I waited quietly at the entrance of Fortune House, a tea restaurant across from the gold store. In the distance, a black sedan drove over and stopped by the roadside. Judging by the car, it was worth a fortune. A strong, imposing middle-aged man got out. His sharp eyes glanced in my direction.
The middle-aged man wore a simple gray casual outfit and walked toward me.
"Are you really Mr. Ethan Zhang?"
Distrust flickered in the man's eyes, along with a trace of anger. Over the years, he and his wife had been cheated out of much money searching for their daughter. Time and again, hope turned to despair.
We entered Fortune House, found a seat, and ordered drinks.
"Mr. Zhang, are you certain—the person you saw was my daughter?"
"I'm sure. Rufina Howard, right? That's the name she goes by, and she truly is the one who vanished from your home fifteen years ago, that night."
"Where?"
The man's voice was cold and impatient.
"Do you still miss your daughter?"
I asked, but the middle-aged man stood up.
"If you don't have conclusive evidence, Mr. Zhang, as I said on the phone, if you're just like everyone else, trying to scam..."
The middle-aged man stopped speaking and slowly sat back down. I looked at him seriously.
"What do you really want, Mr. Zhang?"
I shook my head.
"I told you from the start, I'm Rufina Howard's friend. I came this time because she's in trouble. As for the reason, I'm sorry, Mr. Howard, I can't say."
"My surname isn't Howard. My name is Miles Kim. My wife is the one named Howard."
I made a sound of acknowledgment, then smiled awkwardly.
At that moment, I saw multicolored clouds in the sky. Mr. Zhang, my daughter has been missing for so many years. We thought it was probably human trafficking, but on such a stormy night, how could anyone have taken her? And after all these years, Mr. Zhang, is my daughter still called Rufina Howard?
"Mr. Kim, as I said before, I can't explain the reason to you. But please believe me, Rufina is my friend, and she's in trouble now. As unbelievable as it sounds, only the desperate yearning of her parents can save her."
Miles Kim smiled faintly.
"Alright, Mr. Zhang, come home with me first. My wife wants to hear what you have to say in person."
I acknowledged, finished everything on the table in one gulp. Suddenly, something felt off. After drinking the tea, I felt a surge of heat in my ghost soul.
I didn't pay much attention and glanced up at the blazing sun. Maybe it was the sunlight, causing some discomfort. The burning pain was minor for me.
We got in the car. Miles Kim drove me out of town, surrounded by endless green fields. At a fork in the road, he turned in.
In the middle of a mountain hollow stood a large, ancient manor—Nine Towers Manor. The nine towers were scattered in an intricate pattern. At first glance, they seemed chaotic, but they formed a specific shape. I saw a small lake to the left of the manor, and to the right, a lush tree with colorful cloth strips fluttering in the wind.
As I walked in, I noticed the left mountain was bare, while the right forest was thick and lush.
At the entrance, I saw a black plaque with two red characters—Howard.
"We're here. My wife is recuperating here."
With a creak, the door opened. An elderly woman with white hair opened it. I was startled—the woman looked dazed, her movements wooden. After she opened the door, I followed Miles Kim inside.
The courtyard was paved with black gravel, and the flowerbeds were filled with trimmed, low trees. The yard was empty, nothing in sight.
Ahead stood a three-story duplex. Suddenly, I felt an unsettling gaze from above. I looked up. The white curtains swayed, but no one was there.
With a creak, the white double doors opened. A chill swept out. This place felt deeply wrong—cold, reminiscent of the Corpse Realm, mixed with a ghostly aura. I stopped. Miles Kim glanced back at me.
"What's wrong, Mr. Zhang? Come in, my wife is waiting for you!"
I didn't take a step. Right beneath my feet, just centimeters away, something stirred—my Ghost Net detected corpse energy. The place was filled with it. The elderly woman behind me was no longer human, just a corpse.
"Are you really Rufina Howard's father?"
I asked. Suddenly, Miles Kim gave a cold, mocking smile.
"Lady Lydia, just as you foretold, this evil ghost has arrived."
My heart skipped a beat. Miles Kim suddenly dashed into the house. I didn't chase him. I could sense the power of sorcery, a faint sting, and my ghost soul burned again.
Footsteps echoed. I looked over—a long, narrow corridor, and a woman in white walked gracefully toward me.
"So, you are Ethan Zhang?"
A soft, charming voice came from the beautiful woman before me. She looked almost identical to Rufina Howard, but older, more refined, with an air of gentle elegance.
I reached my right hand into my body and pulled out a tiny, sparkling white stone from my ghost soul. I held it up—immediately, a surge of killing aura spilled out. The stone crumbled to dust. It was some kind of tracking spell, yet I sensed something strange, and I knew exactly where it was inside me.
"Impressive. To achieve this level..."
"What does it mean?"
I asked coldly. The woman covered her mouth and laughed, her voice like silver bells.
"I am Rufina Howard's mother, Lydia Howard."
"Since you know I'm a ghost, you must also understand my reason for coming, right?"
Suddenly, my head buzzed. Dust and pebbles swirled, and blue light flashed on the ground. All around me, eight long Blue Spell Tags spun in circles.
Lydia Howard smiled silently. I stared at her.
"If you're trying to test me, it's completely unnecessary."
In an instant, killing aura whipped out from beneath my feet, lashing in all directions. With a bang, the eight Blue Spell Tags shattered. The black gravel beneath me was pushed aside, revealing the white ground.
"Strong energy, fierce spirit—you are powerful, Ethan Zhang."
I had no idea what Lydia Howard was planning, but I drew Belle and pointed it at her.
"I'm here only to help your daughter."
As she spoke, Lydia Howard smiled.
"Seven years ago, I already met my daughter."
Her words shocked me—I stared wide-eyed.
"Then..."
"It's special, isn't it? Rufina's spell, the Yin-Yang technique—our family has always been unique in the world of sorcery for thousands of years. Rufina's Yin-Yang arts were taught by me."
"Lady Lydia, don't waste words with this evil ghost. Just get rid of him."
Miles Kim muttered behind me. I glared at him fiercely.
"This guy is Rufina's father, no doubt about it. But to our Howard family, he's just a necessary tool for the bloodline to continue."
Her words sent a chill through me, then anger.
"Come in and sit, Ethan Zhang."
At the end of the long corridor, in an elegant, old-fashioned room, I sat at a thick wooden table. The corpse-like old woman poured water for me, while I looked at Lydia Howard and Miles Kim.
"Back then, to continue our bloodline, I found this man and gave him wealth and power. All he had to do was get me pregnant. That's enough, Miles Kim, you can leave now. I don't need you here."
Miles Kim bowed as if to a superior, nodded, and left cautiously.
"In other words, Rufina was born without any emotional bond between her parents. She was taken away by the Four Wraith Lords. Seven years ago, I finally saw my daughter and immediately taught her a few things. After that..."
"Enough. Answer me—do you miss your daughter?"
"Of course."
I stared at Lydia Howard, my heart filled with anger. From her eyes, I couldn't sense any longing at all.
I stood up and turned away.
"Enough. I'll find a way myself. Maybe I've made a mistake, pinning my hopes on a numb, heartless monster."
"Go ahead. After all, you'll definitely save my daughter. Ethan Zhang, the bond between you and Rufina will last until the day you die."
I gave a cold, mocking smile.
"In this world, you have no right to call yourself a mother."