"Let's hope so!"
I slowly drifted upward.
"This world should return to its original tranquility. Earth Soul, I hope you can..."
I shook my head and smiled faintly.
"If this is the beautiful illusion you all desire, then I, Hugh Thompson, don't mind. Indeed, everything Ethan Zhang has done has made many people direct beneficiaries, including all of you. But let me warn you: hiding in a warm little nest doesn't mean ghosts and monsters won't come in."
I left. I was somewhat disappointed, even angry, with everything about the Ghost Burial Squad. But maybe that's just human nature—creatures who put their interests above all else. Even a former enemy, if they benefit from that enemy, might forget past pain. Once the wound heals, the pain is forgotten. That's what it means to be human.
"Of course, you're just ordinary people. I won't ask anything more of you. Farewell."
I looked down at the cars speeding along the highway below. I really do hate this kind of world—especially the human world. I can understand now why the Immortality Society has spared no effort to help the Ghost Burial Squad grow stronger. Maybe this is the world they want: a stable place where they can continue their research, until the day they finally discover immortality. They don't want everything to fall apart.
Not everyone is like Ethan Zhang or Rachel Lan. I laughed at myself, turning into a streak of black lightning that shot through the sky. In the blink of an eye, I could already see the ocean.
The surface of the sea was already starting to glow. I returned to the village at the cape, and Heavenly Soul came out of the house.
"What's wrong? Judging by your expression, you must have seen something unimaginable."
I let out a sound and sat on the rooftop with Heavenly Soul, beginning to talk about the changes I had witnessed.
"Earth Soul, this isn't something we should worry about. Maybe this is good enough. The sects of the Art World, the Immortality Society, the Ghost Burial Squad, and the Buddhist Order have all developed a shared consciousness, all thanks to Ethan Zhang—and the Ghost Lords and the Underworld are the same. Now, unprecedented things are happening in the Living World. Many people have joined hands because they know what's coming. If they don't do their part, everything will be ruined. What Ethan Zhang has done has affected too many things."
"Don't make it sound so wonderful."
I muttered angrily, and Heavenly Soul smiled, shaking his head.
"At least the direction is good. In the final moment, he chose to trust, so he made that decision. It seemed reckless, but the result was good. If he had a second chance, I believe he'd do the same—sacrifice himself to bring about the Buddhist Order's arrival and restore the Six Paths of Reincarnation, solving the root of the problems troubling both realms."
I chuckled and stood up.
"Help me find out where Rachel Lan is, Heavenly Soul."
Heavenly Soul looked at me in confusion. I continued speaking.
"Search for her in the Living World, using Ethan Zhang's hair. I don't know exactly what happened, but someone told Rachel Lan about Ethan Zhang's death ahead of time, and probably gave her what Ethan left behind before he died."