I sat quietly on the grass, my mind filled with the image of my parents keeping vigil by my bedside. The Wraithlord's expression was grave.
At this moment, the shimmering wall of colored light beside me was trembling more and more violently.
"When the gate to the Illusory Realm opens, just throw the Blood Jade inside. That's the reason I needed you to bring the Blood Jade here. As for whether you want to stay or follow me into the Illusory Realm, it no longer matters."
I hummed in response. The opportunity before me might only come once; if I wanted to return here again, it would be exceedingly difficult. After experiencing a series of inner worlds with the Wraithlord and hearing his three stories, I finally understood: this world, shaped by sorcery into a tangled mess, is chaotic because of the complexity of the human heart.
This world is constantly changing, but the human heart remains unchanged. Even the slightest difference in thought can alter everything in this world, yet what never changes is the heart itself.
I couldn't think of any reason to keep holding back. I had planned this from the start, but now that the moment was here, I was hesitating again. Truly, the human heart is complicated.
I thought I'd already made up my mind.
I muttered to myself, and the Wraithlord laughed heartily.
That's human nature. What we think rarely matches what we do, and actions often fall short of our expectations. After suffering, we choose to forget, only to repeat our mistakes. Everyone has someone they miss, and many choices are tied to those feelings. Hesitation is natural. I've never met anyone who acts decisively and feels no regret. Most only choose when there's no other way. Now, Rachel Lan, what's your choice? If you want to leave, retrace your steps and you'll return to the living world.
"From the way you speak, it sounds like you're certain I'll go back?"
I looked up at the Wraithlord.
"Of course. No matter what, Ethan Zhang hasn't disappeared from this world. But if you recklessly enter the Illusory Realm, you'll have to bear enormous risks. If something happens and you can't return, you'll regret it."
I let out a startled cry and stood up, suddenly feeling lost. I really might regret it—if something happened in the Yin-Yang Realm and my family and friends were caught up in it, if I was powerless, unable to reach them, I would definitely regret it.
"Long ago, people arrogantly believed themselves to be the spirit of all things, the smartest of all creatures. But in my eyes, humans are the most foolish. Unlike fish that swim with the current to the end of their short lives, when the river splits—one branch to a dried-up pond, the other to their true home—fish learn from failure, and their descendants swim only toward home, not the dying pond. Water is the same: it splits and flows to the sea, but when weak and evaporated, it drifts away as vapor, then falls again as rain, returning at last to the ocean. How foolish are humans, really?"
A faint smile touched my lips. The Wraithlord's words, tinged with bitterness, sounded strangely mournful to me now.
"When people face a fork in the river, even after failing once, they'll fail again. They always think they're clever, knowing there's nothing beneath the flowing water, and that dangers abound. So they choose the dried-up pond—it's safer, closer. When there's no food, they move to another fork, repeating nearly identical choices again and again, until they starve beside the dried pond, never reaching the ocean and surviving."
"Maybe so, but that's humanity, Wraithlord. Most people are like that, as you say, but some aren't afraid of danger and eventually reach the ocean. There are plenty of examples—you're generalizing!"
The Wraithlord laughed and shook his head.
"I've never denied anything in this world, but I've never affirmed everything, either. Everything seems to have rules, but really, there are none. Survival of the fittest? Who decides what's fit or unfit? Everyone is born different—there's no way to compare. Yet this world is defined by rules. It's laughable. I will overturn it all, with my own hands, and bring this world to an end—then create a new, complete world!"
Still, I couldn't decide whether to stay or leave. Everything I'd seen in this world, and the stories the Wraithlord had told, seemed to be clouding my judgment. I knew very well—once I made my choice, there would be no turning back.
If I leave this place, I might never find the way to the Illusory Realm again. But if I step into it, I might never return—and whatever happens inside, I can't predict.
"These two choices will determine the rest of your life, but whichever you choose, the Ethan Zhang you knew will never return."
My eyes widened. The Wraithlord's eyes glimmered with amusement, as if he'd already foreseen everything—or perhaps he'd long since understood the reason for my inner conflict.
"You've sensed it for a long time, haven't you, Rachel Lan? That's why you're standing here today. You can't take the next step, because it's not over yet. You wanted to go with Ethan Zhang—if he died, you'd choose death too. But now he's nowhere to be found. When you thought it was all over, things took a turn—but this new chance will be accompanied by war, and it may end with you and Ethan Zhang on opposite sides."
I stared blankly at the Wraithlord.
"Do you always like probing into other people's hearts? That's a pretty nasty habit, Wraithlord."
The Wraithlord shook his head.
"Nothing in this world escapes me. I see the whole world, while you see only its dust. No matter what you do, you can't solve it—the destruction of this world, or Ethan Zhang's death, are inevitably linked. I'm sure you saw it clearly in that darkness. So what are you still hesitating for?"
I didn't answer the Wraithlord. I chose silence. Everything I thought had already been seen through by him—or maybe, everything I'd experienced in this world had been laid bare by the Wraithlord. I couldn't help feeling resentful.
Letting go of everything seems like the safest and most reassuring solution—an easy way out. But really, it's just a form of escape. Staying or leaving looks like a simple choice, but if you stay, you'll be forced to take part in the opening act of this tragedy. If you leave, you'll have to watch it all unfold, powerless to change anything.
Suddenly, I glared angrily at the Wraithlord. He shook his head.
"The reason isn't me—it's Ethan Zhang. I can feel it: that woman has been holding Ethan Zhang back, deceiving him all along. Why do you think that is?"
I stared in shock, eyes wide, and asked.
"What do you know? Tell me!"
The Wraithlord laughed, his gaze serious as he spoke to me.
"It's better if you don't know. It might affect your decision."
I glared furiously at the Wraithlord. He shook his head.
"The reason I told you those stories, and about good and evil, and everything you've experienced in this world—you should already sense what's really going on."
I swallowed hard, beginning to tremble. I didn't want to keep listening to the Wraithlord—my heart was growing more and more uneasy.