Sze_Hao_Chen

In the year 2024, the cosmic alignment of the Nine Stars breaks the natural order, triggering a resurgence of spiritual energy across Kuala Lumpur. Hidden beneath the serene facade of Kek Lok Si Temple lies an ancient underground chamber, brimming with forbidden knowledge. And at the center of it all stands a man who was never meant to be part of this grand scheme.
Lin Han, a bankrupt real estate agent, is on the run from debt collectors when he accidentally stumbles upon a sinister blood ritual. A mysterious robed figure stands at the heart of it, conducting a ceremony that will change Lin Han’s life forever.
Gifted with the ability to perceive karmic threads through his right eye—an unwanted legacy from a past encounter at Batu Caves—Lin Han begins to unravel truths that defy logic. Along his journey, he crosses paths with an unlikely group: a half-Malay policewoman, a Taoist temple keeper with an ancient chant, an aristocratic Indian dancer, and a rebellious rock singer with secrets of her own.
As the mystical scrolls of Kek Lok Si reveal their deadly secrets, Lin Han finds himself caught in a web of fate far beyond his understanding. Can he harness the combined wisdom of the region’s spiritual traditions—Chinese incense blessings, Malay shamanic rituals, and Indian divine dance—to alter his destiny? Or is he simply another pawn in a celestial game beyond his control?

Mystic Convergence

The howling wind roared through the rain-soaked air, carrying the stench of decay. Lin Han locked eyes with the bloodstained face before him, his heart clenched by an invisible force.

"You were never meant to leave Batu Caves alive."

The shadow whispered, its voice like bones grinding against each other. In the next second, it lunged at him, its gaping mouth opening as if to swallow him whole.

"Cilaka!" Noya cursed, stepping swiftly to the side. Her kris gleamed under the flickering light as it slashed through the darkness.

The blade pierced the shadow, and a piercing scream erupted into the air. The figure writhed as though torn apart, its black mist-like body unraveling, dissipating into the rain like lingering resentment unwilling to fade.

"Don't just stand there! Move!" Noya grabbed Lin Han's wrist and yanked him toward the cave exit.

But Lin Han's feet were rooted in place.

His right eye pulsed violently, resonating with something unseen. A blurred vision flashed across his mind—

—Torrential rain pouring down as an old, decrepit ferry slowly emerged from the river. Black water churned beneath its hull, and a tattered lantern hung from the mast, casting a dim, ghostly glow over a shadowy figure standing at the bow…

—The Ghost Ship… was calling to him?

"Lin Han, what the hell are you doing?!" Noya shouted, slamming her boot against his knee, jolting him back to reality.

Lin Han sucked in a sharp breath, his trembling finger pointing toward the river. "You… you see that?"

Noya frowned and followed his gaze—

On the water, an ancient wooden ship floated silently, its lantern swaying in the stormy wind.

Her face darkened instantly. "Kapal Hantu… This thing shouldn't exist in the mortal world."

The ghost ship trembled slightly as if it had sensed their gaze. The tattered sails flapped eerily in the wind, and atop the deck stood a hazy figure, its hollow eye sockets staring straight at Lin Han.

A chill slithered up his spine, making him shudder involuntarily.

"It's waiting for you." Noya muttered, clenching her jaw.

"Waiting for me?" Lin Han swallowed hard, his throat dry.

"A ghost ship doesn't appear without reason. Only those 'chosen' can see it." Noya's grip tightened around her kris. "Something on you… is calling it."

A deafening realization exploded in Lin Han's mind.

He suddenly remembered—Five years ago, at Batu Caves, when he first saw the karmic threads—what did they truly mean?

If he had always been able to see the flow of cause and effect… did that mean… he had been marked by fate long ago?

—The black-robed elder's curse…

—The secret behind Genting Group…

—The ancient scroll hidden in Kek Lok Si Temple…

Could all of this really be just a coincidence?

Lin Han's breathing quickened, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

The shadow on the ghost ship shifted slightly, as if it had sensed his fear.

—It was waiting for his decision.

"Lin Han." Noya's voice cut through the tension. "Think carefully. If you step onto that ship… you might never come back."

Lin Han closed his eyes, his fingers trembling.

He could either run—or face it head-on.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward.

Chapter 12: The Summoning of the Ghost Ship