"Travel safely, Malin. I hope the end of your journey is as you wish." Susu chose to leave. As for Susu, Malin didn’t know how to describe her, after all, she had been apart from him for eight millennia. If anything could test them more than eight millennia, it would probably be two times eight millennia. In any case, Malin trusted Susu, believed this girl wouldn’t deceive him, and he had nothing to be deceived about. Calculating the direction forward, Malin walked into the half-demolished building in front of him. Its upper part had long since collapsed, blocking the street. Malin had ways to move it aside, but he was more interested in exploring the inside of these structures. After eight millennia, perhaps not even the remains of predecessors could be found; perhaps just walking into a room reveals all the toil of future generations. However, inside this building, there were neither predecessors nor successors. An empty hall, a people-less salon; the glass coffee pot had long dried up, with a hole broken in it, and a plasticized handle crumbling at a touch revealed to this world its age. A small wraith poked its head out from a tiny room, looking at Malin in some confusion, just as Malin smiled at it. Then it walked out. It was a child dressed in what to Malin seemed exceedingly luxurious clothing: a handsome jacket, a fine lining, and a pair of wide trousers suitable for a child. Unfortunately, being a spiritual body, it didn’t know the colors of the clothes, but nonetheless, they looked much better than tight jumpsuits. · Who are you, where do you come from? I haven’t seen a human in so long. The poor child still didn’t know he had become something akin to a ground-bound spirit. He was curious about Malin’s attire, curious about Malin’s approach to the small room, until Malin nudged the door and found it was still locked. · Mom said not to open the door to strangers. This child spoke next to Malin, looking at him. Transformations appeared on his body, but likewise, the healing from Malin prevented this child from distorting. "I’m not a stranger, I’m Malin." Malin reached out and ruffled the little spiritual body’s head. · Not a stranger... Do you know Mom or Dad? The child said, sniffed the air, suddenly grew excited, and pointed at Malin. · You have Dad’s things. Malin thought for a moment, then took off the backpack from his back. "In here, right?" The child nodded vigorously. He watched as Malin took out bag after bag of dog tags, and finally, under its guidance, retrieved one dog tag. · This is Dad’s; I’ve seen it before. The child grasped the dog tag. At that moment, Malin witnessed a miracle—spiritual bodies, unlike vengeful spirits, usually couldn’t make physical contact or pick up real objects. But this child held onto it, happily recounting to Malin how he worshipped his father and said when he grew up, he would become a great hero along with him. "I believe you will become a great hero." Malin smiled, watching the child’s figure grow ever thinner. Having fulfilled the wish binding him, in his final moments, the child smiled somewhat bashfully. · You must know Dad; you are good. Can you help me find Mom? Mom told me to wait here for her, she’s been gone so long... The child eventually disappeared before Malin, a pure and flawless gem falling to the ground. Malin picked it up, placing it alongside his father’s dog tag, then took a piece of cloth from the semi-plane and laid it on the ground, before forcefully pushing open the door. A small skeleton lay curled in a corner, draped in the once-faded jacket. Malin stepped forward, wanting to embrace the child, but at the moment of contact, the small skeleton crumbled. After a prolonged silence, Malin used his spiritual energy to lift it out of the room, placing it on the cloth, then carefully packaged it before heading toward the other side’s exit. The passage was somewhat dark; Malin proceeded in silence until he made it through completely, standing once more under the sun, and looked back at the wraith in the passage’s shadow. · Thank you for giving... my child... redemption... Malin glanced at the roadside, where a damaged skeleton lay in the dirt. "No need to thank me." · Can... can you free me... Malin nodded with a smile, then in an instant, the wraith was enveloped in holy flames. It shrieked, instinctively wanting to escape, but ultimately, it collapsed onto the ground between light and shadow, leaving only a pile of ashes. Malin reached out; the ground was hollowed out to form a pit, with the mother’s ashes swirling around the pit walls. Malin placed the skeleton from the cloth upon it, then his father’s dog tag, leaving only the gem he had, before covering with the cloth and finally stones, pressing everything flat with force. Malin broke off a steel bar from the ruins, placing it in front of the small grave. I can only give you such a home, sorry. Malin picked up the backpack and continued walking north. Salis landed on his shoulder, guiding Malin’s path. According to Salis, this city held no vitality. Malin thought for a moment, indeed it was so. This city, after being invaded by Chaos and subsequently abandoned, left the reinforced concrete forest devoid of food. Thus, animals also abandoned it, and without fresh meat, different kinds and spirits wouldn’t choose to settle here either.