The Ghostbuster Squad continued their operations.
"Seal number eleven complete!" Sushang announced with a bright smile as she held up the pumpkin, now trembling with a faint green glow.
"Well, that was easier than I expected." Aleph remarked as he stored the sealed pumpkin.
"Yeah, but… why were they talking like those super annoying influencers?" Stelle asked, frowning. "Where do they even get that kind of personality?"
"What kind of Heliobus names themselves like some sketchy boyband?" March grumbled, plopping down on a nearby bench.
"No idea." Guinaifen replied, shaking a lock of hair out of her face. "But at least they're gone. Three down."
.....
With a well-deserved break, the group lingered a bit longer at the Garden of Tranquility. The lantern lights reflected the fading orange glow of the sunset.
It was almost 8 PM, and fatigue was starting to set in.
Huohuo checked her phone and suddenly stood up, flustered.
"Uh… I, uh... have something to do. I'll be back in an hour. Won't be long." She blurted out, vanishing before anyone could ask questions.
"You sure you'll be okay on your own?" Sushang asked, tilting her head.
"Yes, yes! Nothing dangerous." Huohuo assured, clenching her fists against her chest. "It's just... some minor, totally unimportant personal stuff. I'll be back before you even notice. See ya!"
"...Did anyone understand any of that?" Sushang blinked as she stretched. "Huohuo was talking super fast. Must've been in a rush."
"Not really, but I don't think it matters. Maybe she just went to grab snacks and hurried 'cause the store's about to close." Stelle shrugged, biting into a rice cake.
Sushang nodded.
"Yeah, that checks out!"
...
An hour passed. Then another.
The group was still there, reviewing data, chatting, waiting for updates. Aleph glanced at his phone, casually playing a game suspiciously similar to Candy Crush.
March was the first to notice. She glanced at her phone, checked the group chat, and frowned.
"Guys... didn't Huohuo say she'd be back in an hour?"
Stelle stopped chewing.
"Yeah... it's been two."
"Did you text her?" Guinaifen asked.
"Obviously. She's not answering."
"...That's weird." March finally muttered. "She said it wouldn't take long."
"Maybe she just got distracted on the way." Sushang suggested.
"Distracted by what?" Stelle shot back. "There's nothing fun about hunting Heliobus."
That's when Aleph's phone vibrated. A notification. Then another. And another.
[Hanya: "Have you seen Cirrus?"]
The group exchanged uneasy glances.
"What?" Aleph read it out loud.
[Hanya: "He wasn't supposed to be able to leave the Garden of Tranquility's perimeter. I just checked the seals. He's gone."]
A cold chill ran down everyone's spine.
"...No way." Stelle muttered.
"No." Aleph shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment. "He was sealed. He shouldn't have the power to break out."
"...And Huohuo still isn't answering." March swallowed hard.
"Guys i hate to jump to conclusions, but... something's really wrong." Guinaifen said quietly, lowering her phone with a worried look.
*********
"We just tracked Huohuo's phone signal," Hanya reported, checking her portable device. "It's at the Starwatcher Port."
Xueyi crossed her arms.
"That's pretty far from where she should be And Cirrus hasn't shown up in the Garden's logs for over two hours. The Soulguards assigned to watch him are also missing."
Guinaifen gritted her teeth, placing a hand over her chest as she inhaled and exhaled deeply.
"Perfect. I knew it. I always knew that brat was trouble."
"Alright. Let's move." Aleph said as he put his phone away. "If Cirrus is involved, we don't have a second to waste."
March leaned toward Stelle's ear.
"What's up with Aleph? He looks pretty serious."
"He feels kinda guilty for being unconscious during the fight with Cirrus... He thinks if he'd been there, Mr. Tail wouldn't have had to sacrifice himself."
"Oh."
*****
Starwatcher Port looked completely different from usual.
Shattered lanterns, overturned containers, scorched signs and worst of all, eerie green flames scattered all over the place.
"...There's definitely Heliobus here." Stelle muttered, raising her bat.
A wave of possessed Soulguards, along with several Aurumaton units engulfed in green fire, blocked the platforms and docks. Some were dismantling panels, while others outright attacked any surveillance drones trying to get close.
"Damn it...! Where did all these come from?" Sushang shouted, drawing her sword.
"There!" March pointed, and everyone turned.
Near one of the platforms, surrounded by the wreckage of fallen containers, lay Huohuo on the ground. Parts of her clothes were scorched, and her phone was lying next to her with the screen shattered.
"Huohuo!" Guinaifen yelled, but before anyone could move...
A familiar laugh echoed from above.
"Did you really think getting rid of me would be that easy?"
They looked up toward one of the highest scaffolds—there was Cirrus. Same as before, that puppet-like body with a childlike appearance but his energy was anything but weak now. Green and purple flames swirled around him in a constant spiral.
"Did you think you could seal me away like those pathetic Heliobus?"
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the railing.
"Please... Underestimating me was your worst mistake!"
Aleph clenched his fist.
"Great. You again, you annoying little gremlin."
"I'm afraid this is no longer a simple rescue mission." Xueyi added, unsheathing her daggers with her usual calm expression.
"Ready?" Stelle asked, spinning her bat.
"Ready." Aleph confirmed.
The Aurumaton units creaked as their weapons deployed.
The possessed Soulguards were already charging in with spears and swords at the ready.
There was nothing left to say.
********
"I've had enough." Declared Aleph, conjuring an ice bat in his hand.
He glanced at the others, rolling his shoulder with lazy annoyance.
"Go get Huohuo. I'll handle this."
"You sure?" Stelle asked, already knowing the answer.
"More than sure."
Without wasting a second, Aleph stepped forward toward the enemy line. An Aurumaton crossed his path; Aleph raised the bat and slammed it down, smashing the bot against the ground with a heavy thud, shattering its back panel… but carefully — just enough to shut it down, not completely break it.
"Ugh. If I wreck them, I'll have to pay for the damages…" He grumbled under his breath, dodging another one and pinning it against a wall with a sharp strike. "Damn economy. Stupid and adorable Stelle left me broke."
The Soulguards weren't any easier. Unlike the robots, brute force alone wouldn't stop them, but he couldn't just hit them like regular enemies either. Every strike had to be measured — strong enough to knock them down, but not enough to break bones or cause permanent injuries.
Even so, every hit left a crater in the ground, a bent pole, or a destroyed railing.
"Aleph Smash!!" He shouted, tossing an Aurumaton into the air like it was made of plastic.
...
Meanwhile, the rest had already reached Huohuo.
She was still unconscious, lying on her side with an oddly sad expression, her broken phone lying nearby.
"Is she…?" March muttered, crouching down next to her.
"Possessed." Xueyi confirmed after checking the energy marks around her. "She's trapped inside an illusion. A pretty strong one too."
Hanya knelt down, picking up the fallen phone next to Huohuo.
She checked the cracked screen.
"...Messages deleted."
"What?"
"Looks like she tried to erase whatever led her here… but didn't do it properly."
She connected her own device, and within seconds recovered the data.
A series of messages popped up on screen:
[Deleted User: "I have information about the Heliobus you call Mr. Tail."]
[Deleted User: "Come to Starwatcher Port. Alone."]
[Deleted User: "Don't tell anyone."]
"Maybe Cirrus hacked into a Soulguard's phone and used it to send the message? Still something doesn't add up. How did he break the seal? And how did he recover so much of his power in such a short time?" Stelle asked, arms crossed.
"You don't have to be a genius to figure that out — you guys said it yourselves." Guinaifen added. "Isn't it likely that the Destruction you defeated had some underlings still lurking around the Luofu, and they're helping Cirrus stir up more trouble? A parting gift, like revenge?"
March clenched her fists.
"Damn it…!"
"And that's not the end of it." Hanya said, watching the energy floating around Huohuo. "If we try to force her out of the illusion her body might survive, but her soul..."
"Wouldn't." Xueyi finished, coldly.
March glanced between them, nervous.
"Isn't there any other way?"
"There's one." Xueyi admitted.
"If another Heliobus entered her body, it could force the one inside out. In theory it could break the illusion from the inside without harming her consciousness."
"But there's no guarantee it would—" Hanya started.
Sushang raised her hand, hesitant.
"Not to be the one pointing out the obvious, but where are we supposed to find a Heliobus willing to do something like that… and one that's not a trap?"
March looked at her.
"Good point."
Silence fell for a moment as they all struggled to come up with a solution.
The only sound breaking the tension was a loud CLONK! followed by Aleph's voice:
"Alright! Who's next?!"
...
Xueyi let out a long sigh. Without saying a word, she reached into her belt and pulled out one of those pumpkin-shaped jars they'd been using all day to trap Heliobus.
March's eyes widened.
"...No. Don't tell me..."
Xueyi twisted the lid open, and immediately, a burst of bluish flames shot out from inside.
"Ugh! Damn, that was disgusting! What the hell is this gourd made of—fermented cabbage?!"
A small floating flame shaped like a dog's head shook itself, as if trying to dust itself off.
"Mr. Tail?! What are you doing in there?!" March yelled.
"What do you mean, 'what am I doing'... Pfft." He scoffed, floating lazily. "I nearly disintegrated after what I pulled against Cirrus. Barely managed to stay conscious. My original plan was well, steal a star-skiff, disappear for a couple of days, let Huohuo cry a little, beg me to come back, and then... show up like a freaking hero."
Everyone stared at him.
"But..." He continued, lowering his tone a bit. "There were... uh... a few complications along the way."
"What kind of—?" Stelle started, but didn't finish.
Mr. Tail pointed straight at Xueyi.
"She found me. And sealed me."
Four pairs of eyes immediately turned toward her.
Arms crossed, Xueyi held her usual stone-cold expression.
"Why?" asked Guinaifen, not even trying to hide the scolding tone.
"Yeah, that's a really good question." Added Sushang, tilting her head.
Even Stelle, who normally stayed out of these things, raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously?"
Silence.
Except, of course, for—
"What the hell is this guy made of?!"
Cirrus's voice echoed from the other side, mixed with the sound of bodies hitting the ground, sparks flying, and the unmistakable evil laughter escaping Aleph's mouth.
"Hahahahaha!"
They turned just in time to see Aleph standing on top of a mountain of Soul Guards and Aurumaton, bat resting on his shoulder, looking down at Cirrus with a smug grin you could probably see from Jarilo-VI.
"Yeah. Come on, Cirrus! Keep talking! Keep giving me reasons to knock out more of those nonexistent teeth of yours!" Aleph yelled, pointing at him.
"...Should we... help him?" Sushang suggested.
"No. Let him be." Guinaifen replied, completely unfazed. "He's having fun."
Finally, Xueyi spoke.
"...It was a test."
"Excuse me?" Everyone said in unison.
"A test." She repeated, adjusting her gloves. "I wanted to see how Huohuo would react if she lost something she considers essential. What she'd do if she had to face herself without Mr. Tail."
Mr. Tail stared at her with a face that practically screamed 'Are you serious right now?'.
"...You really need to learn how to lie better."
Xueyi didn't respond. She just looked away.
"Anyway..." Mr. Tail floated above Huohuo's body. "...no time to argue. Someone's gotta get in there, punch that idiot in the face, and drag her out of that mental hole before she becomes Heliobus chow."
He shook himself, looked at everyone, and added,
"Leave it to the pro."
Without waiting another second, he dove into Huohuo's body, vanishing in a flash of blue light.
March crossed her arms.
"...I don't know whether to be worried or to cheer."
"Both." Stelle replied, shrugging as she kept watching Aleph fight.
*******
Dark. Suffocating. Hallways twisted in on themselves, doors leading nowhere, walls lined with mirrors that only reflected what one least wanted to see.
"Wow... what a depressing hole." Muttered Mr. Tail, floating through the corridors as his flame flickered. "So miserable it'd be tanking my blood pressure... if I had any."
All around him, scenes passed like projections.
A six-year-old Huohuo, curled up in a corner as other foxian children threw her looks full of disgust.
"Stay away! You're a freak! Your tail is ugly and weird!" They shouted.
Little Huohuo wrapped her green-flamed tail around herself, desperately trying to hide it as if that would change anything.
The images kept shifting as Mr. Tail went deeper into the maze.
Huohuo's own parents pulled her away from her younger sister.
"No... Don't let her get close. We don't want her to..."
"...catch that."
Mr. Tail went silent. His dog-shaped face didn't offer a wide range of expressions, but anyone could easily imagine his eyes narrowing in anger.
"...Bastards." his flame flared. "And they call us monsters."
He pressed on. Each step took him closer to the center.
"Why do you even exist?"
"If you didn't have that... thing..."
"You're a burden."
"Oh, sure. Like you're all prime examples of perfection." he grumbled, turning a corner. "Y'know what? Even me—a damn Heliobus—is better company than all of you combined."
...
And then he found her.
There, sitting in the very heart of the labyrinth. Knees hugged to her chest, head buried between them, trembling like an abandoned puppy.
"...Huohuo." He called, floating closer.
No response.
"Hey. Oi. Wake up. Don't make me waste my time here."
Huohuo barely lifted her gaze. Her eyes were red, swollen from crying.
"...You're not real..." She whispered. "...Another illusion... another punishment... I get it... In the end... everyone leaves..."
Mr. Tail froze for a second.
"...Really? We're doing the tragic sob story again?"
He spun in place before slamming himself against the floor with a loud thud of frustration.
"Fine! If you won't listen, then... I'll just bring them all back!"
And that's exactly what he did. His flame spread like a net, dragging the projections from every corner of the labyrinth. The kids who bullied her. The neighbors who avoided her. Even her parents.
All of them suddenly appeared before Huohuo. And, one by one, they started speaking.
"...We were wrong..."
"...We shouldn't have treated you like that..."
"...Forgive us..."
Huohuo barely lifted her head. She didn't look convinced.
"...It doesn't matter... It doesn't change anything..." She muttered.
Mr. Tail floated up to her, clearly irritated.
"What more do you want?! Look! Even your parents are apologizing! And you're still crying like it's the end of the world?!"
His flame flared brighter.
"You know what?! Forget them! If they're trash, let them stay in the trash! Who cares?! You've got Hanya, you've got Xueyi, you've got that whole merry band of misfits at the Ten Lords Commission! And you've got me! Isn't that enough?!"
Huohuo blinked at him.
"...Is it... really you?"
"What other damn flame talks like me?! Of course it's me, you—!" He stopped himself, inhaled, and lowered his tone. No point in losing his cool now. "Yeah. It's me."
Huohuo swallowed hard, lowering her head.
"...But... look at me... I can't make friends... or find a partner... No one... loves—"
"For Ignamar's sake!" He interrupted. "Are you allergic to optimism or what?! You're worse than those emo Nihility followers!"
He spun in circles before pointing at her with his flame.
"And besides..." His voice dropped to a mischievous, conspiratorial tone. "Didn't you notice how that gray-haired idiot was staring at your ears? Like a hungry kid looking at cotton candy. You put in even a tiny bit of effort and you'd have a boyfriend already. You don't have one 'cause you're a coward."
Huohuo froze. Then let out a shaky, breathy laugh.
"...A-Are you stupid or what? We've known each other for less than a day, a relationship..."
"Obviously. I'm your Heliobus. What else did you expect?"
Her laughter echoed through the labyrinth, shattering the silence. Little by little, the walls started to crack.
Mr. Tail floated beside her.
"Good. Time to head back. Stay here any longer and I won't get the chance to give that idiot Cirrus the beating he deserves."
Huohuo nodded. Her expression was no longer the same. Still scared—but now, there was a softer, calmer smile on her face.
"...Thank you."
"Eh. Don't get used to it. Next time I might just steal an Astral Skiff and go on a sightseeing tour of the other Xianzhou ships."
A white light enveloped them.
It was time to wake up.
....
Huohuo and Mr. Tail returned to the real world.
Only to be greeted by the most absurd scene of the day—and that was saying a lot.
A pile of bodies.
Unconscious Soulguards, dismantled Aurumaton parts scattered everywhere, and at the top—like the king of the mountain—stood Aleph, arms crossed, chest puffed out, smiling with the perfect mix of satisfaction and pure malice.
At his feet, Cirrus squirmed and screamed.
"Let me go! Release me, you bastard!"
Aleph's laughter echoed above the chaotic scene.
A loud, deep, and unmistakably villainous laugh escaped his mouth.
"Hahahaha! Did you really think you could escape from me, the great Aleph?! Foolish!"
Sushang watched him, a sweat drop running down her temple.
"...Should we... say something?"
Guinaifen just sighed, her shoulders slumping.
"I can't decide whether to be impressed... or deeply concerned."
Xueyi, expressionless as always, simply crossed her arms.
"...I don't even want to know how we got here."
Hanya nodded slowly.
"Me neither."
Stelle, arms crossed, glared up at him.
"...This is completely unfair. Not only did he hog all the fun, but now he's using it to make himself look cool! How is anyone supposed to compete with that?! No. I won't back down. The legend of the Galactic Bat will definitely surpass that of the Great Demon Aleph!"
"Is that really your priority?" March asked, her face clearly saying she had no idea what to think about this.
Huohuo blinked a couple of times, completely lost.
"...What is even happening?" she muttered, glancing at Mr. Tail.
"No idea," he replied, floating beside her. "I was with you, remember?"
Meanwhile, Aleph casually planted his foot on Cirrus' puppet head—who was still struggling—his smile only growing wider.
"Admit it, Cirrus. You're weak. You lack hatred."
"Stop saying that, you jerk!"
Xueyi took a deep breath and activated her communicator.
"...This is Xueyi. Dispatch medical personnel to Starwatcher Port. We've got multiple injured Soulguards and several Aurumatons needing damage assessment. Also, send someone from logistics to inspect the structural integrity. Yeah... there's probably gonna be some repair costs."
A pause.
"...Yes. Yes. No—no, not Qianjie this time."
....
Once all the Heliobus were sealed again, the atmosphere finally calmed down.
Or... so they thought.
"Has anyone seen Cirrus?" Hanya asked, looking around.
Guinaifen pointed toward the pile of bodies.
"...Well... up until a second ago, he was right there."
Everyone followed her gaze only to spot Aleph with his back turned, clearly doing something suspicious with his hands over the puppet Cirrus had been possessing.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Aleph." Stelle said, narrowing her eyes. "What are you doing?"
Aleph froze, but didn't turn around.
"Nothing."
"...Aleph." March sighed, already exhausted. "Tell me you're not doing what I think you're doing."
"...D-Definitely not absorbing Cirrus." He answered, utterly unconvincing even to himself.
Stelle pinched the bridge of her nose.
"...You have a problem. A serious one."
Finally, Aleph turned around, hands in his pockets, eyes darting away.
"...It was recycling."
"Sure it was." Everyone thought in perfect unison.
[New Skill Acquired: Agi (Heliobus Variant).]
[Illusionist Mastery Increased (Intermediate): 75%.]
[Congratulations, Master. You are now one step closer to telling Stelle that you've abandoned your humanity... and asking her how many loaves of bread she's eaten in her life.]
"...Burroughs."
[Yes, yes. I'll dial it back.]
Meanwhile, Stelle and March continued scolding him.
"You can't just go around absorbing things for no reason!" March yelled.
"Yeah! This is a serious impulse control issue! And... and whatever else applies here!" Stelle added, flailing her arms. "Do you even know where Cirrus has been?! Or how sanitary he is?! This could cause... like... health problems!"
Aleph blinked a few times before nodding. Stelle's words actually made a disturbing amount of sense.
"That's reasonable."
"That's not how this works!" March shouted, silently wondering if common sense had taken a vacation for both of them.
Not far from the group, Huohuo tilted her head, watching the whole thing unfold, while Mr. Tail spun slowly beside her.
"...Are they always like this?"
"...Yeah." Huohuo sighed. "Yeah, they are."
...
"All done." Xueyi said, crossing her arms. "The Commission staff will handle the rest. You're free to go and get some rest. You've earned it."
Guinaifen stretched her arms, letting out a long yawn.
"Finally! My back was killing me."
Sushang patted Huohuo on the shoulder, who still had Mr. Tail floating by her side.
"Good work, Deputy Chief." She smiled. "I knew you could handle it."
Huohuo just nodded shyly, cheeks flushed, eyes downcast.
"Thank you... I guess."
"Well then." March started, glancing around with a grin. "I guess it's time for us to head out."
Aleph nodded, hands slipping into his pockets.
"Yeah. Before they make us clean up the mess."
"Ja." Stelle chuckled. "He's got a point."
One by one, they stepped forward to say their goodbyes.
"Take care." Sushang said with a warm smile.
"We'll meet again." added Guinaifen, winking.
"And please, keep whatever that is—" Xueyi subtly gestured at Aleph. "And whatever it decides to absorb next time—far away from me."
Aleph winked back.
"No promises." He replied with a small laugh.
Hanya simply watched them, expression unreadable.
"Good work." Was all she said.
Finally, the trio walked off, heading toward the nearest dock.
...
"Alright..." March muttered as she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket—folded so many times the edges were frayed. "Dan Heng left me super detailed instructions on how to operate a astro-skiff."
Aleph peeked over her shoulder.
"...This looks as complicated as a bomb defusal manual."
"Dan Heng is way too meticulous." Stelle sighed.
When they arrived at the dock, they stood in front of the astro-skiff.
The startup screen still showed way too many buttons, levers, and a diagram that honestly looked more like one of March's attempts at abstract art than a navigation system.
"...Do we seriously need five different types of brakes?" Stelle asked, staring at the panel.
"And why is there a note that says 'In case of police pursuit'? What the hell did Dan Heng think we were gonna do?" Added Aleph.
March sighed and tucked the paper away.
"Alright. Let's keep this simple. Rock, paper, scissors. You or me."
"Perfect. No way in hell I'm letting Aleph touch that thing." Stelle said, crossing her arms.
"Why not?" Aleph protested.
Both of them turned to glare at him in unison.
"..."
"..."
"Yeah, okay. Got it. Proceed." He slowly backed away, hands raised.
They raised their hands.
"Rock, paper, sciss—"
"Paper!" yelled Stelle.
"Scissors!" March grinned, victorious.
"...Damn it." Stelle groaned.
"Victory!" March cheered, turning to the star skiff. "Alright, let's do this."
Aleph chuckled under his breath.
"I really hope Dan Heng included instructions on how to survive crashing into a dock..."
"Shut it. If we survive, you're paying for lunch." Stelle shot back, climbing aboard behind her.
As the engine rumbled to life, the three set course for the Astral Express.
Hopefully without crashing along the way.
************************************************************************************
Alright, with this, we've officially wrapped up the Luofu arc. It ended up lasting a lot longer than I originally intended, but I guess it makes sense, considering I couldn't maintain my original writing pace once I started this, plus the health issues I've had. The fact that there's a polar cold wave where I live didn't help either.
Have you ever tried writing in the cold? Moving frozen fingers like that is pure torture.
Anyway, I'd like to ask for your thoughts on this arc, so I can use them as reference for future ones.