I realized I was wavering.
This wavering was even more serious than when I'd faced Ye Qing.
Because I didn't know whether going on like this would lead to an even worse future.
Worse than a future world ruled by the Ghost King: a future world ruled by monsters.
The Ghost King could still communicate with people, while monsters did nothing but destroy. That alone showed the difference between them.
Bad and worse.
This wasn't the first time I'd thought about this question.
But in the past, I hadn't been under such crushing pressure. I'd only been afraid of making a mistake and harming others—maybe getting dozens or hundreds of people killed, or even more, leading to tens of thousands of deaths. I'd never imagined that if I made a mistake and failed, the whole world could fall into a state of utter ruin.
I'd never carried that kind of burden before.
When I was truly desperate, I could forget everything else and charge straight ahead. But before reaching that point of desperation, I would hesitate, trapped in the anguish of having to choose.
The Thin Man asked with concern how I was doing, but I couldn't explain. I didn't know where to begin.
"Tell me, which is scarier, monsters or the Ghost King?" Unable to hold back any longer, I asked the Thin Man.
"Monsters like Nian beasts?" he asked.
"Yeah." I nodded, then added, "More frightening than Nian beasts, and more destructive. They could probably destroy a city in just ten minutes."
"I see." The Thin Man looked uneasy, his gaze falling on the two bodies on the ground. "I'd still say the Ghost King is scarier. If I had to choose an enemy, I'd choose those monsters." As he spoke, he gradually calmed down. "With the Ghost