Chapter 124: Ghost

As Garret and Robert walked away from the scene, still muttering insults under their breaths, a voice from the crowd called out, "Hey, which one of you two clowns is going to win the next round?"

Garret stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he turned to glare at Robert. "What did you say, grass-head?"

Robert bristled, his green hair practically standing on end as he turned to face Garret. "I didn't say anything, worm-brain! But if you want to go another round, I'll gladly wipe the floor with you!"

"Oh yeah? Let's see you try!" Garret shot back, raising his fists again, the tension between them escalating instantly.

Before they knew it, they were back at it, lunging at each other with all the intensity of mortal enemies. The onlookers, sensing the possibility of another brawl, began to gather again, eager to see the two catchers make fools of themselves once more.

"You hit like my grandmother!" Robert yelled as he swung a punch that Garret barely dodged.

"Well, you smell like a wet dog!" Garret retorted, grabbing a handful of Robert's shirt and pulling him closer.

As the two struggled, exchanging insults and clumsy blows, a sudden chill seemed to descend over the street. It was as if the temperature had dropped several degrees in an instant. Both Garret and Robert froze, their instincts screaming that something—or someone—was very, very wrong.

They slowly turned their heads, the crowd falling into an eerie silence as they did so. Standing a few feet away, with a murderous gleam in his eyes and a cold fury etched across his face, was none other than Lieutenant Kaiser.

Garret gulped, his bravado vanishing like smoke in the wind. "Oh no... we're dead," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Robert's face drained of all color. "I think 'dead' is an understatement," he muttered, equally terrified.

Lieutenant Kaiser's presence was like a dark cloud hanging over them.

His muscular frame seemed even more imposing now, and the aura of authority and danger he exuded was suffocating.

The man's eyes were locked onto them, promising pain and regret for the trouble they had caused.

Ruchir, who had been watching the unfolding scene with a mix of exasperation and amusement, couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for the two fools.

Kaiser wasn't known for his patience, and they had tested it far too many times.

Kaiser walked up to Ruchir, his expression softening slightly. "Thank you, Ruchir, for trying to stop these two twerps," he said, his voice low and rumbling.

He glanced over at Garret and Robert, who were now standing as still as statues, their fear palpable.

"These two brats have been making my life a living hell these past days. I'll make sure they won't dare cause any more trouble after today."

Garret's thoughts were a whirlwind of panic. Oh no, oh no, oh no... this is it. This is how I die. I'm too young to be turned into a training dummy!

Robert was no better, his mind racing with all the possible punishments that awaited them. Maybe if I just run now, he won't catch me... No, that's stupid, he'll catch me in an instant. Oh, why did I have to fight that idiot again?

Kaiser's eyes narrowed as he took in their petrified expressions. "Well?" he barked. "Are you just going to stand there like a couple of statues, or do I need to personally drag you back?"

Garret and Robert both swallowed hard, their heads shaking in unison. "N-no, sir!" they stammered, scrambling to stand at attention, though their legs felt like jelly.

Without another word, Kaiser grabbed them both by the collars and began dragging them away, their feet barely touching the ground as they were hauled off like misbehaving children.

To the onlookers, the sight was nothing short of comical. The mighty Lieutenant Kaiser, dragging two supposedly tough catchers through the street like they were no more than disobedient puppies.

Garret's legs flailed in the air as he tried to keep up with Kaiser's pace, his face a mask of despair. Robert's glasses were askew, his green hair a disheveled mess as he was yanked along, his mind racing with all the ways this could go wrong.

"This is so embarrassing!" Garret thought, his mind spiraling. How did I go from a street brawl to being dragged through the city like a rag doll?

Robert was faring no better. Why do I always get into these situations? This is Garret's fault! No, wait, it's my fault for even engaging with that moron! Oh, I'm never going to live this down!

Ruchir watched them go, shaking his head with a bemused smile. He could almost feel the sting of the punishments they were about to endure. Still, part of him couldn't help but admire how, despite their idiocy, Garret and Robert had managed to bring a bit of chaos—and comedy—to an otherwise ordinary day.

As they disappeared from view, the crowd began to disperse, laughing and chatting about the scene they had just witnessed. T

he two catchers were well on their way to another round of discipline, but for now, Ruchir had his patrol to complete. He sighed, knowing full well that this wouldn't be the last time those two would cause trouble.

"Some people never change," he muttered to himself as he resumed his patrol, leaving behind the echoes of Garret and Robert's absurd antics.

Now, at the night which was eerily quiet as Ruchir made his way through the darkened streets, the only sound being the soft crunch of gravel beneath his boots.

The moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows that danced with every flicker of the occasional street lamp.

It was Ruchir's first night patrol, a responsibility he took seriously, but the stillness of the night had a way of lulling even the most vigilant into a false sense of calm.

Just as he was beginning to think this would be an uneventful night, a piercing scream echoed through the valley nearby, cutting through the silence like a knife.

Ruchir's senses snapped to attention, and without hesitation, he dashed towards the sound.

The scream was filled with terror, the kind that sent chills down the spine and left a lingering sense of dread in the air.

He arrived at the scene quickly, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of trouble.

The valley was shrouded in darkness, and the thick mist that clung to the ground made it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. His heart pounded as he cautiously moved forward, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.

Then, he saw her—a woman, collapsed on the ground, her face pale and her body trembling as if she had just escaped from the clutches of death itself.

Ruchir rushed to her side, his trained eyes darting around to ensure there were no immediate threats. But the valley was still, almost unnervingly so, as if whatever had frightened her had vanished into the night.

He knelt beside her, checking for any signs of injury. Though there were no visible wounds, her shallow breathing and clammy skin indicated that she was in a state of shock.

Carefully, Ruchir lifted her into his arms and began the journey back to the office, his mind racing with questions. What could have terrified her so much? Why was she alone in the valley at this hour?

When they reached the office, Ruchir laid her gently on a bench and called for assistance.

A junior officer quickly brought water and a blanket, and they began the slow process of reviving her. It took some time, but eventually, her eyes fluttered open, her gaze unfocused and wild.

"Ghost... ghost..." she whispered, her voice hoarse and filled with fear. "It was a ghost... ha ha..."

Ruchir could see the panic rising in her again, the memories of whatever she had witnessed flooding back. He knelt beside her, his voice calm and steady as he spoke. "You're safe now. No one will hurt you here. Just take deep breaths and try to relax."

The woman's eyes darted around the room, as if searching for reassurance that she was truly safe. When she finally focused on Ruchir, something in his calm demeanor seemed to reach her. She took a few shaky breaths, her hand clutching the blanket tightly.

Ruchir nodded encouragingly. "That's good. Just keep breathing. Can you tell me your name?"

Her voice trembled as she replied, "M-my name is Lila..."

"Lila," Ruchir repeated, offering her a reassuring smile. "You're in the Mysterious Heaven Palace now, and nothing will harm you here. Can you tell me what happened? What did you see?"

Lila's eyes filled with tears as she began to speak, her voice quivering with fear. "It was... it was a ghost... a horrible, terrifying ghost. It was... it was in my home... it destroyed everything... my family... my husband... my children..."

Her voice broke, and she buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Ruchir felt a pang of sympathy but knew he needed to piece together what had happened. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lila, I know this is difficult, but I need you to tell me everything. What did the ghost look like? How did it destroy your home?"

Lila took a moment to compose herself, wiping away her tears. "It was tall... so tall that it seemed to touch the ceiling. Its face... oh, its face was the most hideous thing I've ever seen."

"Hollow eyes... empty... like it was looking straight through you. And its mouth... it was twisted into a horrible grin, like it was enjoying our suffering."

Ruchir listened intently, his mind trying to make sense of the story. "Did it say anything? Did it communicate with you in any way?"

She nodded, her voice trembling as she continued. "It didn't speak... not with words. But it laughed... a horrible, echoing laugh that filled the entire house."

"And then... it just... raised its hand and... everything was destroyed. The walls crumbled, the roof collapsed... I don't even know how I survived."

Ruchir's brow furrowed as he processed the information.

Ghosts were not unheard of, but one with such destructive power was rare, especially in this part of the empire.

"Did you see anything else? Anything that might explain why it targeted your family?"

Lila shook her head, her eyes wide with fear. "No... I don't know why it came for us. We've never done anything to deserve this... we were just living our lives... and then... it was all gone..."

She broke down again, her body shaking with sobs.

Ruchir knew that pressing her further would only add to her distress, but he needed more information.

"Lila, I'm going to make sure that this ghost doesn't hurt anyone else. But I need you to try and remember—was there anything unusual leading up to this? Any strange occurrences, or anything out of the ordinary?"

Lila struggled to focus, her mind clearly a jumble of fear and confusion. "There was... there was a man... he came to our house a few days ago. He... he was strange, dressed in dark robes."

"He asked for shelter for the night, and we... we couldn't turn him away. But... but the next morning, he was gone, and... and then... the ghost came..."

Ruchir's eyes narrowed as he considered this new detail. A mysterious man, followed by the appearance of a ghost? It was too coincidental to ignore. But before he could ask more, Lila suddenly gasped, her eyes widening in terror.

"It's here!" she screamed, her voice shrill with panic. "The ghost... it's here! Don't let it take me!"

Ruchir whipped around, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword, but the room was empty. No ghost, no dark figure—only the dim light of the lamps and the echo of Lila's terrified screams.

"Calm down, Lila, there's nothing here," Ruchir said, trying to soothe her, but she was beyond reason, her fear overwhelming her senses.

Ruchir glanced at the junior officer for help, but he was just as bewildered. The situation was spiraling out of control, and he needed to get to the bottom of this—before it was too late.