Chapter 14 – New Case? And The Remnant of Hell
On the outskirts of the big city where the Ghost Detective Agency campus was located, lay a small, peaceful village—almost as if it existed outside the chaos of the modern world.
Its name was Lingkar Pinus Village.
Remote and quiet, the village had barely adequate street lighting, making the surrounding pine forest always look dark and eerie—especially at an old T-junction that led to the main road. The locals called it the haunted junction. Stories of ghostly sightings and strange sounds were common, enough to send chills down anyone's spine. No wonder the village youths took it upon themselves to patrol the area every night, even if they did so reluctantly and with only half-hearted courage.
That night, a soft drizzle fell, sending a thin mist drifting between the pine trees. The cold air bit at the skin but didn't dampen the spirits of four young men on patrol. Armed with flashlights and good intentions, they walked through the village paths.
The first young man, wearing a white cap, led the group. He had a firm expression and a brisk stride—clearly the most confident.
Behind him was a guy in a sarong, who had only joined because his mom threatened to cut off his allowance.
Then came a guy in a worn-out t-shirt, black shorts, and a sarong tied around his waist—ready to fight or nap, depending on the situation.
And finally, the lanky one, a MOBA game addict, who carried a flashlight but was more focused on daydreaming about his favorite hero's latest skin.
As they approached the haunted junction, their steps slowed.
A white figure stood in the middle of the road. Upright. Still. Motionless.
"Bro… it's a pocong! For real!" whispered the sarong guy with a trembling voice. "His face… looks like he just watched a K-drama with a bad ending."
"What do we do now? Which way do we go home?" asked the gamer, inching toward the back.
"Are you guys brave or not?" the leader challenged.
"Half brave… half scared, to be honest," answered the sarong guy.
"Why be scared? There's four of us and just one of him… CHARGE!" shouted the guy in the white cap enthusiastically.
"YOSH! IKEZOOO!" he yelled again, charging ahead, followed by the others.
They leapt together, like anime characters who'd spent too many nights binge-watching their favorite shows.
"Bismillah… SHUEN NO TOKI!"
"FINAL VENTO!"
"ONE, TWO, THREE… RIDER KICK!"
"FINAL ATTACK RIDER!"
The pocong widened his eyes. His cloth fluttered.
"Bro! Bro! I'm just passing by! TIME OUT, man! TIME OU—AAAHHH!"
THWACK! SMACK! POW! BOOM!
Four simultaneous kicks struck the ghost, sending his body flying, crashing into a banana tree, and collapsing in a heap.
The pocong squirmed, trying to stand—bouncing around like a suffocating goldfish.
"Woohoo! Take tha—"
CLONK!
A flashlight flew through the air and smacked his head.
The pocong vanished instantly, like a PvP loser being knocked out of the game.
The four youths erupted in cheers, congratulating themselves on their bravery—even though, clearly, it was a gang-up.
But from behind the trees, a pair of glowing red eyes watched them closely.
The pocong reappeared, his face scrunched in annoyance, his shroud now marked with four sandal prints.
"Man… tied up head to toe and still getting jumped. What a joke," he muttered bitterly.
"They think I'm a solo fighter? Please… I've got my own hardcore crew, too."
He chuckled lowly. His eyes narrowed, his cloth trembled, then he turned into white smoke and slowly vanished.
"Revenge... is a dish best served cold," he said, as if quoting from his favorite thriller novel.
Meanwhile, at a small roadside coffee stall…
Ardian sat, exhaling deeply. His face showed both physical and mental exhaustion. He looked over at Rendy, who was happily devouring a double-portion fried noodle with iced sweet tea and a wide grin.
"This guy's enjoying a feast while I spent all night running from ghosts…" Ardian muttered internally, shaking his head.
Yet beneath it all, he felt a warmth in his chest. Rendy looked healthy. Sane. And that was more than enough.
"Yo, you didn't even ask if I wanted food. Feeling better now, body and mind?" Ardian said as he sat down.
"If you want to eat, just order. But pay for yourself—I'm broke," Rendy replied casually, mouth full. "And yes, my body's fine… mind's finally clear."
"Swallow before you talk, idiot! I don't want your food flying at me."
"Hey, you're the one interrupting my meal!"
Ardian chuckled. "Ma'am, I'll have rice with eggs and vegetables, black coffee, and warm water, please!"
"Coming right up, dear!" the stall lady called from the kitchen.
As they ate, the two shared light conversation. Rendy lit a cigarette. Ardian nodded slowly, enjoying a moment of peace after a night of terror.
"So, how's the case?" asked Rendy.
"For now… it's resolved. You meet the client and tell it straight. If they're not satisfied, offer a discount."
"Whoa, that cuts my pay!"
"What choice do we have? The place burned down… nothing left but ashes."
"Don't joke like that!"
"I checked earlier. Looks like it's been completely cleaned up… but not by us."
Rendy went quiet. Ardian stared off into the distance, cigarette smoke blurring his thoughts.
"Someone or something didn't want to leave any trace… and they succeeded." mutters Ardian under his breath.
"Where's Mr. Poci, anyway?" Rendy asked.
"No idea. Shows up uninvited, leaves without warning. Typical ghost."
After finishing his last cigarette, Ardian gave further instructions.
"Go see the client. Keep the story simple. But about 'M'... keep that quiet for now."
Rendy frowned. "Why?"
"I have a feeling… this client is somehow connected to him. We're not ready. We need to be careful, Ren."
"You're always suspicious of people…"
"Not suspicion… caution. Because I'm sure… we'll cross paths with them again someday."
"Alright then, if you say so…"
They stood and headed to the cashier.
"Ma'am, how much in total?"
"You had 15 thousand, Mr. Ardi. Mr. Rendy's was 18 thousand."
"Here you go, keep the change," said Ardian, handing her a hundred thousand bill.
"Oh dear, that's too much! Let me just take what you owe."
"It's fine, ma'am. Consider it payment for parking my motorbike here overnight."
"Oh my goodness… thank you so much, dear."
"My pleasure, ma'am. Really, we're the ones who should be thanking you."
Rendy added with a wide smile, "Keep up the great work, ma'am! Don't let life get you down!"
"And take care of your health," Ardian chimed in.
The stall lady could only smile, holding back tears. Behind their weary, mysterious exteriors, these young men still had kind souls who knew how to show gratitude.
Ardian and Rendy started up their motorbikes. Leaving the little coffee stall behind. Driving toward the next story. The past was done.
But shadows from the future… were already creeping in through the pine-scented mist.