My jaw dropped in surprise as I stared at Old Moe. He looked deadly serious. The person he mentioned must be the one who appeared three times in Lan Yin's memories, wrapped in a shroud of black mist.
"Lan Yin saw that guy three times. As for me, it was seven years ago, when I left Rachel Lan's side, that I met him. He gave me the idea to leave Rachel, break off our father-daughter relationship, and then disguise myself as a beggar to evade pursuit by Hades' Will and the Underworld Court. Everything seemed to go perfectly, but there were some problems hidden within it all."
"What exactly happened, Old Moe?"
I'd seen Rachel Lan's memories before. Indeed, on that rainy night when Old Moe parted ways with her, he said he'd received guidance from a master.
"I don't know the specifics, but Ethan, my instincts were suppressed to an extreme degree. Normally, my instincts can't be suppressed at all, but when facing that guy, I was cut off from them for seven years."
My heart jolted. I had no idea something like this had happened.
"Next, I'll find a way to track down that guy. His existence is completely unreasonable."
Hearing this, I was even more shocked. Old Moe had just said that existence itself is reasonable, and I'd always believed that too. But right now, what he said felt deeply unsettling.
"Existence itself is reasonable, whether it's human, ghost, or something else. But that guy's existence defies all reason—it breaks the laws of cause and effect, past, present, and even future."
I couldn't understand a word Old Moe was saying. At that moment, John Chou clapped his hands and walked over.
"I didn't expect you to have noticed already, Martin Lane. Heh."
"So it's true, then? John Chou, you must have met that guy before."
John Chou nodded.
"Yes, I've seen him. But back then, he was weak. I don't like beating around the bush like you humans do. He's the only one who ever escaped my Bloodbane Shadow Realm."
For a moment, Old Moe looked genuinely surprised.
"Go ahead and look for him if you want. But remember, once you find him, let me know."
Old Moe nodded, and just then, John Chou grabbed me by the collar and hoisted me into the air.
"John Chou, you..."
I saw Rachel Lan sitting on the steps, looking lonely. She seemed to want to come up but held herself back. She probably knew her parents were leaving again. Images of Rachel as a child flashed through my mind—every day, she'd sit at the doorway, watching and waiting for Old Moe to return, her face full of sadness and longing.
John Chou dragged me to the seats of the Ten Guides. Down below, the place was already bustling, and the aroma of food wafted through the air. I swallowed nervously.
"Brother, how was it? This trip to Hades' Will?"
I nodded.
"Thanks."
John Chou always asked me about my heart. I used to be confused, never understanding what he meant, but now I get it—knowing yourself is a crucial step in moving forward.
I was ignorant about myself before, always watching others, never really changing. I was still me—just as lost as before.
"That's good to know, brother. I'm looking forward to it, haha..."
John Chou said this, giving me a cryptic look before slowly rising and flying off into the distance. He seemed to be leaving first. The other Blue Wraiths and Yuna Ji followed him. Rufina Howard also left, escorted by Vivian Maple.
I decided to stay in Hades' Will for a few more days. After all, I still needed to get Awakening Water from the locals. I looked around, walked down the steps, and planned to find a place to sit and eat. I saw Hugh Thompson, Vincent Swallow, and Old Eccentric at a table and decided to join them.
Just then, I saw Old Moe and his family coming down the steps. Old Moe waved at me, and the four of us found a spot and sat down. Rachel Lan looked a bit upset.
"Let's eat, Rachel."
Old Moe spoke, handing a bowl to Rachel Lan. The four of us quietly ate together. Not a word was spoken during the meal. Rachel's tears fell, drop by drop, and all I could do was sit silently beside her.
After we finished eating, Old Moe and Helen Lane stood up, clearly ready to leave. Both of them looked at me seriously. I stood and bowed.
Suddenly, Rachel Lan stood up. With a bang, the bowls on the table overturned. She stared at her parents, visibly agitated.
"How old are you now, Rachel?"
Old Moe smiled and asked.
"Twenty-eight."
"That's right, twenty-eight. You're not a child anymore."
"Rachel, remember to take precautions. We still haven't found a solution, so for now, you can't have children."
Helen Lane blurted this out, making me feel extremely embarrassed. I wanted to say something, but Rachel stayed frozen in place.
"Dad, Mom..."
Rachel Lan choked with emotion, her tears still falling after a long while. I reached out, gently wiping the tears from her face.
"Remember, you have to come back..." Rachel managed to say. Then Old Moe and Helen Lane waved goodbye and left. Rachel cried uncontrollably in my arms. I understood—she'd never once had a meal with her parents growing up.
I glanced at the empty dishes on the table and gently patted Rachel's back.
"Rachel, there are many days ahead. Someday, our whole family will sit together—our parents, and... our children."
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The next morning, the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window. I woke up; Rachel was still asleep. I quietly got up, kissed her, and left the room. Outside, many people from Hades' Will were gathering with big bags, preparing to leave.
Downstairs, I saw Julian Lu and Miles Mo still sleeping at the table. They'd been drinking all night. Julian was especially hurt after learning everything—he kept talking about how he had once loved a woman who loved him back, but because of the Trial Marriage Stone, he could only marry someone else.
Lan Yin was already sitting in a chair. Rachel and I were assigned to the room where Old Moe and Helen Lane used to stay, right behind their seats.
"You're up, Ethan Zhang." I nodded and walked over.
Lan Yin still looked angry. I'd heard a bit about it last night—ever since returning to Hades' Will, he's been doing what he thinks is right, but things never go the way he hopes.