Chapter Nine: An Inauspicious Start

An unprecedented silence settled inside the carriage.

On one side lay a shadow-like abyss, and on the other, an intangible oppression. The compact space was sharply divided into two distinct atmospheres, subjecting Shigure-kun in the driver's seat to a mental illusion akin to experiencing fire and ice simultaneously.

The two individuals radiating such overwhelming pressure were pressed tightly against their respective doors, gazing at the scenery outside, stubbornly refusing to spare each other even a single word, or to let their lines of sight intersect.

This exceptionally tense atmosphere was inseparable from their terrible history... but the primary culprit behind its current severity was undoubtedly the small object around Shigure Rei’s neck.

A black collar.

Gongsun Ce had seen this gadget around Dust Explosion's neck last month; it was rumored to be capable of blowing a person's head off in the blink of an eye. He had assumed it required some sort of button or switch to activate, until Chilo texted him the control method on his phone screen.

[ (???)? It's me, it's me, Gongsun Ce. The bottle of water you drank 3 minutes and 15 seconds ago contained a micro-controller, and you can now activate the corresponding function in the collar with a specific command. See the attachment for the specific command words. ]

[ (；?Д?) Important reminder: For the sake of maintaining the confidentiality of the plan under extreme adverse circumstances, the collar will start a countdown to self-destruction when the distance between you and Alice Aydar exceeds 5 meters; when the distance exceeds 7 meters, the collar will detonate immediately. ]

[ つД`) Private reminder: I think this function is way too harsh, so... if we encounter an emergency where we must separate, I'll try my best to think of something...... ]

She was even using kaomoji; give me a break. Keep going like this and I'll really start treating you as an AI turned spirit.

Compared to the lively Chilo, Miss Alice was in a much worse mood. He could understand her completely; right now he fully sympathized with her state of mind—what the hell, on this mission he couldn't even split up with this woman, what kind of atrocious insurance device was this? Sending that blockhead Dust Explosion to be his partner would have been infinitely better than this ruthless, vicious woman Shigure Rei!

Gongsun Ce, whose mood wasn't much better, forced out a sarcastic remark:

"As the saying goes, reap what you sow, Miss Shigure Rei."

"Ha, want to test whose reaction time is faster?"

After this brief exchange, the two said nothing more. The gray-haired young man thought to himself, I'm not actually going to blow your head off with this thing, why are you so hostile? Who even owes whom? While the blue-haired woman thought, I'd rather hand the detonation switch over to Enki than give this thing to you, let's just perish together.

Shigure Ren'ichi, driving the car, felt that the two in the back seat were simply acting like petulant children, and he would undoubtedly have to play the peacemaker.

"Big Sister Rei—"

"Don't you dare call me that!" Shigure Rei reacted as if her reverse scale had been touched.

The young man in the suit sighed inwardly, turning his question instead: "Gongsun?"

"Pardon my frankness, Shigure-kun," Gongsun Ce said, staring unblinkingly at the streetscape rushing past the window. "I trust Miss Alice’s ability, and I believe her personality ensures she would never turn traitor, but I simply cannot trust a woman who murdered me just a short while ago."

"The feeling is mutual," Shigure Rei retorted. "I likewise cannot trust a partner as naive as you."

"Wonderful, it seems we have reached a consensus on our inability to trust each other. Shall we skip the tedious verbal sparring and just fight it out first?"

"So you're planning to solve problems with violence now, haha! I remember someone once saying that one of his most hated things was the abuse of violence. Look at how comfortably you practice double standards. Why don't you activate the safety device right now so we can finally have some peace of mind."

The two in the back seat finally began interacting, but unfortunately, the more they spoke, the heavier the gunpowder smell became. When occasionally bumping into each other in daily life, they might still manage to conceal their hostility and exchange a few strained words, but once they met in a serious setting, there was zero possibility of maintaining a superficial peace. The collar acting as their safety device only added insult to injury—for the fiercely proud Shigure Rei, this was nothing short of an insult.

The young man in the suit could only say helplessly: "You two, please do me a favor."

The two previously at each other's throats instantly fell silent: on February 13th, they had fought a life-and-death battle, yet both had also had their lives saved by Shigure Ren'ichi. One was his close friend, the other was his older sister, and Shigure-kun, caught right in the middle, had the hardest time of all.

What on earth were the higher-ups of the City in the Sky thinking, pairing these two up for a secret investigative mission? Having Shigure Ren'ichi tag along would have been infinitely better!

"Sorry, I have my own reasons for needing to stay," Shigure Ren'ichi tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "I also want to go back to Reijima to settle accounts."

The word "settle" sent a ripple through Gongsun Ce's heart. He recalled the shared origins of these two siblings, remembering the occasion when he first heard the name "Shigure Rei." Shigure Rei was a wanted criminal because she had committed a bloody massacre...

Because she had wiped out everyone at the Shigure Research Institute.

He glanced sideways out of the corner of his eye at the blue-haired woman on the other side. Not a single trace of emotion could be discerned on Shigure Rei's profile, making it impossible for him to tell whether she felt anger or lingering hatred at this moment.

"Regretful that you didn't manage to kill everyone?"

"Ah yes, very regretful," Shigure Rei said softly. "I thought I had killed them all, only to realize I had been used once again. The lives of so-called elite researchers are just as worthless in those people's eyes, to be discarded entirely when they are no longer of use."

"How hilarious."

She concluded thus, uncertain whether she was mocking those who had died by her hands or ridiculing herself for being used as a pawn.

The atmosphere inside the car grew even worse, oppressive like the moments before a thunderstorm, causing even Shigure Ren'ichi to wear a gloomy expression. The two Shigures looked as though they were about to utter some ominous remarks—

At that moment, the esper interlaced his fingers behind his head and spoke loudly.

"Well then, since we're taking a business trip to Reijima this time, I'll help you guys settle your personal grudges all at once!"

Shigure Rei froze, and the corners of Shigure Ren'ichi's mouth twitched upward. The gray-haired youth acted completely oblivious, continuing in his boisterous manner: "We'll investigate the conspiracy the Shigure Research Institute is cooking up, drag the mastermind out and deal with them, and then head back to the City in the Sky! Come to think of it, it's a really simple mission, totally a breeze."

Shigure Rei let out a sneer, turned her head to glare daggers at the youth, and bit out every single word.

"Don't use me as a prop to satisfy your death wish."

Gongsun Ce closed his eyes, yet felt not a shred of the impatience one experiences when poked in a tender spot.

"Having a negative disposition doesn't prevent one from doing the right thing. Don't worry, Miss Alice, even if I die, I'll make sure to wait until everything is finished before kicking the bucket."

This retort gave Shigure Rei goosebumps all over her body. She rubbed her forearm and muttered: "Hiss... what kind of righteous lying-flat speech is this, so disgusting!"

"Nothing much, Mr. Gongsun has always been the righteous youth you adore," Gongsun Ce deliberately emphasized the word "adore".

The blue-haired woman made a retching gesture and turned her head away again.

Shigure Ren'ichi gave a slight shrug and said, pretending not to hear: "We'll be parting ways in ten minutes. Just to be safe, let's confirm—do you have a basic understanding of Reijima, Gongsun?"

Gongsun Ce's knowledge of Reijima came primarily from anime and his geography classes in middle and high school. He scratched his head and recalled: "Reijima... as I recall, it's the only nation in the world jointly ruled by the military and financial conglomerates, and a place deeply affected by Dragon Calamity."

Recalling what Principal Onowell had mentioned in his elective course, he said uncertainly: "I remember the place was split into three major islands because of the Calamity of False Light. They are Tsukushi Island, which sits 30 meters below sea level; Yamato Island, which forms a nearly perfect circle; and..."

"Kongo Island," Shigure Ren'ichi reminded him softly.

"Right, that should be the name," Gongsun Ce scratched his head. "But I know nothing about the local factions. After all, I've barely ever left the City in the Sky."

Shigure Ren'ichi handed him a microchip.

"Here is the data related to Reijima. I suggest reading it on the plane—"

The esper took the chip, figuring that this would probably require Chilo to analyze. He shook his head, his tone full of puzzlement: "Shigure-kun, I figured a secret mission would require rushing, but does it have to be this urgent? I didn't even have time to go home and pack my things, and you're driving this car as if racing an invisible rival. An ordinary person riding with you would probably be ready to hurl by now."

This time, the one who spoke wasn't Shigure Ren'ichi.

"You really are completely clueless, naive boy."

"Does Miss Alice have any profound insights?"

"The ones heading to Reijima this time are you and me," Shigure Rei sneered. "I am the Shigure Research Institute's very first test subject, and you carry the secret capable of slaying the Lapis Dragon. Do you have any idea how massive an informational disturbance this will trigger? The moment we set off for Reijima, those old fossils probably received divination results indicating impending disaster. The elders of Reijima are already summoning their confidants right now, preparing to hold an emergency meeting!"

Gongsun Ce opened his mouth and asked: "Are disaster divinations really that powerful? Didn't you use to say this stuff wasn't reliable?"

"Not anywhere else," Shigure Ren'ichi sped up. "But once it gets tangled up with Reijima, disaster divination transforms into something entirely different."

"It will reveal the events set to occur in the future with excruciating detail..."

"And also make everything impossible to comprehend, shrouded in layers of mystery."

·

"Impending disaster—! Impending disaster—!"

The piercing scream pierced the air. The childish female voice coming from behind the iron door made the ninja serving as guard feel a spike of vigilance.

A Chudan-tier ninja dressed in yellowish-brown attire sprinted at maximum speed through the iron fortress constructed of mainframes and cables, coming to a halt before a luxurious wooden door engraved with a shuriken and war fan crest. He knocked on the door following the rhythmic cadence used for reporting critical matters.

Disturbing the leisure of a superior was a crime punishable by seppuku, but extraordinary situations warranted exceptions. Waiting for a reply from the Honkiri-tier ninja, the wooden door slid open by a crack.

"I deserve a thousand deaths for disturbing your peace, Drunken Eye-san." The ninja in brown ninja garb dropped to one knee, reporting swiftly in a volume that maintained due respect. "Shigure Reiji-sama has transmitted a new divination result."

The door to the private room opened silently, and one of the upper brass of the Martial Assembly Vanguard cast a scrutinizing gaze down upon him.

Drunken Eye was short in stature, dressed in high-grade ninja attire embroidered with mysterious eye-shaped patterns in blue and purple, with a silvery-white mask covering his face. He sat straight before a Go board, holding a Go piece in his hand, engaged in an esoteric, high-level match against a high-intelligence AI. The Chudan-tier ninja's heart was filled with reverence; Drunken Eye-san remained in the safety of the underground, yet stayed fully armed even while contemplating Zen principles—this was the very manifestation of his unique caution and sense of responsibility, truly worthy of being one of the four leaders of the ninja army.

"Content," Drunken Eye spoke solemnly.

"Impending disaster."

When dealing with matters of grave importance, one need not observe tedious etiquette; this was a lesson Drunken Eye frequently imparted to his subordinates.

Drunken Eye put down his Go piece and stepped out of the private room, the brown-garbed ninja following in silence. Countless high-precision mainframes occupied the underground space like dominoes; they stepped between the gaps in the cables, as if walking through an ancient labyrinth constructed of metal and silicon.

This was one of the major research achievements of the Shigure Research Institute—the Great Seven-Kill Electronic Array, which utilized computers directly linked to the human brain to drastically enhance the diviner's spiritual power and computational precision, thereby extending the duration of their divinations. Shigure Reiji, serving as the core of the array, could theoretically achieve uninterrupted divination 365 days a year, serving as an effectively functioning nation-protecting mechanism!

Drunken Eye entered a password using hand gestures imbued with the profound secrets of ancient culture, unlocking the iron door. The brown-garbed ninja proactively turned around and closed his eyes before the door opened, and just as he was about to plug his ears as well, he heard Drunken Eye say: "Come in together, Yamada-san."

"It is an absolute honor!"

Yamada’s eyes welled with tears; he hadn't expected Drunken Eye to remember his name. But immediately following that, this touching moment was replaced by a sudden, creeping terror.

Deep within the iron door sat a cold restraint chair, upon