'I was praising you! Don't you know how to recognize goodwill?'
Feng Mingyu sighed at Mo Lin. 'You have absolutely no emotional intelligence.'
'Praising me? Sorry, I didn't sense that at all,' Mo Lin replied bluntly.
To him, saying he possessed two ghosts was a gross understatement of his role as a Yin Division envoy.
Turning to Liu Feng, Mo Lin asked, 'Do you have anything that belonged to your daughter?'
'What kind of item are you looking for?'
'Anything personal will do—like a hair tie or a piece of clothing,' Mo Lin clarified.
After a moment's thought, Liu Feng produced a photograph. 'Would this picture suffice?'
It showed his daughter with an oval face, a bright smile, and her hair done in pigtails—adorably sweet.
'Yes, that'll do.'
Mo Lin handed the photo to the little ghost. 'Can you find this person?'
'I can.'
The ghost closed its eyes while holding the photo, then suddenly opened them wide.
'Master, I've found her.'
'Where? Where is my daughter?' Liu Feng cried out, gripping the ghost's shoulders in desperation.
Before he could say another word, a chilling sensation wrapped around his neck.
The little ghost clutched his throat with a deathly grip, eyes cold and lifeless, as if staring at a corpse.
Liu Feng shuddered, realizing his mistake—he had offended the ghost.
Even though it was only a basic-level ghost, it was still not something an ordinary man could treat casually.
He had no doubt that if Mo Lin hadn't been present, this ghost would have strangled him on the spot.
'Release him,' Mo Lin ordered coolly.
At his command, the ghost let go.
'Take me to her,' Mo Lin said.
'Yes, Master.'
Liu Feng drove while Feng Mingyu and Mo Lin sat in the backseat. The ghost perched atop the car, guiding them.
The path was rough and winding, leading them away from the city center into the outskirts.
'Stop... stop the car,' Mo Lin said after about five minutes of driving.
'What's wrong?' Feng Mingyu asked, puzzled.
'Take me home at once. There's something urgent I need to attend to.' His expression was grave.
Alarmed, Liu Feng stepped on the gas, racing back to Mo Lin's residence.
The moment they arrived, Mo Lin leapt out of the car without even closing the door behind him, rushing inside.
He soon emerged, carrying an object that resembled a lantern.
'That was close… I almost forgot this thing,' he muttered.
His mind had been preoccupied with Liu Feng's situation, causing him to forget the ghost artifact he was refining.
The flame at its core must not go out, or the entire process would be wasted.
He had spent seventy thousand nether coins on crafting this permanent-use ghost weapon—failure would mean ruin.
'What is that?' Feng Mingyu asked, eyeing the strange lantern-like item.
'Something important,' Mo Lin replied briefly.
'Do you have anything else you need to do?' Liu Feng asked cautiously.
'No, let's go find your daughter.'
Liu Feng resumed driving.
They left the city behind, navigating mountainous roads riddled with potholes.
Despite the rough ride, Liu Feng didn't slow down.
Eventually, they arrived at a desolate, godforsaken place.
All around were low hills and overgrown weeds over a meter tall, with only a single narrow path.
Undeterred, Liu Feng followed the trail.
Tree branches and wild grass scraped the car's paint, but he paid them no mind.
After another five minutes, they reached their destination.
The ghost pointed to a distant house. 'She's in there.'
The house was plain, a typical rural home—two stories with a small yard.
Once they arrived, the ghost returned to its resting place in the blue longsword.
A narrow river separated them from the house, spanned by a wooden footbridge.
Mo Lin, Liu Feng, and the others crossed the bridge.
...
'Boss, what should we do with the girl?' a burly man asked.
Sitting in a chair, cigarette in hand, the leader exhaled a puff of smoke and said coldly, 'Kill her. Dump the body in the river.'
The moment he said that, a gleam of excitement lit up the men's eyes, twisted grins spreading across their faces.
'Boss, before we do that… can we have some fun with her first?' one of them said, licking his lips while staring at the girl cowering in the corner.
Zhou Tian understood his men's desires—he was willing to indulge them as long as they didn't go overboard.
'Fine. Do as you please.'
His permission ignited their wicked enthusiasm.
'What are you going to do?'
'Stay away...'
The little girl shrank into the corner, her face pale with fear.
She pressed herself against the wall—there was nowhere left to hide.
'Please… don't touch me…' she sobbed.
They ignored her cries.
A large man grabbed her by the arm, lifting her like a rag doll, eyes gleaming with greed.
Then—
Bang!
A loud crash came from outside the door.
Mo Lin and his party appeared.
'Tch… bad luck,' the man spat, releasing the girl in frustration.
Over a dozen thugs moved to surround Liu Feng and the others.
Zhou Tian flicked his cigarette to the ground, gave Liu Feng a cold glance, and sneered, 'Didn't expect you to find us so quickly.'
He had planned to leave Liu Feng a corpse. But now that he was here, plans had to change.
'Zhou Tian… it's you…'
Liu Feng recognized him instantly.
'My brother's death wasn't my doing. Why would you take my daughter for revenge?'
'You were the one who sold his whereabouts to our enemies. If not for you, my brother would still be alive.'
Liu Feng might not have killed Zhou Tian's brother with his own hands, but he had been an accomplice.
Zhou Tian wanted vengeance—and he would claim it through Liu Feng's daughter.
Liu Feng took a deep breath. He knew words alone would never move Zhou Tian to mercy.
'I'm begging you… let her go,' he pleaded, humbling himself.
Zhou Tian gripped the little girl's throat, a sinister grin curling his lips.
Her face turned red from lack of air.
He tightened his grip just enough to cause pain, not death—she was his leverage.
'Please… don't hurt my daughter,' Liu Feng cried, on the verge of tears.