Mysterious Awakening - Chapter 63: Departure

In a seamless collaboration, Miles and Ethan managed to capture and confine the ghost haunting the local mall. Despite the ghostly terror being merely a Class C apparition, it presented a challenge beyond what they had initially anticipated. Understanding its behavioral patterns, locating its true form, and devising a containment strategy were tasks laced with peril. One wrong move could spell disaster.

Miles was particularly shaken when the ghost tried to possess Ethan’s arm. Quick thinking and a readiness to act were the only things that saved them from a ghastly demise.

As Miles made his way out of the mall, he noticed several officers congregating outside. Approaching them, he quipped, “Hard at work, I see? I thought you’d already left.”

“Just fulfilling my duties. Not the type to shirk, you know. How are things inside?” an officer asked.

Miles assured them, “The situation is under control. You won’t experience any more unusual disturbances in the mall.” His expression turned serious, “We found one of the missing people. The others, well… I’ll let you fill in the blanks.”

His gaze shifted to River, who was standing close by. Her hair was tousled, her face weary, yet her eyes sparkled with relief and gratitude. She had survived and now stood free beside Miles.

“I trust the mall is safe now. I’ll leave the rest to you, as I have some pressing matters to attend to. If you need any further assistance, don’t hesitate to call me.”

After expressing their gratitude, they took Miles’ contact information and watched as he departed.

“Where are you off to?” River quickly caught up with him.

“Big sister, why are you tagging along? You’re safe now. If there’s nothing else, you should head home. Your family must be worried after your disappearance. Don’t cling to me,” Miles urged her.

River’s face fell a little at being called old, “You make it sound so cold. I did agree to be your girlfriend, did I not? You can’t just leave me.”

Miles raised an eyebrow at her, “Wait, when did I say you could be my girlfriend? Are you trying to trick me?”

“We agreed on this in the restroom, remember? And stop calling me ‘big sister’, I’m not that old!” River fired back.

Miles regarded her with a curious look, “How old are you anyway?”

“I’m 25… well, actually 24, but 25 in lunar years. See, I’m still young,” River argued, looking quite pleased as if being his girlfriend was quite a catch for him.

“Sorry to break it to you, but I’m only 18, or 19 in lunar years,” Miles countered, “So, I think ‘big sister’ fits you better. I’m being considerate by not calling you ‘auntie’. Isn’t that polite of me, Big Sister River?”

River’s face fell at this. She had always thought Miles was in his mid-twenties. His persistent use of ‘big sister’ now made sense, and the comparison left her feeling a tad less triumphant.

In Miles’ perception, she was the epitome of an elder sister.

“My dear brother, my gratitude for today knows no bounds. Your help has been invaluable,” she expressed.

Just as Miles was about to take his leave, Mr. Calm darted towards him, gripping his hand with earnest thankfulness.

Miles merely chuckled, “I’m merely doing the job I’m paid for. No need to be overly formal.”

“Nonsense! You’ve saved my life. Here’s my card. If you ever require assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out,” Mr. Calm handed him a business card with a sense of deep gratitude.

An officer cuts in, “Hey, Mr. Calm, your interview here isn’t done yet. We’ll need you to join us later at the police station to make a proper report.”

“Coming, coming! I’m sorry, officer, I’ll join you shortly, just having a brief chat here,” Mr. Calm hastily responded, before turning back to Miles, “Young man, do remember me in the future. I’m Mr. Calm, come by my office when you can. I’ll make sure to treat you to a meal.”

This offer brought a spark of respect in Miles’ eyes.

Mr. Calm, living up to his business acumen, knew the significance of building and maintaining relationships, which seemed more mature and intuitive than the rest. No wonder he was the boss, while the other, Li, was just a manager.

“Alright, I’ll drop by when I get an opportunity,” Miles accepted the card, knowing that this newfound acquaintance might come in handy in the future.

After all, Mr. Calm was affluent. If Miles ever found himself in financial straits, he had a strong belief that Mr. Calm would readily extend his support.

Pondering over his next move, Miles found himself in a dilemma about where to go.

Home?

No, that wasn’t an option. His home was tainted with the haunting presence of a ghost, and irrespective of his courage, it was dangerously precarious to live there.

“I need to sort out a temporary residence. Once Ethan finds a potential buyer, I’ll have to oversee the transaction. But before that… I need to get this melted properly to seal the seams.”

Miles brought out a box elegantly wrapped in what seemed to be gold foil. But in fact, it was pure gold leaf.

Despite its petite size, the box had a considerable weight to it, few kilograms perhaps.

Who would have imagined that this golden box contained a ghost?

As he stood there, lost in thought, River, who had trailed behind, suddenly enquired, “Where are you heading? Don’t you have a car? Why aren’t you driving?”

“Me, a commoner, own a car? I don’t even possess a bicycle,” retorted Miles, “What’s your reason for trailing behind me, sister?”

Flashing a grin, River answered, “You didn’t own a car before, but now you do. You got it from Master Catch, a handsome sum of eight million, a few jade pieces, and a brand-name watch as collateral. I saw everything on the surveillance.”

“Oh right, now that you mention it, I do have a car.”

With a pat on his pocket, Miles found a set of car keys, which he pressed – the next thing he heard was an impressive-looking SUV parked at the roadside lighting up.

“You’ve hit the big time! That’s an imported vehicle worth nearly five million. Master Catch really did incur a substantial loss,” River announced, recognizing the car instantly.

“I’d rather exchange this car for cash. Otherwise, I’ll have to give it back to Master Catch eventually,” responded Miles.

“Let’s get moving. And don’t worry about the ownership problem, there are always ways to get it under your name in the future.”

Taking the lead, River linked her arm with Miles’ and started guiding him.

“Hold on, aren’t we moving a bit too fast?” Miles questioned, surprised by how clingy the lady had become.

“Just saving my life alone qualifies you for a boyfriend. Besides, why don’t we grab a bite together? My apartment is conveniently close by,” River suggested, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re more interested in having me for dinner rather than inviting me over? But if you offer me a place to stay for a bit, then sure. Just to be clear though: I won’t be covering rent or food,” Miles countered.

“Alright, deal. Let’s go.” Suddenly, River’s enthusiasm seemed to skyrocket as she clung to Miles.

Unlike the average young girl who falls in love during college and marries without prospect, River was a career woman, an accountant in a company. Her profession and instincts directed her towards the type of boyfriend she needed for success. After experiencing the supernatural incident, she felt that aligning herself firmly with Miles was the only way to ensure her future.

If another such paranormal event occurred, River doubted she could make it through.

Times have changed.

Linking her arm tightly with Miles’, she was confident that he wouldn’t be able to resist her charm after some time together.

Soon enough, Miles was cruising on the road in the robust SUV, River comfortably seated next to him, her face resting against the window, a subtle smile on her lips.

She pondered, “He might be a tad younger, but did that really matter?”

However, in the next instant, Miles’ hand shot up, gripping River’s neck with such force that it left her gasping for breath.

“Cough, what are you doing?” River reacted, struggling instinctively.

While maintaining his hold, Miles turned to her, “I failed to ask earlier. Did the ghost at the mall have a head? If not, that’s okay. But if it did, where would the head be?”

“I… I don’t know. Can’t you be a bit gentler?” River managed to respond.

“Sorry, I’m a bit edgy, but I need to clarify this,” Miles reasoned, “I wouldn’t want the ghost to catch me off guard at the last moment.”

He slightly loosened his grip, his hand carefully feeling around her neck, ensuring her head hadn’t been replaced.

“Can’t you give me a warning next time you want to check? I would cooperate willingly,” River grumbled, slightly peeved.

However, she didn’t dare to resist Miles’s inspection.

He was the only one capable of handling ghosts, and she was ready to comply unconditionally with anything related to supernatural events. She definitely didn’t want to invite any trouble herself.

After thoroughly inspecting her neck and finding nothing more than her smooth skin, Miles was assured that her head hadn’t been switched.

This implied that River hadn’t been tampered with while he was absent from the surveillance room.

“Perhaps, I’m just overthinking,” Miles voiced out, relieved.

With a pout, River retorted, “Could you be a little less rough next time?”