Crackling sounds echoed as I sat quietly on a stone. The faint glow from the campfire before me illuminated the darkness, while everything around was shrouded in black.
I smiled faintly, watching the dancing flames, my mood calm. I had seen such scenes long ago. Whether human or ghost, anything with a soul truly vanishes not in the Underworld, nor in the Shadow Realm, nor in the Temporal Loop, but here.
Long ago, to prevent Yuna Ji's nine generals from disappearing, I briefly came here, surviving by instinct. Now, looking back, everything has ended. I let go of my prejudices, let go of everything.
What I once desperately pursued can no longer be changed; it died long ago, just like myself. And everything I've done in the end is enough. The world has promised me everything—it will not let those two escape from this world, endlessly built upon illusion.
Sparks flickered as I looked at my pitch-black hands—clearly I could feel them, yet I could no longer see them. The wood was half burnt, and soon the campfire would go out, leaving this place in complete darkness.
Only now do I truly begin to reflect on everything. In this life, I have gained so much—this alone brings me comfort. Everything I've been through feels like a dream.
I gave a bitter smile, gazing at the emptiness around me.
"If only there were some wine right now."
Just as I spoke, a faint white glow appeared, and a figure in white landed beside me, handing me a gourd.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."
Past Ethan Zhang spoke as I took the wine gourd, unscrewed the cap, and drank. Past Ethan Zhang sprinkled some glowing flecks into the fire, and instantly, the flames that were about to die flared up again, burning fiercely with crackling sounds.
"You have your burdens, and we live in different worlds—past, future, and present."
A faint sound of a cloak fluttering arose, and Future Ethan Zhang sat down on my right.
"I really should have killed that kid back then."
I shook my head.
"Isn't Seven your child?"
Future Ethan Zhang nodded.
"That's enough. No matter where he is now, what he's doing, or what he once did—it doesn't matter."
Past Ethan Zhang smiled.
"The endings are vastly different. In the past I lived, nothing was left. All my old friends are gone, and all that remains is a world with no future. Infernal Hell is shattered. I chose to bring peace, but in doing so, destroyed the world. So I am a sinner."
I turned my head, passing the wine gourd over. Past Ethan Zhang took it with a smile and drank in gulps. Future Ethan Zhang smiled and spoke.
"What I did was much the same—destroyed everything. After they took what mattered most to me, I chose to become a ghost and destroy everything myself, even the hope that my wife might survive."
I smiled faintly, tilting my head back in comfort. The firelight flickered before my eyes, but behind us was utter darkness—the flames could not cast our shadows.
"So in the end, only I succeeded?"
I smiled, and both Ethan Zhangs nodded.
"That's good."
For a while, the three of us sat in silence, passing the wine gourd among ourselves. The campfire began to dim again, its light turning red.
Past Ethan Zhang raised a hand, about to sprinkle something into the fire again, but I pressed his hand down.
"No need. Thank you both for coming in the end."
Past Ethan Zhang nodded, stood up, looked at me once more, then placed a hand on my shoulder. I nodded. Future Ethan Zhang also stood up and placed a hand on my shoulder.
The only reason I survived that incident and made it this far is thanks to your help. But miracles don't always favor me as they used to.
The two Ethan Zhangs slowly faded away beside me, like embers in the fire. I looked at Future Ethan Zhang.
"Take care of Sylvia Blue!"
I watched Future Ethan Zhang nod. I smiled in relief, lowering my head to gaze at the faintly glowing, reddish campfire. Sparks still drifted upward.
Even now, I feel a bit reluctant, but it doesn't matter anymore. Everything is resolved—I did all I could.
Reddish streaks of light gradually faded on the fire. Then a crimson particle shot past my eyes. Surprised, I stared as the campfire roared back to life, weak flames leaping up again.
"Sorry, brother. I kept trying, but I still couldn't find a way for you to keep living."
I hummed and nodded. I couldn't see John Chou's form beside me, because his consciousness was still lost in time. I knew Past and Future Ethan Zhang had brought him here.
But I could clearly feel John Chou sitting next to me, watching me with his usual half-smile.
"Thank you, John Chou. For the past, the present, and the future."
As I spoke, John Chou laughed. I felt a hand clap my back, and I laughed too.
"It'll be exhausting, for Rachel Lan, in the world you leave behind."
I nodded.
"Maybe so, but it's fine. You all should be able to return to the Living World soon."
John Chou's laughter sounded a bit helpless.
"True. But even if I lost once, I won't lose a second time."
"Xu Fu, that guy!"
I leaned back comfortably, smiling faintly.
The fire began to shrink again. I felt nothing now. John Chou's arrival had brought me a touch of comfort and hope, but I was destined to reach the end.
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"I fought with him for a long time. There was someone like you before, too."
"Zachary Justice, the Taoist priest!"
John Chou hummed in response.
"In the end, it was the same. I couldn't stop what he did, and I couldn't even speak to him. Now, you're the same, brother. Is there anything you want me to do for you?"
I shook my head.
"No need."
At that moment, I noticed a finger appear above the fire, taking away a pinch of glowing embers.
"I hope there will be a way in the future, brother!"
I stood up, feeling something in the darkness ahead calling out to me. The last wisp of smoke rose from the fire, and the surroundings fell into darkness. I walked forward slowly, as if journeying through endless night—a journey with no end and no light. All I could do was keep walking.
A streak of blood-red particles still followed beside me.
"Still not ready to leave?"
"Just here to see you off, brother."
I kept walking, my thoughts growing increasingly blurry. I just felt compelled to move forward, strangely drawn by the darkness ahead.
I walked faster and faster, and the last blood-red particle drifting by my ear gradually faded.
At that moment, I stopped, feeling I had reached the end—or maybe not. My legs kept moving, but my body was starting to break apart. Soon, I would disappear from this world, leaving nothing behind.
I turned around in confusion; behind me, there was only darkness.
"Do you remember what I told you before, brother?"
I hummed in reply.
"Some things in this world have to be done by someone. Do you think I've finished my business?"
"Ah, it's done, brother. You did it so perfectly that I can't even see you now."
I burst out laughing.
"And you? What do you plan to do next?"
In the darkness, I couldn't see or feel anything. John Chou's voice had long since disappeared.
"Maybe I'll take this world for myself."
I hummed in reply.
"Rather than let others keep spying, I'd rather grip this world tightly in my own hands. After all, I'm an evil ghost, and now my foolish little sister has become the true ruler of the Underworld. That's a great advantage for me."
I smiled faintly.
"Good luck, John Chou."
I had so much I wanted to say, but when the words reached my lips, I couldn't say a thing.
"By the way, John Chou, about Basil Bertram..."
"There's nothing to be done. He's different from us. The tree that was his true body has died completely. Though a new shoot has sprouted from the dead tree, it's just an ordinary sprout. As for the two weapons you stored in the tree, forged from parts of Basil Bertram, I'll tell Rachel Lan when I return."
I hummed, feeling there was nothing left to say. But I still couldn't let go of Seven's fate. The Wraithlord's resurrection was tied to Seven, even if he never mentioned it, and nothing in his consciousness showed a connection. But when I saw Seven with the people from The Immortality Society, I understood.
"The Immortality Society has completely vanished now."
"If this keeps up, it will never end, John Chou. Is that really something a person on the verge of disappearing should worry about?"
I spoke, calmly gazing into the darkness ahead. I was about to disappear.
"So let me ask you one last thing, brother. Did you find what you were looking for?"
"Ah, I found it. In the end, without it, I couldn't have achieved what you called perfection."
John Chou's laughter faded into the distance, the crimson glow vanished, and I sank into the darkness.
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