I quietly watched Emperor God. A beam of light appeared before my eyes as the door opened, and I drifted out with him. Black Moon was already waiting outside.
"Ethan, judging by your expression, did you just learn something incredible?"
I smiled and shook my head.
"When I have time, I'll tell everyone."
At this moment, my emotions refused to settle. I never expected that the hell I experienced before would have such a story behind it.
"Can you tell me about hell as it is now?"
Suddenly, Emperor God looked at me, his expression softening considerably.
I nodded. Emperor God smiled, and in an instant, vanished before my eyes. Yet in my mind, I knew exactly where he went.
"Go ahead, Ethan. I have something to investigate here, haha."
I glanced over. The door was still open, and the black jars sat in eerie silence along the wall. It was almost unbelievable—emotions, intangible and unseen, made visible.
Now, I think I understand those three a bit more. They have no concept of good or evil—true bystanders. It's natural: they only set the rules and let everything unfold, never forcing interference. But now, it seems everything has changed.
Above me, the blazing sun shone fiercely. After a glance, I began to speak with Emperor God.
By the time the sun set, I had explained nearly everything. Emperor God smiled thoughtfully.
"Inside these jars are all kinds of emotions. They let us feel, if only for a fleeting moment. It's indescribably wonderful. Joy—no matter how many times, I crave that taste again and again."
I agree with this. That's how the world is.
Yet, the most essential thing, Emperor God still hasn't answered me. And it seems he doesn't intend to. I quietly watched him as he silently drank his wine.
Looking at his profile, I could see a trace of helplessness, as if countless burdens weighed upon his heart.
A chill ran through me. Thinking carefully, the time for the Dark Banquet had already passed. I spoke up immediately, and Emperor God looked at me thoughtfully.
I finally understood the state Emperor God and the others are in: ageless, undying, like mountains that have existed for thousands, even tens of thousands of years—forever enduring.
"Then, what are you doing now? What is your purpose?"
Emperor God slowly turned his head to look at me.
"We're fighting for a purpose, giving it everything we've got—just like you. That's why the three of us are still here. Ethan Zhang, the Dark Banquet—how much do you know?"
"Absolutely nothing."
I answered immediately. Emperor God laughed.
"Is that so? It's because you know nothing that you're fearless!"
I didn't understand what Emperor God meant, but he clearly knew what the Dark Banquet was.
"Listen, Ethan Zhang. Let me warn you—if you truly want to save Rachel Lan, you'll have to give up everything."
I stared blankly at Emperor God. The answer was already in my heart—he didn't need to say it. That was why I came here.
"Those creatures, the ones called zombies—Luo Yichen and Luo Yu—they both come from the Dark."
My heart skipped a beat. I silently stared at Emperor God as he laughed.
"In this world, there are countless things we don't know, too many to count or describe. The Dark is a place even deeper than hell. The so-called Dark Banquet is an invitation sent from the Dark to those chosen. In the end, they'll fall into the Dark and never return."
"Sink into the Dark, never to see the light again..."
I began to speak. This was something Lan Miu, Professor Lan Yin's mentor, mentioned before saying goodbye to him.
"Rise in the Dark, fall in the Dark, coexist with the Dark. Come, let the Dark guide you, to your immortal self..."
"What's this?"
I looked at Emperor God in confusion. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"This is the second half of the Dark Banquet's invitation speech. When you hear it, you'll be summoned to the Dark Banquet."
My heart skipped a beat. Thinking carefully, the time for the Dark Banquet had already passed. I spoke up immediately, and Emperor God looked at me thoughtfully.
"Sometimes, things can happen like that. It might be delayed or come early—anything's possible."
"Tell me, what exactly is the Dark Banquet?"
"All you need to know is that you have the qualification. As for the Dark Banquet, go ask those two zombies yourself."
After finishing his drink, Emperor God stood up and vanished before my eyes.
He still didn't want to tell me the core secrets of this world.
I searched my mind for the whereabouts of Luo Yichen and Luo Yu. Only Luo Yu's location came to me; I had no information on Luo Yichen.
With a thought, I instantly moved to a room. All around, on the walls, were rows of massive black jars, each about three or four meters tall, their material impossible to discern. Luo Yu sat quietly in the room, glanced at me, and spoke with a blank expression.
"You've come, Ethan Zhang."
I nodded and approached one of the giant jars. Instantly, a wave of intense disgust washed over me. Something was wrong with these things, but I couldn't pinpoint what.
"Tell me, why did you create a world of seven emotions and those nine islands?"
Luo Yu shook his head.
"Ethan Zhang, all I can tell you is this: we came here, truly, for the sake of reclaiming emotions."
As he spoke, Luo Yu stood up and walked toward one of the black jars. With a wave of his hand, a creak sounded as a door appeared on the jar. When he opened it, a stream of red vapor flowed out, almost tangible. Luo Yu grabbed the ribbon-like vapor, and the door quickly closed again.
I watched Luo Yu inhale the red vapor through his nose. Instantly, his face showed an expression—a genuine smile, not stiff, but heartfelt. Luo Yu closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and kept smiling in pure enjoyment.
The whole process lasted less than a minute before Luo Yu's face returned to its usual coldness.
"Inside these jars are all kinds of emotions. They let us experience feelings, even if only briefly. It's truly wonderful. Joy—no matter how many times, I want to taste it again and again."
If an ordinary person heard Luo Yu say this, they might not understand. Zombies are emotionless, walking corpses.
"What is your connection to the Dark Banquet?"
I asked sharply. Luo Yu stared at me in silence.
"Emperor God really talks too much."
Luo Yu then waved his hand, and a door appeared in the wall, revealing a spacious living room. He led me inside and sat on the sofa, making tea.
"I'll ask you just once—are you willing to cooperate with us?"
I shook my head.
"From beginning to end, nothing has ever changed."
"Is that so."
Luo Yu sat across from me, watching.
"Luo Yichen and I are just acting as intermediaries for now. After all, nothing can stop a zombie from going where it wants."
I made a sound of acknowledgment and looked at Luo Yu. His eyes revealed nothing.
"Simply put, all we have to do is bring what they need to the Dark Banquet. That's it. In exchange, we get those black jars you just saw."
"What are those? Though faint, I can sense they give off a dark aura."
"That's right. These jars can store emotions—any emotion. They can make feelings tangible, give them form. If we eat or inhale them, we experience those emotions ourselves."
I glanced over. The door was still open, and the black jars sat quietly on the wall, seeming almost unbelievable. Emotions—intangible, invisible things.
"Ethan Zhang, let me remind you—your original purpose in coming here may cost you your life."
Luo Yu's eyes showed no emotion, but he was serious.
It seemed impossible to get any more information, except perhaps from one person—Xu Fu. Maybe he'd tell me something.
Xu Fu wasn't far from here. This place was also on the upper level of the tower. With a thought, I arrived in an equally vast space. At a table, Xu Fu sat drinking tea.
Looking around carefully, it wasn't a place for imprisoning people.
"My privileges have already been revoked in this world, so I can't move. It's as if those three have locked me up here."
Xu Fu said this, put down his cup, and floated over to me.
"It seems you've learned a few things, haven't you?"
I nodded and said,
"Earlier, you kept telling me to be ready to make a choice. There was a deeper meaning in your words."
Xu Fu burst out laughing, shaking his head.
"Still haven't figured it out? In this world, your greatest enemy isn't me, or those three, or the zombies."
I stared blankly at Xu Fu, thinking hard. The name Rachel Lan surfaced in my mind. I still couldn't believe what she had said to me on the balcony before.
"Where there is light, there must be shadow. Why does Rachel Lan possess such powerful strength, Ethan Zhang? Are you still not ready to face it?"
I had sensed it before—a part of Rachel Lan's body harbored a dark power. But I said nothing.