Ten Thousand Soul Banner: Deceased, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?
Chapter 354: Best Friends

Chapter 354: Chapter 354: Best Friends

"Xiao Long?"

Zhang Xu Yang did a full circle on the spot, and had he not been holding a pinwheel, he would have almost believed he was dreaming.

"If you don’t come out now, I’ll go home and not play with you anymore," Zhang Xu Yang whispered to the surroundings.

He was already in eighth grade, and saying such things made him feel quite embarrassed.

But it turned out to be quite effective, just as the words left his mouth, Xu Shilong reappeared beside him.

"Wow~"

Zhang Xu Yang was startled by Xu Shilong’s sudden appearance.

But immediately after, he became excited.

"Invisibility Technique?"

Xu Shilong: ...

"I am a ghost, I died, as long as I don’t become visible, you won’t be able to see me..."

"Oh... I get it, I get it..."

It’s like Xu Shilong wanted to swear, you understand nothing.

But he held it in and continued explaining: "That day after I was hit by a car, I became a ghost, and then I went home with you. I saw my parents getting divorced... saw your aunt taking away the comics you drew, and you used tape to stick that letter under the drawer..."

Zhang Xu Yang’s playful expression gradually faded.

"... I met Mr. Shen, he said he could help fulfill my wish to come and see you again..."

Upon hearing the story, Zhang Xu Yang stood feeling slightly ill at ease.

"Are you scared of me?" Xu Shilong asked.

Zhang Xu Yang quickly waved his hands.

"No, no, why would I be scared of you? We are the best of friends."

"What’s wrong then?" Xu Shilong looked puzzled.

"Actually... I was kind of hoping you could travel to an otherworldly land and become the Hero defeating the Demon King..." said Zhang Xu Yang.

"I wish I could too, but... there’s nothing I can do, perhaps I’m just not that lucky," sighed Xu Shilong.

"Come on, let me treat you to some milk tea."

"Do you have money?"

"Of course, this young master has been saving pocket money for a month, today I’ll treat you to a feast," boasted Zhang Xu Yang patting his chest.

"Why have you been saving money for so long?" Xu Shilong asked curiously.

Children save money usually for a big-ticket item.

Zhang Xu Yang scratched his head: "Identity V, I want to draw a 198."

"Oh, I haven’t played in a long time," said Xu Shilong.

The two used to play this game together, but as they were both rather poor players, they mostly managed on free pulls from game events.

"Let’s go, come to my house, we can play together," Zhang Xu Yang casually slung his arm over Xu’s shoulder.

"Okay." Xu Shilong was happy too, after all, he was still a child.

But just a few steps later, Xu Shilong realized something.

"I’ll frighten your parents," Xu Shilong said.

Hearing this, Zhang Xu Yang patted his chest: "Don’t worry, they won’t be back until around eight or nine. You can hide in my room, they won’t see you."

"Really?" Xu Shilong asked, his face lighting up with excitement.

"Of course, let’s go. But let’s get milk tea first, my treat."

"I am a ghost; I can’t eat," Xu Shilong said.

"But you look just like a living person to me, I can touch you, and you were even under the sun... eh, you really don’t have a shadow," Zhang Xu Yang was astounded.

"Do you believe I’m a ghost now?"

"I believed you from the start; I know everything you said is true," Zhang Xu Yang said.

"How do you know I’m not lying to you?"

"I just know."

...

Since I don’t have to buy milk tea, naturally it’s time to head home.

"Ah, Xiao Long, after you died, I really missed you a lot, and I often dreamt about you. Did you miss me?"

"Of course, I did."

"Without you, every time I have exams I get scolded by my mom. Before, I could argue that I did better than you, but now I can’t find any excuse."

"I’m sorry."

"It’s okay, I don’t blame you."

"Yangyang, did you manage to get the Triple-A student award?"

"No, my grades are too bad, I always get distracted during class."

"But you’re great at drawing, I really like your drawings. Maybe you could become a cartoonist when you grow up. I just wonder whether I’ll be able to see your comics by then..." Xu Shilong’s eyes were full of admiration.

"Can’t you reincarnate after death? I thought you’d already become a child..."

"Let me tell you, I saw a kid last time who looked just like you, I thought it was you for a second. I spoke to him and scared him into crying loudly, his mom chased me for quite a distance and even scolded me, hehehe..."

"I don’t know, after death, everyone just wanders around. But, my brother said that’s because the Netherworld paths are blocked, temporarily preventing reincarnation." Xu Shilong explained.

"Brother?"

"That’s Mr. Shen."

Shen Siyuan had instructed not to discuss the Ten Thousand Soul Banner with outsiders, that’s why he didn’t refer to him as the Banner Master.

"So, is he an immortal?" Zhang Xu Yang whispered into Xu Shilong’s ear.

"He says he isn’t, but I think he is." Xu Shilong said.

"I think so too, he’s so amazing. Not only can he see ghosts, but he also made you visible, just like when you were alive..." Zhang Xu Yang was extremely excited.

Xu Shilong nodded, thinking to himself how it was more than just becoming visible, he could even fly in the sky.

"When you see him, can you ask if he can take me as his disciple?" Zhang Xu Yang said, full of hope.

"Sure." Xu Shilong readily agreed.

"Hehe, Xiao Long, you’re my best friend." Zhang Xu Yang was overjoyed to hear this.

The two chatted all the way and then leisurely made their way home.

Xu Shilong was very familiar with this route, since his house used to be here as well, even in the same building and unit as Zhang Xu Yang’s, just not on the same floor.

Xu Shilong lived one floor above Zhang Xu Yang’s apartment.

It was for this reason that the two had been friends since childhood, attending the same kindergarten, the same elementary school, and even the same class, naturally they were close.

Back then, Xu Shilong would often eat meals at Zhang Xu Yang’s home, and Yangyang’s parents were very kind to him.

When they got to Zhang Xu Yang’s home, as expected, Yangyang’s parents were not back yet, the house was empty.

"Yangyang, are your parents very busy these days?"

"Yeah, they have to work overtime every day, they’re busy until very late." Zhang Xu Yang said.

"What will you eat for dinner?"

"I can cook myself, sometimes my parents also order takeout for me." Zhang Xu Yang seemed to have adapted to this lifestyle.

"You can cook by yourself?" Xu Shilong was surprised.

"Of course, my mom taught me. I had to learn; otherwise, I’d starve. But I can only make some simple dishes, like fried rice, noodles, scrambled eggs with tomatoes..."

"That’s pretty impressive already."

"I think so too." Zhang Xu Yang said proudly.

Upon entering the house, Zhang Xu Yang immediately dragged him to his room.

"Don’t stay in the living room, there’s a surveillance camera, and my parents can see me through it any time." Zhang Xu Yang said.

Actually, the camera wouldn’t capture Xu Shilong, but Xu Shilong didn’t explain this; he also wanted to see if Zhang Xu Yang’s room was still the same as before.

"Just sit down here and entertain yourself, I’m going to cook some rice, do you want some?"

Zhang Xu Yang placed the pinwheel he was holding into a pen holder, making it a pair with the broken one.

"I told you I’m a ghost, I can’t eat."

"Right, then just entertain yourself." Zhang Xu Yang said and ran out.

Xu Shilong sat in front of Zhang Xu Yang’s desk, staring blankly at the messy items on the desk, feeling both familiar and strange.

In a trance, it was as if he’d returned to a summer afternoon...

PS: The end~