This scene was... oddly surreal. Standing alone on a deserted construction site at night, listening to a ghost tell her story—was this what boredom did to a person?

“I’m actually a ghost.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Aren’t you surprised?”

*Surprised?* After living as long as I have, I’d seen it all—though that was in another world. Here? This was my first ghost.

“Why should I be? Did you expect me to cover my eyes and scream while running around?”

The ghost girl eyed me suspiciously, as if I were some impossible creature.

“I’m sure you’re either a clueless airhead or some enlightened master. Given your current state… you lean heavily toward the first option.”

*Sorry my face doesn’t scream ‘master’.*

“Whoa! It’s almost nine! I’ve gotta go home next time—we’ll talk later. My aunt will scold me if I’m late.”

The ghost girl lowered her head, lips trembling slightly as if whispering to herself.

“How nice… to still have a home to return to. But I… I have no home anymore.”

Seeing her desolation, something inside me trembled—a resonance only the truly lonely understand.

“There’s still a little time,” I said, turning my head to feign nonchalance. “I’ll stay with you a bit longer.”

“Really? Then… will you listen to my story?”

I nodded and found a clean, open spot to sit. The blue-glowing ghost girl began her tale.

“My name is Mengze. I grew up in a single-parent home. My mother died young. My father was a drunk who only hit me and never gave me basic living expenses. I lived with my grandma—we were poor, but happy. Then… everything changed a month ago.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but… is this a soap opera script?”

“…Waaah! Just leave! I finally gathered the courage to tell you my story, and you think I’m making it up?! I won’t talk to you anymore! Hmph!”

*She’s actually pouting. Adorable.*

“Alright, alright—I was wrong. Continue.”

“No more interruptions! Ahem… A month ago, I came here alone. The high-rise was still under construction. I just wanted to see the stars from the top—the closest place to the night sky. But the guardrail gave way… I fell from the thirtieth floor. You know… no one survives that. But that was only the beginning. The foreman found my body and reported it to the company owner. To avoid attention, he buried me here. Then he paid off my drunkard father with a huge sum. My father never cared about me anyway—he took the money and stayed silent. Grandma reported me missing, but with no leads… she passed away too…”

…………

“Don’t you have any thoughts?”

*Thoughts?* Should I comfort her? Say how pitiful she was? Life follows its own path. Even if it’s all coincidence, it’s still fate. Better to let go and start anew.

Her fate was tragic—but was she the most tragic person in the world? People only measure suffering by comparison. Must I pity every unfortunate soul and give a speech?

“Then why are you still here? An unfinished wish?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because my body’s buried here, pinned under steel and concrete—I became a earthbound spirit. Or maybe… I want revenge on that drunk father living off the money he got for my life. I can’t leave this place yet. But…”

Mengze began to sob. Only a hollow, looping wail filled the air—ghosts shed no tears. She crouched on the ground, as if waiting for someone to pull her up. No one ever could.

*She’s just like me.*

Once, I’d hidden alone in a cave too. No one to help me. No one to talk to. Nothing but myself.

Something in her pain tugged at my heart. Against my better judgment, I reached out. “It’s over. You should move on to reincarnation.”

“No! I haven’t lived enough! I finally found meaning in life—I don’t want to disappear!”

“You won’t disappear. You’ll just begin again.”

“But… will I still be *me*?”

I froze. Would the reborn Mengze still be *this* Mengze? Her memories, personality, family—all reset. Unlike me, she’d remember nothing. But this was the path everyone must walk. Her life… had ended.

“Stop being stubborn! Leave! This world holds nothing for you. Let this life end. Your next one will be happier.”

“But I only want *this* life! I know it wasn’t happy—my mother’s gone, my father never loved me, and Grandma left too. But… but I still don’t want to go! I have so much left to do! I haven’t even confessed to the boy I like!”

*So that’s the wish she couldn’t let go of.*

*Angel… forgive me for bending the world’s rules a little. This is a good deed, right?*

“Give me your hand.”

“What are you doing?”

“Never mind. You have an unfinished wish, don’t you? Go do it! Boldly! Succeed or fail—just leave no regrets!”

*O great Sea of Life! By my authority as Yuchen, the Endsinger, I beseech you! Bind this soul to me through master-servant covenant! Grant me this final spark of life!*

White light flared like a sun, illuminating the entire building—for just an instant. A magical barrier muffled most of its glow. This was fruit plucked from the Sea of Life—the source and end of all beings.

Mengze was a spirit. The fruit couldn’t resurrect her, but it could bridge her soul to my powerful dragon spirit. In essence: we’d share one life. Once her wish was fulfilled, I’d break the link, letting her soul return to the source for reincarnation.

White light pooled at my fingertip. I traced a life contract into the ground.

“Write your name. Once the contract is sealed, you’ll manifest physically in the human world.”

Mengze stared at me, speechless. Probably overwhelmed by otherworldly magic and contracts.

“What *are* you? A demon merchant luring souls?”

“No. Just a passerby feeling generous.”

Mengze hesitated. I understood—a stranger’s kindness isn’t easily accepted. All I could do was wait.

After a long silence, she touched her finger to my glowing one and signed her name.

“It’s done. Try touching things around you.”

The ghost who’d floated mid-air finally felt solid ground beneath her feet. She touched her own face, then burst into joyful tears. “I can… I can feel everything again! I can feel *myself*!”

“Hey! Don’t get too emotional, or you’ll—”

Before I finished, Mengze sank into the concrete.

“What?! I thought I was human now!”

“Sorry. You’re half-alive, half-dead. Still a ghost—but sunlight won’t harm you, humans can see you, and you can even eat. But strong emotions will revert you to spirit form. You’ll need practice. Got it?”

One thing remained: Mengze’s body was still buried beneath this building. Until it was moved, she’d remain earthbound.

“This is hard… being half-human, half-ghost.” Mengze floated back up, grinning. “But thank you. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“How about… you let me have some fun?”

“Save that for after you’re dead!”

*Not even a pause. Is my face really that unappealing? Ugh. Fine. I’ll just hurry up and send you to heaven.*

We descended to the construction site’s lowest level. The scent of decay hung thick in the air.

“Mengze, where were you buried after you died?”

She tapped her head, tongue out. “Hmm… it’s been so long. I don’t remember.”

*Seriously? Forgetting where your own body’s buried? Worst ghost ever.*

*One last favor. Dragon’s Breath!*

Everything hidden revealed itself. I spotted Mengze’s remains beneath a cherry blossom tree.

Shovels were easy to find on a construction site. I borrowed one and started digging. Sweat poured down my face. *Why is the Endsinger digging up corpses for ghosts in this godforsaken place?*

After ten minutes of labor, a white object emerged. Human skull—my guess.

“Ah! Don’t look!”

“Damn it! My eardrums are ringing! Stop screaming!”

Mengze snatched the skull, face flushed. “Don’t stare at my remains! It’s embarrassing!”

*You’re dead. Drop the modesty act.*

“This skull is enough. Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“My place.”

“H-home…” Mengze whispered the word like a fragile prayer. *Home* meant everything to her. To me too.

“Rule one: Don’t manifest at home. My aunt doesn’t know about this. Don’t scare her.”

“We’ve talked so long… I never asked your name.”

“I’m Qiuyuchen. Call me master.”

“Qiuyuchen… Yuchen. A beautiful name. I’ll call you Master from now on.”

*An undead servant?*

*My peaceful daily life… is already slipping away.*