As dusk approached, I slowly landed atop the iconic landmark of City A—a palace from ancient times. Now, with the tourists gone, the place felt cold and deserted, almost devoid of people.
The bustling avenue was filled with cars and streams of pedestrians. I studied the map on my phone carefully, having already found the spot Edward Ouyang mentioned. It's not far from the ancient palace—just a little over ten kilometers away.
The sun in the distance gradually faded. I had another reason for coming today—to tell Earthly Soul about the shadow. He might not know yet, but the shadow following him is likely from the Dark Banquet.
Unconsciously, I glanced at the tiled roof beside me—my own shadow was nowhere to be seen. Even now, I still wasn’t used to it. The last rays of sunlight brushed the edge of a distant skyscraper and slowly faded. I stood up and flew toward Jinming District.
Soon, I arrived on Wanchao Avenue, weaving between buildings as I searched for No. 357. After a while, I found it—a long, courtyard-style residence nestled between two towers, with two separate yards. I landed at the entrance and checked the house number: 357 Wanchao Avenue.
Just as I was about to knock, the door creaked open. Surprised, I looked at the man standing before me—it was Agent Seven.
"You guys..."
"Oh, Ethan Zhang, it’s you! How did you find this place? Come in, quickly."
Ethan Zhang is here, Qi 001!
Agent Seven immediately shouted at the top of his lungs. Seeing him left me a bit stunned—weren’t they supposed to be dead? And why was Qi here?
Full of questions, I watched as Sylvia Blue came running out from the backyard, with Qi 001 following close behind. A gentle fragrance wafted over. Sylvia Blue clung to me affectionately, and I stroked her smooth, bright white hair with one hand.
Why are you here, Sylvia Blue?
"Did everything go smoothly? How’s Roxie? Why didn’t she come?"
Sylvia tilted her head and glanced at me, then looked around.
Roxie’s fine. She didn’t come, but what about you, Sylvia Blue? Why are you here? And you, Qi 001—you’re not...
Qi 001 hunched over slightly, her head lowered, and Agent Seven did the same behind her.
"Thank you, Ethan. When you get back, please help us convey our gratitude to Miss Roxie Lan."
I smiled and shook my head. A presence drifted out from the courtyard—it was Earthly Soul. With a whoosh, the Deathbane Ghost inside me flew out and stood in front of me, silently staring at Earthly Soul as he walked out into the yard.
Your Deathbane Aura is even stronger than when I last saw you!
Earthly Soul glanced at me, then smiled and spoke.
"You seem quite changed, Ethan Zhang."
I nodded, my mind replaying what Edward Ouyang had told me, and everything Earthly Soul had done in City A.
"Why are you looking at me like that, Ethan Zhang? Is there something troubling you? Is it about what I did a few days ago?"
I shook my head and replied.
"Our shadows..."
"That thing called the Replicator has already been dealt with. And now that it’s dark, let’s turn on the lights."
Before I could finish, Entity 001 immediately switched on the lights, shining them on Earthly Soul—he had no shadow. I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then Agent Seven said he would go out to buy groceries. We moved to the courtyard inside and sat down at a table. Steam rose from the pot, filling the air with a delicious aroma. Sylvia Blue sat beside me, leaning on the table, her eyes fixed hungrily on the pot.
I started talking about everything that had happened these past few days, especially what Edward Ouyang had mentioned—the affairs of all these different families.
"Edward Ouyang, huh! Heh."
Earthly Soul smiled, lifted his head, and let out a sigh.
"I see. No wonder they can do things in the Living World that ordinary people could never accomplish. Heh, interesting."
"Do you know who Edward Ouyang said was my old acquaintance?"
I asked, since this was what concerned me most right now. Earthly Soul laughed cheerfully, but then his expression darkened. He stood up, leaned in close, and spoke each word slowly and clearly.
"It’s someone you’d never expect. And your relationship is—well, you’re friends, I suppose."
"Who?"
Earthly Soul didn’t answer. I glanced at Sylvia Blue and Entity 001, but Earthly Soul immediately shouted.
"None of you are allowed to say! When you meet them, you’ll know, Ethan Zhang. As for the reason, you can imagine it yourself."
I stared at Earthly Soul, speechless. I didn’t know what he was planning, but one thing was certain—Earthly Soul felt even colder now. Back in the Living World, the darkness inside him wasn’t so deep, but now he seemed completely icy.
"Alright, Ethan Zhang, don’t ask any more about what’s coming next. There’s something I want to ask Deathbane Ghost. Can we have a moment alone?"
I nodded. Earthly Soul began to float, and Deathbane Ghost smiled and followed him. The two of them quickly disappeared from our sight.