The pale morning light filtered through the curtains and fell across my cheek. I opened my eyes slightly, rubbing my aching head as I got out of bed. My body had mostly adapted to everything in this world, but it still affected me somewhat. Everything I ate and drank was produced here.
Pulling open the curtains, I saw the world outside awash in light. The sunlight was split in two by a pale blue tower. I lit a cigarette, put it to my lips, and opened the window. A fragrant aroma wafted in. I took a deep drag, exhaled, and decided to shower before heading down for breakfast.
Tan Tian handles all my meals every day. I never expected him to be such a good cook—it genuinely surprised me. He’s even better than I am at making food.
Since I grew up often alone at home, I’m pretty confident in my cooking skills. But Tan Tian’s dishes are perfect in color, aroma, and taste, and he manages to make something new for me every day—never repeating a dish.
I inhaled the scent of breakfast drifting up from downstairs, trying to guess what I'd be eating today. When I reached the second floor, I saw Tan Tian standing at the kitchen doorway.
"Is it soy milk?"
I asked, but the smell didn’t quite match. Tan Tian stepped aside and pointed to a bowl on the table. It looked like porridge, but not quite—it gave off a sweet, fragrant aroma.
"Hurry up and eat."
I shot Tan Tian a look—he’s really no fun. I sat down and tasted the dish: the sweetness seeped into my bones. It was red bean paste mixed with a bit of meat—probably fish—fresh and sweet. I quickly finished and went to sit on the living room sofa, switching on the TV. There’s showbiz here too, which surprised me. The TV had all sorts of entertainment programs, not much different from the living world, though a strange unease lingered beneath the surface.
"Lana Lin, are you asleep?"
Tan Tian asked, and I glanced back, shaking my head.
"Not in the mood today. I’m heading out for a walk later—want to join?"
Tan Tian didn’t answer and just went downstairs. I knew he was about to enter the space inside his corpse membrane again. He’s such a dull guy, never willing to try or change anything. But then I remember he’s just a cold, emotionless being with only thought—and I feel a bit helpless.
I flipped through the channels absently and found there were actually a lot here, but no internet—everything’s broadcast by TV. Over time, I discovered some new and interesting dramas and movies, which I never expected. The Divine Emperors have built a world here that’s truly no worse than the living world.
This reminded me of what the Wraithlord once said: to create a new kind of humanity, one without conflict, so the world could become beautiful.
Looking at the people here, I got that sense—they apologize when they bump into each other, neighbors get along peacefully. There’s no trace of anger here; it’s an incredibly happy place.
The doorbell rang. I sighed helplessly, wanting to pretend I wasn’t home. The woman next door was coming over to chat again. Her husband had a good job, so they could afford this big house, and she had no worries. She loved to gossip with the neighbors, but most of them were already tired of her chatter.
As the new neighbor, I naturally became her favorite target for small talk. The topics were always domestic trivia. Tan Tian and I moved in as father and daughter—he bought this place with money from this world. What amazed me was that in just one day, Tan Tian earned enough by working for others and trading with those in need. By evening, he had enough to buy the house, like magic.
The doorbell kept ringing. We told people I was frail and sickly, so I had to stay home. With no choice, I went downstairs. (Rachel Lan)
The doorbell kept ringing. We told people I was frail and sickly, so I had to stay home. With no choice, I went downstairs. (Lana Lin)
The woman in front of me was Lillian Chen—pretty and stylish. Without waiting for an invitation, she linked arms with me and walked right in. If I’d known, I would’ve gone out with Tan Tian; he never comes out before lunch.
"Lana Lin, that boss I mentioned is really great—handsome and gentle, much better than my own rough husband."
Tan Tian once said the Divine Emperors have the power to monitor all Yinfolk. His method is simple: directly absorb Yin energy to match the outward appearance of distant Yinfolk, wrapping it around our bodies, then adding a layer of corpse membrane. Only when heading underground do the Yin energy and corpse membrane fall away. So we’re just like the Yinfolk here—there are identical versions of us far away. Even if the Divine Emperors can monitor everything, they can’t detect us in the short term.
For now, we just have to take things one step at a time. Lillian Chen had already started gossiping, all about trivial matters.
"Let me tell you, Lana—if you ever feel lonely, you should find someone and get married. Look at you, so pretty—even if you’ve got a few health issues, there’ll be someone who likes you. Want me to introduce you? I know a boss who..."
"I’m already married."
I said it directly. For a moment, Lillian Chen stared at me in shock, blinking in disbelief.
"What kind of person? Why haven’t I seen him?"
I shook my head.
"He works farther away. He can’t leave right now because he’s treating my illness, but he comes to visit me every so often."
Lillian Chen started digging for details again. I was getting a bit annoyed, but couldn’t think of a way out. Whenever I tried to change the subject, she’d pull it back—always about relationships, which really got on my nerves.
"Roxie, that boss I mentioned is really great—handsome and gentle, much better than my own rough husband."
Lillian Chen looked at me with envy, though her eyes held a hint of bitterness. I found it strange.
"Don’t tell me you like..."
Before I could finish, Lillian Chen suddenly went blank, completely still. I saw the Yin energy around her turn chaotic, as if she was about to collapse. Moments later, I heard sirens. Within minutes, Phantom Sage’s men in blue uniforms came and took Lillian Chen away.
"What just happened?"
The man in front of me asked seriously. I started explaining—maybe Lillian Chen had fallen for someone else or something. They left without asking more, which felt odd to me.
During breakfast, I watched TV and glanced at Tan Tian from time to time. I smelled several kinds of spices. Tan Tian was kneading meat in a bowl, slicing vegetables so uniformly, and making soup that smelled delicious.
After a wonderful meal, I lounged comfortably on the sofa, waiting for the midday drama. I told Tan Tian about what happened with Lillian Chen.
"Maybe the reason people here live so peacefully is because the Divine Emperors control them, or have implanted some kind of power. But until we open the Boundary, we can’t make any rash moves."
I murmured a thank you. After all, Tan Tian cooked delicious meals for me every day and even cleaned up—I had it so easy, my mood was great every day.
But for some reason, it felt like Tan Tian always knew exactly what I wanted to eat. When I had porridge for breakfast, I thought: porridge is nice, but eating something so soft and sticky in the morning isn’t very energizing. The fish was tasty, but didn’t have much bite.
By noon, Tan Tian made me meatballs with tendon—chewy, flavorful, and very aromatic.
"Are you just trying to win me over?"
I asked with a laugh. Tan Tian shook his head.
"When people are in a good mood, their minds are more active and they can do more. It’s always been that way—a hearty, satisfying meal puts people in a good mood."
My heart sank. So he really was trying to win me over—his motives were obvious, and he valued efficiency, just like a machine. I felt a bit helpless, but decided not to think about it. I grabbed some cold beer from the fridge, got some snacks, and started watching TV.
Near dusk, I noticed Lillian Chen had come back. Curious, I went downstairs to intercept her.
"No need, Lana Lin. You just need to focus on how to use the Corpse Shroud. Let everything else go. You must understand how vital it is to keep yourself alive—if you die, everything ends."
I asked. Lillian Chen nodded.
"Oh, I’m so sorry—I fainted at your place."
Lillian Chen explained: whenever someone faints, those people in blue uniforms come and take them away for treatment. When I tried to ask about that boss, she still praised him, but her demeanor was totally normal—no trace of infatuation. That surprised me.
"I’ll come find you tomorrow morning. My husband’s coming home, so I need to cook for him."
I swallowed as Lillian Chen left, looking blissfully happy. At noon she’d called her husband a brute, but now she was eager to go home and cook for him.
It wasn’t just Lillian Chen—this had happened before. Tan Tian and I couldn’t do anything except keep waiting for the Boundary to open.
Back inside, I saw Tan Tian cooking again. I washed my hands and walked over.
"Let me help you."
Tan Tian turned his head to look at me.
"No need, Rachel Lan. You just need to focus on how to use the Otherworld Corpse Membrane. Let everything else go. You must understand how vital it is to keep yourself alive—if you die, everything ends."