"Coexistence between humans and ghosts, isn't that right? Ethan Zhang, don't forget your instincts."
"Ah, yes. They are human. When they're sad, they cry. When they're happy, they smile."
Suddenly, I dropped the curved blade in my hand. The deathly aura within me began to seep out, bit by bit. I watched as the Dream Wraiths completely surrounded Nolan and the others.
"Instinct, called coexistence..."
I shouted, and in the instant the Dream Wraiths closed in on Nolan and the others, I had already appeared among them. My deathly aura surged, sweeping out in all directions, stabbing through everything.
In an instant, the Dream Wraiths were wiped out. Nolan and Susie stared at me in astonishment. I slowly turned my head—an azure Dream Wraith was already upon me, swinging its massive fist at me.
"Watch out, Ethan Zhang!"
Nolan shouted. I only smiled faintly. With a bang, killing intent burst forth. The Dream Wraith's punch tore through half my chest—but now, I was a ghost.
All I saw before me was a Dream Wraith with only one eye left, staring blankly at me.
"You are... Ethan Zhang."
In that instant, I transformed into a stream of black mist, leaving only my head, spinning and winding around the Dream Wraith. A sizzling sound echoed as the massive azure Dream Wraith crashed to the ground. Its four arms and legs were severed by my deathly aura, and as it lay there, it howled in agony.
"It's alright," I said, then immediately flew toward the village.
Hovering above the village, I saw chaos below. My anger transformed into deathly aura, arrows shooting out at the Dream Wraiths still rampaging around. Soon, I had wiped out the two or three hundred Dream Wraiths in the village.
I looked at the village—barely ten people left, each with a deathly pallor. I landed by the houses, surrounded by Dream Wraith corpses, thick white smoke rising everywhere.
A chorus of sobs broke out. Susie returned to the village, crying bitterly. I watched it all in silence—the ruined village, so desolate, only a dozen villagers left. I couldn't help but feel sorrow as I clenched my fists.
Earlier, I couldn't use my powers—perhaps, as Susie said, it was because I kept thinking this was just a dream, something illusory. Deep down, I resisted, only wanting to find Old Moe and John Chou.
But now, I couldn't just stand by. I had to find the source of the Dream Wraiths and find a way to restore peace to this dream world.
As I pondered, I sensed something approaching rapidly from behind. I shot upward, brandishing my black longsword, and slashed at the speeding target.
With a clang, the figure before me was entirely crimson, about my size, with a roguish grin. Smiling, he blocked my deathly aura longsword with a short blade.
"You are... a Dream Wraith."
Though the newcomer looked harmful to humans, his body was entirely crimson and somewhat translucent—he must be the highest rank of Dream Wraith.
I roared, unleashing my deathly aura, stabbing at the Dream Wraith before me. He dodged with ease. I realized he meant to rush in and stab me, so I quickly raised my black longsword to defend—but the Dream Wraith only smiled from afar, not coming closer.
"Heh, Ghost Net? Haven't seen that in centuries. Heh, Ethan Zhang, I sincerely invite you to join us. If we kill Dream, we'll all be free."
"Lord Wraith Thirteen, you're here—please save me!"
It was the azure Dream Wraith on the ground, whimpering. The Dream Wraith called Wraith Thirteen just smiled strangely.
"Useless. Why keep you around?"
With a wave of his hand, the azure Dream Wraith exploded with a bang. The Dream Wraith before me was incredibly strong—I might not be a match. Yet from him, I sensed a chill, the chill unique to ghosts.
"You must have sensed it too, Ethan Zhang. I'm a ghost—a Blue Wraith. But in the dream, I can only appear in this form."
"What is it you all want?"
I roared, glaring at him. Wraith Thirteen glanced at me, then at the people on the ground, and smiled.
"Ethan Zhang, there's no need to risk yourself for a few worthless ones. We are Dream's Hundred Ghosts—but we've all been trapped by Dream within the dream realm, unable to leave. Now, perhaps, you should call her Mona Ouyang. You should know, every Ghost Sovereign has their own Hundred Ghosts, and we are Dream's."
I stared at Wraith Thirteen in shock as he slowly approached. I immediately spread my deathly aura, ready to attack at any moment.
"It's been centuries. Ever since the Nightmare Palace was built, we Hundred Ghosts have been locked by Dream in her own dream realm, unable to escape. Everyone's been anxious. Only recently have we managed to get out of Dream's ghost domain."
"What exactly do you want? Why kill these people?"
With a flash, Wraith Thirteen appeared right in front of me—I couldn't react at all. He didn't attack, just stared at me coldly and spoke.
"This world is the same everywhere—the weak are always preyed upon by the strong, isn't that right, Ethan Zhang? We only recently heard you'd entered the dream realm, and learned that Lord John Chou is trapped here too."
Deep down, I hated Wraith Thirteen. This attack on the village must have been his doing, commanding the Dream Wraiths to strike.
"Why attack here?" I shouted again. Wraith Thirteen just smiled.
"Dreamborn like these—there are countless more. The world of Dream is much bigger than this, Ethan Zhang. Today, consider this our first meeting. Think carefully: if you want to deal with Mona Ouyang, joining forces with us is your best chance. After all, partnering with us brings only benefit, not harm."
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As Wraith Thirteen spoke, he suddenly transformed into a crimson meteor, shooting off into the distant forest.
I glared at him, gritting my teeth. Just now, he had bypassed my Ghost Net sensing and appeared right in front of me. I understood—he wanted to show off his power as a Blue Wraith. He was even stronger than Evan Zhao.
"No—Master, take me back quickly! My mom, my mom is still in the village!"
Nolan shouted. My mind buzzed as I landed, scooped Nolan up, and unfurled my black wings. Susie came over too, and I hugged them both, flying toward Nolan's village.
"If anything feels wrong, shout right away," I warned. Though they were born in the dream realm, I'm a ghost now—there's a chance I could hurt them.
I sped through the gray sky, passing several villages—all deserted, in ruins, houses broken and ravaged by the invasion.
Gradually, we approached Nolan's village. Sure enough, it was in ruins too, with Dream Wraiths still wandering about. I stopped abruptly—a crimson Dream Wraith sat on a rooftop. I landed, set Nolan and Susie down, and charged at the crimson Dream Wraith with my black longsword.
The crimson Dream Wraith looked indifferent, eyes closed, legs casually sprawled, long translucent hair drifting in the wind.
"Ethan Zhang?"
Just as I stabbed with my sword, the Dream Wraith suddenly opened its eyes—three eyes in total. Only now did I see the third eye on its brow. With a single finger, it blocked me, and my black longsword vanished into nothing.
"What about the people here?"
"Some escaped. Some died. That's all."
The Dream Wraith before me spoke coldly, all three eyes turning toward me. A chill ran down my spine.
"First time meeting, Ethan Zhang. My name is Wraith Zero. Wraith Thirteen has already notified everyone."
I stared blankly at the self-proclaimed Wraith Zero and asked a question.
"Are you a Blue Wraith too?"
Wraith Zero closed the third eye on his brow and nodded.
"Dream gave us these numbers. Among the Hundred Ghosts, we're ranked by strength—it's humiliating. Our original names erased, used like tools by Dream, and trapped here as well."
Then Wraith Zero stood up and slowly floated into the air.
"Think carefully, Ethan Zhang—will you work with us or stand against us? You have half a month. In half a month, we'll take action, slaughter this place, and kill Mona Ouyang to escape. With your current strength, don't even think about defeating us. We are Dream's Hundred Ghosts, but we could become Lord John Chou's, or even your allies."
I shook my head.
"You are strong, and I'm no match for you. But my instincts won't let me go along with this."
"Is that so, Ethan Zhang? Is it always like this for those chosen—human or ghost? Become a king. I look forward to seeing you crowned one day!"
Wraith Zero vanished after saying this. I quickly finished off the wandering Dream Wraiths nearby. Nolan cried out in the village, calling for Madam Ming, but there was no one left.
Floating silently in the air, I looked around. It seemed all nineteen villages had been attacked—none spared. Now I understood why Mona Ouyang was so desperate to reclaim her Nightmare Stone. Her control over the Hundred Ghosts was gone.
A wave of sorrow surged through my heart.
After a while, Nolan wiped his tears and stood up.
"Let's go, Master. We're heading to the city."
Though he forced himself to hold back tears, I noticed hope flickering in Nolan's eyes.