Chapter 5: Concert of Shadows and the Final Gambit

Just now, his smile looked a bit like Jamie’s.

My old teacher’s words echoed in my head: Steal someone’s fate, and you become them.

When their appearance and spirit become identical, it’s the death day of the one whose fate was stolen.

Jamie doesn’t have much time left…

Seeing I didn’t move, Carter spoke again.

“Thank you, Ma'am. If not for you just now, I might already be dead.”

“Let’s go quickly, the sooner we solve this, the better.”

I snapped out of it, replied tiredly, and followed him out of the hotel.

After several rideshares, we arrived at the foot of a hill.

Red and blue flashing—cops.

The streetlights were sparse.

The dim lights cast dense, swaying tree shadows, making the place a bit creepy. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and old leaves.

As Carter shone his flashlight and prepared to lead me up the hill, I glanced at the driver following behind us.

“You don’t need to come.”

The driver smiled ingratiatingly.

“Ma'am, let me follow. I’m big and strong, I can protect you.”

Carter echoed from the front.

But I scowled.

“No need. I’ll perform a ritual later. Outsiders can’t be present.”

I turned to Carter.

“What’s dangerous? Would your ancestors harm you?”

I deliberately emphasized the words “your ancestors.”

Carter’s face turned pale, then green.

After some standoff, Carter told the driver to stay put.

My expression softened a bit.

Carter breathed a sigh of relief.

As we walked, he kept talking.

“Ma'am, do you think we’ll catch the person harming me tonight?”

“Ma'am, what should we do then, do I need to do anything?”

“Why don’t you tell me your plan, or at least how that person stole my luck, so I won’t drag you down.”

I glanced at Carter with contempt.

He was still smiling as usual, but his words were all probing.

A mocking smile curled at my lips.

“If you don’t trust me, let’s turn back now.”

Carter laughed awkwardly. “Ma'am, I’m just nervous. I talk a lot when I’m nervous, please don’t mind—”

Before he finished, I covered his mouth.

“Didn’t you notice we’re walking in circles?”

Carter looked around, his calm expression gradually turning panicked.

“Ma'am…”

I looked at him, half-smiling.

“We’re trapped by a ghost wall. Looks like your ancestors aren’t welcoming you.”

Carter’s face turned deathly pale.

“Ma'am, you still have the mood to joke…”

I barked, “Close your eyes!”

Carter immediately shut his eyes tight.

I grabbed him with one hand and swung my silver cross with the other, making quick slashing motions.

The air around us gradually thickened.

A slight disturbance came from the southwest.

I pushed Carter in that direction.

Suddenly, the air returned to normal.

Carter, unable to control his balance, fell forward.

After he hugged a tree in panic, I finally spoke mercifully.

“Open your eyes, we’re out.”

After Carter opened his eyes, I urged him, “Hurry, it’s almost midnight.”

Carter walked forward, terrified.

A fork in the road appeared ahead.

He hesitated between the two paths.

I looked at him coldly. “What? Can’t even find your own family plot?”

Carter mumbled, “It’s been so long, I can’t remember.”

I just smiled, taking out my compass.

It’s not his family plot—how could he know the way?

After reciting a formula over the compass, the needle swung sharply to the left.

I dragged Carter down the left path.

“Only a quarter of an hour left, follow me.”

Led by the compass, we wound our way into a graveyard.

The gray-white moonlight shone on countless headstones of all sizes.

It was unusually quiet, only our breathing audible. The cold air prickled at my skin, and the silence felt heavy with secrets.

Carter stared at me.