Chapter 143: Just Want Glasses Girl, Hachishaku's Identity Crisis
Meanwhile, Kyoto City Hospital, outside Makinohara Shoko's ward.
"Ugh... so sleepy."
Miko yawned heavily, rubbing her eyes that were about to tear up from sleepiness, looking very tired.
Mai sat next to her and said softly.
"Miko, if you are tired, you can go home and rest first; it's enough for me to guard here."
"How can that work?"
Miko forced herself to cheer up and shook her head.
"We are all members of the Super-Quant Club. For the safety of Shoko and Menma, let me persist a bit longer."
"This is not a solution..."
Although Mai hadn't performed formal exorcism yet, as a spirit medium, she also knew that if not rested well and mentally tired, combat power would be greatly reduced.
She could barely persist; after all, when filming before, there were many cases of poor rest and needing to force herself to cheer up.
But Miko's spirit was obviously reaching the limit.
If encountering evil spirits at this time, it would be too dangerous.
Just as Mai was thinking this, her phone suddenly vibrated.
She walked to an empty spot in the corridor, checked her phone, and found it was a number she didn't recognize.
"Hello, who is this?"
From the other end of the phone came a relaxed female voice with a smile.
"It's me, Mai-san~"
"Hmm?"
Mai felt this voice very familiar. After trying hard to recall in her mind, she asked hesitantly.
"Yukinoshita... Haruno-san?"
"Yes yes, recognizing my voice after meeting only once...."
Haruno's voice still carried a smile, but with a bit more meaningful, intriguing tone, as if implying something.
"Is it because your memory is relatively good, or did I leave a relatively deep impression on you?"
Mai's eyes flickered, retorting faintly without showing weakness.
"Oh, I just have a good memory. After all, your sister Yukino and Yoru are my juniors, and also members of the same club I see every day."
"Hehe, is that so..."
Haruno understood.
Mai was being sarcastic (Yin Yang).
After all, she was far away in Chiba Prefecture. Although she often traveled to Kyoto recently due to family business, she couldn't see Yoru every day after all.
Haruno didn't show any frustration because of Mai's remarks, her tone smiling as always.
"Mai-san, although I am a college student, summer vacation is coming soon."
Mai replied calmly.
"Oh, is that so? But during summer vacation, we have club activities every day; probably no time to play with you."
"Whether there is time or not, you don't have the final say."
"Better not hold too high expectations; I don't want to see Yukinoshita-san crying."
Haruno on the other end of the phone pursed her lips and smiled, speaking slowly.
"Mai-san, I have never tasted defeat in my life."
"This time, probably won't be an exception either."
Mai bit her silver teeth lightly, thinking as expected of Yukinoshita Haruno.
Indeed, a difficult enemy to deal with.
"Alright, back to business."
Haruno's tone suddenly became serious. This rapid change even surprised Mai, who had experienced acting experience and debuted as a child star.
"In Kyoto City Hospital, the ward next to Makinohara Shoko's on the left, I have contacted the hospital authorities and reserved it for you."
"No nurses will check the room, and no doctors will come to ask about the situation."
"You can stay as long as you want. Just tell me when you don't need it."
Hearing these words, Mai froze for a moment, hesitating.
"Is this... Yoru asked you to help do this?"
"How can this be called help~"
Haruno's tone was very relaxed.
"I am originally part of the club; contributing is natural."
Mai was powerless to complain.
The composition of this Super-Quant Club was becoming increasingly strange.
Mai pondered carefully.
The only two relatively normal members in the club with no strange rumors in school...
Were Yui and Marin.
Could it be that gyaru style has a BUFF immune to abstractness?
Thinking so in her heart, Mai still opened her lips, hesitating.
"Um... thank you."
Haruno on the other end of the phone smiled.
"Your personality is really not frank enough; far worse than Yoru."
After saying this, before Mai could fight back, Haruno hung up the phone.
....
On the other side, Rio's home.
"Regarding the sudden failure of the Kyoto City train today, Police Department Chief of Criminal Investigation Bureau Yagami Soichiro, together with the person in charge of Kyoto train maintenance and operation, made a statement."
"This incident was caused by a small probability accidental failure due to continuous heavy rain recently, not caused by human sabotage."
"The person in charge of the train station sincerely apologized to the general public and stated that they would learn lessons from this incident, strengthen the daily maintenance and upkeep of trains, and prevent such incidents from happening again."
"Above."
....
"Truly hypocritical."
Listening to the news report on TV, Rio, boiling water in the kitchen, said faintly.
"Can't say that."
Yoru sat on the sofa, watching Yagami Soichiro looking serious on the TV screen, and chuckled.
"Even if ordinary people hold firearms, once involved in the Otherworld, only death awaits."
"From this perspective, not causing panic among the public and controlling the citizens' emotions within a stable range is the wisest choice."
Rio brought two bowls of instant noodles and two cups of freshly brewed coffee to the coffee table and sat next to Yoru.
"You think this approach is correct?"
"I don't know."
Yoru took a sip from the coffee cup and pointed to the news report on the TV screen.
Rio looked in the direction of his finger and found that what was playing inside was the footage of those rescued passengers.
"I only know that because of your and my actions today, hundreds of people, including Kawasaki Saki and her sister, and Marin, can continue to live. This is enough."
"Eh~"
Rio pushed her glasses, looking at Yoru's side face with interest, saying meaningfully.
"This doesn't sound like something you would say."
Yoru waved his hand nonchalantly, replying matter-of-factly.
"I'm just throwing out a fact that you will get a sense of achievement from. I myself certainly don't care about the lives of innocent people, just want to eliminate more evil spirits."
Rio covered her mouth and chuckled, muttering softly.
"Tch, truly Tsundere~"
"Mesugaki (Br*tty girl), right?"
"You... you are the brat!"
Rio didn't understand what Mesugaki meant, but she knew her height was relatively short among peers.
Sometimes going out with Yui and Miko, it even looked like sisters taking a younger sister.
Seeing Rio looking exasperated, Yoru rubbed her head and teased.
"It's okay, small is also very cute."
"You... you guy..."
Rio bit her silver teeth lightly. Just as she wanted to say something, she suddenly heard a snap.
Lingerie Thief Yoru showed his superior skills again.
One hand around Rio's waist, pulling her petite body into his arms.
The other hand slowly reached in along the hem of her clothes.
"Mmh..."
Rio couldn't help letting out a moan, sitting directly in Yoru's arms, slightly opening her lips, face flushing, panting softly.
"Still... instant noodles haven't been eaten yet..."
Yoru kissed Rio's snow-white smooth neck, all the way to her earlobe.
"Eat what instant noodles? I'm not hungry; time to feed you."
"Wait... wait a minute, I take off glasses."
"No need to take off; I want Megane-kko (Glasses Girl)."
.....
Sunday, Kyoto City Hospital, the ward next to Makinohara Shoko's.
"Otherworld... is formed like this..."
Hearing Rio's report, the internal members of the Super-Quant Club all showed thoughtful expressions containing a few worries.
Mai crossed her legs, her slender yet fleshy calves wrapped in gray stockings swinging in the air.
"Saying so..."
She rested her chin on one hand, looked up at the members in front of her, and spoke seriously.
"If residents of Kyoto city collectively generate emotions like fear and panic due to something, it will lead to the emergence of more powerful and difficult-to-handle evil spirits in the Otherworld?"
Rio nodded slightly: "According to current laws, yes."
"Then..."
Mai looked out the window at the sky pouring heavy rain, pursed her lips, a look of worry appearing on her pretty face.
"This weird weather isn't a good sign."
Hearing this sentence, Amano Hina hurried to speak.
"Then what if I make the weather turn sunny?"
Miko shook her head.
"Not much meaning. You can't activate the ability continuously for 24 hours; that will exhaust you to death. Just an expedient measure."
Yoru sat by the window, speaking casually.
"Maybe can try...."
Before he finished, Mai, Miko, and Rio interrupted in unison.
"No maybe! Not allowed to try!"
Amano Hina looked puzzled, thinking from the first half of Yoru's sentence, it should be some method to improve her ability.
Why did Mai, Miko, and Rio not let him finish?
Could it be that this method of improving power has serious side effects?
Amano Hina didn't understand and didn't dare to ask; after all, she had the least seniority in the Super-Quant Club.
"Back to business."
Seeing Rio and Mai as agitated as herself, Miko blushed slightly, coughed twice to change the subject.
"Then if saying the Otherworld is a world composed of human negative thoughts, then the evil spirits living inside, and that Tamamo-no-Mae..."
"Just as you think."
Rio nodded, speaking calmly.
"Tamamo-no-Mae isn't the real Tamamo-no-Mae in legends."
"She and other evil spirits in the Otherworld are the manifestation of Kyoto city humans' negative emotions towards something."
"Just like our Soul Manifestation."
"Only Tamamo-no-Mae thinks she is the Tamamo-no-Mae in legends. Judging from her performance, even her memory is fake. Being exactly the same as recorded in legends is instead the most abnormal point."
Hearing Rio's words, Miko's golden eyes flickered a few times. Looking at Hachishaku-sama squatting in the corner staring blankly in boredom, she lowered her voice.
"Then saying so... Hachishaku, she..."
"Can verify now."
Rio looked at Hachishaku squatting in the corner and called softly.
"Hachishaku, come here a moment."
"Mmhmm, okay."
Hachishaku nodded very obediently, walked over slowly, and squatted beside Yoru.
Seeing her action, Rio frowned, but still asked softly.
"Before meeting us, what were you doing?"
Hearing this question, Hachishaku looked hesitant, stealing a glance at Yoru.
The latter waved his hand, casually saying.
"Whatever asked, just answer obediently."
"Okay, I know."
Hachishaku nodded obediently, then answered timidly.
"I... before meeting you... I, I was killing humans, especially children."
"Is that so?"
Just when Hachishaku thought Rio would show anger hearing the crimes she committed in the past, she saw the opponent just push her glasses frame, then throw a question that caught her off guard.
"Then what are the names of the children you killed?"
"Th... This..."
Hachishaku tried hard to recall the memories in her mind, opened her lips, but couldn't say a word for a long time.
She suddenly discovered one thing.
She seemed not to know the names of any humans at all.
Except for these members of the Super-Quant Club, Hachishaku only knew one, the name of the little girl living in the same apartment building as Yui.
The problem was, she didn't kill her either.
"Not a single name?"
Rio stared straight into Hachishaku's eyes, speaking plainly.
"Before killing children, wouldn't you disguise as their deceased relatives and call their names?"
"Th... I..."
Hachishaku tried hard to recall, but her mind was blank.
Rio looked as expected, looking at the Super-Quant Club members, saying plainly.
"It seems that's it."
This Hachishaku was a ghost formed by the impression of everyone in Kyoto city about the urban legend "Hachishaku."
And in the urban legend, it only said Hachishaku liked killing children, but didn't mention the names of the deceased.
Precisely because of this, Hachishaku formed by everyone's impression naturally wouldn't know the names of the children she killed.
Because she simply didn't do those things; just false memories.
Immediately after, Rio spoke again.
"Next, discuss the matter regarding Kawasaki-san and Kitagawa-san..."
"Wait a minute!"
Before Rio finished, Hachishaku stood up abruptly.
Result: Because she was too tall, her head hit the hard ceiling directly, emitting a cry of pain like a small animal injured, squatting down holding her head with both hands, looking pitiful, tears overflowing from her eyes.
"Ouch... hurts... wu wu wu."
Yoru complained from the side.
"I think you became a bit stupid recently."
Hachishaku looked aggrieved, squatting on the ground, looking at the Super-Quant Club members with teary eyes, aggrieved and angry.
"Topic about me just skipped like this?"
Rio nodded without hesitation.
"Otherwise?"
"Can you pay more attention to me! I encountered... how to say that word..."
Hachishaku pondered for a long time before realizing and speaking.
"Right, Identity Crisis!"
Amano Hina and Yui couldn't hear what Hachishaku said. But Mai, who awakened spiritual ability, empathized with Hachishaku's words.
Her Puberty Syndrome was partly caused by the lack of recognition of her own identity.
Mai empathized with the current Hachishaku-sama.
But Yoru didn't spoil Hachishaku at all.
"Why so much trouble? Who has time to pay attention to you; want to be gagged again, right?"
Unexpectedly, hearing this, Hachishaku looked excited.
"Then if I continue to speak, will you gag me? Then I will continue to speak."
Rio held her forehead helplessly and sighed.
"Please, be normal."
"Back to business. Kawasaki-san and Kitagawa-san have seen evil spirits with their own eyes; what to do now?"
Although Rio seemed to be asking for everyone's opinion, all members including her cast their gazes on Yoru sitting by the window.
"Why looking at me?"
Facing the gazes of the girls, Yoru just waved his hand.
"Condition to become an internal member isn't witnessing evil spirits, but being able to provide help, possessing value."
"My standard has never changed."
"The current Marin and Kawasaki Saki haven't let me see the value in them."
After Yoru said this, the room was silent briefly.
After a long while, Mai looked at him skeptically.
"Meaning Kawasaki-san and Kitagawa-san aren't beautiful enough?"
"Hmm? What are you saying? We are Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Investigation and Research Club, not my Harem Club; appearance isn't the recruitment standard."
"Oh, meaning they aren't your type?"
"Said already, not this problem."
Listening to everyone talking and laughing, Yui wore a sweet smile as always, nodding in agreement from time to time, but her eyes revealed a few dim colors.
People with value... can enter the Super-Quant Club.
Yui looked at the members in front of her. Except for Kazusa who didn't arrive here today due to urgent matters, every internal member of the Super-Quant Club possessed unique abilities.
Current me...
Is there really a place for me in here?
Aside, the muted TV was broadcasting a news item that everyone seemed not to notice.
[The criminal called 'Teru Teru Bozu Killer' by the public has committed the fourth case.]
[The murderer's target preference is female; victims are all junior high and high school female students.]
[The Police Department hereby appeals to girls in this age group to minimize going out late at night and avoid walking to remote unmanned corners.]
[Chief of Criminal Investigation Bureau Yagami Soichiro solemnly promises to use all the power of the Police Department to bring the murderer to justice as soon as possible and return a safe and peaceful Kyoto city to citizens.]