Chapter 10 The Pact

“I really am a ghost!”

“There are no ghosts in this world!”

Inside the room, a heated debate raged about the plausibility of ghosts, until Chu Ning finally conceded that the charming girl before him was, in fact, a “ghost.”

But Tanya, having secured this temporary victory, felt no joy. A sense of danger was creeping closer—her ghostly intuition warned her.

“You want to hire me as a private detective to investigate the murder case in the news?”

Chu Ning listened to Tanya’s request in surprise. Investigating a murder was utterly outside his realm of expertise; entrusting such a case to a complete novice seemed to confirm the world was far more insane than he’d imagined.

“Are you serious? Don’t be ridiculous!” Chu Ning refused Tanya’s unreasonable request again, though he had already rejected it once before. He believed he lacked the professional skills for detective work, and besides, it was a perilous endeavor—how could he agree so easily to such a thing?

“If you find the real murderer and bring them to justice, I’ll give you half my fortune!” Tanya spoke with absolute seriousness. After all, wealth meant nothing to her now, and there was no one left to inherit it.

“No problem! As a detective hidden in the depths of the city, I will fulfill your trust and complete this mission.”

“May I ask, how much is your fortune? So I can prepare myself mentally and work more efficiently.” Chu Ning’s eyes glittered with greed; all his previous plans were tossed aside.

When the reward is rich enough, it’s worth the risk!

Tanya replied without hesitation: “The property owned by the victim in the news belongs to me now. As for cash and valuables, I don’t remember exactly.”

Property in the city, untold amounts of cash—Chu Ning’s mind raced with thoughts of urban real estate prices. If he could pull off this job, he could live a life of ease, never worrying about making ends meet again.

“Your request is my mission. Wait here while I gather the necessary tools, then we’ll head to the crime scene.” Chu Ning patted his chest to assure Tanya of his capabilities.

His plan was sound: resolve Tanya’s issue as quickly as possible. But as he turned to retrieve his detective tools, Tanya grabbed his sleeve.

Tanya held onto the eager Chu Ning, insisting he provide a contract to formalize their employment relationship—lest he back out at the last moment. She needed this assurance.

Even though Tanya knew the law had no hold over them, she still wanted a reliable contract to bind Chu Ning—after all, he considered himself human. And she’d never heard of any laws in the ghost realm; this was a one-sided restraint.

“You’re absolutely right—I got ahead of myself!”

Chu Ning was relieved. His mind was full of visions of the bountiful reward, having completely forgotten the possibility that Tanya might renege. He was grateful for her reminder, and it further convinced him of her sincerity.

What kind of swindler would insist on a written agreement? It made no sense!

“Contract, contract…”

Chu Ning muttered about the contract, but he knew nothing about drafting a professional agreement. He didn’t know any lawyers, nor did he have the money to hire one.

“I’ve got it!”

With those words, Chu Ning rushed upstairs, heading for the storage room at the far end. After crossing over to this world, he’d thoroughly searched every corner of his home and recalled some discarded contracts piled up in a box in the storage room.

Tanya hadn’t even finished saying, “Don’t rush,” before Chu Ning vanished from her sight. His movements were swift, his body flickering and distorting like a snowy TV screen, traversing great distances in a flash, drawing ever closer to the storage room.

Perhaps in Chu Ning’s own eyes, he was merely walking—but reality is rarely so simple.

Tanya’s mouth formed a perfect O, incredulous as she pointed at Chu Ning’s disappearing figure. She never doubted that he was a ghost—his abilities were extraordinary, and that astonished her.

Since admitting her own existence, Tanya realized ghosts didn’t possess the terrifying powers depicted in horror films; her own abilities were rather lackluster.

She gazed enviously at the spot where Chu Ning had vanished. Teleportation! What an alluring power—and, above all, how cool!

“I’m back! Stop daydreaming!” Chu Ning waved his hand in front of Tanya, trying to rouse her from her trance.

In his hand was the contract he’d painstakingly dug out; he’d spent some time upstairs amending its contents.

“Now we can officially sign the contract!”

“Understood.”

The yellowed paper unfolded before Tanya, its contents simple and clear—just a summary of their transaction. The fresh ink proved it was newly drafted by Chu Ning.

“Does this contract have any legal effect?” Tanya asked, puzzled. She hadn’t seen many contracts, but this one seemed overly simplistic. And legal contracts usually come in triplicate; this was just a single copy.

Chu Ning thought seriously and then countered, “Would you break your promise?”

“Even if you did, it doesn’t matter. As long as this contract is signed, no one can violate the agreed terms.”

Tanya couldn’t help but smile at his naive words. She truly intended to give Chu Ning half her fortune if he could catch her killer and ensure her seven days after death passed safely.

“I’ll keep my promise. I guarantee it!” Tanya solemnly assured Chu Ning, even though the contract had no real binding power.

Chu Ning’s name was already signed, likely when he drafted it. Tanya followed his example and signed hers, officially establishing their agreement.

Once the contract was signed, Tanya noticed the handwriting began to distort. Black ink twisted like a black hole, devouring the surrounding light—she could no longer read the document.

Black script snaked across the aged paper, and the temperature rose steadily. Without any external spark, the contract burst into green flames.

“Ah!”

The paper slipped from Tanya’s hand, slowly falling, the flames forming a sinister, grinning face that regarded her with amusement. The face was identical to the ghostly visage she’d seen in the mirror that night—the face of “Chu Ning.”

Once the paper burned away, it vanished completely, leaving not a trace of ash. Had she not seen it herself, Tanya would never believe she’d signed such a contract.

“Well, our agreement is established! Now you should tell me the details of the case and provide some useful clues, so I can start looking for the murderer.”

Chu Ning eagerly asked for clues—even with no experience in uncovering the truth, his enthusiasm was undiminished. Tanya’s enormous reward had ignited his passion for detective work, at least for now.

“Can you first tell me what kind of contract we just signed?” Tanya stared, still shaken, at the spot where the flames had vanished, unable to find any proof it ever existed.

“Did you forget? It’s our agreement—I’ll find your murderer…”

“Stop. I mean, what was with the paper burning out of nowhere?” Tanya cut him off, annoyed. Her confusion wasn’t about the contract’s terms, but the uncanny combustion.

Chu Ning thought for a moment and replied concisely.

“Spontaneous combustion! It’s just a normal natural phenomenon—no need to make a fuss. Even if it’s rare, it doesn’t mean it can’t happen!”

Chu Ning was baffled, too, by why the paper had burned, and especially by the strange green flames. As for the face formed by the fire, he figured it was just a coincidence.

“Alright.” Tanya gave up on questioning the contract. She noticed Chu Ning’s eyes darting and his fingers fidgeting with his sleeve—clearly, he was lying.

Even Chu Ning didn’t believe his own “spontaneous combustion” excuse. He watched Tanya carefully, and when he saw she wasn’t pressing the matter, he relaxed.

The trick behind the contract, Chu Ning only understood a small part. The memories about it felt as if they’d been forcibly inserted into his mind, fragments flashing chaotically in his brain.

Signing a contract fit their situation best. As Chu Ning searched through the villa’s belongings, fragmented memories from his predecessor surfaced—triggered by objects of particular significance.

This contract was one such trigger—a true transaction document, though with an unusually strong binding force. Twisted faces flickered through his recollection; Chu Ning suspected these were the consequences of breaking the agreement.

He regretted his rashness, using an unknown contract instead of a conventional one. The paper’s spontaneous combustion suggested things had taken a sinister turn.

Still, Chu Ning didn’t believe in ghosts or gods, but the grotesque faces of contract-breakers in his mind left him uneasy—a primal fear born of human nature.