"Xixi, I'm heading to the All-Trades Expo today!" she told him. "If you were here in person, this is exactly the kind of event you'd attend. And you’d definitely share your unique insights, making White Entertainment proud."
She sighed helplessly, "If I go, all I can do is be a voting device."
"Alright, I won't bother you anymore—I need to get going." She kissed the baby again, told Sandy and the others to take good care of the two of them at home, then drove herself to the venue.
Evan Lan worried that her outfit was way too eye-catching, and just couldn't relax, so he sent his spirit remnant to tag along.
He ended up watching as she and Secretary Grant were tricked into the private lounge.
A Holy Spirit's spirit remnant is strongest when its body has died.
It can even invade a person's mind, making them 'see' it.
Most of history’s supernatural sightings—people seeing 'spirits'—are actually just spirit remnants wandering after the body’s death.
When they’re still alive, the spirit remnant isn’t nearly as powerful.
He can send his spirit remnant far away, but he can’t invade someone’s mind unless he’s dead.
The only spiritual power he can actually control—the same power he uses to poke Lily Bai—barely reaches as far as that courtyard.
Anything beyond that range is totally out of reach.
And the only one he can communicate with is Noel, but the baby still can't express himself to outsiders...
...
Ms. Crowe spends time every day tending to Evan Lan.
Mostly, she helps him get rid of dust.
Three times a day, rain or shine.
She knows the Holy Spirit Lord is a total clean freak.
Right now, she’s gently wiping down his leaves again.
Suddenly, one of the little branches starts to tremble.
At first, Ms. Crowe thought maybe something had crawled into the branches.
But when she looked closer, there was absolutely nothing there.
"Little Smudge, is that you?" Ms. Crowe called out.
"Little Smudge is asleep," Sandy answered from the inner room.
"Then what’s going on?" Ms. Crowe stared at the trembling little branch, puzzled.
Slowly, the shaking branch actually started turning yellow!
Ms. Crowe was alarmed and shouted, "Max Mo! Uncle Ernie! Come quick and see what’s happening!"
Both men rushed over and saw the whole thing.
"What’s going on? What’s happening?" Ms. Crowe asked them.
The two of them unleashed their spirit-medium powers to investigate, then exchanged a glance, both frowning deeply.
"Well? Tell me, what’s wrong?" Ms. Crowe pressed.
"A Holy Spirit’s spirit remnant is strongest when the body dies," Max Mo explained. "He... broke off a branch himself to boost his power."
"Why would he need to boost his power?"
"No idea."
Not long after, that branch withered completely.
Ms. Crowe was heartbroken. "Who could possibly know why?" she asked.
"Only him."
...
Evan Lan invaded Xavier Xiao’s mind.
He told him that Lily Bai and Secretary Grant had been locked in the Head-of-State Reception Lounge and needed to be rescued immediately.
Xavier Xiao was at the Conference Hall today, having just hosted the opening ceremony. He was watching TV, keeping tabs on the progress of the All-Trades Expo.
Lily was supposed to attend today too.
He figured he might catch a glimpse of her on camera.
Suddenly, Evan Lan appeared in his mind—and actually spoke those words to him.
At first, Xavier didn’t react, thinking he’d just nodded off and dreamed it.
But when he checked with the people next to him, they all said he hadn’t nodded off at all.
He immediately called Secretary Grant.
No signal.
Then he called Lily Bai.
Also no signal.
He stood up and walked out immediately.
...