I sat in silence, surrounded by others who were just as quiet. Only Yvonne May's expression remained unchanged—she seemed to have known all along. Thinking back, from the very first day I met Yvonne, her attitude toward Ethan Zhang was cold, even murderous.
"You knew all along, didn't you, Miss Yvonne?"
I asked, and Yvonne nodded slightly.
"Are you serious? That kid Ethan Zhang—is he really the embodiment of Hell's Will?"
Redmond muttered in disbelief. The others' expressions changed noticeably, especially Ghost Painting Book Immortal, who seemed to suddenly understand something and sighed.
"So that's it. No wonder he can bear so much. Ethan's very existence is extraordinary. I've kept records of all those events—those feats that seemed miraculous, now I see their origin. As a human, his willpower truly exceeds the norm."
I bowed my head in silence, unsure what to say. My chest felt heavy. The Founding Emperors had warned me repeatedly—the Ethan Zhang I once knew and loved would disappear, swallowed completely by Hell's Will.
"What exactly is going on, Rachel Lan?"
Redmond asked impatiently. Yvonne sat down and gave a bitter smile.
"Long ago, when I first met Ethan Zhang, I knew everything. But back then he still had a sense of self—I could vaguely see his light. That's why I said nothing and did nothing. But now, perhaps it's time for everyone to know the truth. Rachel Lan, you must make a choice."
I gave a quiet acknowledgment and began recounting everything I knew about Ethan Zhang.
After a while, I told everyone about everything I'd experienced recently, including what happened in that darkness before.
"If that's true, then why did John Chou..."
Redmond didn't finish his sentence, just looked at me helplessly. I sat on the steps, not knowing what to do. What Yvonne said was true—I had to make a choice. If Ethan Zhang ever returned to us, no longer the same, what would I do?
"This whole thing just doesn't sound..."
Yuna Ji didn't know what to say either. Ghost Painting Book Immortal kept staring at the formation on the ground, silent. Most of us didn't know what to say—just like when I first learned the truth, it was a shock to everyone.
"Guess the tables have really turned, huh."
Cao Wanzhi muttered, while Victor Duan shook his head.
"Let's not say too much. For us—Ethan Zhang's former rivals—this is just too shocking. We always saw him as upright, so we survived. But... it's hard to accept. He was human."
Victor Duan spoke, and Cao Wanzhi sighed.
Just then, Black Moon laughed and walked up to Cao Wanzhi.
"Old Cao, you must have kept records of Ethan Zhang before!"
All of us stared at Cao Wanzhi in shock. After a moment, he nodded.
"Back when I fought him, I used my Ghost Soul to record everything about him. But don't get your hopes up—what I captured was just Ethan Zhang's aura and some of his power at the time. My Ghost Soul just naturally recorded it."
I looked at Cao Wanzhi, then at Black Moon, as he explained.
"Just a trace of aura is enough. Maybe you'll get to see Ethan Zhang. After all, he's a complete individual, and Cao Wanzhi's Ghost Soul is special—it can record everything about Ethan Zhang like a photograph from the living world. You can see him through this, and the Celestial Hound I carry can help you get inside."
Just as I finished speaking, Lord Shenyan spoke up.
"It's too dangerous."
"Do we have any other choice right now?"
Black Moon muttered, and I nodded. For a moment, the sadness in my heart was replaced by a trace of joy.
"I've done this so many times—I have to find Ethan. There's something I need to confirm. Old Cao, can you help me?"
I looked at Cao Wanzhi in his wheelchair. He raised a hand, and photos began to slowly materialize in the sky, bathed in green light. Every photo showed Ethan Zhang, dressed in the Vermilion Bird armor, fighting Cao Wanzhi.
For a moment, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I picked up a photo: Ethan Zhang stood in front of a cage holding a tiger. Inside, Zhang Qing—twisted into a tiger by Cao Wanzhi's Ghost Soul—was roaring. I saw Ethan's face, filled with fury, his upright eyes staring ahead, utterly fearless.
More and more photos scattered around. Many picked them up, while Black Moon laughed softly.
"What kind of person is Ethan Zhang in your eyes?"
Black Moon asked, and I smiled.
"I just want to see him once, just to say a few words. Many have told me I need to make a choice, and I know it's necessary. But only after I see Ethan Zhang can I decide. The so-called choice is pointing my sword at him—but I can't do it. Even if things turn out as the Founding Emperors fear, when that moment comes, I still can't do it. If the man before me is still the one I know, I'll try to save him, not stab him with my sword."
Black Moon clapped enthusiastically and grabbed my hand, bursting with excitement.
"Let me use the power of the Celestial Hound to help you search for him."
Cao Wanzhi's expression grew complicated. He sighed and spoke.
"What I recorded back then was just some residual aura from Ethan Zhang, presented as images. As long as you find these traces, you should be able to see Ethan Zhang—because it's a part of him, like a soul fragment in the Ghost Forest. You can treat it as him, but I must warn you, Rachel Lan, entering such a place is risky. It might be another world, beyond my control. Ever since I became the Green Ghost, my Ghost Soul has this effect. I call the world inside the photos the Mirror World. I can only touch the parts my Ghost Soul reflects—anything else, I know nothing about."
Most people present immediately opposed my entering such an unknown place.
"Do you know something, Lord Shenyan?"
Redmond asked, and Lord Shenyan nodded.
"Ghosts in mirrors—everyone's heard those stories. Some ghosts have special Ghost Souls, not just ordinary types or curse-based ones, but others that defy classification. I've killed a vengeful ghost that harmed people through mirrors. It told me it wouldn't die—as long as there's a mirror in the world, it exists as a ghost in mirrors."
Ghost Painting Book Immortal smiled and opened a scroll. We all looked over. In the scroll named 'The Haunting,' there was a story recorded: Ghost Mirror.
"I've recorded stories like this too."
Yuna Ji seemed to remember something just then.
"There really are such cases—some ghosts harm people through mirrors, though they're rare. I heard a story once: after someone died, their soul was trapped in a mirror and became a ghost, harming people through mirrors. I just laughed at the time."
"I'm still going in."