My jaw dropped. "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, surprised and a bit hurt.
"There was no need. It doesn't affect anything, since your Blue Blood and your Qi have already merged," IM replied calmly.
Ting! My phone buzzed with a notification.
[Hanna: Are you okay!? Where are you?]
Oh, she's worried, huh? I thought, a warm feeling spreading through me. I quickly typed a reply.
[Me: I'm okay, I'm outside.]
IM leaned closer to my phone, a playful smirk on his face. "You two seem close," he teased.
"She's just friendly," I rolled my eyes and turned off my phone, hoping to end the conversation.
Ting! The phone automatically turned back on, a new notification flashing on the screen.
[Hanna: Come to the backstage. The police are asking for you... you and your friends were fighting with that guy, weren't you...?]
Shit... I forgot to remove the CCTV footage... I thought, a wave of panic washing over me.
"IM, we need to go backstage," I said urgently.
"Alright," he replied, his expression turning serious.
We weaved our way through the dispersing crowd, the air thick with the smell of smoke and the lingering tension of the recent chaos. As we approached the backstage entrance, a group of police officers blocked our path.
"Hold it right there," one of them barked, his hand resting on his holstered gun. "Are you the ones who were involved in the incident on stage?"
I stepped forward, raising my hands in a gesture of peace. "Yes, officer, but we were just trying to help."
The officer eyed us suspiciously. "Help? By fighting with an attacker and causing even more damage?"
"He was attacking the performers," I explained. "We had to intervene."
The officer seemed unconvinced. "I'm going to need you to come with us to the station for questioning."
Just then, Hanna emerged from the backstage entrance, her face etched with worry. "Xian!" she exclaimed, rushing towards us. "Are you alright?"
She turned to the police officers, her voice firm and authoritative. "These are my friends. They were helping me. Please, let them go."
The officers hesitated, clearly taken aback by Hanna's intervention. They exchanged glances, then reluctantly lowered their weapons.
"Alright, Miss Hanna," the lead officer said. "We'll let it slide this time. But if we hear of any more vigilante activities from these two, we won't be so lenient."
Hanna nodded, a grateful smile spreading across her face. "Thank you, officer."
She turned to us, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you both okay? Did you get hurt?"
"We're fine," I reassured her. "Just a little shaken up."
IM nodded in agreement. "But we're glad we could help."
Hanna linked her arms with ours, her warmth and gratitude radiating through us. "Come on, let's get inside. Everyone wants to meet you."
We followed Hanna backstage, the adrenaline still coursing through our veins. The atmosphere was a mix of relief and excitement, the performers and crew members buzzing with gratitude for our intervention. As we entered a large dressing room, we were greeted by a chorus of voices.
"Guys! These are my friends, the ones who stopped the attacker!" Hanna announced to the group.
The idols made way for us to approach a computer screen, which was displaying security footage of the fight. They watched in awe and confusion.
"How did you make a rope appear out of thin air..." one of the guards asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
I exchanged a glance with IM, a silent agreement passing between us. "It's a bit of a trick," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I've been practicing illusion magic for a while now."
"Illusion magic?" one of the idols, a young woman named Luna, tilted her head in curiosity. "Is that like... sleight of hand?"
"Something like that," I replied vaguely, hoping to keep the conversation light.
IM stepped forward, his masked face radiating an aura of mystery. "It's more about manipulating perception," he added, his voice low. "Creating a convincing illusion that tricks the mind."
The idols looked at each other in amazement, their eyes wide with wonder. Another idol, a tall, handsome young man named Alex, stepped forward. "That's incredible," he said, his voice filled with admiration. "Can you show us how you did it?"
I hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much. But IM, ever the showman, stepped forward.
"Actually," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "I think we have a better idea."
He turned to the group of idols, his voice suddenly booming with authority. "How about we show you something even more impressive?"
What is he doing... I thought, a mix of curiosity and apprehension filling me.
IM walked over to a wall and casually placed his hand on it, phasing right through.
The idols and crew members gasped in astonishment.
"It's all about perspective..." IM said with a cryptic smile, before walking back through the wall to our side.
One of the idols, a girl with bright pink hair, spoke up hesitantly, "So... you guys are saying that... the person who used fire...? I don't understand how he could do that... was it just a perspective trick too?"
"Possibly," IM lied smoothly, maintaining the air of mystery.
I coughed, trying to break the tension. "Well... at least we're all safe now, right?"
The security guard who was monitoring the CCTV footage still couldn't believe what he had seen. He just shook his head in disbelief.
Hanna, standing beside me, asked with concern, "But seriously, you guys didn't get hurt, right?"
I nodded. "We're fine, thanks to you."
She was so sweet, just like how we talked online... It had been a while since we had chatted, pretending I didn't know her. In reality, I knew everything about her... and she wasn't suspicious at all.
IM broke the silence, "So... we're good to go?"
"Wait a minute," a voice called from the doorway.
Everyone turned to look. It was a police officer. "You're Anthony's nephew, aren't you? The kid who can see ghosts."
My eyes widened in surprise. I recognized the officer as one of my uncle's friends, but I was puzzled to see him here in the city center. Didn't he live near my hometown?
"Can see ghosts?" one of the idols, Veronica, asked, crossing her arms.
"I, uh..." I stammered, unsure of what to say.
I looked at IM, and his expression clearly said, "You messed up." I knew this wasn't good timing.
"Uh, yeah... you're one of my uncle's friends, right?" I replied, trying to buy some time.
"Yeah, I guess if you're here, it's easier to explain... So we found the guy and he mentioned you, and... everything is... weird. He said he could use magic and stuff... but if you're here, there must be something to it, right?" he said, his eyes searching mine for answers.
"I..." I hesitated, my mind racing. Should I make up a story about a ghost?
Hanna looked at my bewildered face and exclaimed, "Wait, you can see ghosts!? I never knew that!" she said, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of excitement in her voice.
A wave of whispers washed over the room. Everyone stared at me, a mix of surprise, curiosity, and fear evident on their faces. IM discreetly nudged me, his eyes conveying a silent message: "Don't say too much."
"Well, not exactly," I stammered, trying to find a way out of the awkward situation. "I mean, I'm... sensitive to certain energies, let's say."
"Energies?" Veronica asked, her skepticism clear. "You mean like... ghosts?"
I hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Yes, something like that."
The room erupted in a flurry of questions and exclamations. The idols, forgetting their earlier fear, now bombarded me with inquiries about ghosts, the afterlife, and the nature of my abilities.
"Have you ever seen a real ghost?" an idol named Charlotte asked, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Can you communicate with them?" Sophia chimed in, her voice filled with curiosity.
I took a deep breath, trying to find a balance between honesty and discretion. "I have encountered ghosts before," I admitted, carefully choosing my words. "And... yes, I can sometimes sense their presence and even communicate with them. But it's not always easy, and it's not something I can control."
The idols leaned in, their faces alight with fascination. "That's so cool!" Luna exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with wonder.
The police officer walked closer to me. "So, in this case... I heard from the guy we apprehended that he used fire, but we didn't find any fire-starting mechanisms on his body. He was naked, no weapons, no anything."
I should lie here... I thought, my heart pounding.
"Well... that guy was... possessed by a ghost who could use fire," I lied, trying to keep my voice steady.
The police officer's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A ghost? Are you serious?"
I nodded solemnly, trying to maintain a straight face. "Yes, officer. It was a powerful fire spirit that had possessed him. IM and I managed to exorcise it, but it wasn't easy."
The officer looked skeptical, but he didn't press the issue further. "Well, I'll be damned," he muttered, shaking his head. "Guess we've seen it all now."
The idols' jaws dropped in unison.
"So that... the fire was from a ghost... we didn't see it, which means... oh my god..." Veronica said, her voice filled with awe and a hint of fear.
I swallowed, feeling the weight of their stares. "Well, I wouldn't say a ghost exactly..." I began, carefully choosing my words. "It was more like... a spirit. A very powerful one that possessed the man and gave him the ability to control fire."
< Chapter 116 > Fin.