Everyone's face was etched with exhaustion. My cousin was already fast asleep, Huang Jun had dozed off too, and I was the only one awake, staring at the dim light inside the Wailing Maiden's Den. I had no idea what awaited us next.
Ye Guyun once said we should avoid the Wailing Maiden's Den if possible. This place is seriously cursed—it's full of female ghosts discarded by Lord Wraith after he grew tired of them. Unable to reincarnate or escape, they're trapped here in endless cruelty.
I clenched my fists, glaring fiercely ahead. I was getting sleepy too, but someone had to stay on guard. If something happened, we wouldn't have time to react.
"Ethan, you should get some rest. I'll keep watch." Rufina Howard whispered behind me. I shook my head.
"Go ahead and sleep, it's fine. I can keep watch, and in an hour someone else will take over for me anyway."
Rufina looked exhausted, and I couldn't bring myself to let a young girl stand guard.
"Ethan, it's fine. I'm younger than you guys."
I smiled at Rufina, shook my head, and then she sat down beside me. I sat too, gazing at the Wailing Maiden's Den.
"I'm a little worried about Redmond."
Rufina said this, her face full of sorrow.
"He's a Ghost Sovereign—do you really need to worry about him?"
Rufina shook her head.
"I'm just worried about him. Now that he's the Eleventh Judge, he can decide people's fate. But I hate that—he's always been like a child, and I'm afraid he won't tell right from wrong..."
Before Rufina could finish, I placed my hand on her forehead.
"Don't worry, it's fine. When would a young woman like you ever need to worry about a ghost who's lived hundreds or thousands of years? Didn't you always say you hated ghosts?"
"Who said that? I don't hate him at all. Redmond is really cute. I just don't want him to act like that. My dad always told me: the greater the power, the greater the responsibility."
"I'll keep sleeping, Ethan. If something happens, don't fall asleep!"
I waved her off, and Rufina walked over to Huang Jun, leaning on his arm. Everyone was like this, using Huang Jun as a pillow—and Huang Jun seemed to enjoy it.
Inside the Wailing Maiden's Den, I watched for a long time but saw no sign of ghosts. But things couldn't be that simple. The place was full of caves but not very large—the female ghost had already told us that.
Once inside, if you keep heading north, you'll reach the outskirts of Wraithhold. There's even a road that goes straight into the city. Usually, Lord Wraith's minions bring discarded female ghosts from the city and throw them into the Den.
Once a female ghost enters the Den, she's trapped for life. I was furious at Lord Wraith's cruelty.
After a while, Mao Xiaoyu woke up groggy and went to relieve himself. He swapped places with me, and I lay comfortably on Huang Jun's abs, closing my eyes.
When I woke up, it was already bright outside. The sky was still gloomy. We'd rested for seven hours, and everyone started eating. Nothing had happened during the night.
"Hey, do you think all the ghosts in the Den are beauties?"
My cousin was joking again, and everyone looked at him with disdain.
"If we rescue one or two, wouldn't they be... heh..."