Chapter 62: A Pleasant Collaboration
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
The successful capture of the ghost was the climax of Ethan and Miles’s partnership. Once the ghostly entity was caught, their attention pivoted from mutual cooperation to individual ambitions.
At the heart of their disagreement was a singular box that purportedly contained the trapped ghost. Miles was determined not to let Ethan keep it for himself. The question loomed: once their partnership dissolved, would any acknowledgment or gratitude linger between them? It was often said that in such precarious situations, those who owed others had the upper hand.
Ethan, sensing Miles’s intentions, asked, “Miles, are you suggesting that I would hoard this all to myself?” His brow furrowed with worry, “Why don’t I keep the box in my possession for the time being? I promise to introduce the item to club members soon. Potential buyers will definitely come forward. At that time, we can come together to finalize the deal, ensuring that both of us profit equally and are privy to all pertinent information.”
Ethan tried to assure him, “I have no intention of taking advantage of you or causing you any harm or financial loss.”
However, Miles, not easily convinced, countered, “Then why don’t you let me have the box? You can take on the responsibility of finding a buyer. Once you do, get in touch and I’ll bring the box. Are you afraid I might disappear with it?”
Ethan, looking astonished, responded, “I can’t believe you’re already talking about dividing the profits, especially right after we’ve just tackled that supernatural threat.”
Miles asserted, “Unless you can offer me some form of guarantee, this conversation is pointless. Your trust in me is just as shaky as my trust in you.”
In a rising tone, Ethan snapped, “Let’s not forget that I was the one who managed to trap the ghost!”
To which Miles responded coolly, “And let’s not forget that I saved your life. Not once, but twice.”
Ethan’s voice grew cold, “You’re bringing up the fact that you saved me? I was merely bait in your plan to lure the ghost out. You failed to distinguish the ghost from the bodies around it. If you had known, you’d have let me engage with it directly rather than having me retreat cautiously. Did you even consider that your strategy could’ve cost me my life?”
Unfazed, Miles retorted, “You were the only bait that would work. If not for you, our entire mission would’ve been a flop. I was acting for the greater good. And look at you, standing here, alive and arguing with me. Considering I controlled a ghost domain, I was confident I could’ve saved you in a jiffy. Can you claim to have had my safety in mind with the same certainty?”
As tension thickened, Ethan, clutching the box tightly, said, “What if I decide to leave with this box today?” His face stern, signaling he had no intention of letting go of the prize.
Miles, with a sly glint in his eye, challenged, “Are you certain that the box you’re gripping is genuine? Do you even comprehend the nature of a ghost domain?”
A pulse of dread coursed through Ethan. He looked down to see that the gleaming golden box had horrifyingly morphed into a rotting human skull.
With a gasp of revulsion, he tossed it away.
His voice quaking with a mix of shock and anger, he demanded, “When did you make the switch?”
“In the realm of the ghost domain,” Miles began with a reflective tone, “the only things that are truly real are the ones I firmly believe in. Everything else has the potential to be a mere mirage. So I ask you, Ethan, what defines your reality? Is it what your eyes perceive? The textures your fingers touch? Or maybe the scents that waft into your nostrils? When the very environment around you starts to waver and reshape itself, you’ll come to realize that it might just be an elaborate facade – a fundamental characteristic of a world built on fantasy,” Miles’s voice resonated through the eerie silence.
Taking a moment to let the weight of his words sink in, Miles continued, seemingly lost in a philosophical trance, “Quite an astounding ability, don’t you think?”
Ethan’s face contorted, his teeth gritted in annoyance. “Nonsense! The ghost domain is essentially a manifestation of the ghost’s inherent power. It’s a well-accepted fact among those who tame ghosts that such a domain cannot exert influence over gold.”
Miles responded with a casual gesture, almost mockingly, “While I might not have the ability to alter gold, I do have the power to play with your perceptions. Can you be absolutely certain that what you discarded was merely a human head?”
The implication of Miles’s words struck Ethan profoundly. Had he been duped?
A whirlwind of doubt engulfed him as he quickly picked up the abandoned head from the ground.
Seeing Ethan’s confusion, Miles posed another puzzling question, a mischievous grin tugging at his mouth, “Are you entirely sure that the head you’re holding now is the same one you threw away? You know, despite our combined efforts to trap this ghost, you chose not to place your trust in me. This naturally bred suspicion on my part as well. We can’t exactly divide the box into two parts. While you played a significant role, let’s not overlook my contributions. I was the one who deciphered the ghost’s behavior and pinpointed its location.”
As he spoke, a golden box appeared in Miles’s hand, seemingly out of nowhere.
It was unmistakably the same container Ethan had earlier used to trap the ghost.
If the genuine box was now in Miles’s grasp, then the object Ethan was clutching had to be an actual decapitated head.
“Damn it,” Ethan muttered, once again repulsed by the realization, hastily setting aside the head.
His mind was a tornado of emotions, caught in the challenge of discerning truth from illusion within the ghost domain’s confines. Amidst this turmoil, he felt an overwhelming relief, grateful that Miles wasn’t an actual ghost. If he were, how would Ethan ever hope to counteract such a formidable entity? He’d be obliterated in a heartbeat.
With a heavy sigh, Ethan admitted, “Alright, you’ve bested me. You can take the lead on this one. But surely you don’t intend to keep everything for yourself?”
If Miles chose to take everything, Ethan would be powerless to intervene.
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Miles responded, “Though our dispute over the rewards was hardly cordial, I remain a man of ethics at heart. Without a moral anchor, how are we any different from the ghosts we hunt? Our agreement still holds. However, the box remains in my custody. You find a potential buyer, and I’ll oversee the negotiations. Is that agreeable to you?”
Ethan sighed in resignation, “Do I even have an option?” After a brief pause, he added, “Alright, we’ll do it your way.”
A wave of relief enveloped him, realizing that their collaboration would persist. If Miles had been more ruthless, Ethan could have found himself entirely isolated and abandoned.
Miles responded, “Good. Contact me when we’re ready to finalize everything. Otherwise, leave me be; I have a lot on my plate. It’s been a pleasure collaborating with you.”
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a pen. After scribbling his contact number on a piece of paper, he carelessly dropped it onto the floor.
Suddenly, the surrounding crimson illumination vanished, taking Miles with it.
Ethan meticulously observed his environment, his eyes eventually settling on what appeared to be a ‘human head’ on the floor.
Upon closer inspection, Ethan’s anxiety transformed into disbelief. The object he had mistaken for a decapitated head was, in fact, a package of plain instant noodles – his least favorite flavor.
“These ghost domains never cease to confound me…” he whispered, frustration evident in his voice. “Of all ghost tamers, why did Miles possess such an extraordinary talent? It felt grossly unfair.”
Blessed? If Miles could hear Ethan’s internal rant, he probably would’ve found it amusing. He would’ve rather lived without this unique “gift.”
What Ethan didn’t realize was that Miles hadn’t actually left the mall immediately.
There was someone Miles couldn’t overlook – River.
“River, tell me you’re still alive. I’ve lost contact with your phone.” Miles reappeared in the security room.
His power over the ghost domain was evidently still active.
In the room’s corner, River sat huddled, tightly gripping a prepaid phone that had run out of minutes. Tears flowed down her face as she silently wept.
Her heart ached with despair. When both Ethan and Miles hadn’t come out from the clothing store, she believed they’d met their end due to the cameras being unable to track the events within the shop.
River’s mental state was fragile. If something had happened to Miles, she wondered about her own impending fate. The threat of the ghost outside loomed large, and stepping out could mean her end.
But hearing Miles’s familiar voice, her tears momentarily stopped, and she looked up sharply.
As she watched Miles take form right in front of her, she jumped to her feet, flooded with relief, and tried to embrace him. “I was terrified thinking you were gone. Thank goodness you’re safe.”
“Ow!”
Instead of the expected embrace, River unintentionally passed through Miles, resulting in her face meeting the cold floor. Blood oozed from her nose when she looked up.
Miles, surprised and slightly bewildered, remarked, “Why so dramatic, River? For a moment, I thought you were trying to assault me.”
River’s voice trembled, “Are you a human or… a ghost?” Fear clouded her eyes.
She was sure she had just passed right through him.
Miles, with a hint of urgency in his tone, replied, “I don’t have time to explain the intricacies. Your role here is done. We need to get out.” With that, he took her wrist.
In the blink of an eye, both disappeared from the room.