Chapter 660
We learn to feel pain, see the essence of pain, and let pain educate us and teach us lessons. This may not be the entirely correct attitude, but it is the only way we can face and overcome pain. I am the spirit in my spiritual realm.
As she spoke, her expression changed. She had the demeanor of a mature woman, her tone was calm, and her eyes held indulgence. It wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, but at the entire world, with a sense of having seen through the dilemma of life and death.
She gave a faint smile.
In fact, as early as when she asked me those two questions, I had already guessed some of it. Seeing her calm expression and composed tone, I knew it wasn’t her first time dealing with such matters. I didn’t ask her why there were so many such things, nor how she managed to stay so calm. After all, it wasn’t my first time in this world, and there were more ghosts here than anywhere else. They might have died with resentment, or in vain, or simply remained in the world due to some obsession. Of course, some might have died innocently, just like my parents and grandparents. They are all in a place now, where there is a huge lake. The water in the lake is blood-red, and the land around the lake is black. There is only a small island in the middle of the lake, with a small house on it, where a white-bearded old man lives. This old man is said to be the god of this world. Whether he is a true god, no one knows. However, he can take all the souls to that world, and of course, that comes at a price. I will talk about this with you all later.
As for now, I can only pray in my heart, praying that my parents and grandparents can live peacefully on that island. Although they are dead, they are my only relatives. I cannot stand by and watch them wander the world like those wandering ghosts. However, I haven’t done anything. I know that the only thing I can do now is to bear it silently. Moreover, I also feel that this world is definitely not what it appears to be. There must be some huge secret hidden in those shadows. And this secret is definitely not something I can uncover. Perhaps, I still have a chance. Perhaps I will know when I die. But, I cannot die now because there are things I haven’t finished.
“My name is Qin Shuang,” I replied calmly.
“Qin Shuang?” She raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
“Yes, that’s my name, my former name.” I looked at her and said with a faint smile.
“Former name?” She repeated, with an obvious question on her face.
“Yes, I’ve changed my name now. My new name is Qin Shuang.” I said, extending my hand.
“You are called Qin Shuang now, so why use your former name?” She didn’t shake my hand. Instead, she tilted her head and asked curiously.
“Because my parents gave me this name, and this name has a very important meaning to me in this world.” I sighed softly, my gaze drifting into the distance, as if I could see through everything before me and glimpse the deepest images in my memory.
“Oh, so that’s how it is. Alright then, I accept this name. I’ll call you Qin Shuang from now on.” She smiled, extended her hand, and shook mine. Her hand was soft, yet had a cold temperature that made me feel uncomfortable. I frowned slightly.
“What’s wrong?” She noticed my expression and asked with a smile.
“Nothing, your hand is just a bit cold,” I said.
“Really? Perhaps my body is a bit weak. But don’t worry, I won’t trouble you just because my body is weak.” She was still smiling, as if what I said was very funny.
“What’s your name?” I asked her.
“Me? My name is Xia Qing.” She replied, then tilted her head again, looking at me. “Your name is so special. Shuang? Is it because you have two eyes, or does it have some special meaning?”
“No,” I shook my head, then thought of something and added, “However, my parents and grandparents said about this name, they hoped I could fly freely like a butterfly with wings.”
“Butterfly with wings?” Xia Qing repeated thoughtfully, then there was a playful smile in her eyes. “Butterfly with wings, isn’t that a butterfly? Does a butterfly have any special meaning?”
“I don’t know.” I told the truth. I had never asked my parents and grandparents why they gave me this name. I only knew that this name was the last gift from my parents and grandparents. I would cherish it well.
“Alright then. Let’s begin now.” Xia Qing said.
“Mhm.” I nodded.
“First, you need to know that your current body is no longer the original Qin Shuang’s body. Your current body is a ghost with no signs of life. Your soul is currently residing in this ghost. And this ghost is actually the body that this world has prepared for you so that you can adapt to life here.” Xia Qing said. “However, don’t worry, this body will not harm you in any way. It is just a temporary dwelling place. You can leave when you find a perfect body.”
“Temporary dwelling place?” I frowned, a little confused.
“Yes, the world you are in now is actually a world between illusion and reality. Therefore, anything can happen here. Of course, your current body is also allowed by the rules of this world. You can think of yourself as a wanderer walking on the edge of life and death.” Xia Qing said.
“A wanderer walking on the edge of life and death?”
“Yes, you can understand it that way. Because your body has actually died. You are currently completely sustained by your soul. Therefore, your body’s functions are in a state of stagnation. If it weren’t for some constraints this world has on you, your body would have completely collapsed long ago.”
“Constraints?” I asked.
“Yes, the reason you can still stay conscious is due to a constraint from this world. This constraint is the expectation of this world. It hopes that you can survive in this world and complete your unfinished mission.”
“Mission?” I was even more confused.
“You should have also felt that this world is not as simple as you imagined. It hides many unknown secrets. And you are the most crucial person to uncover these secrets.” Xia Qing said.
“Me? The crucial person?” I pointed to myself, my face full of disbelief.
“Yes, don’t doubt it, you are the most crucial person. You were called Qin Chuan before, and you were a very smart student. However, in an accident, your parents and grandparents all died. You were also caught in a huge vortex. You were selected by an organization called ‘Eternal Light’ and became their test subject.”
“An Eternal Light test subject?” My eyes widened, my face full of terror.
“Yes, you were once their test subject. They took you to a secret base and used a special drug to transform you into a half-human, half-ghost creature. You have the characteristics of a ghost. You can live without eating or drinking, you don’t feel hungry, and you don’t even need to sleep. Moreover, your body has become very strong, capable of withstanding pain that ordinary people cannot. That’s why you survived that car accident.” Xia Qing said.
“So that’s how it is.” I lowered my head and fell into thought. I finally understood why I had such a strange body. It turned out that it was all thanks to that Eternal Light.
“However, they are not almighty. Although they transformed you into a half-human, half-ghost creature, their drug also has side effects. That is, even though you have the characteristics of a ghost now, your soul still belongs to humans. Therefore, you are currently suffering from the dual torment of being human and a ghost. You have also felt that your body is slowly decaying. This is not because there is a problem with your body, but because your soul is rejecting your body. If your soul completely rejects your body, then you will die completely. At that time, you will become a true ghost. a wandering ghost who will never be reborn.” Xia Qing said.
“A wandering ghost who will never be reborn?” My face suddenly turned ashen.
“Yes, but you don’t have to worry too much. As long as you can find a body that truly belongs to you in this world, you can leave. Moreover, you have one year now. If you cannot find your body within a year, then your soul will completely die. At that time, you will truly become a wandering ghost. So, you must work hard.”
“One year to find a body that truly belongs to me?” I raised my head and looked at Xia Qing. “Where will I find it?”
“You’ll have to discover that yourself. This is all I can help you with. However, I can give you a hint – what you are looking for is in your previous world.”
“My previous world?” My eyes widened, my face full of disbelief.
“Yes, your previous world. Alright, that’s all I have to say. Remember, you only have one year. If you can’t find your body within a year, you’re truly finished. So, Qin Shuang, you have to keep going.” She smiled and patted my shoulder.
“How can my previous world possibly still have my body?” I grabbed her hand and asked anxiously.
“I don’t know about that. You’ll have to discover it yourself. However, I can tell you that the world you are in now is a dream world. Everything you are experiencing now is a dream. When you find your body, you will wake up.” She smiled and patted the back of my hand.
“Dream world?” I became more confused.
“Yes, the world you are in now is a dream world. Everything you see is an illusion. Everything you experience is not real. So, don’t dwell too much on these problems. What you need to do now is to try your best to survive in this world and find your body.” She said.
“I understand.” I nodded, but my heart was even more bewildered.
“Alright, you can go now. Remember, don’t believe anything anyone says. Because, in this world, everyone could be your enemy. Only you yourself are someone you can trust.” She said.
“I understand.” I nodded, then looked at her. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m doing this for myself too. Alright, hurry up and go.” She pointed to the road ahead, signaling me to leave.
I took a deep breath, then turned around and walked forward.
My heart was filled with doubts. I didn’t know where to go or what to do. I only knew that I had to survive in this world and find my body.
After walking a few meters, I heard Xia Qing’s voice from behind: “By the way, Qin Shuang, I forgot to tell you, you are actually a ghost now. So, you can only go out at night. During the day, it’s best to find a hidden place to hide. Otherwise, you’ll be burned to death by the sunlight.”
I suddenly stopped and looked back at her.
“Burned to death by sunlight?”
“Yes, you are a ghost now. Ghosts cannot see sunlight. Once exposed to sunlight, they will be scattered into oblivion. So, you must be careful.”
“Scattered into oblivion?” My face turned pale again.
“Alright, hurry up and go. Remember, the one-year deadline is fast approaching.” She waved her hand, signaling me to leave quickly.
I turned around and continued walking forward.
My heart was filled with despair. I didn’t know what else I could do. I didn’t know if I could last until the one-year deadline.
I only knew that now, I had to survive in this world.
I walked along the road, and there were few pedestrians. They all kept their heads down, their expressions hurried. I didn’t know why they were so anxious, as if they had some important mission to complete.
My heart was filled with doubts, and I didn’t know where to go now. I also didn’t know if I had any money.
I lowered my head and touched my pocket. It was empty. I had no money on me.
I sighed and continued walking forward.
After walking for a while, I saw a small convenience store ahead. The convenience store light was on, and inside, two girls in high school uniforms were buying things.
I slowly walked towards the convenience store. Through the transparent glass door, I saw that the shelves in the convenience store were filled with snacks and drinks.
I licked my lips, and my stomach rumbled. Although I was “dead,” my stomach seemed to still be working.
I took a deep breath, then pushed open the convenience store door and walked in.
There was a wind chime on the convenience store door. When I pushed the door open, the wind chime made a crisp tinkling sound.
Hearing the sound, the two girls looked up and looked at me.
Their faces were filled with obvious terror.
I didn’t know why they looked like that. I lowered my head and looked at my clothes. I was wearing a black sports uniform, which didn’t seem unusual.
“What… what do you want?” one of the girls asked, trembling.
“I want to buy something,” I replied.
My voice sounded no different from usual.
Hearing my voice, the terror on the faces of these two girls slowly subsided.
“What do you want to buy?” the other girl asked me.
“I want to buy a bottle of water,” I said, walking towards the convenience store shelves.
I took a bottle of mineral water and walked towards the checkout counter.
Behind the checkout counter stood an auntie in her fifties. She smiled faintly when she saw me.
“Two dollars in total,” she said.
I lowered my head, touched my pocket, then looked up and said to her, “Auntie, I have no money on me.”
As soon as I said that, the two girls showed expressions of terror again.
“No money on you?” The smile on the auntie’s face behind the counter slowly disappeared.
“Yes, I really have no money. However, I can help you do something in exchange for this bottle of water.” I said.
“Do something?” The auntie frowned and looked at me.
“Yes, I can help you move things, or help you clean. I can do anything in exchange for this bottle of water,” I said with a sincere expression.
Seeing my expression, the two girls couldn’t help but laugh.
“You, little fellow, are really interesting,” the auntie said. “Alright, seeing how sincere you are, this bottle of water is on me.”
“Really?” My eyes widened, my face full of surprise.
“Yes, take it,” the auntie said with a smile, handing me the water.
“Thank you, Auntie,” I said, taking the water with a face full of gratitude.
“You’re welcome,” the auntie said. “However, remember, next time you come to buy something, make sure to bring money.”
“I remember,” I nodded, then turned and walked towards the convenience store entrance.
As soon as I walked out of the convenience store entrance, I heard the voices of the two girls behind me:
“Hey, don’t you think that boy is a bit strange?” one girl said.
“Yeah, I think so too. He’s so pale, and his eyes are so dark,” the other girl said.
“Yeah, and it seems like there’s no warmth coming from him at all,” the first girl said.
I suddenly stopped in my tracks.
No warmth?
I lowered my head and looked at my hand. My hand was cold.
I then remembered that Xia Qing had said I was a ghost.
I am a ghost, so of course I have no warmth.
I took a deep breath and continued walking forward.
I didn’t know if the two girls had discovered anything. But, I couldn’t care less now. I only knew that I had to find a hidden place as soon as possible and hide myself.
I walked along the road for a while, and then I saw a small park ahead. Inside the park, the trees were lush, with rockeries and flowing water, and the environment was very beautiful.
I walked towards the park. As soon as I entered the park gate, I saw a huge fountain. In the fountain, there were several rockeries, and on the rockeries, several lifelike lions were carved.
I walked towards the fountain and sat down on a bench next to it.
I unscrewed the cap of the mineral water bottle and took a big gulp. The cold water flowed into my stomach, making me feel a bit more comfortable.
I looked up at the sky. In the sky, a bright moon hung high, and its moonlight cast on the ground, making the entire park look like it was covered in a faint silver hue.
I didn’t know what time it was. But, judging by the position of the moon, it should be very late.
I stood up and walked towards the depths of the park.
In the depths of the park, there was a small pavilion. The pavilion was surrounded by bamboo trees.
I walked into the pavilion and sat down on a stone bench inside.
I leaned against a pillar in the pavilion, raised my head, and looked at the bright moon.
My heart was filled with confusion. I didn’t know what to do now. I also didn’t know where to find my body.
I only knew that now, I had to survive in this world, and then find my body, and then wake up. Yes, wake up.
I silently recited these two words, then closed my eyes.
I don’t know how long I slept. I only felt that when I opened my eyes again, it was already dawn.
Sunlight shone through the gaps in the bamboo forest into the pavilion.
I suddenly opened my eyes and stood up from the stone bench.
Ghosts cannot see sunlight. Once exposed to sunlight, they will be scattered into oblivion.
I trembled all over, nervously looking at my body.
My body had not been scattered into oblivion.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
I then remembered that Xia Qing had said that my current body was the body that this world had prepared for me so that I could adapt to life here. Moreover, my soul was currently residing in this ghost.
I am not an ordinary ghost.
I am a half-human, half-ghost creature.
I took a deep breath, then slowly walked out of the pavilion.
I stood in the sunlight, feeling the warmth of the sun on my body.
It was warm and comfortable. There was no feeling of being scattered into oblivion by the sunlight.
I smiled.
Then, I thought of Xia Qing’s words again.
She said that the reason I could still stay conscious was due to the world’s expectations of me. It hoped that I could survive in this world and complete my unfinished mission.
Mission?
What is my mission?
I looked up at the sky. In the blue sky, a few white clouds drifted leisurely.
I took a deep breath, then walked towards the park entrance.
