I spent the entire afternoon sitting by the window, watching the street below. Suddenly, the once-quiet road was bustling with life—three full buses of people had arrived, and the whole town was celebrating.
Looking at the newcomers below, I couldn't help but think—some of them, in a few days, might end up as offerings for the ghosts, eaten without ever knowing their fate.
With a creak, the door to my room opened. Rachel Lan returned, her cheeks flushed and reeking of alcohol.
“Serves them right,” Rachel Lan sneered as soon as she entered, pointing at the people below.
I stared at Rachel Lan in astonishment. From last night to now, her demeanor was completely different.
“You know, Ethan, a lot of people here are too afraid to kill themselves, yet they want to escape society. Some are even criminals. I think many of them know they might be eaten at one of these festivals, but they’re still oblivious. The only ones I pity are the children born and raised here.”
Rachel’s words made me recall that on those three buses today, only some people were happy. That group looked fierce and menacing, while the others were silent, gazing emptily out the windows.
“People who’ve lost faith and hope in their future aren’t worth pitying.”
Rachel’s words made my heart sink. Looking at the people below, I wondered if, at some point, I’d been just like them—wanting to escape to a place where no ghosts existed, where I could live in peace.
“In the end, people can only save themselves,” I muttered.
Rachel Lan patted me on the shoulder.
“Ethan, are you thinking about the past again?” I stared wide-eyed at Rachel Lan.
She knows about my past?
Rachel Lan smiled and said.
“Since you can see my memories, of course, I can see yours too.”
I gave a quiet "oh" and lowered my head. Every time I thought about those unbearable memories, it felt like being cut by a knife—painful and sorrowful.
“Ethan, when we get back, let me go with you to visit that orphanage from your childhood, okay?”
I looked at Rachel Lan and nodded. After this day and night, I was even more certain—I couldn’t go on as before. Everything from the past had to be faced and resolved, one by one.
At night, the street became just like it was yesterday. Rachel Lan and I went to bed early. Lying in bed, I kept thinking about Easton Grant and that moment when he tried to leave.
“Some choices, once made, can never be undone,” I sighed.
Thinking about my current situation, maybe I’m not so different from Easton Grant. Once you choose a path, there’s no turning back.
“Ethan, never regret the road you’ve chosen.”
In the darkness, Rachel Lan turned over. I couldn’t see her, but I could feel her gaze from the opposite bed.
“Have you ever regretted it?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Never. Dealing with ghosts is just like this. Sometimes, you risk your life, but I still enjoy the thrill of it.”
I laughed, and then we both went to sleep.
The next day, we didn’t go out. We stayed indoors, just waiting for Yuna Ji to return so we could leave. When I woke up this morning, I felt unwell—my left side was burning hot, my right side icy cold. It was happening again. I curled up in bed.
Rachel Lan was taking care of me.
“Ethan, are you feeling any better?”
I endured the pain, shivering hot and cold all over. I never expected that missing Yuna Ji’s soup for just one day would leave me so uncomfortable.
A commotion erupted downstairs, then—bang—the door to our room was flung open.
“What do you want?”
Rachel Lan shouted, agitated.
“Guests, the three Lords of this place request your presence.”
“Tell them we’re not going.”
Rachel Lan replied firmly. Suddenly, I was lifted up by several ghosts and forced downstairs. Rachel didn’t resist; she simply followed.
Once downstairs, we were each placed into sedan chairs that had been prepared in advance.
I felt terrible as the sedan chair carried me along.
Soon, we arrived at the tower we’d seen the night before. In the large courtyard in front, three ghosts sat at a table in the center.
One was an old ghost, sallow-skinned, hunched in a floral cotton jacket and leaning on a cane. Another was a ghost with a paper-white face, looking about twenty, dressed in black casual clothes, smiling at us.
The third was a middle-aged ghost with a gentle face and a stubbled chin.
“Tell us—where is Yuna Ji?”
The old ghost spoke first, glaring fiercely at Rachel and me. We were led by several ghosts to sit at the table across from them.
“No idea. Find her yourselves,” Rachel Lan said firmly. I stared at her in surprise. These three ghosts must be the other ghost kings here.
Bang—the old ghost slammed the table, stood up, and floated over to Rachel Lan.
Suddenly, Rachel Lan raised her hand, pointing at the sky.
“Have you forgotten, old man? Here, ghosts aren’t allowed to attack humans without cause.”
The middle-aged ghost burst out laughing.
“Not bad, young lady. I didn’t expect you to learn the rules so well in such a short time.”
Suddenly, I realized why Rachel Lan had been so relaxed all day yesterday, and why she sent me to meet Sima Ying without explanation. Before she left, she told me—don’t provoke ghosts and they won’t bother you. Now I understood what she meant.
“Indeed, when this place was recreated, the four of us intended it to become a land for both humans and ghosts. From then on, we merged our ghost domains and established rules through wordcraft. Even as creators, we cannot attack humans without reason.”
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“Idiot, why did you tell them?” the old ghost snarled, turning to the middle-aged ghost.
“Old man, I’m sure they already know. Besides, as soon as they arrived, no matter what the residents tried to sell them, they bought it all, didn’t they?”
I still didn’t quite understand this matter.
“Why do we have to buy things here?”
The middle-aged ghost stood up.
“Trade is an eternal law of the world, unchanged since ancient times. It’s to remind both humans and ghosts here that what they create is still needed. Young man, do you know how painful it is to not be needed by the world?”
I blinked. After all that explanation, I was still confused.
“What if we don’t buy?”
“If you don’t buy, you’ll never get out of here.”
I gasped, looking at the three ghosts.
“Hmph, you two had better tell us where Yuna Ji is. I may not be able to hurt you, but if you don’t talk, I’ll lock you up and starve you for days. We’ll see if you talk then.”
“Hey, old man, calm down. We sensed Yuna Ji’s presence the night before, and she’s much weaker now, but she’s still a Ghost Sovereign. Besides, this woman is crafty—she might be playing us again. You’re old enough, just talk to her and ask her to let us go.”
“Yeah, you stubborn old fool. It was your temper that set her off last time. I don’t want to go back to that disgusting place again—I barely made it out alive.”
The paper-faced ghost looked genuinely frightened as he glanced at the old ghost.
I couldn’t imagine what Yuna Ji had done here to leave these three so humiliated.
“Young lady, young man, if you know where Yuna Ji is, let her come out. We just want to talk. After all, in a few days, it’ll be the annual Ghost-Human Festival—the most important ritual for us.”
“We really don’t know where she is!”
As soon as I finished, the old ghost waved his hand. Two ghosts came over and dragged Yuna Ji and me toward the tower.
“Let’s starve you for a few days. As soon as Yuna Ji shows up, I’ll finally get my revenge from years ago.”
The old ghost spoke through gritted teeth.
“Don’t drag me into this! Old ghost, if you lose to Yuna Ji, don’t rat me out—I don’t want to be tortured by her again, even if I want revenge too.”
The paper-faced ghost suddenly left.
“Oh, old man, come on…”
We were pushed into the first floor of the tower, and the door was locked behind us.
“Ethan, are you alright?” Rachel Lan helped me sit in the corner. All around were human bones arranged on tables, and the way to the second floor was locked.
Rachel Lan walked to the window. It was just big enough for a head—no way to fit her body through.
My body felt worse and worse, as if something was acting up, each wave of pain more intense than the last.
Suddenly, Rachel Lan hugged the right side of my body. The icy coldness of my right side was warmed by her touch, and I felt a little better.
“Ethan, hang in there.”
Gradually, I drifted off to sleep.
Suddenly, I woke up with a loud scream. A searing pain shot through me, sweat beads forming on my forehead.
Out of nowhere, I opened my mouth wide—something was coming out of my throat. It was the black flame that Redmane had stuffed into my mouth, now floating in the air. It was just afternoon.
“Well, well, what’s wrong, Ethan Zhang? Can’t take it anymore? Maybe Yuna Ji won’t come back!” Redmane’s sinister voice came from the flame.
I glared at the fire, gritting my teeth and enduring the pain.
“Alright, alright. If Yuna Ji comes back, let her know. If you really can’t take it, I can help—as long as she lets me enter through her ghost domain.”