"Hey, hey, Rachel, why are you being so unreasonable? I clearly won just now. This round shouldn't count—you're cheating!"
I shot a sideways glance at Dean Ding in front of me and snorted coldly.
"Can't handle losing?"
Dean Ding’s face turned bright red. He pursed his lips, glaring at me with frustration. We were playing chess—I’d just taken back a move, and now he’d lost. I’d misread the board and placed my piece wrong, but Dean Ding let me take it back. In the end, he lost anyway, and now he was staring at me, unwilling to accept it.
"Who's the sore loser here? If you hadn't taken back your move and eaten your chariot, you would've lost ages ago. Let's go again."
I smiled coldly, while Allen Zhang, who was watching nearby, let out a helpless sigh.
When is John Chou finally going to make a move?
I was also a bit puzzled. These past few days, John Chou had been staying at the bottom of that lake and hadn’t come out once. He was planning to gather his hundred ghosts. Although everything in the Living World had returned to normal and there were no major incidents, the situation was still far from optimistic.
I was already feeling bored. Staying in this place for so long was just too stifling. I wanted to go outside and take a look, have a proper meal, and maybe make a quick trip home.
Now, all soul-collecting in the Living World was being handled by people from the Hades Circle, with some members of the Arcane Society helping out. The pressure had eased considerably. But any soul sent to the Underworld now had only one path—to serve as cannon fodder in the wars of the Underworld.
I heard Jerry Li say that most of the hells originally used to torment ghosts are nearly mined out. They contain large amounts of materials unique to the Spectral Boundary, used for making weapons and constructing cities. Since these materials have long been eroded by ghost energy, they’re actually stronger and more stable than ordinary hell materials.
Now, when someone in the Living World dies and is sent to the Hades Circle, they get assigned to different places to mine day and night. Anyone with skills or a clever mind gets promoted directly.
"Say what you will, but it looks like the Underworld Court is dead set on going to war with Old Hell. Sigh."
Dean Ding tidied up the chess pieces and let out a sigh.
"So, does this affect you in any way?"
Allen Zhang muttered something and shook his head.
"Of course it affects me. Did you forget where my hometown is? If war really breaks out, it’ll definitely reach the place I was born. The ghosts there are different from those in the rest of the Ghostrealm. It’s actually a peaceful and stable place, just like human society. If fighting starts, the ghosts there will suffer."
You wouldn’t guess it—you’ve wandered the Living World for so long. At first, I thought you ended up meeting John Chou just by chance.
Allen Zhang said this. I was curious how this guy ended up following John Chou. He was different from the other Blue Wraiths—more casual and a bit slow-witted, not at all like the rest.
Whether it was the cold Soren Black, the womanizer Jerry Li, the slick Allen Zhang in front of me, or Ronan Wu—they were all nothing like Dean Ding. Each of them had a sly streak and sharp minds. If I had to compare, Dean Ding might be a bit like Mr. Brown, but not nearly as clever.
Isabelle Frost was the same—her mind was as deep as the sea. She and her brother John Chou were cut from the same cloth: both geniuses, incredibly smart, and masters at controlling any situation. Especially John Chou, who could subtly get everyone to follow his lead. I sighed helplessly.
At that moment, I sensed a presence. With a whoosh, Jerry Li appeared beside us, smiling.
"Rachel Lan, John Chou says you should head home for now. He'll come find you in a few days when he's ready to set out."
I looked at Jerry Li, puzzled.
"Don't worry, he won't lie to you. I've got nothing else to do, so I'll go with you for a walk!"
I stood up and glanced at Dean Ding, who looked envious, and Allen Zhang beside him.
"You two come along as well. If John Chou doesn't show up, you'll be responsible for helping me find him."
Soon, we reached the edge of Ronan Wu's Shadow Realm.
"What are you three going out for?"
Ronan Wu looked at us in surprise. Allen Zhang and Jerry Li seemed to be discussing where to go for fun tonight, while Dean Ding was talking about what to eat. I smiled helplessly.
"This godforsaken place—if you make me stay here one more day, I'll die."
"You can go out, just don't cause any trouble."
Ronan Wu said this sternly. I looked at him in surprise—his tone seemed different. Jerry Li chuckled and patted Ronan Wu on the shoulder.
"Got it, Xiao Rong, relax. We won't cause any trouble."
Finally, I saw the dazzling sunlight. I glanced at my phone—it was long out of battery. The sun had just come up, and I was eager to get back to the harbor and have a good meal.
"Let me fly you all over there."
With that, Allen Zhang raised his hand. Soon, I felt myself gently lifted up, surrounded by swirling clouds of yellow sand.
"Hold on tight."
With a whoosh, I sank back as if into a soft chair. Wrapped in sand, we sped over the sea so fast I could barely feel the wind.
Soon, the island behind us disappeared, and we sped across the water. I yawned—my stomach was truly hungry now.
In just over ten minutes, we reached the harbor. Ghostly energy surged out as Allen Zhang flew us over the city, landing in an empty alley. I stretched and felt relaxed.
Hard ground underfoot, sunlight overhead, voices and horns in my ears—I laughed and walked quickly into the busy street. The harbor bustled, and the air was thick with the smell of fish.
I looked around and found a breakfast shop, heading over with the three guys following behind. They had already changed their clothes with ghost energy, looking like tourists in flashy outfits.
I didn’t care about anything else and rushed into a shop, ordering a bowl of seafood noodles. The other three ordered as well.
I hadn’t eaten human food in ages, so I finished quickly and felt almost reborn. But then I realized, awkwardly, that I hadn’t brought any money. We’d also ordered boiled shrimp as a side dish, and the meal cost over two hundred yuan. My phone was dead, so I borrowed a charger from the owner, got it powered up, and paid by mobile. I let out a sigh of relief.
I didn’t care. All I wanted now was to go home and rest for a couple of peaceful days.
Suddenly, Dean Ding shouted. We had just arrived at the bus stop when he quickly dragged someone from the crowd into an alley.
I said, and the guy in front of me had a cold look in his eyes, but he just smiled without saying a word.
I gasped, hands over my mouth. Jerry Li waved, and the man’s face peeled off, revealing a ruined cheek as if dissolved by acid. It was terrifying—he was with the Immortality Society.
Allen Zhang glanced back with a smile.
I glared at the guy in front of me. He hesitated, clearly thinking of escape. Suddenly, he raised his fist, but before he could strike, Dean Ding pinned him to the ground.
I said, pulling Dean Ding out of the alley. I glanced around, and just then Allen Zhang spoke softly.
"If you keep following us, you’ll be killed without mercy."
I looked at the guy we’d just passed—a fisherman whose face was already starting to change.
"Why can you all sense it?"
I looked at the three guys in confusion, but Allen Zhang and Jerry Li turned to Dean Ding. He laughed and said:
"I feel differently than those Blue Wraiths who were once human. I can sense things they can’t, haha."
I finally understood—this guy was actually useful.
Soon, we got on a bus headed into the city. There were more than ten stops—not too far, then a transfer. I wanted to go home first; my body had only just recovered. John Chou had warned me to wait until my soul and body were fully fused before using my powers, or it would harm me.
"So, what exactly has John Chou been up to these past few days?"
I looked at Jerry Li in confusion. He just laughed and shook his head.
"We never ask about John Chou’s motives. Even if we did, it’d be pointless. What he says and what he thinks are completely different."
I smiled and nodded, then leaned back comfortably with my hands behind my head, gazing out at the city I hadn’t seen in ages. My heart was full of joy.
"You look pretty happy to be back, Rachel Lan."
I responded with a hum, then said:
"Of course. Dean Ding, you’ll feel the same, right? Knowing that someone important to you is still alive, and that there’s a day you’ll meet again."
Dean Ding scratched his head.
"I’m not so sure. If you’re talking about important people, my parents died ages ago. Seems like, aside from this bunch, I don’t have anyone important left."