Metaphysics’ Public Enemy 17

Chapter 17:

My Desire – The Ghost Inside Me Is Angry

On the street, Chen Henian stopped a man, whispering in his ear, “You’ll have bad luck today. I just saw an unclean thing following you, affecting your fortune.”

The man was annoyed. “Brat, what are you talking about? Are you blind?!”

Chen Henian adjusted his sunglasses. “I’m a fortune teller.”

“And I’m the Jade Emperor! Get lost!” The man glared at him, walking away. “Don’t let me see you again, or I’ll beat you up!”

He hurried off. Chen Henian shook his head, watching him from afar.

The man hadn’t gone far when he tripped and fell flat on his face, a hard fall.

He scrambled up, looking around in disbelief. The street was empty. But Chen Henian saw something different. The mirror ghost floated back, an annoyed expression on its face. It had just tripped the man.

The man turned, his eyes widening as he looked at Chen Henian. “Master!” He hurried back, his voice hesitant. “You… you really saw it?”

Chen Henian nodded, his hand on his suitcase. “Haven’t done anything wrong, have you?”

“Of course not!” The man said quickly. “But just now, I really felt someone kick my leg.” He was clearly shaken. He had been walking on a flat surface, but his leg felt like it had hit a steel bar. He rolled up his pant leg, revealing a red mark.

Chen Henian coughed, covering the man’s voice. “Probably just a minor ghost, you bumped into it accidentally.” He extended his hand, his thumb and forefinger forming a circle. “Fifty yuan, and I’ll take care of it.”

The man fumbled in his pockets, pulling out three bills. He offered two twenties. “I only brought fifty. I need the rest for the bus fare. Can you make it cheaper?”

“Fine.” Chen Henian took the money, handing the man two yellow talismans with red characters. “Stick some cooked glutinous rice on these and place them on your bedroom door. Since you seem honest, buy one, get one free. You can keep one as a gift.”

“Thanks, you’re a good guy.” The man took the talismans, smiling gratefully.

Chen Henian watched him leave, then headed to the bus station. He hadn’t cheated the man. He usually charged exorbitant fees for his talismans, but he was short on cash, resorting to petty extortion. He needed money for the fare back to his shop.

It was afternoon when he arrived. The shop was closed. He unlocked the door, calling out, “Zhou Xianzhi!” There was no answer. Zhou Xianzhi hadn’t returned for days. Had he really gone on a long trip? Where had he gone? Had he abandoned him?

Chen Henian put down his suitcase, opening the shop, waiting for customers. As evening approached, he used the remaining thirty yuan to buy a bowl of noodles from a nearby stall, taking it back to the shop.

The mirror lay on the table by the counter. The mirror ghost emerged, sitting on the counter. “How much longer are you going to wait?”

“Soon,” Chen Henian blew on the hot noodles. “Tonight at midnight, when your power is at its peak. I’m giving you time to prepare. If you can’t fulfill my wish, you’re finished.”

The mirror ghost scoffed. “I’d like to see what tricks you have up your sleeve.”

Chen Henian slurped his noodles, enjoying his dinner. Afterward, he moved the table and chairs aside, taking a short nap in the back room. When the clock struck twelve, the mirror ghost woke him.

Its voice was filled with excitement. “It’s time, make your wish!”

“Downstairs,” Chen Henian rubbed his eyes, smoothing his long hair, and walked downstairs.

The mirror ghost floated above, waiting.

Chen Henian looked up. “Come down. I don’t like looking up at things.”

The ghost clicked its tongue, jumping down from the platform.

Chen Henian cleared his throat. “I want…”

The ghost leaned forward. “Want what?”

“I want to break this ghost pact!” Chen Henian held up his hand, showing the red string on his finger.

The ghost’s smile froze.

“Didn’t you understand?” Chen Henian, seeing its stunned expression, repeated, “I sincerely wish for you to break…”

“Stop! Stop talking—!” The mirror ghost shrieked.

“…”

Chen Henian paused.

The ghost’s face contorted. “Ah—!” It screamed, its features twisting in agony.

“I can’t! I can’t do it!” It clutched its head, its face filled with terror.

Chen Henian understood.

“So it heard it too,” he murmured. The shop door was closed, but a violent wind swirled through the room, throwing objects against the walls, shattering them. The noise was deafening. Chen Henian didn’t have time to assess the damage. The red string on his finger tightened, burning hot.

The mirror ghost floated in the air, trying to move, but its expression was pained. It failed, its body stiff and straight, its eyes pleading as it looked at Chen Henian.

It had appeared, the ghost within him.

Its massive form materialized before him, towering like a mountain, its presence exuding the aura of death.

The air grew cold. The ghost’s pale hand shot out, grabbing the mirror ghost, its nails digging into its flesh, drawing blood. It could snap the ghost’s neck with a flick of its wrist.

“I… I was wrong…” the mirror ghost moaned. “Spare me, please…”

The ghost was in human form, about eight feet tall, its body a void of darkness. It held the mirror ghost aloft, its foot on the mirror’s surface. The mirror cracked, the mirror ghost’s bones breaking with it.

The mirror was the ghost’s true form. If it shattered, the ghost would be destroyed.

Closer to death than ever before, the mirror ghost was consumed by terror. It had known the great ghost was powerful, but not this powerful. It cursed Chen Henian. If not for his wish, this wouldn’t have happened!

“Don’t kill it,” Chen Henian’s voice was a lifeline, spoken just as the mirror ghost was about to be destroyed. “If you agree to my terms.”

He knew the ghost was furious, its rage threatening to tear the shop apart, the darkness spreading, consuming everything. He had to speak, or the mirror ghost would be destroyed.

He spoke, and the ghost turned to look at him, its gaze burning.

It released the mirror ghost, which fell to the ground, still trapped in the darkness.

“Who are you?” Chen Henian studied the ghost, a tall man with long hair. “Did you exist centuries ago? Or longer? What’s your name?”

The ghost roared, its form shifting into a swirling mist, lashing out, smashing against the walls, the sound like thunder, deafening.

Chen Henian couldn’t even speak. The red string on his finger grew larger, binding his hands behind his back, pushing him against the wall, trapping him.

The ghost appeared before him, its chest heaving, its cold breath washing over him. It looked down at him, its hair spreading like sharp blades, leaving deep gashes in the wood.

The ghost was sensitive to the pact, hence its rage. What was the pact between them? Chen Henian wanted to know. He stared at the ghost, unflinching.

“No,” the ghost uttered a single word.

No what? What was it refusing? Its voice was deep and raspy, hard as steel, echoing in Chen Henian’s ears. Besides anger, he couldn’t discern any other emotion.

The ghost raised its hand, and Chen Henian tensed. Despite the ghost’s apparent lack of hostility towards him, he didn’t trust it.

He was about to bite his tongue and spray yin blood at it when the ghost’s hand shot out, forcing his mouth open, pinning his tongue. He couldn’t spit or bite. He felt a sense of defeat, but he couldn’t hide the excitement in his eyes. This ghost was powerful, exhilarating.

He couldn’t afford to lose. He searched for a way out. The ghost opened its mouth.

“No,” it repeated, then retracted its hand, stepping away. The red string loosened, returning to his finger.

Chen Henian slid down the wall, landing on his feet. The ghost had turned away, leaving him only its back-a disappointing reaction.

It almost looked… hurt?

But how could such a powerful ghost be hurt? It had been so dominant just moments ago.

This was the most enigmatic ghost he had ever encountered.

He still didn’t know who it was, or what it wanted.

The ghost dissolved into the floor, its presence vanishing, the room returning to normal, except for the shattered furniture and debris.

Chen Henian ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

The mirror ghost, finally able to breathe, said angrily, “You’re insane!”

Chen Henian simply said, “Useless.”

He looked at the mirror ghost, still sprawled on the floor. He couldn’t leave empty-handed. He had known the mirror ghost couldn’t break the pact, but he hadn’t expected the centuries-old ghost to be so utterly powerless.

He was disappointed. He sat down, looking down at it. “It seems we can’t cooperate after all.”

The mirror ghost was furious. “You’ll play with fire and get burned!”

Chen Henian said, “Aren’t you the one playing with fire? A mirror spirit, unable to fulfill my wish. What should your attitude be now?”

The ghost’s expression was a mask of hatred, its eyes burning into Chen Henian’s.

Chen Henian met its gaze. “Call me Master. If you don’t sound sincere, I’ll find a way to crush you.”

The ghost remained silent, surprised that Chen Henian could still smile.

“Three…” Chen Henian began counting, his cold voice making the ghost flinch. He was serious.

The ghost cursed him inwardly, but it had no choice. It muttered, “Master.”

Chen Henian wasn’t satisfied. “Lower your head, say it again.”

The ghost’s teeth ground together, its head almost touching the floor.

“Master.”

“Hmm…” Chen Henian relented. “Remember your place from now on.”

“Yes, Master.”

The ghost seethed, swallowing its humiliation. This was the greatest insult it had ever suffered. Throughout history, humans had succumbed to its temptations. But now, it was finished.

Chen Henian smiled, carefree. “I don’t know ghost control techniques, but isn’t this a form of control?”