Family

"Ethan, hurry up!"

I responded with an "okay" but was still adjusting my suit in front of the mirror. Rachel Lan was already growing impatient from waiting. We hadn't visited her family home in ages; last night, we talked for a long time. I thought she'd sleep in this morning, but at seven sharp, she was up, full of energy, making breakfast.

"Let me help you."

Rachel Lan reached out and adjusted my collar, her hands on my neck. I smiled at her. She already knew about everything with Vivian Ouyang, but she didn't say anything. Today, she's going to meet her long-lost friend, Vivian Ouyang.

But every time I think of the connection between the Ouyang Family and The Immortality Society, I feel uneasy.

"What's wrong, Ethan?"

"It's nothing, Rachel."

We left the house. Rachel Lan drove her red sedan onto the highway, clearly in a great mood. She wore a light lavender skirt and jacket, her hair styled perfectly. She looked beautiful, with a constant smile on her face.

At half past ten in the morning, we arrived. The car slowly entered Vivian Ouyang's home, where, as always, many people were tending to the vast estate.

"Hello, Uncle Ouyang."

Sure enough, Edward Ouyang was already waiting for us. I watched him calmly as he greeted us with a gentle smile. Carrying fruit and a gift box, I followed Roxie over.

"It's been a long time, Ethan."

Edward Ouyang extended his hand as he spoke. I hesitated, but Roxie pinched me, so I had to shake his hand. She shot me a glare.

"Roxie..."

Just as we stepped through the front door, Vivian Ouyang rushed over. Roxie opened her arms, and Vivian immediately clung to her, nuzzling into her embrace. Suddenly, Vivian planted a kiss on Roxie's cheek. I blinked in surprise. Vivian glanced at me, then huffed coldly.

"What are you staring at, Ethan Zhang? If Roxie never came back, I would never..."

"Alright, Vivian, let's go upstairs and talk."

I let out an 'ah' as Roxie and Vivian linked arms and went upstairs. I stood awkwardly, glancing around. Edward Ouyang watched the two with a mild smile, then looked at me. I turned away.

"I'll wait outside. Don't get any funny ideas, Ethan. Otherwise..."

"I won't do anything, Ethan. I told you before, I'm basically a businessman. I've prepared some fine tea. Let's have some first—I want to talk to you about the matter of Ethan Zhang, Earth Soul."

For a moment, I was stunned. Then I nodded and entered a study. Edward Ouyang had already brewed the tea. The liquid looked pale, but its fragrance was rich and deep. I took a sip; it was unexpectedly good.

"What's going on with that Earth Soul guy?"

"A few days ago in City A, that guy caused a huge commotion, destroyed a building, killed some people. We're having a headache over it—City A is the center, and though we've covered it up, right now, he's a ticking time bomb for the living world."

I looked at Edward Ouyang with some confusion, then asked a question.

"What do you mean?"

Hearing about the Earth Soul's actions didn't shock me much, but Edward Ouyang's words caught my attention. The 'we' in her mouth made me suspicious.

"You mean the Immortality Society?"

Edward Ouyang shook his head.

"What do you think has kept this country running from ancient times until now?"

I made a sound of acknowledgment, then shook my head, unsure of what Edward Ouyang was getting at.

"It's family. Since ancient times, do you really think emperors built their empires on their own? No, it's family—families provide absolute support in wealth and manpower, and the emperor repays them with power and money. This relationship is the deepest root in all history, like roots plunging into the unseen depths of the earth, drawing nutrients from the soil and feeding the upper layers. But times change; sometimes the great tree is uprooted overnight, but the deepest roots remain untouched. That's family."

"So you're saying that families like yours control everything in the living world?"

Edward Ouyang nodded.

"You could say that. You must have met the Hollow-Bellied Ghost King."

I looked at Edward Ouyang in surprise, then nodded.

"Our only connection with him is money. He uses his position to funnel the souls of capable people into our family."

"Impossible."

I immediately retorted, but doubt crept in. After all, entering the cycle of reincarnation is up to Granny Meng. How could she possibly allow the Hollow-Bellied Ghost King to do such things?

Edward Ouyang smiled faintly.

"As for the exact reasons, we can't say—it's a business secret. All I can tell you is that there are many families like mine. For example, Wang Jianhui, who you brought into the Ghost Burial Squad, is from the fallen Yanling King family; his great-grandfather, the one you called 'Old Freak,' is another example. There are others—like Luo Yi, your colleague's son, and Xi Yueying, a little girl you met—they're all family members. These families have certain powers, though much weaker than those in the arts world. But after generations, these powers accumulate, and sometimes a truly formidable person emerges, rivaling even those in the arts or ghost realms. Our family, this generation, has been blessed; only because of someone like Vivian could we act as a medium for nightmares in the living world."

"After all that, what is it you really want?"

I stared coldly at Edward Ouyang. What he was about to say was the real issue. Everything he'd said so far was true—families like his do exist, hidden deep in the shadows. But now, none of it concerned me.

"Let's get back to the beginning. The situation with Earth Soul has all our families worried. We tried persuading him before, but he refused. We even sent someone you know to talk to him."

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"Who?"

I asked coldly. Edward Ouyang shook his head.

"You can ask him yourself if you have time. He lives at 357 Wanchao Road, Jinming District, City A. We hope you can resolve the instability caused by Earth Soul—either merge with him again, or... Right now, he's a huge risk to human society."

"None of this has anything to do with me."

I glared at Edward Ouyang as I spoke. He nodded immediately.

"As I said before, everyone in our family is a merchant. We never lose. This is a transaction, and the content can be whatever you want—information on the Immortality Society, or..."

"He's my... friend. Please don't bring all this up again, Mr. Ouyang. You're Vivian's father, so I treat you with respect. But if you keep pushing..."

Edward Ouyang nodded and stood up.

"Alright, let's eat, Ethan. Sorry."

I've memorized the address. I really wanted to rush off and find Earth Soul immediately, but I held myself back—especially after Edward Ouyang mentioned my acquaintance. My heart was in turmoil.

On the way back, I wanted to ask Hu Tianshu about the Ghost Burial Squad, but he was nowhere to be found. It seemed important, and a sense of unease crept into my heart.

During dinner, Vivian Ouyang kept talking to Roxie. Both of their eyes were red, clearly from crying.

I just drank my wine, quietly watching everything outside the window.

"Ethan, Ethan..."

Roxie's call snapped me back to reality. She looked at me, dissatisfied.

"What are you thinking about, Ethan?"

I gave a little awkward laugh and shook my head. After dinner, I followed behind Roxie and Vivian as they strolled through the woods behind the house.

What occupied my mind most was what Edward Ouyang had said about the families. Their main collaborators were undoubtedly the Immortality Society, and possibly the Ghost Mound and other practitioners as well.

In such a tangled, complicated situation, these people buried in the depths of the human world were surfacing again. The situation was delicate.

"What's wrong with you today, Ethan? If something's bothering you, can you talk to me?"

Finally, Roxie couldn't hold back her doubts and asked. Vivian looked at me, her face full of suspicion.

"Is it about the Ghost Burial Squad?"

Vivian's voice was low and heavy, and her eyes were red again. Roxie gently patted her back.

"Maybe it's related. But Miss Ouyang, please don't get involved. Right now, it's not..."

"It's me, Ethan Zhang—I'm too weak to help with your affairs. But it hurts here, you know? It's been almost three years, Ethan. Since that incident, three whole years have passed. Everyone's gone. No one's left."

I let out a sigh, lowering my head.

"It's okay, Vivian. I'm sure everyone's still alive. It'll be fine, don't worry. Even if something does happen, I'll do everything I can to bring everyone back."

Vivian looked at Roxie, and I nodded seriously.

"Go ahead, Ethan. Do what you need to do. I'll stay at Vivian's place for a few days."

I looked at Roxie with worry, but at that moment, a trace of violet aura seeped out from Vivian Ouyang's body.

"Go with peace of mind, Ethan Zhang. I'll watch over Roxie. I'm not quite the same as before, and they won't dare mess around. Plus, Redhair's spies are watching this place. If anything happens, they'll come running."

"Thank you, Mr. Ouyang."

As I spoke, I suddenly floated up. Roxie waved at me, and I nodded, took out my phone, found my direction, and in a whoosh, transformed into a black meteor, speeding toward City A.