The men exchanged glances, then actually got out of the car.
I exhaled in relief, thinking the matter was over.
I stopped buying fruit and pastries before heading back, only to find my car windows shattered and my phone smashed into pieces.
Nicholas stood there with a smug grin, holding my driver’s license.
“I didn’t expect a lunatic with a fake license. A Three Paths Purple Gold Level Guide? What kind of nonsense is that?”
Oh no.
I lunged to snatch it back, but he easily overpowered me, shoving me so hard I stumbled.
“Driving an illegal taxi with a fake license is a serious crime. One call to the police and you’re behind bars.”
Dealing with living is such a hassle. I bit my lip. “What do you want?”
Nicholas slipped an arm around Lydia’s waist and kissed her. “From childhood to now, no one’s dared to disrespect me. Yet you refused me a ride.”
“You think you can get away with being so arrogant in front of me?”
“I want you to be my dog. You’ll go wherever I tell you. Right now, I want to take my Lydia to the riverside for some fresh air. Let’s go.”
His face was flushed, the stench of alcohol heavy on his breath.
I had no interest in arguing with a drunk. I forced a smile. “It’s not about disrespect. I simply can’t.”
He clicked his tongue impatiently and stepped forward, ready to slap me. When I dodged, his expression twisted in fury.
“You dare to dodge?”
“In Kingsport, who can compare to us? I let you drive your piece-of-junk car, and you still act wronged?”
Lydia and the other man joined in the mockery.
“An illegal taxi with a fake ID that refuses passengers? What are you really doing—selling overpriced prostitutes?”
“I’ll check the back later. Maybe I’ll even find used condoms.”
I hadn’t expected the rich to be this unreasonable. I cursed myself for getting involved in the first place.
Then Nicholas suddenly softened his tone. “If you really don’t want to take us, fine. Let’s compromise. Drop us somewhere first, then you can go pick up your other passengers. Fair?”
“If you don’t agree, I’ll call the police and hand over your license and plate.”
I recognized the place he mentioned. Fortunately, it was on my way.
I didn’t know what he was planning, but as long as it didn’t disrupt my real work, I could go along with it.
Years in this business have taught me one rule: punctuality above all.
I do this job because of my unusual fate—I can see ghosts, but I lack merit. My master, Samuel Whitford, wanted me in this line of work. I’d almost refused, but he smiled and said, “Do it to earn merit, and you’ll be born with a silver spoon in your next life.”
“You have no complaints,” he reminded me. “It’s still a public institution, even if it’s in the underworld.”
He was right. My profession demands respect from the highest ranks in both the yin and yang realms.
I drove to the location Nicholas named and parked.
Immediately, a dozen black cars surrounded mine, headlights flashing.
Before I could react, my door was yanked open, and I was dragged out by the hair.
Nicholas' cold voice cut through the night. “Smash this wreck. Then we’ll strip it down piece by piece.”
Pain shot through my scalp, my limbs ached, and the taste of dirt filled my mouth. “Why break your word?”
Nicholas sneered. “I told you to take us here. I never promised to let you go.”
A group of thugs advanced, grinning as they swung wrenches at my car.
Each blow landed with a dull, brutal thud—metal buckling, the interior ripping apart—until flames consumed what was left.
That car had been a limited-edition model crafted exclusively for the underworld, reserved for transporting dignitaries between the Yin and Yang realms.
