The rain had been relentless since they set foot in the village, soaking through every layer of Yu Ning's uniform and seeping into his bones. He shifted uncomfortably, the weight of the mission pressing down heavier than the rain. The narrow streets were choked with fog, blurring the twisted shadows of abandoned houses.
He wasn't alone. To his right, Liu Qiang stood with his arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning the dark alleys. Beside him, Jiang Mei rolled her shoulders, absently twisting a lock of hair between her fingers.
"Looks like this place has been empty for a while," Liu Qiang muttered. "Think the damned moved on?"
Jiang Mei scoffed. "We're not that lucky, Brother Liu."
Yu Ning exhaled slowly, gripping the talisman at his waist. "I hope it's just one ghost," he added. "This is our first real mission after training. No need to get ambitious."
Liu Qiang shot him a grin. "Don't worry, Brother Yu. If things go south, I'll make sure they bury you in one piece."
Yu Ning smirked but felt the weight behind Liu Qiang's words. The Suppression Bureau wasn't known for exaggerations. If they were sent, it meant something dangerous lingered here.
They had just completed months of grueling training, honing their hexes and learning to fight in unison. This was supposed to be a manageable mission. A simple cleansing of a village where the damned lingered. Their instructors told them that first missions often went smoothly—a warm-up before real danger.
But the air here felt wrong.
They advanced carefully, boots squelching against the mud. It was Jiang Mei who stopped first, raising a hand. The others halted immediately.
"What is it?" Yu Ning whispered.
She pointed toward a collapsed house ahead. "I feel it. We're not alone."
Liu Qiang stepped forward, raising his hand in a familiar gesture. "Bullet Burst."
Crimson energy flared around his fingertips as he formed a gun-like pose. With a sharp motion, two concentrated beams of hex energy shot forward, striking the ground just ahead of the ruin. The burst illuminated the street for a brief moment—long enough to catch sight of something moving in the shadows.
Jiang Mei's eyes narrowed. "Baleful Locks."
Her long hair writhed and hardened, lashing out like iron chains. The strands stretched across the street, ready to strike at any sign of movement.
Yu Ning swallowed and stepped forward, releasing a deep breath. With a sweep of his arm, he summoned his weapon. Water gathered and twisted, forming into the shape of a slender blade.
"Rain Sutra," he whispered.
Steam rose from the blade's surface, the rain sizzling against its scalding hot edge.
"We'll strike together," Liu Qiang said, his eyes never leaving the ruins. "Brother Yu, stay sharp."
Yu Ning nodded. The three advanced in unison, each step measured.
The first attack came swiftly. A blur shot from the shadows—a twisted figure draped in the tattered remains of a villager's robes. Its hollow eyes locked onto them, and with a chilling screech, it lunged forward.
Liu Qiang fired two more blasts of Bullet Burst, striking the ghost's shoulder and slowing its approach. Jiang Mei's hair snapped forward, coiling around its limbs and dragging it to the ground.
Yu Ning didn't hesitate. He dashed forward, raising his sword high before bringing it down in a clean arc. The blade hissed as it sliced through the ghost's neck, severing its head. The ghost's form twisted before vanishing into mist.
For a moment, all was silent.
"That was easier than I expected," Liu Qiang said, lowering his hands. "Maybe we over—"
A sudden chill filled the air.
Jiang Mei's expression darkened. "No. That wasn't the one."
As if on cue, the shadows around them shifted. From the broken walls of the village, more figures emerged—half a dozen this time, their eyes glowing faintly through the fog.
Yu Ning's grip tightened on his blade. "Damn it."
"They're coming for us," Liu Qiang muttered, raising his hand once more. "Stay together. We can handle them."
The three fell into formation, fighting side by side as the ghosts swarmed toward them. Bullet Burst flared repeatedly, each shot crackling through the rain, while Baleful Locks coiled and lashed with unrelenting precision.
Yu Ning danced between the ghosts, his Rain Sutra blade slicing through their spectral forms. The water followed his will, shifting and striking as though alive.
But the ghosts kept coming. For every one they cut down, another rose from the shadows.
"They're endless!" Jiang Mei shouted, strands of hair snapping like whips as she struck down another ghost. "Brother Yu, on your left!"
Yu Ning pivoted, narrowly dodging a clawed hand that reached for his neck. His sword lashed out, carving the ghost apart.
"We need to end this quickly," Liu Qiang growled. "There's something wrong here. This many damned shouldn't exist in one place."
As if answering his words, the ground trembled.
A figure emerged from the fog—taller, darker, its eyes burning with malice. The minor ghosts retreated as it approached.
Jiang Mei's breath hitched. "A ghost king…"
Yu Ning's heart sank. This wasn't supposed to happen. A ghost king was far beyond what three sixth-rank agents could handle.
Liu Qiang's gaze hardened. "We all run if we can't handle it. No one gets left behind."
Yu Ning clenched his jaw but nodded. The battle wasn't over. Not yet.