Ultimate Evolution I Became the Master of the World
Chapter 54 Leaving the Mall

Right then, a bizarre scene was playing out in the mall.

A bunch of well-dressed adults were sprawled on the floor, scooting backward with their feet like oversized caterpillars, grinning like they were having the time of their lives.

"Hey, it's working! Those ghosts can't see us. They're just standing there, not doing a thing," Mr. Wagner said, all pumped up.

They had managed to slide from the fifth floor down to the fourth, which meant they'd left the sketchiest spot.

If everything kept going this smoothly, they'd be out of there in no time.

"Lucas, how the heck are you sliding so fast? You're already on the third floor?" Mr. Wagner asked, eyes wide.

Lucas kept scooting backward and said, "I wasn't great at it at first, but now I've got the hang of it. I think I can go even faster. Mr. Wagner, maybe you're not doing it right? Check out my moves, smooth as butter, right?" "Wait up, don't leave me behind," Mr. Rossi called out, sounding worried.

His slightly chubby frame made it tough for him to keep up, and he was falling behind.

Michael was trailing them, watching them slide down from the fifth floor like giant caterpillars, and he couldn't help but laugh.

No one dared to tell him to stop laughing.

Because without Michael's idea, they wouldn't have been able to escape so easily.

Even if this escape plan was a bit humiliating for grown-ups.

"Hey, Jane, how's it going on your end?" Michael said into the walkie-talkie.

"I'm doing okay. I'm about to replace the old surveillance footage. Soon, I'll know exactly where the ghost is. The ghost first showed up on the fifth floor, and the first victim was there too," Jane said, sounding nervous. "You guys aren't gonna leave me here, right?"

"I'm getting these folks out first, then I'll come back for you. Don't worry, just stay put and you'll be fine. Keep the line open and call me if anything goes south," Michael reassured her.

"Okay," Jane said, relieved that Michael wasn't going to ditch her.

It was evening now.

Several police cars were parked at the mall entrance, and a barricade with police tape marked the area.

The whole place was locked down.

"What's the situation in the mall?" Leo Kowalski, the officer in charge, asked seriously, looking tired and frowning at the closed mall.

An officer replied, "We got a report earlier about a possible murderer here, maybe linked to those previous mall disappearances. But according to nearby shop owners, about an hour ago, the mall owner, Tobias, brought in an exorcist to do some ritual and sealed off the mall. We don't know what's going on inside now."

Leo said, "If it's really a murderer, that's good. Get ready to unlock the door and rescue the people trapped inside."

"Yes, sir," the officer responded.

The officers outside started working on forcing the mall's door open with tools.

In no time, they broke the lock and got the door open.

As soon as they did, a nasty stench of decay hit them, making some of them gag.

Leo's face changed slightly.

Having dealt with all sorts of criminal cases over the years, he recognized the smell right away.

It was the stench of death.

"Everyone, be careful. Don't go in just yet," he warned.

Leo had a gut feeling that the mall's disappearance case was anything but simple. During the investigation, they hadn't found any solid evidence and had to temporarily seal off the mall.

But soon, those outside the mall were left speechless.

In the dimly lit mall, a man in a suit was lying on the ground, his face lit up with excitement as he slid quickly toward the door like a caterpillar.

What on earth was going on?

And he wasn't alone.

Behind him were the mall owner, Tobias, the exorcist he had hired, Mr. Rossi, and several surviving mall employees. They formed a line, sliding down from the upper floors, their legs pushing powerfully, their movements synchronized like they had practiced it.

"Hold up, don't go near them yet. Let them get out of the mall first. Everyone else, stay sharp for anything unexpected," Leo ordered.

Seeing the mall door open and the cops outside, Lucas felt like he'd just seen a lifeline. He was so pumped he almost cried, sliding even faster, faster than a normal person could walk.

Finally, he was out of that nightmare of a mall.

"Thank God, I made it. I'm alive," Lucas felt more excited and relieved than he ever had in his life.

"Leo, what's going on?" someone asked, totally baffled by the scene.

Leo, looking just as confused, said, "I have no idea. Let's ask them."

"Don't pull me up. I can still slide. I wanna slide a bit more before I get up," Lucas insisted, refusing to stand until he slid past the police tape.

Seeing everyone escape safely, Michael knew his job was done.

He'd earned his paycheck.

"Michael, now that the mall situation is sorted, with your skills, if we team up, we could probably catch that ghost. Wanna partner up?" Ethan, who had just slid out of the mall, stood up and asked. Michael replied, "Isn't it enough to just be alive? Why go ghost hunting?"

"My main goal here is to catch that ghost. I figure the mall ghost is at most a restricted level, not too scary. If we catch it, it'd be worth a lot," Ethan said. "But my abilities are limited. If you join me, we'd probably succeed." "What's in it for me?" Michael asked.

Ethan whispered, "In the underground market, a captured ghost is worth at least a hundred million dollars. Big companies, corporations, even government departments secretly buy them. If the ghost is high-level, the price goes up. We Ghost Handlers don't live long, and you know that. If we pull this off, even if we die, our families will be set."

Michael shook his head, "Money's endless. I'm not risking my life for a hundred million dollars. Besides, I've already made enough today for my family."

Then he added, "And to catch a ghost, you have to use the power of a vengeful ghost. You know what that means. I think you've used enough of your vengeful ghost's power today. If you do it again, I'm worried your ghost will break free." Ethan said, "I know my limits. I can handle this. Besides, don't you want to know how to survive as a Ghost Handler? Are you just gonna sit around and wait to die?"

A way to survive? That hit a nerve with Michael.

"Catching a ghost not only brings money but also valuable info. The method for Ghost Handlers to survive has already been researched. Someone in Astoria succeeded, living for over six months without any issues, using the power of a vengeful ghost multiple times. It seems they've found a way to control the Vengeful Ghost," Ethan hesitated but spilled the beans.

Without this, he probably couldn't convince Michael.

"Really?" Michael was definitely tempted.

He remembered the words on that piece of human skin.

The method to control the Vengeful Ghost would be revealed in three months.

But his chances of surviving three months were slim.

So he needed to learn the method to control the vengeful ghost now, not wait for three months. Even one month was too long to wait.

Michael couldn't gamble his life on future uncertainties.

Who knew what the future held? The words on that piece of human skin weren't exactly reliable.

"Think about it. Decide quickly while the ghost is still in the mall. Once it leaves, replaceing another ghost with known patterns that isn't too terrifying will be tough," Ethan urged.

"Give me a minute." Michael didn't agree or refuse, needing to weigh his options.

But as he was mulling it over, Lucas came over with a few officers.

"It's him. This security guard extorted me in the mall. I've got the transaction records on my phone as proof," Lucas angrily pointed at Michael, reporting the extortion. "Sir, we need you to cooperate with an investigation," an officer said.

Michael turned to look at Lucas, totally confused.