**Chapter 38: A Pitiful Soul - The Haunted Construction Site!**

 

The temporary office fell silent. 

All eyes turned to Ma Long. Though his legs trembled beneath the table, he puffed out his chest. "My buddy's a Taoist master! He'll exorcise this ghost tomorrow!" 

Workers murmured before dispersing. The moment the door closed, Ma Long collapsed into a chair. "Dad! What's really going on here?" 

"Superstitious nonsense!" His father adjusted the bandage on his forehead. "Competitors sabotaging us!" 

Ma Long's mother chimed in, "We've called the police. Officer Wang will—" 

"Officer Wang's busy tailing a ghost taxi right now!" Ma Long blurted. "I rode a specter-driven cab here! My BMW got totaled by a ghost drag racer!" 

His parents exchanged looks of horrified disbelief. 

──── 

At dawn, Xu Yang and Officer Wang sat on community center steps, cigarette smoke curling into the pale sky. The social worker's words echoed: *"Lao Ma... cared for his cerebral palsy son and blind mother... worked nights until his heart gave out..."* 

Officer Wang crushed his cigarette. "Social services will relocate his family. But the ghost..." 

Xu Yang watched sparrows peck at crumbs. "His soul's clinging through sheer will. When he realizes he's dead..." He mimicked an explosion with his fingers. 

──── 

The funeral shop bell jingled. Ma Long barged in with his parents. "Xu Yang! Our construction site's haunted! Help!" 

Behind them, the ghost queen hovered by the stairs, scribbling in blood: 

***"Business booming. Charge double."***