Chapter 94: Relief

Chapter 94: Relief

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation

During this transformative night, Miles experienced a whirlwind of revelations concerning numerous issues.

If anyone were to question him about his confidence in resolving the eerie supernatural incident plaguing them, he would, in all honesty, confess his doubts. However, when confronted by the group from the oddly-named Cockroach Club, he felt an overwhelming need to project unwavering certainty.

He internally debated, If I dont fool them into trusting me, then the next course of my plan wont go as I wish.

Sure enough, when Miles shared his findings from the phone, Yiming, Page, and Stretch simultaneously directed their focus towards him. Their expressions were not ones of surprise or admiration. On the contrary, they bore looks of skepticism and mistrust.

Page, with a hint of disdain in his voice, remarked, Your confidence is truly astounding. Do you genuinely believe you can put an end to the eerie happenings in Yellow Hill Village? Just to remind you, we saw two ghost tamers perish within a short span of time just last night. Heck, Sheng and Tian were taken by surprise and couldnt even contest the attacking spirit. Its starting to look like you purposely drew us to this village.

Miles, with measured calmness, replied, If you truly didnt trust me, then what brought you back here?

Pages irritation was palpable. He retorted sharply, The village is eerily locked down. Were trapped! We can come in, but theres no way out. Do you honestly believe we wouldnt leave if we could? Did you know of this trap and decided to keep it from us, finding amusement in our desperate situation?

Feeling cornered and left with no escape route, Pages anger towards Miles intensified. He firmly believed that should he meet his end in Yellow Hill Village, he would make sure to exact revenge on Miles for the club event.

With a hint of frostiness, Miles asked, Given this tension, is there any possibility of a rational conversation?

Yiming, who had been mostly quiet till then, tried to defuse the situation, Page, calm down. Arguing now serves no purpose. Miles, just tell us, can you truly handle this paranormal situation?

Gazing with unwavering intensity, Miles responded, If you all collaborate with me wholeheartedly, I believe we can overcome this. If not, to put it bluntly, it could very well be the end for each of you.

He then elaborated on his deduction, When I first met that eerie ghost, I began to suspect the village was isolated from the outside world. Your return only strengthened that theory. I wouldnt just recklessly leave. Yes, its tragic that two ghost tamers met their demise here, but death is often a byproduct in situations imbued with the supernatural. To handle this, we must remain in the village.

With a biting undertone, Miles added, Cowering in fear only speeds up ones fate. You were lucky this time around. Even though you came face-to-face with that spirit, it chose not to harm you. However, your luck may not last. I believe that very ghost is skulking in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment. By some strange twist of fate, youve sidestepped its deadly intent.

Hearing this, the faces of Yiming, Page, and Stretch turned ashen, a wave of unease washing over them.

In the thick, palpable tension that enveloped the air, Stretch, with evident anxiety, asked, When you say sure death condition, what are you implying? Have you unearthed some critical clue?

Miles, furrowing his brows, responded, I cant claim to have unraveled any definitive secrets yet. He paused, choosing his words carefully. What I have is a working theory, still in its infancy. If you all recount in detail the events of last night, I believe I can discern a pattern to this ghosts actions. Knowing its behavior will greatly enhance our chances of capturing and subduing it.

Miles added with a sincere, imploring gaze, This is the crux of my argument for teamwork. With collective efforts, we stand a real shot at tackling this supernatural enigma.

Taking a long drag from his cigarette, Yiming, with a trace of doubt in his voice, asked, Can we actually rely on what youre hypothesizing?

In response, with a slightly mocking edge, Miles remarked, Do you have a superior strategy up your sleeve? If youve figured out a foolproof way to confront this apparition, please, do enlighten us.

Suddenly, Yiming intervened, shouting desperately, Page, get a grip!

Stretch, who had been silent till now, seemed to have undergone a subtle transformation. His voice dripping with cold resolve, he warned, Miles is right. Your impulsive actions will lead us to ruin. The villagers should be left undisturbed. Should it come to blows, know that Ill stand with Miles against you.

The gravity of their predicament was evident. In the worst-case scenario, should these villagers turn out to be ghosts, would a gunshot not incite a vengeful wrath from the entire supernatural community?

Pulling the trigger in such a scenario would have been tantamount to signing our own death warrants, Yiming voiced out, disbelief evident in his tone.

Why would anyone even consider such a reckless act, to test the authenticity of a villagers existence? Its utter madness, Stretch chimed in, shaking his head.

Facing a three-to-one consensus against him, Page clearly recognized the weight of his rashness.

With a heavy sigh, he admitted, Im genuinely sorry. It was a spur-of-the-moment reaction.

He retreated a step, allowing the gun to slip from his grasp, which thudded dully onto the ground.

Yiming, trying to calm the storm, remarked, Page, your behavior just now was erratic, almost as if you were on the cusp of being possessed or turning malevolent. You need to ground yourself and think logically.

Meeting Miless stern gaze, Page entreated, Ive apologized. Can we move past this now? Please release my neck.

But Miless icy glare held no signs of thawing. Perhaps it would be simpler if you werent around anymore, he mused darkly, his distrust for Page as palpable as the tension in the air.

Yiming quickly intervened, attempting to mediate the escalating tension. Miles, I get it. You and Page have a history of disagreements. But our foremost goal right now is to unravel this supernatural enigma. Were already stretched thin on manpower. Do you really think we can afford to lose another member, especially at this stage?

Miles, though rigid, seemed to mull over Yimings words. After a tense moment, he reluctantly released his grip on Page.

Amid this tension, a voice broke in. Ah, youngsters and their fiery temperaments.

All heads turned to find an elderly woman approaching them. She continued, You might be young and passionate, but you should always exercise restraint. Petty squabbles can escalate to legal troubles or worse. Havent you heard the saying, Rashness is a fiend?

Stretch, attempting to defuse the situation, offered a conciliatory smile. We appreciate your concern, maam. It was just a minor disagreement among friends, nothing more.

The womans frail appearance was evident her skin etched with the deep grooves of time and her aura emanated weariness. Yet, her eyes twinkled with a kind warmth, and her ever-present smile gave off an air of genuine benevolence.

She responded with a nod, Thats how responsible youngsters should behave, and continued on her way.

Suddenly, a soft, ragged cough broke the silence.

Whipping their heads around, they pinpointed its origin to the old woman. Page felt a chill snake up his spine, his body momentarily paralyzed with a rush of dread and relief.