"That's what happens when you don't listen. I've seen plenty of people who claim to stick to their beliefs, and it always ends the same way—death."
I sat by the window, watching Rachel Lan lying on the bed. Just the morning before last, she suddenly fell into a coma, and her condition has been deteriorating ever since. Yuna Ji was beside her, gripping Rachel Lan's hand with barely restrained frustration.
I gave a helpless smile. Rachel Lan's face was deathly pale, and black spots were starting to appear all over her body. The sudden worsening of her condition had become even more severe since this morning. Now, her forehead and cheeks were covered with marks of the red spider lily—the curse planted by Isabelle Frost—which had temporarily halted the deterioration. Everyone was trying to find a solution.
Rachel Lan managed a weak smile, and Yuna Ji slapped her forehead.
"What's so funny? You're about to die. If I'd known, I never would have saved you. Letting that poison take you out would have been much simpler, and it would've spared us all the trouble that followed."
I frowned, stood up, and grabbed Yuna Ji by the arm.
"Can you just stop talking for a moment?"
I knew Yuna Ji was referring to what happened with Little Hei. Back then, Rachel Lan's situation was dire. Yuna Ji literally sucked the corpse poison out of Rachel Lan's body, mouth to mouth, and ate it, saving her life.
"She was a soul of the earth to begin with. Even dying would've been better than this. Stubborn people are just a pain."
John Chou had already left with the Blue Wraiths, and Redmond was gone too. Only Rufina Howard remained, as if John Chou still had a solution. All we could do now was wait, relying on Isabelle Frost's curse power to slow Rachel Lan's deterioration, hoping John Chou would find an answer.
At this moment, Isabelle Frost and Rufina Howard were both gone, having gone to make porridge for Rachel Lan. Yuna Ji and I stayed behind to watch over her.
"Aren't you the same, Yuna Ji?"
Rachel Lan coughed and sat up. Yuna Ji pursed her lips and fell silent. I gave a bitter smile and looked outside, wracking my brain for a way to save Rachel Lan. Without the bones as a medium, no matter how new the body is, it can't stay together forever. These weakened vessels will collapse sooner or later—it's only a matter of time.
But before John Chou left, he mentioned there was still one way. As soon as he said it, Redmond frowned—he seemed to know what John Chou was talking about, but didn't elaborate. I glanced at Yuna Ji and asked her.
"Do you know what method John Chou was referring to?"
"How would I know? As for what John Chou is thinking, I can't be bothered to waste my brainpower guessing."
I smiled and nodded slightly, glancing back at Rachel Lan. She sat slumped on the bed, once again sinking into confusion and pain. Unfortunately, there was nothing my power could do for her. I even asked John Chou if the Heavenly Soul could help, but all I got was a shake of the head.
"Honestly, that girl is stubborn to the core. If she really disappears, Qingyuan will never come back."
"To be honest, that girl is truly an Earthly Soul. If she really disappears, Ethan Zhang will never return."
This is the hardest thing to accept. If we just did what The Immortality Society suggested, there would be a seventy percent chance of success. As long as we relied on Lady Yvonne May's primal essence to lock time on Rachel Lan whenever a problem arose, we could keep searching for a solution, gradually merging Rachel Lan with her corpse.
I checked on Rachel Lan's corpse—the Bloodbane Power from John Chou had already been fully infused into the Skeletal Shade. This was meant to preserve the bones, another function of Bloodbane Power. But if Rachel dies, the bones won't last either.
Just yesterday, I went to inspect the bones again. Sure enough, just like Rachel, the surface was turning black and starting to crack.
"It took me so much effort to piece her bones back together, and now it's all for nothing."
"That's not true. John Chou must have found a way—let's just wait a bit longer."
At that moment, I noticed Rufina Howard walking toward us along the stone path with a basket. Soon, she bounded up the steps, grinning from ear to ear.
"Roxie, time to eat!"
As soon as she came in, Rufina Howard called out sweetly. But she quickly noticed Rachel's lifeless state and looked over at us.
"You two, come help me."
Yuna Ji and I exchanged glances, then went over. I held Rachel while Yuna Ji pried her mouth open, and Rufina Howard fed her.
After a while, I sighed helplessly. Rachel barely ate any of the porridge. Rufina Howard's face fell, and she slumped at the table, chin in hand, looking anxious and restless.
"Why aren't they back yet?"
"By the way, kid, do you still remember anything from before?"
Yuna Ji asked, and Rufina Howard shook her head.
"I've heard my fate is to be trapped in endless Sixfold Cycle—always carrying memories from my past lives. But Redhair told me most of those memories have been self-erased."
I looked at Rufina Howard in confusion.
"Doesn't that make you sad at all?"
Rufina Howard blinked and shook her head.
"What's the point of being sad?"
I gave an awkward smile. Though she looked fragile, this girl was strong inside. I sat down, glanced around, and pulled out a set of Five Heirs of the Nine Gates chess pieces.
"Come play chess. Don't dwell on pointless things. You love games, don't you?"