"These people are playing you like a fool!" the girl's voice echoed inside Matthew's head. It made him wonder if it was possible to shut a ghost up for a while. "Clearly, these rocks are not new, and they are all empty! What the heck are they talking about? Why are they lying!? They must be trying to trick you into spending your money."
Matthew narrowed his eyes. Does this mean that the ghost can sense gems?
As if picking up on his thoughts, the ghost girl cleared her throat. "Gems are part of this world, just like us. They have essence. A spiritual body like mine can sense them. Just like how I can sense you!"
Matthew kept walking, eyes forward. He didn't know what he meant by a spiritual body, but he can't really asked the ghost now.
"But I can't tell how big they are," she added. "I can only sense if a rock has a gem inside or not. And these?" She waved a translucent hand toward the crates stacked in the back room. "All empty. Not one of them has anything."
Matthew's frown deepened. Either the sellers were bluffing, or there was something worse going on here.
The room they entered was larger than he expected. Dim lights hung overhead, and several spotlights were fixed on a long display table at the center. A large wooden cart sat near the back wall, half-covered with a dark sheet.
A group of masked men stood in front of it, chatting in low voices. Every single person in the room wore a mask, including the attendants handling the tools and papers.
Rough stones were piled into open trays nearby. They were unpolished, uneven, and coated in dirt and ash. Some were blackened, others dull brown with patches of white mineral veins. A few had small chips exposing colored cores, but nothing too obvious. Everything looked natural. Untouched.
Argent stepped beside him. "They haven't touched the big one yet. That's where the real value is."
Matthew didn't respond. Real value? Clearly, Argent was one of them scammers, he thought inwardly.
"They're legit," Argent added. "The stones were just pulled in. If you want, we can place a bet. They haven't started the draw yet."
Matthew's eyes scanned the trays again. The sellers were pointing to a few of the larger stones, encouraging buyers to mark them. Small flags had been placed beside several rocks, each marked with symbols he didn't recognize. Most likely buyer tags. Two men off to the left were already arguing over a jagged, reddish stone the size of a loaf of bread.
The ghost girl hovered beside him. "They're faking it. That cart is full of worthless rocks. I can feel it. They don't have anything with essence. Not even a sliver."
Matthew kept still. Obviously, he wouldn't trust anyone in this place. He looked at Argent and the rest. Argent seemed comfortable—maybe too comfortable. The others were friendly too.
As if sensing his hesitation, Argent stepped forward. "Let's test one. Just to be sure."
One of the men nearby nodded and reached into the pile. He picked up a rock and turned toward Matthew, holding it out.
Matthew took it.
The ghost girl instantly spoke. "That one's different. It has a gem, but he switched it. That rock isn't from the pile."
Matthew rolled the stone in his hand. It was heavier than it looked. He couldn't explain it, but something inside the rock felt alive, like it had pressure or warmth. A soft vibration under the surface.
Was this what sensing essence felt like? Was this the same ability he used on spirits? He wondered.
Argent leaned in. "Well?"
Matthew nodded. "Let's open it."
The attendant waved over another staff member. They brought the stone to a small machine in the corner of the room. Two attendants placed it on the platform and secured it. The machine whirred. A thin rotary blade cut across the stone's center.
Moments later, it split.
A small jade sat at the core.
Argent clapped his hands. "See? Told you this batch was legit." He turned to the man in charge. "I'm buying this cart."
The man nodded, signaling a staff member to begin processing the purchase.
Argent looked at Matthew. "What about you? You want to grab the other one?"
Matthew froze.
He had heard that exact phrase before. Same words. Same situation. Argent turned to him with that same excited energy. It wasn't a guess. It was a memory. And like the others, it didn't come from his current life or the previous one.
He had stood in this room before. Not like this, but close enough. He had looked at these carts. These people. Argent had been there, saying the same thing.
"Hey, Ghost. Why not take the other cart too? We can open them together," Argent said. "You saw the jade, right?"
"Well," Matthew was about to speak when an attendant wearing a white mask walked inside. "The last segment of the auction is about to start."
"Oh, it seems that the last segment is about to start," Matthew said. "Shall we go now?"
Argent quickly looked at the man in charge of the stone. "Keep the carts for me. We are coming back after this segment."
"Of course," the man answered just as Matthew and Argent started to walk out of the room.
"Tsk, Ghost… you should slow down," Argent said. "What? Did that cart full of rocks scare you to death?"
"Of course not," Matthew lied while gritting his teeth. Clearly, the memories that had been flashing inside his head weren't just a coincidence. It was from that ghost that he absorbed! This could only mean that the ghost had been attached to Argent because he was one of his victims. Probably someone who died because of his scams in the past.
Now, Matthew needed to sit down.
"I am not feeling well, my stomach is a bit…" Matthew paused as he touched his stomach. "I should go back to the restroom." With that, he left Argent standing there.
"Tsk," Argent glared at Matthew's back.
"I thought he was a bit dense?" a voice came from one of the staff who assisted them earlier. "Argent, you are losing your touch."
"I'm not losing my touch," Argent replied. "That Ghost has been running to the restroom since the auction started. He must really have a sick stomach. Either that, or I'm just having a streak of bad luck tonight. Don't worry—he'll buy that cart no matter what."
"Well, you should hurry. The auction is about to end," the man said before he took a step back.
"What bad luck," Argent said as he walked back to his own seat.
Meanwhile, Matthew pushed open the restroom door and headed straight for the sink. His steps were quick.
"You know no one's following you, right?" the ghost girl said, floating behind him. "Why are you even rushing in here? It's not like anyone can help. Those people are scammers. I told you Argent smelled off, like something rotten. But you didn't…."
She stopped mid-sentence as Matthew's hand gripped the edge of the sink. With a quiet crack, part of the porcelain gave way under his fingers, crumbling like pressed chalk.
"You—" the ghost pointed at him, her eyes wide. "You… you're—"
"I was testing it," Matthew said. He released what was left of the sink, dust and shards falling to the floor. He hadn't meant to break it. Just test his grip. Just apply some pressure.
But it had cracked like nothing.
He glanced down at his hand. "Looks like I've gotten stronger. Again." Stronger than when he first arrived. This was undeniable. Was it the result of absorbing a soul consumed by grudges? That would explain the surge in power… and the memories. He wasn't just taking their strength. He was seeing their past, too.
But the ghosts he absorbed before never had this kind of effect. The power boost was always temporary, like eating a meal. It gave him strength for a while, but once the energy wore off, he'd return to normal. Weaker. Hungrier. This time, though, it felt different. Lasting. Deeper.
"So, you are strong…" the ghost girl said as she hovered around him. "Hmmm... I have never met a Nexian that could see a ghost and be that strong. You are strange."
"Am I?" Matthew asked.
"Well, that is none of my business," the ghost said. "However, what are you planning to do now? Fight them to death?"
This time, Matthew looked at her. "Why would I do something so useless?" he asked. Fighting them? That's too boring. He was here to have some fun, and fighting against people isn't one of them. Matthew beamed. "Hey… ghost girl…do you want to have some fun?"