"Let me ask you, have you sensed any other powerful ghosts in this area?"
I asked, and the Yellow Ghost shook his head.
"I've lived here for over twenty years. I know all the ghosts nearby. Miss, you must be from the Hades Circle, right?"
"Alright, I won't drag you down to the Underworld Court."
I said this, but the Yellow Ghost still seemed unconvinced and asked again for confirmation. I sighed. These days, it's rare to encounter ghosts in the world of the living. The main reason is that the Underworld Court needs a lot of labor and fighting power. Any ghost, regardless of rank, will be captured and sent below, transformed into a Hell's Registrar or something else.
So now, people from the Hades Circle actually have a lot of free time. When someone dies, they just go once, grab the soul, and hand it over at the half-step junction in each city of the living world, giving it to the waiting Hell's Registrar.
Basically, the Underworld Court is promoting the idea of building a ghost city. Once they go down, as long as they work, they don't have to suffer in hell. This lure has made many wandering souls go willingly, but there are always some who slip through the cracks.
I kept asking, but this Yellow Ghost really hadn't seen any powerful ghosts nearby. He did sense something over by the Blackwood Forest, but didn't dare go there. That place used to be full of wandering souls because it was the best destination for suicides, and some criminals chose to hide bodies there.
What I can't figure out is where Basil Bertram took his subordinates. After releasing the Yellow Ghost, I drove straight back to Haven City.
Originally, I wanted to ask Mona Ouyang in my dreams, and I also called Vivian Ouyang, but her phone was always off.
When I returned to downtown, it was already past 4 p.m. My dad called me and told me clearly that no one knew where Basil Bertram had gone. The souls of the Underworld Denizens on that side had already checked with Redmond's subordinates. Redmond was hurrying over and told me to wait outside their company.
I stood under the headquarters building of Redmane Entertainment Company, quietly observing everything above. I couldn't sense even a trace of ghostly energy. The company must be run entirely by humans now; all the ghosts have gone to the Underworld Court.
At around 5 p.m., I sensed several powerful ghostly presences. As I turned around, Redmond was already walking toward me with Vivian Maple and Noah Grimm.
"What exactly is going on?"
Redmond asked.
After that, we found a place to sit down, and I began to tell Redmond about some things that happened over the past two days.
"Why are you suddenly looking for Basil Bertram? Rachel Lan, is there something you haven't told me? Didn't you go with John Chou to find the Hundred Ghosts of Hall of Bloodbane?"
I immediately smiled.
"I don't want to deal with that sly guy anymore, so I came back first. I just wanted Basil Bertram's help with something, but unexpectedly, he disappeared."
"Boss, I remember Uncle Bertram said over a month ago that he was preparing something and would join us in the Underworld Court later."
Noah Grimm spoke, and Redmond glanced at Vivian Maple. She immediately bowed.
"I'll go investigate thoroughly."
As she spoke, Vivian Maple had already turned into a swirl of green ghostly energy and flew west in an instant. I sighed; it seemed Redmond still didn't believe me.
"What happened to John Chou?"
Redmond rested his chin on his hands, looking at me. My eyes flashed with a trace of ruthlessness.
"What else could it be? It's the same as always. I have no idea what he's actually up to, or when exactly Basil Bertram disappeared. Don't the other Ghost Sovereigns know?"
Redmond's expression grew serious, as if something occurred to him.
"Noah Grimm, could it be..."
Redmond didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he stood up, looking like he was about to leave.
"Wait, what's going on?"
I asked, and Redmond turned back.
"Go home, Rachel Lan. Even though things seem calm in the world of the living lately, there are plenty of beings watching the instincts inside your body."
Redmond hurried off. I knew things were bad—John Chou was trapped, Basil Bertram had disappeared. Could there be a connection between the two?
Dragging my exhausted body, I returned home after 10 p.m. As soon as I got back, my dad came over, asking all sorts of questions.
"Get a good night's rest, Rachel."
I responded with a hum, and went to bed before midnight.
In a daze, I saw Basil Bertram. He was dressed in a gray-blue long robe, leaning against a large tree. The tree behind him looked ancient, its bark covered in protruding knots. Basil Bertram sat beneath it, smiling at me as I hurried over.
Suddenly, I saw the leaves on that tree start to turn yellow. Then the whole tree began to wither, leaves falling, its trunk dying bit by bit. Basil Bertram, sitting beneath the tree, also seemed to turn to stone, his body petrifying and cracking. I was startled and cried out.
"A prophetic dream."
Suddenly, I heard a strange and mocking voice behind me. Coming to my senses, I found myself under a large tree surrounded by a sea of flowers, with the sound of a stream clearly audible.
"Why is it that when I call Vivian Ouyang, she doesn't answer?"
I looked at Mona Ouyang, who shook his head.
"Let's put that aside for now. Rachel Lan, you had a prophetic dream."
I swallowed.
"What does it mean?"
"Prophetic dreams can concern people, objects, or even disasters. But if it's about a person, it means the coexistence inside your body has formed a certain connection with Basil Bertram, which is why you had this dream."
I looked at Mona Ouyang suspiciously, and he immediately spoke.
"I can accurately distinguish the type of dream, no need for you to doubt it. This is definitely a prophetic dream. Tell me what you saw in your dream. I only pulled you out after your dream ended."
I began to recount everything I saw. Mona Ouyang's face immediately stiffened, his eyes full of worry and his expression extremely serious.
"What is really going on? Has Basil Bertram run into serious trouble?"
"Maybe. His life may be coming to an end."
I looked at Mona Ouyang in total confusion.
"Aren't most ghosts supposed to have endless time? Especially you Ghost Sovereigns—you're so powerful, how could..."
"Basil Bertram is different. Before he died, he passed away under an ancient tree, and then both his body and soul merged with that tree. It was that spiritual tree that saved him, which is why he's known as the Ghost Sovereign of the Woodbound Pact. That's the origin of the title."
I blinked, and Mona Ouyang began to explain.
Back when Basil Bertram was dying, he went beneath a certain great tree. After death, he was supposed to be dragged to hell, but the sentient tree sensed all the humiliation and resentment in his heart and helped him, preventing the underworld envoys from touching him. Basil Bertram's corpse gradually decayed, his flesh became nourishment for the tree, and his soul miraculously fused with it.
Afterward, Basil Bertram could move normally. He and the tree formed some kind of pact, merging completely. But the problem now is that trees have lifespans. The tree inside Basil Bertram's body is his lifespan. If it dies, he won't survive.
"That's why Basil Bertram's power weakens year by year. I remember him mentioning that the tree was already over a thousand years old when he died, and now more than another thousand years have passed. Do you think it's possible to find a tree that's lived for over two thousand years now?"
I shook my head. That's truly impossible.
"Does that mean Basil Bertram is already dead?"
I exclaimed, but Mona Ouyang immediately shook his head.
"No. If Basil Bertram really died, his daughter would have reacted. Back when he gained his powers and wanted to see his daughter again, he used his strength to mark her soul. That power protects her from ghostly interference. Even though she grew up without parents, she still had good fortune because Basil Bertram's power kept disaster and evil away. If he died, the balance would tip, and all that bad luck would descend on her. Didn't you just see his daughter yesterday?"
I made a sound of acknowledgment, then immediately slapped him.
"You're probing my mind."
Mona Ouyang dodged at once and laughed.
"I just wanted to know these things. Listening to you talk takes too long, so I figured I'd do it myself."
"So where exactly is Basil Bertram now? Does no one know?"
Mona Ouyang shook his head.
"Red Hair should already be investigating. All we can do is wait for results. If it's really like this, Basil Bertram could be in danger. He may not have much time left. Sigh."
Mona Ouyang said with a sigh. I started to get anxious.
"By the way, where did Yin Choujian go? I can't sense him at all. I've tried contacting his echo several times, but couldn't reach him."
I sighed helplessly and told Mona Ouyang everything that had happened. His eyes widened.
"At such a critical moment, what is Yin Choujian doing?"
At this point, Mona Ouyang looked at me.
"There's a way to find Basil Bertram."
"What way?"
Mona Ouyang smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"You have prophetic dreams, and you can use them to travel ahead of time to the place shown in your dream. That way, you can find out exactly where Basil Bertram is. But it's a bit risky."
I swallowed.