Soon, as Shadow Time came again, everyone arrived at the gate of Tartarus again. This time, in addition to the original teammates, there were four more people in strange costumes - no need to ask, they were the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. After all, they were the only ones that Ellie knew who could enter this world and use Persona and had enough men.

"So, you're telling us to go in and rescue that guy before he gets killed by his other self? Are you kidding me?"

Although they had heard Ai Li talk about the late-night TV incident a long time ago, Amamiya Ren and the others still found it incredible. They had certainly met another self in the spiritual world of other people, but what they met at that time was the embodiment of their own true thoughts hidden in their hearts, which was basically consistent with their own actions.

A situation like this, being completely opposite to the original, and even trying to kill the original... was simply unimaginable to them.

"In that case, why don't you do it yourself?"

Ryuji Sakamoto still looked like he deserved a beating, but of course Ai Li simply ignored this uneducated dog.

"Anyway, only men are allowed in here, women are not allowed in, so I'll leave it to you."

“Why?”

Just as Sakamoto Ryuji was roaring and asking again, suddenly, a low, lustful male voice sounded from deep inside the gate in front of him.

"Oh, my lovely little kitty..."

At the same time, another male voice that sounded very weak emerged.

"Ah... well... what a strong muscle this is..."

"There's nothing to be afraid of. Come, relax your body and leave everything to me..."

"Mmm...ah...this muscle is so...amazing!!!"

“…”

Ellie turned her head silently and made a gesture.

"Now you understand?"

"Wait! I don't want to go in there!!"

Sakamoto Ryuji's face turned pale, and he stepped back with his hands covering his buttocks. Although Amamiya Ren didn't say anything, her face was also solemn. Only Kitagawa Yusuke looked at the scene in front of him in confusion, as if he didn't understand what was going on.

"Why? Aren't you, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, fighting for justice? Now there are innocent victims imprisoned in there, waiting for your rescue. Are you not going there just because of this little difficulty?"

"You said it well, why don't you go?"

"Are you blind? Can't you see the words above?"

Ai Li pointed at the sign on the gate that read "Women are not allowed, raiding is prohibited, a tropical paradise where you can sweat the sweat of love."

At the same time, I was secretly glad that I came in with a character. If I had come in with my real body, I would have been trapped!

"What? Are you going or not? If you don't go, after Xun Wan'er dies, you will be accomplices!"

Although Ai Li thought that it might be better if he died, if Fang Zheng were to be exposed to such a dark history, he would either kill all the witnesses or simply commit suicide.

Although Fang Zheng felt that he would not have such a dark history.

“Woo…”

Hearing Ai Li's question, everyone hesitated for a moment, and finally Kitagawa Yusuke entered the gate first, followed by Amamiya Ren and Sakamoto Ryuji who also walked in, followed by Sanada Akihiko and Toramaru... Well, Ai Li didn't want to know what they encountered inside, nor did she want to know what exactly happened inside.

Sometimes knowing nothing is also a kind of happiness.

Finally, the Phantom Thieves lived up to everyone's expectations and rescued Tatsumi Kanji. When they appeared in front of Ai Li and the others again, Tatsumi Kanji had fainted with a haggard expression - this was normal, almost every ordinary person in the movie time would be mentally stimulated and suppressed.

But the problem was that except for Tatsumi Kanji, everyone else had an abnormal expression. Sakamoto Ryuji looked at Amamiya Ren with a complicated look, while Kitagawa Yusuke stared at the two of them, as if he was thinking about something very serious. As for Sanada Akihiko and Tororamaru, they looked completely exhausted.

"Joker! Are you okay?!"

When Takamaki An, who was waiting outside with other girls, saw her companion in such a horrible state, she immediately rushed over to support the staggering Amamiya Ren, then she looked at Sakamoto Ryuji next to her and asked.

"What on earth happened? How did you become like this?"

"Uh... this..."

In response to Takamaki An's question, Sakamoto Ryuji turned his head away awkwardly, while Kitagawa Yusuke nodded.

"Well, it's actually not a big deal. I just confirmed that there are many different forms of love in the world."

"Why?"

After hearing this, Ai Li was no longer in the mood to ask them what exactly happened in there.

After that, the movie time ended, and Airi asked the traumatized members of the Phantom Thieves to go home and sleep, and the unconscious Tatsumi Kanji was naturally sent to the hospital for treatment and recuperation. Then on the next day, Airi found Tatsumi Kanji again and began to ask about the previous situation.

At first, Tatsumi Kanji seemed a little scared and nervous when facing Airi, but he still answered Airi's questions smoothly. Like Amagi Yukiko, Tatsumi Kanji had no memory of being brought into the shadow time. He just remembered that he was walking on the way home, then suddenly fainted, and then woke up in that inexplicable world.

"So, before the incident happened, did you notice anything unusual around you?"

"No, my days are pretty much the same... ah, right!"

Halfway through his speech, Xun Waner seemed to have thought of something and suddenly swung his fist.

"I accepted an interview with the media before! Those bastards kept saying that we were speeding and disturbing the neighbors... It's so annoying!"

"oh?"

Hearing this, Ellie's eyes lit up.

After that, Ai Li immediately left the hospital and went to the TV station.

By questioning Tatsumi Kanji, a question deep in Ai Li's heart was resolved.

That is...how did the criminal choose his victim?

At first, Ai Li focused her search on Yamano and Tanaka, but now it seems that the relationship between the victim and these two people becomes weaker and weaker. Yukiko Amagi can be said to have hosted Yamano and Tanaka, but Kanji Tatsumi, as an ordinary delinquent boy, has no connection with these two people.

So what criteria did the criminal use to select his targets? Was it random killing?

Further investigation of the TV station completely confirmed Ai Li's idea.

"I see... Now I finally understand..."

Looking at the videotape in front of her, Ellie narrowed her eyes. After arriving at the TV station, she immediately showed her license and asked to see the videotape. Finally, Ellie found a clue in the videotape.

That is, every victim had broadcast their TV program the day before the rain. For example, the underground love affair of anchor Yamano, the extramarital affair interview of director Tanaka, the shopping street interview of Konishi Saki, the hotel record of Amagi Yukiko, and the late-night racing of the bad boy Tatsumi Kanji...

In other words, the target chosen by late-night TV is the local people who appeared on the TV news the day before the rain... Well, now the scope has been further narrowed, but there are still not enough clues.

Just as Ellie was leaving the TV station and preparing to go back to the branch to discuss the situation, suddenly, a familiar voice sounded.

"So, that's it!"

"Um?"

Hearing the voice, Ai Li raised her eyebrows, then she secretly turned around and looked towards the alley not far away, only to see two familiar figures in the depths of the alley - Amamiya Ren and Sakamoto Ryuji.

At this moment, Ryuji Sakamoto was holding Amamiya Ren tightly and staring at him seriously.

"Yes, I do like you! Joker! It's you who brought me a new life! I still remember the way you looked when you awakened your Persona to save me! I really, really like you very much! Is it really so disgusting for a man to like another man?!"

"No, you misunderstood, Long Si, I didn't mean that..."

Facing Sakamoto Ryuji in front of her, Amamiya Ren seemed to show a rare embarrassed expression, but Sakamoto Ryuji shook his head.

"I didn't misunderstand. I know you like Xing more than me, right? She's pretty, fashionable, and has a good figure. She's also a mixed-race returnee. I'm not as handsome as Yusuke, and I'm also an artist. I'm just a delinquent, and I don't have a good reputation in school, but... but I love you! Joker!!!"

While shouting, Sakamoto Ryuji grabbed Amamiya Ren's shoulders and pressed the frail boy against the wall. Then he gritted his teeth and bit the boy's lips tightly.

“——!!!”

At this moment, Amamiya Ren's glasses suddenly widened, and he stared blankly ahead with lifeless eyes. His hands, which were originally pulling at Sakamoto Ryuji's clothes, fell powerlessly to the sides of his body...

“…”

Ai Li withdrew her gaze and looked at the sky around her silently.

Is the Goddess of Order watching?

Although no one knows what they saw on that floor before, it now seems that someone in the Phantom Thieves has opened the door to a new world.

“…”

It’s gone, it’s nothing to do with me.

Ellie took another look at the tangled shadows deep in the alley, then casually projected a broom, sat on it and flew into the sky.

The faint humming and moaning coming from the alley disappeared into the air under the playful wind...