Chapter 24
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Chapter 24: Title
The glass spheres varied in appearance—some emerald-green and vibrant, radiating vitality; others suffused with a golden-white glow that warmed the heart; still others shadowed in ashen hues that stirred unease…
At first glance, there were at least seventeen or eighteen such orbs.
Ye Linlang leaned back, studying Xiao Tianji’s Weibo management interface through half-lidded eyes. After a moment’s contemplation, her fingers danced across the keyboard with feline amusement.
*The Great Era approaches.*
*
The previous night had seen Special Bureau executives debating until 3 AM to draft initial countermeasures against "potential anomalies stemming from the Awakening of Spiritual Energy."
As Chief of Analysis Section 3, Lin Jing had remained voluntarily afterward with his team, refining operational details until dawn’s light crept across spreadsheets. He’d barely collapsed into bed when his phone’s shrill alarm shattered sleep at 7:00 AM.
*Two hours.* The number glared from his screen like a death sentence for what remained of his hairline. Promotion to the Bureau’s upper echelons had tripled his workload, a trade-off now haunting him through bloodshot eyes.
Rubbing sleep-gritted eyes, Lin Jing opened the Feixin workgroup:
[Information Section 2・Liang An]: [Image] Movement from Xiao Tianji. @Analysis Section 3・Lin Jing
Wisdom born of prior headaches made him avoid the account’s migraine-inducing avatar, focusing instead on the five-character Weibo post:
*The Great Era approaches.*
Analysis Section 3・Lin Jing: Any supplementary data?
Liang An’s response arrived as another screenshot – a private message thread dominated by the analyst’s own queries, answered only by Xiao Tianji’s terse:
*Awakening of Spiritual Energy. The Great Era arrives.*
[Director・Yan Hua]: 09:00 meeting room briefing.
Lin Jing calculated survival odds: twenty traffic-free minutes to headquarters, thirty with congestion. Add grooming time and… *Forty-seven minutes of potential sleep.*
He stared at his go-bag. *Why bother?* The office lounge could become home. Save gas money. Avoid emergency summons chaos.
In Zhejiang Province, Ye Linlang exited Weibo without glancing at either the Bureau’s frantic DMs or her erupting comment section. Preparations in the alternate space demanded full attention.
Unseen by her, the hashtag #XiaoTianji again breached Yunlang Weibo’s trending list. Platform engineers groaned—their carefully curated celebrity promotions displaced once more by this enigmatic account’s cryptic prophecies.
Hanzhou City dawn revealed Bai Ye adjusting black wrist guards over his spiritual patterns. Uncharacteristically early for the night owl, his satchel held provisions for what the trembling air promised—change.
The crimson spiritual pattern exuded a subtle allure, an unexpected sight adorning the wrist of a twenty-year-old male.
Upon reaching campus, Bai Ye observed students glancing at their phones while passing by, catching glimpses of familiar phrases flitting across screens.
Xiao Tianji? Wasn’t that the enigmatic hacker dominating yesterday’s trending list? Driven by curiosity, Bai Ye fished out his smartphone and navigated to Weibo.
Had Xiao Tianji made another splash?
As Bai Ye lowered his head to access Xiao Tianji’s profile, a voice materialized beside him.
"What’s this?"
Bai Ye’s heart nearly stalled from fright. Stepping back, he recognized the red-clad senior with mirthful eyes. His gaze instinctively darted toward the blazing sun.
He swiftly retrieved the folding umbrella from his satchel and unfurled it above them, casting cooling shade over the Ghost in Red.
"Sunlight poses minimal threat to Soul Condensing Realm ghost cultivators," she remarked, crimson lips curving at his considerate gesture.
"Better safe than sorry, given your diminished powers," Bai Ye murmured discreetly, wary of appearing deranged to onlookers.
He’d already noted pedestrians’ obliviousness to the Ghost in Red’s presence. Zhan Yuan’s lessons about spectral invisibility proved accurate, sparing him awkward explanations.
"May I?" The Ghost in Red indicated his phone with keen interest.
"Certainly, though a hovering device might unsettle others," he acquiesced, passing the smartphone.
"Imperceptible," she dismissed, accepting the device while eyeing his umbrella grip. "Proceed – doesn’t your examination approach?"
Bai Ye’s mouth twitched at this unexpected supervision. Despite his thoughts, he matched her pace, deliberately angling the umbrella for maximum coverage.
Occasional passersby shot puzzled glances at the sun-shielding youth. Since when do men carry parasols? And why tilt it toward empty space?
An arms-length distance persisted between them – one restrained by lingering traditional reservations, the other respecting ancient sensibilities.
The Ghost in Red manipulated the smartphone with practiced ease, her borrowed memories bridging three decades of technological evolution.
"A great era approaches? Who dares proclaim this?" She scanned Xiao Tianji’s Weibo post before fixating on his profile image. The avatar’s gaze suddenly swam before her eyes, inducing vertigo.
Her ghostly cultivation dispelled the disorientation upon looking away.
"Bai Ye. Insights?"
"Emerging yesterday from obscurity…" He pressed a fist to his lips, recounting the trending list’s revelations in hushed tones.
They soon arrived at the teaching building’s deserted corridors, exam time having cleared the passages.
Bai Ye collapsed the umbrella as spectral fingers claimed his phone.
"Illuminate these foreign specters for me," the Ghost in Red demanded, curiosity undimmed by centuries. "How differ they from our kind?"
Without protest, Bai Ye queued Xiao Tianji’s haunted castle livestream. As he surrendered the device, the video’s audio mysteriously silenced itself.
"Proceed to your assessment," she waved dismissively, already engrossed in spectral analysis.
Even with her strength significantly diminished, the Ghost in Red retained the power of the seventh rank. During this nascent stage of the Spiritual Energy Awakening, few could threaten her. Yesterday’s conversation had revealed her standing within official records wasn’t low – otherwise, they’d never have shown such deference.
Her assumptions proved correct. Though numerous spirits had manifested lately, none matched her capabilities. Most could merely phase through walls or frighten mortals, utterly incapable of wielding true sorcery.
Leaning against the corridor balcony, she stared intently at her phone’s glowing screen. Foreign specters intrigued her, but Xiao Tianji fascinated more. To adopt "Knowing Heaven, Knowing Earth, Knowing Destiny" as one’s motto signaled either audacious arrogance or genuine mastery.
Special Bureau High-Level Conference Room
"What’s your interpretation of these phrases?" Yan Hua’s voice carried authority from the head of the table.
Lin Jing fought back a yawn, spinning his pen to maintain focus. "This appears to be deliberate communication – he’s signaling us."
When superiors summoned, subordinates raced to obey, even abandoning warm beds. With the Spiritual Energy Awakening at stake, every bureau leader’s presence became mandatory.
Liang An had remained office-bound awaiting Xiao Tianji’s reply while assisting Lin Jing’s research. The wait proved soporific – until a Weibo notification nearly startled him under the desk.
"Lin Jing’s analysis mirrors mine." Liang An tapped the table. "After dozens of ignored messages, he responds three minutes post-tweet."
"Hardly a proper reply," Liang An snorted, nostrils flaring. "He answered precisely nothing."
"On the contrary." Lin Jing’s keystroke projected Weibo DM records. "Your midnight message mentioned the Spiritual Energy Awakening."
Heat flooded Liang An’s cheeks under colleagues’ scrutiny. He bit back reproaches – the projection’s thoroughness wasn’t Lin Jing’s fault.
10/25/05:42
Liang An: Greetings from Liang An, Information Section 2 Chief at Special Abnormal Events Investigation Bureau. Kindly respond? n(*≧▽≦*)n
Liang An: Unauthorized network breaches carry legal consequences! /angry!
Liang An: Contact us immediately upon receipt.
Liang An: What’s your knowledge regarding Spiritual Energy’s disappearance/reemergence? →_→
Liang An: Special operative? Taoist? Monk?
……
Subsequent garbled characters betrayed keyboard-slumber typing.
"Spiritual Energy Awakens, The Grand Era Descends."
Lin Jing zoomed the screenshot. "He acknowledges the Awakening, its consequences, and our awareness. Focus on the latter phrase – ‘Grand Era Descends’ versus his public ‘Grand Era Approaches’."
Silently, Lin Jing vowed to train deputies for future meetings. Must Analysis Department always lead presentations?
"Lexical nuance matters." Shi Fan’s bass voice resonated. "’Descends’ implies commencement, ‘Approaches’ suggests imminence. ‘Grand Era’ denotes prosperous transformation."
"My thoughts precisely." Lin Jing nodded. "His public post warns of impending upheaval. Given context, supernatural implications become unavoidable."
"I should mention that Xiao Tianji currently has 270 million followers. At the very least, this Weibo post will reach over 200 million people, and it’s already been reposted more than 30 million times."
Lin Jing accessed Xiao Tianji’s Weibo profile while glancing at Director Yan Hua. "Before the meeting began, the director informed me that the Kingdom of England has discovered Xiao Tianji’s network intrusion. The Queen of England personally called to demand answers."
"When did this happen?" Liang An exclaimed in surprise.
"We received the notification just before yesterday’s meeting. It didn’t seem significant at the time," Yan Hua responded lightly. "We have no affiliation with Xiao Tianji – this cyber intrusion was his independent action."
"Speaking of which, our own networks have also been breached."
"Liang An, display the international intelligence data you compiled earlier," Lin Jing instructed. Analysis Section 3 and Information Section 2 maintained the closest collaborative relationship among departments.
"Why has the volume increased so dramatically? These reports suggest foreign situations are far more severe than ours," Shi Fan remarked with astonishment while reviewing supernatural event reports from various nations.
"Wasn’t Japan only tracking a single Bridge Princess as part of urban legend investigations? And what’s this restricted zone in bear territory? Combined with other incidents, we’re looking at hundreds of documented cases."
"Some entries originate from overseas online rumors, but technicians have verified their authenticity through analysis. They simply haven’t gained significant attention abroad," Liang An massaged his temples wearily.
"Professor, that comparison seems flawed. How could our situation be better? Without Section Chief Cui’s ghost-control strategy, domestic chaos would likely surpass international levels."
"Our current stability remains precarious. Without Zhan Yuan and the old ghosts maintaining order, these spirits grow increasingly restless."
"If we don’t devise new containment methods soon, we’ll lose control completely."
*
Ye Linlang crouched within her transformed spatial office, gazing at the luminous orb matching her head’s size. Her expression blended pained reluctance with eager anticipation.
"Emergence time, my little precious." With a sweeping gesture, she materialized a basket brimming with glittering, iridescent diamond crystals – each featuring dual tapered ends.
The system instantly deducted 4 million Fantasy Points. Combined with previous cultivation investments, her hard-earned 9 million Fantasy Points had dwindled to roughly 3 million.
"Grow swiftly but consume sparingly," she chided while pressing a crystal against the orb’s surface. The gem vanished instantly upon contact, absorbed without residue.
"Merely a seed, yet already so demanding," Ye Linlang grumbled, hoping the orb would temper its gluttony. These divine power crystals represented nearly 5 million Fantasy Points – enough to generate trace source power. Now they vanished into this voracious entity.
Despite her vexation, she continued feeding the orb she affectionately dubbed "little precious," albeit through gritted teeth.
"Absorb properly," she cooed with deceptive sweetness, "If you fail to mature by dawn, I’ll let your father consume you instead."
The high-grade orb quivered instinctively, its nascent intelligence recognizing the supreme deity’s threat as genuine.
Ye Linlang pretended not to notice the tremor. A snap of her fingers summoned an enveloping sofa behind her. She reclined comfortably, alternately clutching the basket and lobbing divine power crystals toward the orb.
Each million Fantasy Points condensed into ten crystals. Her current forty-crystal stock equated to approximately 0.0040 source power units – an astronomical investment for this project.
When the final standard crystal disappeared, she revealed a unique amethyst-tinged variant. This single unit of source power came at great cost – extracted from the slumbering world consciousness that had briefly awakened for the transaction, only to collapse into deeper dormancy.
Should this experiment fail, feeding the orb to the weakened world consciousness might prove more practical.
The light sphere vibrated erratically after absorbing all crystals, its tremors intensifying under Ye Linlang’s unwavering scrutiny.
"Still insufficient?"
"It seems we’re about to fail." She knitted her brows, checking the time—only thirty minutes remained until dawn.
Ye Linlang rose to her feet. As she stepped forward, a startled gasp escaped her lips.
Her face blossomed with tentative delight moments later. Perhaps success hadn’t eluded them?
The luminous orb before her ceased its quivering, contracting steadily until it shrank to fist-sized proportions. A radiant glow pulsed outward, illuminating the surroundings.
After half a night’s vigil, the mystery object finally unveiled its true form.
Squinting at the revelation, Ye Linlang’s features twisted in contempt. "After devouring my precious resources, you manifest as… a tuber?"
The dramatic unveiling had promised grandeur, yet here lay what resembled a common market potato—albeit cleaner. The floating spud either sensed her disdain or craved proximity to the source power crystal in her palm. It zipped toward her, brushing its surface against her fingertips.
Curiously, the tuber kept bumping against the luminous crystal in her grip, perplexed why this particular morsel resisted consumption unlike its predecessors.
Ye Linlang eyed the "potato" with weary resignation. "Can such limited IQ bear cosmic responsibilities?"
For Blue Star’s Awakening of Spiritual Energy, an encapsulating membrane must first reforge planetary rules while containing the emerging energies. Her crafted alternate spaces required anchoring too—without foundation, universal laws would Shatter them upon exposure. Thus, after deliberation, she’d resolved to cultivate a World Tree.
Known as Jianmu in Eastern lore, this sacred axis mundi bridged celestial and mortal realms. Western traditions revered it as Yggdrasil, the cosmic pillar sheltering all creation within its branches.
"Cease fidgeting," she chided, swatting the rebellious tuber.
True World Tree creation exceeded both her capabilities and Blue Star’s current tier. Compromising, she’d settled for nurturing its seed—though even this pseudo-seed ranked as tier six entity. To evolve into genuine World Tree seed, the potato needed to assimilate her source power crystal.
The chastened tuber froze mid-wiggle.
Ye Linlang conjured a holographic projection of her envisioned World Tree. "This," she commanded, "is your growth template."
The spud bobbed apologetically—such grandeur lay beyond its current capacity.
"Proceed gradually then," she sighed, massaging her temples. Clutching the tuber, she teleported beyond Blue Star’s atmosphere.
Exposed to vacuum without protective gear, her Fantasy Points plummeted alarmingly. With a flick of her wrist, she launched both potato and source power crystal into orbital trajectory. The tuber voraciously consumed the crystal, initiating metamorphosis, while Ye Linlang rematerialized in her office.
Her system displayed real-time growth metrics alongside the mercilessly draining Fantasy Points counter. Each descending digit made her eyelid twitch.
"System—growth timeline and Fantasy Points expenditure."
【Nine hours to reach Stage One. Total projection: 2,600,000 Fantasy Points.】
Considering this tier six marvel manifesting in a tier zero realm, the cost seemed almost modest—especially with the source power supplementing energy needs.
"Status of spatial reconnaissance?"
【Exploring outward from Blue Star, a fragile point in the world barrier has been detected, requiring one hundred thousand Fantasy Points to breach.】
The system’s voice resonated as a celestial chart materialized before her, a crimson marker pulsating at the coordinates.
"Such proximity?"
【This vulnerability in the world barrier manifested twenty-five years ago.】
"…You’re implying my involvement?" Ye Linlang’s lips twisted wryly, the timeline triggering uneasy speculation.
Nine hours elapsed.
An alternate space encompassing Earth with greater circumference materialized, its nucleus shimmering with ethereal light visible only to Ye Linlang.
"System, rupture the world barrier’s weak point while masking resultant spatial fluctuations and planetary alterations." She swallowed her apprehension about dwindling Fantasy Points below seven figures.
This gambit would determine everything.
The instant hundred-thousand Fantasy Points dissipated, concentrated force collided with the barrier’s vulnerable point. An audible rending echoed through reality’s fabric – or perhaps her imagination.
Lacking inherent Spiritual Energy, the world depended on converting source power through cosmic metabolism – a process Ye Linlang deemed flawed. Divine ascension through belief’s alchemy into source power, then Spiritual Energy? Merely metaphysical capitalism.
Source power shortages would starve global Spirit Energy reserves.
Thus her perilous alternative: breach reality’s membrane, siphon void energies from beyond.
Though worlds naturally respired void particles through dimensional pores, such exchange proved negligible. The fresh laceration unleashed torrents of void essence, first drenching the World Tree’s embryonic form.
Void-infused roots clawed through Blue Star’s encapsulating alternate space, rhizomatic tendrils permeating the dimensional membrane within moments. Simultaneously, universal laws shifted – harmonizing Spiritual Energy with technological frameworks.
Bifurcated across dimensions, the World Tree ascended through cosmic strata, its crown brushing the torn barrier within fifteen minutes. Mortal observers perceived an atmospheric-piercing colossus rooted in Blue Star, boughs heavy with argent and aureate foliage, crystalline fruits glimmering like suspended diamonds.
Ye Linlang’s impassive finger swiped her interface.
Grandeur? Undoubtedly. Divine magnificence? Deficient. System simulations suggested Tier Fourteen specimens could cradle galaxies – her tier six facsimile barely stabilized local spacetime, its mundane aesthetics unsurprising.
When authenticity falters, illusion prevails.
"System, implement perceptual overlay."
Void-forged crystalline fruits continued nucleating across branches, though their generation rate decayed exponentially post-initial proliferation.
The void conduit’s hazards yielded bountiful returns – these glimmering nodes represented reality’s tithe to the abyss.
"Relocate operations to the arboreal apex." Elevated surveillance would detect approaching worlds and hostile incursions faster. Despite its humble tier, the World Tree’s conceptual hierarchy permitted augmented illusions. Henceforth, none save herself and the world consciousness might perceive its true form – unless attaining equivalent existential strata.
As for interlopers discerning the ruse… Should peer-tier deities invade, survival itself would eclipse concealment concerns.
Ye Linlang stood in her office, gazing at the world map as she strategically placed several crafted alternate spaces upon the roots of the World Tree.
The Underworld, already solidified through manifestation, instinctively gravitated toward a root upon contacting Blue Star’s alternate space, attaching itself seamlessly.
Beside the glowing Blue Star map hung a three-minute countdown labeled "Awakening of Spiritual Energy." A sly smile played on Ye Linlang’s lips.
The performance would soon commence.
As the timer expired, every luminous fruit on the World Tree trembled and fell, transforming into rivers of Spiritual Energy that cascaded across Blue Star.
Zhongxia, Blue Star
On the ninth day of anomalous occurrences, Lin Jing reclined in his office chair, loosening his necktie at precisely nine o’clock.
"Flawless calm today," he remarked, turning toward sunlit windows with leisurely satisfaction. "What splendid weath—"
His melody died mid-hum. Stumbling to the window, he gaped at the horizon-spanning expanse of Purple Energy – an endless aurora of violet radiance swallowing the sky.
Disoriented by the spectacle, Lin Jing numbly answered his ringing phone. The director’s composed voice ordered: "Report to Liang An’s office immediately."
This marked merely the prelude. Subsequent phenomena would shake civilization like tectonic collapse.
……
At Kunlun Mountain’s zenith, ancestral throne of Zhongxia’s peaks, ethereal light erupted skyward. Trekkers glimpsed a silhouette vanishing in wind and snow – a phantom amid sudden glory.
Spiritual Energy permeated existence. Urban greenery exploded into jungles overnight, out-of-season blossoms painting cities in impossible hues. Hospital patients found incurable ailments reversed, while primordial forests echoed with beasts’ exultant cries.
Europe witnessed celestial phenomena – a glimmering net flashed through clouds above Vatican City. Angelic statues smiled upon pilgrims as the Nine Sacred Mountains shimmered through heavenly veils, their holy light curing afflictions.
……
The global metamorphosis lasted scarcely an hour, yet its impact proved cataclysmic.
Ye Linlang’s masterstroke plunged the world into disarray. The Special Bureau scrambled as Weibo servers buckled under Xiao Tianji’s trending posts.
Mobilizing all personnel since its inception, the Bureau assigned Liang An to monitor changes through internet users’ real-time reports.
Hanzhou City Park
Bai Ye stared bewildered at spiraling foliage. His morning stroll with Ghost in Red had coincided with botanical explosions. Early joggers mirrored his shock, though quicker minds already filmed the phenomenon.
Ghost in Red stood poised, first to sense the swelling Spiritual Energy. Its revitalizing waves permeated the air, bathing observers in transcendent vitality.
"What abundant Spiritual Energy."
She felt her cultivation begin to stir and immediately settled cross-legged on the ankle-high grass to meditate.
The sprawling expanse of purple radiance above transformed into a violet dragon five minutes later, plunging toward Kunlun Mountain’s ley lines. Bai Ye’s face flushed crimson as foreign energy flooded his limbs, intensifying until his entire body thrummed with scorching vitality.
"Burning up."
He wiped sweat from his brow with trembling fingers, careful not to disturb the meditating Ghost in Red.
The scarlet-clad spirit had stabilized her cultivation at the ninth rank. This meteoric rise from seventh rank carried echoes of her former glory at the Soul Condensing Realm’s threshold. With time, that realm would be hers again.
"What’s wrong with you?" The Ghost in Red sprang to her feet, eyes widening at Bai Ye’s lobster-red complexion. Her fingers danced across his pressure points. "Premature Bloodline Awakening? The pure Spiritual Energy must’ve triggered it."
A palm struck Bai Ye’s back. "Sit. Meditate. Track the energy flow through your meridians."
As the Purple Energy dissipated, the ambient Spiritual Energy dwindled, no longer saturating the air like in blessed paradises. Bai Ye managed a stiff nod.
Bystanders swarmed around the visible youth, phone lenses gleaming. The Ghost in Red’s brow furrowed but maintained focus. "Stay conscious through the meridians’ expansion or you’ll die," she warned, channeling her energy to shield his colliding pathways.
Ten minutes passed before Bai Ye’s raging Bloodline Within quieted. The Ghost in Red slumped, seventy percent of her ninth-rank spiritual energy expended – an impossible feat at her former seventh rank cultivation.
"Opened three major meridians. Your bloodline’s contained temporarily." She studied the trembling youth. "Second-rank mortal strength, at least."
Bai Ye opened his eyes to a ring of phones and eager faces. "Move!" The Ghost in Red soared skyward, alighting beyond the crowd.
"H-how?" He stood on tiptoes, desperation growing as the circle tightened.
"Most pathetic second-rank Practitioner I’ve witnessed." She materialized beside him, yanking his collar skyward.
His quip about cliché teacher remarks died as ground vanished beneath him. Wind whipped his face, vertigo blurring his vision – aerial travel disagreed with him.
The mob below erupted. "A real immortal! Teach us!" screamed a teenager giving chase.
"Madness." The Ghost in Red cloaked them invisibly mid-flight, oblivious to her passenger’s unconscious state.
#HanzhouCityUrbanGardenCultivator trended briefly before being buried under eighth-ranked hashtags, overshadowed by entertainment industry big shots.
Special Bureau, Analysis Section 3 Comprehensive Office.
"Director, is this Bai Ye part of our internal staff?" Liang An’s team member called out, looking up.
Liang An lifted his head irritably. "Cui Ming recruited someone named Bai Ye. Why?"
"He’s trending on the news feed. I’ve sent you the materials."
Veins throbbed on Liang An’s forehead as he watched the surveillance footage – a figure soaring skyward before vanishing mid-air. He immediately dialed Cui Ming. "What’s this about Bai Ye? You claimed he needed observation! How does an ordinary person fly? Clean up your own mess."
"Already dispatched retrieval," Cui Ming replied calmly, clearly having monitored the situation.
At the former ghost containment site, Cui Ming massaged his temples when Jiang Fei entered with pale-faced Bai Ye. "We only found him through Ghost in Red answering his phone." He shot an uneasy glance at the crimson apparition, surprised by how quickly this ancient spirit adapted to modern society.
"Cease searching." Ghost in Red arched an eyebrow. "The ghostly presence lingers, meaning their departure was recent."
"New spirits shouldn’t be visible to yin-yang blind mortals." Her nail traced glowing patterns in the air. "The Spiritual Energy Awakening enabled this."
Cui Ming and Jiang Fei exchanged grim looks. As the "yin-yang blind" mentioned, they dreaded the escaped spirits’ societal impact. This was merely Hanzhou City’s containment breach – similar incidents were erupting nationwide.
"Wait." Ghost in Red suddenly vaulted through the twentieth-floor window. She reappeared clutching a trembling child by the collar. "Found this brave little specter outside."
The two agents’ hearts skipped beats watching her window-leaping antics. "Who remains?" Cui Ming asked hoarsely.
"A young boy in dress shirt and bowtie," Bai Ye supplied, startling everyone.
"You perceive him?"
Ghost in Red answered before Bai Ye could. "My spiritual pattern marks him. Naturally, he sees." She shook the quaking child like a misbehaving kitten.
Jiang Fei paced anxiously. "How can we recapture what we can’t see?"
"Return to Capital City headquarters. Leave Hanzhou to Zhang Wutong." Cui Ming turned to Bai Ye. "File a report about your news appearance post-debrief."
Bai Ye’s knees wobbled at "headquarters." "Must I go? The university internship agreement…"
Jiang Fei chuckled, clapping his shoulder. "Relax. With the big shot’s protection, you won’t become a lab Xiao Bai mouse."
As Bai Ye called his family with excuses, Ghost in Red materialized beside him, the spectral boy now clinging to him like a lifeline.
"Will you accompany us, senior?" Bai Ye ventured.
Cui Ming and Jiang Fei held their breath.
"Curiosity compels me," she replied, phone scrolling through Weibo’s trending list. "Your classified files might verify these… memes."
"Capital City will receive you with honors," Cui Ming smoothly amended.
"And this child?" She dangled the whimperming boy.
"Identity matches Dai Mingyi – pianist’s son, sole traffic accident survivor," Jiang Fei consulted his tablet.
At Ghost in Red’s nod, the child was deposited into Bai Ye’s arms. "Your responsibility."
"Understood." Bai Ye sighed, recalling eight mischievous spirits condensed into bracelet beads through her "childcare."
The group boarded a black SUV – Jiang Fei driving, Cui Ming navigating, Bai Ye sandwiched between two spirits. Ghost in Red’s phone glowed as she absorbed paranormal news, while little Mingming peeked at her between fearful glances.
Outside, the city buzzed with supernatural rumors. Inside the vehicle, Bai Ye’s phone displayed three missed calls from his mother, the glowing screen reflecting in Ghost in Red’s amused eyes as urban legends unfolded in real time.
