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

A sudden gale swept through, and black mist surged like a beast breaking free from its cage. The chilling moisture in the air carried eerie whispers, as if murmurs from another world.

The Ferryman's roar was like a thunderclap, shaking the entire boat. Strange black runes twisted across the deck, pulsing with ominous energy. Lin Han's right eye burned with searing pain, as if something unseen was trying to pry into his soul.

"Walau eh, this is getting out of hand." He gritted his teeth, heart pounding like a war drum.

Noor clasped her Keris tightly, the blade shimmering with a faint blue glow. She fixed her gaze on the Ferryman, muttering under her breath: "Jangan takut… kita masih ada jalan." (Don't be afraid… we still have a way.)

But her trembling hands betrayed her fear—she knew it too.

The Ferryman's cloak billowed violently, and dark mist spread from his feet, slithering toward Lin Han like an encroaching tide.

Lin Han looked down, his pupils constricting in shock—

His own shadow… was detaching from him?!

The dark mass slithered across the floor, writhing like a living creature, before creeping toward the Ferryman's waiting hand—like a lost hound returning to its master.

Lin Han's gut twisted. He instinctively leaped back, but his legs felt impossibly heavy, as if chained by an unseen force.

The Ferryman slowly raised his hand, and glowing sigils ignited in his palm, forming the outline of a spectral gate.

A putrid wind surged forward. Twisted, writhing specters clawed their way out of the mist—wailing, tortured remnants of those who had failed their "bargains."

Noor cursed under her breath and immediately positioned herself in front of Lin Han. The Keris traced a burning blue arc through the air.

"Don't let him touch you!" she shouted.

A skeletal black hand shot forward, wrapping around Lin Han's throat.

A crushing sense of suffocation seized him, his vision blurring. His own heartbeat was the only sound left in his ears.

The Ferryman leaned in, his eyes burning with spectral blue flames.

"You were never meant to exist here." His voice carried an eerie finality, as though pronouncing a verdict that could not be overturned.

Lin Han struggled, panic flaring in his chest. It wasn't just physical—something was trying to rip his soul from his body.

A crisp, delicate chime rang through the oppressive silence.

The Ferryman's grip froze. Slowly, his gaze shifted toward Noor.

Around her wrist, a silver charm bracelet trembled slightly, its tiny bells vibrating with an unseen force, resisting the Ferryman's curse.

The Taoist priestess from Penang had once told him, "Silver bells ward off spirits, especially those that do not belong in this world."

With a sharp cry, Noor lunged—her Keris piercing through the mist!

The blade sank into the darkness. The Ferryman let out a deep, unearthly howl, and the air around them dropped to an unbearable chill.

Lin Han snapped back to full consciousness. He no longer hesitated. Seizing the Ferryman's arm, he channeled every ounce of spiritual energy he had into his grip.

A force erupted outward. The Ferryman's form twisted violently before shattering into dark mist, dissipating into the void.

Noor was gasping for breath, her face pale. Lin Han's heart was still pounding, but they both knew—

Yet, in the depths of the darkness, something far more sinister was already watching them…

Chapter 16: The Ferryman’s Wrath