Chapter 178: Bombs, fate, chessboard, trash can...

Kenji Hagiwara and Jinpei Matsuda are not the only ones who have questions about what exactly happened.

In the abandoned room of the Twin Towers, filled with smoke and the smell of blood, Geto Suguru was looking down at the truly cold corpse at his feet. He stretched out his foot and gently kicked the bullet-riddled head with the tip of his clogs.

No movement.

The body lay limp, its blood a dark stain on the carpet, lifeless. This was what death should look like: quiet, cold, and irreversible.

Although the performance of the monkey, which seemed to be controlled and suddenly went crazy pressing buttons, was quite interesting, and once again confirmed his idea that "monkeys are hopeless" - but for some reason, Geto Suguru always felt that he should have seen a more grand performance.

The show should be more interesting than what he saw before him, full of the unpredictable beauty of fate... and in fate he caught a glimpse of a... a hateful old friend he had not seen for a long time.

The man's face was blurry, as if shrouded in a thick mist in his memory. Just trying to recall it gave Geto a headache. He pressed his forehead and decisively gave up thinking: ...I have a feeling that recalling it would only make it more unpleasant for him...It seems he's been deceived by someone again...Tsk.

But that incident wasn't the main point of his recollection. The play the Italian monkey had invited him to had already concluded, and now that his interest had been piqued, he should have called back and asked, "So, is this the only play you wanted me to see, Mr. Jesso? It's just a few dead policemen. This kind of performance is a bit disappointing."

"I had prepared a far more dramatic performance for you, Takeru-kun—fate is supposed to be cruel and unforgiving, severing every story with its twisted methods... But someone, even more unreasonably, severed the hand of God, allowing this story, which should have ended... to continue."

The young man on the other end of the line spoke in a carefree and cheerful voice, a distinctly different kind of excitement from his previous conversation with Geto Suguru. "Although you might not have seen the play you wanted to see, Geto Suguru...but thanks to you, I was able to feast my eyes."

Geto Xia Yu's brows furrowed slightly.

He didn't like the feeling of being kept in the dark, and he disliked Bai Lan's boastful tone, as if everything was under control. He wanted to ask further, but the other party clearly wasn't going to give him the chance. He just chuckled and hung up the phone, mumbling something about "interesting" and "variables."

...Not only is he hiding his true intentions...his attitude is also really annoying.

The young man in the cassock lowered the corners of his lips, put his cell phone into his sleeve, turned around, and prepared to leave this dangerous place.

He had no interest in dealing with the aftermath of these monkeys, nor was he interested in finding out who the monkey was that had sniped the corpse... These things had nothing to do with him anymore, and the only thing that could arouse his interest was the "variable" that Bai Lan mentioned.

However, even if he ignored it, the vague feeling of being deceived in Geto's heart, like the mildew spreading in the corners of the wall in the humid season, still lingered.

Before leaving, he took one last look out the window in the direction the bullet had come from. The sky, which had been somewhat gloomy, had completely cleared up. In the sunlight, the roof of the nearby building was coated with a layer of gold.

On the roof, behind the railing.

Shuichi Akai disassembled the sniper rifle and put the parts back into the guitar bag in an orderly manner.

Even though he was somewhat curious about the shadow he had just spied on that was also in the room, his intuition and trust in his "master" still held him back from taking any risks; there were still some hazy memories in his mind that told him that his master would tell him all the answers.

This incident has happened many times and the memory that it never went well seems to still linger in my mind, but judging from the tone of the message Chaomu sent before, the development of the plot this time should be completely different.

Well, I'll just ask during the report.

He packed up his guns and finally thought so.

[To Mu: Mission completed. How's your situation? Is it completely resolved?]

When he asked this question, he didn't actually need a definite affirmative answer. Akai Shuichi knew that if it was her, it would be resolved in the end - although the process might be unexpected.

After finishing the job, the black-haired sniper put on his guitar bag and headed downstairs. He still had his own work to do, and naturally, other people would have a headache with the subsequent mess.

The local public security police, who were in a great hurry to the scene, had their pupils constricted when they saw the scene inside.

"I was a step too late." He lowered his hat, put away his sniper rifle, and spoke to Xiao Xunran through the headset. "In my memory, there was only one body in the room... Someone killed him first. How's your side, Zero? Has your... 'imagination' been confirmed?"

When the girl who had confronted them hurried away and neither Morobushi Kagemitsu himself nor Furuya Rei tried to stop her, the two of them had already had a brief discussion about this issue: the strange and vague "imagination" about the future that had appeared in their heads and had never happened was too bizarre, and they both needed to verify it.

Following his memory, Zhu Fujingguang rushed to the sniper point and saw the window that existed in his mind and the same member of the Hyakkikai, but the latter had turned into a corpse, which seemed to verify the "achievements" of the Vongola lady who left in a hurry.

Unlike Kotani Ran, Furuya Rei's "imagination" is more complicated and confused, so much so that he didn't know where to start for a while... and finally chose to rush to the scene first.

"The explosion happened." He stood under the smoke-filled building, his voice hoarse, "Higawara... their team lost contact with the headquarters a few minutes ago..."

How many times...how many times has this happened? Reason tells him that his "imagination" of "the world repeating itself" is absurd, illogical, and unscientific, but the all-too-real emotions and memories pull at him, forcing him to face reality countless times.

The shopping mall that was intact not long ago now had a huge, hideous gaping hole blown open on the third floor. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky like an unhealable scar.

The light of the flame dyed the purple-gray eyes red.

The grief that had been lingering in Rei Furuya's mind, a constant presence, found an outlet at this moment, threatening to completely consume his sanity. He remembered this feeling, this emptiness of having lost everything. He could even clearly "recall" the emotion he'd felt when he saw the text message from Jinpei Matsuda in some nonexistent past.

The blond young man gritted his teeth and forced himself to look away from the burning inferno - at this moment, he saw a familiar figure in the alley next to him.

Time seemed to be infinitely stretched at this moment.

In his world, on one side were flames rising into the sky and thick smoke representing death; on the other side of the wall, the familiar girl was standing with her arms folded, surrounded by several policemen who were rubbing the back of their heads - his imagined dead friend from the same period stretched out his hand to protect her to his side, with a bright smile on his face.

"That's basically what happened... Although Xiao Chaomu's method of saving people was a little provocative, she truly saved our lives, okay?" The half-long-haired young man squinted his eyes and unobtrusively held the girl to his side, his handsome face still dusty. The girl beckoned him, and he obediently lowered his head, letting her wipe his face with a tissue.

The curly-haired police officer next to them leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets, a cigarette in his mouth, and looked at them with a look that was a mixture of speechlessness and giving up on thinking.

"So, so..." A young police officer looked a little confused, his uniform wrinkled and the back of his head bulged. He said hesitantly, "It was this Miss Chaomu who knocked him unconscious..."

"Ahem, ahem! We need to save people! We have to act swiftly in this emergency. Get us out first!" Officer Ogawa quickly grabbed the young man's neck and, with his superior's smiling face, interrupted him. "It was Hagiwara and Matsuda who asked her for help..."

"That's right...that's right!" The other police officers who had recovered also echoed in unison, "It was Miss Chaomu who saved our lives!"

Right...right?

The young police officer's head was still in a mess, but seeing that everyone was laughing, he couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth into a silly arc. He smiled foolishly and looked at the short-haired girl in the middle. He thought that although she was suspicious, she was really a good person.

She seemed to be glowing. The sunlight shone on her face, making her golden eyes sparkle.

They looked... so good.

It was so good that it seemed as if the earth-shattering explosion just now was just a distant illusion that had nothing to do with them.

Outside the alley, the blond young man instinctively hid in the shadows, staring blankly at the scene before him. He felt a sweet, happy, yet somewhat sour feeling, along with other emotions, swelling in his chest, making him unable to move for a moment.

His remaining sanity told him not to move forward. His status prohibited him from being here, from embracing his lost and now-rediscovered friend. He could only watch from afar, like a ghost cut off from the world, listening to the heart within his chest beating with a thunderous force that threatened to burst through his ribs.

Bang, bang, bang.

The noise was so disturbing... but... it was like... a beautiful dream... that one didn't want to wake up from.

"Zero? Are you okay?"

In the headset, Xiao Xunran's anxious voice brought Furuya Ling back to reality. He also realized that this wonderful dream seemed to have replaced those chaotic "memories" and become reality.

"I'm fine—Hagiwara and the others are still alive. She saved them." In order to prevent the other party from worrying and being sad, he quickly lowered his voice and replied, "I'm fine... I..."

...If he didn't think too much about his mood just now and if he didn't keep staring at the girl's profile, Furuya Rei should really be able to say "I'm fine" calmly.

But at this moment, all the defenses that should have existed, the desire to explore her identity and secrets, were all washed away by the feeling of happiness. He was swept into the beautiful dream created by her and indulged in it.

He's not okay. His mind is giving out crazy warnings. He's not okay at all.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest, the overwhelming ecstasy of regaining what he had lost nearly burning his sanity to ashes. Blood rushed to his limbs and bones, then flowed back into his brain, bringing waves of blissful dizziness. He was like a dying traveler in the desert who suddenly saw an oasis that shouldn't be there, within reach.

He gazed greedily at the oasis. She was bathed in sunlight, and the bright smile on her face, which should have made him wary, made it impossible for him to look away.

"That's...great." On the other end of the line, Morobushi Jingguang also breathed a sigh of relief, his voice trembling slightly. "If Hagiwara and the others are okay...that's great."

The other officers considerately left to report, leaving the space for the childhood sweethearts and the girl who had saved them. Hagiwara-kun, having just instructed his subordinates and reviewed their statements, looked back at Asami with eyes so gentle they seemed to drip with water.

As the crowd dispersed and they turned sideways, Furuya Rei noticed that the young man with semi-long hair had been holding the girl's hand tightly, their fingers intertwined. The latter still had a natural expression, as if she was holding a large dog... coaxing people into a mess.

"...It's only...temporary." The blond youth's smile faded, and he hummed softly, expressionless, "The fundamental problem hasn't been resolved yet. Don't forget, Hiro, that girl knows our identities... In any case, her presence is very dangerous."

Although saving Hagiwara and his teammates was enough to prove that she was kind-hearted, she was still very dangerous - now, Hagiwara Kenji, who had always indulged her, would definitely become even more extreme after this incident, and Matsuda didn't look much better. If Furuya Rei wanted to remind them to be careful, it would probably be hundreds of times more difficult than before.

He was not the only one who had this idea. Matsuda Jinpei stared at the tightly clasped hands of Yu Junran and the short-haired kid, and felt a pain in his teeth.

He could understand the feeling of being rescued, and he himself wanted to give the brat a hug or more... Tsk. But what was wrong with Hagi? Had he been knocked silly? Was this the time to hold hands? Why did he feel even stickier than before... He felt like throwing up.

"So you should be clear, Hagi, that kind of nonsense can only be used as a temporary solution," Matsuda Jinpei said seriously, feeling that he still had the responsibility to bring the conversation back to the point. "Even though Ogawa and the others are willing to speak with one voice, this matter is still too... The higher-ups will definitely continue the investigation."

Although all that nonsense like "stuffing people into the trash can and bringing them out" and "the game was a great success" and the memories of the "previous times" lingering in his mind made him want to give up thinking, time was still moving and there were many problems in reality that needed to be solved... This hateful kid almost had his suspiciousness and magical qualities written all over his face. No matter what, they had to help her get away with it while ensuring that her efforts would be recognized.

"Hmm... For this problem, I'm afraid I need to seek some... help from friends."

Hagiwara Kenji seemed to have already made up his mind about his question. The half-long-haired young man still held the young girl's hand, showing no intention of letting go. His gaze remained fixed on her face, his brows slightly curved. "But don't worry about this, Asamura-chan. Jinpei-chan and I will take care of it."

Chaomu, who had just been counting the special event rewards, suddenly looked up when he heard his name. "Huh? What are you worried about?"

She'd originally thought she'd only get a paltry reward for resolving the bomb incident, but soon after she'd freed everyone from the trash can, a golden pop-up window appeared, announcing she'd completed a special fate-changing event, rewarding her with a significant amount of faction experience and reputation. Her level had jumped significantly, and she'd even unlocked a new special buff.

Congratulations to the player for unlocking the special buff: Gaze from countless parallel worlds (permanent)

[A gaze cast across countless parallel worlds: The one observing fate has seen a single variable and has added you to their special watchlist. Upon receiving this buff, the player gains the title "The One Who Rewrites Fate," significantly improving all attributes and unlocking hidden routes and options as they explore the world.]

[It has been detected that the player has unlocked the same buff in a previous game. The system is calculating the data for you so that you can inherit the relevant attributes. All values ​​are being recalculated. Please be patient.]

This hint came as a surprise, and Chaomu's attention was completely focused on it. She was still trying to figure out what this magical buff was and what attributes she would inherit, but before she could figure it out, she was interrupted by Hagiwara Kenji's call.

The NPC's dialog box was still in front of her. She flipped through the chat history and roughly understood what he and Matsuda were worried about: after all, Hagiwara had guessed that the raccoon was her, and the fact that she stuffed so many NPCs into the trash can and brought them out was really shocking in the low-magic Beika Town.

They were probably worried that her specialness would be discovered and she'd be captured for experiments. There was indeed such a setting in the game. The chip she and Shen'er stole seemed to be the data of some high-ranking official's secret human experiment or something...

If it was a raccoon who had just entered the game, was not strong enough and had not yet organized a team, he would indeed need to worry about this problem, but Chaomu was not too worried now.

"I'm not worried, and neither do you, Hagiwara-kun." She squeezed his palm and said in a relaxed tone, "I'm not the only one with this special ability. Someone will help me solve the problem."

It can be seen from the previous negotiations with Bourbon and Scotland that Vongola has quite a lot of communication with the Japanese official. It should be okay to ask Brother for help with such a small matter, right?

...Will someone help...solve the problem?

Kenji Hagiwara clasped the back of her hand with his fingertips and stared down at her face.

Although he had vaguely sensed it before, and Kougu had mentioned it before...she had a hidden secret. This experience had completely confirmed it.

But to him, no matter what secrets she had, she was just Xiao Chaomu.

He bent down slightly, facing her, and without asking any further questions, simply asked, "Is it something that happened after you met me? Do you know those people... who can help Xiao Chaomu solve other problems?"

"Yeah, yeah." That handsome face was so close, his eyes only reflecting her shadow. Chaomu always had the subtle illusion of being held in his arms. Blinking, she answered seriously, "When I met Hagiwara-kun, I hadn't met anyone else yet."

Gin certainly doesn't count, and Megumi Fushiguro didn't provide her with much help either - oh, Jiner gave her a stealth skill, but actually that was mainly because of the previous dungeon that hadn't been opened yet; Midorikawa Kei was just a pseudonym, and certainly not as important as Hagiwara-kun; as for those who knew Vongola, that was after they became their disciples halfway through.

There was always calmness in her eyes, and Kenji Hagiwara could read the answer he wanted most from her eyes: to her, he was the most special person.

"Yeah, I get it." He arched his brows slightly, rested his chin on her shoulder, and held her in his arms. "Although it's a bit mean, I still can't help but feel excited about it..."

He had clearly always been concerned about it before—worried that Xiao Chaomu would develop some kind of fledgling-like feelings for him and mistakenly think it was love because he was the one who helped her in the beginning…but now, it seemed that he was the first one to fall completely in love.

Was it the suspension bridge effect that released all the previously suppressed emotions? He himself couldn't come to a conclusion for the time being. But for Hagiwara Kenji right now, that was the only thought that mattered most.

"After being saved by Xiao Chaomu... I have no idea how to repay her." He whispered softly in her ear, "I feel like I can only..."

...I promised myself to you.

The last syllable was pronounced very lightly, almost as a breath, tickling Chaomu's earlobe, and Matsuda Jinpei didn't hear it even though he was standing next to him.

Even Chaomu, who heard it, felt for a moment that she was hallucinating: if the plot had not been replayed and the conversation had not been recorded, she would have doubted whether she had heard it wrongly.

Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at the pretty police officer who smiled at her with a crooked look. The police officer simply winked at her and, without repeating himself, asked, "What do you think of this reward, Xiao Chaomu?"

Chaomu's expression became more serious than ever.

"I think so." She quickly flipped through the list to see when her next pet slot would be unlocked. "It might not be possible right now, but I'll remember Hagiwara-kun's promise."

The player heard it! Both ears heard it! Even if he later changed his tune and said it was a joke, she would not agree - since Hagiwara-kun had already said such a thing, she absolutely had to accept this reward!

Even if a pet contract cannot be concluded for the time being, Hagiwara-kun already belongs to her!

Her words were so incoherent that the smile on Hagiwara Kenji's face only deepened. He rubbed her head with a smile, and finally, reluctantly, let go of her hand. He gave her a few more instructions and agreed on a late-night snack. The two of them quickly reached an agreement.

Matsuda Jinpei, who didn't hear what Hagiwara said clearly, asked, "…………?"

Furuya Rei, who was eavesdropping from a distance and could barely hear what was being said, responded: "............?"

The two listeners once again felt a strange resonance at the same moment: So what on earth did he say to her? Why was he hugging her like that?! What kind of talk is this... Is this even right?

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Author's Note: This section concludes! I'm battling laziness and procrastination.

I'll update as normal tomorrow. The problem now is how to control myself and not let myself relax on Thursday and then just sit there for days... It's terrifying. Although the plot shouldn't be too laggy going forward, as it's all about the emotions and the story... After unlocking JO, the main storyline only lacks the cursed dungeon and the final brawl.

Bai Lan: Meimei Dangstoka, has the Raccoon anchor started broadcasting today?