Chapter 106

Always searching—

Drip, drip, drip.

The sudden rain fell from the eaves, and Dongshu quickly ducked into the house, bypassing the puddles on the ground.

It's very desolate here.

"...Are you sure this is the place?" Dazai asked in a low voice. "Something doesn't look right."

They were originally searching along the riverbank and the surrounding buildings where they had encountered the enemy, but Fuyuki suddenly remembered the place where he had been attacked in the first place.

Having gained nothing to begin with, Dazai Ming naturally agreed to change locations.

Fuyuki nodded, glancing around to conceal her doubts: "This is it. Those guys suddenly rushed in and started attacking without saying a word."

She raised her hand to cover her face, her voice choked with sobs: "I don't remember much else, I just remember everyone running away in a panic, if we hadn't met..."

The girl glanced at Dazai Osamu, then sadly lowered her head again. "If it weren't for... I wouldn't have had the chance to come back here..."

Well done! That's exactly it—

Unseen wild dogs revelled around her, invisible words were placed on the retina of the winter tree, and the hand that pinched itself to force out tears trembled in the shadows.

A few tears were clearly visible in the corners of Dongshu's eyes.

Ouch, that hurts.

Despite his poor acting skills, Dazai believed him.

He nodded thoughtfully, then looked around.

It's much larger here than it looks from the outside. The empty walls are mottled and dilapidated, with much of the plaster peeling off, but it's not hard to see the warm tones left over from a previous renovation.

Fuyuki blinked, pretending to be unable to shake off her sadness, and stood in a corner so as not to disturb Dazai Osamu and Dazai Mei's exchange.

She secretly gave the little stray dog ​​a couple of hard pats, and the already tiny paper figure became wrinkled and looked pitiful.

[Huh?! Why are you pinching me all of a sudden!] The little thing protested and struggled, but didn't actually use any force.

[This is a strange script. If it doesn't turn out well, I'll let you try it too.] Fuyuki smiled kindly, but stared at the guy who had cast her as a pitiful, half-amnesiac orphan with a sinister look.

I don't know where the newly formed world consciousness got so many ideas from.

"Come here." Soon, Dazai Ming reacted. He squatted in front of the wall, shining a flashlight, which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, on it.

His movement of shining the light on his hand was steady, and he knelt down on one knee, his serious attitude toward the clues drawing attention.

Fuyuki blinked, then leaned closer. On the messy, dirty wall, there was a strange mark, as if some food had been rubbed against it, mixed with the sound of sharp objects clashing.

Two completely unrelated things appear at the same time, and—

Dongshu's nose twitched, and the distinct aroma of food filled the air.

They didn't have this when they first came in.

Just as she was wondering, Dazai Osamu suddenly sighed deeply and straightened up: "Really, Ming always has supernatural phenomena. Is it another case of his supernatural ability suddenly going out of control?"

Dazai Ming froze, scratching his head and chuckling awkwardly, "Y-yes, I'm very sorry, Osamu."

Immediately afterwards, he reached out and touched Dazai Osamu: "Like this is fine, thank you."

"Mmm." Dazai Osamu grabbed him, his gaze still fixed on that trace. "It didn't disappear..."

"Huh? This is a rare, lucky side." Dazai Ming took two steps to the side in surprise. "Let me see, what is it trying to tell me...?"

He stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Dongshu looked confused, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two people.

Why did they suddenly switch to encrypted communication? She couldn't understand what these two guys were trying to say at all.

"It's an ability granted to outsiders by an unknown entity," the little stray dog ​​explained calmly, arms crossed.

[Ability? A special ability?] Fuyuki recalled the power the girl possessed when he came here before. [It's possible that she's the same mastermind behind this.]

"No." The little stray dog ​​looked at her questioningly. "That bad guy from last time was completely wiped out by your knife, how could it be the same one?"

Fuyuki: "?"

[When did this happen?]

"Of course it was last time!" The world consciousness of the immortal species, which is insensitive to time, amplified its voice with a guilty conscience yet a sense of righteous indignation.

[...]

Fuyuki was silent, then suddenly looked up. "I'll go check."

She moved closer to the wall, reached out and touched it, and a slight stinging sensation crept in from her fingertips.

Her fingers curled reflexively, and she abruptly stepped back, her brows furrowing, her dark eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty.

"What did you see?" Dazai Ming noticed and suddenly looked at Fuyuki, his expression tense.

Dongshu tilted his head, puzzled, and asked, "What did you see?"

“…No, it’s nothing.” Dazai Ming breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled and walked over to Fuyuki. “It’s dangerous here, little Fuyuki, don’t touch strange things. It’s a bad habit, good children shouldn’t do that.”

The words are meager, yet the speaker tries to establish their status as an elder.

Dongshu nodded obediently, her voice childish yet carrying the unique voice change characteristic of this period: "Yes, I understand."

"Well, Fuyuki is very obedient." Dazai Osamu walked over and ruffled the heads of the two of them. He said with a smile, "But it seems there are other problems now, so don't let your guard down."

"Right now, there are three of us who aren't good at fighting."

These words seemed to have a hidden meaning.

As Fuyuki struggled, she saw Dazai Mei, who was experiencing both pain and pleasure, and suddenly realized that having her hair messed up wasn't such a big deal.

Be a good girl and shut up so I can rub you.

The three separated again and headed towards the other house. It was still raining outside, but much lighter, and the fine drizzle tickled their faces.

Dongshu waved, then suddenly looked back twice, puzzled but found nothing.

"Little Fuyuki, don't get lost." Dazai Osamu called to her.

"Sorry, I'm here." Fuyuki followed immediately, but didn't see the blue data stream that flashed by as he turned around.

The unknown entity, lurking in the darkness and completely oblivious to the danger, remains in a state of complete control.

The little stray dog ​​crossed its arms and sighed silently.

He then swiftly and decisively kicked it, the faint color spreading out and staining the white paper with some of the color.

He shook his little feet in dissatisfaction.

Why isn't it the main body?!

After ensuring that he had completely disappeared, he followed in Fuyuki's footsteps once again.

Dongshu lowered her slightly open hand to catch the little paper figure that was rushing towards her. She rolled her eyes and slowly breathed a sigh of relief.

very good.

At least on the surface, no one noticed.

An indescribable sense of oppression permeated the newly entered building. Fuyuki's temples throbbed with unease, and she frowned inwardly, on guard.

"Wait a minute." Dazai Ming's flashlight suddenly swept across the ground, and several footprints suddenly appeared on the flat ground covered with a light layer of dust.

"These footprints are still very fresh."

“That’s true.” Dazai Osamu also leaned over and began to study it thoughtfully.

Winter Tree, Winter Tree froze.

This size! This shape!

Her gaze moved subtly, following the contract, easily finding the last glimmer of color before the knife spirit perfectly concealed itself.

"Has the enemy confirmed the scene?" Dazai Osamu's eyes were dark, but he looked up and a smile appeared on his lips. "What do you think, Fuyuki?"

Dongshu stiffly raised his head, but his lips seemed glued shut, and he couldn't open them no matter what he did.

[Author's Note]

Dongshu: You want me to betray my own family for the greater good? [Cracks open]