Three days after killing Director Huang, Jiang Yue received the invitation she'd been waiting for.
Lin Haoran wanted her to meet his father.
The text arrived at 7 AM, casual and sweet:
*"My father wants to have dinner with us this Saturday. He's heard so much about you and insists on meeting the woman who's captured my heart. Say yes? ♡"*
Jiang Yue stared at the message.
In her previous life, this dinner had happened too. She remembered being nervous, excited, desperate to impress. She'd worn a modest dress, spoke softly, and agreed with everything Lin Zhengting said.
He had smiled at her like a wolf smiles at a lamb.
She'd thought it meant approval.
Now she knew it meant hunger.
She typed back: *"I'd be honored. What should I wear?"*
His reply came instantly: *"Something elegant. My father appreciates class. I'll pick you up at 6."*
Jiang Yue set down her phone and called Feng Yichen.
"I'm going into the wolf's den."
---
The Bureau's intelligence file on Lin Zhengting was thick.
Feng Yichen spread the documents across the conference table while Jiang Yue studied every page.
"Lin Zhengting, age 58. Married into the Haoran family fortune thirty years ago. His wife—Lin Haoran's mother—died of 'sudden illness' three years after their wedding." Feng Yichen tapped a photo of a beautiful young woman. "She was 26. Healthy. No prior medical issues."
"Let me guess—she'd just finished transferring all family assets to his name."
"Two weeks before her death."
Jiang Yue looked at the woman's face. Soft eyes. Gentle smile. Another victim who never saw the knife coming.
"After that, Lin Zhengting built an empire," Feng Yichen continued. "Real estate, investments, political connections. He's untouchable through legal means. Judges, prosecutors, police chiefs—half the city's power structure owes him favors."
"And his son learned everything from him."
"Lin Haoran is the student. Lin Zhengting is the master." Feng Yichen met her eyes seriously. "He's ten times more dangerous than his son. Don't underestimate him."
"I won't." Jiang Yue gathered the files. "What do we know about his weaknesses?"
"Pride. He thinks he's smarter than everyone else. He's never been challenged, never been caught, never faced consequences." Feng Yichen paused. "And he's protective of his legacy. Everything he's built—it's meant to last forever. His son, his empire, his name."
"Then that's what I'll destroy." Jiang Yue's voice was cold. "His legacy. His empire. His precious son."
"One step at a time. Saturday is reconnaissance. Learn what you can, don't take risks." Feng Yichen handed her a small device. "Wear this. It's a recorder disguised as a earring. We need evidence."
Jiang Yue took the earring.
On Saturday, she would walk into the devil's den.
And she would walk out with his secrets.
---
Friday night, Zhao Lianhua appeared.
Jiang Yue was in her dorm room, reviewing her cover story for the dinner, when the temperature dropped twenty degrees.
Frost crept across her window.
The ghost materialized in the corner—red dress torn, neck broken, eyes burning with otherworldly fire.
**"You need to stop."**
Jiang Yue looked up calmly. "Stop what?"
**"The killing. The blood. You're attracting attention."**
"I'm paying my debt. That's the deal."
**"I'm not talking about the Boundary Keeper."** Zhao Lianhua's form flickered with agitation. **"Something else has noticed you. Something old. Something that sleeps beneath this city."**
A chill ran down Jiang Yue's spine—and not from the cold.
"What do you mean?"
**"When you kill, the energy doesn't just disappear. It ripples outward. Three kills in one week—three guilty souls dragged to the Boundary."** The ghost drifted closer. **"Those ripples reach deep places. Dark places. Things that have slept for centuries are starting to wake."**
"What kind of things?"
**"I don't know. I'm just a ghost—I only see pieces. But the other spirits are frightened. They're hiding. Fleeing."** Zhao Lianhua's hollow eyes met hers. **"Whatever's waking up, it's hungry. And it knows your name now, Jiang Yue. It knows what you are."**
Jiang Yue processed this information.
More supernatural threats. More complications. As if she didn't have enough problems.
"What am I supposed to do? Stop killing? Let innocent people die instead?"
**"I don't have answers. I'm just warning you."** Zhao Lianhua began to fade. **"Be careful at that dinner tomorrow. Lin Zhengting isn't the only predator in that house. There's something else there too. Something dead that doesn't know it's dead."**
"What does that mean?"
But the ghost was gone.
Jiang Yue sat in the cold room, her mind racing.
Something dead that doesn't know it's dead.
What the hell did that mean?
---
Saturday evening.
Lin Haoran arrived at exactly 6 PM, driving a black Mercedes that cost more than most people's houses. He was dressed in a dark suit, hair perfectly styled, smile perfectly charming.
"You look beautiful," he said as Jiang Yue approached.
She wore a deep blue dress—elegant but not flashy. Her hair was pinned up, exposing her neck. The recording earring glittered innocently in her ear.
"Thank you. I hope your father likes me."
"He'll love you." Lin Haoran opened the car door for her. "Just be yourself."
*If I was myself*, Jiang Yue thought, *I'd be slitting your throat right now.*
The drive to the Lin mansion took thirty minutes.
Lin Haoran made small talk—business, weather, university gossip. Jiang Yue responded appropriately, laughing at his jokes, asking the right questions.
Playing the perfect prey.
When the mansion came into view, she felt a strange sensation.
The ghost sight activated on its own.
Suddenly, she could see what others couldn't.
The Lin mansion was surrounded by death.
Shadows clung to the walls like parasites. Ghostly figures drifted through the gardens—servants who had died on the property, never moving on. And from the house itself, a dark energy pulsed like a heartbeat.
Something was very wrong here.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Lin Haoran said proudly.
"Stunning," Jiang Yue managed.
*And terrifying.*
---
Lin Zhengting was waiting in the formal dining room.
He was an older version of his son—same height, same sharp features, same predator eyes. But where Lin Haoran hid his true nature behind charm, Lin Zhengting didn't bother.
His gaze assessed Jiang Yue like a butcher examining meat.
"Miss Jiang." He extended his hand. "I've heard so much about you."
"All good things, I hope." She shook his hand firmly. "Thank you for inviting me, Mr. Lin."
"Please, call me Uncle." His smile didn't reach his eyes. "We're practically family already."
The word "family" made her skin crawl.
Dinner was served by silent servants who moved like ghosts.
Maybe they were ghosts. Jiang Yue couldn't tell anymore.
"So, Miss Jiang," Lin Zhengting began, cutting into his steak. "Tell me about your family's business. Pharmaceuticals, correct?"
"Yes. My father founded Jiang Pharmaceuticals thirty years ago. We specialize in rare disease treatments."
"Impressive. And you're the sole heir?"
"I am."
Lin Zhengting's eyes gleamed. "How wonderful. It's rare to see such responsibility placed on young shoulders."
*It's rare to see prey walk willingly into a trap*, Jiang Yue translated mentally.
"I try to learn as much as I can from my father," she said modestly. "Business isn't my strongest area yet."
"But you're eager to learn." Lin Zhengting nodded approvingly. "That's what matters. With the right guidance, you could achieve great things."
*With the right husband, you mean. One who'll steal everything once I'm dead.*
Lin Haoran reached over and squeezed her hand. "I've been offering to help Yue'er understand business better. Maybe she could intern at our company during summer break."
"Excellent idea." Lin Zhengting raised his wine glass. "To new partnerships."
They toasted.
Jiang Yue smiled and drank.
And behind that smile, she memorized every word, every glance, every subtle cue.
The wolves were hungry.
But they had no idea they'd invited a hunter to dinner.
---
After dinner, Lin Haoran excused himself to take a phone call.
Jiang Yue was left alone with Lin Zhengting.
The atmosphere immediately changed.
"Let's skip the pleasantries, Miss Jiang." Lin Zhengting set down his wine glass. "I know exactly who you are and what you're worth. My son has good taste."
Jiang Yue kept her expression innocent. "I'm sorry?"
"Don't play stupid. It doesn't suit you." He leaned forward. "Your family's company is worth three billion. You're the sole heir. No siblings, no cousins, no one to challenge your inheritance. From my son's perspective, you're perfect."
"I... I don't understand what you're saying."
"I'm saying my son is interested in you for very specific reasons." Lin Zhengting's smile turned cold. "But so am I. Before he invests time in this relationship, I need to be sure you're worth it."
Jiang Yue's heart pounded, but she kept her voice steady.
"Worth what?"
"Worth the effort." He stood and walked toward her slowly. "My family doesn't waste time on failures. We pursue opportunities that guarantee returns. You seem like a good opportunity, Miss Jiang. Young, naive, desperate for love."
He stopped right in front of her chair, looking down.
"But I've been in this business a long time. And something about you feels... off."
Jiang Yue met his gaze without flinching.
"Off how?"
"I'm not sure yet." He studied her face intently. "You look innocent. You act innocent. But your eyes..."
He trailed off.
"My eyes?" she prompted.
"Your eyes are too calm. A young woman being told these things should be confused, frightened, angry. But you're just... watching." His voice dropped. "Like you're waiting for something."
The silence stretched between them.
Jiang Yue realized she'd made a mistake. She'd been too controlled, too composed. A real naive girl would be panicking right now.
She needed to act.
Tears welled up in her eyes instantly—a skill she'd perfected over the past week.
"I... I don't understand any of this." Her voice trembled. "Are you saying Lin Haoran doesn't really like me? That this is all just about money?"
The tears spilled down her cheeks.
Lin Zhengting watched her cry.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then he laughed.
"There she is. The innocent girl." He patted her shoulder condescendingly. "Forgive an old man's suspicions. I've dealt with too many schemers in my life. It makes me paranoid."
"I just... I really like your son." Jiang Yue wiped her tears. "I'm not after anyone's money. I have my own."
"Of course you do." Lin Zhengting returned to his seat. "And that's exactly why you're perfect for our family. Someone who doesn't need money can't be bought. That makes you trustworthy."
*No*, Jiang Yue thought. *It makes me a better target.*
Lin Haoran returned at that moment, looking between them with concern.
"Is everything okay? Yue'er, you've been crying?"
"Happy tears," Lin Zhengting answered smoothly. "I was just telling her how much I approve of you two together. She was touched."
Lin Haoran relaxed. "See? I told you my father would love you."
Jiang Yue smiled through her fake tears.
*And I told myself I'd destroy everything you love.*
---
Later that night, as Lin Haoran drove her home, something strange happened.
They passed a old cemetery on the outskirts of the city.
Jiang Yue's ghost sight flared without warning.
Through the car window, she saw them—hundreds of spirits rising from the ground. Not peaceful ghosts like she usually saw. These were different. Wild. Hungry. Their forms twisted and wrong.
And they were all looking at her.
One of them—a massive shadow with too many limbs—pointed directly at the car.
Its voice echoed in her mind:
**"WE SEE YOU, LIVING ONE. WE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE. THE ANCIENT ONE AWAKENS. AND WHEN IT RISES, YOU WILL BE THE FIRST IT DEVOURS."**
Then they were gone, the cemetery disappearing behind them.
"Yue'er? You okay?" Lin Haoran glanced at her. "You went pale suddenly."
"Fine." She forced a smile. "Just tired. Long evening."
"Rest this weekend. I'll call you Monday."
He dropped her at her dorm with a kiss on the cheek.
The moment his car disappeared, Jiang Yue pulled out her phone.
"Feng Yichen. We have a problem."
"What happened?"
"Lin Zhengting is suspicious. He tested me tonight—I handled it, but barely." She paused. "That's not the main issue. Something else is happening. Something supernatural."
"Zhao Lianhua's warning?"
"Worse. I saw spirits at a cemetery. Hundreds of them. They said something about an 'ancient one' awakening." Her voice hardened. "Whatever I've been stirring up with these kills—it's real. And it's coming for me."
Silence on the other end.
Then: "Get to the Bureau. Now. We need to figure out what we're dealing with."
Jiang Yue hung up and started walking.
The night felt darker than usual.
And somewhere deep beneath the city, something old opened its eyes.
END OF CHAPTER 5
Next Chapter Preview:
The Bureau reveals the truth about the ancient entity stirring beneath the city—a being that has slept for a thousand years, feeding on death energy. With the deadline for her next kill approaching and a monster awakening, Jiang Yue must make an impossible choice. Meanwhile, Xu Meilin's jealousy reaches a breaking point, and she begins investigating Jiang Yue's strange behavior.