Mysterious Awakening

The mall had been entirely closed down for Master Catch’s rituals. Even the safety corridors hadn’t been exempted. It was a mystery how this young man, Ethan, had managed to appear within the premises when he’d been conspicuously absent during earlier patrols. Had he been hiding in plain sight all this time? Was he the shadowy figure they felt had been haunting the mall over the past days?

Miles studied Ethan closely, his mind swirling with questions. But how could he make sense of the undiscovered decaying corpse he’d come across during his patrols? More so, the clean, surgical incision at the corpse’s neck was disturbingly similar to cuts made by a factory milling cutter, and even more bizarrely, the body was bloodless.

Mr. Calm, Mall Manager Li, and those with Master Catch observed Ethan, a cocktail of shock and fear etched on their faces. Was he a murderer, a lunatic, or something more malevolent? Uncertainty consumed their thoughts.

Ethan made a move to shake hands with Mr. Calm. However, Mr. Calm recoiled, alarm etched on his face. “Just who are you? And what do you want?”

“I’m here to offer you a business proposition, Mr. Calm. The question is, do you want to hear it?” Ethan retracted his hand, still wearing a disarming smile.

“And what business would that be?”

Ethan elaborated, “My intuition tells me your mall has a ghostly tenant. The recent disappearances are all its handiwork. It’s here now, somewhere, watching us. I can rid you of this problem, but my services come at a cost – five million.”

It clicked for Mr. Calm – this stranger was trying to blackmail him. He’d already secured the assistance of a professional, why would he need Ethan?

Before Mr. Calm could respond, Master Catch scoffed, “And where exactly do you hail from, young man? Do you understand the codes we follow? You can’t be older than your early twenties. Have you mastered the arts of feng shui or the Eight Trigrams? You’re likely an amateur. Let me handle Mr. Calm’s situation today. It’s best you leave immediately.”

“And if you don’t, security will escort you out.”

Ethan laughed scornfully, “A pompous fraudster who’s clueless about the real world. Feng shui? Maybe it’s an effective scam for the nouveau riche, but your tactics are worthless here. There really is a ghost in this place. What good will your wooden sword and meaningless talismans do? Even if you summon the Buddha himself, it won’t help.”

“I’d also advise you to watch your tongue. Or else, I’ll tear your heart out and force-feed it to you.”

Ethan’s previously genial face contorted into a chillingly cold and terrifying expression, lifting Master Catch by the collar with intimidating strength. His menacing tone suggested he wasn’t making empty threats.

Fear quickly sets in, triggering a cold sweat to break out on Master Catch’s forehead. Ethan was as cold and ruthless as a hardened prison killer, if not worse. His unnerving aura was something even the most violent criminals couldn’t match.

From the chilling air around Ethan, Miles concluded that this man must be a ghost tamer. It seemed as if Ethan harbored a ghost within himself, a torment Miles understood too well. A person in such a predicament would inevitably be manipulated by the malevolent spirit dwelling within, a transformation that would occur subtly and insidiously. Miles could already feel this transformation creeping within himself as well.

Mall Manager Li’s face turned ashen as he commanded urgently, “Security, get over here. Restrain this man and free Master Catch immediately!”

Strong paused, reluctant to engage, which prompted Mall Manager Li to reprimand both security guards angrily, “What’s the matter with you two? Do you wish to lose your job? Get to it, both of you!”

Seeing Miles standing defiantly as well without moving a muscle, Mall Manager Li pointed at him and barked furiously.

“I’m no longer your security guard, remember? You fired me.” Miles retorted, “This uniform will be returned later, which means I am not under your jurisdiction anymore. You all can handle this on your own.”

He added, “And stop pointing and shouting. Even though you’re the mall manager, I won’t hesitate to put you in your place if you push me.”

Mall Manager Li was taken aback and seethed in anger. Since when had security guards become this defiant? They were supposed to be compliant, not confrontational.

Mr. Calm, seeing the escalating tension, interjected, “Young man, as the mall owner, I consider anyone willing to help as part of the team. I’m willing to offer you a raise. What do you say?”

“I think I’d prefer a safer job,” Miles replied casually, “But I appreciate the offer.”

Mr. Calm shot Mall Manager Li an irate look filled with regret. The manager had proven himself incompetent and would need replacing soon. It was already a challenge to hire people for the mall. They finally had two capable young security guards, and due to Li’s arrogance, one was fired and now refusing to help at a crucial time.

“Call the police,” Mr. Calm ordered, suppressing his rage.

Mall Manager Li, who had been standing behind him, quickly snapped out of his daze and started dialing the police.

It’s then Strong stepped forward reluctantly and implored, “Let’s keep cool, brother.”

He wasn’t willing to risk his life for the job either.

With a terrifyingly cool smile, Ethan replied, “I am calm. If I weren’t, you’d all be dead by now.” He released his grip on the pallid Master Catch and pushed him aside, who crumpled onto the floor after being set free.

“Boss, I’ve contacted the police,” Mall Manager Li whispered to Mr. Calm, who nodded and said, “Let’s stay cautious for now. We need to maintain control.”

Mr. Calm’s gaze fell upon the decaying corpse. He couldn’t shake off the suspicion that Ethan, the unsettling man standing before them, could be the killer, possibly responsible for the past disappearances within the mall.

“Mr. Calm, I think we should reconsider my previous offer. Five million and I’ll rid your mall of this ghost, ensuring seamless operation. What do you say?” Ethan suggested.

“You… your asking price is too steep,” Mr. Calm responded, his expression strained.

“Considering the worth of this mall, my fee is quite reasonable,” Ethan retorted, a smirk playing on his lips.

“If you could lower it a bit, I might entertain the idea,” Mr. Calm tried to buy time, already suspecting Ethan to be the killer and having alerted the police.

Miles observed the bargaining between Ethan and Mr. Calm, shaking his head inwardly. Ethan was being audacious. Despite an uptick in supernatural events worldwide, skepticism was still widespread. Asking for a whopping five million upfront was bound to be rejected. Only when Mr. Calm confronted the ghostly terror could negotiations truly begin. Having previously dealt with the likes of Mr. Beach, Miles was somewhat seasoned in these affairs.

However, just as tensions escalated, a sudden ‘click’ resounded. The mall was abruptly engulfed in darkness – a power outage. The unexpected event took everyone aback.

“Something’s off,” Ethan noted, his expression turning grave. He quickly glanced up at the mall’s fifth floor. Amid the dim light, a silhouette was faintly discernible by the glass railing, seemingly peering down at them. Disturbingly, the figure appeared headless.

“Decided to show yourself, have you?” Ethan muttered, a touch of madness in his voice. Without a second thought, he dashed towards the elevator and bolted upstairs.

“Hmm?” Miles squinted, also spotting the figure on the fifth floor, but his brow furrowed quickly. The stench of decay was emanating from the first floor, not the fifth. Was the ghost upstairs or downstairs?

Suddenly, a piercing scream rang out. One of the employees, a woman in her mid-twenties known as Blush, pointed towards a location on the first floor.

“What’s happening? It’s just a power cut, no need for hysteria,” Mall Manager Li reprimanded, “Let’s seize this chance while the murderer’s away and make for the exit. Help should arrive shortly.”

“No, it’s not that… the body that man left… it’s gone,” Blush stuttered, pointing to the spot where the body had previously lain.

Upon inspection and finding nothing, they instantly realized it was true. This sent chills down everyone’s spine, amplified by the lingering and intensifying stench of decay.