Chapter 41: The Stench of Death Resurfaces
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Miles awoke unusually early the next day. His recent evolution into the realm of ghost taming had drastically altered his physical state, with the most evident change being his reduced need for sleep. It was strange that, even after sleeping for fewer hours, he felt as refreshed as ever.
“Only six hours?” He mused aloud, inspecting his reflection while splashing water onto his face. His features didn’t betray any signs of exhaustion. Instead, they exuded an eerie detachment, an expression so alien to him.
His gaze was drawn to the red paper taped to the back of his hand. It had been there all night, and strangely, he hadn’t experienced the usual discomfort associated with the awakening of the ghost eye. His slumber had been undisturbed. However, a faint crack now marred the paper’s surface.
“Is this paper merely masking the symptoms without treating the actual issue? Or could it be just a fragment of something more?” He pondered, absentmindedly massaging his temples. “Finding a solution to my near-death experience appears more intricate than I first believed.”
In a world riddled with catastrophes and supernatural events, every ghost tamer was embroiled in a battle for existence. To think that he, alone, could discern an answer seemed somewhat overly optimistic.
The discovery that the red paper could prevent the malevolent ghost’s resurgence had been purely serendipitous.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. He swiftly retrieved the parchment made of human skin that he had in his possession.
On it was inscribed: “I woke earlier today, feeling the continuous yet subtle effects of the ghost eye on my physique. My dependency on sleep is decreasing. If this trend persists, sleep might become redundant. I’ve often heard that ghosts have no need for rest. Perhaps there’s truth to that.”
“Jing mentioned that you hold the key to a ghost tamer’s survival,” he addressed the parchment directly. “I doubt he’d deceive me, so you must have that essential piece of information. Share your insights, and perhaps I’ll reconsider your importance.”
To his astonishment, new words materialized on the parchment: “My yearning for life grows daily. The weight of being a ghost tamer is becoming apparent: the looming fear of mortality, the constant threat of the malicious ghost’s return, and the internal transformations I’m undergoing. Such are the trials someone of my age shouldn’t face. I probed the uncanny human skin once more today, yet it yielded no new revelations. It remained cryptic.”
Could the human skin be guarding some untold secrets?
What mysteries might it be hiding?
As Miles delved into these inscriptions, a cascade of emotions danced across his countenance.
Miles had always had his suspicions that the parchment, made from human skin, had its own consciousness. But ever since leaving school, the object seemed to have lost its special guiding ability.
He could still vividly recall how the parchment had directed him within the treacherous realms of the old man’s ghostly territory. Without its assistance back then, he doubted he would have come out alive.
“If you’re going to withhold critical information from me, then you’re just an unnecessary weight,” he muttered, looking distastefully at the parchment. “And quite frankly, the idea of carrying human skin around is deeply unnerving. Perhaps I should just burn you and rid myself of this eerie feeling.”
After wrapping up his morning activities, Miles, with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism, threw the enigmatic skin parchment onto the gas stove, intending to set it on fire. But to his astonishment, the flames danced around the object, yet it remained completely unscathed. It seemed impervious to the fire’s touch.
Hearing the hiss of the gas, Strong bolted out of his room, “Miles, what’s the commotion? Trying to cook something? Maybe some instant noodles?”
Glancing at the parchment, still lying untouched amidst the flames, Miles smirked, “Just testing the stove, seeing if it’s still functional.”
“Well, if you fancy noodles, I have some sausages we could throw in,” Strong chimed in.
“I have some noodles, but thanks,” Miles replied, his mind still focused on the mysterious parchment.
“You know, maybe we should bury this odd artifact somewhere discreet. I wouldn’t want someone else to find it, especially if something happens to me,” Miles contemplated aloud, his eyebrows knitting together in thought.
However, as he was about to stow the parchment away, new text suddenly appeared on its surface: “Having gleaned all I can from this parchment, I believe it’s time to get rid of it, ensuring no one else chances upon it. But an idea strikes me – if this thing can trap a ghost, maybe it holds the keys to the answers I’ve been searching for.”
“Capturing a ghost with this? Sounds like a one-way ticket to disaster,” Miles remarked sarcastically. Although he wasn’t quite convinced by the parchment’s latest message, he chose to keep it a little longer, planning to hide it in a safe location in the near future.
A couple of hours later, the mall’s main entrance doors creaked open.
Although it wasn’t yet business hours for the public, Miles and Strong had their responsibilities. Their scheduled patrol was set for 8:30 a.m.
“Didn’t we turn off the elevator yesterday? Why’s it running again?” Miles, while standing on the moving escalator, recounted their actions from the night before.
“It’s Sister Pear, she has the elevator keys. Plus, the main entrance is open too. The boss might be coming in today, so she probably wanted to get a head start. Why are you fretting over this?” Strong looked at Miles, confusion evident in his eyes.
“No specific reason, just an observation,” Miles replied nonchalantly.
Today was different. The mall, which usually had a dim and gloomy ambiance, was bathed in light, casting an almost surreal glow.
However, after a thorough inspection of the premises, Miles couldn’t find anything unusual.
Everything appeared in perfect order, but paradoxically, that was exactly what made Miles anxious.
If he couldn’t identify anything out of place, that logically suggested the mall wasn’t haunted. However, the puzzling disappearances of people contradicted this theory.
A nagging intuition told Miles that something was awry with the mall, even if he couldn’t specify what it was.
The relative monotony of the day was shattered around ten o’clock when several upscale cars pulled up to the mall’s entrance.
Out stepped a delegation of people, their path led by a somewhat diminutive middle-aged man dressed sharply in a tailored suit.
“Keep your guard up. Ever since the mall’s closure, the boss hasn’t been in the best of spirits,” Strong whispered as a word of caution.
The leader was Mr. Calm, the proprietor of the mall. Previously a figure in the real estate sector, he had diversified his investments by opening this shopping complex a few years back.
“Master Catch, welcome to my establishment. I trust you can assist us in discerning the root of our ongoing mysteries here. Several people have vanished without a trace, and it’s quite alarming. Please be vigilant,” Mr. Calm greeted, his expression molding into a congenial smile. He introduced the group to a rotund man in his mid-fifties, who was surrounded by a handful of assistants.
However, Master Catch halted in his tracks and announced, “Entering via the main door is not advisable. Do we have an alternative route into the mall?”
Confounded by the sudden request, Mr. Calm responded, “Of course, we have a service entry.”
“That will be preferable,” Master Catch proposed.
Observing from his post, Miles found the entire scene almost comical. In his eyes, this ‘master’ was a mere charlatan, uttering absurdities to hoodwink the gullible.
Countless individuals had been using the main entrance daily without a hint of trouble. What made Master Catch so special? Even if phantoms roamed the mall, surely Miles would’ve had some eerie encounter during his frequent rounds.
Unless, of course, Master Catch boasted some superior ghostly skills.
But a cursory look at his slick, shiny complexion indicated he was far from any such master.
“Everyone should remain stationed here and prevent further entries. I’ll be in touch if required,” Sister Pear hastily instructed, gathering a few of her female colleagues to extend their greetings to Mr. Calm.
Master Catch, accompanied by Mr. Calm, Mall Manager Li, and several others, entered the mall through the side passage. As they wandered the corridors, Master Catch periodically surveyed his surroundings, culminating his inspection with a nod that seemed to imply he had a revelation regarding the mysterious goings-on at the mall. The specifics of his epiphany, however, remained concealed.
Perhaps he had already crafted a convincing tale to relay.
Miles felt indifferent. He recognized Master Catch for the sham he was but saw no merit in exposing him. If the mall genuinely had no paranormal occurrences, the hefty remuneration would undoubtedly land in the con artist’s pocket, not Miles’s.
But then Miles’s senses suddenly sharpened, drawn to an unexpected sensation. He took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring as they picked up a distinct, putrid odor reminiscent of decay. “That scent is here again,” he thought aloud, “and it feels… closer. It’s definitely stronger than the last time.”
He swiftly turned on his heels, eyes darting across the expanse of the tranquil mall, trying to discern any anomalies. On the surface, everything appeared calm and as it should be, but the unsettling aroma suggested otherwise.