"My sister... she was a very beautiful girl and a diligent student," Quinn hesitated for a moment before finally speaking to Derek.
"I can tell... you two must look quite alike," Derek replied, observing Quinn's pretty face.
Quinn nodded, blushing slightly under Derek's gaze. She seemed both shy and nervous, her eyes darting around.
"How about... we sit in that classroom nearby and talk?" Derek suggested, pointing to a classroom near the restroom.
"Okay, but... wait a moment. I'll grab my backpack from there first," Quinn said before running off to a nearby classroom. Moments later, she returned with her small backpack and followed Derek into the classroom.
Quinn chose a seat, and Derek sat on the chair in front of her, turning around to face her.
"My sister and I were very close. When she was alive, we'd often call each other or chat on social media..." Quinn's voice trailed off, lost in memory.
"I was preparing for my exams when the tragedy happened. My family didn't tell me the truth—they lied, saying they were on a trip to the university. It wasn't until I couldn't reach her that I sensed something was wrong. That's when I found out... I didn't even get to see her one last time," Quinn said, tears welling up as she began to cry.
"Your family probably wanted to protect you, so you could focus on your exams without distraction," Derek said gently. He had a younger sister himself, so he understood the deep bond between siblings.
"I refuse to believe she committed suicide! She wasn't dating anyone at the time, let alone so heartbroken that she would end her life. It's all lies! Lies to cover up the truth about her death!" Quinn clenched her fists tightly, her emotions shifting from sadness to anger.
"Lies? Then... what do you think really happened to her?" Derek asked, puzzled.
Though Derek's curiosity might have seemed like a ploy to get closer to Quinn, his intentions weren't entirely selfish. Her beauty was hard to ignore, but Derek genuinely wanted to understand her sister's death. After all, solving this mystery could help him avoid unnecessary confrontation with her ghost and fulfill his mission more effectively.
"She was murdered! It was that guy, the one who called himself her boyfriend—Johnathon! My sister never dated him. How could she have committed suicide over a relationship? Johnathon killed her, then hung her body here! His wealthy family used their connections with the police to cover up the evidence, making it look like a suicide," Quinn explained, her eyes red with anger, her cheeks flushed.
"Don't worry, Quinn. Johnathon, you say? Do you know where he lives? If he truly killed your sister, I can make him confess and bring him to justice," Derek assured her.
With his ghostly clone's help, Derek could easily drag Johnathon into a ghostly domain and scare him into confessing, just like he had done with others before. What seemed impossible to ordinary people was well within Derek's abilities. Moreover, the ghostly domain would record every detail of the confession, providing undeniable evidence that Derek could anonymously release online. Not only would Johnathon face justice, but anyone complicit in the cover-up would also be exposed.
Perhaps, Derek thought, this was the true purpose of his mission—to restore justice and truth.
"Can you really bring justice for my sister?" Quinn asked, a flicker of hope appearing in her previously despondent eyes.
"Yes. And I promise, whatever I commit to, I will see through to the end," Derek said firmly. The weight of responsibility that came with his newfound power inspired him. He was young, fresh out of university, and his ideals were still intact. With the system's assistance, Derek was determined to fight for justice wherever he could.
"I'm not sure of his exact address now," Quinn admitted after a pause, "but I know he studied at the university before and is the son of the chairman of Oltan Group, Mr. Samuel. Their family is influential, and I'm afraid you might not be able to take them on."
"Don't worry about that. If I can capture ghosts, catching people will be even easier. Now that I know he's Samuel's son, it won't take long to track him down. Once I do, I'll make sure the truth comes to light—no matter how powerful his family is," Derek said confidently, clenching his fists.
"Thank you so much," Quinn said, her eyes filled with gratitude as she looked at Derek. There was something undeniably appealing about a man standing up for justice.
"You're welcome," Derek said modestly, feeling a bit flustered under her gaze. He was just a recent graduate with no romantic experience, so chatting with a girl as beautiful as Quinn, let alone earning her gratitude, was a completely new experience.
"Can I ask you something?" Quinn broke the slight awkward silence after a while.
"Of course."
"I never believed in ghosts or the supernatural before... And I never imagined someone could actually catch ghosts. My question is... why can you do it? Are exorcists supposed to have such abilities? If it's difficult to explain, you don't have to answer," she said cautiously.
"I... I guess you could call me an urban cultivator. I practice ghostly arts and make a living by capturing ghosts. People like me are bound by strict rules, so we don't usually reveal our abilities to the public. That's why you've never heard of us before," Derek replied after thinking for a moment, spinning a tale to justify his powers.
"A cultivator... So earlier, when I mistook you for a creep, you had to reveal your abilities and identity to prove yourself?" Quinn said, offering a shy smile.
"That's... right," Derek stammered, his eyes fixed on her beautiful smile.
Quinn, shall we date? I'm still a virgin...
Noticing Derek's gaze, Quinn turned her head away, looking embarrassed. She didn't seem used to this kind of interaction with boys either.
"Uh... I should get to work. It's getting late, and you have classes tomorrow, right? You should head back to your dorm and get some rest," Derek said, snapping back to reality and glancing at the time.
"I'll stay with you tonight," Quinn said hesitantly. "I've never dared to stay too late here alone, which is why I haven't seen my sister. But with you here, I'd like to try staying through the night."
"That... might not be a good idea. We've only just met; aren't you worried about your safety around a stranger like me?" Derek asked. While he secretly liked the idea of spending the night with her, he felt compelled to say the right thing.