Blending into the crowd, I observed for a while. The people here should be those missing individuals investigated by Crimson Night. Yet, each of them looked genuinely happy—a warmth radiated from them, passing through my Specter Web and into my mind.
Laughter and cheerful voices filled this forest. Everyone seemed harmonious; even when someone accidentally bumped into another, both parties would immediately apologize and then shake hands, making peace.
A group of children played by a clear, sparkling pool, their laughter echoing. Everywhere I looked, faces were lit with smiles—joy radiated from everyone here.
As I reached the pool's edge, I realized everything about me had changed. I was now a young man in my early twenties—average-looking, with a broad smile I didn't recognize. The shock was overwhelming.
"Hey kid, what are you staring at? Hurry up and find something to do. It's a lot of fun here!"
A passerby beside me immediately grinned and spoke, patting my shoulder with one hand.
I let out an 'oh' and asked.
What can I do here?
As soon as I asked, the man in front of me smiled, grabbed my hand, and without another word, started walking.
Everything around me was like this. Unable to hold back, I asked another question.
"Do you know Lily Wu and Nathan Li?"
"Of course. They just got married and live over there."
The man smiled as he spoke, pointing to my right.
I looked over, then hurriedly thanked him and walked away. Along the way, I kept asking for directions, and everyone patiently guided me.
I arrived beneath a sturdy tree and looked up, quietly staring at the yellow-domed house. There was no one inside. Someone nearby told me the couple had gone out. I felt a bit uneasy and waited silently under the tree.
Finally, after a while, I saw Lily Wu holding Nathan Li's arm. The two of them walked over, chatting and laughing. As they passed me, I nearly called out, but stopped myself just in time.
The couple looked sweet and inseparable, climbing the spiral staircase from beneath the tree, step by step. I hurried after them, remembering that when I first arrived, Lily Wu had helped me return.
The only known condition for entering this world is to have someone you miss deeply.
I reached the Yellow Dome House that Lily Wu and Nathan Li had just entered. The door was locked, so I couldn't help but knock. The door opened.
"Is there something you need, friend?"
"I'm Ethan Zhang. I'm looking for someone."
As I spoke, I noticed Nathan Li's eyes showed no surprise or confusion at all. I swallowed hard.
"I see, Mr. Zhang. If there's anything I can help with, just say the word. Come in and have a seat. Lily, we have a guest—make some tea."
I glanced around the wooden house—bare walls and empty space. Suddenly, Nathan Li grabbed my arm and pulled me inside. The moment I crossed the threshold, I was stunned: the interior was warm and inviting, fully furnished, with a spacious living room that felt grand and welcoming. Nathan Li guided me to a seat, and my eyes landed on a wedding photo hanging on the wall.
Both faces were radiant with happiness. I saw Lily Wu carrying tea, coming out of the kitchen.
"Please, have some tea."
I watched as the couple busied themselves, greeting me—a complete stranger.
"Miss, hello. My name is Ethan Zhang."
I said it deliberately, but Lily Wu's face showed no reaction. Then they started asking who I was looking for and what their name was.
I sighed and smiled calmly.
"Maybe they're right in front of me, yet impossibly far away. The person I'm looking for probably doesn't remember me anymore."
No one knows what this place is called, but one thing is clear: it's overflowing with happiness. Life here is truly blissful—people help each other, support one another, and there's never any conflict. Everything you need to make or build appears up north, and anyone can take what they want and trade for what they need.
I tried using my Specter Web to check on their condition. Just like the world I came from, their bodies were composed of yin energy.
"By the way, has anything strange happened around here?"
Inside, I felt conflicted, but I could only pretend to be calm. Nathan Li just smiled.
"Not really, Mr. Zhang. What exactly do you mean by 'strange'?"
"Has anyone ever suddenly disappeared?"
"Nope, everyone here is very happy."
After bidding farewell to the couple, I decided to wander around the outskirts. Nathan Li told me to come back for a meal anytime—I was always welcome.
I found it odd. Are people really like this? No matter how happy someone is, there's always something that troubles them. But here, these people seemed to have no worries at all—always smiling, endlessly enthusiastic. Yet all of it felt so fake.
At the edge of the forest, I stared in disbelief. Stretching out before me was a vast expanse of white—endless and empty. I stepped forward and began to float, but there was still nothing. I drifted for what felt like ages; the woods behind me grew distant, and all around was a world of blinding emptiness.
"Why does this place exist?"
I muttered to myself, then turned around. In an instant, I was back at the forest's edge, watching all kinds of people busy and moving about, hope and happiness shining on their faces.
I didn't know what had happened. None of this felt like a hallucination, but it was deeply unreal. Nathan Li and Lily Wu—even if I turned to ashes, they'd still recognize me. Yet now, as Ethan Zhang, I didn't exist in their memories.
"Why are you back so soon? Honey, start cooking—add a few more dishes tonight, Mr. Zhang has returned."
I slumped onto the sofa, watching Nathan Li as he busied himself making tea and offering me candy and sunflower seeds.
I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"What's so funny, Mr. Zhang?"
"It's nothing. I just thought of something happy, so I laughed."
In my memory, Nathan Li was spoiled by his parents from a young age, which made him hopelessly lazy. Even after years in the real world, he never shook off his old habits. Chores like laundry and cleaning? Nathan Li would never lift a finger for those.
"By the way, do you still remember what happened before?"
"Of course. Me and Lily..."
"That's not what I meant. Do you remember your birth, your childhood, everything?"
Nathan Li smiled, then began to recount his birth, his childhood, and even how he died.
"I never thought there'd really be a world like this after death. Lily and I died in a car accident. Sigh, let's not talk about it—it's all sad stuff."
I stared at Nathan Li and Lily Wu. Their faces showed nostalgia, but there was something missing—something crucial. They never mentioned Ethan Zhang.
"So, do you remember a close friend—a buddy you've hung out with since middle school, even after entering society, meeting up from time to time?"
Nathan Li fell into deep thought, pondering for a long time and listing many names—some I knew, some I didn't. But he never mentioned me.
Dinner was cheerful. Lily Wu and Nathan Li kept sharing happy stories about this world—no pain, only joy. They were both talkative, and I quietly listened to them recount amusing anecdotes from their lives.
"You must've just arrived, Mr. Zhang. Don't worry—life in this world is truly joyful."
"Is that so."
I sighed, stood up, and watched as Lily Wu quietly began tidying up. I smiled to myself. In the past, I always took care of everything after meals—cooking, cleaning, washing the dishes. Lily Wu would finish eating, give me a kiss, and I'd get to work. But this scene—her cleaning up so naturally—I'd never seen it before.
Their memories must've been tampered with. If someone can create people, altering memories wouldn't be difficult.
I asked Nathan Li and Lily Wu more about their lives, but got nothing. As soon as I walked out, laughter floated up from below.
The happiness in these people seemed genuine. Just then, I spotted someone carrying a big bowl filled with round, milky white treats—almost like chocolate. He came over and handed me one without hesitation.
"The happy fruit is ready! Go on, eat up."
As he spoke, the man knocked on Lily Wu and Nathan Li's door. Each took one and ate it, looking delighted. I stared at the few grams of milky white fruit in my hand—a unique fragrance seeped into my heart. I inhaled deeply, and instantly, a wave of happiness surged within me.
I didn't eat it, but saw that everyone here was eating one—each person had a fruit.
Gradually, I remembered—this fruit was a bit like the red fruit tree we'd seen on the first island.
That fruit tree—if a happy person ate it, it was a delicacy; but if a sad person ate it, it tasted like mud. I stared closely at the fruit in my hand. Suddenly, a commotion erupted below. I looked down and saw someone collapsed on the ground, motionless. People gathered around, hands pressed together, smiling.
"He may be dead, but he was very happy. There's nothing better than dying with a smile."
Nathan Li murmured behind me. I glanced over—the man lying on the ground wore a blissful smile. No tears, no sorrow—just happiness, for everyone.