Chapter 36

The Middle-aged Woman had been causing a commotion for about ten minutes, refusing to return to her seat. She was visibly shaken, her entire body trembling. “I really saw it, that face-like thing staring at me so eerily, it even stuck its tongue out at me! It was in my box lunch… I want to get off the plane, we need to land immediately, or we’re all going to die! I know it, there must be some ghost here to take our lives! You have to believe me, I’m not crazy!”

Unfortunately, her words didn’t garner the attention she hoped for. Instead, they elicited a few helpless chuckles from those around her, with some whispering, “Could she be mentally unstable?”

“We’ve just taken off, and she’s already saying such ominous things.”

“Exactly, it’s so annoying. My brother is resting up front; will all this noise disturb him?”

The flight attendant, a bit exasperated, said, “Ma’am, you must be too tense. The plane is very safe, and we will land safely, please rest assured. Would you like some water?”

The Middle-aged Woman’s husband quickly pulled her back to her seat, whispering, “Stop making a scene. What ghost face? There’s no such thing as ghosts. I didn’t say anything when you were praying all the time, but now you’re acting up on a plane? Be careful, or they’ll take you to the police station. Do you still want to attend our daughter’s wedding?”

The Middle-aged Woman, cowed by her husband’s words, sat down, wiping her tears and feeling deeply upset. “Fine, don’t believe me, but don’t blame me if something happens!” The flight attendant sighed in relief. Though still suspicious, at least she wasn’t causing a scene anymore. The attendant quickly brought her a cup of hot water, but having seen a ghost face in her box lunch, the woman dared not drink it, refusing repeatedly. Even seated, she was still restless, unable to calm down.

Her husband even asked if she had ADHD.

The Middle-aged Woman huffed in anger. She knew what she saw, but no one believed her.

Shen Yue was seated in the business class up front. The commotion from the Middle-aged Woman had been quite loud, so he asked, “What happened just now? Did something happen?” He thought it might be a fan causing trouble.

The flight attendant, who had a soft spot for Shen Yue, replied, “Sorry to disturb you. A lady felt unwell, but it’s been handled now, please don’t worry. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Shen Yue frowned and glanced back. Xing Yifan, sitting next to him, asked, “But I heard someone shouting ‘ghost.’ What was that about?”

The flight attendant smiled, “The lady was unwell and saw something wrong.”

Xing Yifan pressed on, “What did she see? Did she really see a ghost? What did it look like?”

“No, no, it was a misunderstanding. Please rest assured, we’ll arrive safely.”

“But I saw on the news that a group of horror streamers went missing on Wawa Island. They haven’t been found yet. Could they have been taken by ghosts?”

Zhang Chao, sitting in front of Shen Yue and Xing Yifan, was annoyed. “Come on, there’s no such thing as ghosts. It’s all fake. Maybe that woman is just crazy. Enough, stop talking, you’re disturbing my rest. Oh, and you, bring me a glass of red wine.”

Xing Yifan sneered, letting out a scoff.

The flight attendant maintained a polite smile, nodded, and went to get the wine.

Xing Yifan leaned over to Shen Yue’s ear, whispering, “Zhang Chao is so annoying, I can’t stand him.”

Though their group had six members, the internal relationships weren’t great. Zhang Chao, with a bit of family money and some talent, often looked down on others, though he behaved better in front of the cameras. They were supposed to be like brothers, but their private relationships were quite mediocre.

Shen Yue shook his head, “Let’s not talk about it. Too many eyes are on us. If rumors of discord within the group spread, it won’t be good for any of us.”

Xing Yifan grumbled, “I don’t want to talk about it either, but I’m annoyed that there are fans shipping him and me. Are they blind or just stupid?”

Shen Yue couldn’t help but chuckle, patting him on the shoulder, “Well, that’s unfortunate for you.”

As they spoke, the flight attendant returned with the red wine, handing it to Zhang Chao. “Your wine, enjoy.”

Zhang Chao didn’t even glance at her, taking a sip and then grimacing in disgust. “What is this? It tastes awful. Go, get me a Coke instead.”

The flight attendant’s smile faltered, but she said nothing and went to fetch the Coke.

Shen Yue frowned, “Zhang Chao, tone it down. We’re in public, and if this gets out, it won’t be good for either of us.”

Zhang Chao rolled his eyes, looking disdainful. Why should he tone it down? What’s wrong with not liking the wine and asking for a Coke? Besides, the wine tasted like it had a metallic tang, like blood. He cautiously took another sip, only to feel something strange slide into his mouth with the wine. It was cold and slimy, and it seemed to be moving…

…Was it alive?!

Zhang Chao’s face turned pale! He spat out the wine with a loud “ugh,” spraying it all over the people sitting across the aisle. They were listening to music with headphones on, but now, covered in wine and seeing Zhang Chao’s antics, their expressions darkened. “Zhang Chao, what are you doing? What’s wrong with you?”

But Zhang Chao couldn’t care less about that now. He felt something crawling down his throat. In terror, he desperately tried to pull whatever it was out of his mouth.

Xing Yifan, sitting behind Zhang Chao, couldn’t see what was happening, only that he had sprayed wine everywhere. He thought to himself that Zhang Chao was hopeless, a rude, arrogant guy.

As the team leader, Shen Yue couldn’t ignore the situation. He stood up, “Zhang Chao, we’re in public. There are fans behind us. If this escalates, it won’t be good for our group. Control yourself.”

The people sprayed with wine were also fed up, looking at Zhang Chao with clear disdain.

Normally, Zhang Chao would defend himself, but right now, he couldn’t care less. One hand clamped over his mouth, the other desperately reaching inside, trying to pull out whatever was lodged in his throat. He finally grabbed something cold and fleshy, like human skin, and yanked it out. It was trying to crawl deeper into his stomach, blocking his airway. He felt like he was suffocating. Tears streamed down his face as he pulled and whimpered, his whole body trembling, his face pale and drenched in sweat.

Even those who were angry with Zhang Chao sensed something was wrong. The person sitting next to him was panicking, asking if he had choked on the wine.

Shen Yue quickly approached, “What’s going on?”

Seeing Zhang Chao’s frantic hands at his mouth, Shen Yue didn’t hesitate, grabbing his hands to help. But even with all his strength, he couldn’t pry Zhang Chao’s hands away. Just a little bit, and he saw a mass of red flesh…

Shen Yue was shocked! Just as he was about to take a closer look, it was pulled back.

Xing Yifan and the others rushed over, “What’s happening?”

Shen Yue said, “Help me out here.”

With their combined effort, they managed to pull the thing out of Zhang Chao’s mouth. It kept coming, longer and longer…

The thing was at least as long as a forearm!

Shen Yue and Xing Yifan’s faces turned white, trembling all over. “W-what is this?”

Xing Yifan was nearly hysterical, “Did I just pull out Zhang Chao’s tongue?!”

“What the hell is this thing?”

“Call the police!”

“Somebody help!”

Zhang Chao was in tears, his face pale, his eyes wide with red veins. Seeing what had come out of his mouth, he was horrified, shaking his head and trying to scream, but his lips were blocked, and no sound came out.

The flight attendants, hearing the commotion, rushed over, stunned by the bizarre sight, unsure of what to do.

As everyone stood frozen, the fleshy thing wriggled, opening and closing, emitting a series of high-pitched, mocking sounds, as if laughing at their helplessness.

It was then they realized that what they had pulled out wasn’t just any flesh-it was a grotesquely elongated mouth!

…It was a mouth?!

Zhang Chao was losing it, frantically standing up, eyes wide, pleading with Shen Yue and Xing Yifan, Save me! Save me! Please save me!

At that moment, from the economy class behind the curtain came another scream. Someone stumbled out of the restroom, a Face Ghost grinning and sliding across the mirror. He ran, looking back, screaming, “Ah! A ghost, there’s a ghost!”

“I want off this plane, I want off this plane!”

The night was pitch black, and at ten thousand meters above, the once peaceful plane was suddenly engulfed in terrified screams.

…

If only one person claimed to see a ghost, they might be dismissed as crazy. But when more people started saying they saw a ghost and began to panic and scream, fear spread rapidly.

Shortly after the Middle-aged Woman’s ghost incident, two more people claimed to see a face. One said they saw it in their box lunch, and another said it appeared on the screen while watching a movie. He had turned to speak to his girlfriend, and when he looked back, there was a face on the screen, making a sound like a person being strangled, a sharp, eerie laugh.

In that moment, they were so scared they froze, then screamed at the top of their lungs!

Those who had been trying to sleep were now wide awake, and those watching movies or reading stopped, craning their necks to look at the three people claiming to see ghosts and wanting off the plane. The Middle-aged Woman, seeing others like her, stood up excitedly, “You saw it, I saw it too, I really saw it, it was a human face, it was terrifying!”

“You really saw it? You’re not just seeing things?”

“Seeing things my foot! My eyesight isn’t great, but I’m not crazy. I know what I saw! Ask them if you don’t believe me!”

Ma Ao, sitting in the back, watched the cabin descend into chaos. He nervously leaned closer to Master Gu, “Master, is there really a ghost on this plane? Didn’t you already deal with it? How can there still be one?”

Gu Feiyin had just finished her chicken rice and was now enjoying some fruit. It was cantaloupe, cut into five or six pieces and packed in a small box. It seemed to have just come out of the fridge, so it tasted sweet, cool, and juicy. Each bite filled her mouth with the delightful sweetness of cantaloupe, and it was absolutely delicious.

“I don’t know, maybe there are several of them?”

Ma Ao was in despair. He thought one ghost was scary enough, but to think there might be several?!

“What should we do? Why are they after us? Are they going to take over the plane? Are they going to kill us all? Are we all going to die here?”

If this were happening on a train, he could at least risk jumping off, even if it meant breaking a leg. On a bus, he could jump out too. But this was a plane, high up in the sky. Even if he could parachute out, he’d probably freeze into an ice pop and suffocate. And if he managed to land, he might find himself surrounded by ocean, eventually becoming shark food. If the plane crashed, their chances of survival were incredibly slim.

“Master Gu, do you think these ghosts are powerful?”

Gu Feiyin thought for a moment and shook her head. They weren’t powerful, even less so than the little ghosts on her mountain. Although they were weak, they were bold, daring to cause trouble without hesitation. The little ghosts on her mountain were timid. Ever since they suffered at the hands of the handsome monk, they dared not venture out. Just the mention of the monk coming to the mountain would send them scattering in panic, disappearing in seconds.

She finished her cantaloupe, even drinking the juice, which was sweet with a hint of sourness, perfect for waking her up. She still had a small box of yogurt and a little bread left, which she hadn’t tried before and wasn’t sure if they were good. But she was full now, so she’d save them for later when she got hungry.

She touched her teeth. Eating with dentures was really inconvenient; they almost fell out.

Ma Ao was on the verge of tears. What kind of bad luck was this, encountering ghosts just by taking a flight? “Master Gu, if those ghosts really intend to harm everyone on this plane, could you please stop them? Rest assured, whatever amount you ask for, I’ll make sure to meet it.”

Gu Feiyin looked at Ma Ao. It was normal for human children to be afraid of ghosts, just like that Tao Lizhi kid who was scared unconscious by the Neighbor Miss and Old Lady several times. She grinned and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you. If they dare to come, I’ll catch them.”

Ma Ao shamefully felt a sense of security. The eerie Miss Long Hair suddenly seemed tall and heroic.

As they were talking, a person suddenly stumbled out of the business class, staggering and tripping. He was tall, with red hair, wearing flashy clothes, and had five or six earrings on his ears, along with several silver rings and bracelets. But these weren’t the most attention-grabbing things. What shocked people was that his arms were stretched out, his mouth wide open, holding something that looked like a strip of flesh. The flesh strip opened and closed like a mouth, making strange chirping sounds…

His face was covered in tears, eyes bloodshot, and he was mumbling for help, though no words could be heard.

Everyone was in an uproar!

Screams filled the air, and the cabin descended into chaos.

Ma Ao felt his scalp tingle, goosebumps rising all over his body.

Following closely, several people chased from the business class. Ma Ao took a closer look and recognized Shen Yue and Xing Yifan among them. It was then he realized the man running with the tongue was Zhang Chao, a member of Cosmos.

Fans were in a frenzy. Some screamed and cried for help, while others shouted the names of Shen Yue and Xing Yifan. Shen Yue and Xing Yifan didn’t look good, their faces pale and sweating. They had intended to cut the “mouth ghost” with a knife, but Zhang Chao was too scared and refused, eventually running to the back with the “mouth ghost”…

The Middle-aged Woman shook her husband, shouting, “See, I told you there was a ghost! Look, honey, there’s really a ghost, I wasn’t seeing things!”

Her husband was stunned for a moment, then rolled his eyes and fainted. The Middle-aged Woman was taken aback, holding her husband and crying for help.

Not only did the Middle-aged Woman’s husband faint, but several others who were timid also passed out. The cabin, which had just calmed down, was in chaos again.

Zhang Chao was on the verge of madness. His instincts told him not to cut it. If it were severed, the remaining part would quickly crawl down his throat into his stomach and devour his organs. He would die, he was sure of it!

He wanted to ask for help, hoping someone would save him. But whenever he approached someone, he was met with screams and avoidance. Even his fans holding KT signs for him ran away crying, as if he were a monster.

Was he really that terrifying? Why wouldn’t anyone come near him? Some even kicked him away, shouting for him to leave, attacking him with objects. He was terrified and regretful. If he had known, he wouldn’t have drunk that glass of wine…

In his agony, a middle-aged man in his forties stepped forward, pulling out a Talisman and shouting, “What demon dares to cause trouble here? Get out now!”

Zhang Chao felt a glimmer of hope. He recognized the man as a famous metaphysical master in the industry, known for exorcising ghosts and fortune-telling. Many big-name stars trusted him, consulting him for major events. His status was high, and it was difficult for ordinary people to even meet him.

But he was disappointed. The Talisman hit the elongated “mouth” but only made it chirp more sharply. It seemed to squirm more frantically, and Zhang Chao’s face turned a shade of liver as he struggled to breathe, on the verge of suffocation.

The Taoist’s face turned pale, “I didn’t expect this ghost to be so powerful. Such deep cultivation, who knows how many people it’s harmed.”

A passenger cried, “This is terrifying, absolutely terrifying. What on earth is this thing? Please, Master, get rid of it!”

He wanted to, but his Talismans were ineffective against the ghost, and his peachwood sword was in the luggage. He was helpless without his tools.

Shen Yue was anxious, “This won’t do. Zhang Chao is almost out of breath. If we don’t get that thing out, he’ll suffocate to death.”

The young passengers who loved to chase stars were also in a panic, “I’m so scared, I want to go home, I want to go home! I’ll never chase stars again!”

“Me neither, I don’t want to die, I’m still so young, I don’t want to die!”

“I want to go home, I miss my parents!”

“…”

Shen Yue and Xing Yifan were momentarily silent.

Zhang Chao heard nothing. He had just glimpsed hope, only to fall back into despair. In his agony, he suddenly saw a Long-haired Woman standing at the end of the aisle. She looked at him expressionlessly, neither afraid nor avoiding. Her appearance was frightening, yet he found it comforting. In a panic, he ran towards her.

“Help, help!”

He rushed towards the Long-haired Woman. Those behind him scrambled to get out of their seats, fleeing en masse. Even the crew’s attempts to maintain order and have everyone return to their seats couldn’t quell the panic.

By then, Zhang Chao had reached the Long-haired Woman. He trembled, his pale face streaked with tears, pleading for help.

Without a word, the Long-haired Woman punched him in the stomach. Zhang Chao grunted in pain, and another punch followed!

Thud, thud, thud!

Three punches in a row, and Zhang Chao’s legs gave out, dropping him to his knees.

The people behind: “…”

Shen Yue and Xing Yifan: “…”

Ma Ao: “…”

Ma Ao winced, clutching his stomach. That looked painful.

But with those three punches, the Face Ghost that had been crawling into Zhang Chao’s throat loosened. It chirped a few times and shot out of Zhang Chao’s mouth. Zhang Chao collapsed to the ground, exhausted, while the Face Ghost vanished in an instant.

Seeing it try to escape, Gu Feiyin quickly stomped on it, grinding her foot for a good while.

Zhang Chao lay on the ground, tears and snot covering his face. The feeling of surviving such an ordeal filled him with gratitude. He looked up at the Long-haired Woman, who was grinding her foot.

Everyone was shocked, staring blankly at the eerie Long-haired Woman. When her cold gaze swept over them, they whispered among themselves.

“Who is she? What does she do? Is she a Taoist?”

“She punched that thing out in a few hits, she must be a master ghost hunter! Incredible!”

“I knew she looked intimidating, I kept three steps away from her at the ticket check! Didn’t expect her to be so scary…”

“So was that really a ghost she punched out?”

“…”

Zhang Chao, though scared, managed to say, “Thank you for saving me.”

The Long-haired Woman stared at him, her voice cold, “No need to thank me.”

Zhang Chao swallowed hard, “…”

Soon, she seemed satisfied with her footwork and crouched to pick up a small Black Blob. It had a face-like appearance, the very thing that had crawled into his mouth! But now, in her hand, it was a small, shapeless mass…?

Zhang Chao was astonished, “You, you…”

Ma Ao was equally surprised. Was that ghost reduced to this after a few punches and stomps?

Ghosts, being spiritual entities, lacked physical bodies like humans. No matter how powerful, they were merely born of Resentment Energy. The Face Ghost, stomped nearly to dissolution, couldn’t maintain its human-like appearance and turned into a dark blob.

Gu Feiyin, holding the small Black Blob, returned to her seat and asked Ma Ao, “Do you have any string?”

Ma Ao: “…String? What do you need it for?”

“To tie this up.” The small Black Blob in her hand was still struggling, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t escape her grasp. She touched the phone strap around her neck, which could work, but she was reluctant to use something so valuable to bind a ghost.

“I’ll find some for you!” Even if he didn’t have any, Ma Ao would find a way to get it!

Meanwhile, the crew, seeing the crisis averted, was calming the panicked passengers, urging them back to their seats. Even Zhang Chao, lying on the ground, was helped up by Shen Yue and the assistants. They intended to take him back to business class, but Zhang Chao refused, insisting on staying there. “I won’t go back, I’ll sit here. Hey, switch seats with me, you can have my business class seat.”

Ma Ao: “No.” No, absolutely not, no way.

Having witnessed the methods of the Long-haired Woman, no one with any sense would willingly switch seats. Naturally, the closer they were to her, the safer they felt. It wasn’t just Ma Ao who refused; even the passengers around them, including a few fans of their group, flatly rejected Zhang Chao’s request.

Zhang Chao, trembling all over, muttered, “If there’s no seat, I won’t go back. Can I sit in the aisle?”

Everyone: “…”

Shen Yue: “…”

Xing Yifan: “…”

Flight attendants: “…”

Determined to stay put, Zhang Chao sprawled in the aisle, refusing to move. Shen Yue rubbed his forehead, looking helpless, while Xing Yifan shrugged. Clearly, Zhang Chao thought this area was safe and had decided to stay. Honestly, Xing Yifan wouldn’t mind staying here himself.

…

Half an hour later, the once-chaotic cabin had finally quieted down. Zhang Chao, shameless as ever, had settled down right next to Ma Ao’s legs. At nearly six foot three, his hunched figure was a pitiful sight. Passengers walking down the aisle kept glancing at him, and a few fans even tried to sneak pictures with long lenses, only to be met with Zhang Chao’s fierce glare. Afterward, he turned his attention back to the Long-haired Woman.

Gu Feiyin had just received a ribbon-a wide pink silk one, reportedly borrowed from a passenger by the purser. Though the item was expensive, the people here were genuinely kind. She tied up the Black Blob securely, even adding a firm knot.

At that moment, the purser and the captain emerged. The captain, having been briefed by the purser about the bizarre events, knew things had taken an eerie turn. Without the intervention of Miss Gu, the situation would have spiraled out of control. As they approached, they couldn’t help but shudder at the sight of the struggling Black Blob in the Long-haired Woman’s hand.

Their intentions were straightforward: to express gratitude and to request her assistance in handling any further emergencies. Based on passenger accounts, there were likely more Face Ghosts lurking around. If they caused more chaos, the crew would remain powerless, leaving them no choice but to rely on Gu Feiyin.

“Master, we’ve requested an emergency landing. We’ll be touching down at City C Airport in fifty minutes. Until then, we’re counting on you to help us through these forty critical minutes.”

Ma Ao understood the gravity of the situation. With such disturbances, continuing the three-hour flight to City B was out of the question. No one would dare take that risk, especially with the passengers already gripped by fear. An emergency landing was the only viable option.

Gu Feiyin grasped their concerns and agreed. “Alright. If any more Face Ghosts show up, I’ll tie them all up.”

“Th-thank you.” The captain shuddered slightly as he returned to the cockpit, still feeling uneasy. This Master Gu was certainly formidable.

…

After two Face Ghosts had been subdued by Gu Feiyin, the remaining ones seemed to have learned their lesson and stayed hidden, causing no further disturbances. Finally, Ma Ao, who had been holding in his urge to use the restroom, couldn’t wait any longer. Nervously, he approached Master Gu.

“Master, do you think there might be Face Ghosts hiding in the restroom? Someone was chased out earlier…”

Gu Feiyin thought for a moment. “I’ll check.” She figured it wouldn’t hurt to catch a few more and tie them up.

A minute later, the entire cabin watched as the Long-haired Woman walked toward the restroom, holding a red ribbon. Attached to the ribbon was a struggling Black Blob, which floated left and right but couldn’t escape. The sight of her calmly leading the blob into the restroom was surreal. Behind her, Zhang Chao and Ma Ao, two towering men, followed closely. Instead of looking like bodyguards, their timid demeanor made them resemble two oversized, frightened children. It was quite the scene.

Inside the restroom, Gu Feiyin searched thoroughly but found no Face Ghosts. Since she was already there, she decided to wash her hands. However, as she washed, the clear water suddenly turned into thick, nauseating blood. Soon, the entire restroom began to bleed, with crimson liquid dripping from the ceiling and pooling on the floor. The blood rose steadily, threatening to drown her.

Her face darkened. Standing on tiptoe, she opened the restroom door. Outside, Ma Ao, Zhang Chao, the purser, and even Shen Yue and Xing Yifan, who were separated by a curtain, froze in shock.

They stared at the Long-haired Woman, her hands covered in blood, with a trail of crimson liquid behind her. Their expressions were a mix of confusion and horror.

The purser was about to scream but was quickly silenced by Ma Ao, who covered her mouth. Zhang Chao tried to scream as well but was muffled by Shen Yue. Xing Yifan, pale and stammering, asked, “I-is it… hard to deal with?”

Their hearts sank. If even the Master found it challenging, what hope did they have? They were doomed!

The Long-haired Woman stepped out, her hands still dripping blood. Her voice was as cold as her expression. “Yes, there’s too much blood in there. My cotton shoes almost got soaked.”

The Face Ghost inside the restroom, smugly enjoying its handiwork: “…”

Everyone else: “…”

All eyes shifted downward, confirming that the Long-haired Woman was indeed wearing black cotton shoes.

…

The purser eventually found a pair of sandals for Master Gu to wear, ensuring her shoes wouldn’t get soaked again. Gu Feiyin tried them on and found them comfortable. She then re-entered the restroom, her bloodied hands raised.

With a loud bang, the door closed once more.

The group outside exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to say. Tonight felt surreal. About three minutes later, Gu Feiyin emerged, holding the red ribbon, which now had another Black Blob tied to it. The blob struggled fiercely but was silenced with two firm slaps.

Ma Ao and Zhang Chao swallowed hard, silently giving her a thumbs-up. Master Gu was truly in a league of her own.

Gu Feiyin, sensing the abundance of Face Ghosts on board, decided to catch them preemptively to avoid further chaos. Following her instincts, she located three more. One was under the Middle-aged Woman’s seat, another was stuck to the shirt of the man who had fled the restroom earlier, and the last was hidden in a little girl’s backpack. The man fainted upon discovering the ghostly face stuck to his shirt, while the girl burst into tears.

Gu Feiyin tied them all to the ribbon. The five Black Blobs tried to escape, flying upward repeatedly, only to be yanked back each time. The sight left everyone speechless.

With the Face Ghosts temporarily subdued, passengers finally dared to use the restroom. A line of about thirty people formed, each too scared to go alone. Even now, they entered in pairs for moral support.

The purser was beyond grateful. She had thought they were doomed tonight, but encountering Master Gu had been a blessing. Despite her fear, she stayed close to the Master, offering tea and snacks, and asking if she needed anything.

Gu Feiyin, having eaten earlier, wasn’t hungry. She still had some snacks left and planned to catch a few more ghosts later, just in case.

She smiled faintly. “Thank you.”

The purser replied sincerely, “No need to thank me. We should be thanking you. Please rest; I’ll be nearby if you need anything.”

Returning to the back of the cabin, the purser found several of her colleagues who had fainted earlier now awake. She shook her head in exasperation. Tonight’s events had been overwhelming, and whether they could safely reach their destination remained uncertain. Initially, she had been hopeless, but seeing Master Gu had reignited her optimism. Despite her eerie demeanor, the Master was their beacon of hope.

A few timid colleagues asked nervously, “How’s it outside? Is it safe now?”

“For now, yes. But we can’t be sure.”

“Can she really catch ghosts? I’m terrified. I’ve imagined all sorts of dangers, but I never thought I’d encounter ghosts! It’s horrifying. I can’t get that screeching sound out of my head. Ghosts are my worst nightmare.”

“It’s so scary. I can’t believe ghosts are real!”

“Enough. We have over a hundred passengers to look after. If we panic, what will they do? Go out and reassure them.”

And they had Master Gu. She was incredible. They would make it through this.

As the purser pondered this, a sudden drowsiness overcame her. Her vision blurred, and her thoughts grew hazy. Alarmed, she realized something was wrong. In such a tense situation, there was no way she’d feel sleepy. She must have been affected by something. She pinched her arm, trying to stay awake, but ultimately succumbed, collapsing to the floor unconscious.

At the same time, passengers throughout the cabin began to feel dizzy and disoriented.

“I feel so faint. What’s happening?”

“Me too. I feel so dizzy…”

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t want to pass out…”

Before anyone could finish their sentences, one by one, they fell unconscious.