Mysterious Awakening

Miles started as he retreated into the mall’s cavernous interior, saying, “Let’s make it clear, I’m open to teaming up with you. But if things go sideways and chaos ensues, I won’t think twice about making an escape. In that scenario, don’t hold it against me if I leave you behind.”

Ethan responded, “That seems fair. We’re working together to hunt this ghost. Should things derail, everyone needs to prioritize their own safety. Ghosts are unpredictable creatures. Not even the most seasoned ghost hunters can fully assure a successful capture of a high-ranking spirit.”

“The grading of ghosts is a risky business in itself,” pondered Miles. “I’ve paid the price for that before.”

“I’m relieved you’re aware of that,” Ethan acknowledged, to which Miles responded with a nod.

Miles possessed the unique skill to teleport himself out of the mall in a matter of seconds. This ability was his shield against spectral assaults. Not even the dreaded ‘Door-Knocking Ghost’ could ensnare him. Could the ghost lurking in this mall truly be more frightening than that?

Emboldened by this belief, he accepted Ethan’s proposition. “But what about the division of loot after we’ve seized the ghost?” he queried. “I’d prefer we sort this out now to prevent any disputes later.”

“We split the bounty and share intel,” Ethan proposed. “You’ve had my back too, so you can be sure I won’t undercut you.”

“Sounds reasonable,” agreed Miles, nodding in acceptance.

Then he inquired, his curiosity piqued, “So, is the city head considered a high-ranking role?”

“You don’t know?” Ethan queried, taken aback.

“I’m relatively new, haven’t had the chance to learn everything just yet. If you’re unsure, that’s alright. I can check with the operator later,” replied Miles.

“It is a top-tier role,” Ethan clarified. “It allows you to mobilize the city’s resources unreservedly to aid your operations, but only in the event of paranormal incidents. Typically, the city head receives great respect, but there’s only one for each city. The previous city head of Dachang was Right, whom I’ve had the chance to meet.”

“Only a single head for each city? That’s quite intimidating,” frowned Miles.

He could recall at least three supernatural occurrences he’d faced, excluding the ghost child incident.

Ethan affirmed, “Indeed, we’re spread thin. Consider the vastness of the world and the multitude of cities. Having a single ghost hunter per city is a significant accomplishment. However, handling such incidents often entails sacrifices.”

He added, “But not all ghost tamers aspire to be city heads working under the authorities.”

“So they prefer to err on the side of caution, steering clear of paranormal incidents?” Miles questioned.

“That’s one perspective,” Ethan concurred.

Miles contemplated aloud, “But that relies on the assumption that survival is uncertain. If the conditions regarding the rise of vengeful spirits shift, then the city head ghost tamer stand to benefit the most. They’re the ones dealing with the city’s supernatural issues, ensuring their survival.”

Ethan was taken aback and surprised by Miles’ forward-thinking approach.

“If a person has managed to avert the resurrection of a vengeful spirit,” Miles suggested, “Where do you suppose they obtained their information?”

Ethan queried, “What are you suggesting?”

Miles responded in a measured tone, “I reckon there are many people already studying this issue. Even if they can’t decipher the nature of ghosts, they’re striving to control these vengeful spirits. Such research may have already borne fruit. However, these methods could be flawed, unstable, or carry significant risk.”

“Hence, they haven’t been publicized yet.”

“But as supernatural incidents increase and the situation worsens, even raw techniques will have to be brought to light,” he added. “Ultimately, we’re the only ones equipped to handle ghosts. In the grand view of things, no one wants to lose us.”

Ethan paused before responding, “I was an electrician before, so I don’t have a firm grasp on all of this. If we succeed here, I can refer you to a certain club. All my intel comes from them.”

“What kind of club?” Miles inquired.

“A club exclusive to ghost tamers,” Ethan elaborated. “Its membership may be small, but its influence is vast, its network wide-reaching, and its collective knowledge surpasses mine.”

“Interesting, I might need to check it out,” Miles considered, recognizing the value of such a network.

Unbeknownst to them, they had ascended to the mall’s second floor and were making their way to the third, proceeding cautiously while maintaining vigilance.

“It seems like those entities have vanished again,” Miles observed, looking upwards. The ghosts they had seen on the fifth floor were now absent, leaving no corpses behind.

“Have they taken cover once more?” Ethan wondered.

“Never underestimate any ghost,” Miles cautioned. “The ones in this mall launched surprise attacks, replacing human heads with their own. You must have seen it on the fifth floor. Those whose heads are replaced retain their memories and remain unaware of their transformation. Yet, they could morph into ghosts at any given time and place.”

“You detected this pattern earlier?” Ethan asked, startled. “Why didn’t you alert me before, and why did you allow me to slide away with them?”

“I’m not questioning your capabilities,” Miles clarified, “I was merely skeptical of those people. There’s a saying that there will always be fools in every large group. Some people’s judgement is simply baffling. They not only jeopardize their own lives but also pose a risk to others. I was merely attempting to avoid mishaps. Besides, what’s wrong with their caterpillar imitation? You saw their swift, steady movements on the floor. They even seemed pleased, right?”

Ethan was rendered speechless. “Alright, I concede, your tactic was sound.”

“Glad to hear it,” Miles responded. Then, suddenly addressing his satellite phone, he said, “River, are you there? If you’re alive, please answer. If you’re dead, I’ll retrieve your body.”

The anxious voice of River came through: “I’m still here. I saw you go in. Please hurry and find me. I just spotted Strong’s body moving. Something feels off.”

“Where did the ghost first materialize?” Miles queried.

River replied, “I was checking the surveillance tapes. The ghost initially surfaced in a clothing store on the fifth floor, morphing into a blurry figure that merged with a mannequin. I’ll send you the image.”

“Send it to my secondary phone; this one can’t receive images,” instructed Miles.

“Understood.”

Shortly thereafter, an image arrived on his smartphone.

“Is this the ghost’s original form?” Ethan leaned in to get a better look.

Miles then asked, “Did you bring the tools?”

Ethan produced a golden box from his jacket, roughly the size of a makeup case, hefty and sturdy, weighing several kilograms. The box was tightly sealed.

“You’ve brought such a tiny box for such a sizable ghost? Why not just bring a Pokeball?” Miles teased.

“The price of gold has been soaring lately,” Ethan explained, “This box alone set me back more than two million. Every penny I’ve earned went into it.”

“I get that,” responded Miles, “but this box is so minuscule, it might not even hold ashes. How do you plan on confining a ghost inside?”

“Although compact, it should suffice,” Ethan asserted. “A ghost is but a shadow, right? Perhaps it lacks a physical form, making a small box sufficient.”

“Considering our circumstances, we have no option but to give it a shot,” Miles conceded, resolved to try capturing the ghost despite his doubts.

They finally reached the fifth floor.

The clothing store was familiar to him.

A group of mannequins stood behind the glass door, some missing arms, others legs. He had found it unsettling when he first patrolled this area.

His intuition had been correct.

The original offender, the ghost, was inside there.

Shelving any casual attitudes, Miles and Ethan braced themselves.

The store ahead was enveloped in darkness, and the door didn’t seem locked. It opened with a gentle pull by the men. However, knowing a genuine ghost was concealed within sent a chill down Miles’ spine, causing his palms to sweat.

Technically, this was his first official face-to-face with a ghost.

The prior ghost infant incident didn’t count, as it was a rescue mission where he was more of a passive player. This time was different; it was an active assault.

Just as Miles and Ethan were preparing to act, an uncanny occurrence unfolded.

The hefty glass door of the clothing store, as if manipulated by some invisible force, began to open slowly of its own accord. Miles was taken aback.

Could the ghost know they were coming?