Chapter 88: Codename – Sick Ghost
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Upon entering Yellow Hill Village on the first day, the mysterious death of a ghost tamer immediately unsettled everyone. This wasn’t just any death; it was the sudden demise of someone well-versed in handling supernatural entities, a professional known as a ghost tamer. Normally, ghost tamers would occasionally fall victim to the wrath of avenging spirits brought back to life from within their own bodies. Yet, for one to be silently slain by an unidentified ghost was extremely rare.
This evident danger was even more alarming considering that no one had uttered a word about it. A mere look at the situation told a horrifying tale, one that suggested that the ghosts of Yellow Hill Village were on an entirely different level of malevolence. If they weren’t, the ghost tamer named Sheng wouldn’t have been killed with such ease.
The weight of the situation became more palpable as Yiming spoke, prompting silence from all present. Stretch then chimed in, trying to make sense of the horror, “Your insights match what Miles shared earlier.” He paused to inhale deeply, the weight of his words heavy in the air. “He pointed out that the vengeful spirit here doesn’t target humans but is after the spirits dwelling within us.”
Yiming was known for his level-headedness and analytical prowess. To hear a theory from someone like Miles – who was usually regarded with skepticism – reiterated by Yiming added significant gravitas to the claim.
Furthermore, the evidence supported this theory. While Sheng, the ghost tamer, met his untimely demise, a civilian woman living in his house was left unharmed. The malicious ghost seemed to have a specific vendetta against those capable of taming ghosts, sparing regular individuals in its path.
“Miles made that observation too?” Raising an eyebrow, Yiming responded, “Just earlier, you all painted Miles as an unstable and impulsive youngster. Perhaps I should reevaluate my opinion of him.”
The fact that Miles had deduced the ghost’s unique targeting behavior before Yiming hinted at the former’s potential insight into the realm of the supernatural. Could it be that Miles possessed an innate understanding, one that even surpassed Yiming’s seasoned expertise?
A voice piped in, “He did voice that theory. We were skeptical initially. But with you echoing his sentiments, it’s challenging to maintain that disbelief.”
Miles, who had been eavesdropping, remarked light-heartedly, “While you grown-ups hash things out, I’ll keep my distance. Earlier, someone tried to drag me into a shooting game. Scared me senseless, almost made a mess in my pants.”
Tian shot back, irritation evident in his voice, “Miles, enough with the jokes.”
Puffing out a cloud of smoke from his cigarette, Yiming proposed, “Maybe it’s best to evacuate this village. Miles, what’s your take? Facing a spirit that preys on other ghosts – we might be out of our depth. This task is more intricate than we first assumed. The organization that hired us must’ve known its complexity to offer the secret of controlling another vengeful spirit as payment.”
“You hit the nail on the head. After all, high stakes indeed come with substantial rewards.” Miles wore a sly smile, “Given the predicament, what’s your plan? Without the ability to harness the second spirit to counteract the awakening ghost within each of us, how long do you think you’ll last?”
The words resonated deeply within their cores, stirring intense emotions among the group.
Their decision to venture to this locale wasn’t taken lightly. They had deliberately chosen to face its inherent risks, hoping that their boldness would pay off in their dire situation. Retreating at this stage could be seen as a wise move, a decision that weighed safety over bravado. Yet, if they chose to withdraw, they’d be abandoning their only potential path to survival.
“Dying at the behest of our awakening spirits seems a bit more honorable than succumbing to this particular ghost,” Page argued with a hint of bitterness. “Your fearlessness in the face of death might be commendable, Miles, but not all of us share your bravado. Dying here, without meaning or purpose, isn’t on our agenda.”
Miles countered in his typical direct manner, “Your choices are simple. Leave if you wish. Head back to the comforts of your club, drink to your heart’s content, share stories, and haze the newcomers. And then, just wait. Wait for the looming ghost of death to claim you. Perhaps the only decision you’d have left is selecting a suitable urn and a picturesque resting place. Although, given our line of work, I wonder if anyone would even dare to visit our graves.”
His words hit hard, leaving Page searching for words, the raw truth of Miles’s retort leaving him momentarily speechless.
The reality was undeniable: to turn tail and run was to accept their doomed fate.
Yiming, ever the philosopher, remarked, “Fortune does tend to favor those who dare. By confronting this supernatural mystery and fulfilling our deal, we might find a way out of this predicament. Together, we are formidable. However, time isn’t on our side, and the spirits here are restless. We must decide, and quickly.”
Finishing his cigarette with a thoughtful drag, Yiming sought opinions, “What’s the consensus? Stay or flee? My vote is to leave this cursed place.”
Page, still ruffled from his exchange with Miles, agreed, “I too vote for departure.”
Stretch pondered for a moment before saying, “Our combined might shouldn’t be underestimated. I think the initial losses we suffered were due to our underestimation of the ghost’s power. I vote we stay.”
Miles smirked, “I’m on Team Stay, though I wonder if my voice even counts, given my outsider status.”
Yiming turned his attention to Tian, an astute observation catching his eye. “Tian? Huh… are you bleeding?”
Tian tried to downplay the severity, “It’s merely a scratch, nothing serious.”
Just a scratch?
Miles couldn’t help but admire Tian’s stoic demeanor and grit.
Gathering his thoughts, Tian voiced, “My vote is to stay and confront our fears. We’re on borrowed time with the imminent awakening of our wrathful spirits. If we flee, what awaits us? Tackling this supernatural enigma and securing a method to delay the resurgence of the main ghost is our sole recourse.”
A hint of hope, however minuscule, was always worth pursuing.
Yiming lit another cigarette, reflecting on their situation. The path forward was fraught with dangers, yet they had no option but to trudge on.
The stable man finally concluded, “A majority of us have chosen to stay. It’s evident from past incidents that ghost tamers like us are prime targets for this spirit. Splitting up would be a grave mistake. From this moment on, unity is paramount. Personal animosities need to be shelved for our collective survival.”
Miles figured it was time he brought up another concern since they’ve decided to stay: “There’s still another issue I want to bring up. Having a team like ours, with our varied backgrounds and skills, could quickly land us in hot water if we don’t know each other’s capabilities.”
Yiming released a cloud of smoke and responded, suggesting he’d given their situation a great deal of thought, “True, but one undeniable fact is clear: that ghost possesses the ability to stealthily eliminate someone as skilled as a ghost tamer when they’re alone. The best plan is still sticking together.”
Raising an eyebrow, Miles gestured towards Sheng’s lifeless body: “But there’s something else you might not have considered. It’s possible we’re not dealing with just one ghost anymore.”
Yiming nodded, conceding the point, “True. The spirit associated with Sheng could have been released upon his death. So, we might be looking at two active ghosts haunting the village.”
Curiosity evident in his voice, Miles pressed for more details, “Any insights into what Sheng’s ghost is capable of?”
Stretch shrugged, a concerned look on his face, “Sheng was quite reserved. He rarely visited the club, and when he did, it was in his capacity as a bodyguard for one of the money tycoons. He hardly ever demonstrated the abilities of his ghost in front of us, so we’re essentially in the dark.”
A smirk appeared on Miles’s face, “Things just got a lot more complicated, didn’t they? Now we have an additional spirit whose strengths and weaknesses are unknown to us.”
Drawing deeply from his cigarette, Yiming postulated, “One thing to note is, if Sheng’s demise wasn’t the result of a vengeful spirit’s resurgence, his ghost shouldn’t be overly powerful. Our primary objective is to find the ghost that has been haunting Yellow Hill Village for a while now. I’ve taken to calling it ‘The Sick Ghost’ due to the distinctive, weak coughing sounds associated with it.”
The others silently accepted Yiming’s analysis.
Eager to fish for more information, Miles pulled out a folded piece of paper. “Take a look. This is a map I sketched of Yellow Hill Village.”
He spread out the paper, revealing a rudimentary map with lines denoting roads and squares marking houses.
Stretch’s eyes widened in surprise, “When did you manage to draw this?”
Miles raised an eyebrow, “Didn’t you all come prepared with something similar? How do you expect to hunt ghosts effectively without familiarizing yourselves with the surroundings?”
Stretch looked somewhat sheepish, admitting, “That might have slipped our minds.”
There was suppressed discomfort among the group, acknowledging their obvious oversight.
“These lines are the roads, and the squares are buildings. The specific locations we traced earlier are marked here, here, and here. And right in the middle, where the footsteps vanished, is this particular structure.” Miles quickly guided them through the map.
The gravity of the situation hit them as Yiming’s hand slightly shook, causing ash from his cigarette to sprinkle down, “You’re referring to the house at the village entrance? The one currently holding a funeral? Its main hall houses a conspicuous coffin.”
Miles nodded in confirmation, “Exactly. The same house being utilized for mourning. The location where we were earlier was right behind it. If we approach from the front, we’ll undoubtedly encounter the coffin.”
Stretch interjected, “I had a feeling something was amiss. Encountering a funeral our very first day and that unusually placed coffin in the hall – it can’t be mere coincidence.”
Page concurred, “So, we face this head-on?”
Stretch responded with a challenge in his voice, “Is there even a need for discussion? With the collective strength we possess, when we truly commit to an action, even the fiercest of demons would think twice.”