The last rays of the sun vanished beyond the horizon, and the sky turned ashen. Exhausted, I walked along the street supported by Isabelle Frost, but for some reason, everyone in Fallen Hollow was staring at me. Some whispered excitedly, others—children—smiled with genuine joy.
Isabelle Frost was dressed like a modern woman, wearing a white office skirt suit. John Chou and Evan Zhao were already waiting for me at Auntie's house. As soon as I entered, I caught a strange, delicious aroma, and I couldn't help but salivate.
"Oh, young lady, why didn't you say so earlier? So you’re the ones from the county here to survey the geology and oversee things! Our town is saved, isn’t it? Young lady, there are a few small villages nearby—the people there have it tough too."
I blinked and glanced at the entrance on the left—there was now an SUV parked there, but it radiated ghostly energy, clearly conjured from spectral power. John Chou and Evan Zhao were also dressed in modern suits; Evan Zhao wore his hair in a small braid, looking carefree and handsome, though he seemed a bit uncomfortable in these clothes.
"You’ve worked hard, Rachel. On our way here, we bought a few freshly caught bamboo partridges from a farmer—one’s in the soup and the other three are being roasted over a wood fire. Dinner will be ready soon."
I swallowed hard, unable to resist any longer. Auntie hurried in and served me a bowl of steaming, fragrant bamboo partridge soup. After sitting down and taking a sip, the chill in my body faded away, and I found myself eagerly anticipating the meal. John Chou invited Auntie to join us, while Evan Zhao looked apologetically at the people outside who kept coming to ask questions.
John Chou had told them about the plan: to build a small underground reservoir here, so everyone in town could have tap water, along with irrigation channels for the fields. There would also be funds allocated to repair the villagers’ homes. It felt like a festival in the village—many people brought wine and fruit, thanking us again and again, leaving me completely baffled.
Soon, a large pot of bamboo partridge soup and three crispy roasted birds were served, along with plenty of side dishes. My appetite surged and I ate three bowls of rice. After eating, Auntie left to share the good news with her relatives.
"What exactly is going on?"
I asked. John Chou smiled, holding a bowl of wine and sipping it slowly. Isabelle Frost drank in silence, while Evan Zhao downed his wine in one gulp and then smiled as he spoke.
"There have been many attempts to bring prosperity here, but every time, because of my power, nothing ever came of it. Most people didn’t understand and never asked—anyone who came close to this town and drank water tainted with Sorrowbane Power would eventually leave, never wanting to return to this sorrowful place."
I swallowed as Evan Zhao continued.
"It was my power that disrupted so many plans before. Now that its influence is gone, these projects will finally start happening one after another. This place should become prosperous soon."
I nodded, chewing on the fragrant bamboo partridge. At that moment, John Chou poured me a bowl of wine.
"Drink this and you’ll sleep soundly. The day after tomorrow, when we head back, we’ll have to go somewhere else to find the Green Wraith."
I nodded again. Though I wasn’t much of a drinker, I finished the bowl with bamboo partridge—and promptly lost all awareness of everything.
Early the next morning, I woke with a splitting headache. Half-awake, I grabbed the water cup beside me, but stumbled, falling toward the floor. Just as I was about to hit the ground, both I and the cup stopped midair. I felt a chill and sneezed—Isabelle Frost was sitting beside me. Embarrassed, I swallowed and muttered a thank you.
The spilled water floated back into the cup, and I found myself back in bed. After drinking the water, I immediately felt much better.
It was almost eleven by the time I stepped outside. The whole village was celebrating, just as Evan Zhao had said—approval for the town’s construction projects had come through, and soon work would begin on the underground reservoir and irrigation channels John Chou mentioned yesterday. No more endless hauling water for the fields.
Seeing the villagers’ joy—a stark contrast to when I first arrived—I learned that John Chou and Evan Zhao had gone to the Rivers Mansion. Evan Zhao claimed to be a distant relative of the Rivers Family, here to manage the family’s rental properties.
After breakfast, Isabelle Frost took me straight up to the Rivers Mansion. Evan Zhao was already there, clearing out broken debris from the courtyard and sweeping dust upstairs. I noticed the weeds in the back, front, and side courtyards had all been cleared. The sky was still overcast, and a light rain had fallen that morning—a rare blessing for this drought-stricken town.
"Looks like they’re about to get lucky," I said.
As I spoke, John Chou laughed.
"It’s not just luck—it’s great fortune. In the coming years, this place will be overflowing with wealth. They’ve been poor for centuries, not because of natural causes, but because the power of Sorrowbane blocked the flow of luck and disrupted the local feng shui. Now, Divine Law will compensate those who struggled for generations. This generation will finally enjoy Heaven’s blessings."
I looked at John Chou, still skeptical. After watching Evan Zhao work for a while, I grew bored and decided to take a walk through town.
I didn’t ask Isabelle Frost to walk me down; instead, I headed down the path alone.
But at that moment, everyone in the village was gathered below the Rivers Mansion, all talking about one thing: someone had discovered a gold mine to the right of the ancient collapse site—and it was a huge deposit. Some even brought out chunks of gold ore. I stared, completely stunned.
It was as if fortune had suddenly descended upon this long-impoverished Fallen Hollow. The villagers were ecstatic, some already gathering around the mayor to strategize—this was their resource, and rather than letting outsiders mine it, they wanted to do it themselves.
But it wasn’t just the gold mine—some of the elderly villagers’ chronic ailments had suddenly healed. Though not serious illnesses, these aches and pains had tormented them for years. Everyone said it was because the town finally had hope. People from neighboring villages arrived, reporting their own discoveries of mineral deposits.
I saw many people surrounded by a rainbow-like, glassy aura—just as John Chou had said, Heavenly Fortune Descends, and it was true great fortune. Divine Law was fair, compensating these people; as long as they prospered, even their ancestors in the Underworld Court would have better days. The thought made me sigh.
"Life still won’t be easy," I thought.
After all, the Underworld Court now uses every soul it can summon as labor and soldiers, driving them relentlessly each day.
One good thing after another kept happening—some families even unearthed ancestral treasures like jade and gemstones. The whole town was ecstatic, as if it were perfectly natural; no one found it strange.
"This is all happening so fast," I murmured.
When I returned to Auntie’s house, she was humming a tune, happily grabbing my hand. She told me a distant relative had passed away, leaving her a fortune—multiple apartments in the city and over a million in inheritance. She’d only stayed at their house briefly as a child, never expecting to receive such a gift.
Auntie was so happy she cried tears of joy. I could only comfort her. The whole town erupted in celebration—drums and gongs sounded everywhere. Tonight, they planned a long-table banquet, everyone bringing out their own tables and chairs to line the street, each family making dishes to share. It would last all day.
Many families who raised chickens and pigs began slaughtering them for the feast. The village buzzed with activity, firecrackers exploded, and people brought out treasures they’d kept for years to celebrate.
I couldn’t help but be moved—this was what they deserved. I decided to stay tonight, to eat and drink with them, and leave in the morning.
Auntie thanked me again and again, saying I had brought all this good fortune with me.
By noon, delicious smells filled the air and tables were set up. Evan Zhao finished tidying the ancestral home and joined the street, standing quietly to the side. His face showed both joy and sorrow—a deep sense of guilt. He truly owed the people of this town; for years, they had shared in his sorrow.
That night, the townspeople donned colorful clothes and began singing and dancing in celebration. Evan Zhao joined in, eating and drinking happily with them. I stood quietly at Auntie’s door, watching it all, my heart full of emotion.
"Past Ethan Justice must have seen many scenes like this. I hope to see more in the future!"
At that moment, John Chou came over, smiling and offering me a bowl of wine. I took it, puffing up my cheeks at him, and he smiled back.
"Not bad, Rachel Lan. You’re every bit as good as Past Ethan Justice!"