Changing out of the hospital gown and back into his own clothes,
Mo Yucheng left the ward.
Only when he reached the corridor and saw the bright moon hanging in the night sky did he realize why the hospital was so quiet—
it was nighttime.
[Mo Yucheng: Family, I'm back! Did you miss me?]
As soon as he left the hospital, he opened the chat group.
Maybe it was because it was late at night, but the group was unusually quiet.
His message finally broke the silence.
[Lumine: Yo, finally showing up. I thought something happened to you.]
[Stelle: You vanished for two days. Where the hell were you? I pinged you a bunch and got nothing.]
[Mo Yucheng: I bought all your abilities, then slept for two days. Now I feel refreshed—overflowing with energy!]
[Rina: Don't you guys ever sleep? It's the middle of the night!]
[Kiana: Exactly! I'd just fallen asleep, and the chat notifications woke me up.]
[Lumine: Pro tip—set notifications to mute at night.]
[Kiana: There's a setting for that? I'm trying it now!]
[Mo Yucheng: By the way, Lumine, which of the Seven Nations have you reached?]
[Lumine: ??? How do you know I'm traveling through the Seven Nations?]
Right now, Lumine's face was full of question marks.
She didn't remember ever telling Mo Yucheng her situation.
She'd only mentioned it once, a month ago, when she first joined the group and chatted with Rina and Stelle.
Could newbies actually see chat logs from a month ago?
[Mo Yucheng: Simple. In my original world, I watched and played anime and games about you guys. I know you all very well.]
Nothing worth hiding anyway.
[Rina: W-what are you saying? Are you saying we're just fictional characters from games and anime? That our lives, everything we've done, even the tragedies around us… were all prewritten?]
A sudden wave of despair washed over her.
If everything in life was designed, what meaning did living have?
[Mo Yucheng: I used to think you were just characters too. But now, to me, you're living, breathing people.]
[Stelle: Well said! I refuse to believe I'm just fictional.]
[Kiana: Yeah! So what if I'm a game character, or an anime character? Doesn't change the fact that I exist!]
[Lumine: Surprising, but… no, I don't think I'm fake either.]
[Rina: Then how do you explain those anime and games about us?]
[Mo Yucheng: There's a theory called the Projection Hypothesis.]
[Mo Yucheng: It means that events in your worlds get projected into another world, appearing as stories in someone's mind.]
[Mo Yucheng: Some people then turn those stories into anime or games.]
[Rina: So that's how it is?]
[Kiana: Sounds pretty convincing to me.]
[Mo Yucheng: Even if, hypothetically, you were fictional before, the moment you entered this chat group—you became real. Truly alive.]
[Rina: Right! I almost forgot about the chat group.]
His words eased Rina's heart.
The chat group existed outside their stories.
Wasn't its very existence proof enough that they were real?
[Rina: @Mo Yucheng, thank you.]
[Mo Yucheng: Don't mention it.]
[Mo Yucheng: Back to the topic—Lumine, which nation are you in now?]
[Lumine: Just finished my journey in Liyue. About to head for Inazuma.]
So early in the story, huh.
[Lumine: Anything I should watch out for once I get there?]
[Mo Yucheng: I'll tell you when you arrive. I'll need to jog my memory first.]
After all, the Inazuma map was released back in 2021, and he transmigrated in 2025. Four years' gap!
He remembered the main plot but had forgotten a lot of details.
[Mo Yucheng: Anyway, if any of you have questions, feel free to ask me.]
[Stelle: I've got none. My future's just hopping from planet to planet on the Express, solving crises.]
[Rina: I don't either.]
[Kiana: Then can you tell me tomorrow's exam answers?]
[Mo Yucheng: …How could I possibly know that?]
[Shinobu Kocho: Everyone, I beg you—I need help!]
At that moment, Shinobu finally spoke up.
[Mo Yucheng: What's wrong?]
[Shinobu Kocho: My sister… her life is in danger. I beg you, please save her!]
Her sister—Kanae Kocho.
Which meant Shinobu's current timeline was four years before the start of Demon Slayer.
[Mo Yucheng: I'll go! I've been wanting to test my abilities anyway.]
[Lumine: Since Mo Yucheng's going, I won't.]
[Kiana: Same here. I need to wake up early tomorrow.]
[Rina: I've got a commission in the morning too. Not going.]
[Stelle: I'd love to, but March 7th and Dan Heng would panic if I vanished.]
[Mo Yucheng: Then I'll go alone. Shinobu, I'm on my way!]
"Chat Group System, buy a Travel Talisman and use it!"
Meanwhile, in the Demon Slayer world.
Stars glittered. Moonlight flowed like water.
A petite figure darted through the night, blending into the darkness with her deep-blue Demon Slayer uniform.
Suddenly, a circular dimensional rift appeared in front of her.
A man in a white T-shirt and blue jeans stepped out.
"Are you Mr. Mo Yucheng?" Shinobu sized him up.
"That's me."
Mo Yucheng nodded, his gaze sweeping appreciatively over her.
As expected of a 2D goddess—even with some traces of youth still on her face, Shinobu's charm was undeniable.
"Time is short, please follow me!"
She turned to run again—but Mo Yucheng swept her straight into his arms.
"Running's too slow. We'll fly. You just point the way!"
Before Shinobu could react, Mo Yucheng soared into the sky.
"Which direction?"
Urgency for her sister outweighed any embarrassment. She pointed immediately.
"Over there!"
"Hold on tight."
Whoosh—!
Beneath the moonlight, a dark streak cut through the sky in a long arc.
Within just a few breaths, the two of them crossed dozens of kilometers, arriving above a town.
"Here?"
"Yes! The intel says it's here!"
Shinobu scanned the streets below, eyes sharp and searching for her sister.
Soon she spotted something in the town's northwest corner.
"Look—over there!"