Zach Warren gave Logan Sullivan a deep look, then raised her hand to point at the television.

The news was just showing the rescue team and reporters approaching a mountain village near the epicenter, taking stock of the damage on site.

The epicenter was in the far northwest, where the road conditions were extremely poor and there were few residents. To go deeper in, you had to walk a long way. Following the camera, you could see a few scattered small mud houses on the mountain. It was unclear if anyone lived there, and half the roof had collapsed from the quake.

At the entrance of the village, a worn stone tablet bore the inscription “Qingxi Village”.

Even for a girl, Zach Warren’s eyes were especially large, so her gaze always seemed a bit unfocused. She stared blankly at the sign for a while, and only when the camera moved away did she softly say, “That’s my…”

Charles Gray thought she would say “home” or “hometown” or something like that, but Zach Warren paused for a long moment before turning to Logan Sullivan, her big eyes fixed intently on him as she said, “That’s where my bones are buried.”

This sentence brought a chill to the office.

“Director Sullivan, I’d like to request some leave,” Zach Warren said in her unique, ethereal yet flat voice. “I want to rest in peace.”

Logan Sullivan frowned and pulled out a cigarette. “You…”

Zach Warren leaned back, expressionless, and said, “Don’t make me breathe secondhand smoke.”

Logan Sullivan: “…You’re just a ghost, okay, Ms. Zach Warren? You can’t get pneumonia.”

Zach Warren replied earnestly, “Ghosts can still smell smoke. If you keep this up, you’ll turn into a human-shaped mosquito coil sooner or later.”

Logan Sullivan sullenly stuffed his lighter back into his pocket. “You’re bound by the Soulbound Order, which means you’ll never reincarnate. Even if you’re buried, you won’t find peace. What’s the point? Besides, isn’t burial forbidden in your hometown?”

Zach Warren said nothing, just lowered her head. After a while, she repeated, “I want to go home.”

Logan Sullivan sighed. “Even if you want to go home, how do you plan to get there?”

Zach Warren: “I haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Are you planning to figure it out in broad daylight?” Logan Sullivan asked irritably.

Zach Warren fell silent.

Logan Sullivan was about to say something when his phone suddenly rang. He stepped out to take the call, and when he returned, he couldn’t hide the mischievous grin on his face.

He cleared his throat, raised his watch, and said to Zach Warren, “Here’s the deal: you hide in here for now, and I’ll let you out tonight. I’ll think of something… I’ll go with you when the time comes.”

Zach Warren didn’t waste any time. She instantly turned into a wisp of white smoke and slipped into his watch face in the blink of an eye.

The others were all stunned.

Carter Shaw asked, “Director Sullivan, you’re lazier than anyone, always sending others on business trips. What could possibly make you go all the way to the northwest yourself?”

Logan Sullivan: “Get lost, I’m leading by example.”

Julian West said, “Amitabha, I think you never get up early unless there’s something in it for you.”

Logan Sullivan looked like he wanted to say more, but he was so busy that his phone rang again after just a moment. He pulled out his phone with a frown, glared at his mutinous subordinates, and walked out. The moment the call connected, a radiant smile appeared on his face: “Hello, hey, brother-in-law… Ahem, what are you saying? Don’t be so polite with me. Since when does a brother-in-law need to be polite with his own brother-in-law?”

Holly Harlow stood there with a bun in her mouth, watching his swaggering figure disappear, and asked in confusion, “Where did this ‘brother-in-law’ come from? When did he get a brother-in-law?”

“That’s Director Sutton.” Darrin Grant jumped onto the table, sniffing around for the scent of meat.

Holly Harlow: “Which Director Sutton?”

“Isn’t Guangming Road being redeveloped into a commercial street? We’ll probably have to move in the next year or two. He’s got his eye on a standalone courtyard house in the city center, right next to the university district—quiet in the midst of the bustle. He’s trying to pull some strings now.” Darrin Grant licked his paw, gossiping with a detachment only a cat could muster.

Holly Harlow asked without shame, “So how did that Director Sutton become his brother-in-law? He doesn’t even have a sister.”

Darrin Grant snorted, “Who knows? After a dozen or so drinking sessions, even if he doesn’t have a sister, he’s gained a whole bunch of brother-in-laws.”

After finishing his morning class, William Sherman watched as the students gradually filed out. He stood at the lectern, tidying up his lesson plans.

Sunlight streamed in from outside the classroom, dazzling his eyes for a moment. William Sherman paused, lowered his head, and saw a strand of golden thread “hook” in from somewhere outside the window, winding itself around the pendant on his neck.

William Sherman reached out to pull the thread off, but his fingers passed right through it. The golden thread seemed alive, slowly splitting into many strands, wrapping around his fingers, body, and neck.

William Sherman closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, nothing was there.

He couldn’t help but grasp the radiant little orb, knowing in his heart that after seeing that person, he probably wouldn’t be able to avoid him anymore.

Logan Sullivan’s warm hand had almost thrown his heart into chaos. Even after a whole day, it felt like the warmth still lingered on the back of his hand—so hot, so scorching.

Maybe… it was best to avoid him for a while.

Logan Sullivan had left early in the morning and hadn’t been seen all day. It wasn’t until just before the end of the workday that he called the office. By then, Julian West and Holly Harlow had already skipped out, taking advantage of their leader’s absence. Darrin Grant was sprawled behind a computer’s cooling vent, fast asleep, and Carter Shaw was still wearing his perpetual coffin-face, playing Minesweeper as if no one else existed.

Charles Gray had no choice but to answer the phone himself. “Hello?”

“Xiao Guo?” Logan Sullivan asked. “Are you busy? If not, can you do something for me?”

Charles Gray: “Sure, what do you need?”

“Mingjian—oh, I mean my watch. There’s too much evil energy inside, Zach Warren can’t stay in there for long. In a couple of days, I’ll need to take her out, so I need to find another vessel. Go online and buy me a human-shaped doll, preferably a big one that can stand up. If it can move, even better. Find a local shop, tell them it’s urgent, and have them deliver it tomorrow.”

Charles Gray nodded as he searched online with the phone tucked between his ear and shoulder. “Director Sullivan, I found one. It’s life-sized, with flexible joints, can stand…”

Logan Sullivan seemed to be in a hurry and cut him off, “Okay, okay, that sounds good. Just buy it and have them deliver it quickly.”

Charles Gray agreed, and just as he was about to click purchase, he glanced at the store name—and was instantly struck dumb. He realized it was an adult toy shop.

The innocent homebody’s face turned bright red in an instant. He stammered into the phone, “Zhao—Zhao Chu… this… this is a bit…”

Logan Sullivan: “What? Hey, it’s fine if it’s expensive, just make sure you get a receipt. Full reimbursement—okay, I can’t talk now, I’m busy. Hurry up, okay?”

With that, the call was abruptly ended.

Charles Gray stared at the computer screen, silently… in agony.

Chapter 27 Terra-Spike …

On the day of departure, even when they arrived at the airport, Logan Sullivan’s face was as stiff as a coffin lid.

When the life-sized inflatable doll was delivered to No. 4 Guangming Road and appeared before everyone, even the courier who hadn’t yet left could hear Director Sullivan’s furious roar.

He shouted, “Charles Gray, are you carrying a chamber pot on your neck?!”

Charles Gray was completely unprepared for his leader’s sudden loss of composure, standing there dumbfounded, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information.

Darrin Grant curiously reached out a paw to poke the big doll. Somehow, he triggered a mechanism, and the thing let out a very realistic… and highly inappropriate sound.

Darrin Grant’s fur stood on end, and Logan Sullivan’s face turned green. He pointed at the doll, so angry he couldn’t speak for a full thirty seconds.

Charles Gray stood in the corner like a frightened little mouse, not daring to move a muscle.

Logan Sullivan finally managed to swallow his anger, though it left his throat sore. After a long while, he weakly said to Holly Harlow, “Can you… find some clothes for it to wear…”

As soon as he finished, he realized something was off, but before he could correct himself, the text message alert on his office phone sounded. Logan Sullivan muttered, “I’m going to die of anger,”

and stormed out, clutching his chest.

Holly Harlow turned to Charles Gray and said, “Did you make ‘Ghostbane’ so mad he can’t even talk? Impressive.”

Charles Gray: “…”

Miraculously, he understood that the “Ghostbane” in Holly Harlow’s mouth referred to a certain someone.

Julian West patted him on the shoulder. “I just realized, Xiao Guo, you’re the real hero here!”

Charles Gray was on the verge of tears.