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At the same time.
On the other side.
Hayasaka Ai only felt the world in front of her briefly darken, as if darkness swept over, and the next second, she saw a bright beam of light shining on her.
Immediately after, a girl's surprised cry rang out in her ears:
"Hanamori-chan!"
Hayasaka Ai subconsciously raised her right hand to block the dazzling light, judging in her heart that it was Kitagawa Marin's voice.
"She's out, she's out." Then another happy voice rang out, it was secretary, "Kaguya-chan's deduction was indeed correct."
"Move the flashlight away, don't shine it in her eyes."
"Hanamori-chan, we finally found you."
"Eh, where's Natsuki?"
"..."
Various voices entered her ears, and the last sentence made Hayasaka Ai furrow her brows. She quickly turned her head to look beside her.
Indeed, she was the only one on the steps; Amamiya Natsuki was nowhere to be seen.
"Hanamori, are you okay?"
Kitagawa Marin ran up the stairs with a thud and came to the Spy Maid's side.
"I'm fine." Hayasaka Ai quickly turned her face away and messed up her hair to cover her cheeks, so Shinomiya Kaguya wouldn't recognize her. "...Senpai is still inside and hasn't come out."
"Hmph, that guy might be dead."
A gloating voice rang out.
Hayasaka Ai looked in the direction of the voice, her brow twitching slightly.
The speaker was actually an elementary school student with pale skin and a mouth full of shark-like teeth—it was Ghost Story Hanako.
"Hanako." Shinomiya Kaguya crossed her right arm over her chest and looked down. "Where are the steps now?"
"Hmph."
Ghost Story Hanako reluctantly reported the location.
"Wait a minute." Kitagawa Marin reminded, "I forgot to get the kaidan videotape."
Hayasaka Ai looked down and realized a videotape had appeared at her feet. She bent down to pick it up and temporarily put it away. Then, a large group of people marched towards the place where the kaidan steps appeared.
Fourth floor.
East corridor.
"One, two, three, four, five... thirteen steps." Fujiwara Chika quickly finished counting the steps. "This is it."
Shinomiya Kaguya turned her head to look at the long-haired girl and said softly:
"Komi, I'll trouble you."
"..."
Komi quickly nodded, still being very concise with her words, and quickly picked up the notebook to start transmitting information.
Hayasaka Ai watched, understanding in her heart.
This must be the background character player Natsuki mentioned, right?
To be able to transmit intelligence remotely, which clearly has strategic significance, this player must be kept under control!
Noticing Hayasaka Ai's gaze, Komi began to tremble again.
A moment later.
Under everyone's nervous gaze, on the thirteenth step, a figure appeared out of thin air.
It was Amamiya Natsuki.
"Natsuki, you're back!"
Seeing Amamiya Natsuki return safely, everyone immediately cheered up, and even Hayasaka Ai let out a sigh of relief.
It's good that he's back.
Clatter.
A videotape appeared and dropped at Amamiya Natsuki's feet.
Seeing this, Shinomiya Kaguya, whose lips were slightly curved, narrowed her eyes slightly.
"I'm back." Amamiya Natsuki walked down the steps, rubbing his shoulder, "My shoulder hurts so much."
Kitagawa Marin quickly raised her hand and said:
"I'll give you a shoulder massage."
Amamiya Natsuki looked at Fujiwara Chika: "My legs hurt too."
Fujiwara Chika: "...I'll massage your legs?"
"I was waiting for you to say that."
...
The rescue mission was successfully completed.
"Hanamori-chan, you haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Kitagawa Marin asked softly.
"No." Hayasaka Ai shook her head.
There was naturally no food in the alternate dimension, and while there was water in the restroom, who knew if it was clean? Hayasaka Ai didn't dare to drink it at all.
"As expected, you haven't eaten." Kitagawa Marin put down the box in her hand, opened it, took out some food from it, and said with a bright smile, "Hurry up and eat something."
Hayasaka Ai's eyes widened: "...Where did this food come from?"
"The food Natsuki bought earlier." The Succubus Girl placed her right hand on her hip and said, "When the izakaya was closing, Natsuki said you might not have eaten yet, so he specifically packed a few takeout meals. It's a shame they're cold now."
Hearing this, Hayasaka Ai couldn't help but look up at Amamiya Natsuki, just in time to see Kaguya standing beside Amamiya Natsuki, looking at her.
Their gazes met.
The Spy Maid quickly averted her gaze and lowered her head to eat.
"That Hanamori, I feel a strange sense of familiarity..."
Shinomiya Kaguya withdrew her gaze, looked at Amamiya Natsuki, and said softly:
"When Hanamori came out just now, a videotape fell."
"Huh?"
Amamiya Natsuki looked at the videotape in his hand and instantly understood Kaguya's meaning: "If you can come out of the alternate dimension, a videotape will drop?"
Shinomiya Kaguya nodded lightly: "We can't rule out that possibility."
Amamiya Natsuki said decisively:
"Let's verify it."
There are two main quests in the instance.
One is to survive for forty-eight hours, and the other is to submit a videotape.
The first task aside, the second task is very difficult.
Kaidan videotapes are not something that can be easily obtained. Repeatedly jumping around the entrance of the kaidan is useless; at least there must be contact and communication with the kaidan, allowing the Ghost Stories to be 'on camera' to complete the filming.
So far, not many people have submitted kaidan videotapes. Players like Kaguya, Marin, Komi, and three random players haven't even obtained a videotape.
If the alternate dimension on the thirteenth step can consistently produce kaidan videotapes... the express clearance service can be activated again.
Night had fallen.
It was probably past midnight, and most players were already quite tired.
However, upon hearing Amamiya Natsuki's conjecture, they all became excited, as the main quest was like a great mountain pressing down on everyone's hearts.
"Go into the alternate dimension again?" Kitagawa Marin volunteered, "Should I go in with Natsuki?"
Amamiya Natsuki said:
"Don't rush, there's one more thing to do before we go in."
As he spoke, Amamiya Natsuki's gaze shifted and landed on the black-haired straight-haired girl.
...
Komi's body stiffened, and she quickly stood up straight.
"The skill's duration is about to end." Amamiya Natsuki said bluntly, "To be safe, let me copy your skill again."
...!
Komi's eyes suddenly widened, and she looked around nervously.
Copying skills requires holding hands...
Shy as she was, Komi also knew she couldn't refuse, so she could only look at Amamiya Natsuki with pleading eyes:
"Please, please not here..."
Holding hands with a boy in front of so many people, she couldn't do it, no matter how she thought about it, she couldn't!
Fujiwara Chika said understandingly:
"Oh, I'm exhausted today, Marin-chan, let's find a classroom, clean it up, and use it to rest tonight?"
Kitagawa Marin nodded: "Everyone cleans together, then takes turns resting."
Many responded.
Everyone walked into the classroom, preparing to clean.
Komi followed, wanting to enter the classroom, but Fujiwara Chika stopped her:
"Our cleaning is enough, Komi, you and Natsuki stay outside."
...
Komi's body stiffened, and she instinctively cast a pleading look at Juju.
I'm sorry, Komi.
I can't help.
You'll have to carry the gun yourself.
Juju-sama averted her small face guiltily and quickly walked into the classroom, "I'll go clean."
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