Yuigahama finished the meal in complicated spirits.
She knew Ye Xing spoke the truth.
Miko Yotsuya's experiences weren't something ordinary people could endure.
After awakening Mystic Eyes, being surrounded and watched by evil spirits daily, unable to show the slightest change in expression, or face certain death.
Putting herself in Miko's shoes...
Yuigahama honestly asked herself: were she in Miko's position, she'd either fail to control her emotions and be discovered by spirits, or go insane under the relentless pressure.
Never mind psychics like Ye Xing and Miko who fought supernatural threats on the frontlines.
Even Rio Futaba, another oblivious member of their Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Research Society, was no ordinary person.
Researching quantum mechanics in the first year and explaining it coherently—though Yuigahama didn't understand a word, she recognised the impressive feat.
Her very normality made her stand out awkwardly in this society full of eccentrics.
Miko's condition for awakening Soul Materialisation was overcoming her fear of evil spirits.
How Ye Xing awakened his abilities, Yuigahama didn't know—but she imagined it couldn't have been easy either.
'Could I truly have that level of resolve?'
After finishing their meal, Yui Yuigahama headed to the commercial district to meet Oda Noto, bringing along the intelligence they'd gathered during this period.
As a diplomatic envoy, her primary responsibility was cross-referencing information. By comparing supernatural requests from school students with exorcism commissions from Oda Noto's side, she identified areas with the highest frequency of paranormal incidents. These would then be assigned to Miko Yotsuya and Ye Xing for handling.
Meanwhile, Miko and Ye Xing boarded a train, heading once more towards that familiar abandoned building.
Traffic in Kyoto on a Saturday afternoon was considerably better.
Japan was strange like that. During rush hours, commuters packed into train carriages like stacked dominoes. Yet at other times, the seats remained half-empty, the carriages almost eerily spacious.
"Let me confirm one more time," Miko pressed her lips together, golden eyes betraying traces of nervousness. "Nothing unexpected will happen today, right?"
"That depends on your definition of 'unexpected,'" Ye Xing replied casually with a shrug. "But there's no question those things haunting the abandoned building have grown stronger since our last visit."
Through recent analysis, combined with the existence of Kyoto's Reverse World and Rio Futaba's deductions, the truth about Gates had gradually come to light.
The other side of Gates connected to another world - the Reverse World, dominated by evil spirits. The Qi emanating from within was gradually assimilating surrounding areas into the Reverse World's structure.
The increased power and aggression of evil spirits resulted from these environmental changes. Those affected by a Gate employed various methods, sometimes even systematically, to cause human casualties - sacrificing lives and souls to accelerate the Gate's full opening.
As for what would happen when a certain number of fully opened Gates appeared? Even without Rio's analysis, Ye Xing could guess.
Kyoto's Reverse World would merge with its surface counterpart. Evil spirits would no longer need to follow the "seen" rule. The delicate balance between humans and spirits would tip irrevocably in the latter's favour.
Kyoto would become a ghost realm where no human could set foot without certain death.
GAME OVER.
"Don't be nervous," Ye Xing smiled at Miko's expression. "Just do your best."
Miko blinked in surprise. "You... can actually offer comfort?"
"Of course," Ye Xing declared with righteous confidence. "I've no intention of letting some abandoned building become my final chapter."
Then his tone shifted abruptly: "If I could choose how to die, I'd at least live to 120, then rest my head on a beautiful girl's plump thighs in black stockings, left hand caressing white stockings, right hand stroking fishnets - that would be barely acceptable."
"Pervert..." Miko said flatly.
Ye Xing chuckled unconcernedly, then suddenly grew serious, locking eyes with Miko's golden gaze as he enunciated clearly:
"Anyway, I'm unwilling - and will never allow - you to die."
"You... you... you..."
Miko Yotsuya hadn't expected Ye Xing to transition from joking to delivering such blunt words without changing expression.
This sudden direct attack nearly tied her tongue in knots.
After stammering for a while, Miko clenched her hands slightly on her lap, head bowed and face flushed crimson, replying in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.
"Th-thank you."
"You're welcome."
...
Meanwhile, on the vacant lot outside the unfinished building.
"Is this the place?"
Haruno Yukinoshita stood with arms crossed, frowning at the structure before her. Dressed in a blazer paired with black pencil trousers and flat shoes, her sleek, shoulder-length black hair exuded an air of sharp professionalism. The aura of a formidable businesswoman radiated from her.
Behind her stood several project managers responsible for this construction.
Facing Haruno's interrogation, they exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to speak first.
"Hmph. So none of you can provide a proper explanation?"
Haruno turned, sweeping a cold gaze across the group.
This office building project wasn't merely business for Yukinoshita Construction - it represented their first major contract outside Chiba Prefecture.
Operating locally versus expanding across Japan was entirely different concepts.
The original plan had been to name the completed building after the Yukinoshita family, leasing it to major corporations in Kyoto needing office space.
Profit was secondary.
The true objective was to expand the Yukinoshita influence beyond Chiba.
Now they claimed this multi-million investment - including relationship maintenance costs - would collapse because of ghost stories?
Haruno absolutely refused to accept this outcome.
"Miss Yukinoshita..."
The construction foreman, a stocky man with an honest face, scratched his head awkwardly.
"It's not that we don't want to continue, but the workers refuse unless we let them quit. I can't force them."
Haruno's elegant brows knitted tighter, her oppressive presence making the foreman sweat.
Although in original circumstances, Haruno Yukinoshita often appeared playful or even mischievous, her capabilities far surpassed those of her sister, Yukino. A genius who entered a national university's science programme, she regularly represented the Yukinoshita family in social circles.
Haruno Yukinoshita was undeniably both a genius and an heiress.
Under her piercing gaze, the managers trembled at the thought of the astronomical breach penalties in their contract.
"I see."
Haruno's lips curled coldly at their silence.
"You're using this to demand higher fees, aren't you? Fine. Name your price."
"No, no, Miss Yukinoshita, that's not what we meant," the foreman hastily waved his hands, face pale with alarm.
"The contract is already signed. Now that we can't meet Yukinoshita Corporation's requirements, we dare not even mention waiving the penalty fees. We just hope you can be lenient and let us pay a reduced amount."
Hearing this, Haruno's brow furrowed slightly.
This situation was rather unusual.
If it were within Chiba Prefecture, Yukinoshita Corporation had its own construction teams and wouldn't need to subcontract to outsiders at all.
But after negotiations with several Kyoto city officials, one of the conditions for allowing the Yukinoshita family to extend their operations into Kyoto was that they had to hire local construction teams from the city.
Haruno believed the terms offered to these teams were already far more generous than standard industry rates.
Yet now, it seemed they weren't trying to extort more money - something was genuinely making them unwilling to continue.
'Could there really be something strange about this building?'
Haruno shook her head.
How could that be possible?
She was a science student, a staunch materialist.
Someone must be deliberately causing trouble.
Remembering her mother's instructions before departure, Haruno's eyes flickered as she gazed at the dilapidated shell of the unfinished building before her, then spoke slowly.
"In that case, let's make a bet."
"A bet?"
Haruno pointed at the abandoned structure, enunciating each word clearly.
"I'll go in alone and climb to the top floor. If nothing happens and I come out completely unharmed, you'll resume construction tomorrow... no, immediately. Any objections?"
"This..."
"This is my final offer."
Haruno showed no intention of backing down, her stance unyielding.
"Either accept these terms, or pay the penalty fees. Though this isn't Chiba, my father does have a few influential friends in Kyoto, too."
The construction team managers exchanged uneasy glances, ultimately bowing to the pressure of the substantial penalty clause.
"Very well, Miss Yukinoshita. Please be careful."
Truthfully, they harboured a sliver of hope themselves.
What if those recent consecutive accidents had just been coincidences?
The Yukinoshita family's offer was so generous - who wouldn't want such profitable work?
"Then it's settled."
Without hesitation, Haruno strode into the derelict building.
The moment she entered, an inexplicably eerie draft brushed past her.
"Hmph."
Haruno snorted softly, her expression calm as she stepped into the stairwell, showing not the slightest trace of fear.
If there was one thing being born into the Yukinoshita family had taught her, it was this:
Responsibilities must be shouldered by someone.
Running away served no purpose.
No one could help her - she could only rely on herself.
This was a lesson Haruno had learned long ago.
Even when nervous and afraid, unwilling.
Even when her legs trembled and her heart clenched.
All she could do - all the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family should do - was keep moving forward.
There were no other options.
Beneath her black suit jacket, Haruno's shoulders quivered faintly.
Yet step by step, she ascended through the stairwell to the building's upper floors.
"Is this... twenty-three or twenty-four?"
Haruno murmured to herself, the only sounds reaching her ears being her own breathing and footsteps.
Here...
Wasn't it a bit too quiet?
Just as Haruno was thinking this, she suddenly heard the sound of objects colliding from outside the stairwell, along with an indescribable noise that sounded like something being crushed.
"Someone there?"
Haruno's pupils contracted in shock, but then she let out a long exhale.
That eerie, oppressive silence, combined with the recent accidents, would test anyone's nerves walking alone in the dim stairwell.
But as for someone with ill intentions? Haruno wasn't particularly worried.
Back in the day, she'd practised Aikido together with her younger sister Yukino.
Three or five ordinary men couldn't lay a finger on her.
Moreover...
Haruno pulled out a black rubber baton from her coat.
With this stun baton in hand, what was there to fear from troublemakers?
Slowing her pace, Haruno gradually exited the stairwell into a flat corridor.
At that moment.
Squelch.
Hearing the sound beneath her feet and feeling the sticky sensation through her soles, Haruno frowned slightly and instinctively looked down.
In the faint reddish moonlight from the windows, when she saw the floor clearly, her pupils dilated in shock.
"This... what is this?!"
The concrete floor was drenched in dark red blood.
The blood had mixed with dust, forming an incredibly viscous substance that emitted a nauseating stench.
When Haruno looked up again, illuminated by the moonlight, she saw an unimaginably massive serpentine monster that had appeared not far ahead of her at some point.
The monster's vertical eye contained two rows of chilling teeth.
And one after another, horrifying creatures of various shapes and sizes were silently queuing up to enter that vertical eye.
The crushing sounds she'd heard earlier were the monster biting other creatures apart, their flesh slowly merging with that of the eyeball.
Witnessing this grotesque and terrifying scene, Haruno felt the blood in her veins freeze.
"Huu..."
The serpentine monster's enormous eyeball twitched slightly.
Those emotionless pupils locked directly onto Haruno.
The evil spirits, which had been queuing in a line, all turned their heads.
Without a word, they began slowly advancing towards Haruno.
"D-don't come any closer."
Haruno pressed the button on her stun baton, its tip flashing with dazzling electricity.
But to the evil spirits, this held no deterrent power whatsoever.
A thunder spell might have given them pause.
But a rubber stun baton?
Don't make them laugh.
Even faced with such horror, Haruno merely leaned against the wall, trembling slightly without losing composure.
She could even maintain her grip on the baton.
'Am I... going to die here?'
Looking at the approaching evil spirits, a bitter smile touched Haruno's lips.
This meaningless life spent constantly pretending...
Would it really end so abruptly today?
"N-no..."
Haruno collapsed to the floor, her beautiful eyes filled with profound despair.
At that moment, footsteps sounded from the stairwell.
"The evil spirits... seem to have multiplied."
After that calm girl's voice sounded, it was immediately followed by a tone laced with amusement, as if enjoying a holiday, even carrying a strange sense of anticipation.
"Yes, we should resolve this quickly."
Following this exchange, under Haruno's shocked gaze, Ye Xing and Miko Yotsuya, holding a long sword, walked in slowly.
As for how the long sword was brought onto the train?
Simple.
Ye Xing had Hachishaku-sama swallow the sword into her stomach, only to spit it back out after disembarking.
After all, Hachishaku-sama was tall enough to double as an invisible suitcase.
This was what you called maximising utility.
"Who... who are you?"
Miko glanced at Haruno Yukinoshita leaning against the wall, carefully examining her elegant features with a slight frown, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Of course, she knew now wasn't the time to ask about the other's identity.
"An unexpected participant has joined. The plan needs adjusting—I'll protect her."
"Mm, fine."
Ye Xing casually agreed, taking two steps forward to face the group of evil spirits before him, including the serpentine one lurking at the back, its vertical eye sizing him up. He waved with a smile.
"Yahallo, long time no see."
Then he glanced at the surrounding floor and the dark red moon outside the window, murmuring,
"This floor has already merged with the one in the Reverse World? The progress is really fast."
Ye Xing shrugged, his smile gradually fading as an inexplicable excitement surfaced in his eyes.
"How interesting."
"Come!"
With that single word from Ye Xing, something completely unexpected by both Miko and Haruno happened next.
The pale ghost hand reappeared—only this time, it wasn't floating in mid-air.
Instead, Ye Xing's left arm from the shoulder down had directly transformed into the pale ghost hand!
"This is...?!"
What shocked Haruno was the ghost hand's grotesque appearance and the suffocating pressure it exerted.
What astonished Miko was that Ye Xing could actually do such a thing!
Soul Materialisation was the ability to manifest one's inner self and soul to combat evil spirits.
But what Ye Xing was doing now was fusing the ghost hand formed through Soul Materialisation back into his own body!
"Can... can it even be used like this?"