The night wind rustled, and the river surface was rippling.
Round-faced Kevin Lin stared blankly at the familiar face below, whose short-sleeved shirt was already torn to shreds. An overwhelming sense of absurdity and disbelief surged within him.
“That green shadow just now—what was it?”
“And the Andrew Han before me—are you really that so-called ‘peerless genius’ Martial Arts Program Student, Andrew Han? How could that possibly be just Upper Third Rank? Even Martial Artists aren’t that strong!”
Gulp.
He tried to swallow twice to ease his tension.
But his mouth was dry and rough, his mind buzzing in chaos—as if hundreds or thousands of brass gongs were clanging by his ears, shaking his thoughts, rattling the depths of his heart, leaving him utterly at a loss for how to respond.
The next moment.
Andrew Han turned his head to look at Kevin Lin, furrowing his brow. “Kevin Lin?”
Upper Third Rank was already extraordinary—keen-eared, sharp-eyed, and quick-witted. Andrew Han’s perception was even more acute than before, his awareness and thinking sharper than ever.
This was the Second Rank Martial Arts Program Student he had met during the Southland University entrance exam.
But still...
Why was Kevin Lin here?
Andrew Han’s heart tightened. He stomped the water, flipping his body with effortless strength, like a wild goose turning, and landed right beside Kevin Lin.
Splash.
Clear river water splashed onto Kevin Lin’s face.
Though it was summer, the cool river water was still icy. The sudden chill made Kevin Lin shiver and blink unconsciously, snapping him out of his dazed state.
“Han—Andrew Han, right?” Kevin Lin stammered, still at a loss.
“Don’t be nervous. Let me ask you—why are you here?” Andrew Han stared at Kevin Lin. “Just now... you saw everything, didn’t you?”
Exhale.
Huff, huff.
What, are you planning to silence me?
Kevin Lin sucked in a few sharp breaths, gritted his teeth, and said, "Yes, I saw everything. So this is the hidden Martial Arts World? No wonder my dad, a high-ranking official in Jiangnan City, always avoided talking about it."
Andrew Han glanced at him and said coolly, "Wait here."
Trying to pressure me with your official connections?
Ridiculous!
He had planned to let Kevin Lin go after a quick check, considering their soon-to-be classmate relationship. But since Kevin tried to be clever, he’d stay here and wait for Tanya and Ethan’s decision.
"My girlfriend is still waiting for me at the hotel," Kevin Lin said nervously, suddenly anxious. "She and I came to Muquan Township for a trip. I just stepped out for a smoke."
Oh?
Andrew Han narrowed his eyes and scanned the surroundings.
"I—I’m staying at Springwell Hotel, over there," Kevin Lin pointed behind him at the grand hotel about three or four hundred meters away.
There are other buildings in between.
But Springwell Hotel is six stories tall, one of the highest buildings in Muquan Township, so it’s visible at a glance.
Oh?
Andrew Han narrowed his eyes and stepped back half a pace, almost imperceptibly. "That hotel is hundreds of meters away. You left your girlfriend behind and came all the way here just to smoke? Empty your pockets and put everything on the ground."
"What?" Kevin Lin froze.
"Hurry up, don’t make me do it myself." Andrew Han’s face turned cold, the steely chill of someone who’d just killed a Specter seeping out.
He suspected—
Kevin Lin might be hiding something!
It’s the middle of the night, and instead of lying in bed with his girlfriend, he’s out here smoking, and came all this way? It’s not just single-guy bias—it’s a genuine inconsistency.
"Andrew Han, isn’t this a bit much?" Kevin Lin forced a laugh.
He was just wandering around, trying to ease the tension, but it was useless—Andrew suspected he might have been possessed by a Specter.
Thump.
Thump.
Kevin Lin's heart pounded violently; unable to withstand Andrew's gaze, he obediently pulled out his phone, a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, and a room card, placing them all on the damp ground.
That palm strike just now was like a bolt of thunder splitting the sky.
It left his heart trembling, unable to muster any thought of resistance.
"I just happened to catch a glimpse of you and thought I'd walk over," Kevin Lin tried to steady himself and explain.
"Mm."
Andrew Han nodded, saying nothing more.
Whether Kevin Lin was possessed would have to wait until Tanya arrived for confirmation.
Moonlight spilled across the scene, painting a silent tableau. After a moment, Tanya Li and Ethan Cheng walked along the opposite riverbank toward them.
They were separated by the clear river.
Tanya Li, draped in a pitch-black coat, pointed at Kevin Lin: "Possessed?"
"No."
Andrew Han said simply, "It’s dead. But I suspect there’s still something lurking."
As soon as he finished speaking—
Boom! Boom!
With two muffled impacts, Tanya Li and Ethan Cheng sprang across the ten-meter-wide river like compressed springs, leaping from the far bank to Andrew Han’s side, both fixing their gaze on Kevin Lin.
The sight left Kevin Lin wide-eyed in astonishment.
Martial Artists!
They’re definitely Martial Artists!
He couldn’t help but feel anxious, his heart uneasy.
After Andrew Han’s brief explanation, Tanya Li’s eyes flickered. She spoke softly, "I really underestimated you. This is only your second mission, and your progress truly surprises me."
"You did the right thing."
"Let’s take him back to the hotel and watch Kevin Lin in shifts. Since he’s Second Rank, if he’s possessed by a Specter, there will definitely be moments of confusion."
With that,
Tanya Li hooked her right palm and picked up Kevin Lin’s belongings.
"What? Possessed by a Specter? What does that even mean?" Kevin Lin felt like he was about to break down, his voice tinged with tears.
His entire worldview was crumbling.
Was this still the world he knew? Did those ghosts from legends and myths really exist?
......
South Orchard Hotel.
Inside a suite, Kevin Lin stood nervously.
Cough, cough.
Andrew Han couldn’t help but cough, then chuckled, "You don’t have to be so nervous. We’re not going to eat you. We just want to observe you for a bit—if you’re not possessed, you can go back."
Hearing this, Kevin Lin pressed his lips together.
Actually, compared to his life, his chastity didn’t matter... But if he could return safely, that would be best. His girlfriend was still waiting for him.
However—
He didn’t quite believe Andrew Han’s words.
After all, the Martial Artist named Ethan Cheng stood before him, cigarette clamped between his lips and eyes fixed on him, as if hiding some deeper meaning... Kevin Lin didn’t dare imagine further; he only hoped Andrew Han would help him preserve his years of chastity.
A moment later—
Kevin Lin’s nerves eased slightly. He pressed his lips together and asked, "Do those things really exist?"
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"Of course."
Tanya Li stepped out from the side, now dressed in clean clothes.
Her jet-black short hair was still damp, but she had dried herself and changed outfits. Yet a trace of worry lingered between her brows. "Good thing Andrew Han was here tonight. Otherwise, we’d have been in real danger. First, the ordinary Specters wore down our guard. Then, after we were exhausted, the real attack came. That was a clever plan."
"So it really was a trap?" Andrew Han was speechless.
Once a Specter gains sentience, it starts to develop intelligence.
But at first, it’s just emotions and feelings.
In other words, even if the green shadow had the cunning to set traps and plan meticulously, how could it know there were only two Martial Artists? Clearly, it was just a coincidence.
"Don’t underestimate their intelligence. Let’s think carefully—did anything strange happen yesterday?" Tanya Li narrowed her eyes.
Something strange?
Ethan Cheng kept staring at Kevin Lin and said blandly, "I stayed in my room. About twelve people passed by the door, but nothing unusual happened."
Their conversation wasn’t hidden from Kevin Lin.
After all, Kevin Lin was already Second Rank. Reaching First Rank wouldn’t be difficult, and he qualified to know about the Martial Arts World.
Gulp.
Kevin Lin swallowed hard.
Just hearing this conversation sent chills down his spine. So ghosts really existed in this world—and they could even be intelligent! It was far beyond anything he’d ever imagined.
Meanwhile—