It's been several days, and Ma Yongjie still hasn't returned. A noisy commotion erupted nearby, and feeling annoyed, I stood up to take a walk outside. Sylvia Blue and Imaginative Genesis had started arguing again.
Chief Stone and his group seem to have settled down completely. Under my threat, they haven't bothered us again—the threat worked very well.
Agent Seven came back again, carrying a bag of groceries. Sylvia Blue originally planned to leave for Hidden Falls Temple, but Agent Seven convinced her to stay by promising to cook delicious food for her every day. I've been running around outside these past few days, trying to figure out what those people are up to, but I've found nothing. I even infiltrated the local authorities, searching their computers for information on Linda Tang and Chief Stone, but there were no records of either of them—not even in the population archives. Their birth and death records have been erased as well.
Dusk had already fallen, and the noise in the courtyard died down. Qi ran over, laughing, to help 007 carry the grocery bag, asking repeatedly what we'd have for dinner. 007 smiled mysteriously and headed to the kitchen.
The dim light of the setting sun stretched my shadow long across the ground. I couldn't help but look at it. Sometimes, I talk to my own shadow. It's strange—I'm clearly a ghost now, without a physical body, yet my shadow still exists.
I lifted my head slightly, and suddenly glanced over. For a brief moment, I thought I saw a smile—my shadow was smiling. But now, the dark shadow showed nothing unusual. Still, I felt uneasy and squatted down to take a closer look.
A strand of silvery hair fell down. I looked up to see Sylvia Blue bending over, smiling.
"What are you doing? Did you drop something?"
I stood up and shook my head.
"By the way, how can you control your own shadow?"
I asked, and Sylvia Blue pressed a finger to her lips, pouting as if she was trying to remember something.
"I’m not sure either. My dad taught me, but he never explained why. He just said that having an extra skill could give you another way out in a crisis. That guy from The Dark Banquet must've been badly hurt—I tore both his arms off."
I replied with a simple 'oh' and didn’t press further. Sylvia Blue looked off into the distance, and I followed her gaze. Today’s sun was blood-red, sinking into dusk. The last rays vanished before my eyes. I glanced at the ground—something felt off. The light was gone, the sky had turned gray-white, but on the ground, Sylvia Blue cast no shadow at all. Only my own shadow remained clearly visible.
Another table full of dishes, rich in color, aroma, and flavor. Sylvia Blue and Imaginative Genesis were already busy eating. I drank with Agent Seven, realizing he was surprisingly good at cooking.
"This is delicious."
Imaginative Genesis couldn’t help but exclaim. I glanced at her.
"He’s taken care of you for so many years, hasn’t he already..."
I quickly stopped myself before finishing the sentence. I didn’t say it out loud. With their bodies, it’s hard enough to eat, let alone cook.
"Aren’t you going to eat? It’s really good."
007 asked. I shook my head. Drinking still gives me some sensation, but eating is just torture—after all, nothing I eat gets digested.
"I just remembered something—004 once told me about it."
I replied with an 'oh' and quietly watched 007 as he continued.
A long time ago, in that world where faith had died, 007 met 004 for the first time. 004 told him that he had nothing in the living world and settled beneath a bridge on the riverbank in Riverbend County—a small town with beautiful scenery. But later, because of urban redevelopment, the river was filled in and he lost his home.
"Then let’s hurry over there and check it out."
I suggested, but 007 shook his head.
"I investigated it a long time ago. That county doesn’t exist at all, so maybe that old guy made it up when he told me."
After dinner, Sylvia Blue and Imaginative Genesis planned to go shopping together. I felt at ease with Sylvia Blue around.
007 and I sat quietly in the courtyard, drinking. Tonight, for some reason, I felt inexplicably irritable—I’d already drunk a lot, but still couldn’t calm down. It felt like something was about to happen.
Ethan Zhang, are you alright?
I shook my head, pressing a hand to my chest.
"I don't know why, but I feel uneasy. I'm going to check inside my Instinctive Space."
As I spoke, I closed my eyes, drained my glass, and let myself slip away into unconsciousness.
When I came to, I found myself inside my Instinctive Space. The sky was a vision of apocalypse—murky, oppressive hues tangled overhead, streaks of crimson lightning crashing down. The ground was charred and lifeless, not a blade of grass in sight. Far off, a volcano belched steam into the air.
"Ethan Zhang, how did you get in? Is something wrong?"
I turned my head—a pair of golden eyes stared at me silently. It was my Shadow. I shook my head.
"I just feel uneasy, not sure why."
"You should rest. You’ve been working too hard lately."
I nodded and sat down cross-legged. My Shadow drifted slowly over.
Still worried about Ethan Zhang?
My Shadow asked quietly. I shook my head.
"It's just this nagging sense of dread. The Dark Banquet is about to begin, and I feel like my instincts are trying to warn me. Last time I tried to speak with him, you cut me off—remember? This time, I want to see for myself."
"Wait, there's no need to go. That guy is very unfriendly, even to you. After all, you haven't earned his approval yet."
I responded with an 'oh' and looked at my Shadow. He was right—gaining the approval of my instincts isn't easy. I once heard John Chou mention that some people awaken their instincts but never gain their full power, because they can't answer their instincts.
[Irrelevant meta-text skipped as per guidelines.]
"Anyway, I should go once and see for myself. I need strength right now."
With a whoosh, my Shadow suddenly blocked my way.
"No need to go. Let me ask for you. You should just go back."
I sneered and asked a question.
"Think about it—last time, you stopped me from going to the volcano where my instincts reside. Now you're doing it again. What's your real goal? You're my Shadow, yet you have your own will and even go against mine. Move aside..."
I shouted forcefully, and finally my Shadow stepped aside.
"You’re not much use to me anymore—you’re just dead weight."
As I walked, I muttered to myself. My Shadow followed silently, sneering. Last time, my Shadow was controlled by that beggar. If Sylvia Blue hadn’t shown up, Ethan Zhang might have signed that contract.
As I walked, I muttered under my breath. My Shadow trailed at my side, silent, a cold sneer on his lips. Last time, it was my Shadow who fell under the beggar’s control. If Sylvia Blue hadn’t intervened, Ethan Zhang might’ve signed away everything.
Little by little, I could feel the heat radiating from the volcano. I drifted upward, floating toward the summit. When I reached the mouth of the crater, the molten lava began to churn.
"Endbringer, what are you trying to tell me?"
Standing at the edge of the crater, I felt it even more clearly—my instincts seemed to be calling out, trying to tell me something. Whispers echoed in my mind, but I couldn’t make them out. The voices were too faint. I moved closer and saw a platform on one side of the lava. I floated over and landed on it. Instantly, I felt a wave of coolness.
I was so close to the lava, yet I felt no heat at all. Just a moment ago, it was there—now it was gone.
"Can’t you hear my voice, Zhang Qingyuan?"
Suddenly, my eyes widened.
"Is it you, Endbringer? What are you trying to say? Are you asking me to answer you?"
Suddenly, I felt a chill on my back and immediately lowered my head. With a rush of air, a hand swept past above me. I spun around—Endbringer was gathering in my hand, bit by bit.
"What are you trying to do?"
Suddenly, I felt a chill crawl up my back and ducked my head. A rush of air—someone’s hand swept overhead. I whipped around, feeling Endbringer slowly form in my grip.
I pressed Endbringer’s tip to my Shadow’s throat. He just sneered back at me.
My Shadow paused, pacing in front of me.
"What are you really thinking, Zhang Qingyuan? Those mad thoughts in your heart do no good for the outside world. You’d be better off letting them go early."
I replied with an 'oh,' still holding Endbringer, staring coldly at my Shadow.
"You’re my Shadow—just follow behind me, that’s enough. No more unnecessary talk. I’ve told you already, I have only one goal: for everything to return to Endbringer."
"Looks like it's best to remove this ticking time bomb before it goes off. It's a shame, Zhang Qingyuan—we actually got along pretty well until now."
I laughed coldly. Without waiting for my Shadow to act, I stabbed Endbringer toward his chest. In a daze, my eyes widened—Endbringer pierced my own heart. Black lightning crackled, and numbness spread through my body. My Shadow gripped Endbringer. The blackness on his body faded, transforming into my own appearance.
"How is this possible..."
I stared quietly at Endbringer in my Shadow's hand—it was real. My power had vanished. My Shadow sneered, then with a tearing sound, pulled Endbringer out.
I stared at Endbringer in my Shadow’s hand—solid, real. My strength was gone. My Shadow sneered, then yanked Endbringer free with a sickening rip.
Bang! I barely had time to raise my hand before my Shadow kicked me straight into the lava. In an instant, fire consumed me—the heat I hadn’t felt before now tore through me. I watched, wide-eyed, as my hands shriveled and blackened, the molten flow roaring behind me.