"Are you sure you don't want to stay and rest a bit longer?" Hanya asked, hands crossed behind her back.
"No need." Stelle replied, clearly exhausted. "We've slept in worse places than a stone bench."
"What about Huohuo?" March asked, glancing around.
"She's resting in one of the medical pavilions." Xueyi answered in her usual calm tone. "She'll stay under observation for a couple of days."
"Is she going to be okay?" Aleph asked, noticeably calmer but still worried.
Xueyi nodded, her eyes scanning the three of them carefully before speaking.
"Huohuo will be fine. She just needs some time."
Aleph glanced toward the pavilion where she was resting, silently.
"Yeah… with time…" Stelle muttered, lowering her gaze a little.
"We've already reestablished the Garden's perimeter. The illusion has completely dissipated." Xueyi reported. "The pavilion is back under control."
Hanya stepped forward.
"One last thing before you leave." Xueyi added, pulling out her device. "Leave us your contact numbers. Just in case we need to reach you for related matters."
March, Aleph, and Stelle exchanged a quick look.
"Do you guys have a group chat too?" March asked.
"We do." Hanya replied. "But no emojis."
"…Unacceptable." March muttered in disapproval as she finished sending her number.
Aleph sighed.
"And if we refuse?"
"It wasn't a suggestion." Hanya said flatly.
Stelle had already handed hers over without complaint. Aleph did the same a moment later, letting out a resigned sigh.
"Thank you for your cooperation." Xueyi said. "Now leave before we change our minds."
.....
After saying goodbye, the three of them began walking down the path toward the docks.
"Well." Stelle said, stretching with a smile, "Guess we can call that a success, right?"
"Yeah. All it cost us was our dignity, our sleep, and several gallons of life energy," Aleph replied dryly.
"But hey, we gained experience." March chimed in, raising a finger.
Stelle chuckled quietly.
Aleph said nothing. Hands in his pockets, head lowered, he just kept walking—
Lost in thought.
Trying to remember the names of his friends.
....
When they arrived at the docks, the three stopped in front of a small astro-skiff parked and waiting.
March was the first to step up to the controls.
Five seconds later, she frowned.
"…How do you turn this thing on?"
Aleph stepped forward.
"Let's see…" He slid his finger across one of the consoles. "No… no, that activates defense mode."
"That's a coffee machine." Stelle pointed out, thumbing at one of the panels. "Shouldn't there be, I don't know, a big red power button?"
"There's no red button. There's a dial that looks like a compass, a screen that's giving me vertigo, and this." Aleph said, pulling out a 387-page manual.
Silence.
"…Yeah, we're not taking off." Stelle said at last.
"I mean, I could give it a shot. How hard can it be?" Aleph offered.
Stelle and March immediately dragged him away from the controls. Better not risk it.
March let out a long sigh as she pulled out her phone.
"…Hey, Dan Heng. Yeah, hi. Can you come pick us up? …Yeah, again. No. We don't know how to fly an astro-skiff. Yes, we forgot. No, we didn't check the manual either. …Yeah, we'll follow your instructions next time. We swear. …Sort of."
"…He'll be here in fifteen minutes." She muttered.
Stelle crossed her arms. March flopped onto a nearby crate, completely done with life. Aleph leaned back a little, staring up at the sky.
March glanced toward the horizon.
"…Not a word of this to anyone." She said.
"Not even under torture." Stelle replied with a thumbs-up.
*******
The next morning.
"Aleph! Wake up!"
A pillow smacked him in the face.
Aleph slowly opened his eyes. March was standing next to his bed with her arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently.
"Your phone. Check it."
Aleph sat up slowly.
The sunlight was already streaming through the window. It was a calm morning.
He grabbed his phone. A notification was blinking at the top of the screen.
[New group created: Unfinished Business]
[Members: Xueyi, Hanya, Guinaifen, Sushang, Huohuo, Stelle, March, Aleph.]
"A group...?" He muttered as he opened it.
There were several messages from Xueyi.
[6:11 AM]
[Xueyi: Good morning.
Meet at the Garden of Tranquility as soon as possible.]
[6:12 AM]
[Xueyi: We need to talk.]
[6:12 AM]
[Xueyi: Have breakfast before coming.]
"Well..." Aleph rubbed his eyes. "This sounds annoying."
******
An hour later, the group was gathered at the same pavilion where the final battle against Cirrus had taken place.
Xueyi greeted them, standing alongside Guinaifen, Sushang, and a much calmer Huohuo than just a few hours ago.
"We wouldn't be calling you if it wasn't urgent," Xueyi began. "We understand you might have your own matters to deal with, but this can't wait."
The group settled into a semicircle, some still half-asleep.
Sushang looked like she might fall forward at any moment.
"After Cirrus' defeat last night, there aren't many Heliobus left. However…" Xueyi continued, "several escaped in the aftermath. They've scattered across the Luofu. Some are minor fragments... others, not so much."
She paused, letting her words sink in.
"The Ten Lords Commission has lost agents. Many are injured — I don't think I need to explain why. After discussing it with our superiors, the decision was made to ask for your help. You've already faced this threat. You know what you're dealing with."
March raised her hand timidly.
"It's not that we don't want to help, but… we're leaving with the Astral Express tomorrow."
"That is... rather inconvenient." Xueyi sighed. "Even so, I must ask for your cooperation."
Aleph scratched the back of his neck.
"Maybe..." he muttered. "I've got an idea to speed things up and expand the team. Not sure if it'll work, but it's worth a shot."
Everyone turned to look at him.
Guinaifen tilted her head, Sushang sat up a little more, curious, and Hanya narrowed her eyes.
"...And what exactly is this idea?" Xueyi asked.
Aleph smiled and crossed his arms but didn't say anything else.
"...I don't like that silence," Hanya muttered, crossing her arms.
Xueyi sighed again.
"Anyway. While you prepare... whatever it is you're planning, here's the situation. We've formed a special unit to track down and seal the remaining fragments. Your role will be rapid response: detecting any Heliobus presence and acting before they cause serious damage."
"And...," Guinaifen raised her hand with a wide grin, "we already have a name! The Ghostbusters Brigade!"
Xueyi glanced sideways at her.
"No, we don't. That name was not approved."
"Ghostbusters Brigade!" Sushang repeated enthusiastically.
"Ghostbusters Brigade!" March echoed, raising her fist.
Stelle and Aleph also raised their fists, saying nothing.
Xueyi stared at them. Her face remained expressionless, but after a long silence, she simply accepted her defeat.
"...Very well," she said with resignation. "Ghostbusters Brigade it is."
Guinaifen let out a triumphant little "Yes!"
Xueyi pulled out a projection device, displaying a map of the Luofu with several markers scattered across it.
"These are the areas where unusual activity has been reported. The reports are still coming in from what little personnel we have left. Here are your assigned roles," she explained, pointing at each of them.
"Guinaifen and March, you'll monitor social media, forums, and rumors. Your job is to look for any odd events and check if they're related to Heliobus activity. Your public presence makes you perfect for gathering information without raising suspicions."
She then pointed to the others.
"Sushang, Aleph, and Stelle, you're the assault and exploration team. Your task is to investigate active zones, directly engage any Heliobus, and protect civilians if needed."
Finally, she pointed to Huohuo.
"Huohuo, you'll be the Commission's representative and acting field deputy. You'll join the assault team, and it will be your responsibility to handle the sealing process."
"H-Huh?!" Huohuo pointed at herself, wide-eyed and panicking, but neither Xueyi nor Hanya paid her any mind.
"What about you, Xueyi?" Aleph asked.
"Remote supervision," she answered without hesitation. "Plus coordination with other divisions of the Commission. If necessary, I'll step in myself."
March raised an eyebrow.
"So… this is basically a cleanup mission?"
"A rather peculiar way to put it, but yes." Hanya replied.
.....
"Alright, time to head out." Aleph said as he extended his hand with a relaxed gesture.
Three figures materialized around him — a pink-haired fairy, a muscular red-skinned demon with a club slung over his back, and a small white figure with a wide, sharp-toothed grin.
"Frosty!" March shouted the moment she saw him.
"March!" Jack Frost squealed, flying straight into her arms. "It's chilly here, but you make it warm-ho!"
"Aww, that's so cute!" Guinaifen exclaimed, pulling out her phone.
"N-No, wait, don't take pictures without asking-ho..." Jack Frost protested.
Meanwhile, Nappea happily floated over to March 7th.
"Hi! It's so nice to see you again! You're the Master's friend, right? Your hair is so pretty! It looks like mine— but a bit shinier!"
"Thank you! Yours is adorable too!" March replied, delighted.
Stelle watched from a few steps back, raising an eyebrow.
"…Why do I feel like I'm watching the same person have a conversation with herself?" she muttered.
Oni bowed politely toward Hanya and Xueyi.
"It's an honor. My Master told me about you and the situation. I'll be glad to assist."
Sushang glanced at him sideways.
"…Didn't expect him to sound that polite." She commented.
"He looks dangerous, but he gives off the vibe of someone who'd ask for permission before breaking your arm." Guinaifen murmured next to her.
Once the excitement settled, Aleph raised his voice.
"Since everyone's here, let me introduce them officially."
Xueyi eyed the group carefully.
"What exactly are they? Those three don't seem like normal beings… and that one—" She pointed at Jack Frost. "—has an energy signature completely outside any standard spectrum."
Aleph crossed his arms.
"They're my friends. Beings I have a contract with."
"Are they summons?" Hanya asked.
"Yup." Aleph replied casually, not offering any further explanation.
Xueyi stared at him for a few more seconds, then sighed.
"…I don't have time to drag the truth out of you. Just make sure they don't cause any problems."
Aleph nodded.
"They'll be acting as backup. You've met them already. They're trustworthy."
"Well, at least this means we'll finish faster," March commented.
Guinaifen cleared her throat.
"Alright then, without further ado it's time to begin official operations for the Ghostbusters Squad!"
"That wasn't the—" Xueyi started, but Sushang, Stelle, and Aleph had already raised their fists in the air, repeating the name with matching grins.
Xueyi sighed again.
"…Not worth it."
"We've got two cases already!" Guinaifen announced, holding up her phone. "One's about a teahouse where people claim to hear voices crying from the basement. The other is a cleaning robot that suddenly started attacking people in a maintenance station."
March peeked over her shoulder.
"The second one sounds more urgent."
"Split up?" Sushang asked.
"Split up." Xueyi nodded.
"Aleph, Stelle, Sushang, and Huohuo, you'll handle the maintenance station." Hanya directed.
"You've got more mobility for working in public spaces." Xueyi added.
"As for the summons, you'll go with Guinaifen and March to inspect the teahouse. Make sure not to be seen — you might be mistaken for Abundance Aberrations."
"Got it-ho!" Jack Frost chirped as Nappea nodded eagerly.
"I'll proceed with maximum caution." Oni said with a polite bow.
Guinaifen winked.
"Alright then, let's go hunt some ghosts!"
"T-They're not ghosts." Huohuo grumbled — but no one was listening anymore.
.....
The maintenance station was located right at the edge of the Luofu's commercial sector.
The place wasn't closed to the public, but the lack of activity made it feel like a corner forgotten by time.
"…This feels way too quiet." Sushang muttered, scanning the area with a frown.
"Too quiet." Stelle agreed, walking cautiously.
"Isn't it kinda suspicious how empty this place is?" Huohuo asked with a nervous tremor in her voice. "Shouldn't there be more people in a place like this…?"
Aleph walked behind the group, silently observing the rooftops and walls.
The area was clean, but there were subtle signs—bent railings, signage panels with circular burn marks, a completely melted auto-access terminal.
"Looks like a fight broke out here."
"Any signs of life?" Sushang asked, approaching a nearby stall.
"Define 'life'." Stelle shot back.
"Don't be snarky. I mean staff or customers."
Aleph nodded. He approached a broken panel with one hand casually in his pocket. Then he stopped in front of one of the inner gates leading to the main storage area.
"The report said a cleaning bot attacked the station staff." He recalled. "Then it escaped into the underground levels."
"Was it a regular bot or one of those high-end Aurumaton models?" Stelle asked.
"Not clear. But if this was a Heliobus incident, odds are there's nothing 'normal' about it anymore."
Huohuo shivered slightly.
"What if… it's still down there?"
Aleph shrugged, conjuring a massive battle axe made of ice.
"Then we'll politely ask it to stop being a problem."
Stelle grinned and nodded, while Sushang gave a half-smirk.
...
They pushed through the rusted gate. The lighting was dim, barely illuminated by emergency lanterns.
Their descent into the underground was silent. Only the sound of footsteps and the occasional electric crackle from severed wires throwing off sparks echoed around them.
Then they heard it.
Not loud by any means, but in the overwhelming silence, it was impossible to miss.
"…I messed it up… again… I always ruin everything…"
The group froze.
Sushang drew her weapon without a word. Stelle instinctively stepped in front of Huohuo. Aleph raised his hand, signaling them not to advance yet.
"Hold. Don't attack yet." He said.
As they rounded the corner, they saw it—right there on the floor.
An old maintenance Aurumaton, barely five feet tall.
Its chassis was patched together with loose wires and mismatched components—new parts welded onto old metal. It was kneeling in front of a destroyed workbench.
On the bench, a broken vase. Pieces scattered across the floor.
"…It was hers…" the robot murmured. "I always ruin everything… If only I had another chance…"
Aleph took a step forward.
"Hey… you okay?"
The robot slowly turned its head.
Its eyes were two glowing turquoise orbs. One of them flickered with an unstable pulse.
"You… You're here to take it away too, aren't you?!" it shrieked. "Everyone wants to steal her memories from me!"
A greenish aura burst from its body. The air shifted. Huohuo stumbled back with a startled gasp.
"It's the Heliobus!" She cried, hurriedly unraveling a talisman.
Aleph let out a sigh.
"Let's make this quick."
The Aurumaton rose onto a floating magnetic platform. Hidden blades extended from its limbs.
A greenish flame-like glow radiated from its frame.
"She said she liked that vase! I don't have any replacements! How am I supposed to pay my debt now?! Heartless scoundrels—I'll teach you a lesson!"
The aurumaton charged, swinging its arm blades in a flurry of wild, disorganized slashes. It had no fighting technique whatsoever, but what it lacked in skill, it made up for with sheer speed and stubbornness.
"Pin it from the side!" Shouted Sushang, pivoting to intercept a flanking strike.
"On it!" Replied Stelle, slamming one of the platform's legs, making it wobble.
Aleph seized the opening.
With a swift motion, his ice axe struck the ground right in front of the robot, releasing a freezing burst that pushed it backward.
"Huohuo." He called. "Now."
"R-Right!" She stammered, breaking the seal on her talisman. The gourd hanging from her waist floated forward, hovering directly in front of the aurumaton.
The green flames surrounding it started being sucked in. The Heliobus shrieked in a garbled, glitching voice, but couldn't fight it.
Within seconds, the gourd sealed itself with an audible click.
The robot collapsed onto its back, a small electric ripple flickering over its body. Its lights blinked one last time—and then went out.
"Done." Stelle said, lowering her bat.
"The only hard part was dealing with its attitude." Aleph added, rolling his shoulders.
"Should we just leave it here?" Sushang asked, eyeing the aurumaton's inert frame.
"Maintenance will pick it up. We don't have time to waste." Stelle replied.
Huohuo nodded firmly and stored the sealed gourd.
"Let's go report to—" Aleph suddenly stopped.
There was something in the corner of the hallway.
A tiny green spark hovered in the air, right next to a rusty door that led into what looked like an annexed maintenance shack. Apparently abandoned.
"...That's…" Huohuo narrowed her eyes.
"Yeah." Aleph confirmed. "A spectral flame."
"Another one?" Muttered Sushang, stepping closer.
They finally pushed through the door.
The air inside felt heavier. Not suffocating, but dense. Like someone had exhaled too close for comfort.
The walls were covered in dust. The ceiling lights were dead. A faint flickering came from deeper within, like a bulb struggling to decide whether to die or not.
The door groaned with a dry creak as Aleph pushed it open.
"It's stuck..." Sushang muttered. "Let me—"
Aleph gently nudged her aside and smashed it with a burst of ice.
Nothing.
The wood didn't even crack.
"...Illusion?" Stelle suggested.
"If we can't exit through the door..." Sushang started.
"Then forward's the only way." Aleph finished, turning toward the dark hallway ahead.
The four exchanged brief looks.
"Doesn't look like anyone's used this place for months..." Sushang muttered, running her finger along a table coated in ash.
"Is this shack really connected to the station?" Huohuo asked, eyeing the decorations still hanging on the walls with suspicion.
"Looks like it was staff housing for maintenance workers." Stelle replied. "Probably abandoned when they automated most of the sector."
Huohuo took a few cautious steps forward, talisman in hand.
"The aura's not strong but it's concentrated just ahead."
They passed through an inner door.
A staircase led down.
"Why is it always stairs?" Sushang grumbled as they descended, shuddering slightly.
Huohuo lingered for a moment, glancing back.
"...The entrance is gone."
Stelle whipped around.
"What do you mean, gone?"
"It's gone! I swear! Where the door was... there's just a wall now!"
"Perfect." Aleph muttered, running a hand down his neck.
"What's next? A wild Aha appears?"
[Master, please don't tempt fate.]
When they reached the basement, they found it.
A small room. Almost empty.
Except for a table in the center—and someone sitting there.
A young man with a calm expression and slightly pale skin.
He seemed half-asleep, or maybe frozen mid-thought. Hard to tell.
In front of him was a chessboard, its pieces scattered across the table.
"Human or Heliobus?" Asked Sushang.
"No..." Huohuo murmured. "Not exactly."
Aleph stepped forward.
The young man blinked. Then he looked up and smiled.
"Oh. Visitors."
His voice was soft. Too soft.
"What do you want?"
Aleph didn't answer.
Stelle narrowed her eyes.
"Are you the Heliobus hiding here?"
"Such a direct question..." The young man replied, still smiling. "But yes, I'm one of the fragments. I don't mind admitting it."
Huohuo was already preparing a talisman.
"Why are you here?" Aleph asked.
"I like this place." the young man said. "Quiet. Old. No one screaming or running away. I can think here. No interruptions."
Sushang stepped forward. "Are you dangerous?"
"That depends."
"On what?" Stelle asked, crossing her arms.
"Whether or not you bother me."
The chess pieces began to vibrate. Some toppled over. Others lined themselves up on their own.
From the ceiling, tiny spheres of green fire began to drip.
"And what happens if we do bother you?" Aleph asked calmly.
The young man's body rose as if weightless, and the chessboard shattered in a burst of green light.
"Now!" Shouted Huohuo, slamming her seal onto the ground. "Hold the line! If it gets out of the zone, I can't seal it!"
"Gladly." Aleph replied, switching his ice axe for his ever-reliable ice bat.
Stelle dashed to the side, charging with her bat raised.
Sushang leapt right.
The Heliobus twisted like a snake made of smoke and fire.
The human body it wore was just a form—one that was starting to lose definition.
"Play with me!"
Three copies of him split from the broken chessboard, floating midair.
One of them lunged straight at Huohuo.
"Not so fast." Muttered Stelle, intercepting it with a sharp swing.
"I can't keep the seal if it turns into smoke!" Huohuo cried. "I need you to make it tangible!"
"Got it. Leave that to me." Aleph answered.
...
Sushang was already fighting one of the copies, but her strikes weren't landing properly.
"Why...?"
"It's an illusion reinforced with energy." Huohuo explained while drawing a circle with her gourd in hand. "If we hit the core, they'll collapse."
"Where's the core?" Asked Stelle, dodging a burst of fire.
Aleph pointed at the original's chest.
"Right there."
.....
The fight dragged on, the space growing tighter with each second.
The copies grew more unstable, but the original clung harder and harder to its human form.
Until finally, a precise ice-powered strike from Aleph shattered the figure's chest.
The Heliobus shrieked.
The copies unraveled in a spiral of smoke and light.
"Huohuo!" Sushang shouted.
The gourd flared, and spectral flames were sucked into it.
The Heliobus tried to flee, but the gourd's pull was too strong. It had no chance.
A moment later, it was fully absorbed—sealed.
Silence returned.
Aleph let the bat dissolve into mist.
Huohuo dropped to her knees next to the talisman with a sigh.
"...That's two down." Stelle said as she brushed her bangs back—internally already dreading how long it would take to fix her hair again.
Sushang quickly scanned the room.
"Doesn't seem like there's anything else here."
Aleph turned toward the stairs, stifling a yawn.
The door was open now.
"Time to move."
There was still a long day of work ahead.
*********
The teahouse was located in a less crowded area of the Luofu. It had two floors, a well-preserved traditional façade, and a sign that read "Silent Petal."
Overall, it didn't look like a bad place to hang out.
Except, of course, for the rumors.
"They say that for the past week, customers have been hearing crying coming from the basement." Guinaifen whispered, reading from her phone. "And some folks feel like someone taps them on the shoulder... but when they turn around, there's no one there."
March looked at the front door.
"It's not locked."
"Obviously. It's still a business," Guinaifen replied with a shrug. "But the owner locked up the basement and moved to another ship. Says it 'burns' just being near it."
Jack Frost floated above them, arms crossed.
"Cold fears nothing-ho! But this sounds suspicious!"
"And what's your plan? Go in there and yell until something answers?" Nappea muttered, peeking through the window.
"If you yell with enough style, it might work." Oni added from behind the group. His massive figure was wrapped in an apron he'd found in the back of the shop. He didn't want to scare anyone. According to him, the apron made him look less threatening.
It was definitely not working.
Guinaifen pulled out a bundle of keys she'd acquired thanks to her 'influencer connections.'
"We're going in through the back. Nobody saw anything, got it?"
"I didn't see anything-ho!" Jack Frost shouted, raising a hand.
"Shhh."
.....
They snuck in quietly. The place was clean, well-maintained and absolutely empty. Just the ticking of a clock and the soft sound of wind brushing against the wood.
The basement door was at the end of the hall. It had three locks. Two were already open.
Oni checked the third. A single tap was enough to snap it clean in half.
"Not exactly built to withstand much."
"...Are you sure it's not just because you're way too strong?" Guinaifen asked.
"Who knows? Anything's possible in this life."
"Someday I'll be a King Frost-ho!"
"Mmm… that depends more on your master than anything else…" Nappea mumbled, lifting Jack into her arms.
They went down.
The staircase creaked with every step.
The first room was full of old tables, stacked chairs, and worn-out kitchen utensils. But in the center… was a teapot.
Squeaking. Damp with steam… even though nobody had turned it on.
"That wasn't in the reviews." March muttered.
The steam rising from the teapot began to take shape. First, smoke.
Then… a humanoid figure.
Then… a feminine shape, her face blurred.
Nappea immediately stepped back, instinctively readying a Zan spell.
"Eh?! Is this… a ghost hostess?!"
"No. Looks like one of the Heliobus we've been looking for." Oni said. "But it's weak. Not strong enough to form a proper body."
"What's it doing here…?" Guinaifen whispered. "Is it attacking or just existing?"
The figure spoke, but her voice carried no words. Only distorted sobs.
Jack Frost floated up to her, observing her for a few seconds.
"...She's not sad-ho," he murmured. "She's… lonely."
The figure turned toward him.
"...He didn't come back..." she said in a broken voice. "He said… he was going to get more tea leaves… and never came back…"
Guinaifen frowned.
"What's she saying?" Nappea asked.
"An unfinished story." Oni explained. "Looks like she's holding onto memories. Fragments of emotions that cling to places with strong meaning. Doesn't seem like she's trying to dominate."
"...Is this similar to a poltergeist?" Nappea asked, tilting her head.
The figure remained there, staring at the teapot.
"What do we do?" March asked.
"What do you want to do?" Oni replied.
Silence.
Jack Frost lowered his gaze.
"…She's not hurting anyone-ho."
Guinaifen nodded.
"But if she stays too long, it could end up hurting someone."
March looked at the figure.
"…Then we have to convince her. Help her move on. Leave this place behind."
"And… what if she refuses?" Nappea asked.
Oni opened the pumpkin-shaped jar Huohuo had lent them.
"Then we'll seal her. But if we can avoid that…"
The figure looked at them.
"...He didn't come back…"
"What was his name?" Jack Frost asked, floating closer.
A long silence. Then, the figure answered.
"...I… don't remember."
A green light flickered. The shape unraveled, slowly. Peacefully. Like a breeze snuffing out a candle flowing into the jar.
The room fell silent.
March blinked.
"...What just happened?"
"She chose to leave peacefully. Didn't seem like she wanted to fight," Oni said, closing the jar.
"...Was that… good?" Nappea asked, a little confused.
"It was the best outcome." Guinaifen replied. "Come on. Let's keep going."
"Yeah." Jack Frost said. "But… I don't like it when the lonely ones are sad-ho."
Nobody said a word.
*********
"This is the third time we've gone around the block, and there's not a single sign of activity." March huffed, crossing her arms. "You sure this is the place?"
"According to the reports, yeah." Guinaifen replied while checking her phone. "Yesterday afternoon, several people said a street performance popped up out of nowhere in this park. People acting, crowds applauding, everything seemed normal... until it vanished without a trace. Like nothing ever happened."
"And what's so weird about that-ho?" Jack Frost asked, spinning in the air. "Sometimes people get bored and put on shows just for fun-ho."
"The strange part." Said Nappea, floating next to him and reading the post. "Is that almost none of the people who were supposedly part of the show actually remember being there."
"And what's even stranger." Guinaifen added. "Is that some of the witnesses who do remember it are now missing."
March frowned.
"Yeah... that doesn't sound like just a performance anymore."
The group stopped in the middle of the park. The sunlight reflected off the clean, silent cobblestones. Nothing about the place suggested anything unusual had happened. No banners, no mobile stages, no trace of a crowd.
Nothing.
Until they noticed a small wooden sign nailed to a dead streetlamp further ahead. It looked old. But what mattered was less how it looked and more... what it said.
> "Open Auditions – Seeking volunteers for an unforgettable theatrical experience."
"Interpretation free."
"Everyone has fun acting! What are you waiting for, friendless failure?!"
"Yeah, I'm talking to you two weirdos with the pink hair and the dumb faces."
"…That sounds mildly coercive." Guinaifen muttered, ignoring the blank stares that Nappea and March were giving the sign.
Jack Frost floated closer and tapped the sign.
Nothing happened.
But as he drifted back toward the group... something changed.
A streetlamp flickered on.
And the sky above the plaza went dark, as if an invisible curtain had fallen over the place.
The temperature dropped a few degrees.
The surroundings lost their color, fading into a sepia tone, like a hazy memory.
"We're in." Oni said, glancing around.
"An illusion? Is this really the only trick Heliobus can pull? Come on, even Gremlins have more variety than this." Nappea scoffed, crossing her arms.
"Mmm it's a stage." Guinaifen muttered, scanning the area.
A series of stage lights snapped on all at once, forming a circle on the ground.
An old, slightly out-of-tune melody started playing from unseen speakers.
Smoke rose from between the nearby seats, and three figures emerged.
Or at least something that looked like figures.
They wore theatrical costumes, their faces completely hidden behind masks. But it didn't seem like there was anything behind those masks.
Where their eyes should've been there was only darkness.
March felt a chill run down her spine.
Why did this have to feel exactly like a horror movie she'd seen a long time ago?
"Welcome, new actors." One of the figures said in a hollow voice. "The show must go on. Do you have your scripts ready?"
March swallowed hard.
"...Scripts?"
"Improvise!" Another figure replied with forced enthusiasm. "But remember... if you break character... hehehe…"
Nappea floated closer to Guinaifen and whispered.
"Is this…?"
"Yeah. Pretty sure this Heliobus used to be fused with a Masked Jester at some point. I've heard stories about one that pulled stunts like this." She answered, face dead serious.
Oni stepped forward.
"So... are we playing along?"
"Are you insane?" Jack Frost blurted.
"No." The demon replied. "Unlike you, Jack, we don't melt when there's too much fire. We can handle this."
"That happened ONE time, it doesn't mean it'll happen again-ho!"
March sighed, adjusting her hair.
"Fantastic. Who would've thought we'd end up trapped in a ghost play?"
"I call dibs on the role of the cold, yet incredibly imposing hero!" Jack Frost shouted, raising one gloved hand.
"…Jack. You're literally a squeaky ball of ice," Guinaifen replied dryly.
"Size doesn't matter-ho! There's no such thing as a hero who's too small-ho!"
A spotlight fell on them from above.
The ground beneath their feet shifted.
Crimson curtains, empty bleachers, dangling backdrops, and a painted sky that mimicked overcast clouds materialized around them.
March glanced down. She was dressed in a period peasant dress—the kind you'd expect from some tragic romance play.
"...What the heck?" She muttered.
Guinaifen, standing next to her, was dressed like a stage director, complete with a clipboard and a megaphone.
Jack Frost wore an oversized top hat and a glitter-covered cape.
Nappea floated in midair, sporting a tutu, her face a picture of absolute confusion.
"Did I just turn into Tinker Bell? Thank the heavens Master can't see me like this…" She muttered, visibly disgusted.
Oni, on the other hand, looked practically unchanged.
The only difference was a long cape draped over his shoulders and a fake prop staff in his hand.
One of the masked figures floated towards them.
"Remember, if you want to get out… you'd better put on a good show."
"And if we don't?" Guinaifen asked, crossing her arms.
"...Hehe. Do you really wanna know?" The figure chuckled before drifting away.
That's when the music started.
The curtains rose.
And the first act began.
...
March was dragged to center stage by the masked figures, and somehow—without knowing how—found herself performing a dramatic scene about losing her fiancé to a war that never happened.
"I can't take it anymore!" She cried, fake tears running down her face as she threw a vase with a little smiley face drawn on it. "My soul… it's empty!"
Jack Frost suddenly spun onto the stage like he was skating on ice.
"Fret not, young lady! Your joy is here, brought to you by the Great Wizard from the icy plains—ho! Frostty the Magnificent—ho!"
A canned laugh track echoed around them.
The invisible audience seemed delighted.
Meanwhile, Nappea was sneaking backstage, inspecting the structure. There was no way in hell she was going to perform in this farce—she had to figure out another way to end this.
Oni moved quietly among the props, using his massive frame to block any prying eyes that might catch what Nappea was up to.
From the edge of the stage, Guinaifen clutched the script—which was magically writing itself.
Every single line spoken appeared on the pages, as if some invisible force were watching and transcribing everything.
That's when Jack Frost, caught up in a particularly ridiculous bit of improv, accidentally said the word "finale."
The music stopped.
The stage froze.
One of the masked figures shattered like porcelain.
The invisible audience let out a collective, uneasy murmur.
Then a voice rang out from above, echoing in everyone's ears at once.
"No! It's not over yet! The show never ends!"
A sphere of green flames fell from the rafters, and with it descended the real Heliobus.
It was a thin, stretched-out being, like a wooden puppet, with a theater director's mask melted onto its face. Its hands flailed hysterically, as if each frantic gesture dictated how everyone should move.
"You… You're the first ones in ages to make me laugh! I'm not letting you go until you finish the entire play!"
Oni cracked his knuckles and stepped forward with determination.
"Good. I was getting sick of this anyway."
....
March distracted the Heliobus from center stage, improvising increasingly absurd monologues to keep its attention locked on her.
"To eat, or not to eat... that is the question. How can we ever be free if we chain ourselves to a diet? How can we ever be free if we don't gorge ourselves on cookies? I will make the Luofu great again! And if they have no bread... let them eat cookies!"
Jack Frost began tossing tiny snowflakes over the empty bleachers, spreading confusion among the spectral figures watching them.
From above the backdrop, Nappea floated higher, weaving a barrier of wind magic around the Heliobus's physical form to prevent its escape.
Oni used his strength to knock over part of the stage rigging—just enough for the overhead spotlight to crash straight down onto the entity.
The hit landed clean.
The Heliobus shrieked as cracks spread across its mask.
"No... The curtain... the curtain can't fall yet!"
March strode forward and, without breaking character, raised her fist toward the sky.
"And yet it falls! My enemy! My oh-so-tragic foe shall fall, just like the ice cream and Aleph's tears that one time he tripped over a rock!"
"…Poor Master." Oni muttered, shaking his head at that 'dark tale' from his summoner's past.
Nappea swooped down fast, conjuring the sealing pumpkin, which sucked the Heliobus into a swirling spiral of emerald fire before snapping shut with a gentle click.
....
At last, everything went back to normal.
The stage dissolved.
The costumes vanished.
And the poster that had dragged them into this mess fell to the ground—burned to a crisp.
Guinaifen stared at it.
"...This is definitely going viral." She muttered, snapping a photo of the scorched poster. "Ghostbusters Squad: 2. Heliobus: 0."
March collapsed onto a bench.
"I… I can't believe I defeated a spirit by acting."
Jack Frost grinned.
"Art always wins—ho!"
***********
"As expected from Mr. Du's tea. It's incredible." Aleph commented as he sat down on one of the wooden benches at the small stand in Aurum Alley.
"It really is." Guinaifen replied, setting her cup down on the table. "Perfect to recover after an entire day of chasing things that scream and explode."
March let out a long, satisfied sigh. She rested her head on the table and mumbled,
"I'm sore in muscles I didn't even know I had..."
Stelle calmly took a sip.
"Stop whining. At least you had company. We had to deal with a possessed robot babbling nonsense and screaming about a broken vase. Oh, and a chess addict, plus some guy claiming he'd become the next General of the Luofu."
"A-And a haunted house." Huohuo added, not wanting to be left out.
"Did you end up breaking the door to get out?" Guinaifen asked.
"No." Aleph replied with a small sigh. "We tried. Didn't work. So we just kept walking. Not as exciting as the movies make it look. Total scam."
Sushang, sitting with a damp towel draped around her neck, raised her cup and nodded enthusiastically.
"But we did it! That's five seals down and counting!"
"Five?" Guinaifen echoed as she opened her social media. "We're at three, aaaaand we might have a lead on a fourth."
March lifted her head.
"Another case?"
"Not confirmed yet." Guinaifen said, eyes glued to her screen. "A post from an urban explorer account. Someone says there's an old mirror in a secondhand clothing shop that reflects things that shouldn't be there."
Stelle narrowed her eyes.
"Things like...?"
"Crying people. Doors that don't exist. Stains that move."
"...Mr. Tail used to love messing with people like that." Huohuo murmured sadly.
Guinaifen didn't catch her whisper and simply scooted over to show her the post.
"Yeah, it matches the usual Heliobus patterns. But nothing definitively says it is a Heliobus. For all we know, it could be something else entirely. Right now it's just rumors and one blurry recording."
Aleph stretched his arms and leaned back against the bench.
"Well, guess that's our next stop."
"And then— candy!" Stelle declared, raising her fist in the air.
"By the way, where are your... uh, demons?" Guinaifen asked, noticing that Jack, Nappea, and Oni were nowhere to be seen.
"They're taking a break." Aleph replied, holding up his phone. "They wanted some downtime after everything today. Oni needed to smash a few things out of frustration, Nappea went along to scream at stuff too, and Jack... well, Jack just enjoys watching chaos."
"By the way, how'd it go for you two?" Sushang asked.
Guinaifen chuckled.
"I'll tell you later. It was wild."
For a moment, everyone fell into a comfortable silence.
The tea stand's atmosphere was warm, lit by hanging lanterns and the gentle steam rising from kettles. Outside, the alley was slowly filling with soft lights as sunset settled in.
"What time is it?" Stelle asked.
"Six-oh-five." Huohuo replied after checking her phone.
March shot up straight.
"What?! That means we spent almost the entire day hunting Heliobus!"
"Exactly." Said Hanya, who had just arrived with Xueyi. "Though I suggest you don't let your guard down."
"What's the tally?" Xueyi asked as she approached the group.
Aleph answered without getting up, still stretching.
"Eight confirmed seals. Three pending verification."
Xueyi nodded.
"Good pace. If we keep this up, we might wrap everything up tonight."
Guinaifen groaned.
"What about a break?"
"After." Xueyi said, deadpan.
March raised her fist in the air, still holding her tea in the other hand.
"Let's go, Ghostbusters Squad! One last round, then straight to bed!"
"Weren't you whining five minutes ago?" Stelle pointed out.
"That was before the tea recharged my energy! Now I feel like I could take on seven—no, ten Heliobus by myself!"
**********************************************************************
Extra 01: I Remember You...
Aleph slowly opened his eyes.
Darkness was the only thing that greeted him. No trace of light. No whispers. Not the slightest hint that anything existed beyond the void.
He was standing. He didn't remember when or how. He only knew that his feet touched something solid, though he couldn't tell if it was dirt, metal, or stone.
He walked.
The moment he took a single step, a light turned on.
In front of him, as if someone had switched on a lamp, a familiar scene appeared.
A child was kneeling on the ground, trembling.
At his feet, a ruined birthday cake.
Hanging from the ceiling in front of him—the lifeless body of his older sister.
The boy sobbed, gasping for air. His hands clutched at his face, nails digging deep into his skin, but it didn't seem to matter to him in the slightest.
Aleph felt something slam into his chest.
"Cecilia…" He murmured softly as he raised a hand to wipe his eyes. Then, forcing himself to take another step, he moved forward, refusing to look back.
Another step.
Another light flickered on.
Now the same boy, a year or two older.
Dark circles under his eyes. Worn-out clothes hanging off his thin frame.
His eyes looked completely empty.
He turned on the console in his hands with mechanical movements, barely even glancing at the screen.
The same image played over and over.
Day. Night. Day. Night.
In the background, a dusty urn sat on a shelf.
No one had cleaned the place since the funeral.
The boy's father was nowhere to be seen in any of these memories.
A knot formed in Aleph's throat.
But he didn't speak.
Another step.
Another scene.
The boy looked about ten years old now.
Physically, he hadn't changed much. But his eyes... they were even emptier.
The house was filthy, though it was now obvious it wasn't from neglect, but abandonment.
There was barely anything left in the fridge.
Almost no money left.
Not even a single message from the father who was still, technically, alive.
The boy used the last of what he had to keep the electricity on.
He stole food from a convenience store.
He was ignored by adults—or worse, watched with dangerous eyes. Despite his slight malnourishment, the boy still carried features that some might cruelly call adorable.
Aleph kept walking.
Another step.
In a corner of a public plaza, the boy met three people.
One—a clumsy guy with way too much energy—called himself Mike.
Another—with glasses and long hair—spoke with a voice so precise and charming it felt like something straight out of a storybook. His name was S.
And the third—with white hair and blue eyes—carried a pack of instant noodles under his arm. His smile was so stupidly bright Aleph thought he might need sunglasses just to look at it. His name was K.
Aleph recognized them instantly.
A brief, fleeting warmth filled his chest.
"S... K..." He murmured. He couldn't finish the names.
Somehow, that realization hurt even more than not remembering his own name.
Another scene.
Another step.
The boy stood in front of a mirror.
He stared at himself with disgust—loathing what he saw.
How pathetic… still crying over someone who would never come back.
How pathetic… shutting himself away in a place without light.
He was covered in crumbs, hair tangled, shirt torn.
And in his eyes… something was starting to show.
Something he couldn't tell if it was rage or determination.
He threw everything to the ground.
Soon, he started cleaning.
From that moment on, a smile began to form on his face.
Maybe—just maybe—if he tried hard enough, he could smile as brightly as that boy did.
Aleph felt nauseous. He reached up to wipe something off his face, but there was nothing there.
"Burroughs…" he called.
No answer. Only silence.
"Stelle..." Nothing.
"March..." Still nothing.
He looked around.
Only more darkness.
He was completely alone.
...
With nothing else to do, he kept walking.
Another step.
Another year.
The boy was twelve now. He looked healthier—at least on the outside.
His body had filled out a bit; there was some noticeable muscle on him now.
His clothes were in better shape, but his eyes... his eyes were still just as hollow.
He lived completely alone.
His father had vanished without a trace.
Sometimes, weeks would go by without a single cent arriving.
Every now and then, adults would approach him with offers of "work," their voices sickly sweet… doors that closed too quickly… hands that got way too close.
Aleph turned his gaze away.
There was no need to watch any further.
He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He didn't remember living this… but the bitter taste lingered on his tongue.
Next step.
Now the boy had a job.
He'd found his place at a pet shop. The owner was eccentric, always preaching about the peace and beauty that came from petting animals, but even so… he was a kind man.
The boy would smile when petting a sleeping cat, cleaning a rabbit's cage, or handling a snake.
"Sis, look! Hamsters!" a child's voice rang out as the shop's door opened.
He glanced over and saw a girl walking in with what looked like her little brother, probably shopping for a pet.
The boy quickly looked away, stepping back from the snake. His mood had soured out of nowhere.
One sunny day, Kevin dragged him along, bursting with excitement.
Took him to meet someone.
A beautiful girl, with long hair and glasses like his.
She seemed cold, her words as sharp as knives. She introduced herself as M.
At first, there was tension. Snarky comments traded back and forth. But eventually… a strange sort of friendship bloomed.
Strange, but still friendship.
Aleph let out a breath without realizing.
Another memory.
Another scene.
A girl named Jeanne, his coworker, was smiling nervously at him.
She confessed.
And he accepted… without thinking twice.
Not because he felt anything.
Just because… he didn't want to see her sad.
It was the right thing to do… wasn't it?
A year flew by.
Jeanne was crying. She broke up with him.
Told him he was distant… absent.
That it felt like their relationship had never even been real.
He didn't argue.
He just let her go.
Aleph watched himself—this stranger who was him—muttering under his breath:
"What did I do wrong?"
Silence answered.
Aleph whispered:
"Someone like me… isn't meant for relationships."
...
Another step forward.
A familiar scene appeared before his eyes.
He was standing at the airport, suitcase in hand, ticket ready.
Destination: Italy.
His father had finally sent the money.
At last, he wanted him to visit. But the boy didn't look even remotely excited.
His friends were there, though, to see him off.
Aleph smiled—finally able to remember their names.
Mike, Su, Kevin, and Mei.
They wished him luck and told him to bring back souvenirs.
They hugged him. Especially Kevin, who squeezed him so hard he knocked the wind out of him.
***********
Aleph had no idea how long he'd been walking.
The memories flowed around him—he had returned once more to his childhood.
A soft voice called out to him, and Aleph instinctively turned his head.
A girl with light brown hair smiled at him, her grin so big it barely fit her face.
She wore a hat with cat ears. Her small hand gripped his firmly.
"Come on, dummy! The world's not gonna explore itself!"
Aleph didn't know who she was.
But he smiled awkwardly upon seeing her.
"So much energy."
They ran together. Jumped over puddles.
Stole flowers from a park. Climbed over a fence just to jump back down and walk through the gate.
The scene shifted again.
Now he was sitting in a park, soda can in hand, laughing his lungs out.
In front of him, Mike was making monkey noises because of some weird bet he had with Su about whether Kevin could actually tell a decent joke.
Beside him, a boy with an analytical gaze scribbled things down in a notebook.
That was Su—the same Su who later tried to build a rocket launcher using blender parts and PVC pipes, just because he wanted to prove he could.
Kevin, meanwhile, was arguing with an old lady about the quality of garlic bread while faking a French accent.
Mei, sitting on a bench with her eternal "I regret knowing all of you" face, flipped through a book and muttering that worrying about them was a waste of time.
"Hmph." Aleph smiled.
Even though Mei always acted like that, she was the first to lend a hand whenever they got into trouble.
That girl seriously needed to learn how to be more honest.
...
One rainy afternoon, all of them huddled together under a gazebo while Kevin pitched his "foolproof plan" to get rich by selling frozen ramen flavored like Kaslana—whatever the hell that meant.
The scenes kept shifting.
Mike's birthday, with a cake made entirely out of Oreo cookies and Shrek-shaped candles.
A karaoke night where Mei got drunk on iced tea and sang some obscure anime song nobody recognized.
And then… that night.
Aleph couldn't help but smile wryly.
Su had shown up with a fancy box, a gift from an aunt who clearly didn't bother reading labels. He claimed it was Belgian chocolate.
Two pieces in, and the guy was already wobbling and challenging everyone to a "drunken endurance contest."
Kevin, of course, was thrilled to accept.
Mike showed up with a suspiciously cheap bottle labeled "Vodka"—with a K—and a Ukrainian flag printed upside down.
For reasons beyond logic, he joined in too.
The last scene from that night was Mike declaring:
"Tonight will go down in history as one of the greatest boys' nights ever!"
Aleph blinked as he wiped his forehead, and the scene instantly cut to the next morning.
They were all sprawled across someone's living room.
Su, for whatever reason, was wearing a frilly pink dress.
Kevin was wrapped in a curtain, holding a fork like it was a royal scepter.
Mike snored loudly with a Darth Vader helmet on his head.
Aleph laughed hard at the sight.
That is… until his eyes landed on the table.
A single, undeniable piece of evidence… the stuff of nightmares.
A photo. Of him and Kevin. Kissing.
Aleph swallowed hard. His face burned with rising heat.
"What the hell is this?!" Kevin screamed as he woke up.
"I was about to ask you the same thing!!" He shot back, voice hoarse.
The very next scene was the two of them pinning Mike against the wall like mobsters, threatening that if he breathed a single word to Mei, his fate would be worse than death.
Meanwhile, Mike just laughed like a mentally-challenged seal.
Of course… Mei found out anyway.
She gifted them a photo frame. Just the right size for that photo.
And she never missed a single chance to relentlessly tease them about it. For years.
Aleph seriously considered digging a hole and throwing himself into it.
The memories kept flowing.
Christmas at Mei's house. Her mom greeted them with hot chocolate and thinly veiled threats like "If you mess up my floors, you die."
He ended up peeling potatoes while Kevin, dead inside, wore a reindeer costume.
A bike ride, with Su chasing after him yelling, "Put your helmet on, you idiot!"
An afternoon where Mei fell asleep on his shoulder in the library, completely exhausted. He didn't move for three hours because, "If she wakes up, I'm dead."
A lonely night spent staring at the stars.
And for just a second… he wished he could stay.
Stay there forever.
************
The darkness wouldn't let him go.
But this time, it wasn't cold.
It was warm. Pulsing. Alive.
Aleph remained still. He didn't understand how, but he could feel it.
A blinding white light—so intense it hurt—and the wet, unsettling sound of something he couldn't quite comprehend overwhelmed him completely.
A viscous liquid coated his body as he breathed in for the first time.
The woman in front of him smiled. She wore a white lab coat. Her hair was green.
Her eyes showed little emotion. For some reason, they reminded him of a snake's. But her voice… her voice was sweet. Almost maternal.
"Open your eyes, little one. I want you to witness the most beautiful thing in this world right after your own existence. The birth of your sister."
Beside her, a capsule lit up.
Aleph saw the girl open her eyes.
"Stelle...?" He murmured.
She had nearly the same face. Nearly the same body. The same confused expression.
But when she looked at him, she smiled.
Not tenderly, but with arrogance. As if to say she'd win every fight, no matter who it was against.
A woman entered the room.
Aleph recognized her instantly. A slightly younger Kafka.
"How did the project turn out, White Snake?" she asked.
The green-haired woman, White Snake, gave a lazy smile.
"Resounding success. You can tell Elio I'm taking a well-earned break. I've been working on them nonstop for nearly a week." She stood up clumsily, letting out a yawn.
Kafka's eyes shifted toward the 'twins.'
"Mmm… Have you named them yet?" she asked, gently stroking both their heads.
"Nope. You can do it if you like," White Snake replied as she walked out the door.
Kafka smiled at both of them.
"You'll be Caelus. And you… Stelle. I hope you two take good care of each other. Especially you, Caelus. As the big brother, it's your job to protect your little sister, got it?"
Even if he didn't fully understand, Aleph nodded without hesitation.
Time passed. Kafka dressed them again.
She taught them how to wear clothes, how to use silverware, and—at least in Stelle's case—how to talk without biting people. She explained that yes, food does taste different depending on how you chew it, and no, they should absolutely not have knife fights in the kitchen.
No matter what Blade or Silver Wolf says, doing that is rude… and seriously pisses off both White Snake and Sam.
"So… is this a family?" Stelle asked one night.
Kafka just laughed as she sat on a blanket in the sand. She had brought them to see the ocean.
"No. But don't worry. According to the script, soon you and Caelus will have one."
Weeks later, it was Silver Wolf's turn to look after them.
She was the one who taught them how to play.
Literally.
Video games, puzzles, coding, illegal modding, cheats, and hacks. The rule was simple: if you can break it without the system noticing, you're better than the devs.
He never won. Not once.
Neither did Stelle.
Silver Wolf obliterated them without mercy, munching on chips while calling them worse than NPCs.
And yet, they played every night.
Kafka and Blade were their instructors. Though "instructors" was being generous.
Blade taught like he was just waiting for them to die so he wouldn't have to bother.
Kafka, on the other hand, was… a little too meticulous.
Whenever he failed or made the slightest mistake, Kafka would grab his arm and say:
"Again. Until your body does it on its own."
Stelle mocked his suffering right up until it was her turn followed shortly by her own very creative attempts to escape.