We barely slept that night. For the first time, I truly experienced first-hand the agony that Mr. Zhang had endured on a nightly basis. The six Sisters practically threw up an all-nighter party last night at the center, the strong Yin energy in the night fuelling their exuberance and excitement of being able to travel! How could anyone have hoped to even close their eyes when six ghosts, all dead in myriads of ways imaginable, were zipping around wildly in the Center in a celebratory mood!

We reached at the Wu Zhong County train station at 11 in the morning, carrying our backpacks on our shoulders. Our destination was the final stop of the train: the Beijing station, and our band, each with our bags and packs clinging to our arms, blended nicely into the crowd of youngsters traveling into the capital for work.

We reached Beijing at 1 in the afternoon. It was hardly a long journey, since Wu Zhong was only about a hundred kilometers away from the capital. Without time for any sightseeing, we immediately hopped onto the Beijing Subway and then the Airport Express. Along the journey, the six Sisters stared with amazement at the scenery of the Beijing metropolis, the everchanging of sceneries of the bustling city overwhelming them with wondrous screams and excited howls. It was their first time in the capital of the country. Once getting off the subway, Xiao Qi appeared from my gourd. “Look, Shiyan, look! What is that?” She screamed while her agitated hand pointed forward and, much to my annoyance, her other hand was tugging at my ear. I shoved off her hand and looked. “That’s a vending machine,” I muttered. They were dead for not even 10 years, I brooded. Were they really so far behind? But the realization came as quickly; despite being the daughter of a wealthy man, vending machines were but mere contrivances in fiction and imagination a decade ago.

The subway was so crowded that we nearly lost ourselves into the rushing tides of people trying to travel in and out of the station. The mob of subway users shoved and pushed their way so violently that the three of us were struggling to keep our balance as we walked, shaking like ragdolls and scarecrows in the wind. With the abundance of Yang energies in the underground station, Xiao Qi and the Sisters had retreated back into hiding. It took us an hour-long journey for us to reach the airport, and beads of sweat were pouring down our foreheads by then. We went into the airport and completed all formalities and boarding procedures; at four in the afternoon, we were finally on the plane that took off the runway, veering to the course towards Inner Mongolia.

It was the first time Lin Feng and Yuan Chongxi boarded a plane, hence their apparent nervousness like young children. Of the six Sisters, Xiao Qi and Xiao Liu had ridden on airplanes before and there were hardly perturbed by the take-off. Xiao Er was her usual composed self, while Xiao San tried to remain as impassive as she could. Xiao Si and Xiao Wu were whistling around with hysterical enthusiasm, flying around the runway before the airplane began its climb. It was fortunate that none of the other passengers had the ability to see ghosts, lest chaos and pandemonium might have long broken out.

It was hardly a long ride from the Beijing International Airport to the Baotou Erliban Airport in Inner Mongolia. Like how Yuan Chongxi had put it, the seats were barely warm when we disembarked from the plane. We strode out of the airport and looked bewilderedly around us. My hand went into my pockets as I searched for my phone. I was about to call for Tao Gang when a man, looking around the age of thirty, came to us. “Hi there, are you the nephews of Mr. Zhang, Zhang Baoguo?” We nodded blankly, with dumbfounded looks on our faces. Mr. Zhang must have made quite an impression of us that we were like wealthy scions from a prominent household to even have a personal valet to come fetch us.

The man smiled benignly at us. “This way please.” He ushered us to the carpark of the airport and had us dazedly boarded a luxury sedan. As he drove, the man tried to strike up a conversation. “So, what are your names, my friends?” I smiled at him through the rear-view mirror. “My name is Murong Shiyan; Shiyan for short.” “I’m Yuan Chongxi” Chongxi smiled and replied, while Lin Feng nodded and said, “I’m Lin Feng.” With a silky voice, the man said flatteringly, “Oh my. It’s an honor to meet you all, Young Masters Murong, Yuan and Lin. My greetings to you all.” “Is there a need for such theatrics? Young Master Murong?” My thoughts wandered to the character Murong Fu from the story Demi-gods and Semi-devils (Tian Long Ba Bu) by renowned author Jin Yong. The man’s voice continued, breaking my line of thoughts, “My name is Zhao. You can call me Brother Zhao.” The three of us quipped in unison, “Hi, Brother Zhao.” Sometime later, following our return from Inner Mongolia to Wu Zhong, I would then find out from Mr. Zhang that this Brother Zhao was also a wealthy person himself; although he would try to satisfy any favors from Mr. Zhang with as much devotion as he could muster due to his business dealings with Mr. Zhang.

Brother Zhao found us a hotel and even helped to find us a car for our use here. I dug into my pockets and was about to fish out some money for the payment, but Brother Zhao immediately stopped me, saying that it was he who should be footing the bill, since we were his guests. The cost for all these favors would surely come due, I pondered, as I relented to accepting his hospitality.

We withdrew back to our rooms and began unpacking as we called home to send word of our safe arrival. It was already six in the evening, when I remembered to send a message to Tao Gang, informing him of our arrival and we would be ready to begin our work the next morning. Tao Gang sent back a short reply: a two-lettered “OK” with his location. I allowed myself to collapse into the soft folds of my pillow as I laid on my bed in my room. I heaved a breath; so far so good. There has yet to be any signs showing that the enemy had noticed us coming. But just when I barely relaxed, my phone began ringing. It was Brother Zhao. I answered the call and he told me that he had booked a room at a restaurant for dinner. What a pompous fellow, I frowned. But the look on Yuan Chongxi’s face just beside me, who had never once missed a phone conversation about food, told me that I could only give one answer: Yes.

We spoke freely throughout the 2-hour long course dinner, knowing that Brother Zhao had surmised of our profession. Mr. Zhang must have told him something along the lines of “these are the sons of powerful people”, I thought as we endured his sugar-coated cajolery for the entire duration of the meal. At the end of the dinner, Brother Zhao took his leave and we returned to our hotel rooms. A quick glance at my watch told me the time was 8 P.M. On the way back to the hotel, Lin Feng was grinning with a goofy smile on his face, not unlike the Disney character with that same particular name, at the steering wheel. What was it? I asked and he admitted his elation at being able to drive a Porsche, which was the first time for him. “Shiyan,” Yuan Chongxi said to me suddenly, “This Brother Zhao seemed overly and definitely suspiciously warm and generous. I’m afraid that this might turn out to be an expensive favor to repay.” “How expensive could it be,” I remarked, cracking into a giggle myself, “He is aware of what we do for a living. Just give him a look or two, Brother. Some advice from you about his fengshui and fortune would be enough. He, in turn, would be in your debt if your counsel bears him fruit.”

Back at the hotel, we returned to our own rooms. We did not sleep well that night too; the sights of Xiao Qi and Xiao San hurtling around above me, as well as the electrical appliances, the television, the air-conditioning and the lights in my room, going on and off on their own, did enough to keep me from sleeping that entire night…

Brother Zhao was already waiting for us at the lobby of the hotel when we came down the next morning. We had barely just stepped down the steps of the staircase when we noticed him sitting on a couch. He insisted that we accompany him for lunch. We would have declined his offer, since our trip was not a trip of leisure, but a crusade to help eradicate evil. Still, we gave in to his offer, knowing that we could not risk leaking any information about our purpose to him. During the meal, Brother Zhao inquired if we had any tourist destinations in mind. He was trying to find us a tourist guide, then I realized, and I knew full well that we had to put a stop to all his generosity, however sincere they might be. “Actually, Brother Zhao,” I said to him, “We’re planning to look around on our own. Since you know what we do for a living, I trust that you understand surely that safety is definitely not an issue for us…” Brother Zhao fell silent immediately, staring at me blankly with the unmistakable hints of wonder in his gaze. In the eyes of Brother Zhao, we were a trio consisting of a martial arts expert, a master clairvoyant who held dominion over spirits and ghosts, and a seer who was gifted with the sight to perceive destiny and fate.

Midway through the meal, I nudged at Yuan Chongxi, who had been gobbling hungrily at the food with the efficiency of inhaling oxygen, and signaled him to do something. With his stomach filled to his content, Yuan Chongxi realized my tacit indication and placed down his chopsticks. “Brother Zhao,” he said to our host, “We have you to thank for the kind hospitality you’ve shown us for these two days. You’ve been through much trouble for our sake, and we do not know how best to repay you.” Brother Zhao raised his hands, trying to play down his affability and kindness. Yuan Chongxi grabbed at his hand with a smile, flipped it over and peered into his palm, much to Brother Zhao’s surprise and shock. With a simple glance, Yuan Chongxi muttered, “You seemed to be deeply troubled even by the most trivial of concerns, Brother Zhao. Relax and widen your perspective despite these predicaments lest you jeopardize your own health.”

Brother Zhao was stunned for seconds before he recollected himself and broke into a weak smile, murmuring profusely that he should. Underneath his smile, there was a fakeness that could be peeled off, revealing the underlying cunningness beneath. This Brother Zhao was hardly as simple as he looked, I guessed. “Brother Zhao,” Yuan Chongxi said suddenly, “Do you mind giving me your birthdates and hour of birth?” There was a fleeting second of hesitation. “This companion of mine is a master in divining one’s fate and fortune, Brother Zhao,” I said, “He may look simple and dull, but I assure you, he is quite the contrary.” Brother Zhao’s eyes gleamed with desire as he hurriedly provided the needed details. Yuan Chongxi made some calculations and gave him a small prep talk, injecting more confidence into the man. “You may not be obscenely wealthy or rich.” I heard Yuan Chongxi said to the man, “But you will definitely enjoy a leap in your career!”

Brother Zhao was so happy to hear this, mumbling words of thanks repetitively. “You need not to be grateful, Brother,” Yuan Chongxi said to him again, “You have labored much for our well-being these two days, and we have nothing to repay your favor with. Consider this a gift from us for your kindness.”

Sometime later when we got back to Wu Zhong, Mr. Zhang did tell me that Brother Zhao was not only in the car rental business; he was also running his own logistics company. The bulk of Mr. Zhang’s Zhang Group was in the food business, and Brother Zhao was one of the logistics companies commissioned by Mr. Zhang’s company to help deliver goods around. Hence Mr. Zhang was the respected and highly-worshipped patron and benefactor to Brother Zhao’s career. Then again, Brother Zhao must be very good with dealing with people otherwise he would not be a successful businessman at such an early age of thirty-plus.

Without further ado, we said our goodbyes to Brother Zhao after the meal and drove to the location sent to us by Tao Gang.