Seeing that we were about to start arguing again, Amelia quickly tried to mediate, "Why are you two arguing again? We're going to be teammates from now on, and harmony is the most important thing."
"Besides, I think bringing Howard along isn't a bad idea. He can indeed ensure our safety. We don't know how difficult this mission will be, so having a safeguard is a good idea."
Seeing Amelia siding with me, I spoke smugly, "Exactly, having him with us to protect our safety is a good thing, but someone just has to be stubborn."
I deliberately emphasized "someone."
"How is this different from cheating on an exam? I'm not like you; I prefer to rely on my own strength to complete tasks," Wesley retorted defiantly.
I smiled indifferently, "In this world, strength is important, but sometimes, the use of wisdom and resources is equally crucial. Cheats are our chips for survival in certain situations."
"Your way of thinking will get you into trouble sooner or later," Wesley snorted coldly, disagreeing with me.
"You don't have to join us; no one is stopping you," I responded provocatively.
Seeing that neither of us was willing to back down, Amelia quickly suggested a compromise. "How about this, we let Howard come along, but he won't take action unless absolutely necessary. How does that sound?"
I frowned, and Amelia immediately gave me a pleading look.
I knew she didn't want this small matter to affect our unity.
I pursed my lips, "Fine, for Amelia's sake, I'll take a step back, but don't think for a second that I'm afraid of you."
Seeing me compromise, Amelia immediately smiled and said, "That's more like it. If everyone takes a step back, everything will be fine."
Her smile was like the warm and bright sunshine of spring.
"I'm only agreeing for Amelia's sake," Wesley snorted.
With that, a reluctant truce was reached, and our small team was officially formed.
Amelia's eyes sparkled with excitement as she said, "Since we're going to be teammates fighting side by side, our team should have a catchy name to boost our team spirit. What do you think?"
Wesley seemed a bit indifferent, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, responding in a rather aloof tone, "Boring."
His voice carried a hint of disdain, showing his lack of interest in the suggestion.
I looked directly at Wesley, dissatisfied, "What's boring about it? Amelia means well."
Wesley just rolled his eyes at me without responding.
Seeing this, Amelia didn't push him further. She knew Wesley's personality and wasn't discouraged.
"Karena, do you have any good ideas?" Amelia asked.
After thinking for a moment, I proposed, "How about 'Ghostbusters Alliance'? It fits our age and team size. What do you think?"
The name sounded playful yet professional, full of energy and adventure.
As soon as I finished speaking, Wesley gave a mocking smile and mercilessly ridiculed, "That name is so lame, just like your taste."
"You're the lame one. If you don't like it, come up with one yourself," I retorted, not backing down, with a hint of provocation in my voice.
Wesley curled his lips in disdain, "I'm not wasting my time on such childish things."
Amelia immediately raised her hand in agreement, "I think 'Ghostbusters Alliance' is pretty good. Let's go with that for now. If it doesn't fit later, we can change it."
I replied, "Okay."
She extended her hand with a smile, "Alright, now that that's sorted, the Ghostbusters Alliance is officially up and running! From here on out, let’s all pitch in and help each other out. We’re all part of this team, so let’s make sure we keep things harmonious and work together!"
I felt her words were directed at me and Wesley.
Not wanting to leave her alone, I extended my hand and gently placed it on hers.
"Okay, I'll try to restrain myself," I glanced at Wesley and snorted coldly.
Wesley looked at our overlapping hands, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He hesitated, seemingly struggling with some internal conflict.
Finally, he extended his hand, his palm warm and dry, tightly clasping mine.
Then he turned his head to the side, saying arrogantly, "I can't guarantee anything."
Thus, the Ghostbusters Alliance was officially formed!
Soon, it was Wednesday.
The four of us set off. Since neither Amelia nor I could drive, the driving task fell to the two boys.
Before we left, Aiden briefed us on the mission. The request for help came from a village near the city—Whispering Willow Village.
Whispering Willow Village had good ecology and had been developing tourism in recent years, now transformed into a resort.
The village boasted different beautiful scenery throughout the year, making the resort famous far and wide, but now there were no tourists at all.
"Supposedly, some tourists have gone missing in the village recently, and it wasn't just one case. As soon as the news spread, tourists were too scared to come."
"The person who commissioned my grandfather is Jeremy Wright from Whispering Willow Village. He hopes we can figure out what's behind these strange occurrences."
I couldn't help but shiver, "Mysteriously disappeared? Are they dead or..."
Amelia shook her head, "I heard they haven't found the people, their fate unknown."
"Maybe there's some ghost causing trouble. I haven't heard of ghosts eating people."
Wesley sneered, "We'll find out what's going on when we get there."
The car stopped at the open-air parking lot at the village entrance.
After getting out of the car, I looked around at the few cars parked there and frowned, "Looks like the resort's business is really taking a hit. There's hardly anyone here."
"Yeah, people are scared for their lives. The police still haven't found the missing tourists."
I looked at the straight village path, with no one in sight nearby, "Isn't Jeremy coming to meet us?"
"Jeremy's just up ahead. Let's go."
The four of us entered the village through a small path. The houses and little courtyards around us were beautifully built.
This place was warm in winter and cool in summer, definitely a nice spot.
At the end of the road, we could see a small courtyard with a table in the middle, filled with food, looking like a festive celebration.
"Jeremy, they're here." someone called out.
An old man came out of the house, followed by a group of curious villagers.
Seeing us, the old man immediately greeted us warmly but hesitated when he noticed how young we were. He then turned to the oldest among us, Howard.
"Sir, are you the ones sent by Mr. Martinez?"
Seeing our youthful faces, it was clear he found it hard to believe.
"Yes, that's us."