With a creak, the main gate of the courtyard swung open.
"Hurry up! I want to try them on right away. It's been ages since I've worn anything pretty. Bring them in for me, quick!"
Entity 001's voice rang out from outside the courtyard. She bounced in, all smiles, glancing back at the entrance. Soon after, Agent Seven came in, arms loaded with bags and packages.
"You just got better. You should rest a bit."
Entity 001 still stumbled as she walked. Aside from her lack of hair, she now looked no different from a normal person. But after more than ten years without walking, her sense of balance was poor.
Rachel Lan's instinct indirectly saved the bodies of these Forsaken. I don't know the details, but two who were dying came back to life; bodies once weak and necrotic were renewed, now indistinguishable from ordinary people. This makes me curious about this power called Genesis.
I still held the Blood Jade in my hand. It was cold and inert, showing no reaction. As I rubbed the Blood Jade, my mind kept drifting to Ethan Zhang.
His temper hasn't changed—still stubborn and abrasive. After leaving Rachel Lan, he seems intent on striking a deal with the Dark Banquet crowd, and that deal likely involves Rachel Lan. Honestly, if I had Rachel Lan's awakened instinct, I'd want it too. The power of Genesis is far too tempting.
The joyfully dancing Entity 001 and the burdened Agent Seven are living proof of this. The power is astonishingly strong. Both had already been sentenced to death—their bodies and souls at their absolute limits. But because of Rachel Lan's influence, they've been reborn. Or perhaps 'resurrected' is more accurate.
Throughout history, I've heard many tales of reincarnation. The most recent was the rebirth of the Ghostworm Monk; though it succeeded, it took centuries to prepare. The Forsaken's rebirth, by contrast, happened in an instant.
Entity 001 let out a startled cry, then grinned mischievously.
"It just happened naturally. I don’t even know how I did it."
It caught me off guard—Rachel Lan’s instinct. A breeze swept in, accompanied by a silvery glow, and Sylvia Blue landed beside me, waving her hand in resignation.
"No amount of persuasion works. Once she’s made up her mind, nothing will change it."
"Is that so!"
I muttered gloomily. I couldn’t understand Ethan Zhang’s thinking—after all they’d been through, all the hardships and trials, he still left Rachel Lan.
I glanced at Agent Seven crouched nearby, pressing a finger to the ground. Instantly, corrosive green slime oozed out, just a drop, but it sizzled as it touched the stone tiles. The slate floor blackened, the rock slowly burning and dissolving away.
"The power’s probably only a ten-thousandth of what it used to be."
Agent Seven murmured, smiling as he continued.
"But with more practice, as my soul grows stronger, the power should increase."
Thinking carefully, the other Forsaken must be the same. But what concerns me now isn’t that. I need to find each of the other Forsaken, one by one. They will become a powerful force in the future, and I need their strength—otherwise, I cannot stand against our enemies. One person’s power has its limits. This incident made it painfully clear—when I can’t use ghost powers, I am powerless. Even now, there are many beings far stronger than me.
"Hey, hey, what do you think of this one?"
Entity 001 tried to tug my arm, then called out. I stared at her silently as her clothes shifted again, turning into a floral pattern. I ignored her.
"Rachel Lan has returned to the Living World."
Suddenly, my eyes widened as I stared at Sylvia Blue. She floated upward, and I spread my black wings with a rush of wind to follow. She wasn’t moving fast, just a short distance ahead of me.
"That bastard."
I cursed, forcing myself to rise and clutching the Blood Jade tightly in my hand.
Gradually, we returned to Haven City. It was already late at night. Sylvia Blue seemed to have pinpointed Rachel Lan’s location—at Lane Café, run by Lan Chuhan. There were many people from the Underworld there, including several powerful ones, likely the Ten Guides.
"I won’t go any further. You go on ahead."
There were still over ten kilometers to go, but the other side had probably already sensed me. As for Sylvia Blue, I had no idea how she managed to make herself seem invisible to even the strongest senses.
"What do you plan to do?"
Sylvia Blue suddenly asked. I didn’t reply, stunned for a moment as I stared at the Blood Jade in my hand.
"Let’s see what Ethan Zhang decides."
Sylvia Blue suddenly grinned playfully, bent down in front of me, and patted my shoulder.
"Be honest."
Just as I was about to get angry, Sylvia Blue had already darted off into the distance, making a ghostly face at me.
All along this journey, I witnessed everything between Rachel Lan and Ethan Zhang. What they accomplished this time amazed me. When I sensed Ethan Zhang and the Heavenly Soul’s deaths, I was terrified—I had no idea what happened in that world, and I couldn’t go back.
But somehow, those two who should have been dead miraculously came back to life. And right before my eyes, Entity 001 and Agent Seven, both long dead, were alive again.
The café was crowded. Jason Su was arguing furiously with Martin Lane; Rachel Lan sat at the bar, with Helen Lane gently stroking her back. Julian Lu stood between the two quarrelling men, looking troubled. Wendy Hsieh and Miles Mo watched quietly, while Wang Su sat off to the side, sighing in anguish.
I looked closely—the Thirteen Fates of Hades were all present. I’d heard from Ethan Zhang that Rachel Lan had chosen Lan Yin as the next head of the Lan Family, but Ethan Zhang hadn’t said where Lan Yin had gone.
I took a deep breath and walked slowly forward. Immediately, streams of Blue Veil swept toward me. I glared ahead, anger burning in my eyes.
"Get out of my way."
With a thunderous crash, the Blue Veil flying toward me shattered instantly. More than a dozen Underworld beings were swept up by my killing aura, suspended in the air. I strode to the café entrance and pushed open the door.
"Even if you’re one of the Ten Guides, you can’t just decide things on your own. My daughter has regained her freedom. What you’re doing now is just trying to lock her away. I won’t allow it. If Jason Su wants to start a fight, go ahead."
Martin Lane shouted forcefully, but the argument abruptly stopped. Rachel Lan, still crying, slowly turned her head.
"Ethan..."
The fleeting joy vanished from Rachel Lan’s face. She wiped away her tears, then glared at me with cold determination.
"Who are you?"
A faint smile appeared on my lips, then I laughed.
"I am Ethan Zhang..."
I glanced around. Rachel Lan stared at me in anger, but I waved my hand and smiled.
"Though I am Ethan Zhang, I’m not the one you love. If you want to find him, I can take you right now—there’s still time..."
I reached out, and Rachel Lan rushed over, grabbing my hand. Jason Su walked up, and the other Underworld beings grew wary.
"Anyone who tries to stop us tonight, I’ll kill them."
I stared coldly at Jason Su, who glared back, gritting his teeth. Miles Mo chuckled and walked over slowly.
"No matter what you do now, you’re not taking Rachel Lan away. Right now, we hold the strongest card, and we’re not letting go so easily..."
Everyone stared in shock at Miles Mo. Then Lan Yin appeared, standing beside him.
"Go on, Rachel. Love isn’t one-sided. You have the right to love him. What you believe in your heart doesn’t need to waver. Ethan is just afraid—because the more important something is, the harder it is to bear, and the harder it is to hold on to."
I spread my wings. Rachel Lan wrapped her arms around my neck, and I slowly floated upward.
"Lan Yin, what do you mean by this?"
Jason Su roared, but immediately everyone froze, as black Curse Power crept over their bodies.
"I need to resolve this first. Soon, the Thirteen Fates of Hades will be freed. If anyone wants to be the first, even the Ten Guides are no exception. I’m stronger now than ever before."