[Chapter 117: Unseen Spying]
Coincidentally, Rachel had also risen to fame thanks to the movie Mean Girls. However, her screen time in that film was much greater than Amanda's. Later, she gained even more attention through The Notebook. The following year, Wedding Crashers became a surprise hit at the box office, significantly boosting her reputation. After that, movie offers poured in nonstop.
But fame can easily go to someone's head. At her peak, various blockbuster films invited her to star, but she turned them all down. She rejected Mission: Impossible III, Casino Royale, and The Devil Wears Prada, Iron Man (Pepper Potts), many huge hits that performed spectacularly. After that, her career never quite regained the same momentum. Although she publicly claimed she never regretted those decisions, only she truly knew if that was the case.
Daniel knocked on the car window. "Are you looking for me?"
The window rolled down. Rachel gave Daniel a once-over and asked, "Mr. Cross?"
"That's me." Daniel turned to unlock the door. "Come with me."
He unlocked the door and pulled it open, inviting Rachel inside. She looked around curiously. "Do you usually keep the door locked?"
Daniel put the lock away. "No, I just got back recently from a business trip."
"I see."
Rachel fell silent and glanced at the furnishings in Daniel's shop. The decor was extremely simple, lacking the usual atmosphere of mystery that other supernatural-themed shops tended to cultivate. The lighting was bright, making everything clearly visible.
If anything, the place seemed to be completely exposed rather than mysterious.
Inside a glass display cabinet, he sold small yellow slips of paper and some plain wooden items. Although they looked ordinary, Rachel's eyes widened when she saw the price tags. Each slip of paper cost $100,000. Some of the wooden items were even more expensive, hundreds of thousands of dollars.
...
Daniel set bottled water and some sodas on the table. "Help yourself to a drink."
Rachel shook her head. "I'm not thirsty, thanks."
Daniel studied her. "You're carrying some dark energy. Did you experience something supernatural?"
Rachel nodded quickly. "Yes, lately I keep feeling like something in my house is watching me. But every time I try to find it, there's nothing there."
"That feeling is getting stronger," she added. "I have the sense that whatever it is is closing in, and might hurt me."
"When did it start?"
"About a week ago."
"Did you just move into a new house?"
"No, I moved in two months ago."
"That rules out the house," Daniel said. "If there was a problem with it, it wouldn't take two months before something showed up."
He pressed further. "Have you done anything supernatural recently? Played with some spiritual game? Held any special ceremonies? Visited a haunted place like a cemetery or a murder house?"
"None of that," Rachel shook her head. "I haven't."
"Have you disrespected some mysterious entity? Spoken ill of it? Showed any lack of reverence?"
"No."
"That's strange," Daniel said, frowning. "Ghosts don't hang around without a reason, even if it's a ridiculous one."
"Think harder," he urged. "Has anything particularly unusual happened lately?"
Rachel racked her brain. "Honestly, nothing. It was just sudden, I started feeling watched."
If Rachel hadn't been carrying dark energy, Daniel would have assumed a voyeur was spying on her. But clearly, that wasn't the case.
"Since questioning isn't helping, let's check out the house."
Rachel stood up immediately. "Now?"
"Ma'am, we need to talk about the price first."
"Oh, right." She sat back down, a little embarrassed. "What's your fee?"
"My base fee is $100,000," Daniel said. "If the spirit isn't too powerful, that's what it costs. But if I find it dangerous, the price goes up."
Rachel let out a quiet sigh of relief. Seeing the expensive items in the shop, she'd expected more. Starting at $100,000 wasn't cheap, but it was still less than she'd feared.
"That's doable," she said.
"There's a $20,000 down payment, with the balance due when I'm done. If the problem isn't solved, the down payment is refundable."
Rachel handed over a check for $20,000.
Only then did Daniel stand. "Let's go to your house."
...
Rachel hadn't been famous long, so her home wasn't overly lavish. But for safety, she'd rented in a wealthy neighborhood.
After parking, Daniel didn't go in right away. He stood outside and activated the Spiritual Perception Technique.
Through his enhanced perception, Daniel saw that Rachel's house, like Rachel herself, was surrounded by a faint layer of dark energy. It was so subtle that without his ability, it would be completely undetectable.
Two possibilities came to mind: either the entity's power was shallow, making its dark energy faint, or it was skilled at hiding its aura, leaking just a little dark energy.
Daniel couldn't tell which, for that, he'd have to go inside.
"Let's go."
As Daniel entered with Rachel, he noticed something unusual -- there was none of the typical chill that a ghost would bring. That intrigued him.
"Show me around," he asked.
Rachel gladly gave him a tour, room by room.
After a thorough inspection, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The house was modest but well decorated. It was bright and spacious, without an ounce of gloom. This place looked utterly unsuitable for a horror movie.
"This is strange," Daniel muttered. It was the first time he'd encountered this kind of case.
He thought for a moment and decided to try a direct summoning.
Rachel drew all the curtains, darkening the room. Daniel flipped his hand and pulled out a Ritual Bell. He shook it, but no sound came.
He formed a hand seal and began to chant:
By sealed authority, let hidden command go forth in silence.
Warden of Seizure, traverse all bounds and leave no refuge.
From every quarter, let the unclean be named and brought to account.
Let the bell of judgment sound—no spirit may conceal itself.
By mandate, seize and present them. So ordered.
Daniel had used this spell before many times successfully. But this time, although power radiated around him, no figure appeared, no matter how long he waited.
'Could it be that my power isn't enough?' he wondered. 'Or is it because it's daytime and the Solar energy is too strong?'
He glanced at the windows. The curtains were fully drawn.
He sighed. "Let's check again tonight."
Rachel nodded. "Okay."
She looked around. "Mr. Cross, since you arrived, I've noticed that feeling of being watched seems to have faded."
"Really?" Daniel asked. "Does it happen during the day too?"
*****
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