– House of Crimson Moons –

“… So. The other four all died, huh? How unfortunate. I spent quite many resources on Hurricane, too. You are the only survivor. What do you have to say for your failure, Shadow?” Heartbeat asked, voice soft yet strangely threatening at the same time. “I asked you to secure that boy named Finn, did I not?”

“Yes, my patriarch. I have nothing to say. I do not plan on making excuses.”

“Good. Then… you know the drill. The basement is waiting for you.”

Shadow nodded firmly and bowed his head. “Understood, patriarch. I will face my punishment and reflect upon my actions. However, before I go… there is something I felt was worthy of reporting.”

“Oh?” Heartbeat raised an eyebrow. “Go on, speak.”

“I am certain you know this already, but the target—Finn—was the one who killed Hurricane. I witnessed it with my Shadow Vision. But what was truly unbelievable… was how he killed him.”

Heartbeat narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“The target… he had six glowing white tentacles protruding from his back, much like that of a Phantom’s. No one else could see it, but with my Shadow Vision that eliminates all else but the colors of black and white, I could perceive it despite the distance and obstacles in the way.”

At this, Heartbeat stopped and thought for several minutes. Out of all the things Shadow could’ve said, this was the most out of his expectations. Finn… had Ghost-like attributes?

“Was there anything else you noticed that was abnormal?” Heartbeat asked.

Shadow nodded. “It may just be a mistake, but… I feel like Finn is not blind at all. Either that, or he had someone invisible telling him what to do. Hurricane tried to launch a surprise attack at him from behind, but without even turning around, he punctured Hurricane’s body with one of his tentacles.”

“… I see. And that girl wasn’t there to help him see?”

“The white-haired one? No. She was up on top where I was. Even with the Oculus Angelica, she cannot mimic the abilities of my Shadow Vision in a situation like that.”

“Ohoho… how interesting.” Slowly, Heartbeat’s lips turned up into a smile. Finn… he held even more secrets than Heartbeat had initially imagined. It’s been a long time since Heartbeat had became so interested, so engrossed in something, someone.

After several seconds, he turned to his subordinate. “Good work, Shadow. Forget about the punishment. Go ahead and tell Sully to retrieve a pack of High-Grade Crystal Blood for you, then print out the image captured through your Shadow Vision and give it to me.”

“What… patriarch, this cannot do. I have failed, and therefore require suitable punishm-“

“That’s an order,” Heartbeat reiterated, placing emphasis on the ‘order’ part. Shadow, hearing this, had no choice but to back off.

“… Yes, patriarch.”

After Shadow left, only Heartbeat remained in his own private chambers. He twirled around a glass of wine in his hand as usual, and tenderly took a sip.

“… Like a Phantom, huh?”

As a plan formed in Heartbeat’s mind, his lips curved up into a twisted smile.

– 15 Minutes Later, Thousand Dragons Sect –

The Ghost Hunters had just returned home. It’s been a long day, and everybody needed some alone time to just relax and think about things. Qi Ling was no exception.

She stepped into the shower and let the warm water wash over her glossy body. The beads of aqua streaked down her perfect curves and well-proportioned limbs, making her snow-white skin glisten and shine.

Despite being a girl of the cold, wielder of the Everfrost Angelica, it was nice to have a warm bath like this every now and then. Especially after what happened with Fin-

“No,” Qi Ling told herself, clenching her fists and resting them against the shower’s marble walls. “I can’t think of him…”

Taking a deep breath, Qi Ling fought against her inner demons and struggled to keep her tears within her eyes. She needed to forget about him for the time being. Forget, and grow. Once she had found what it is she needed, she would remember him once more.

After a very long time, she finally stepped out of the hot shower. There, however, she found Yun Xin waiting for her.

“… Claire? What are you doing here…”

“U-Um… the patriarch… he wants to see the Big Five members who went into the Temple today. He sent me to get you… it seemed urgent.”

Qi Ling furrowed her brows, thinking about what possibly could this be about. It wasn’t like Patriarch Lei to call them in for a meeting right after a extremely tiring and draining fight against Ghosts. But if anything, that only made it more clear just how important this was.

“Wait here. I’ll change, then head over.”

Qi Ling hurriedly entered her own private dorm room, slipped on a fresh set of clothes that looked exactly the same as her dirty set minus the grime, then returned to Yun Xin.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

Yun Xin nodded, and the two headed for the Main Hall.

“… I’ve called the two of you to discuss something very important.”

Lei eyed the two people in the Main Hall warily with a distrust in his eyes that he had never looked at them with before. Both Tian Long and Qi Ling noticed this, of course, and were confused as to what this was about.

After carefully observing the two young Ghost Hunters, Lei continued in a lower voice.

“Did either of you two… spot anything abnormal about Ace?”

Ace. That word struck Qi Ling like a truck. Finn. The same person she had just spent so much effort into forgetting in the shower, now rises again in her mind.

“Abnormal…?” Tian Long raised an eyebrow. “Apart from the fact that he’s blind, there’s nothing that separates him from a normal person. He is stronger and more clever than most, but that is about it.”

Tian Long glanced at Qi Ling. “What about you?”

Qi Ling shook her head. Then, in a bitter, quiet voice, she replied, “Nothing, Master.”

“Did something happen…?” Tian Long inquired, sensing something off about this whole situation.

Lei slowly nodded, a grim look on his face.

“… I was just contacted by the guild. They said Finn Thresher… is a Ghost.”