Mysterious Awakening

Everyone, when confronted with the same predicament, opts for distinct choices.

Although fully conscious of Miles being a ghost tamer, River chose not to keep her distance. Instead, she staked everything on him.

The experience of living through torment is often what makes one appreciate the simple beauty of life.

Similarly, only those who’ve come face to face with malevolent spirits can grasp the joy of being alive.

In a world stripped of security, River was prepared to seek shelter under Miles, even if he were to become a malevolent spirit.

“The gold prices have spiked again. How did you foresee this continuous rise? I’ve been monitoring the market too, and from my perspective, the peak has already been hit. It seems bound for a fall soon. This is further evidenced by a slow descent following a brief rapid climb. Investing ten million at this point feels very risky,” voiced River.

Sitting before her computer, casually attired in a light nightgown, she was engrossed in the fluctuating gold price trends displayed on her laptop.

The market’s opening today saw a dip in gold prices, followed by a dramatic rise.

Miles’ decision to invest ten million seemed incredibly fortuitous.

“I’m not well-versed in stocks. I just believe gold prices will continue their ascent. I’m just trying to earn some extra cash,” responded Miles.

Flushed with excitement, River queried, “Do you have any inside intel?”

“No, it’s purely conjecture,” Miles retorted.

His claim was modest. Gold had transitioned from being a currency to a strategic asset for nations, a necessary commodity. Its price hike was inevitable.

On hearing this, River was convinced that Miles possessed some undisclosed knowledge. How else could he have forecasted so accurately?

Moreover, his stature as a ghost tamer was significant enough to warrant respect from Captain Bright upon encounter. He was no ordinary security guard.

Her newfound understanding amplified her pride in Miles’ gold trading to the extent of investing her savings, amounting to several hundred thousand. She opted for the riskiest gold leverage, aiming for maximum gains with minimum capital.

But naturally, the risk was steep.

“Given your certainty about the rise in gold prices, I plan to capitalize significantly on it through high-risk trading. I’ve invested my own funds too. If there’s a loss, don’t hold it against me,” River announced.

“Proceed as you deem fit. So long as it involves buying gold, I won’t meddle,” Miles confidently responded.

“Understood, leave it in my hands,” said River, a wave of excitement building within her.

Miles was indifferent to her trading approach.

He spent his leisure time scouring a ghost tamer website – an exclusive portal established by various nations, granting access only to their headquarters’ ghost tamers.

The objective was singular – to enhance their understanding of the field.

However, Miles found no information on the site about the malevolent spirit that had made its appearance the previous day.

“It’s inconceivable for such a crucial event to escape attention. It seems they’re intentionally concealing this significant incident, avoiding public disclosure,” he mused.

Shaking his head, he felt a twinge of disappointment.

The collaboration between nations was less than robust. It explained the need for regional divisions within the ghost tamer headquarters.

While there appeared to be cooperative efforts on the surface, each entity was essentially guarding its interests.

Over the last three days, Miles had scarcely ventured out of River’s apartment, opting to stay indoors for the most part.

River, meanwhile, had been industriously monitoring the market. She claimed their initial ten million had doubled in value. Watching these figures grow daily excited her to the point of insomnia, as though the money were her own.

However, Miles was interrupted this morning by a phone call.

It was from William, who insisted on discussing a serious matter and asked Miles to arrange a meeting spot.

After some deliberation, Miles decided it would be prudent to meet him.

“I need to step out for a while.”

“Where are you heading?”

“Just for a quick stroll nearby,” Miles responded.

“Will you be returning tonight?” River asked anxiously.

“Certainly.”

With that, Miles took off.

As he navigated the lively city streets, it was striking to realize that despite the numerous supernatural events worldwide, including several in Dachang City, most people appeared unaware and continued their daily routines unperturbed.

“Indeed, sometimes ignorance is bliss.”

With these words, Miles rolled down the car window, casting his eyes over the bustling sidewalk crowd, sighing to himself.

Shortly, he pulled up at the pedestrian street where he had agreed to meet William.

William had already arrived, engrossed in a heated debate with a bystander.

“I don’t stand here quarreling to show off or proclaim my superiority. I just want everyone to understand that William never lets go of what he’s lost,” he asserted, jabbing his finger into the ground with conviction.

“William, what’s all the shouting about? Why the early morning call?” Miles approached, calling out.

Recognizing Miles’ voice, William glanced up and heaved a sigh of relief, “Miles, over here. Excuse me, let’s make way. We can table this issue for now.”

He pointed at his opponent and warned, “I’m neither scared of you nor running away. I simply don’t want my friend to witness my ruthless side. You’re fortunate today.”

“Who was that guy? You two seemed ready to brawl. What was it about?” Miles inquired.

Chuckling coldly, William retorted, “Some insolent kid cut the line to buy ice cream. I was merely giving him a taste of adult ruthlessness.”

“…”

“Anyway, let’s drop it. There’s a café nearby. I need to talk to you about something,” William suggested.

Once they were seated in the café…

“What’s new with you? Still at that mall? I swung by yesterday and heard about a murder. The whole place is under lockdown. The owner is Mr. Calm, right?” asked William.

“How do you know all this?” Miles responded, startled.

“My father built that mall. I asked him. Be honest, is the place haunted?” William pushed.

“Your suspicion is accurate. It was indeed haunted,” confirmed Miles.

“Darn it, I knew it,” William exclaimed. “Any mysteriously closed-off place is almost certainly haunted. First, it was the school, then the housing complex, and now this mall. It’s like I can’t live on Earth anymore. If there were an option to move to Mars, I’d be first in line.”

William visibly shuddered at the thought.

“But the issue has been resolved now. By the way, why did you want to see me?” Miles inquired.

“Well, I’ve been meaning to discuss something with you,” William replied.

“What’s that?” Miles prompted.

Looking deeply troubled, William lowered his voice, “Something odd happened last night while I was playing PUBG on my computer. It felt like an encounter with a ghost, as chilling as the cursed stories on your forum.”

“Can you elaborate?” asked Miles.

“It was down to the final circle. I made it that far. The screen’s top right showed no remaining players, but I still died inexplicably, with ‘Game Over’ flashing on the screen.”

“Had it been a one-time thing, I could’ve overlooked it. But the same happened thrice. Could a ghost be gaming? I was so spooked I couldn’t sleep all night. That’s why I needed an ice cream earlier, to wake me up,” William explained anxiously.

In a serious tone, Miles responded, “I don’t think you crossed paths with a ghost, but rather… a cheater.”

“No way!” William looked at Miles, startled, “Are you serious? It was a cheater? Not a ghost?”

Miles reassured, “You’re over-analyzing. There’s no chance it was a ghost. It was a cheater. You were taken down by a cheat thrice.”

“Oh, I see. I thought I had run into a ghost.” William fell silent, processing the news.