Chapter 21: Someone in the Shadows

My hands were trembling, and my legs felt weak. Within just a few minutes, a crowd had gathered around. Some were taking photos of the little girl on the ground, others were shaking their heads and sighing, while some were merely spectators, chatting and laughing on the sidelines.

Although they were mostly talking about the car that had struck the girl, I knew deep down that I was the one responsible for her fate. A wave of self-reproach washed over me.

Not only was the girl dead, but I suspected Zhao Yong’s girlfriend had likely fled as well. Caught in a moment of panic and uncertainty, I pulled out my phone and called the old man who had attempted to drown himself in the lake.

The call connected quickly. I blurted out everything that had happened, but to my surprise, the old man just let out a hearty laugh on the other end. I froze, unable to help myself: "People are dying, and you can still laugh? I thought you were a respected elder."

"Kid, don't rush. Why don't you try checking her breath again?"

Confused, I looked down at the little girl. I had checked her pulse three times already; I was certain she was dead, completely devoid of life. Yet, prompted by the old man, I reached out once more.

Suddenly, I recoiled as if struck by an electric shock. There was a faint, rhythmic breath coming from the girl's nose.

The old man seemed to sense my astonishment, laughing again through the phone. "Well? Is she alive again?"

"No, I must have been too nervous earlier and just missed it," I insisted.

"Heh, I’ll tell you the truth: she was indeed dead a moment ago. But it wasn't a real death."

"What do you mean?"

"She was possessed by a ghost, wasn't she?"

"That’s right," I replied.

"When a ghost possesses a human, you can think of it as the ghost controlling the body, making the person an extension of the ghost itself. In other words, when the car hit the girl, it actually struck the ghost. What you felt earlier wasn't the girl's breath, but the ghost's."

The thought made my skin crawl. I had touched a ghost's breath?

"If a possessed person is harmed, the ghost suffers the same damage. The girl is unconscious now, which means the ghost is likely injured too. But since the ghost is still inside her, if you don't force it out, she will die," the old man said sternly.

I panicked, looking at the unconscious girl. "Then what should I do?"

"Wrap her in banana leaves and strike her with willow branches. Banana leaves are Yang-aligned and will strengthen her life force, while willow branches, though Yin-aligned, can shrink a ghost and strip it of its power when used to strike. Go try that; if it fails, bring her to me."

Surrounded by the onlookers and the terrified driver standing frozen behind me, I ignored the crowd, scooped up the girl, and headed for the car. "Hurry, take me to the hospital!"

We reached the hospital shortly after. I made the driver pay the medical fees and wait outside. He looked innocent and fearful—after all, he had just hit someone.

Time was of the essence. I rushed the girl into a ward and urged the doctors to treat her physical injuries. I then hurried out, taking the driver's car to find banana leaves and willow branches.

Willow branches were easy to find, but banana leaves were another story. Eventually, I managed to secure both. Back at the hospital, her external wounds had been bandaged. I wrapped her in the banana leaves, locked the door, and began to strike her with the willow branches.

To be honest, I couldn't bring myself to do it. The girl looked so peaceful and innocent now that she was unconscious. It was hard to harm such a cute child, but her life was at stake. I gritted my teeth and struck.

With the first lash, the girl reacted, twitching and thrashing on the bed. I gritted my teeth and continued, but she offered no other response beyond the violent spasms.

Anxious, I called the old man again. Upon hearing my report, he sighed regretfully. "It seems that method isn't working. You must bring her to me; I will deal with the spirit myself."

With no other choice, I bundled the girl up and rushed out of the hospital. But when I reached the curb, the driver and his car were nowhere to be found. I froze. Human nature is truly unpredictable; the man who had been fawning over me moments ago had vanished the moment things got difficult.

It was late, and taxis were scarce. Panicked, I hoisted the girl onto my back and began walking toward the bustling downtown area, hoping to find a cab.

My heart was heavy with anxiety. I didn't even know her name or who her parents were. If she died because of me, I knew I would never find peace for the rest of my life.

Driven by this thought, I quickened my pace.

The hospital wasn't far from the downtown district—a ten-minute walk at most. I soon spotted a taxi, and a surge of relief washed over me.

As I passed the mouth of a dark alley, I was moving too quickly to notice anything inside. Just as I cleared the opening, I felt something wrong behind me.

I spun around just in time to see a figure standing there, a fist swinging toward my neck.

Before I could react, the world went black, and I collapsed. I fought to stay conscious, refusing to let the darkness take me completely.

The attacker stepped toward me, leaning down to whisper in my ear: "I know who you are. I even knew your grandfather. It’s unbelievable—you look exactly like him, down to your techniques and your face. You’re just as shameless, vicious, and hypocritical as he was. Remember this: you might fool others, but you can’t fool me. Good and evil will always have their reckoning; your day of judgment will come."

As those words faded, my consciousness slipped away, and I finally blacked out. I don't know how much time passed before I groggily opened my eyes. It was morning. I was lying on the street like a vagabond, with pedestrians passing by as if I were invisible.

A short distance away lay the little girl, still wrapped in the banana leaves.

I recalled the events of the previous night, filled with confusion. Who was that person? And what was the meaning of his strange words?

The questions were maddening, but saving the girl was the priority. I crawled toward her, reaching out to lift her up.

But the moment my hand touched hers, the little girl’s eyes snapped open.