Chapter 159: Arrangement for Tracking the Real Culprit, Invitation from Kawasaki Saki
Hearing this, Miko complained speechlessly.
"No... you say it's a spirit medium, but our souls can't be called twisted, right?"
Rio didn't reply, but together with Mai, cast her gaze on Yoru standing aside.
Feeling their gazes, Yoru waved his hand.
"Don't look at me; my mental state is very normal."
Rio gave a precise complaint.
"Generally speaking, mental patients don't think they have a mental illness."
"Futaba-san, please be normal, don't stray from the topic."
"Hehe, I was infected by you."
After such bantering, the haze lingering in everyone's hearts finally dissipated a bit.
Mai, Rio, Miko, and even Yui had realized that this action was different from the past.
In the past, although they were also fighting the strangeness invading Kyoto city, after all, ordinary people couldn't observe evil spirits, and they didn't know exactly which events were caused by which evil spirits.
The only incidents that could have caused mass casualties, the Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten and the train incident, Yoru acted in time, eliminating the evil spirits before they could complete their plans.
But this time...
It was their first time facing the victim's relatives directly, talking with the opponent, feeling the pain in the opponent's heart, and witnessing a family torn apart with their own eyes.
In comparison, Yukino, apart from Yoru, was actually the one with the least psychological burden.
Because she didn't know the true abilities of the Super-Quant Club members, nor the truth of the world.
Until now, Yukino didn't think that just relying on the investigation of a few ordinary high school students could catch the serial killer who left the Kyoto Police Department helpless and even issuing public announcements.
Precisely because of this, she didn't have much pressure.
This was also an important reason Yoru let Yukino join the investigation.
"Back to the main topic."
Rio spoke thoughtfully.
"Excluding the possibility of a spirit medium, actually I have another guess."
Rio pushed her glasses frame, looking at the people in front of her, and spoke slowly.
"Perhaps, it's an existence similar to the long-tongued man and the meat ball tentacle director we encountered before, something formed by the fusion of an evil spirit and a human."
Hearing this, Yoru nodded and added.
"But can only say the nature is similar. Judging from this guy's actions, compared to the evil spirit's instinct to pursue spirit mediums, it seems human twisted desires have taken dominance, otherwise, it wouldn't do such things."
Evil spirits are terrifying monsters with an instinctive killing desire towards humans, this is correct.
But from a certain perspective, their malice is fair.
Except for gifted people with strong spiritual power like Makinohara Shoko and Yurikawa Hana, any other human, whether old people, women, children, or men, in the eyes of evil spirits, are all the same.
What they consider is only how to kill more humans.
But when this Teru Teru Bozu Killer acted, he was obviously deliberately choosing targets.
This doesn't conform to the instinct of an evil spirit.
"Judging from the autopsy report of the Police Department..."
Miko spoke while pondering.
"To directly tear off human limbs without the help of any tools, although I don't know how much strength is needed..."
Just as she spoke here, Yoru smiled and added.
"I know, normal humans cannot do it."
The air fell silent.
Looking at the complicated eyes of Mai and others, Yoru just replied matter-of-factly.
"Why look at me like this? It's not like I haven't killed anyone. Don't you all know this? What's there to be surprised about."
"Friends who frequently kill people know that trying to tear off limbs without the help of external objects is very hard to do...."
Seeing Yoru speaking more and more outrageously, Rio hurried to raise her hand to interrupt, sighing helplessly.
"You guy, sharing experience here? Then according to your experience, roughly how strong is the opponent?"
Yoru's face-changing speed was astonishing.
He instantly returned to a serious look, replying.
"This is hard to say, but if the killer did this by brute force alone, then in terms of physical fitness, he is stronger than all of you."
Rio immediately added.
"Moreover, we still don't know if the opponent can use special abilities like our Soul Manifestation. I think it's highly possible. If it's just an ordinary person with stronger physical fitness, the Kyoto Police Department couldn't possibly not find any flaws."
Then, Rio raised the most important question.
"Also, if we don't stop him as soon as possible... his power will probably become even stronger."
Miko and Mai weren't stupid. After Rio said this, they immediately understood the meaning in her words, their eyes becoming somewhat heavy.
If the evil spirit fused with the Teru Teru Bozu Killer was generated from the Otherworld...
Then with the fear, disgust, and even hatred of the people of Kyoto city towards the "Teru Teru Bozu Killer", it would make the power of this evil spirit become even more terrifying.
Especially after the Police Department issued an announcement, but the Teru Teru Bozu Killer still committed the fifth case, this situation became even more serious.
Even more, there was a worst-case scenario.
The Otherworld evil spirit fused with that human possessing twisted desires was originally a congregation of people's negative impressions towards something, just like the "Train" last time.
Under double growth, if not eliminated as soon as possible...
Kyoto city would be in danger.
"Anyway, since it's determined to be related to an evil spirit..."
Yoru looked at Miko and Rio.
"Searching for traces is left to you two."
Rio and Miko nodded, speaking in unison.
"No problem."
At this time, Mai noticed that Menma, who had been silently following her, hadn't spoken for a long time, her small face bearing a very complicated expression. She couldn't help asking with concern.
"Menma, are you okay?"
"Mmhmm..."
Menma nodded first, then shook her head, murmuring to herself.
"I just feel... after Menma died, her family must be very sad too..."
Hearing this, Miko couldn't help asking.
"Menma, have you still not remembered your name?"
"Forgot..."
Menma shook her head, forcing a smile.
"I only remember myself being called Menma by others."
Just when Mai and others were at their wits' end, Yoru suddenly spoke casually.
"Menma's true name is Honma Meiko."
"Eh?"
The three girls in front, including the person involved, Menma, froze upon hearing the name from his mouth.
"How did you know?"
"Don't worry about how I knew, just ask Menma if she has any impression of this name."
"Honma Meiko..."
Menma murmured these words softly, nodding very seriously.
"Mmhmm! When hearing this name, I had a very familiar feeling; Menma's true name must be this!"
"Anyway, that's it. The joyful summer vacation life officially begins today."
After saying this, Yoru looked at a hidden alley not far away, revealing a kind smile.
"Now, it's time to deal with a fly."
....
Meanwhile, in that hidden alley.
A man with heavy square-framed glasses and messy hair looked at the photos he just took, his face full of excitement. His hands holding the camera began to tremble with thrill.
"Didn't expect to have such a harvest!"
This man was the reporter who initially submitted the article containing the victim's home address to that second-rate online media.
No...
Calling him a reporter might be an overstatement.
He wasn't a real reporter, just a despicable person who exaggerated others' suffering to gain profit.
"Big star Sakurajima Mai actually came to visit the victim's family; this simply makes my blood boil."
The man held the camera, looking at the secretly taken photo of Mai and other Super-Quant Club members standing outside the apartment gate, feeling so excited his body was trembling.
He didn't know why Mai, a celebrity who was a former national idol actress, would visit the victim's family.
But these were completely unimportant.
As the saying goes.
One picture to start with, the rest all depends on making up.
Many explosive and eye-catching headlines had already emerged in this man's mind.
"Idol Sakurajima Mai visits victim's family... Suspected of bullying the victim in junior high school; a discovery of conscience? Or crocodile tears?"
The man murmured softly, nodding with satisfaction.
"Just this headline, perfect."
Just then, a chuckling voice rang in his ear.
"Hmm, good is good, but did Sakurajima Mai go to the same junior high school as the victim?"
The man sneered subconsciously.
"Tch, who knows that. If I say they went to the same junior high school, no one will get to the bottom of it...."
Halfway through speaking, he realized something was wrong and slowly turned around.
Catching his eye was a pure black mask with a white smiley face pattern.
"You... you... !"
The man was scared back two steps. His whole body pressed tightly against the wall of the alley, his face pale with horror.
"Mas... Mask..."
"Scared to this look?"
The smiley face pattern on Yoru's mask became even more brilliant, his tone sounding very kind.
"That report about the victim suspected of participating in Enjo Kosai (compensated dating) while alive was also written by you, right?"
The man's pupils dilated in shock, swallowing his saliva. He forced himself to take out his phone, stammering.
"You... you come closer... I... I will call the police!"
"Then call."
Yoru's voice still carried a smile, saying softly.
"Call the hospital by the way, reserve a spot in the morgue."
Under the man's horrified and terrified gaze, Yoru immediately added.
"Oh right, ask the hospital people to bring a bag, otherwise, it will be shattered all over the floor, hard to clean up."
The man's expression became even more terrified. His back pressed against the alley wall was soaked with sweat.
"You... this is a cri... crime..."
Slap!
Yoru directly gave the man a loud slap, hitting the opponent so hard his brain spun, paralyzed weakly on the ground.
Immediately after, he squatted down, stared straight into the opponent's eyes, his tone still carrying a smile.
"Since you know the name 'Mask', do you know what 'Mask' has done?"
Half of the man's face was already swollen, mumbling indistinctly.
"Kn... know..."
"You know jack sh*t!"
Yoru raised his hand again, giving the other side of the man's cheek a loud slap too, achieving the perfect achievement of making both sides of the opponent's face symmetrical.
"This is a rhetorical question that doesn't need answering; what are you answering? Hmm?"
The man looked like he wanted to cry but had no tears, let alone dare to be angry but not speak, he didn't even dare to be angry, thinking listening to your tone, it wasn't a rhetorical question either.
Although he thought so, he didn't dare to say half a word more.
As a person in the media industry, he had naturally heard about the urban legend of "Mask".
Single-handedly killed the gunmen in the Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten, invaded the Kyoto City Museum, and retreated completely.
Attacked a violent gang and killed all members inside cleanly. It was said the scene was very cruel; even experienced forensic doctors almost threw up after entering.
The train failure incident a while ago also seemed to have inextricably linked connections with the opponent.
This guy was different from the people involved in the man's past reports.
"Mask" really killed people, and killed many.
"Oh? Scared?"
Noticing the man's eyes, the smiley face pattern on Yoru's mask disappeared suddenly, saying coldly.
"I ask you, did the victim engage in Enjo Kosai while alive?"
Facing his terrifying gaze with no emotional fluctuation as if going to kill him the next second, the man completely dared not lie, answering tremblingly.
"No... no... no, I... I made it up blindly..."
"Oh, is that so."
Yoru nodded noncommittally, pointing to the camera held in the man's arms, then patted the opponent's shoulder, smiling kindly.
"Today, you took quite a lot of photos, right?"
The man looked completely obsequious, handing over the camera in his hand.
"Please... please accept it with a smile."
Yoru looked down at the camera in his hand, chuckling and teasing.
"Oho, using very professional equipment, an SLR?"
On the man's face swollen like a pig's head, he forced a smile.
"Af.. after all, considered a reporter..."
Slap!
Before the opponent finished, Yoru slapped again. This time the force was much heavier, sending several of the man's teeth flying out.
"You are also worthy of calling yourself a reporter? Shut up."
After saying this, black flames burned in Yoru's hand, directly burning the camera storing the photos into ashes.
Seeing this scene, the man was completely dumbfounded.
What is this thing!?
How can someone's hand burn flames?
Moreover, it's black?
This doesn't conform to science!
"Haven't seen it, right? First time seeing it, right? Fresh, right?"
Yoru smiled, stared straight into the man's eyes, and spoke slowly.
"If you do things in this aspect again in the future, I will visit you at night."
"Okay... okay, I know."
Looking at the man's obsequious and horrified appearance, Yoru nodded with satisfaction.
When standing up and walking to the entrance of the alley, he stopped again.
"Thinking carefully..."
Yoru turned around, the white smile pattern appearing on the pure black mask again.
"Just this bit of physical injury isn't enough to make you remember; better have some more."
Immediately after, Yoru slowly extended his right hand towards the terrified man.
"Come out."
Under the man's horrified and terrified gaze, a pale ghost hand with pitch-black nails on five fingers instantly appeared in the air.
Immediately after, it slowly reached towards his body.
"Don't... don't... don't come over!"
The man crawled and rolled on the sewage-stained alley ground, trying to flee into the distance.
And the piercing sound of nails scratching the wall behind him unhurriedly approached him bit by bit.
When crawling to the corner, that piercing sound finally disappeared.
Just as the man breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to check, he saw that huge pale ghost hand spreading its five fingers, rapidly attacking his body.
"No... NO!"
The man was so scared his eyes rolled back, his body convulsed, unable to bear this huge terror, losing consciousness.
....
When Yoru reunited with everyone looking completely relaxed, Yukino frowned slightly, somewhat dissatisfied.
"Yoru-san, clearly it's a group activity, but you made all of us wait for you alone for so long. What exactly did you go to do?"
Yoru replied with a casual smile.
"Oh, I went to help others for pleasure."
"Help others for pleasure?"
Looking at Yukino's slightly puzzled look, Yoru just said matter-of-factly.
"Besides, everyone is very willing to wait for me, right?"
Yukino frowned. Just as she wanted to say something, she saw Mai and others all nodding in agreement, and could only shake her head helplessly.
"Sigh... you guys really indulge him too much..."
Yoru looked at the Super-Quant Club members: "Anyway, regarding the tracking operation of the Teru Teru Bozu Killer, that's it for today. Dismiss."
After others left, Yukino asked curiously.
"What did you just say? Hunt down (Zhui Sha)? Isn't it track down (Zhui Cha)?"
"Sigh, same thing, same thing, hunt down sounds cooler."
Yukino nodded in agreement.
"That makes sense too."
....
After dismissing, Yoru took Yukino to the shopping street.
"Yo... Yoru-san."
Kawasaki Saki was wearing an ordinary short-sleeved shirt and jeans, not specially dressed up, but her tall and well-proportioned figure and eye-catching light blue high ponytail still formed a beautiful scenery.
Originally, Kawasaki Saki's eyes carried a bit of shyness and twisting.
But when she saw Yoru was followed by a Yukinoshita Yukino, she couldn't help frowning.
"Yukinoshita-san? What is she doing here?"
"Hmm..."
Yoru seemed to be pondering how to answer this question. After a long while, he smiled and spoke.
"Yukinoshita-san is temporarily becoming my pet during this period."