Mysterious Awakening

Chapter 69: I fooled you again

The instant Miles caught sight of the gathering, a strong impulse to engage with them pulsed through him. Despite the possibility of ensuing complexities, fear was foreign to him. After all, he was not the one who should be fearful of trouble; instead, trouble should quake at his presence.

“An annual salary of 1.2 million, quite the attractive sum. Even seasoned executives from various corporations might not reach that,” Miles pondered, a sparkle in his eyes.

“Sounds like a sealed deal to me. Once the funds show up in my account, consider me on your team.”

As Miles’ eagerness became more palpable, Summit couldn’t help but perceive him as a naive newbie navigating the vast world of business.

“Fair enough. But, there’s a precondition before you join our ranks. You recognize this box, don’t you?” He went on to present a photograph.

The image displayed a golden box, eerily similar to the one Ethan possessed.

“Ethan was the initial holder of this item. When leaving the mall, he should have passed it on to you. Our firm desperately needs it. If you can deliver it, I’m ready to propose an appealing offer of 10 million.”

“In my business interactions, I value transparency, and I see no need to withhold any information from you. The gold box itself has a value exceeding 2.4 million. My offer of 10 million provides you with a substantial profit opportunity.”

“What’s your response?”

Miles replied, “Indeed, Ethan did leave the item in my care for a few days. However, I no longer have it.”

“Gone? How so?” Summit immediately inquired.

“I surrendered it,” Miles clarified.

“The item’s worth transcended mere monetary value. I heard it could be exchanged for a managerial position in the city administration, a significant title. Thus, I gave it away without any hesitation. Many praised my action as a testament to my integrity. Their kind words filled me with joy for several days.”

Summit almost stumbled over his words upon hearing this revelation.

Your innocence is almost endearing. The entire world is ready to pay a high price for this piece, with countries vying for it, and yet you opted to give it up?

“You’re lying. You’re fooling us,” Summit accused, his eyes narrowing.

“No deceit here. Look, here’s the replacement item I received. Soon, I may have to undergo some sort of assessment,” Miles rebutted, producing a satellite-positioning phone.

A ghost tamer’s satellite-positioning device?

Summit immediately recognized it, but then was engulfed by a deep sense of despair.

Could Miles really have handed over that ghost?

“Why in the world would you give it away? How could you part with it so nonchalantly? Didn’t you know what it held? You were a part of the mall incident, too. It’s hard to believe Ethan didn’t share any details with you,” Summit argued, his voice tinged with frustration.

With limited knowledge about Miles, Summit felt like he was fumbling in the dark.

All he knew about Miles was that he was a former high school senior who had become a ghost tamer, a novice in the field.

Miles capitalized on this, assuming the role of an uninformed newcomer, hoping to extract critical information from Summit.

“I knew it was a ghost. Ethan and I captured it together. The process was fraught with danger. The number of casualties in the mall that day was shocking. Handing over such a volatile item to HQ seemed like the safest option. Retaining it would have been reckless,” Miles countered.

“But why are you so interested in this ghost? What makes it so important?”

Summit replied, “It holds immense potential, and our preliminary experiments have already yielded promising results.”

As soon as he shared this information, he fell silent.

“What kind of experiments?” Miles probed.

“That’s confidential. Since you no longer have the box, there’s no point in continuing this discussion,” Summit declared briskly, rising from his seat, poised to leave.

Given the surrendered box and Miles’ alignment with Ghost Tamers HQ, Summit didn’t see any additional value in him. Prolonging the conversation seemed futile.

“Hold on,” Miles interjected.

“Is there something else?”

Miles admitted, “Actually, I wasn’t entirely honest earlier. I apologize for the misdirection. I haven’t given the box away yet. I still have it.”

“What?”

Summit halted in his tracks, whipping around to stare at Miles.

“Are you being truthful? Do you indeed still have the item?”

Miles nodded solemnly, “Yes, I always strive for honesty.”

“Would you consider selling it to me for 10 million then?”

Settling back into his seat, Summit reengaged in their previous discussion: “If you give it away, you gain nothing. Moreover, the city head’s position isn’t all it’s made out to be. Having faced a vengeful ghost event, are you sure you can handle potential future encounters?

“The nature of this job is inherently risky. You’re still young, with a plethora of unexplored experiences. Risking life and limb are just lofty ideals. Real, tangible benefits should be your priority. Hand over the box, and you won’t leave empty-handed.”

“I need to see the payment first. Then, the item will follow,” Miles insisted.

“Fair enough, but I have to validate the item first,” Summit responded, signaling to his team.

There would be no bartering, no exchange of 10 million. Their plan was to simply snatch the item.

Their business approach revolved around transactions free of risks, after all.

Miles refused, shaking his head, “No, that won’t work. You promised a year’s salary in advance and 10 million, but I haven’t seen a dime yet. Your words aren’t sufficient to establish trust. I won’t produce the item until I confirm the money in my account.”

“Don’t press your luck, boy,” one man to the side grumbled menacingly.

Summit silenced him with a glance, then suggested, “What if we do it this way? I transfer you a year’s salary first, then you bring out the box. Once we verify the item, we’ll continue with the transaction. Would that be satisfactory?”

He preferred to avoid a direct clash with a ghost tamer, if possible.

The exact nature of the ghost inside Miles was unclear.

It could be harmless, similar to Ethan’s, or it could be a substantial issue.

However, every gamble comes with its risks. If he could defuse the situation by parting with some money, he was ready to do so.

“That sounds reasonable. Let’s proceed with the bank transfer. This is my account. Once I confirm the funds, I’ll present the item,” Miles suggested, revealing his phone from beneath the table.

Summit pondered for a moment, then shifted his gaze towards Miles.

Miles, his face radiating naivety and eagerness, seemed to be lost in dreams of how to spend the impending 10 million.

“Alright, I’ll commence the transfer right away,” Summit began initiating the bank transaction on his phone.

Soon, a notification pinged on Miles’s phone – a deposit of 100 dollars.

“Why is it only 100 dollars? Did you input the wrong amount during the transfer?”

Summit glanced at the balance shown on Miles’s phone, confirming that this was indeed a rookie ghost tamer, financially naive and low on funds.

“Apologies for the oversight. Consider this 100 dollars a complimentary meal from me,” he then initiated another transfer.

This time it was accurate – 1.2 million.

“The money’s here, wonderful! Thank you very much,” Miles responded, visibly excited, extending his hand to shake Summit’s.

“My pleasure. Now, could you guide me to the box?” Summit asked.

“Of course,” Miles nodded, “Follow me.”

Quickly, Miles shepherded the group out of the coffee shop, steering them along the city streets.

“Is it far from here? We could drive you,” Summit offered, a crease forming on his forehead as he observed Miles walking ahead. A slight discomfort began brewing within him.

“I’ve parked my car nearby, why don’t you wait here while I get it?” Miles proposed, looking back at them.

“No need,” Summit retorted, uneasy with the thought of losing sight of Miles.

Nevertheless, the deeper they delved into the city, the more pronounced his discomfort became.

The bustling crowd of pedestrians ahead gradually diminished until the sidewalks were devoid of people.

“Halt.”

Summit commanded, his eyes scanning the desolate streets around them. His face turned stern in an instant.

Miles spun around, a sly grin tugging at his lips, “Just realizing it now? I regret to inform you, I deceived you once again. I dialed the police while we were having our friendly chat.”

“Don’t move! Raise your hands and lie on the ground.” Suddenly, a troop of officers emerged from the surrounding shops, Captain Bright at the forefront.

This was not a typical paranormal incident, but an assault case, hence all the officers were equipped with weapons.

“You little…” Summit’s eyes seethed with fury, almost ready to pounce.

“Mad? Want to take a swing? Go ahead, aim for this spot,” Miles taunted, pointing to his own forehead.

“Damn it,” Summit grumbled under his breath. Miles was a total trickster.

He had not only swindled him but also involved the police. Such audacity was rarely witnessed.

Although enraged, he refrained from acting recklessly.

Miles sneered casually, “For people like you, I don’t even need to summon my ghost. But consider yourselves lucky to be caught. Had you confronted me, I would have made you regret the day you were born.”

With that, he brushed off their menacing glares.

He moved towards Captain Bright, “These individuals are part of a criminal gang intending to kidnap and attack me. I believe they are armed with dangerous weapons, so handle with care.”

Captain Bright saluted, “Rest assured, none of these criminals will escape the law.”

“Good. I trust them in your competent hands. I need to step away for a moment,” Miles responded.

What were the consequences of assaulting a ghost tamer?

He had a hunch, considering Manager Li’s fate.

Miles glanced at the eye symbol on the back of his hand.

There wasn’t the slightest indication of a revival, offering some degree of comfort. Miles was a man who favored his intellectual prowess over his ghostly skills whenever he could. This strategy, he hoped, would stave off the foreboding resurrection for a while longer.josei

It was regrettable that he hadn’t managed to acquire the entire 10 million; that would have transformed this challenging situation into a resounding triumph. However, Miles didn’t view these people as irritations. Quite the contrary, they were willingly parting with their money in his favor. To him, they were more like benefactors.

Quietly, Miles gave Summit a mental nod of approval.