Mysterious Awakening - Chapter 53: A Shameful Escape

The shopping mall was shrouded in a suffocating silence.

The once constant hum of the elevator had ceased, as had the relentless footfalls from every direction. Even the cries for help had vanished without a trace.

But the quiet within the mall was far from peaceful.

A nauseating stench permeated every inch of the space. On the fifth floor stood a group of people, their faces pale, bodies starting to decompose. They blocked the passageway, seemingly not allowing anyone to pass.

These individuals appeared to have been dead for some time, but they had just recently emerged from various corners of the mall. To call them people wouldn’t be accurate – they were more like ghosts.

Mr. Calm, a local business owner, was petrified. He couldn’t bear to witness the horrific sight before him. His mind repeatedly chanted prayers, seeking protection from the celestial beings, promising to offer more incense in return once he got out of this nightmare.

After some time, he realized there were no more movements around him, and he was still alive and unharmed. However, he knew his survival wasn’t due to his prayers but because of Miles’s intervention.

“Mr. Calm, stop playing dead. Open your eyes,” Miles said. “Don’t ignore my words from before. Your safety is temporary. Whether you can leave here alive is uncertain. But if you agree to pay me for my services, I can ensure each one of you leaves here alive.”

Carefully, Mr. Calm opened his eyes and looked around. Spotting the decomposing bodies, his heart skipped a beat. But seeing Miles, a living person, he sighed in relief.

“Can you really guarantee my survival?” he asked.

“Are you doubting my skills, Mr. Calm? Did you not see who saved you earlier? Stay down, it’s safe for now,” Miles responded.

Lying nearby, Ethan chimed in, “Don’t underestimate him due to his youth. He’s an important figure in Dachang City. You can trust him. Besides, no one else can ensure your survival. The situation has surpassed my capabilities. So I recommend you let Miles guide you out. Unless you’re stingy, ignore my suggestion.”

He decided to be the good guy, steering the lucrative business opportunity toward Miles, as he had no capability to take it.

“How about it? Think it over, but don’t take too long. I’ll give you at most ten minutes. I’m leaving then,” Miles glanced at his phone for the time.

He wasn’t going to wait until dark. Once night fell, the place would become a deathly realm, doubling the danger.

Mr. Calm cautiously asked, “So, how much are you charging for your services? Would five million suffice?”

After all, he would rather give the money to this young man than Ethan. At least he could form a connection, make a friend. After all, the man was a key figure in Dachang City, a person of stature.

Though the five million stung, it paled in comparison to the value of his life.

“Alright, five million it is.” Miles’s eyes lit up.

Indeed, frightening Mr. Calm first had made it easier to increase the price. If he’d approached Mr. Calm directly with this proposition before, he might not have believed it, and negotiating a higher price would’ve been tough.

“But payment comes first, then service. That’s my style. If that’s okay with you, you can start the payment now,” Miles added.

“N-No problem,” Mr. Calm agreed promptly.

For a business owner of his scale, five million was manageable.

“You, yes, you. Don’t play dumb, Mall Manager Li. I’m talking to you. Mr. Calm is paying five million for his safe departure. How much are you paying? Don’t think I’ll escort you out for free. If you can’t pay, I’ll leave you here,” Miles addressed another man.

Mall Manager Li’s face changed instantly, pleading with Miles, “I… I can’t afford five million. I only have five hundred thousand. I’m just a manager. I don’t have that much money.”

“I see deceit in your eyes. But I’m a good person. You’ve insulted me before, but why would I hold a grudge against you, right? So, open your online banking. If it’s less than five hundred thousand, I’ll take that. If it’s more, sorry, but all the money in there is either going to cover my service fee, or you’ll lay here waiting for rescue.”

“I conduct fair business, I won’t give you a hard time, nor hold a petty grudge. Rest assured, Manager.”

Miles looked at him seriously.

“Wha…?” Mall Manager Li was flabbergasted.

“Stop wasting time. If I don’t receive the money, I’ll leave with just Mr. Calm,” Miles warned.

“Alright, alright, I’ll give it to you, okay?” Mall Manager Li, on the verge of tears, handed his phone over to Miles.

Miles opened his online banking app, and seeing the balance, he whistled, “Mall Manager Li, you’re quite wealthy. Over 1.8 million. Are all you rich folks this loaded? As someone less fortunate, I can’t quite grasp it. But it’s mine now, so please make the transfer.”

He returned the phone to Mall Manager Li.

“Such a swindler. He’s jacking up the price right on the spot. It’s downright extortion,” Mall Manager Li silently cursed. He wanted to berate this security guard but dared not voice his thoughts.

But he had no choice but to pay.

All the money he’d siphoned off at the mall over the years was now going into the pocket of this security guard. But he knew that while he could always earn more money, he couldn’t reclaim his life once lost.

In the end, he paid.

Having collected the money, Miles then turned his attention to Master Catch. With an air of gratitude, he approached the trembling man, grasping his hand, “Master Catch, we owe you a lot today. Your brilliant idea of closing the mall not only killed your disciples, but also a fair number of mall staff.”

“Even I almost met my demise. It’s rare to see someone go to such lengths for their own destruction.”

“Given your impressive door-locking stunt earlier, I’ve decided to give you some special attention,” Miles remarked, flashing a thumbs-up at Master Catch.

If it hadn’t been for his door-locking antics, none of this would’ve happened. Everyone could have escaped, and there would have been no need for so many casualties.

“I… I,” Master Catch stuttered, his face a curious blend of fear and anger. After a long pause, he finally spoke begrudgingly, “I only have a little over three million on me. That’s all I have; the rest is in my safe at home. I’ll give it all to you, just get me out of here. I admit my previous actions were wrong. Can I apologize?”

“Master, what are you talking about? Do you think I’m the kind of person who is driven by greed? Mr. Calm has already offered five million. As a Feng Shui master, your wealth is surely considerable. So, let’s settle on a good omen number – eight million. I’ll get you out of here. If you don’t have the cash on hand, you can use other items as collateral,” Miles proposed.

Master Catch shivered, but eventually transferred over three million to Miles. He also handed over a wristwatch, a jade pendant, a luxury car key, and other miscellaneous items to make up for the rest.

“I’ve accumulated over ten million. Now, I’m one of those detestable rich people,” Miles chuckled as he checked the balance notification on his phone.

Without his ability as a spirit controller, he would have never been able to earn such a sum, not even in decades or a lifetime of studying and working. But as a spirit controller, he had managed to earn so much in just one day.

No wonder foreign spirit tamers often worked like mercenaries, taking on high-risk, high-reward assignments. The allure was undeniable.

“Young man, when will you get us out of here?” Mr. Calm asked, a sense of urgency in his voice.

“Now,” Miles responded, pocketing his phone.

He stepped into the storeroom and retrieved the front door key from Sister Pear’s corpse.

“Follow me, but remember what I said earlier – stay low, keep your back to the floor.”

“How are we supposed to walk with our backs to the ground?” Mall Manager Li asked.

Miles explained, “Ever seen a caterpillar? It’s pretty much the same. It’s like swimming on your back, quite easy actually.”

“What? You want us grown-ups to slide around on our backs like children? You must be making fun of us. You’re standing and walking around just fine,” Li retorted, his pride hurt.

Miles replied, “I’m the one in charge here and have the ability to handle these spirits. Do you? If you feel this is embarrassing, feel free to stand up, but I won’t be responsible if you die.”

“…” Li fell silent. He then began to push himself along the ground with his feet, sliding quickly like a caterpillar.

“Like this?” he asked.

“That’s right, just like that. You’re quite good at it, sliding smoothly and swiftly. Well done,” Miles nodded approvingly.