For a moment, she considered keeping it untouched until her husband, Noah, returned.

Friday evening arrived quietly.

When Noah finally stepped into the house, Margaret immediately noticed the tension in his expression.

"What happened?" she asked softly, stepping closer.

Noah exhaled sharply, rubbing his forehead as if trying to push away a headache.

"Pack my bags," he said in a low, tired voice. "I have to leave for a business trip."

Margaret’s heart skipped a beat.

"But it’s already so late," she replied, her voice laced with concern.

"Weren’t you supposed to go on vacation tomorrow? We planned that special trip..."

Noah let out a frustrated sigh, his jaw tightening.

"It’s because of that stupid boy...George. He ran away, and now his father is pressuring people like us to find him."

Margaret frowned. "Ran away... where?"

"Into a ghost zone," Noah replied grimly.

"Not the most dangerous one, but still... he clearly forgot that ghosts still exist there. Finding a lost boy in a place like that..."

He shook his head. "It’s like searching for a needle in a nightmare."

A chill ran down Margaret’s spine. "Isn’t that extremely dangerous?"

Noah simply nodded.

Without another word, Margaret hurried to pack his bag.

Her movements became quicker, more purposeful, as she added everything she could think of...equipment, protective items, and even a few talismans she personally owned.

Suddenly, her hand paused. Her gaze shifted to the jade amulet resting against her chest.

’This... might help him more than me,’ she thought.

She quickly removed it and approached Noah. "Take this with you," she said, holding it out. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Noah frowned, eyeing the delicate jade pendant.

"This looks like something you should keep," he muttered. "It’s too... feminine."

Margaret shook her head firmly.

"I was planning to bind it to myself, but you need it more," she insisted. "I’ll just buy another one."

Before he could protest, she grabbed his hand and pricked his finger.

"What are you...?" Noah began, but stopped as a drop of blood welled up.

Margaret carefully let the blood fall onto the jade.

Both of them watched closely.

For a brief moment, nothing happened.

Then... the blood vanished.

It was as if the jade had absorbed it completely.

Silence fell between them.

Margaret’s eyes lit up with excitement. "See? I told you!"

Noah blinked, clearly taken aback, but quickly composed himself and rolled his eyes.

"You’re overthinking it," he said, though his voice lacked conviction. "Maybe the blood just... slipped somewhere else."

Still, a faint unease lingered in his gaze.

He grabbed his suitcase and muttered, "I’m leaving now."

As he walked away, Margaret watched him, worry etched across her face.

’He’s underestimating this...’ she thought.

Letting out a quiet sigh, she returned to the sofa and immediately ordered another amulet. Relief washed over her when she realized it was still available.

However, just as she completed the purchase, the final amulet was sold...too.

Margaret couldn’t help but murmur, "If only I had bought one more..."

Meanwhile, far away, Lana stared at her screen in stunned silence.

"All... sold?" she whispered.

A strange thrill surged through her as she saw the total...two hundred million dollars.

’This... changes everything,’ she thought.

Without hesitation, she began planning her next step. "I’ll create more amulet to sell," she murmured, her eyes gleaming with ambition.

At the same time, Noah arrived at the ghost zone.

He soon met his superiors, their expressions serious and focused.

Among them was Sasha, his superior’s subordinate, who gave him a brief nod of acknowledgment.

Alongside them stood several others, including celestial masters and a priest.

Without wasting time, the group began moving toward the ghost zone.

They had already conducted an analysis...this place was massive, as large as an entire city.

If it had been smaller, the search would have been manageable, even if dangerous. But a place this vast and filled with unseen threats...

Finding one boy here was almost impossible.

As they walked, the faint crunch of gravel beneath their boots echoed in the eerie silence.

Yasmin, one of Liam’s subordinates, frowned and broke the silence.

"It’s strange," she said. "Why would a boy willingly run into a ghost zone? What was he thinking?"

Sasha let out a quiet scoff. "To rebel," she replied.

"His father refused to let him be with a woman from a humble background. So he chose something drastic."

A trace of disdain flickered in her eyes.

"Foolish," she added coldly.

Soon, they reached the edge of the ghost zone...the place where George was believed to be hiding.

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

They paused and conducted a quick inspection.

The moment they finished, their expressions darkened.

"The energy here..." someone muttered.

"It’s increased," another voice added grimly.

The ghost zone was no longer what it used to be.

Even their superior, Liam, who usually maintained a calm and unreadable expression, felt a flicker of unease deep within his heart.

He turned toward the celestial master, his voice low but firm.

"Celestial Master Li... why is the ghost energy here so overwhelming?"

Celestial Master Li narrowed his eyes slightly. After a brief pause, he spoke in a measured tone.

"As long as negative energy is left to fester unchecked," he said, "it will continue to grow stronger... and more unstable."

A faint chill ran through the group at his words.

Liam frowned deeply, his brows knitting together as a troubling thought crossed his mind.

"If that’s the case," he said, his voice tightening, "then what are the chances that one of the ghosts here has already evolved... into something with over a hundred years of cultivation?"

Celestial Master Li fell silent, his fingers lightly tapping against his sleeve as he considered the question.

The seconds stretched uncomfortably before he finally spoke again.

"At least ninety percent."

The answer struck like a thunderclap.

Everyone froze.

Liam inhaled slowly, forcing himself to remain composed. He turned toward his subordinates, his voice steady but carrying an unmistakable edge.