There were four of us on the boat now: Hou Dayong and I sat at the east end, while Wang Jue cradled the Ghost Infant at the west end. The infant was fast asleep, breathing softly.

Hou Dayong scooped up a handful of the blood-tinged water from the Sea of Lost Souls and poured it over the stump where the Ghost Infant had bitten off my finger. The wound slowly began to heal in the crimson liquid, though the severed digit would never return.

Looking at my right hand, now missing a finger, a dull ache resonated in my heart. Some things, once lost, are gone forever. Unbidden, tears began to stream down my face.

Hou Dayong patted my shoulder reassuringly. "Life always has moments of sharp pain. You should consider yourself lucky; this minor lesson taught you how to steer clear of danger. You only lost a finger, but I lost my entire life, forfeiting all the joys of being human..." At this, he let out a profound sigh, gazing out at the distant horizon, and fell silent.

His words piqued my curiosity, making me wonder how he had been turned into an undead by Li Xiaohao. Seeing the deep sorrow in his eyes, I quickly thought better of it; such a memory would surely be steeped in agony. I stifled the question.

Wang Jue, across from us, was quieter, holding the Ghost Infant and regarding the two of us with an air of resignation.

I found it strange how perfectly the Ghost Infant’s boat had appeared just as we were utterly exhausted. Perhaps it intended for us to board? I asked Hou Dayong, "Why is the Ghost Infant drifting on the Sea of Lost Souls?"

Hou Dayong shook his head; it seemed only Li Xiaohao could answer such a question.

"Look, he’s opening his eyes," Wang Jue called out.

Hou Dayong and I looked at the chubby baby, who in turn regarded us with wide, guileless eyes. As we stared, his brow suddenly furrowed. He stuck out one plump little finger, pointing toward the two o’clock position, and the small boat automatically steered in the direction he indicated.

It was utterly bizarre! The three of us had struggled relentlessly and couldn't even reach the shore, yet this tiny babe, with a frown and a point, guided a boat carrying four people effortlessly forward!

Before long, the coastline appeared on the horizon. After another stretch of travel, we finally reached the shore—the very spot where Wang Jue and I had jumped into the Sea of Lost Souls earlier. Despite the sea having expanded by at least ten times after the rain, the condition of the shore remained unchanged. It was as if the coastline expanded in lockstep with the swelling of the Sea of Lost Souls, a place where both immaterial and solid things could arbitrarily alter their dimensions. Truly, as Hou Dayong had said, one could not apply the laws of the mortal realm to anything happening here.

We prepared to return the way we came, though we were uncertain how to handle the infant Wang Jue was holding. I strongly suspected the child intended to leave this realm with us; otherwise, he wouldn't have so easily steered the boat here.

Wang Jue, holding the infant, tested the width of the fissure in the wall. At a height near his abdomen, there was a perfect indentation—a shallow trough. He lowered the baby carefully, maneuvering him through the gap. I followed Wang Jue, chest out, slipping easily through the crack and standing beside him in the corridor.

Hou Dayong was the last to enter. Just as he was shuffling through the fissure, the Ghost Infant began to giggle in Wang Jue’s arms. Wang Jue and I exchanged a glance, entirely unsure what was happening.

After passing through the crack, Hou Dayong crumpled onto the ground in agony. I started forward to help him, but was sharply shouted away. He raised his trembling hands, showing me they were already coated in the flesh-eating spirit worms.