After Ye Chen poured out his heartfelt feelings to everyone present and offered his blessings and prayers of farewell, the soaring, resonant symphony of applause finally drew to a close.
The million dead who filled the pure-white world began to fade and turn translucent one after another, before dissolving into countless gleaming motes of light.
Their bodies had already died a century ago.
And now, their souls could finally follow their bodies back into death as it was meant to be.
Thus, the applause around the young man's ears grew scarcer and scarcer, while the people before his eyes vanished one after another.
The men were gone.
The women were gone.
The elderly were gone.
The children were gone.
The ordinary people were gone.
The Hunters were gone.
The knights were gone.
Countless families were gone.
Countless races were gone.
Countless vibrant wills were gone.
All of them faded away before the young man's eyes, carrying their sincere applause with them.
And so, the pure-white world swiftly returned to its original emptiness and desolation.
Facing the scene that had fallen silent once more, Ye Chen's face was filled with sorrow and mourning.
Although he had long understood that, for the dead, death and rest were the best possible ending, when the moment of farewell truly arrived, Ye Chen's heart still suddenly became lonely and wistful.
His gaze moved restlessly through the gradually vanishing crowd, longing to see that special family once more in these final moments.
However, before Ye Chen could find them, a childish cry rang out from behind him first.
"Big brother!"
Hearing that familiar voice, Ye Chen's heart gave a violent leap, and he immediately turned around.
The next second, he finally saw that family, so profoundly meaningful to him, again not far behind him.
The boy,