Chapter 84: The Evil Sorcerer (2 / 2)

"Why are you going there?" Jiang Shiyu asked curiously.

"There's a tricky matter I need to handle." I pointed at the green satchel I carried with me. "By the way, I haven't properly thanked you for today. When's your flight? If I have time, I'd like to see you off."

"There's no need to thank me for today—it was the right thing to do," she smiled, then added with a glimmer of curiosity, "Actually, I don't have anything planned these few days. How about I go with you? It's school break anyway, and with summer travel, you might not even get a seat."

I sighed inwardly. I couldn't tell whether she was moved by sympathy or lingering gratitude after I saved her in the wild. Whatever it was, it stirred something bittersweet in me—this kindness was too much for me to bear lightly.

And I've never been the type to toy with feelings. But with the little time I have left… how could I offer her anything?

"It's better if I go alone," I said. "The area's pretty remote. Not the best place for a girl to travel."

Unexpectedly, Jiang Shiyu pulled over and hopped out of the car. She confidently opened the trunk and patted a large suitcase with flair. "Not suitable for a girl? Let me tell you—I once drove solo from Shenyang to Tibet, went into the Inner Mongolian desert, and even ventured into the Lop Nur ruins in Xinjiang. You think I'm afraid of being 'inconvenienced'? Zhang Dabao, I'm telling you clearly today—you're bringing me, like it or not!"

Damn. Her fierce temperament stunned me for a moment. Then she walked over and smacked me on the forehead—not very ladylike, but definitely effective. "Get in the car. Now!"

"…Okay, okay." I rubbed my head and smiled. Maybe… she was kind of adorable, too.

Her next actions totally floored me. She deftly pulled up GPS navigation, and with a powerful push of the accelerator, we were off onto the highway. The way she weaved through traffic almost gave me a heart attack. On the expressway, she even covered the license plate and kept the car above 160 km/h the whole time.

My heart was in my throat the entire ride. Eventually, we stopped at a service station to refuel. That's when we met someone unusual.

After getting out of the car, I bent over and vomited—my stomach couldn't take the speed. She went to refuel while I leaned against a pole to recover. But when I looked up, I saw a thin, shriveled figure standing across the road, staring at me without blinking.

Let me paint this for you: it's the middle of the night, on the side of a highway, and a gaunt man is staring at you dead-on. If that doesn't creep you out, I don't know what would. I rubbed my face and stared back. The distance wasn't too far, and eventually, he began walking toward me.

When we were face-to-face, the man pressed his palms together and gave a half bow. In broken Mandarin, he said:

"Sawasdee… hello, Chinese Taoist. My name is Baden."

My heart skipped a beat.

He was wearing three black gemstone rings, and the symbols on them were unmistakable: they belonged to Thai sorcerers who raise ghost children (kumantong). My grandfather once mentioned that in the 1980s, Taoist masters from China clashed with Thai black mages at the border. The Thais, known as the Ghost King Sect, specialized in trapping spirits inside rings and using them to harm others. The battle was so intense it triggered an underworld disturbance, and many died.

"Hello, Master. What brings you to me?" I asked politely, though my hand had already slipped to my satchel. If he made any move, I was ready to fight.

"I chased your car for a long time. Almost lost you." He smiled oddly and then pointed toward Jiang Shiyu, still at the pump. "Your car is very fast. I… have a Buddha amulet, which is now in your possession. Please return it."

So he was the dark-robed sorcerer I met in Guangdong. Back then, his face was hidden, but now I could tell—it was him.

But why did he want the amulet back?

I took out my wind chime and fastened it to my waist for protection. Calmly, I replied, "Master, I may not understand Thai sorcery well, but this amulet is an evil item. In the hands of common people, it brings only death. I had planned to bring it to a Daoist temple for purification. May I ask… what do you intend to do with it?"

Baden once again pressed his hands together and said, "The spirit inside is filled with hatred—perfect for my cultivation. Please return it to me. In exchange, I will give you a ghost child."

"What? Was it you who killed Mr. Ke?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"I only want the amulet back," he repeated, ignoring the question.

This angered me. We were on Chinese soil—how dare a foreign black mage come here to harm our people?

I wasn't backing down.

If he wouldn't explain, I wouldn't hand it over. I drew a copper coin, struck a sword mudra, and filled my pocket with grains—my personal method of dealing with spirits.

I pressed further: "Was that actress Mr. Ke mentioned one of your puppets, controlled by your ghost general? Tell me—who sent you?"

"That is none of your concern," Baden grinned. Then he raised one hand.

At that moment, a truck crashed into the highway guardrail behind us with a deafening bang—cargo spilled everywhere. He turned back to me.

"No one hurt. But if you keep interfering… many more will die."