The mont Miles had left, the remaining group slowly returned to reality.
Wait, Grace suddenly realized, Miles saved us, and we didnt even thank him. Isnt that rather thoughtless of us?
How about we take Miles to dinner in a few days? suggested Peter, Maybe we could have so skewers?
William, laughing softly, interjected, Just skewers? Youre setting the bar pretty low. Id take him out for a lavish al at a high-end restaurant, maybe a karaoke session after, and even so luxurious relaxation therapy. I heard hes renting; his living conditions arent ideal. Perhaps I could convince my dad to buy him an apartnt nearby. Regardless, Ive decided to stick by Miles. No one, especially you, Grace considering you were middle school classmates better try to take him from .
Finishing his sentence, he shot a suspicious glance at Grace. No seducing him.
What are you going on about, William? Grace replied, blushing.
Isnt that a bit excessive, William? Peter was taken aback.
Excessive? William scoffed, causing the others to recoil slightly, stepping back from him.
The girls looked at William with a mixture of surprise and bewildernt. They were aware of Williams capability, but this was bordering on the absurd.
What, you dont believe ? William countered, Would you rather face a ghost?
At the ntion of a ghost, the mory of the previous nights horror surfaced, and fear reflected on their faces once more.
Peter hesitated before reluctantly speaking, Given the options, Id rather pick the forr. Even the girls blushed, rembering how Miles had reassuringly saved Coral and comnted about how a girl could beco a wife and such after being saved.
Indeed, Miles presence brought them a comforting sense of security.
Turning serious, William added, Right ntioned that these supernatural phenona would persist, escalating into a global disaster. While we were fortunate to survive a ghost encounter today, what about in the future? We, ordinary people, are ill-equipped to handle ghosts. It seems only people like Right, and potentially Miles, can.
We are fortunate to know Miles. Hes our best hope.
With that, William fell silent, understanding the importance of Miles more profoundly than before. The prior night had been a terror beyond comprehension, an experience he wished to never repeat. If he were a girl, he might already be clinging to Miles, much like Coral.
He looked over towards the bus stop where Coral had insisted that Miles accompany her ho.
Currently aboard the bus, Miles slumped in his seat, thoroughly drained. He gazed at the familiar streets, the routine flow of people, the everyday hustle outside the window. The cacophony, strangely enough, was comforting.
At least there were no ghosts now.
Indeed, Coral was sticking close to Miles. If their relationship was more advanced, she might have already been angling to move in with him. However, she was content to have him escort her ho for now.
Miles, will we co across such events in the future? Coral asked, tightly gripping his arm, taking her ti to gather the courage to ask.
Im unsure, Miles admitted. Though its plausible. It really depends on our luck. If were lucky, we may never co across such a thing again. The world is vast, and even if supernatural incidents do occur, the chances of them happening in every city, every neighborhood, are relatively slim. Theyre not like earthquakes or floods, which are widespread natural disasters.
Of course, this was only an attempt to comfort her. The truth was that the future remained unpredictable.
Suddenly, Miles noticed the lingering dark imprint of two baby handprints on Corals neck. It was reminiscent of a tattoo yet to fade. It wasnt a mark left by the ghostly infant. Rather, it seed like a brand.
Feeling a cold shiver, Miles debated whether he should ntion it. Given Corals fragile state of mind, he decided against it.
Its often said that the most terrifying thing is to scare oneself. Maybe this mark was rely a scar.
Be vigilant in the coming days. If anything troubles you, dont hesitate to reach out, Miles gently cautioned her.
Thank you, thank you so much, Coral responded, visibly touched by his kindness.
Suddenly, a phone began to ring.
Ah~! Coral instantly went pale, letting out an involuntary scream.
Dont worry. Its probably just a regular call, Miles assured her as he searched through several phones.
Finally, he retrieved a walkie-talkie-styled device, a standard-issue satellite phone from the ghost tar, Right. The bulky phone lacked internet capabilities and was only capable of making calls. He wasnt sure why hed chosen to carry such a device.
With a bit of hesitation, Miles answered the call.
Hello, Right, please update us, requested a female operator on the other end of the line.
Right is dead, Miles reported.
Dead? How did he die?!
He died in childbirth, Miles replied.
Childbirth? The woman seed taken aback.
Yes, childbirth. It was a cesarean, but there wasnt enough ti for surgery. Maybe the child was impatient and ripped through the belly to co out. I witnessed it firsthand. The baby, however, was quite mischievous. Perhaps it was my fault for not assisting properly. As soon as it was born, it bit . I almost beca its al, Miles detailed.
On the other end of the call, the operator, nad Rain, seed ready to explode. This is nonsense! Who are you exactly? How did you get a hold of Rights satellite phone? Are you aware that youre interfering with a special active case from Interpol? Im Rights exclusive handler, Rain, and I have the right to demand an honest report about Rights condition.
I already told you, Right is dead, Miles repeated calmly. If youre keen to know the truth, shouldnt you send soone to verify it? Do I need to declare that Right died due to a vengeful ghosts awakening, creating panic among everyone on the bus? Didnt they teach reading comprehension in your school? Can you discern the main point? Your comprehension skills make question your competence as an operator.
Either bring in soone experienced or Im done talking, he declared, his demand ringing clear.
Nestled in the heart of Interpol Asia, the relevant departnt humd with activity at Ghost Tars HQ
Decked out in her uniform, Rain, the operator, clenched her teeth, fury threatening to bubble over. The pencil in her hand was whittled down to a fine point, her strokes on the paper beside her becoming more aggressive, as though she wished she could skewer the insolent voice at the other end of the call through the lines.
Stay calm, Rain. This irritation pales in comparison to the life-or-death trials the field agents undergo, she reassured herself.
Taking several deep breaths, she resud her composed and professional front, Sir, your cooperation is necessary for our investigation in this matter.
His reply was a derisive Heh.
Sir, we need your cooperation.
Heh.
Sir, youre hiding sothing. We can pause for five minutes if youre uncomfortable talking in a public space. Please use this ti to find a private place and report the current situation, she offered.
Heh.
What in the world does heh an?
Rain was teetering on the edge of frustration. Biting her lip, she fought to maintain her composure. Sir, if its not convenient for you to talk, can you at least provide your na? Well dispatch soone to continue with the investigation later.
So, youre planning to probe into , huh? Well, Ive got nothing to hide. My first na is William, last na is Wei. Co if youre brave. If you dont, youre nothing but a coward, was his defiant reply.
All right, wait for us. Just you wait. In a mont of fury, Rain discarded her usual restraint and fired back, her voice resounding.
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