"An actual... god?"
Hearing Ye Xing's words, the core members of the Supernatural Society all paled.
Since he had emphasised that it was an "actual" god, it undoubtedly meant this wasn't something like the golden goat-headed entity from that shrine that could be easily dealt with.
They just didn't understand.
What was the connection between recruiting a new member who could control the weather and possessed powerful spiritual abilities, and making an enemy of a god?
Seeing the girls' bewildered expressions, Ye Xing explained.
"Hina Amano's spiritual power is different from ours."
"Her weather manipulation ability most likely comes from a contract she made with some unknown deity."
"Of course, Hina Amano herself doesn't seem to be aware of this yet."
"But one thing is certain."
"The more she uses her abilities, the closer her body comes to vanishing."
"Until finally, she's taken by that deity in the sky, becoming a living sacrifice to restore Japan's weather to normal."
After saying this, Ye Xing smiled at the assembled members of the Supernatural Society.
"So whether to recruit Hina Amano as one of our core members, whether to oppose an actual deity – these aren't decisions I can make alone."
"Now, let's hear your opinions."
Though Ye Xing posed the question, he could already predict what responses he'd receive.
The clubroom fell silent.
After a long pause, Kazusa Touma finally spoke in her cool voice.
"Didn't understand a word of that."
"Whatever. Doesn't matter."
"I'll follow Ye Xing's lead."
The loyal Kazusa Touma had stated her position.
She neither understood nor cared.
Her reason for joining the Supernatural Society had simply been to have a legitimate excuse to watch Ye Xing.
Though she could see him in class too, Kazusa now wanted to stay by his side even during lunch breaks.
Next to speak was the opinionated Mai Sakurajima.
Her answer was simple.
"If Hina Amano is facing this situation, we can't just stand by."
Rio Futaba adjusted her glasses and said calmly,
"An actual deity? I'd very much like to witness more of this world's hidden truths."
Yui Yuigahama, who'd been spacing out, finally snapped back to reality and nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Yes! Hina Amano is in such a pitiful situation. We have to help her."
Finally, only Miko Yotsuya remained to give her view.
Complex emotions flickered in her golden eyes as she spoke slowly.
"A deity demanding living sacrifices? That's no deity at all."
"That's an evil spirit we need to slay."
Hearing this, admiration bloomed on Yui's cute face.
"Miko, that was so cool!"
Miko shook her head helplessly, patting Yui's head while giving her a look one might reserve for an idiot, though her tone remained gentle.
"Dango, please act normal. You're embarrassing me."
"Eh... but it really was cool! I'm not lying."
"If you say so."
Miko responded dismissively before turning her gaze to Ye Xing.
"Well... time for you to make the decision, Captain."
Ye Xing scanned the room's occupants before smiling.
"In that case..."
"Let's make Hina Amano our squad's new member."
"Besides, I can sample what a deity tastes like."
Rio couldn't help interjecting.
"That last part's the real reason, isn't it?"
"Don't sweat the details."
"You really are a gluttonous ghost reborn."
...
When the meeting concluded, Ye Xing stood first and smiled at Yui.
"Let's go."
"Eh?"
Yui seemed surprised.
"You want me to come along?"
Ye Xing replied as if it were obvious.
"Of course, you're the face of our Supernatural Society. Just your appearance and demeanour alone make people think this girl isn't too bright, thereby lowering their guard. That's your unique talent."
Yui Yuigahama sighed helplessly. "Do I really look that silly?"
The members answered in unison.
"Yes."
After Yui Yuigahama and Ye Xing left the clubroom together, Rio Futaba noticed Miko Yotsuya still staring absentmindedly at the door and couldn't resist teasing softly,
"You're not jealous of Dango too, are you?"
Miko shook her head.
"Not to that extent."
Her golden eyes flickered as she murmured.
"I just feel like Ye Xing seems... different somehow."
"Different?"
Seeing Rio Futaba's puzzled expression, Miko nodded slightly.
"When we first met, he told me something."
"That he wouldn't interfere unless it involved supernatural matters."
"But Kawasaki-san and Kitagawa-san's troubles had nothing to do with the supernatural."
Hearing this, Rio Futaba was momentarily stunned before chuckling wryly.
"Isn't that normal? People change."
"Just as he's influenced us, we've also influenced his original way of thinking during this process."
"Isn't that what comrades are for?"
Miko pressed her lips together into a faint smile.
"Rio, you've changed, too. The old you would never say something so sentimental."
Rio Futaba flushed slightly at Miko's teasing remark.
Meeting those bright golden eyes that watched her with amusement, she suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
"Miko, there's something I want to tell you—"
"No need to say it."
Miko took Rio Futaba's hand and smiled gently.
"Some things are better left understood without words. We're friends, after all."
...
Half an hour later, at a familiar McDonald's.
"Eh?"
Yui Yuigahama stared at the fast-food restaurant she'd visited before with Ye Xing and Miko in surprise.
"Hina Amano... is here?"
"Correct."
Though sometimes a bit slow, Yui wasn't unintelligent.
She didn't believe it was a mere coincidence that this McDonald's - which she and Miko had visited before with Ye Xing - housed another psychic.
Most likely, from their very first visit here, Ye Xing had been testing Hina Amano's abilities.
Yui's guess was correct.
Ye Xing's initial visit to this McDonald's hadn't been coincidental.
He'd been probing Hina Amano's capabilities.
At the time, Miko had summoned Hyakume, yet Hina Amano - who passed by them on the second floor - showed no unusual reaction.
Perhaps, like Miko, she could see but maintained perfect composure.
But more likely, Hina Amano lacked the "observation" ability.
After all, though all were called psychics, Hina Amano seemed to belong to a different power system from the Supernatural Society members.
"Someone who can form contracts with gods and gain the power to influence the world's weather."
Ye Xing led Yui Yuigahama towards the McDonald's entrance as he spoke.
"At the very least, this proves she possesses talent on par with Miko Yotsuya – someone with the potential to become a psychic."
Yuigahama pressed her lips together, remaining silent.
Her current mood perfectly matched that classic meme:
Another big shot has arrived. Club status -1.JPG.
The moment Ye Xing and Yuigahama pushed open the door and stepped inside, Hina Amano, standing behind the counter in her employee uniform, immediately noticed them.
Upon clearly seeing Ye Xing's face, Hina froze briefly before quickly rushing out from behind the counter, clutching a thick envelope wrapped in kraft paper.
"Sir, you left this here last time."
Glancing at the envelope Hina held out, Ye Xing simply waved his hand with a chuckle.
"That's just compensation for your help last time. Why would you return it?"
"Huh?"
Hina blinked in confusion before hurriedly shaking her head.
"But... I don't remember helping you with anything?"
The instant her words trailed off, Ye Xing's smile vanished.
He stared directly into Hina's eyes and murmured,
"Are you sure about that?"
Hearing his firm tone and subjected to Ye Xing's piercing gaze, Hina immediately grew flustered.
She was just an ordinary fifteen-year-old girl. Facing the overwhelming energy of Kyoto's top exorcist while already lying, of course, she'd feel panicked and out of her depth.
"Ye Xing, stop it."
Noticing the oppressive aura radiating from him, Yuigahama frowned slightly. She tugged at his sleeve before stepping forward with a sweet smile to greet Hina.
"Hina Amano, right? We're not bad people. If it's convenient, could we talk somewhere?"
To be fair—
Seeing Yuigahama's fashionable yet demure appearance, coupled with her gentle demeanour and sweet smile, Hina instantly felt less tense.
In comparison...
At times like these, Ye Xing's impression definitely fell short of Yuigahama's.
Though undeniably handsome, his usual carefree demeanour gave off a frivolous, somewhat unreliable vibe.
And when serious, he somehow made people feel slightly on edge.
As the ambassador for the Supernatural Society, Yui Yuigahama naturally had more approachability in this regard.
"Well... alright."
Hina Amano hesitated briefly before finally nodding.
"There aren't many customers on the second floor right now. I can ask the manager, but we'll only have ten minutes at most since I'm still on shift."
Yui Yuigahama smiled and nodded.
"That's fine, no problem."
...
Upon reaching the second floor, Hina Amano first prepared a cola and a hot drink behind the counter, carrying them over on a tray which she placed on the table.
"My treat."
"Thanks, Hina."
Yui accepted the hot drink, forming a favourable first impression of this Hina Amano girl.
She'd heard from Ye Xing and Rio Futaba.
This girl, who looked even younger than herself, wasn't well-off financially - she'd even had to drop out of school to work and support her younger brother's tuition and living expenses.
Yet despite this, she'd still bought drinks out of her own pocket for near-strangers like herself and Ye Xing.
She definitely wasn't a bad person.
Hina Amano sat opposite Ye Xing and Yui Yuigahama, nervously biting her lip before tentatively asking:
"What exactly... did you want to talk about? You're not... from the welfare office, are you?"
Ye Xing rolled his eyes impatiently.
"Do we look like we are?"
Hina answered honestly.
"No."
"Then why ask?"
Under the table, Yui nudged Ye Xing with her elbow to smooth things over.
"She's just confirming, no need to be so harsh."
Ye Xing glanced at her.
'Quick to soften when receiving favours, aren't you?'
Then he turned back to Hina Amano with a kind smile.
"Don't misunderstand. Actually, I'm the same as you."
"The same...?"
Before Hina could finish asking, she saw Ye Xing place his right palm flat on the table, where a dense black Qi suddenly coalesced.
Within less than a breath, the swirling black Qi had formed into an exquisitely detailed teddy bear plushie.
"This is!?"
Hina's pupils contracted in shock.
There were others in this world besides herself who possessed abilities beyond normal comprehension?
"You... you too?"
Seeing Hina's astonished expression, Ye Xing couldn't help but reflect internally.
'This girl is so naive.'
Then again, in the original storyline, Hina Amano hadn't made much effort to conceal her sunny weather abilities either.
If this had been Light Yagami, there would have been endless rounds of probing, testing and mind games before admitting to any special powers.
'Honestly, I prefer innocent, straightforward beauties,' Ye Xing mused.
"The types are different, but we're both special people - that's all you need to understand for now."
Ye Xing spoke casually before turning to Yui beside him.
"Dango, you explain our plan to her. I'm tired."
"Okay."
Yui Yuigahama didn't mind at all.
On the contrary, in moments like these, she finally felt useful and was eager to contribute, never one to shirk responsibility.
"Hina."
She deliberately used the girl's first name to establish closeness.
"We hope you can attend Sobu High School... or more specifically, join Class 1-A and become part of our club."
Upon hearing this, a shadow of melancholy flickered in Hina Amano's eyes as she forced a strained, bitter smile.
"My family... has had some recent difficulties. We can't afford the tuition fees, and if I go to school, there'll be no one to pay for my younger brother's education."
Yui Yuigahama had already briefed Ye Xing about this during their journey here. Now facing Hina's financial predicament, the Supernatural Society's ambassador Dango displayed remarkable composure.
"That's easily solved."
"We'll negotiate with the school to waive your tuition fees."
Hina looked sceptical. "But... my grades aren't outstanding enough to qualify for scholarships..."
"That won't be a problem."
Yui Yuigahama smiled reassuringly. "If we say we can waive your fees, we'll make it happen."
What was this called?
Dango leveraging Ye Xing's influence.
Given Ye Xing's standing in Sobu High's administration, waiving one student's tuition was nothing. Even if he asked the school for money directly, as long as it wasn't an outrageous amount, they'd undoubtedly comply.
And let's not forget - the Supernatural Society wasn't just about Ye Xing.
There was Rio Futaba from a wealthy family, Yukino Yukinoshita (daughter of a Chiba prefectural assembly member and construction company president), Kazusa Touma (daughter of world-renowned pianist Youko Touma), and former national idol actress Mai Sakurajima.
No other club in Sobu High could rival the Supernatural Society's collective social capital. Waiving one student's fees was child's play.
"But..." Hina still looked troubled. "My brother's tuition... our living expenses... I need to work full-time just to barely cover them."
"Relax, relax."
Yui patted Hina's shoulder with confident assurance. Just as Hina expected some grand solution, Yui turned to Ye Xing, sticking out her tongue with an embarrassed grin.
"Our omnipotent captain will surely figure something out, right?"
Ye Xing deadpanned: "Flattery? Really?"
Yui clasped her hands prayerfully, grinning foolishly. "Hehe, please, Captain?"
For a sweet-faced, adorable girl like Yui Yuigahama...
Flattery did work.
Ye Xing turned to Hina across the table, his long fingers tapping rhythmically on the surface.
"Money isn't your concern. Though we're just an ordinary high school club, we have multiple income streams - more than enough to cover your brother's tuition and both your living expenses."
Hina parted her lips slightly, full of doubt. Yet something about Ye Xing's absolute certainty made her instinctively believe he wasn't lying.
As Hina wavered indecisively, Ye Xing slowly played his trump card.
"As long as you agree to join, the money in that envelope you're holding can be considered an advance from the club's activity funds."
"Moreover, our club's principle is mutual support among members."
"Haven't you been worried about being sent to welfare institutions and forcibly separated from your little brother?"
"If you join, I can help resolve that issue too."
At Ye Xing's final words, Hina Amano's expression changed. After a long silence, she finally nodded.
"Then... alright."
"I'll join."