
I asked immediately.
“Anyone could have run into this. I checked the records—George Guo’s information was altered. After buying the house, this woman's husband, George Guo, died in an accident. The George Guo you saw was actually an Immortality Society impostor.”
“Ethan, this case assignment was personally decided by Old Eccentric. You’re not suspecting him, are you?”
My heart skipped a beat. I quickly shook my head, but deep down, I couldn’t help but recall how, just a few days ago, Old Eccentric had told me about the previous Ghost Burial Squad leader—stabbed through the heart and killed. At that moment, Old Eccentric’s face was filled with anger.
Hugh Thompson had already notified the local police station. Soon, sirens sounded downstairs. Jenny Wu’s body was handed over to the local police, and now, I couldn’t afford to lose my composure—I had to find a way to comfort the two girls.
Once the police arrived and we finished the handover, we left. I glanced back at everything inside the house, clenching my fists.
The Immortality Society’s warning felt like they were telling me not to hope for any chance to fight back. They could snuff out my hope at any moment. Today proved it—taking Lily Qian and Claire Zhang out for what should have been a promising internship, only to run into something like this.
“Ethan, you have to drag those bastards out into the light.”
Rachel Lan said firmly, and I nodded. No matter what happened, Rachel’s eyes never lost their brightness—always clear and determined.
We found a place to get drinks. Lily Qian’s hands were still shaking as she gripped her cup, and Claire Zhang looked pale.
“Have something to drink,” Rachel Lan suggested, but Lily Qian choked up and shook her head.
“Rachel, I can’t. I feel awful inside.”
As Lily Qian spoke, her eyes filled with tears, and my mind was in complete turmoil.
“Mr. Ethan Zhang, please tell me—was my father killed by one of those heartless murderers?”
Suddenly, Claire Zhang’s gaze turned cold again, the same icy look as before. Hatred poured out from her frail body.
I stared at Claire, unsure how to answer her.
“Ethan, some things have to be faced. Even if Sunny is still a child, there are things you can’t hide from her.”
In the end, I nodded. Claire’s eyes dimmed, sadness overtaking her. She had regained her bright eyes after witnessing her father’s reincarnation, but now they sank back into darkness.
Just then, Rachel Lan’s phone rang. She picked it up, and I saw an unfamiliar number. After answering, Rachel looked over at me.
“Ethan, there’s someone named Leo Lee asking for you.”
In an instant, anger surged up from my sides. I snatched the phone and roared.
“You bastards—what the hell do you want?”
“Don’t be so angry, Ethan Zhang. It was just a little joke—do you have to take it so seriously?”
Leo Lee sounded relaxed and carefree. My mind buzzed—killing an innocent person was nothing but a joke to them.
“Wasn’t she just a stranger to you? Why are you so angry? Heh, you won’t live long with that attitude, Ethan Zhang.”
I gripped the phone so hard the case creaked. Rage made my eyes bloodshot. Rachel Lan pressed down on my shoulder.
“Ethan, calm down. Don’t let them lead you by the nose.”
“What the hell do you want?”
I shouted, and everyone in the café turned to look. I quickly lowered my voice.
“Nothing in particular, Ethan Zhang. You refused the friendly offer, so now you get the punishment. This time, a stranger died. Next time, it could be someone close to you—maybe your wife, or those two naive girls. Who do you think will die first?”
In an instant, I put down the phone. Killing intent spilled out from me, spreading in all directions. I feared they might be watching me from somewhere.
“Don’t bother looking, Ethan Zhang. You’ll never find us.”
I clenched my teeth until they creaked. I could no longer suppress the rage burning inside me—I was on the verge of exploding.
“Alright, think carefully, Ethan Zhang. We’re not joking with you. Next time, maybe your adoptive parents will be the ones to die.”
“Bastard, damn it...”
Finally, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I shot to my feet.
“Hello, hello, Ethan Zhang, are you there? Ah, this is a phone, huh? My first time using one.”
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I swept the milk tea cups off the table. Just then, a relaxed voice stopped me—it was Lan Yin, speaking from the other end of the phone.
I stared in shock, and Rachel Lan heard it too—she immediately grabbed the phone.
“Where are you, Lan Yin?”
“Just a few hundred meters from you, in a fancy restaurant. Heh, I’ve caught myself a little piglet.”
“People from the Hades Circle, huh? You actually dare meddle in our affairs—reckless.”
“Oh no, I’m doomed—they’re going to kill me! Ethan Zhang, hurry up and get over here!”
Lan Yin shouted over the phone. We immediately tossed a hundred yuan on the table. Rachel Lan activated the signal device, telling Lily Qian and Claire Zhang to wait in the shop—members of the Ghost Burial Squad nearby would come soon.
This was a busy commercial area—even the Immortality Society wouldn’t dare make a move here.
Rachel Lan and I hurried through the streets. Soon, we arrived at a street where my Specter Web had already sensed Lan Yin’s location. Sure enough, I saw shattered glass on the upper floor of a luxury restaurant.
On the third floor, Rachel and I rushed to a doorway surrounded by a crowd. Everyone was talking about two people fighting inside—no one dared enter, and the police had already been called.
Rachel and I flashed our police credentials, cleared the crowd, and walked in. On the table, a feast was laid out. Lan Yin was holding a wine glass and gnawing on a chicken leg. Leo Lee—the Immortality Society man who tried to bribe me last time—was tightly bound by red silk, looking weak and unable to move.
“What’s wrong? You look so pale. Ah, granddaughter and grandson-in-law, it was just a little joke—how will you thank me, Ethan Zhang?”
I rushed over, fists raised, and punched Leo Lee hard in the face, bloodying him. I didn’t stop—my eyes were red, killing intent pouring out, my fists fueled by rage.
“Enough, Ethan.”
Rachel Lan grabbed me, then Lan Yin quickly got up and pulled me away.
“Let me go—I’ll kill him!”
I shouted, eyes red with rage.
Rachel Lan slapped me twice, snapping me back to my senses.
“What are you looking at? Get out!”
Rachel Lan yelled at the crowd gathered at the door, pointing and talking.
“Ethan, I know you’re furious, but don’t do this in public. If you want to kill him, wait until we’re back—deal with it then.”
With a thud, Lan Yin’s chicken leg dropped to the floor.
“You two, are you putting on a show? Hurry up, the cops are here.”
Just then, I saw several armed police officers come up. They pointed their guns at us, telling us to let go of Leo Lee. Rachel Lan and I showed our police badges, but the officers insisted on taking us back to the station for questioning.
I knew very well—I absolutely couldn’t let them take Leo Lee away, or the big fish from the Immortality Society we’d finally caught might escape.
Suddenly, Lan Yin struck with the Soul-Calling Gourd. I watched as the police officers collapsed, their souls drifting out of their bodies.
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t worry. They’ll be fine in an hour or two. It’s just temporary soul separation.”
Rachel Lan and I dragged Leo Lee downstairs. At that moment, several Ghost Burial Squad vehicles pulled up—twenty or thirty members had come to help. I called Hu Tianshuo, who told us to bring Leo Lee back to the squad immediately.
At that moment, hope surged in my heart. Meanwhile, Lan Yin kept pestering me about how I’d thank him.
“Relax. In a few days, I’ll use my own salary to treat you to a fun day out.”
Rachel Lan shot me a glare.
“Don’t worry, Rachel. I won’t go to those kinds of places—now or ever.”