Chapter 1

At 2:00 am, after a passionate night with my girlfriend, I casually drop a selfie into a WhatsApp group chat with my buddies.

The chat blows up instantly.

Mack Slater: "Damn, Harv. Those hickeys on your neck are kinda artistic."

Keith Oldman: "Ivory's back for Embercoil Solstice, huh? I bet you two went wild tonight."

I stare at the screen, feeling smug.

Then Will Anderson, who hasn't said anything so far, suddenly tags me in the group and sends a creepy message.

"You're in trouble. Those aren't hickeys on your neck. They're marks left by a drowned wraith looking for a substitute!"

My hands are trembling as I clutch my phone.

Chapter 1

The conversation went on in the group chat.

Mack Slater: "Dude, stop creeping us out in the middle of the night. But seriously, the fact that the hickey is actually in the shape of a cross is pretty weird."

Keith Oldman: "I think you single losers are just jealous of Harvey."

Will Anderson: "Have you noticed anything off about your girlfriend?"

The moment I saw that message, my eyes instinctively went to the bathroom. The shower was running full blast. My girlfriend, Ivory White, was inside, taking a shower.

My mind raced as I typed a reply.

Harvey Larkin: "Other than being a little more needy tonight, I didn't feel anything weird."

Will sent a string of shocked emojis before saying, "The Embercoil Solstice is the day ghosts go hunting for substitutes, and drowned wraiths are especially active. The sun aspect is at its peak on this day, and the human body burns through a lot of energy.

"You're supposed to stay pure and restrained to protect your life force. But now that she's drained your prime vigor, you've lost a layer of protection!"

What he said left me stunned. How was that even possible?

Before I could ask anything, Keith said, "Will, cut the spooky crap. Harv and Ivory haven't seen each other in almost a month. Of course, they're gonna go at it a few times. It's totally normal. The first thing you do after opening your mouth is call her a drowned wraith."

But I knew Will wasn't the type who liked to joke around, and he was usually into arcane stuff. I'd heard his grandfather had been an arcane priest when he was young.

All of a sudden, I started to panic.

Will ignored the others and kept typing. "Does Ivory's skin feel kind of cold and slick when you touch her? Like you're touching fish scales…"

I felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head when I read that because he was right. When I'd held Ivory earlier, I'd thought she might be sick. She'd just brushed it off and said the room's AC was too low.

"Dude, I'm dying here. How do you even know that? Did you cop a feel yourself or what?"

"Hahaha! Harv, don't listen to Will. I think he's just fantasizing about Ivory. Pretty sure he just can't stand seeing you so happy because he broke off his engagement last year."

Everyone in the group chat started clowning on Will, but he went on anyway.

"Check if places she's been, or the area around her, keep getting random wet spots."

I hurriedly lowered my head to look at the bed. My eyes widened when I saw water stains on the sheets, especially where she had just been lying.

I snapped a photo and sent it to the group, then said, "Will, it really looks like you're onto something. Take a look and tell me what you think."

Before he replied, Keith sent several smirking emojis. "Harv, are you just trying to show off? I can totally tell things got pretty intense just now."

Mack couldn't help chiming in. "Uh, Harv, I think you're overthinking this. Will's just messing with you to get his voyeur kink satisfied."

That made me snap back to reality. Ivory and I had worked up a sweat earlier. It was totally normal for sweat to soak into the sheets and leave marks.

I started to feel stupid for taking Will so seriously, but what he said next made every hair on my body stand on end.

Chapter 2

"Does she have a bruise on the inner side of her knee?" Will asked.

He wasn't wrong about that. My heart had ached when I'd seen the bruise on Ivory's leg earlier. She'd just told me not to worry. She said she'd simply fallen by accident while walking and that it didn't hurt anymore.

I hadn't told anyone about it, and Ivory had only just gotten back. So how did Will nail it in one shot?

Was Ivory really a drowned wraith? I didn't dare think about it.

In the group chat, I said to Will, "Yes, there is. How'd you know? But it was just from when she came back and fell."

The guys in the group chat were stunned and chimed in quickly.

"Damn, you were right about that."

"Will, I seriously suspect you've been stalking Ivory this whole time."

"Ew, dude, that's creepy."

Will replied, "That's not an ordinary bruise. It's what happens when the nether aspect in the water congeals in the blood vessels. Look closely and see if it looks like a bluish-purple web. That's how you can tell."

I was just about to type my reply when a cold voice suddenly sounded right next to the bed. "Harvey, what are you guys chatting about?"

I jumped so hard that I almost dropped my phone.

I had no idea when Ivory had walked up beside me. She was wrapped in a bathrobe, her damp hair draped over her shoulders. Water was still dripping from the ends.

Despite being fresh out of the shower, her skin had absolutely no color to it. It was an eerie, ghastly white.

I forced myself to calm down and said nonchalantly, "Nothing much. I'm just talking to my friends."

Ivory's lips curved into a strange smile as she slowly bent down, bringing her face close to mine. I hurriedly locked my phone screen.

She exhaled softly against my neck. "You look pretty energetic to me. How about we go another round?"

I didn't know if I was imagining it, but a chill swept across my neck. And even though she'd just taken a hot shower, I caught a faint, fishy smell of pond weeds and stagnant water beneath the scent of body wash.

Thinking of what Will had said, I panicked and turned her down. "Babe, let's do it another day. I'm wiped out for the night—all out of ammo."

A flicker of disappointment passed through Ivory's eyes. Paired with her stunning face, she looked heartbreakingly pitiful.

As I looked at her, I couldn't help doubting Will's words, no matter how convincing he seemed. I decided to check the bruise on Ivory's leg carefully for myself.

"Babe, let me put some lotion on you," I offered.

She didn't refuse. She just smiled and said, "Okay."

I grabbed the bottle of body lotion, loosened her bathrobe, and started spreading the lotion over her skin. The moment my hands touched her, my body gave a tiny shiver.

She had just come out of a hot shower, yet her skin still felt ice-cold to the touch.

I steadied my breathing and kept rubbing the lotion in. Before long, I reached her lower body. I took a deep breath and carefully examined the bruise on the inside of her knee.

The next second, the room seemed to spin. It was just a small patch, but I could clearly see the bluish-purple web of veins underneath, like a tiny spiderweb. It was exactly as Will had described.

"What's wrong?"

Noticing how I suddenly froze, Ivory spoke up.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm as I resumed rubbing in the lotion. "Nothing. It just hurts me that you got hurt, babe."

Her voice suddenly sharpened a few degrees. "Just saying that isn't enough."

I did my best to keep my tone even. "Then what do you want?"

Inside, I was freaking out. I was terrified her face would suddenly twist into something monstrous, and that she would come for my life.

Ivory went quiet for a moment. She stared straight into my eyes, her expression impossible to read.

Chapter 3

Ivory suddenly giggled and said, "Come on, why are you so tense? I just want you to keep me company for a late-night snack."

I let out a breath of relief. Thank goodness she wasn't asking me to dig out my heart for her.

I nodded and, as calmly as I could, answered, "Okay. I'm all done with the lotion. Go dry your hair so you don't catch a cold."

She smiled and got up to head back into the bathroom.

The moment she disappeared from sight, I hurriedly pulled out my phone and messaged Will privately.

"Will, I think there's really something off about Ivory! But I don't get it. I've been with her for so long. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've already done it."

Everything was just too bizarre. I honestly couldn't bring myself to believe that the girlfriend I'd spent so many days and nights with was actually a drowned wraith.

Will replied, "That's because she's waiting for the right moment. To complete a substitution ritual, she has to stay by the target's side for over a year. She has to know everything about that person—how they act, how they talk, and every little habit."

Thinking back, it really had been about a year since I started dating Ivory.

"Did you two meet near water?" Will asked.

My heart lurched. "Yeah, we did!"

A year ago, I'd met Ivory and fallen in love with her when I was out for a late-night run by a lake. It turned out our meeting hadn't been some beautiful coincidence.

I'd been marked.

What was I supposed to do? Call the cops? But I didn't have any real evidence that she wanted to hurt me. The police would probably think I was crazy.

"Then I'll just get out of here and hide for a while, at least until the Embercoil Solstice is over," I typed.

If I couldn't afford to mess with ivory, I could at least run.

But Will's next messages only made my panic worse.

"It's too late! The ritual has already started. Even if you keep hiding, once the clock hits 4:44 am, you're dead anyway."

All color drained from my face as terror washed over me. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

Will's reply came quickly. "Right now, go crush some garlic and keep it with you. Go to the place where you first met and look for an old weeping willow. Dig around the roots, pour the garlic in, and then drip a drop of blood from your fingertip on it."

I couldn't help asking, "Will that get rid of the drowned wraith?"

"Yeah. Willow trees are nether-aligned. Drowned wraiths usually cling to the roots of century-old willows along the bank. It's known as a nether hollow. If you destroy the roots, you're basically cutting off its foundation."

He sent a string of reminders.

"You need to remember this—do not let her realize you know what she really is. Otherwise, she'll lose control, and the consequences will be unimaginable. Also, don't go near the water. Whatever you do, don't step into it."

I committed every word to memory.

Will had one last reminder. "And make sure you finish all of this before 4:44 am. Once that time hits, you're beyond saving!"

I checked my phone. It was already 3:00 am. That left me just over an hour. The lakeside park where Ivory and I had first met was about a half-hour drive from here.

I had to move. Now.

I threw on my clothes and hurried to the kitchen. I grabbed some garlic, crushed it, and stored it in a plastic bag. After I stuffed it into my pocket and turned around, a violent shiver ran through me. My heart pounded wildly.

Ivory stood right behind me, staring straight at me. "What are you doing? Where are you going in the middle of the night?"

Her voice was cold and filled with suspicion.

I couldn't let her notice anything was off. I scratched my head and said, "Will and the guys just found a new fishing spot. They asked to go do some night fishing. I figured I'd bring some garlic to bait the fish."

In the next second, her face changed drastically. She shrieked, "You're not going!"

Her reaction startled me.

"You're going out so late at night to fool around, aren't you? You just promised you'd stay and have supper with me!"

I had never heard Ivory's voice so shrill. She wanted to keep me here, locked at her side. Then, when the appointed hour came, she would complete the ritual.

Chapter 4

I needed to figure out a way to get out of here, fast. My mind spun as I searched for an excuse.

"Well, alright. I won't go fishing, Ivory. I'll just swing by to drop off the fishing rod that I borrowed from Will last time. It wouldn't be nice to keep them from fishing. I'll get some food on the way back, and we can eat together then," I said.

Ivory stood there without moving, her gaze unfocused. She seemed to be thinking about something.

Then, she smiled faintly and pulled out her phone from her pocket, saying calmly, "Fine, but I'm calling Will to verify this first. What if you're just giving me the slip and sneaking off to fool around?"

She made the call before I could say anything.

Cold sweat broke out across my back. In my heart, I silently prayed that Will would be sharp enough not to blow my cover.

"Hey, Will," Ivory said when the call connected.

"Oh? Ivory?"

"Are you guys seriously dragging Harvey out in the middle of the night to go fishing instead of letting him sleep?"

There was a brief silence on the other hand. My heart pounded in my chest. I'd already braced myself to bolt out the front door if things went south.

"Hey, you there? Say something," Ivory said, her tone turning severe.

"Oh, uh, sorry. The signal cut out for a second," Will stammered. "Yeah, I did ask him to join us for night fishing."

The knot in my chest finally loosened. Thank goodness—Will must've picked up on the situation.

Ivory frowned, looking like she wanted to grill him for more information.

I quickly stepped forward, took the phone from her, and said, "Will, sorry, man. I'll head out right now and bring you back that fishing rod I borrowed before. You guys go ahead, alright? I'm gonna sit this one out."

With that, I hung up and handed the phone back to Ivory.

"There, you called him and talked to him. Can you relax now?" I asked.

She paused, then suddenly wrapped her arms around me. "Alright. I'm just worried that it won't be safe for you to go out so late. I heard it's easy to run into ghosts if you go out on the Embercoil Solstice."

I couldn't help thinking that if I didn't leave this place, I'd really be done in by the ghost standing right in front of me.

"Don't worry. I'll be quick." I gave her a gentle pat on the back before turning to head out the door.

She didn't try to stop me again, and I made it out of the apartment without a hitch.

I didn't know if my eyes were playing tricks on me, but as I stepped out, I could've sworn I saw Ivory baring her teeth in a strange smile, murmuring something under her breath.

I didn't dare dwell on it. I hurried into the elevator and hit the button for the basement level. The elevator started moving. Once I got to the car, I planned to drive straight to the lakeside park. I remembered I had a shovel in the trunk—perfect for digging up the soil around the tree roots.

As my mind raced, the elevator stopped on the fourth floor. Who would be there this late?

Then, it hit me. None of the units on the fourth floor had even been sold yet. Who would be here in the middle of the night?

I clenched my fists, every muscle in my body tensing as I stared at the elevator doors.

"Ding!"

The doors slid open. A dark figure appeared in front of me. I reacted on instinct and swung a punch.

"Ow! What the hell, man? Why'd you hit me?"

I snapped back to my senses and realized it was just a food delivery guy standing at the door.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry!" I apologized over and over, shuffling back to give him room.

He didn't make a fuss and stepped into the elevator with his insulated delivery bag.

My heart slowly settled down again, and the elevator doors closed once more.

Suddenly, because of unstable voltage, the lights flickered on and off.

I glanced down at my phone. It was 3:15 am; I still had enough time.

The moment I looked up, the sight before me made my mind go blank. I started to tremble uncontrollably when I saw black liquid dripping from between the delivery guy's fingers.

In the next second, the delivery bag split open at the seam. Black liquid reeking of rotting corpses poured out nonstop.

I didn't even dare breathe too loudly as I slowly lifted my head. The delivery guy's head had twisted 180 degrees, and his gray-white pupils were staring straight at me.

Chapter 5

"Hehehe… Happy Embercoil Solstice. Can I have your body?" the delivery guy asked.

His voice was strange and inhuman. His appearance had changed entirely—his face had turned swollen and rotting, as if he'd been submerged in water for a long time after dying.

A wave of sheer terror surged up in my chest. I instinctively tried to run, but it was like something had nailed my feet to the floor. I couldn't move an inch.

To make things creepier, even though the guy's delivery bag was small, pitch-black liquid kept pouring out of it in an endless stream. In just a short moment, the liquid in the elevator had already flooded past my calves.

A biting chill crept up from the soles of my feet and shot straight to my heart.

"Ding!"

At the very moment I was about to fall into despair, the elevator doors slid open. The display showed we had reached the basement.

As the doors opened, the black liquid rushed out, and the invisible restraints on my body seemed to loosen a little. Seizing the moment—and with nothing left but a desperate mentality to just try anything—I yanked some crushed garlic from my pocket and flung it at the delivery guy.

It hit his face with a sizzling sound, and thick white smoke curled up. In an instant, he let out a bloodcurdling scream.

It actually worked!

A spark of joy flared in my chest. At the same time, the force holding me in place vanished. I bolted out of the elevator in a panic, found my car, and jumped in to start it.

I couldn't help glancing back over my shoulder, terrified that the creepy delivery guy would come after me again. Thankfully, he didn't. I had escaped danger for the moment.

All of this was far too bizarre, though. Impossible, horrifying events that completely shredded my understanding of reality had happened one after another.

I gripped the steering wheel and sucked in lungfuls of air, panting hard. The back of my shirt was soaked through with cold sweat.

Everything Will had said was true. It seemed like the only way to survive was to floor the gas to the lakeside park, find that willow tree, and cut off whatever curse had been set in motion. Only then would I live.

Following the GPS directions, I put the pedal to the metal. The traffic around me grew thinner; the world outside gradually sank into a dead, eerie silence.

My car became the only one racing forward on the narrow path of the city's outskirts.

Suddenly, my phone started ringing, the sound shrill and urgent. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw it was Ivory calling.

My heart clenched tight, but I still took one hand off the wheel to answer. On the other end, Ivory's trembling voice came through the speaker.

"Babe, help me! There's a creepy-looking delivery guy pounding on the door like crazy!"

As Ivory spoke, I could clearly hear the frantic, heavy pounding echoing through the phone. What the hell was going on?

I'd been wondering if the delivery guy in the elevator was actually Ivory in disguise. So then what was this? Was this a different ghost? Would a ghost really be afraid of another ghost? Or had I misunderstood Ivory the whole time, and the real drowned wraith was that delivery guy?

"Babe, come home! I'm scared!" Ivory cried.

I couldn't help saying, "Ivory, don't open the door. Did you call the cops?"

"I did, but they said there are too many emergencies tonight. They said it'll take an hour for them to get here."

Her words sent me right back into deep suspicion. No matter how busy a precinct got, there was no way it would take a whole hour to send help.

Something was off. This had to be a setup. Ivory was trying to trick me into going back.

When I didn't immediately take the bait, the voice on the other end grew increasingly frantic. "Come back! Come back!"

Out of nowhere, a burst of harsh static exploded through the phone, stabbing into my eardrums. The very next second, a warped, hellish voice came through the line. "Hahaha… You can't escape!"

Every alarm bell in my head went off at once. My hands tightened around the steering wheel on their own.

The calm female voice of the GPS chimed in just then. "Continue straight ahead."

The next instant, I slammed my foot down on the brake. The screech of tires tearing across asphalt ripped through the night as the car lurched violently. The jolt of inertia nearly slammed my head into the steering wheel.

The car finally shuddered to a stop. I straightened up and lifted my eyes to look out the window. The moment I saw what was outside, I started to shake.