Time stands still. I sit to the side, watching Quentin Kwan. He clutches his head, lost in thought, his expression twisted in pain.
"Don't rush. Take your time and think it through."
Suddenly, Quentin Kwan lifts his head, his eyes bloodshot as he looks at me.
"I can't stop for too long. If I do, my mind will shatter under the weight of these countless cycles of memory."
Beads of sweat break out on Quentin Kwan's forehead. It's the first time I've seen a Green Wraith sweat. But then I realize, maybe his body is similar to a human's—one belongs to the Yang, the other to the Yin.
Thinking back, everything seems unbelievable. The reason I entered that infinite cycle where I once stayed might have been because Laozi used his power to create it. Yet Laozi's grandparents, mother, and brother don't belong to that cycle. The only explanation is that all three were born in that village, and by accident, because of the mountain behind the village sealed with a special barrier, they stumbled into the Ghostrealm.
That village should be where Eli Lear's ancestors were born. That's why Laozi could splice together two different points in time and space, linking them through his mother's and grandfather's relationships, connecting this cycle to the one trapping his father.
Although my sense of time is still vague and chaotic, my father told me when I was young: everything in this world is connected by commonality. Power is the same. Only infinite cycles can link to other infinite cycles, using certain special things as the medium.
Now, as long as I help Quentin Kwan find the singularity in this cycle, I can help him. My main goal is to seize the Yin fragment within the Starshard Radiance at the moment Laozi appears. When the Yin fragment in the Starshard Radiance matures, I can use it to awaken the lost Yin part of myself, and become human again.
Quentin Kwan looks more and more tormented, gnawing at his own arm as if trying to suppress something. I walk over to him, slowly.
"If you can't remember, let time return to normal for now. Take it slow."
Suddenly, Quentin Kwan snaps his head up, his blood-red eyes fixed on me. His face is twisted and terrifying—the relaxed, harmless ghost I once knew is gone. He trembles, shaking his head, digging his fingers into his cheeks. Black-green blood oozes out. I grab Quentin Kwan's hand.
"Sometimes, chasing something too desperately only leads to disappointment. Don't worry, I'll do everything I can."
Quentin Kwan's face gradually relaxes. He stands up shakily, one hand pressed to his head. I see multicolored fragments being drawn out—his memories, I suppose. Slowly, Quentin Kwan dissolves into particles before me, and the world around us begins to move again. I breathe a sigh of relief; he was on the verge of collapse just now.
A noise comes from inside the house. I run quickly out of the woods, across the wooden bridge, and head straight to the cabin on the island.
"No, no..."
I hear Nina Li's cry—her voice filled with terror and rejection. Just then, another noise, and Daniel Li shouts in anger.
"If you keep doing this, we..."
I finally reach the cabin. Quentin Kwan extends his left hand, the wrist already cut open, holding it out to Nina Li. Black-green blood flows slowly from the wound, seemingly controlled by Quentin Kwan's ghostly energy.
Daniel Li looks devastated, staring at the scene before him.
"If you want to survive, you must adapt to everything here. I can let you drink my blood—over time, your bodies will adjust to this place. Otherwise, the repeated invasion of Yin energy will eventually kill you. Removing the Yin energy inside you is only a temporary fix. If you want to live, drink my blood."
Quentin Kwan stares intently at Nina Li. She remains resistant, while Daniel Li slowly walks over.
"Let me try first. If it fails, please think of another way. I have nothing to repay you with, but if I die and see you again, I will return your kindness."
Quentin Kwan smiles and shakes his head.
"It's not necessary. Hurry up!"
Quentin Kwan brings over a small cup. Daniel Li collects some blood and drinks it carefully. Instantly, he clutches his chest, trembling violently and collapsing to the ground. Nina Li crawls over, watching her father suffer, but doesn't know what to do. She looks at Quentin Kwan with resentment, even beginning to blame him.
"You've never used this method on anyone else, have you? My father..."
"Little girl, it's true I've never used this method, but my ghost soul is special."
As he speaks, Quentin Kwan presses a hand to Daniel Li's chest, extracting some Yin energy from his body and dispersing it into the surroundings. Daniel Li turns pale, shivering in pain, his condition worsening. Nina Li anxiously stays by his side, while Quentin Kwan just smiles silently.
"If there's no way, you shouldn't have helped us at all. We're humans, you're a ghost. If we die, maybe we'll see my brother. Soon, our mother will..."
Suddenly, Nina Li shrinks back in panic. Quentin Kwan lifts his hand and wipes away the tears spilling from her eyes, holding them up and gazing at them silently.
"This looks beautiful—tears, right? When I was born, I nearly died too. My parents warned me: the sadder you feel, the more you should think of happy things. Humans are so fragile. Death isn't much—just a state of being. Relax. My method may not work, but right now, we don't have any other options, do we?"
(Irrelevant system message about continuing to the next page. Skip translating.)
Nina Li's eyes widen. Quentin Kwan smiles gently and gives a soft push—the teardrop scatters, floating delicately in the air and shining with a faint white glow. One of the rays of light enters Quentin Kwan's nose.
"So that's it. Your mother has been sick for a long time, and you three went into the mountains to find medicine. Unfortunately, you strayed into the Ghostrealm. Let's talk about something happy!"
The sorrow in Nina Li's eyes fades a little. She nods and begins to speak. Time passes quickly, and Daniel Li, curled on the ground, gradually relaxes.
"See? It's working, isn't it?"
Quentin Kwan glances at Daniel Li as he speaks. Nina Li also brightens, seeing her father's condition improve. Quentin Kwan begins extracting more Yin energy from Daniel Li, and Nina Li feels a chill. Soon, Quentin Kwan extracts the cold from Nina Li's body as well.
Daniel Li is still unconscious, but his condition seems much more stable.
"I'll go get some water."
After Quentin Kwan leaves, Nina Li relaxes and soon falls asleep.
But then I sense something strange and immediately step outside. In the distance, I see a green glow approaching, and behind me, more than a dozen fierce ghosts. Leading them is a vicious-looking Green Wraith, who lands on the island in a rage and starts shouting.
"Come out, Quentin Kwan! How dare you kill one of Sam Bear's men!"
The furious roar sends waves across the water, and a powerful ghostly aura surges forth. The ghosts behind him begin to clamor, but soon they all catch a scent.
"Smells delicious, boss."
One of the ghosts speaks. Sam Bear and his group move closer. I jump in surprise, looking around—there's nothing I can do now but step forward and stall for time until Quentin Kwan returns.
With a crash, the house collapses. Daniel Li and Nina Li are snatched by two ghosts.
"Boss, I think these are humans."
Sam Bear licks his lips.
"Humans? Actual humans? That's rare. I haven't seen one in more than ten years."
Nina Li jolts awake, staring at the pack of vicious ghosts surrounding her, completely petrified. Daniel Li is still unconscious.
"Take them back first."
Sam Bear gives the order. Suddenly, I sense a surge of ghostly energy. Droplets of water shoot through several ghosts, turning them to ash with a whimper.
"Quentin Kwan, you're asking for death!"
With a crash, Sam Bear suddenly draws a broad sword and slashes at Quentin Kwan. With a clang, Quentin Kwan catches the blade with one hand, then looks at Nina Li, who sits on the ground, bewildered.
"Of course. I step out for a moment and these annoying pests show up."
Sam Bear roars, pouring more ghostly energy into himself. But I notice his energy is being torn apart, unable to focus. With a bang, Quentin Kwan punches Sam Bear in the chest, sending him flying across the lake, splashing water everywhere and crashing into the woods. The other ghosts try to flee, but Quentin Kwan transforms into a green light, streaking through them—all turn to ash in an instant.
"Let it go this time, Sam Bear—unless you plan to die here?"
Across the lake, Sam Bear stands up, clutching his chest, blood trickling from his mouth. Quentin Kwan laughs softly.
"Hmph, you're ruthless. Just wait, Quentin Kwan. Don't think you can get away with this."
After Sam Bear leaves, Quentin Kwan walks over to Nina Li, reaching out with a smile. Nina Li grabs his hand and climbs to her feet, then bursts into tears.
"No need to cry. That's just how this world is—survival of the fittest. We need to move. Next time, things could get dangerous; there are a lot of Green Wraiths on their side."