All day, except for going back for lunch in the afternoon, I searched the town for May Shaw’s body. The other three girls were already dead, and it was impossible for May Shaw to have escaped her fate.
In this place, once fear takes hold, you’re bound to be crushed by its power. As ordinary people, brought here by such dark sorcery, they could never survive unscathed for over a year.
What surprised me most was that May Shaw knew the locations where the first two girls died, but not the third. It wasn’t that she remembered wrong—she’d simply mixed things up.
Once again, I came to the room May Shaw had told me about—the one where the third girl killed herself in the bathtub. I stared at the bloodstains at the bottom, untouched by me since the tragedy.
I found the third girl a bit behind the town, and her death took place in that very room. I quietly examined the clear bloodstains along the edge of the tub, as if someone had clawed at it—vague fingerprints still visible.
The room was in utter disarray. I looked closely—many things had been rummaged through, as if whoever was here kept venting their inner turmoil.
The third girl May Shaw spoke of—Nina Miao—I saw her corpse, but there were no cuts on her hands. She looked more like she’d starved to death, her body shriveled to an alarming degree.
After a careful search of the room, I found more bloodstains on the floor. It seemed the body had been moved, meaning this was actually where May Shaw killed herself—though she probably no longer remembered.
My only option now is to find May Shaw’s body. That’s the most direct way to bring her back to her senses. If some people die without realizing they’re dead, they eventually vanish—unable to withstand the power of the living world.
Though this place isn’t the living world, it’s not much different. If May Shaw keeps refusing to accept her own death, she’ll disappear too.
I originally wanted to tell May Shaw not to fear death. Death is just another form of existence. If she disappears, she’ll never have the chance to seek revenge on the one who wronged them.
Just then, a flash of white caught my eye—Serena Chen stood quietly behind me.
"Finally decided to show yourself?"
I asked with a smile. Serena Chen sighed, then nodded and replied.
"It seems you finally understand. Rachel Lan, if you don’t leave now, you may never get out."
"What do you mean?"
Serena Chen waved her hand, opening the window. She pointed to the river outside.
"The sorcery here is built on all kinds of human obsessions—love, hate, revenge, and so on. I don’t know who created such a complex spell, or why it exists, but I do know one thing: the reason you don’t want to leave is because you want to stay, not just to help that girl."
My eyes widened. Serena Chen saw right through me. I stood up, suddenly at a loss for what to do.
"Why, Rachel Lan? Your heart is full of hope—so why, at this moment, do you want to stay here?"
"Do you know about illusions, Serena?"
I asked, and Serena immediately nodded.
"Indeed, part of this place is what you’d call an illusion. What are you planning?"
My mind buzzed, everything connecting at once. I finally understood what I wanted—to enter the illusion from here and find Ethan Zhang.
Maybe this is my truest desire deep down. Witnessing Basil Bertram’s disappearance burned into me. I’m terrified I’ll never see Ethan Zhang again—not even after I die.
A root deep within me has begun to shift with time. I’m exhausted—strangely, it’s a kind of emotional fatigue I can’t explain.
Maybe I can’t bear it anymore. This pain is rooted deep inside me. Coming to this place—meant for couples or lovers—I realize a part of me wishes Ethan Zhang were here with me.
"The reason we can’t leave here is the same as yours, Rachel. When we were young, we made many mistakes. If we try to leave, the Nether Pit will swallow us."
I stared at Serena, sadness flickering across her face.
"When I was young, I had a child. But that child died because of a mistake I made. I always thought what I did was right, but it led to my child’s death. I’ve never been able to face it. Many others here have pains they can’t speak of, so they choose to stay forever."
A heaviness settled over me, my mind growing numb and my body weighed down. I knew I couldn’t bear it any longer. Like Rachel’s shadow self said, I’m just a woman.
"Go back, Rachel. This isn’t a place for you to stay any longer. Life offers many choices, but most people retreat because they force themselves into a corner."
I didn’t answer Serena. I kept staring quietly out the window, then finally asked.
"Before I go, one last thing—where is May Shaw’s body?"
Serena hesitated, then finally spoke.
"It’s under the mattress in your room. She was the third girl to die here. After you arrived, your unique power gave her hope—she even forgot she was dead. I used to chat with May Shaw, but eventually she lost herself in this place. Now, I don’t know where her soul is. The time-space chaos here is overwhelming; what you see is just a grain of sand in the ocean."
I nodded, turned, and quickly left the room. When I returned to the hotel, I found May Shaw sitting on the bed, staring blankly at me.
"May, can you tell me what you’re thinking?"
May Shaw nodded, her throat tight with emotion. After a long moment, she finally spoke.
"When I was little, my parents divorced. I hoped they wouldn’t separate, but somehow, they did. I stayed with my mom, but I missed my dad. He only visited on holidays. I realized early on how lonely I was—always alone. My mom was busy with work and had no time for me. I was always by myself."
I nodded and sat down, glancing at the bed, still hesitating—maybe it’d be better to wait a few more days. But suddenly, I pulled May Shaw aside and lifted the mattress. I was stunned: a long-dried female corpse lay beneath it. May Shaw beside me gave a miserable smile.
In an instant, it was as if everything was lost. May Shaw slowly dissolved into a black mist and vanished beside me. I found myself back on the riverside highway, silently watching this soundless world.
"Have you decided, Rachel? If you’re ready, I’ll take you. The power you have is enough to break through everything here. As long as hope remains in your heart, you can leave—fear can’t stop you!"
I shook my head.
"Maybe in a few days."
My mood was bleak. I started drinking again. Serena didn’t disturb me. Memories from the past surfaced one after another, and I deeply regretted not going with Ethan Zhang. At that time, the Underworld was busy handling countless souls and ghosts from the living world.
I felt I should shoulder this responsibility and let my parents teach me more. But in the end, all I heard was bad news.
Fan Xiaoran must have stumbled into the illusion from here years ago. This is the only place to enter it. I hesitated, fearing that if I missed this chance, I might never see Ethan Zhang again.
Basil Bertram’s demise still echoes in my mind. No one has ever understood me so deeply. I wish I could return to that darkness with Ethan Zhang and live there forever, but that’s no longer possible.
"Go back, Rachel. This isn’t a place for you to stay. Even if you enter the illusion, you might not find the one you’re searching for. That place is completely different from here—once you go in, you may never return."
I nodded. Serena sat beside me. I was still hesitating—if I really entered the illusion, I might never return to the living world. But if I did go back, I’d face endless days and nights of waiting.
"I haven’t decided yet."
I muttered helplessly. Serena laughed.
"Everyone who comes here has no choice, but you do, Rachel. If you choose to stay, you’ll regret it. Here, there’s only endless loneliness."
I didn’t answer; I just stood up and looked out at the river in the distance.
"Can you show me the way to the illusion? I want to go."
In an instant, Serena was gone. Frustrated, I looked around.