Chapter 43: The Missing Corpse
The mall had been entirely closed down for Master Catch’s rituals. Even the safety corridors hadn’t been exempted. It was a mystery how this young man, Ethan, had managed to appear within the premises when he’d been conspicuously absent during earlier patrols. Had he been hiding in plain sight all this time? Was he the shadowy figure they felt had been haunting the mall over the past days?
Miles studied Ethan closely, his mind swirling with questions. But how could he make sense of the undiscovered decaying corpse he’d come across during his patrols? More so, the clean, surgical incision at the corpse’s neck was disturbingly similar to cuts made by a factory milling cutter, and even more bizarrely, the body was bloodless.
Mr. Calm, Mall Manager Li, and those with Master Catch observed Ethan, a cocktail of shock and fear etched on their faces. Was he a murderer, a lunatic, or something more malevolent? Uncertainty consumed their thoughts.
Ethan made a move to shake hands with Mr. Calm. However, Mr. Calm recoiled, alarm etched on his face. “Just who are you? And what do you want?”
“I’m here to offer you a business proposition, Mr. Calm. The question is, do you want to hear it?” Ethan retracted his hand, still wearing a disarming smile.
“And what business would that be?”
Ethan elaborated, “My intuition tells me your mall has a ghostly tenant. The recent disappearances are all its handiwork. It’s here now, somewhere, watching us. I can rid you of this problem, but my services come at a cost – five million.”
It clicked for Mr. Calm – this stranger was trying to blackmail him. He’d already secured the assistance of a professional, why would he need Ethan?
Before Mr. Calm could respond, Master Catch scoffed, “And where exactly do you hail from, young man? Do you understand the codes we follow? You can’t be older than your early twenties. Have you mastered the arts of feng shui or the Eight Trigrams? You’re likely an amateur. Let me handle Mr. Calm’s situation today. It’s best you leave immediately.”