After a year and eight months, I can now freely create and wield the Deathbane Gun. I’ve practiced with those stone statues countless times, trying out all sorts of firearms.
Except for the revolver, which I’m most familiar with, I’m not yet skilled with other guns. Making bullets is a hassle—during battle, I have to use Deathbane Aura to craft and load them, which is tedious. So, I decided to teach the six of them how to make bullets. At least, if they remember the process, they can help me make bullets when there’s nothing else to do.
“Listen up, will you pay attention to me for once?”
I asked, then gave a wry smile as I looked at the six of them, who acted like mischievous siblings, not listening to me at all. I grinned slyly, stood among them, glanced around, and raised my right hand. Deathbane Aura surged out, and in just minutes, a Deathbane revolver materialized. With my left hand, thumb and forefinger, I quickly started forming bullets from the aura.
One bullet, two, three... until I loaded six rounds. Then I spun the Deathbane revolver on my right index finger and pulled the trigger.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang—six shots rang out, followed by the thuds of bodies hitting the ground. I smiled contentedly, watching the six of them collapse. Each had a bullet hole in their forehead, their faces frozen in disbelief as they stared at me.
“Now... can you listen to me?”
I spoke softly, sitting down at a Specter Tiles table and looking at them.
“Ouch, Ethan Zhang, what is this thing? It hurts!”
Zhu Tang was the first to get up, rubbing the back of his head. He wiped away a sticky, black liquid, and then found a bent, fading black bullet lodged there.
“Look at the back of your head—wow, that’s a huge hole! If it rains, won’t it fill up with water? Hahahaha...”
The Resentful Ghost pointed at the Grudge Ghost’s head and burst out laughing, while the Grudge Ghost just looked resigned, glancing at the Resentful Ghost’s own bullet hole.
“Why did I have to get shot too?”
Desire Ghost spoke up, clutching the back of her head. She’d taken on the form of a young girl, about four foot six, petite and cute, with two little braids.
I looked at her and smiled.
“If you want to leave with me, you’ll have to listen. Think carefully about why I hit you all.”
The Shadow Ghost came over, grabbed my leg, and started laughing.
“It hurts, but it actually feels kind of good, Ethan Zhang. Do it again!”
I hurriedly kicked her away, then stood up and coughed twice, looking at the six of them.
“Alright, you six, next I need to build up my power system. All you need to do is help me make these. Once you’re done, you can go back to playing Specter Tiles.”
As I spoke, I extended my left hand, and a bullet slowly appeared in my palm.
“That’s easy, no big deal.”
The Resentful Ghost came over, raised his left hand, and produced an identical bullet. I stared in surprise and took it. This was a bullet made of resentment, with a faint black mist swirling around it.
However, it was just a blank round—only the shell without any substance inside.
In the days that followed, the six of them listened to my explanation as if they were elementary school students. Only then did I realize what my shadow had meant: it was like trying to explain a modern motorcycle’s structure to people from two thousand years ago—or, in other words, what gasoline is. It was extremely difficult.
For two weeks straight, I talked until my mouth was dry. Only the Spirit Snake understood some of it—he managed to make a bullet in front of me. I stared at the bullet in amazement, then loaded it into the revolver and fired, blasting through a Desire Tree with a bang.
Spirit Snake said, “Don’t worry, Ethan Zhang. I’ll teach them. Relax.”
When Spirit Snake said this, I instantly felt relieved, as if a weight had been lifted. Right now, my fastest time to create a Deathbane revolver is two minutes and thirty-six seconds—still pretty slow. It used to take hours. After constant practice, I’ve cut it down to two minutes, but it’s not enough. I need to get it down to one to five seconds.
Every night, they played Specter Tiles; every day, under Spirit Snake’s guidance, they trained to make Deathbane bullets. Each of them looked resigned.
I could focus on practicing the creation of various firearms. As long as they finished making one bullet, they could try crafting other types.
The teaching method wasn’t like mine, which relied on understanding. Instead, they copied the physical object. That way, they’d remember, and I had to keep shortening my own gun-making time.
Over and over, I endured this training for months. By the time two years had passed, the six of them could make different types of bullets. To my surprise, once they got the hang of it, they were faster than me. I couldn’t believe it—and couldn’t let it go.
Finally, I got the creation time for every firearm down to under five seconds. Two years had passed before I knew it. As I watched the setting sun, I couldn’t help but feel sentimental.
Thinking back, I’d spent nearly every day in the Forest of Desire, pondering how to control and build up my power. But now, I’d achieved it—I felt fulfilled beyond measure.
Next came practical combat. Early the next morning, I got up. They were still playing Specter Tiles. I walked over and shouted at them.
“All of you, get back inside my body!”
In an instant, all six of them were stunned, staring at me.
“Why?” Ethan Zhang?”
Zhu Tang asked, and I replied irritably.
“What else? I need to train with my new powers, then we’re leaving.”
After that, five ghost souls returned to my body one by one. Instantly, my body filled with a surge of ghostly energy. I looked at Desire Ghost and reached out a hand.
“Come with me.”
But Desire Ghost hesitated, standing in front of me. I walked over, squatted down, and reached out a hand.
“You’re lonely here, aren’t you? Alone—no one can hear you.”
Desire Ghost nodded. I smiled, then stood up and turned away, tilting my head to look at the distant sky.
“It won’t be like that anymore. I can hear you, see you, and feel you. Isn’t that wonderful?”
A small hand grabbed mine. I looked down at the obedient Desire Ghost and smiled. My ghostly threads wrapped around her, and slowly, Desire Ghost turned into a swirl of multicolored mist and entered my body.
The cloak behind me began to flutter. I slowly rose into the air. Instantly, all the surrounding desires bent away from my body, as if bowing at my feet, not daring to approach.
Crackling sounds erupted as layers of black lightning flickered across my skin. Power surged within me.
“Promise me you won’t leave me alone again.”
Deep inside, I heard Desire Ghost’s tender voice.
“Yeah, I promise.”
Gradually, I landed, half-kneeling on the ground. The lightning on my skin grew even brighter as I slowly lifted my head.
“Sixth ghost soul... release...”
With a tearing sound, a piercing shriek filled the air. The Deathbane Aura inside me, mixed with lightning, instantly turned the surrounding forest to dust. I floated upward, looking around at the vast area that had vanished. Clenching my fists, I felt waves of anger burning inside me.
“It’s time. When I get out, the Immortality Society—this ends.”
Time flew by. I kept communicating with the six ghost souls, experimenting with my powers, practicing with firearms and ghost weapons. Two and a half years in the Forest of Desire.
Now, we decided to leave. Everyone put on black cloaks sized to fit, each with a hood. Spirit Snake had made them from Shedding Skin, so my aura wouldn’t leak out—even if my ghost souls acted alone.
“Are you sure about this, Ethan Zhang?” Spirit Snake asked. I nodded.
“Thank you. I’m sure. Let’s go.”
Desire Ghost stepped forward, raised a hand, and slowly, a multicolored vortex appeared—the passage of desire opened. From here, I could return to the world of the living.
Whooshing sounds filled the air as all six ghost souls returned to my body. I looked back one last time at the Forest of Desire, where I’d spent two and a half years, pulled up my hood, and stepped into the passage of desire.
There’s no turning back now. Once I’m out, I’ll have to hide in the city, staying out of sight. Before, the enemy lurked in the shadows while we were exposed. But I listened to Spirit Snake’s advice: don’t make a splash when I leave—work from the shadows, investigating the Immortality Society bit by bit.
My first task is to find Roger Lee’s son, Luo Yang. I don’t know what he’s become in these two and a half years—even if he’s a monster, I’ll find him. At the very least, I’ll wake him up, or carry his darkness myself.
I stepped into the passage of desire, surrounded by swirling colors, gliding forward. Behind me, the six ghost souls emerged again, following me.
“This is a long war. I’m counting on you, everyone.”
“Don’t worry, Ethan Zhang. Until the day you die, these guys will always be with you.”
My shadow stood before me and spoke. I pulled up my hood and quickened my pace.