"Alfred Fu, can I eat this guy? My fist is starting to hurt."
Adam Dale clutched his now-caved-in jaw, while Rachel Lan gently pressed her hand to my cheek.
"I won't do anything to that woman. After all, we're all in this together. If we start fighting among ourselves, that's exactly what those bastards want to see. I won't do something so foolish."
"Rachel, go home first."
I spoke softly, and Rachel Lan nodded.
Xu Fu, Adam Dale, and I walked toward John Chou's house. The street was nearly deserted.
"Boss Zhang..."
"Can you drop that disgusting fake smile? Please? Lunatic."
I cursed, and Xu Fu sighed helplessly.
"If you hadn't remembered, maybe I wouldn't have approached you. I'd still be a teacher at the school, and you'd still be running the barbecue shop."
"When did you remember?"
I asked immediately. Xu Fu rested his chin on one hand and smiled, then answered.
"From the very beginning."
I froze, standing still and quietly studying Xu Fu.
"Surprised, aren't you? But it's not because I'm clever. This time, I actually lost to John Chou. When the ritual started, I saw the armor appear on him, and immediately told Adam Dale next to me to eat me—so I managed to escape disaster."
I stared at Xu Fu in shock. What he said seemed true, but I knew nothing about Adam Dale's situation. As the top experimental subject of the Immortality Society, he must have some special power.
"At that moment, I sensed the power of the Underworld Court, and started thinking. It was only for an instant, but several possibilities flashed through my mind—the worst was this one. If you want to change someone's consciousness and perception, to turn them into a new being or someone you can control, the only way is to tamper with their soul. Judging by how those people came at us in force, they must be confident they can make us submit."
We arrived at Xu Fu's apartment. He chuckled and gestured for us to enter, leading us around the building into the park.
"I didn't kill anyone, you know. As you all know, it's impossible to kill a Dark Resident in this place. What you saw was just Adam Dale's vomit—it's as simple as that."
I looked at Adam Dale, even more astonished.
"As for what method I used—well, we're enemies. We can't be completely honest, but since we're on the same front, we have to exchange information, right, Ethan Zhang?"
We arrived at John Chou's doorstep. The door was open, and the lights in the first-floor living room were on. From a distance, I could see John Chou's silhouette.
"Mr. Chou, I'm here to hang out at your place."
Xu Fu joked as he walked in, dropping himself onto a seat. John Chou, with a half-smile, rested his chin on both hands and crossed his legs, staring at Xu Fu and Adam Dale. I stood behind John Chou, studying Adam Dale across the room. Adam had curled up in the corner, looking like a ball of flesh, eyes closed.
"Alfred Fu, I'm going to sleep for a bit. Call me if anything happens."
"Get some rest, Adam. You've been sleep-deprived lately."
We all fell silent, neither side saying a word.
"So that's it. You set a trap on purpose. All these months, I thought you hadn't remembered anything!"
John Chou spoke after a long, thoughtful pause. Xu Fu burst out laughing.
"Same here. I thought you'd finally turned into an idiot, unable to remember a thing."
The two stared each other down, neither willing to back off.
"My teaching record at school is far better than yours. Plus, I'm more popular with women and have better relationships up and down the ranks."
"Let's call it a draw this time, John Chou. I admit, I'm not as good as you when it comes to handling people—you're the best. But you still fell for my trap and believed I'd really turned into a psycho killer."
John Chou's expression faltered, but then he relaxed, leaning back comfortably on the sofa.
"It was Adam Dale, wasn't it? He helped you dodge disaster—and figured out I'd remembered from the start."
Xu Fu shook his head, then nodded.
"You've been flawless these past five months. I suspected you, but I never confirmed it, because you're truly clever. But cleverness can backfire—since it's impossible to kill a Dark Resident in the Dark Place, I broke the rules. Looking back at all my changes over these months, once Ethan Zhang remembered, you got desperate to probe me for answers. It's not that you're not smart, John Chou—you're just too anxious. After all, your upstairs neighbor isn't doing well, right?"
Xu Fu meant Isabelle Frost, and her condition was indeed dire. Her soul was in terrible shape, almost petrified.
John Chou pressed both hands to his temples and groaned.
"It's all for my idiot little sister."
Xu Fu stood up, his eyes burning with anger.
He looked at me, his voice low and cold. "Let’s go. If we wait any longer, we’ll just be eaten alive by those monsters."
John Chou nodded, his expression grim as he glanced toward the door.
Adam Dale struggled to his feet, wiping blood from his lips, his jaw still badly swollen.
The three of us moved together, the tension between us thick and suffocating.
Outside, the darkness pressed in, swallowing every sound and shadow.
Xu Fu paused, his hand on the wall, feeling for something invisible.
“Here,” he muttered. "There’s something here only a Dark Resident can feel."
I reached out, and a chill ran down my spine as my fingers brushed against a cold, vibrating surface.
John Chou’s eyes widened. "That’s it. The passage to the Thirteen Pillars."
Adam Dale pressed his palm against the wall, his face twisted in pain. "Let’s hurry. If we stay too long, we’ll lose ourselves."
Xu Fu nodded, sweat still beading on his brow. "The ritual... it’s close. I can feel it."
We stepped forward, the oppressive darkness growing thicker with every step.
Suddenly, a low, rumbling sound echoed from deep within the shadows.
John Chou tensed. "Something’s coming. Stay sharp."
Xu Fu’s eyes darted around, searching for the source of the noise.
A shadow flickered past us, its form shifting and unnatural.
Adam Dale gritted his teeth, stepping protectively in front of me.
I felt my heart race, the sense of danger overwhelming.
Xu Fu whispered, "Don’t panic. It’s just a test. If we show fear, it’ll devour us."
John Chou’s voice was steady, but his hands trembled. "We have to keep moving."
Adam Dale glanced back at me, his eyes filled with determination.
We pressed on, step by step, deeper into the unknown.
The darkness seemed to pulse with a life of its own, oppressive and all-consuming.
Suddenly, a faint glow appeared ahead, illuminating a series of ancient symbols carved into the stone.
Xu Fu exhaled slowly. "We’re here. The Thirteen Pillars."
John Chou stepped forward, tracing the symbols with his fingers.
Adam Dale watched warily, ready to act at a moment’s notice.
Xu Fu knelt before the pillars, his voice trembling. "We must begin the ritual. Only then can we break free."
John Chou nodded, his face pale. "Do it quickly. We don’t have much time."
Adam Dale placed his hand on my shoulder, steadying me as the air grew heavy with anticipation.
Xu Fu began chanting, the ancient words echoing through the darkness.
The symbols on the pillars started to glow, pulsing with a sinister light.
I felt a force tugging at my soul, threatening to tear me apart.
John Chou gritted his teeth, fighting against the pull.
Adam Dale’s face twisted with pain, but he refused to let go.
Xu Fu’s voice grew louder, desperate, as the ritual reached its peak.
Suddenly, the darkness recoiled, and a blinding pain shot through my mind.
Adam Dale screamed, his voice echoing off the stone.
John Chou collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.
Xu Fu’s chant faltered, but the symbols continued to glow, promising either salvation or oblivion.