John Chou and I sat quietly in the small pavilion. I couldn’t fully understand what he’d just said. After all, right now, the power of the Vermilion Bird within me could only be used in my core dream.
I tried, just a little, and in my hand, a flicker of crimson flame ignited. The fire was only a small wisp, but it still burned. Yet, in that other world, I’d never managed to use it even once.
“How am I supposed to do it?”
At that moment, I recalled and asked.
“Why didn’t Mona Ouyang tell us?”
“Even though those ghosts betrayed the Deadman Fiend, they are still his Hundred Ghosts, the very source of his power as a Ghost Sovereign. If the Deadman Fiend regains his strength, those ghosts will once again kneel at his feet. There’s no doubt about that.”
I nodded, waiting for Mona Ouyang to return. John Chou only told me that, if I wanted to draw out the Vermilion Bird’s power, I had to get its consent. In that other world, the Vermilion Bird hadn’t agreed to let me use its strength.
"Brother, go back to your room and ask yourself what's really going on."
I gave a soft reply and looked at John Chou.
“I’m afraid that guy doesn’t want me around!”
I returned to my room and lit a flame, calling out to the Vermilion Bird in my heart. But it didn’t appear for a long time. Helpless, I extinguished the flame and sat down on the bed.
“Vermilion Bird, if you don’t show up, I’ll return you to Martin Lane. I mean it. If I find Martin Lane, no matter what it takes, I’ll give you back to him.”
As I spoke, flames danced on my right shoulder, and the Vermilion Bird’s head appeared.
"Don’t. Ethan Zhang, am I not showing up now?"
“Why, in that world, aren’t you allowed to let me use your power?”
I cut straight to the point. The Vermilion Bird fell silent, not saying a word for a long time. Suspicion crept into my heart—was there a reason for this, something the Vermilion Bird refused to tell me?
“What’s really going on? Tell me.”
"Fine, Ethan Zhang, I won’t say anything more. I’ll just lend you a bit of power at critical moments, all right? Don’t ask, and I won’t answer."
I reached out and pinched the Vermilion Bird’s head. Instantly, flames shot out in all directions.
“When the time comes, don’t set me up. If I die, you won’t have it easy either.”
Finally, Mona Ouyang returned. Night fell. I couldn’t wait any longer—I gripped the Nightmare Stone, and my consciousness began to fade, little by little. It was the same blackness as always. In Martin Hu’s dream, I had never seen any color other than black.
Could it be that what happened to his son is still affecting him?
I couldn’t help but mutter. Then I glanced at Rachel Lan’s dream—it had turned black today. I was astonished. Looking around, I saw there was still a little time, so I hurriedly slipped into Rachel Lan’s dream.
As soon as I entered, I saw a vast grassland all around, littered with corpses. I stared in shock. On the other side were skyscrapers, highways, mountains, and all sorts of bizarre things. A whimpering sound—it was Rachel Lan. I rushed over to her.
Suddenly, I was stunned. I’d been hacked into several pieces, and Rachel Lan was holding my bleeding head, crying out in anguish. I hurried over to her and patted her shoulder.
"Rachel, it's me. I'm fine, really, I'm fine."
But Rachel Lan kept crying, as if she hadn’t noticed me at all.
"Kid, is this really the time for this kind of thing?"
It was Mona Ouyang. She stood behind me and grabbed my shoulder.
"Focus on the real business."