A strand of black hair, like a ribbon, danced before my eyes. A familiar face appeared in front of me as I hovered between sleep and wakefulness, staring at the figure before me.
Suddenly, my eyes widened. In an instant, I felt a suffocating chill rush over me—it was Future Ethan Zhang, standing before me with a grave expression, one hand gripping the Starshard Radiance.
"Are you... a ghost?"
Past Ethan Justice nodded. I swallowed hard. Before, I couldn't sense it because the power of Future Ethan Zhang was so overwhelming, but now, with this pure energy as a contrast, I could clearly feel the ghostly power emanating from Past Ethan Justice.
"Why did you come here?"
"Through coexistence."
I swallowed hard. He had mentioned before that he took a bit of my coexistence power.
"Don't hand over the Starshard Radiance, Ethan Zhang. Listen to me—if you do, something irreversible will happen. Rachel Lan will be completely erased."
My eyes widened, and for a moment, doubt crept into my heart.
"Can you tell me what exactly happened?"
"I thought something had happened, but it turns out there's just an evil ghost here!"
A hearty voice came from behind. I turned my head—it was Past Ethan Justice, holding the Magic Wine Gourd and drinking noisily.
Same eyes, same face—one in a black robe with disheveled long hair, the other with a topknot and a Soulbinding Robe. Yet both faces showed the same resolve, and every gesture radiated immense power.
Sizzling sounds echoed. Future Ethan Zhang looked at his own body—it was burning, wisps of green smoke rising. He sneered at Past Ethan Justice.
"Greeting me like this right off the bat—isn't that a bit much?"
"Of course. You're a ghost, I'm human. Humans and ghosts are natural enemies, aren't they?"
Past Ethan Justice spoke, and Future Ethan Zhang burst out laughing. Suddenly, with a wave of his hand, the bright white space behind him turned into darkness.
"So quick to counterattack. You seem strong."
"You too."
For a moment, the two locked eyes. Stuck in the middle, my mind was full of doubts—both seemed ready to fight.
"Forget it."
"Forget it."
Past and Future Ethan Zhang spoke in unison.
"If we really fought, Ethan Zhang's life would be snuffed out in an instant. Even this place we're in would vanish, turning into nothingness."
Past Ethan Justice spoke, and Future Ethan Zhang nodded. Then he drifted behind me and sat cross-legged before Past Ethan Justice.
Past Ethan Justice sat down as well.
"To meet you at the end of the past—it's truly incredible."
"That's what I should say—to you, from the end of the future."
I hurried over and sat beside them.
"What exactly happened? Tell me."
Future Ethan Zhang turned to look at me and then smiled.
"You don't need to know. I'm here to stop you—don't use the Starshard Radiance to save Seven. He's already dead, already gone. He shouldn't come back."
"Who exactly is he?"
I asked immediately, but neither Ethan Zhang answered. Yet both seemed to know Seven's identity.
"Existence is reason enough—that's what John Chou said, have you forgotten?"
"I haven't forgotten. But existence as reason means one's existence is another's destruction. Faced with such a choice, what would you do?"
Future Ethan Zhang spoke with a hard edge in his voice.
"It will change things, yes. But I'm human, so I only save those who are human. You're different—you're a ghost, cold and unfeeling."
Suddenly, Future Ethan Zhang's hair whipped around as he glared angrily at Past Ethan Justice.
"Trying to provoke me is useless. After all, I'm not that Ethan Zhang beside you. You want to make me lash out so you can banish me from this world. You think I don't know what you're up to? After all, we're the same person."
Past Ethan Justice laughed.
"So you've seen through me. Does that mean there's nothing left to discuss?"
"Don't use the Starshard Radiance. I'll say it again."
Past Ethan Justice stood up, smiled, and then slowly lay back down.
"It doesn't matter to me. This is my domain—you can stay as long as you want. If you get bored, I'll take you for a drink, show you the past at this end point."
For a while, neither Ethan Zhang paid any attention to each other. One sat with his eyes closed, the other lay down, completely leaving me out in the cold.
"Did either of you ask for my opinion?"
I shouted in frustration, and both Ethan Zhangs opened their eyes.
"Then let's hear it, Ethan Zhang—what's your opinion?"
Future Ethan Zhang said. I immediately began to speak.
"If I use the Starshard Radiance to save Seven, will Rachel Lan disappear? But what's the real reason? Tell me."
"No comment."
Future Ethan Zhang spat out the words, and Past Ethan Justice nodded.
"These things really can't be told to you. Stop asking. Since you've asked, it's up to you—should the Starshard Radiance be used to save Seven or not?"
I fell into deep thought. I worried about Rachel Lan's safety, and also about what Past Ethan Justice said—that someone might be the reason Seven could be saved. Thinking of the look on Granny Meng's face, maybe the person closely tied to Seven is someone I know well and care about deeply.
Just then, there was a disturbance at my side. Seven walked in and, in an instant, plopped down on the ground, staring in terror at Future Ethan Zhang.
"You still managed to chase me here."
Future Ethan Zhang fixed Seven with a cold, icy stare.
"Isn't there a safer way—one that can save Seven without putting Rachel Lan at risk?"
I spoke up, then smiled and stood up.
Seven looked at me in surprise, his eyes full of gratitude.
[Irrelevant system message skipped for translation.]
"Don't look at me. I don't know why, but you feel familiar to me. Maybe the person meant to save you is also deeply connected to me."
Immediately, both Ethan Zhangs spoke in unison: "Impossible."
"How about saving half?"
I spoke up at once. Past Ethan Justice looked at me in surprise, while Future Ethan Zhang lowered his head and sighed helplessly.
"There is a way. Do you agree, Seven? I will only reconstruct half of you, not all. You should understand what I mean—this is to prevent major changes in the correct timeline for Ethan Zhang. Of course, I'll need your help."
Past Ethan Justice said, looking at Future Ethan Zhang sitting on the ground.
Seven, looking fearful, walked over to Future Ethan Zhang.
"Get out of my sight."
In an instant, Seven jumped back.
I quietly watched the two of them, puzzled about Seven's identity. He existed in the dreams of Qi and Past Ethan Justice, but he didn't seem to be a dream construct born of their dreams. Instead, he was a third person who originally existed in the desolate apocalypse.
I couldn't help but look at Seven in surprise.
"Stop guessing, Ethan Zhang."
Past Ethan Justice smiled and muttered, then walked up to Future Ethan Zhang and held out his hand.
"What are you doing?"
"Hand it over—the Starshard Radiance. Why are you hiding it?"
Future Ethan Zhang stood up, clearly annoyed, and held out his hand. A rainbow glow appeared. He handed the Starshard Radiance to Past Ethan Justice, then turned away, his body gradually dissolving into black particles and fading away.
"Don't go too far."
"I know. Don't worry."