Even her brothers had received heartfelt words from her...long, sincere messages filled with emotion.

And yet, those very messages had only made them despise her more.

At the time, she could never understand it. ’How can anyone ignore sincerity?’ she had wondered countless times.

But now, as she looked at the flood of messages they were sending her...each one filled with forced warmth...she finally understood.

’So this is how it feels...’

Without hesitation, she blocked all of them, cutting off the last thread that connected her to that past.

Afterward, she shifted her focus entirely back to her talisman business.

However, while she immersed herself in her work, she remained unaware that someone very close to her was slowly stepping into danger.

That person was none other than James.

He had ventured deep into the ghost zone.

It just so happened that within the ghost zone, signals and artifacts lost their connection entirely, leaving one isolated and vulnerable.

At first, James remained calm. ’I’ve handled worse,’ he reassured himself.

Having exorcised countless ghosts before, his confidence as a genius in the field allowed him to deal with the initial encounters without much trouble.

However, that confidence did not last.

Soon, he realized that the ghosts in this place were far more powerful...and far more cunning...than anything he had faced before.

They could mimic humans perfectly, down to the smallest detail.

He had already been tricked once. The memory still lingered, sending a chill down his spine.

’That thing... it spoke just like a human...’

Because of that, he and his group decided to keep their trump cards hidden.

James’ own trump card was the Jade amulet that

Ivy had given him...a simple-looking object that seemed insignificant at first glance. Yet, in reality, it had protected him more times than he could count.

Even within the ghost zone, his connection to the jade pendant remained intact, a small reassurance in an otherwise unstable environment.

As he walked cautiously through the dense, shadowy woods, his girlfriend approached him quietly, her footsteps barely making a sound against the damp ground.

"I have a strange feeling," she whispered softly. "Jereimah... he feels a bit suspicious here."

James glanced ahead, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"I noticed it too," he replied in a low voice. "He stopped earlier... checked his time like he was waiting for something."

Not far from them, another woman...Aurora...watched everyone with sharp, suspicious eyes, her gaze flickering from one person to another.

After traveling for a while without encountering any ghosts, they finally decided to rest beneath a towering tree.

Once seated, they followed a routine that had now become second nature.

"Let’s do a headcount," someone muttered.

After all, often times, they do a headcount, and a person goes missing.

One by one, they counted.

For now, only five of them remained... Jeremiah, James, Gwen, Raymond, and, finally, Aurora.

James looked at each of them, his expression grave.

"If this continues," he said firmly, his voice low but resolute, "we’re all going to die. We should retreat while we still can."

Aurora let out a sharp, almost mocking laugh.

"Oh, what’s this?" she sneered, crossing her arms as her lips curled in disdain. "James is scared now? Can’t even handle a little fear?"

James clenched his fists tightly.

’Don’t react... she’s trying to provoke you,’ he reminded himself.

Lifting his gaze, he spoke again. "I’m not saying this out of fear. I’m saying it because it’s the truth. If we want to survive, leaving now is the smartest choice."

Aurora’s expression darkened instantly.

"Then leave," she snapped coldly. "No one’s stopping you. Go on your own if you’re that afraid."

Jeremiah, standing beside her, gave a silent nod, his agreement clear without a single word.

Meanwhile, Raymond glanced at James, his eyes flickering with hesitation before he stepped closer and lowered his voice.

"You know how they are," he murmured quietly.

"They’re immature... don’t take it to heart. But if you listen to them now and walk away, you might regret it. There’s a relic buried somewhere deeper in this zone... maybe even the ghost essence we’ve been searching for."

James and Gwen exchanged a brief glance, a silent conversation passing between them. Gwen shook her head gently, her fingers tightening around his hand.

"There’s no need," she said softly but firmly. "We leave. That’s it."

Without another word, she intertwined her fingers with his, and together they turned and began walking away.

Behind them, Aurora scoffed loudly, spitting onto the ground in contempt. "Cowards," she muttered with a sneer. "Running away over something this trivial... pathetic."

Jeremiah patted her shoulder in a calm, dismissive manner. "Forget them," he said coolly. "They’re not worth your anger."

Aurora exhaled sharply before giving a slight nod.

Meanwhile, Raymond stood there for a moment, watching James and Gwen’s retreating figures with a conflicted expression.

Then, almost absentmindedly, he touched the folded note Gwen had slipped into his hand earlier. After a brief pause, he turned and followed after them.

As they moved deeper into the forest, James glanced sideways at Gwen, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

"What was that note you gave Raymond?" he asked, his tone casual but probing. "And why are you helping that guy anyway?"

Gwen shot him a sharp glare, her brows knitting together.

"Can you not sound so hostile?" she replied. "You don’t even know him properly."

James let out a faint chuckle. "If I didn’t know better, I’d think my girlfriend cares more about that guy than me."

Gwen stopped abruptly, turning to face him with narrowed eyes.

"I thought you were more mature than this," she said, pointing a finger at him accusingly. "But it looks like you’re just acting like a jealous, insecure boyfriend."

James raised both hands slightly in surrender, a small laugh escaping him. "Alright, alright... I get it. I won’t say anything more."

The cold wind blowing made both of them aware of the danger.

It wasn’t like he couldn’t deal with the danger. With Lana’s equipment, it was a piece of cake for him.