"Where the hell are those two punks? Damn it."
Henry Huang sat alone in a private room at the Prosperity Hotel. Night had already fallen, and a lavish spread filled the table. He was supposed to meet his two apprentices to discuss their next move, but they were nowhere to be seen. Distracted and uneasy, Henry Huang glanced at the door just as it was flung open with a bang—only to find no one there.
Suddenly, a violent gust of wind swept through the room, rattling the doors and sending dishes and bowls flying off the table. Food scattered across the floor in a chaotic mess.
"What the hell is going on?"
Henry Huang muttered under his breath, but before he could react, he realized he was floating in midair. At the doorway stood Grace Hu, yet Henry Huang couldn't see her.
"Please, have mercy! I don't know what I did to offend you, ghost master. Spare me, please!"
With a tremendous crash, Henry Huang was slammed onto the table, splintering it to pieces. Writhing in pain, he clutched his chest and cried out on the floor.
"Mercy... have mercy..."
At that moment, I saw Henry Huang's face turn sickly green from the pain. Gritting his teeth, he hurriedly reached into his coat pocket.
Grace Hu swept over to Henry Huang in a flash, stomping hard on his left hand. He screamed in agony, and then, with a burst of green light, Grace Hu revealed her ghostly form.
"Do you remember how, over a decade ago, you poisoned Cao Wanzhi and turned him into a fool?"
In an instant, Henry Huang shrieked in terror and began to beg for his life. Suddenly, he pulled a Buddhist scripture from his pocket—the very one Master Mingde had given him years ago.
A golden light burst forth, but the green glow radiating from Grace Hu quickly overwhelmed it. With a sharp crackle, the entire scripture disintegrated into scraps, swirling through the air.
"I've come for you, you filthy animal. Scum. Get up!"
Grace Hu shouted coldly. Henry Huang sprang to his feet like a jack-in-the-box, begging for mercy again and again.
"Hmph. I won't kill you. But after you see Cao Wanzhi, I'll sell you to the Ghost Market."
Grace Hu gave a chilling laugh. With a dramatic cry, Henry Huang collapsed to the floor—pretending to faint.
Grace Hu saw through his act and snorted coldly.
"Ever tried mutton hotpot or grilled donkey meat? Well, the ghosts in the Ghost Market love eating people alive. They use little knives to slice off pieces of flesh from your body, grill them, or toss them straight into boiling pots."
With a panicked cry, Henry Huang jumped up and lunged toward the window. But just as he leapt, he found himself suspended in midair.
Mercy! I won't dare again, I swear! Please, madam, let me go—I'll be Cao Wanzhi's slave for life, just spare me. I'll change, I promise.
Too late. Hmph. Let's go. Before Cao Wanzhi dies, at least give him an explanation.
I felt a surge of satisfaction. For someone like Henry Huang, I wished I could flay him alive, tear him apart, and grind his bones to dust.
It seems the trial has failed. Heh.
At that moment, the Red Mask Agent appeared at the doorway. The instant he showed up, Henry Huang began screaming in terror.
Sir, save me! Save me! I didn't fail—the ghost ruined everything. Help me! I'll kill Cao Wanzhi right away!
Hearing Henry Huang's cries, Grace Hu lost all reason. She lunged, clawing at his forehead.
Did I say you could act?
The Red Mask Agent seized Grace Hu's claw. With a snap, Grace Hu screamed in agony as green light radiated from her, her form beginning to fade.
The Red Mask Agent smiled with satisfaction, twisted off Grace Hu's hand, and swung his fist back.
Triple Extremity...
With a thunderous crash, Grace Hu screamed as green blood splattered through the air. She hit the ground with a heavy thud. The room behind her vanished completely, and suddenly, the Red Mask Agent gripped her neck, pinning her to the floor.
You only just became a Blue Wraith, with barely seven or eight ghost souls, and you dare challenge me?
Kill her, sir! Kill her!
Henry Huang eagerly moved closer, but the Red Mask Agent grabbed him by the neck. Instantly, the surroundings shifted, and they were back in the photo studio.
The sound of rattling chains echoed—it was the Ghost Syndicate. I stared in shock. David Dong and Terry Chen stood there, looking utterly defeated, while Henry Huang watched everything with smug arrogance.
Grace Hu's face was pale, a black collar locked around her neck, chained and dragged by members of the Ghost Syndicate.
You're ruthless—one punch destroyed her remaining ghost souls. Do you know how rare it is for a Blue Wraith to appear? What's the point of bringing back damaged goods?
You two still have some potential. Soon, it's up to you—find your master, no matter what it takes.
The Red Mask Agent turned to David Dong and Terry Chen, both trembling uncontrollably.