Ultimate Evolution I Became the Master of the World
Chapter 43 The Disappearing Corpse

Because Mr. Rossi demanded it, the whole mall got shut down, even the emergency exits.

'I have no idea how this guy named Ethan ended up in the mall. I didn't see him at all during my last patrol. Has he been here the whole time? Was that weird feeling I had these past few days because of him?' Michael thought, eyeing Ethan and running through a million questions in his head.

Then he had another question inwardly, 'But what about that rotting corpse? I didn't see that on my last patrol either.'

And the cut on the neck? It was so clean and smooth, like something only a factory machine could do. But the creepiest part? No blood at all.

Mr. Wagner, Lucas, and Mr. Rossi all watched Ethan approach, looking pretty freaked out.

A killer? A lunatic?

Their minds raced with possibilities.

Ethan reached out to shake Mr. Wagner's hand, but Wagner stepped back, not taking it. "Who are you? What do you want?" he asked, clearly scared.

"I just want to talk business, Mr. Wagner. The question is, are you interested?" Ethan said, pulling his hand back and smiling.

"What kind of business?" Mr. Wagner asked.

Ethan replied, "If I'm right, your mall's got a ghost problem. The people who disappeared here? All killed by that ghost. And right now, it's hiding somewhere, watching us. I can fix this for you, but it'll cost you five million dollars." Mr. Wagner realized Ethan was here to extort him.

Before he could respond, Mr. Rossi sneered, "Kid, do you even know the rules? You look like you're barely in your twenties. Do you even know how to exorcise a ghost? I'll handle Mr. Wagner's problem, so you better get lost. Or I'll have security throw you out."

Ethan sneered back, "You can fool the rich folks, but your tricks won't work here because there's a real ghost."

"And watch your tone, or I'll rip your heart out and shove it down your throat," he added, his face turning cold and serious. He grabbed Mr. Rossi and lifted him with surprising strength. His cold tone made it clear he wasn't bluffing.

Sweat beaded on Mr. Rossi's forehead, and panic filled his eyes. He instinctively feared Ethan.

This guy was like the most dangerous criminal, cold-blooded and violent. No, even the worst criminals weren't as scary as him.

'This guy's definitely a Ghost Handler,' Michael thought, seeing Ethan's terrifying demeanor. He was sure Ethan was also haunted by a ghost.

A person with a ghost inside them would constantly be influenced by it. This change happened gradually.

Michael had already felt this change.

"Security, quick, subdue him and make him let go of Mr. Rossi," Lucas shouted, his face pale.

Nico hesitated but braced himself and walked over.

"What's wrong with you, security? Why aren't you helping? Do you still want your job? Get over here now," Lucas yelled at Michael, who was just standing there.

Michael replied, "You fired me earlier, so I'm not a mall security guard anymore. I'll return this uniform later, which means I'm not under your management. Handle this yourselves." "And don't point and yell at me. No matter who you are, if you piss me off, I won't mind beating you up," he added.

Lucas's face turned red with anger.

Mr. Wagner said, "Listen, kid, I'm the owner of this mall. If you're willing to help, you're still part of the team, and I'll even throw in a raise. How's that sound?"

Michael shrugged, "This job's a bit too risky for my taste. I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass."

Mr. Wagner sighed, feeling a bit frustrated. He didn't blame Michael but shot Lucas a dirty look.

This Lucas guy was a real piece of work. He'd have to replace him soon.

The mall was already struggling to replace staff. It was tough enough to get two young, strong security guards, and now, when they were needed most, Lucas fired one, making him unwilling to help. "Call the cops," Mr. Wagner muttered, trying to keep his cool.

Leila, standing behind him, quickly got the hint and pulled out her phone to dial 911.

"Hey man, take it easy," Nico said, trying to keep his voice steady as he approached Ethan. He didn't want to provoke this strange young man.

After all, he was just earning a paycheck; it wasn't worth risking his life.

"I'm very calm. If I weren't, you'd all be dead by now," Ethan said with a cold smile. He slowly put down the terrified Mr. Rossi and then shoved him hard, causing him to fall to the ground. "Mr. Wagner, I called the cops," Leila whispered.

Mr. Wagner nodded, "Don't do anything rash. Just stall for time."

Looking at the stinking corpse, Mr. Wagner thought Ethan might be the killer. The previous disappearances in the mall were probably his doing.

"Mr. Wagner, let's get back to our chat. Five million dollars, and I'll catch that ghost for you so your mall can run smoothly. Deal?" Ethan said.

"That's a steep price," Mr. Wagner replied, looking serious.

"Compared to the stuff in your mall, my price is pretty fair," Ethan grinned.

"If you lower it a bit, I might consider it," Mr. Wagner said, trying to buy time. He believed Ethan was the killer and had already called the cops, just waiting for them to arrive. Michael watched Ethan and Mr. Wagner haggling and shook his head.

Ethan was being too reckless. Even though paranormal stuff was happening all over, most people still didn't believe in it.

Asking for five million dollars right off the bat? No one would go for that.

Only when Mr. Wagner truly saw the ghost and understood its terror would the deal be easier to make.

Having dealt with Declan before, Michael had some experience.

But just as the tension was peaking, the sound of a light switch flipping off echoed through the mall.

The entire place went dark.

Power outage? Everyone was stunned.

Ethan's face changed, and he quickly looked up at the fifth floor.

In the dim light, a figure stood by the glass railing on the fifth floor, seemingly looking down at them. And that figure seemed to have no head.

"Finally showing yourself?" Ethan's face twisted with a hint of madness.

Ignoring everyone else, he bolted up the stairs.

"What was that?" Michael squinted, noticing the figure on the fifth floor, but then he frowned.

The smell of the corpse was on the first floor.

Was the ghost upstairs or downstairs?

Suddenly, an employee screamed, pointing to a spot on the first floor.

This female employee, named Emily Petrov, was a cashier around twenty-five years old.

"What happened? It's just a power outage, no need to scream," Lucas scolded. "While that murderer is gone, open the door and leave. The cops will handle this." "No, it's not that. The corpse that guy threw down, it's gone," Emily said, trembling and pointing to where the corpse had been.

Looking over, nothing was there.

The corpse had really disappeared.

Everyone was terrified.

But the smell of the corpse lingered in the air, and it seemed to be getting stronger.