Chapter 6: Luck Returned, Love Confessed

“Ma'am, what now?”

As he spoke, the gray moon moved to the center.

Without a word, I cut Carter’s fingertip.

Bright red blood gushed out.

With one hand, I took a blank card, with the other, I used his bleeding finger to quickly draw symbols.

His blood flowed more and more, his lips turning paler.

As I finished the last stroke, I released his hand, bit my own fingertip, and drew the final line.

Carter collapsed weakly, and I chanted a spell.

“Heaven and earth, light and shadow, all living souls, by cross as proof, by blood as guide—”

A huge force suddenly hit me, blood spilling from my lips.

I held on and finished the last words.

“Reveal yourself!”

The blood lines on the card instantly magnified countless times.

A figure slowly emerged from the center of the ritual.

Jamie’s soul was already incomplete.

A bitter smile appeared on his face.

“Hey… I’m so useless, I’ve troubled you again…”

Knowing Carter couldn’t hear him now, I still couldn’t help but shout, eyes red: “Shut up!”

I wanted him to save his strength, not get weaker…

He gradually approached me.

Holding on, I quickly pressed several crosses onto him.

Watching his figure gradually fade, I finally relaxed.

The immense force from the backlash instantly crushed me.

Jamie’s figure, which should have disappeared, appeared before me.

He gently hugged me, then very gently kissed my forehead.

I suddenly realized that this person who grew up with me, who chased after me calling me sis, was already an adult.

Meeting his eyes, I suddenly realized Jamie never wanted to treat me as a sister.

When we were young, I thought he was just being impulsive, wanting to leave Maple Heights, go home alone to inherit his family’s fortune, and face his wolf-like relatives.

I thought he was just being childish, that after a while he’d come back and call me sis again.

But he didn’t.

Later, he returned to Maple Heights covered in snow, told me he was capable of standing with me, wanted to take me out, but I thought he was joking and refused.

He said nothing and left alone.

I finally realized, too late, that Jamie wanted to stand by my side as something else.

He… likes me.

I was about to speak.

He said, “Sis, this is my last wish…”

I couldn’t hold back my tears.

“No! You can’t die!”

Jamie opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something.

But my strength could no longer sustain the spell.

Without the cross, Jamie quickly disappeared.

“Cough, cough, Ma'am, don’t worry, I’m not dead.”

Carter, lying to the side, suddenly spoke.

I came back to myself and forced a smile.

“That’s good.”

Carter staggered over and helped me up.

“Ma'am, how is it? Did you find the one who harmed me?”

He continued on his own, “I can feel the pressure on me is less…”

He paused, then turned his feverish gaze to me.

“Ma'am, what should we do next?”

I was about to speak when I coughed up blood.

Carter’s expression changed, hurriedly helping me down the hill.

“Ma'am, are you okay? Should I take you to the ER?”

I shook my head.

This was a backlash injury, the hospital wouldn’t help.

We staggered to the foot of the hill and saw red and blue lights ahead.

Before I could react, Carter pushed me out.

“Ma'am, I can’t be discovered!”

With that, he hid back in the woods.

I cursed under my breath, too weak to move, and fell straight to the ground.

Just before hitting the ground, a pair of hands caught me.

Once steady, the man showed me his police badge.

I saw his name: Detective Miles Jennings.

“Harper Quinn, right?”

I nodded.

Detective Jennings continued, “You’re suspected in the 8/17 girl homicide and the 8/24 crematorium case. Please come with us.”

At the station, I saw the woman I’d connected with before.

She rushed over as soon as she saw me, crying and snotting all over me.

“Ma'am, please have mercy on my daughter, have mercy on me.”

Other officers pulled her away, but she kept crying at me.

“Please tell me who the killer is, you must know, right?”

Before I could speak, Detective Jennings shouted sternly.

“Enough! No psychic stuff in here. This is a police station, not a magic show.”

Seeing wisps of shadow behind Detective Jennings, my eyes sharpened.

“Get away!”

Jennings’s face twisted. “Still with the psychic stuff—”

Before he finished, his face suddenly turned purple.

The other officers were stunned by the sudden situation.

Seeing the little girl ghost’s hand tightening, I ignored my own injuries and quickly pressed a cross to Jennings’s neck.

“Heaven and earth clear, all things at peace, by cross as proof, by candle as guide, calm the soul, be at rest!”

After that, I coughed up blood again.

The frenzied little girl calmed down.

She peeked out from behind her mom, just half her face showing.

Jennings’s color gradually returned to normal.

The medical examiner brought by other officers looked on in confusion.

He checked Jennings: “Strange, just now you…”

Jennings looked bad.

After the doctor checked me, Jennings sent me to the rest room.

Once I recovered some strength, Jennings began questioning me.

“How did you know where Emily Ford’s body was?”

I was helpless.

“I read it in the cards.”

He asked, “The old person at the crematorium, you read that too?”

I nodded.

Thinking, I added, “I have an alibi. I was streaming during the days before the incidents.”

“You can check the surveillance. I didn’t go out.”

“Then what were you doing up the hill at midnight?”

After a moment, I answered, “Helping someone.”

Jennings slapped the table, leaning forward with an intimidating air.

“Who? Doing what?”

I was about to answer when I saw the little girl ghost behind Jennings.

Why was she here?

Before I could react, she mouthed something to me.

Seeing her lips, my pupils shrank.

“Quick! Basement at 33 Linden Street, someone is dead!”

Jennings was unmoved.

I grabbed his collar and glared.

My speech was rapid and urgent.

“Listen, today is earth day. The killer will strike again.”

“He’ll kill someone with an earth sign, take their spleen, and bury them deep in the ground!”

“Trust me!”

Jennings’s face turned ugly.

He strode out and gave a series of orders.

An hour later, Jennings slammed a pile of photos in front of me.

He sneered, “Dead? Stop faking this psychic nonsense!”

I searched the photos in disbelief.

Nothing. No body, no blood. Just empty space.

How could that be?

Refusing to give up, I took out six old pennies and tossed them.

Jennings angrily slapped the coins from the air.

I pulled his hand away and looked at the reading.

“Wrong! The dead body is at 34!”

As soon as I spoke, an officer burst in.

“Boss, there’s a dead body at 34 Linden Street! The spleen is missing! The victim is a little boy.”

Jennings looked at me meaningfully, then led the team to the scene.

I sat on the bench, eyes closed, when a strange mechanical voice appeared in my mind.

“Hello, Harper Quinn.”

I opened my eyes and looked around, but saw no one.

The voice continued in my mind.

“I’m in your mind. I’m the system.”

I tried communicating mentally.

“Are you Carter’s system?”

After a pause, it finally replied: “Yes. I’m his Best Actor Training System.”

I had countless questions, not knowing which to ask first.

Should I ask why it stole Jamie’s fate?

Or why it came up with such a vicious method, killing so many to fulfill Carter’s wish?

Or why it was in my mind now?

Cold. Robotic. The system continued in an emotionless tone.

“I know you have many questions. First, thank you for trying to save me. But unfortunately, I still died.”

I immediately realized it was the little boy who just died at Linden Street.

But wait—he was dead. Wasn’t he?

How could he be in my mind?

The system seemed to know my thoughts and explained: “Carter betrayed me, killed my physical body. What remains in your mind is just a remnant of my consciousness. Carter has already collected the five organs… If we join forces, there might be a slim chance to destroy his plan.”

The system then told me where Carter buried the other two bodies.

After I listened to the plan, Jennings came in, looking exhausted.

I looked at him and spoke heavily.

“In City C, at the northeast corner of the Goldstone mine, there’s a dead body missing a lung. In City S, under the fourth bridge arch of Maple Bridge, there’s a dead body missing a kidney.”

Jennings’s face turned ugly.

I stared at him.

“The girl found under the eleventh tree in the forest park, the old person cremated, the little ghost who strangled you, and the boy who died at 34 Linden Street… At this point, do you still think I’m making up psychic nonsense?”

Jennings clenched his fist and left.

I heard him make a call.

Soon, Jennings returned.

“Harper Quinn, what else do you know?”

I looked at him expressionlessly.

We stared at each other in silence for a long time.

I was waiting, waiting for the last straw to break Jennings.

Only then would he believe what I said and let me go.

Soon, Jennings’s phone rang again and again.

He answered in front of me.

“Detective, the missing person in our city was really found at that mine!”

“Captain, there really is a body missing a kidney hanging on the bridge wall. It’s all maggots, can’t even tell the original face.”

Jennings calmly hung up.

I waited.

He looked up, eyes bloodshot, staring at me.

“Harper Quinn, I want the truth!”

I didn’t answer but asked, “Have all the bodies been brought back?”

He was surprised I asked this, but finally nodded.

“The previous three are here, the new one is on the way.”

I relaxed.

Step one of the plan was done.

At least the bodies wouldn’t turn into zombies during Carter’s ritual.

The system and I had less resistance.

I tried to keep my voice steady.

“From now on, you have to believe me.”

He pursed his lips and nodded.

“The little girl before was a wood sign, her liver was missing. In the five elements and five organs, wood corresponds to liver. The other victims’ signs and missing organs should be clear to you. When the girl’s body was found, it trended. I happened to see the photo of her being dug up. Her brow was dark, shrouded in shadow, but her fate showed great blessings, yet she died mysteriously.”

I met Jennings’s eyes.

“Do you know why?”

Jennings shook his head, with a bitter smile.

“I know nothing about metaphysics. What you said overturns my understanding. I can’t guess.”

I managed a weak smile.

“Because the girl was used for luck-stealing!”

Jennings looked at me in shock.

“You mean the other four bodies were also used for luck-stealing?”

I nodded.

Jennings pressed on.

“So who did it? Is there only one killer?”

I didn’t answer, but dipped my finger in my coffee and drew circles on the table.

After connecting the circles with lines, I spoke.

“This is the diagram for the Five Elements Luck-Stealing Ritual. It uses the bodies and organs of people of air, wood, water, fire, and earth signs to create a formation and absorb their luck.”

Jennings’s face turned pale, his lips trembling.

“You mean…”

I continued.

“Compare the locations where the bodies were found and find the center of the ritual. The real killer is there.”

After identifying the center as Maple Heights’ central plaza, the police quickly focused on the upcoming event there—Carter Hayes’s solo concert.

I don’t know how Jennings convinced the others to believe me, but they started investigating Carter.

But nothing suspicious was found.

I suddenly remembered the driver who drove Carter before, with a murderous face.

I had secretly taken a photo of him.

Thinking this might be a lead, I pulled up the photo.

As soon as another officer saw it, he grabbed my phone.

“How do you have a wanted criminal’s photo?”

I smiled. “That’s Carter’s driver.”

The fact that Carter had a wanted man around made all the officers’ faces change.

Finally. They were starting to believe.

Carter’s concert was heavily promoted.

Because tickets were cheap, countless people bought them.

In the video, Carter smiled kindly.

“This is a charity concert. All proceeds will be donated to children in poor areas in the name of the audience. Please support.”

As soon as the video was posted, it trended.

Ticket sales soared to a terrifying number.

Seeing that number, Jennings’s face was grim.

After a while, he looked at me, eyes red.

“If you’re right, and Carter’s trying to steal luck—what happens to everyone at this concert? The undercover police found nothing! There’s no evidence that Carter is in league with the wanted man! We can’t charge him! If anything happens, we can’t guarantee everyone’s safety!”

Jennings closed his eyes.

“Is there really no way to stop it?”

Before I could answer, he shook his head.

“No, that would alert him.”

As he spoke, I posted a tweet.

“Don’t go out on the 30th, great misfortune!”

The 30th, the day of Carter’s concert.

With a tap, the tweet was posted.

My loyal fans from streaming quickly pushed it to the top.

Carter’s fans rushed to curse me.

“Charlatan again, saying the 30th is unlucky, are you crazy!”

“Psycho, seeing this at night is bad luck, blocked.”

“Ugly witch, our king is doing charity and you pull this!”

“Can’t stand to see our king do well? This ugly woman has always targeted him, cursed him, he didn’t even care, and now this?”

“Shameless!”

My fans fought back.

“Yeah, your king is so great, his scandals are all over, yet you diehard fans must be drugged.”

“Did Ma'am ever mention your king? Like rabid dogs, seeing a bone and biting. No wonder people dislike Carter because of his fans.”

“Agreed, because of his fans, I hate Carter now.”

“Ma'am predicts the future every day, poor Ma'am.”

“I regret making Ma'am sign up for BigEye, she meant well and gets cursed.”

Some people actually listened. They refunded their tickets and stayed home.

The number of concert-goers dropped by half.

Jennings’s face eased a bit.

The team had more confidence.

On the 30th, as we set out, Jennings patted my shoulder.

“My career is riding on you, a psychic. Don’t screw up!”

I smiled. “Trust me.”

Even if it costs my life, I’ll get these people and Jamie back!

Less than half an hour before the concert, Jennings, undercover officers, and I entered the venue.

8:00 PM, the concert began.

Carter appeared in full regalia, standing on stage in high spirits. The lights glared down, painting him in gold and white.

“Thank you all for your support. My first song is my debut single. Thank you for accompanying me all this way.”

As the intro played, everyone stood up.

The Carter fans next to me sang along in tears.

Even the system in my head sounded… almost sad.

A feeling called sadness welled up in my heart.

The system’s emotionless voice sounded.

“He was poor growing up, and suffered much humiliation for his looks. But he never gave up, working hard for his dream of becoming Best Actor. He wore short sleeves as a stand-in in below-freezing weather. Later, when someone cast him in a film, he practiced the scene countless times, sleepless. Then I chose him. My job was to help him achieve his dream, become Best Actor.”

As the song reached its climax, I raised my silver cross and stabbed it hard into the ground.

At the same moment, the undercover officers tore up the crosses I’d given them.

On stage, Carter’s smiling face stiffened for a moment.

The system’s voice turned cold again.

“But he betrayed me, betrayed his dream.”

As soon as it finished, Carter’s expression twisted.

He dropped the mic.

“Whoosh!”

A bullet whistled past my face.

Someone was shot dead.

The system kept speaking.

“Because of his greed, he killed and harmed, causing me backlash. He could have achieved his dreams through hard work, but insisted on shortcuts, stealing others’ fate and luck. The pure, hardworking Carter I knew is dead!”

Suddenly, people screamed and fled.

The scene was chaos.

Carter knelt on stage, screaming madly.

“Don’t you like me? Why are you running? If you like me, you should give me your luck!”

I ducked and sprinted for the stage.

When I was fifty feet away, a bullet pierced my left hand.

On stage, Carter laughed and took out a blank card.

He bit his finger and quickly drew a series of symbols, chanting:

“Heaven and earth, light and shadow, all living souls, by cross as proof, by blood as guide—Reveal yourself!”

A figure slowly emerged from the center of the ritual.

Carter stared feverishly at the figure, hands moving nonstop.

He took out five cards and threw them in all directions.

Instantly, a cold, sinister black ritual appeared at the center of the stage.

Now, only five yards from the stage, I finally saw the gunman hiding in the shadows.

With difficulty, I raised my silver cross and made quick slashing motions.

“Serve me, go!”

On stage, Carter laughed at me.

“Ma'am? More like trash! Trying to stop me? I’ve mastered your rituals completely.”

He looked at Jamie at the center.

“Once I devour him, everyone’s luck here will be mine!”

Carter shouted, “Do it!”

I sneered at the gunman surrounded by little ghosts.

He was barely alive, unable to lift his gun.

Carter, who thought he had it all, now panicked.

He threw countless cards at Jamie’s forming body.

I sneered at his actions.

Those cards, copied from me, were meant to stabilize Jamie’s soul.

From the start, I had tricked him.

As expected, Jamie absorbed all the cards.

I hauled myself up onto the stage, face-to-face with Carter.

The system left my body.

Whatever it did, Carter screamed in agony.

“Witch, why betray me!”

Taking the time the system bought me, I threw a card and bit my finger.

Using my blood, I wrote symbols.

Countless complex signs poured from my fingertips.

I smiled at the now-crazed Carter.

“If you want luck so badly, I’ll give it to you!”

Countless people’s luck surged up and poured into the kneeling Carter.

His body instantly turned purple-black.

Unexpectedly, he pulled out a gun from his coat.

“Whoosh!”

A cold bullet was about to hit my forehead.

I couldn’t dodge.

I closed my eyes. If this was it, so be it.

But unexpectedly, before the bullet hit, a warm body threw itself over me.

Carter, unable to withstand the luck, died from his body bursting.

As I heard the bullet enter flesh, someone whispered in my ear:

“Don’t worry, as long as I’m here…”

Jamie…

A tear slipped from my eye.

I hugged him back, but my hands were full of blood.

Pieces of flesh fell from the air.

The luck returned to its rightful place.

Jamie’s fate was restored.

Jamie, barely alive, whispered in my ear: “Sis, I finally protected you once.”

I kissed his hair, hands shaking.

“So stupid…”

My body hurt more and more. As I lost consciousness, I vaguely heard:

“Sis, I have a wish…”

“I promise you.”

When I finally woke up, Jamie was the first thing I saw.

He looked at me worriedly.

“Sis, does anything still hurt? I’ll get the doctor.”

Before the doctor came, I saw Detective Jennings.

He first showed me a report.

It said that top-tier star Carter Hayes, for selfish reasons, ordered a wanted criminal to kill five ordinary people.

“Don’t worry, the scene was tightly sealed. No pictures will leak. Ms. Quinn, thank you for your hard work. I apologize for calling you a charlatan and a fraud. Tarot is a cultural treasure.”

Just then, the doctor arrived.

Jennings tactfully left.

After the check-up confirmed I was fine, Jamie finally relaxed.

After handling my discharge, he took me to his home.

He stuck to me every day.

Even when working, he took me along.

Afraid I’d disappear.

When he went to tapings, I’d wait in the RV.

Every night when I closed the door to sleep, he’d look at me, wanting to say something.

Unable to take it, Jamie finally said, aggrieved:

“When Carter died, you promised me.”

Looking at his moist hazel eyes, I couldn’t imagine this person acted so cold and noble on TV.

He looked at me, making me soften.

“Then ask again.”

Jamie handed me his bank card, house deed, car keys, and even his college awards and certificates.

I took them, speechless.

Jamie dropped to one knee, pulled out a bouquet like a magician, and cleared his throat.

“Sis, now I can pursue you, I can stand by your side. Will you give me a chance to court you?”

Even his ears turned red.

I took his flowers.

“So stupid. I like you too.”

The room filled with laughter and the scent of flowers, and for the first time in ages, I felt like luck was finally on my side.