"Ethan Zhang, what's wrong? Are you in such a hurry to die?"
It was Yuna Ji. Sure enough, she wrapped one arm around my neck and pulled me back. With a bang, a flying revenant crashed through the window—it was Little Black. His crimson eyes locked onto me, almost as if he were smiling.
"Where are John Chou and the others?"
I immediately asked.
"John Chou went out a few hours ago—said he was going for a walk. Heh, but don't worry, Ethan Zhang. Everyone's already mobilized. All the Blue Wraiths in the apartment building have taken action."
A warmth welled up in my heart. I nodded, then looked over—just as Ray Lin was sent flying by a punch, hurtling toward us. Yuna Ji reached out and stopped Ray Lin in midair.
"Madam Ji, forgive me for making a scene."
"Oh, isn't this Ray Lin, the old driver? Heh, you used to drive for me, didn't you? Still wandering around like before?"
Ray Lin's cheek was deeply caved in, and I couldn't help but smile.
"You still have time to smile, Ethan Zhang? If you don't hurry, that girl Vivian Ouyang might not make it out alive."
Anxiety welled up in my heart. I planned to rush over immediately, but at that moment, I was even more worried about my cousin's situation.
"That kid Howard Zhang—you don't need to worry about him for now. Among those who came out of the Forest of Desire, the Blackmask should already be over there."
A wave of relief washed over me, and then I immediately spread my wings. Yuna Ji, with a whoosh, turned into a ball of green light and floated out.
"Ray Lin, I'll leave Little Black to you as a gift. Use him however you like. Alright, Little Black, go."
As soon as Yuna Ji finished speaking, Little Black darted toward the man in the black mask, stretching out his pitch-black claws to strike. At that moment, a Blue Wraith tried to intervene, but Little Black crashed into him and sent him flying. Little Black then lunged straight at the Immortality Society agent.
"Useless, Little Black."
Just as Yuna Ji finished speaking, only Little Black's body remained. Suddenly, his hands clamped down on the Immortality Society member. I saw the agent struggle, then silvery-gray streams of energy began to surge from Little Black's body, crackling and hissing. The Immortality Society member screamed in agony, and Ray Lin charged in as well.
"Thank you, all of you," I said, then immediately spread my wings and flew outside, planning to head straight over. In the night sky outside, I stopped and looked at Yuna Ji, who smiled at me.
"Go on your own, Ethan Zhang. I have to go elsewhere—after all, the Ghost Syndicate is out too, this time."
Yuna Ji spoke, then turned into a streak of green light and flew off into the distance. I saw she was heading west.
I immediately flew toward the High-Tech District where Vivian Ouyang was. My heart was full of worry. Vivian Ouyang had said Miles Mao was dead, but I didn't know what had really happened.
I flew swiftly, dialing Old Eccentric's number as I went. Strangely, his phone was still turned off. I feared something had happened to the Ghost Burial Squad as well.
Gradually, I arrived in the High-Tech District and began searching everywhere. Vivian Ouyang and Miles Mao were in an underground parking garage. I quickly released my ghost network, letting the Grudge Ghost and Tong Ghost leave my body to search for Vivian Ouyang's whereabouts.
Finally, in one spot, I found traces of Vivian Ouyang. I immediately called the Grudge Ghost and Tong Ghost back into my body, slipped underground, and moved toward the parking garage.
With a rush, I appeared in the underground parking garage and immediately heard crying—a sound full of weakness and sorrow. I looked over. It was Vivian Ouyang, and beside her stood a man wearing a red mask. The mask was different from the white and black masks of the Immortality Society I'd seen before; it was pointed, and I'd never seen one like it.
This should be the third rank of the Immortality Society. Above it is the Blue-Faced Man. I'd only seen it in that horror story, and John Chou had fought with one before.
On the red mask, the words 'Immortality' were written in blue. He stood right next to Vivian Ouyang, who was still crying—her sobs were heart-wrenching. I looked around and, in an instant, my eyes widened. I saw Miles Mao, his chest pierced by an iron rod, nailed to the wall.
"Ah..."
I roared, brandishing my twin swords, transforming into black mist as I charged furiously at the red-masked man. In a flash, just as I was about to strike him, he vanished before me. I quickly searched for his whereabouts, and with a thought, I spread my ghost network, instantly releasing a surge of baleful energy.
With a thunderous crash, a car was instantly torn apart, shattered into several pieces. I saw the red-masked man standing sideways atop a pillar, then rising as if floating, his whole body at a ninety-degree angle. His cold, ruthless eyes stared at us.
"Miles Mao is dead, he's dead, Ethan Zhang—he's gone..."
Vivian Ouyang cried out to me, her face covered in tears. She looked wrong somehow—guilt written all over her expression.
I didn't know what to say. Rage burned inside me, but I felt powerless. I wasn't a match for the red-masked man. I had to find a way to get Vivian Ouyang out of here first.
"Can you still walk? Move, quickly."
As I spoke, I grabbed Vivian Ouyang, but she kept crying. Just then, the red-masked man began to walk along the pillar.
"If you want to leave, go ahead—if you can get out of here. I didn't expect you to show up, Ethan Zhang. Saves us the trouble of finding you."
"Go..."
I shouted, then charged at the red-masked man. In an instant, just as I left the ground, the red-masked man was already in front of me.
"My speed and strength are nothing like that special agent you killed."
I felt a sudden tightness all over, then instantly flew toward a pillar. With a bang, I smashed through it, then crashed several cars together before finally stopping. He really could harm my physical body directly.
"Just as I thought—humans are so fragile."
Suddenly, the red-masked man appeared before Vivian Ouyang, grabbing her chin with one hand and looking at me.
"What are you trying to do—ah..."
"Miss, thank you so much. You went to a lot of trouble—thanks for calling me. I didn't expect Ethan Zhang to show up. Looks like killing you and your close friend Lan Ruoxi together isn't possible after all. I'll have to ask you to die first. Just wait a little while—your good friend Lan Ruoxi will be down to join you soon."
With a roar, I endured my nearly broken body, transformed into black mist, and charged recklessly at the red-masked man.
"Just watch, Ethan Zhang. No need to scream so hard. After all, I still have to take you back later. At least save some strength—otherwise, it'll be a pain to carry you."
As he spoke, I lost count of how many punches I took in an instant. With a bang, I collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.
"You've already been warned, Ethan Zhang. Since you ignored it, the Immortality Society will deliver the harshest punishment."
In an instant, the red-masked man returned to Vivian Ouyang, raising a finger and thrusting it toward her head.
"No—!"
I watched, powerless, as the scene unfolded before me. Then, a burst of violet light suddenly flared. I saw a small purple mouth appear atop Vivian Ouyang's head, biting down on the red-masked man's finger with a wet, tearing sound—biting it clean off.
The red-masked man recoiled instantly, staring at his finger now lost inside the purple creature's mouth. At that moment, Vivian Ouyang began to float upward, while an eerie, mocking voice echoed through the air.
"What are you trying to do? You think you can kill me with your finger? Don't be ridiculous. In the face of dreams, everything is powerless."
Mona Ouyang...
My eyes widened as I shouted. In that moment, everything in the parking garage began to shift and twist.
"You've recovered faster than we expected. But now, you're useless. All your hundred ghosts have become the deadliest weapons of the Immortality Society and the Ghost Syndicate."
"Hahaha..."
Suddenly, Mona Ouyang burst out laughing, clutching her stomach as she roared with laughter.
Don't make me laugh. From beginning to end, I am myself—Mona. No one can influence or control me. They're just nuisances who insisted on following me. I worried about how to deal with them, but now it's simple—I can finish them off. And the reason? Betrayal...
Mona Ouyang's eerie, cold voice echoed, but I could tell she wasn't really worried about her hundred ghosts.
"Ethan Zhang, still so weak? How long until you finally show some strength?"
I looked at Mona Ouyang, a deep gratitude welling up inside me. I glanced again at the twisted pillar, where Miles Mao still hung. I hurried over, yanked the iron rod from his chest with a harsh crack, and gently cradled his corpse as I landed.
Just then, Miles Mao's body began to emit waves of golden light.