Chapter 46: The True Identity
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Upon hearing the soft but unmistakable sound of someone approaching the bathroom, Miles reacted immediately. He silenced River by placing a hand over her mouth while swiftly turning off his flashlight. It was clear from his actions that they needed to be completely silent.
River, sensing the urgency, mimicked Miles’s action, covering her mouth tightly to prevent any inadvertent sounds. She even held her breath, ensuring that the room remained deathly quiet.
When Miles turned off the flashlight, they were surrounded by an oppressive, all-consuming darkness. The eerie calm that took hold was only punctuated by the unmistakable sound of footsteps drawing nearer.
With each footfall, it became more evident that someone – or something – was steadily approaching the bathroom. The most chilling part was that the stranger didn’t rely on any visible light source like a flashlight or phone, suggesting this wasn’t just a typical trip to the bathroom.
Miles felt a growing unease, his senses acutely aware of the intruding presence. Meanwhile, fear practically radiated from River, evident in the wide-eyed terror that threatened to spill over.
Miles, straining to locate the source of the footsteps, noticed they had momentarily ceased. “Did it stop?” He whispered, the slight movement of his face betraying his anxiety. Judging by the last audible steps, the intruder seemed to be close to the first restroom stall.
His mind raced, grappling with uncertainty. “Why is it here? Is it just looking for a restroom? Should I confront it?” However, the thought was short-lived.
Approaching a potential ghost would mean calling upon his ghost eye, a measure that came with great risk. The stakes were simply too high. Just as this realization dawned on him…
“Crash!”
A deafening sound reverberated through the bathroom. The unmistakable noise of a stall door being forcibly opened, possibly kicked, filled the space.
River’s body tensed in horror. Were it not for her preemptive measure of covering her mouth, she would have certainly screamed.
The intruder seemed undeterred by the noise it caused. The footsteps, foreboding as ever, resumed their march, stopping shortly by the second stall.
“Crash!”
Yet another stall door met the same violent end, accompanied by the cracking sound of its water tank breaking and the subsequent rush of water pouring out.
The abrupt clamor faded, replaced by a momentary silence. However, the steadily approaching footsteps once more cut through the quiet, signaling the entity’s approach towards the third stall.
River trembled uncontrollably, her eyes squeezed shut, teetering on the precipice of overwhelming fear. In her heart, she was certain this was no ordinary intruder but the malevolent spirit they had so desperately hoped to avoid.
As they hid in one of the five restroom stalls, the sense of impending danger felt all too real. Each subsequent noise from the stalls seemed to draw closer, heightening the atmosphere of inevitable dread.
“Could this spirit be targeting me specifically?” Miles silently questioned as he tried to make sense of the situation.
Suddenly, “Crash!”
Another loud sound rang out, signaling the forceful intrusion into the fourth restroom stall.
It became clear to Miles that there was no running away from the entity. “If it’s so determined to find me, then I must confront it head-on,” he decided. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he released River and turned towards their stall door, mentally readying himself to tap into his supernatural abilities if the need arose.
Witnessing Miles’s resolved stance, River was struck by a newfound surge of bravery. She stood up and wrapped her arms around him from behind, her grip conveying her unwavering support.
Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered urgently, “Please don’t leave me behind. I can’t bear the thought of dying here. I’ll do whatever it takes to survive, even if it means becoming your girlfriend or sharing your bed.” The terror of being left alone in the face of danger was overwhelming for her.
“Stay silent,” Miles gently instructed.
River nodded, biting her lower lip to hold back her emotions and prevent any further noise, even as fear coursed through her veins.
In that tense moment, Miles couldn’t help but feel a deep admiration for River. Her keen survival instincts, her recognition of his supernatural defense mechanisms, and her unwavering trust in him as her only hope for safety had made an impression. However, there wasn’t any time to reflect on these feelings.
With bated breath, he strained his ears, trying to catch any hint of the entity’s movements outside their stall.
“It’s almost here.”
He could sense it. The ghostly presence was just outside their door, its proximity only emphasized by the mere two-meter distance of the stall’s boundaries.
A subtle yet unmistakably rotten smell began to pervade the air, reminding them of the foul odor they’d encountered when they first arrived at the mall two days prior.
It wasn’t overpowering but insidiously pervasive.
Suddenly, “Crash!” Their stall door violently shook from the force exerted on it, almost causing it to give way.
The sheer force of the impact caused both Miles and River to stumble backward, finding themselves pressed against the back wall.
The door hinge creaked ominously, and slowly, the door began to inch open. Through the tiny sliver of a gap, only oppressive darkness could be seen.
Yet, Miles could feel the ghostly entity’s presence on the other side. Their inability to see anything was simply due to the pitch darkness enveloping the room.
“Why hasn’t it entered? It seems to be waiting.”
Miles was on the cusp of activating his ability to see ghosts but hesitated.
Because, if the ghost had not attacked immediately upon finding them, it indicated that they might not be its primary target.
This insight was vital.
Carefully, Miles continued to study the surrounding darkness, cautious not to act impulsively. He would refrain from using his supernatural sight as long as the ghost outside remained passive.
The atmosphere grew thick with tension as Miles and the unseen ghost found themselves in a standoff with only the slightly open wooden door between them. Neither party made a move, both seemingly waiting for the other to act.
This momentary impasse hung heavily in the air, creating an unsettling calm.
With great care, Miles began to extend his hand towards the door, intending to gently push it shut. His instincts told him that the silence from the ghost meant it wasn’t necessarily focused on harming him or River.
However, as if sensing the atmosphere’s delicate balance, River, in tune with Miles’s heightened state of alertness, made a small shift in her stance.
Suddenly, “Bang! Bang! Bang!” The door shook violently under an aggressive onslaught, pushing it to the brink of destruction.
“It’s attacking again!” Miles warned, immediately pushing back against the door to fortify it against the ghost’s renewed vigor.
River, although deeply frightened, was not defenseless. She leaped into action, aiding Miles in his struggle to keep the weakening door in place.
The ghost’s assault on the door grew even more aggressive, each impact more powerful than the previous one. Several times, the door seemed like it might shatter. Yet, with every forceful blow, Miles managed to hold it in place.
As the attacks continued, Miles contemplated deploying his ghostly abilities. But why had the ghost held back before, only to react violently when River had moved?
“Move away from the door, face the wall,” Miles instructed, guiding River with a gentle touch.
Upon following his directions, the tumultuous sounds outside the door diminished, eventually ceasing altogether.
Silence once again enveloped them.
“It makes sense now,” Miles murmured, realization dawning on him.
He had figured out what had triggered the ghost’s aggressive behavior.
Confidently, Miles deduced, “Given that the ghost hasn’t randomly attacked and seems provoked only under specific conditions, it’s likely a C-grade spirit. This means it operates within certain limits.”
However, as he contemplated this, the ghost outside began to move once more.
This time, though, its movement wasn’t towards the door. The ghost seemed to be slowly retreating from the restroom.
The distant sound of its footsteps gradually faded away, suggesting it was in search of another target.
“But I need to know who or what we’re dealing with,” Miles thought with determination.
Quickly, he extracted his phone, activated its camera, and aimed at where he heard the receding footsteps.
“Click.”
The camera flash momentarily illuminated the area.
“What are you doing?! What if that draws it back?” River’s voice was barely audible, laden with anxiety as she clung even more tightly to Miles.
Miles, noting River’s evident alarm, tried to explain his reasoning. “I took the photo to try and identify the ghost. Remember when you mentioned Blush might be a ghost? Well, I met her just yesterday, and she seemed very much alive to me. Not a hint of the ghostly about her. If she really is a ghost, then using the camera should help capture some evidence, even if it’s just a mere fragment of her visage.”
Speaking in a measured tone, he continued, “Please understand, this is a part of my duty. I assure you, I won’t willingly place you in harm’s way. The ghost hesitated before attacking, hinting that we might not have been its primary interest. If anything were to go wrong, I’ll shoulder the responsibility.”
However, as Miles scrutinized the photo on his phone, his calm demeanor faltered.
“What the…?”
The captured image only provided a partial view of the ghostly figure due to the obstruction of the bathroom’s corner. Yet, what Miles could clearly discern was shocking: a fragment of a security uniform – one identical to the one he himself wore.
His face drained of color. “Why would a ghost be wearing a uniform just like mine?”