"Ah, Zhang Shun, the town council's having a get together with snacks this afternoon."

You know that's the last place I want to go. Please stop pestering me. Let's not storm the demon king's castle when we're still in our beginner gear.

"Demon King's castle? Is that really what you think of that place...? What I'm saying trying to say is, they aren't as bad as you think."

That's what I thought just before they knocked me out and threw me in the river...

"They were just scared, Zhang Shun and they had other reasons as well... Just like I had reasons for possessing your body. They won't attack you any more if you can convince them you don't plan to harm them."

It's unfair to bring yourself up as a comparison. You could just be an exception.

"Wasn't Jun Ling a shui gui herself? Weren't you a shui gui? Am I not a shui gui? You should know that we aren't all just 100% evil."

"You're right, Ai. I do know that, but... I don't want to end up in that river again. And this time, you're with me. What if we both end up trapped in the river?

"Zhang Shun... you shouldn't have to justify yourself by including me as an excuse. That's a little bit dishonest of you. I'd be scared of them too if I had that happen to me."

You reading my mind is an awfully unfair way to have a conversation. I can't even lie to you.

... Those old folk spent a lot of time with me while I was growing up, Ai. And they were willing to dispose of me even then. You said they aren't 100% evil. But that doesn't mean they are 100% good either.

"Obviously no one's 100% good, Zhang Shun. But can't you bring yourself to trust them again just a little bit?! Do you have to enter a life and death scenario each and every time just to be able to trust someone? Despite knowing exactly why they decided to throw you in the river, despite knowing they had good reasons to, you're still too scared to confront them about what they did wrong. They aren't some last boss or demon king. You're not being careful or wary as you might like to think. You're just a big chicken wuss!"

Do you really have to put it like that...

"Yes. Or else you'd just keep running away again."

I do have my physical body again. I could just keep running away. I could run away and never come back to this town.

"Then that just proves you truly are a big chicken wuss on the inside. And what Amelia tried to teach you was, oh so meaningless, that it was casually forgotten just like that. Everyone would be so disappointed in you for running away too. Jun Ling, Amelia and me."

Your words really strike deep, Ai...

I've decided to confront them. I won't run away.

"Go get em! Instead of slaying the last boss, we'll capture their heart instead!"

Oi! You're making it sound like some cheesy summary to a romance visual novel. Don't ruin such a courageous moment for me. But let's not storm the castle today, I still need to gather myself mentally. I want to ensure I'm ready before I speak to them.

"That's an acceptable action. It's fine to retreat at times. But giving up and running away is not an option, okay?"

Yeah, I definitely won't run. Thank you for the help, Ai. It feels like I've been relying on other people so often lately. I feel useless by myself... When I did lose my self-dependence, I wonder?

"Around the time, you broke your ankle I'd say. You did become pretty useless after that. It's no wonder you became such a wuss."

If the past me could see the me now, he'd be so disappointed.

"The past you was a hard headed, self-absorbed, inconsiderate jerk. Compare that with being a chicken wuss, I think being a chicken wuss is better."

I'd prefer not being either of those two at all honestly.

"Well you can't just freely change your personality like that! It takes time. No worries. By the time our Sun becomes a red giant, you should have become less of a chicken wuss."

Oi! That's at least a hundred thousand years away! How long do you think I can live?!

Ai, you are really considerate towards my feelings but somehow the words that come out of your mouth can be so insensitive at times. If our emotions weren't linked, I'd think you were maliciously trying to hurt my feelings.

That afternoon after a lot of chit chat, we ended up going to confront the town council after all.