"Scatter, retreat, abandon, flee."
Before Miko could react to these words, Ye Xing had already scooped her up in a bridal carry.
"Eh!?"
After the appearance of the colossal ghostly hand and the serpent spirit, the previously frenzied evil spirits now cowered in corners like lambs watching tigers fight, their demeanour utterly cowed.
Miko had assumed their retreat would involve the stairwell. Yet why... were they moving closer to the windows instead!?
"Time to dip."
With lightning speed, Ye Xing dashed to the window and—without hesitation—leapt out while holding Miko. The scene vaguely resembled a budget Titanic reenactment, save for one crucial detail:
This was the 28th floor.
"Eh? EH!? EHHH!!?"
As the cool breeze rushed past and the concrete pavement zoomed nearer, Miko's life began flashing before her eyes. Was she... going to die here? At this height, they'd surely be reduced to mincemeat upon impact. Wouldn't their remains become inextricably merged during cleanup?
Disaster. If she absorbed his abstract nature and became some abstract ghost, what then!?
Just twenty metres from the unyielding concrete, as Ye Xing and Miko were about to achieve fusion evolution into "YotsuyaYeXing", he murmured softly:
"Return."
The pale giant hand that had been entangled with the peni—no, the serpentine evil spirit—on the 28th floor seemed to hear Ye Xing's summons. It swiftly phased through the wall, flew out, and with its palm open, caught Ye Xing before landing steadily on the ground.
Clickclickclickclickclick...
Hearing this strange sound, Ye Xing frowned slightly.
'What the hell is that noise?' he wondered.
'A Chicago Typewriter?'
'Are the weapons of Kyoto's yakuza members so professional now?'
Only when he looked down did he realise.
It was Miko Yotsuya, her silver teeth chattering incessantly, having transformed into a human-shaped Chicago Typewriter.
The moment he set her down, Miko's legs gave way, and she slumped to the ground, though her hands instinctively clung to his thigh.
"Damndamndamn."
"Nononono."
"Ican'tIcan'tIcan't."
Miko Yotsuya (Lost Light in Eyes).JPG
Seeing her like this, Ye Xing curled his lip and sighed.
"Tsk, youngsters these days. Never tried bungee jumping? And you want to be a professional exorcist? Can't even handle a little thrill?"
There were too many absurdities in that statement for Miko to even know where to begin criticising.
Even if she wanted to retort, she couldn't speak right now.
She was utterly dumbstruck.
At that moment, two pale fingers with sharp black nails extended towards her.
Miko shrank back in fear.
But what happened next was beyond her expectations.
The white ghostly hand's index and middle fingers slowly pressed together, then...
Formed a heart shape.
"Huh?"
Before Miko could process this bizarre scene, Ye Xing waved his hand impatiently.
"Alright, alright, stop hogging the spotlight. Disappear already."
The white ghostly hand seemed somewhat reluctant, even waving goodbye before finally vanishing into thin air.
"What... was that thing...?"
At Miko's question, Ye Xing shrugged and yawned nonchalantly.
"Your performance today was truly unexpected. Well, since you've seen it already, I might as well explain."
Then, Ye Xing crouched slightly, meeting Miko's gaze directly, and spoke with rare solemnity.
"That thing could be considered... another version of me, as a spiritual entity."
Understanding dawned in Miko's golden eyes as she nodded slightly.
"Mmm... I don't get it."
"Ugh, how are you this dense?"
Ye Xing rolled his eyes and waved his hand.
"Anyway, you can think of it as my trump card against evil spirits—my strongest ability. It manifests from my own soul, something with properties similar to evil spirits."
"I see. Does this ability have a name?"
"A name? I don't really care about that. Call it whatever you like—Stand, Persona, Spiritual Power, psychic power, cheat code, golden finger, whatever."
"Is that so..."
Miko nodded ambiguously, then suddenly ventured timidly.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"That giant hand is an extension and manifestation of your soul, right? I'm not mistaken?"
"Yep, that's the gist of it."
"Then... when it just made a heart gesture at me, does that mean... deep down, you actually wanted to make that gesture towards me?"
Ye Xing: "..."
"I say, sis, at a time like this, could you not get all lovestruck? Shouldn't you be asking first whether you can even awaken this kind of ability?"
"Oh, right. That too."
Miko Yotsuya's pretty face flushed slightly as she hurriedly changed the subject.
"Then, can I awaken this ability?"
"I think you probably can."
"What do you mean 'probably'? Isn't there a definite answer?"
"It seems you still don't understand."
Ye Xing patted Miko Yotsuya's shoulder and spoke with profound sincerity.
"Miko."
Being stared at so intently by him, Miko suddenly felt an inexplicable tension rising in her heart.
"W-what is it?"
"You and I... are very likely the most powerful psychics in Japan's history."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"No."
Ye Xing shook his head.
"This means that if we encounter evil spirits even we can't handle—things we ourselves don't understand—then at most we'll only find some reference material in ancient texts. No one can provide us with solutions. Do you understand?"
Hearing this, Miko finally grasped the gravity of the situation.
What she and Ye Xing might have to face could very well be supernatural incidents unprecedented in Japan's history.
Or perhaps...
Such bizarre disturbances had occurred before.
Remembering the scene she'd just witnessed in the abandoned building, Miko recalled one of Japan's legendary tales.
The Hyakki Yagyō.
Were just the two of them—herself and Ye Xing—supposed to confront such a terrifying future?
Miko felt her shoulders suddenly grow much heavier.
Just then.
A raindrop fell to the ground.
Followed by an unrelenting, intensifying downpour.
"It's raining."
Ye Xing murmured as he watched the raindrops hit the pavement.
Miko looked puzzled: "The weather forecast didn't mention rain today."
Ye Xing: "Did you bring an umbrella?"
Miko countered: "No. You?"
"Neither did I."
Ye Xing shook his head ruefully.
"Looks like we're going to get soaked then."