Chapter 54 - Fourth Floor Elevator (3) Dazai Osamu was supported by the low...
Dazai Osamu supported Muto Kana, who was sobbing softly, but his thoughts had already flown to the last scene he saw.
"Sir?" Kana Muto's weak voice interrupted Osamu Dazai's thoughts. Her face was pale, and her eyes were still unfocused as she looked at Dazai. Clearly, her experience on the -4 level had caused her great mental trauma.
Dazai Osamu composed himself and put on a reassuring smile: "It's alright, Ms. Muto, we'll be back in a safe place soon, so don't worry too much about me."
Even after being comforted by Dazai Osamu, Muto Kana's body was still trembling slightly in the elevator, but out of politeness, she still hummed in response and forced a smile.
Dazai Osamu sighed, took off his trench coat, winked at the stunned Mutou Kana, and said in a gentle tone with his usual flippancy: "When people are frightened, they will experience a stress response. How could I bear to see such a beautiful lady with stiff shoulders and a trembling body in discomfort?"
As he spoke, Dazai Osamu handed the trench coat over, not deliberately tossing it too close: "If you don't mind, put it on first."
Kana Muto nodded, took the trench coat from the other person, and said softly, "Thank you."
When the elevator doors opened again in the lobby on the first floor, Edogawa Ranpo and the security guards, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately came forward. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Muto Kana was alive.
"Dazai, are you alright?"
Edogawa Ranpo keenly noticed the odd thing about Dazai Osamu's expression.
"Ah, it's alright." Dazai Osamu smiled, handed Muto Kana to the medical staff who rushed over, then pulled Edogawa Ranpo aside and whispered, "Ranpo-san, I saw... another [me]."
Edogawa Ranpo's eyes widened instantly, a hint of surprise flashing across them, quickly replaced by intense interest: "Another you? On the -4 floor? Tell me more."
Dazai Osamu briefly described the appearance and demeanor of the young man in the kimono, as well as the silent lip-reading.
After listening, Edogawa Ranpo crossed his arms, frowned, and looked at Dazai Osamu again with an unprecedented seriousness in his tone: "Dazai, you need to be careful. That 'you' may know all your weaknesses, and Takeichi... his ability to control this power shows that he is very proficient in using the rules of ghost stories. They know us better than we think...
Dazai Osamu nodded, lowering his eyes: "I know."
...
Takeichi stood still, slowly turning his head to look at Oba Yozo, who was dressed in a kimono and exuded a gloomy aura. The other man looked at the rising elevator without any emotion in his eyes. Only when he felt Takeichi's gaze did Oba Yozo turn his head and reveal an innocent smile.
"You're quite pathetic, Takeichi." Ōba Yozo spoke, his voice identical to Dazai Osamu's, but laced with coldness and mockery: "How does it feel to be looked at like that by a former comrade?"
Zhu Yi stared at him silently, his wine-red eyes devoid of any emotion, as if he were looking at an insignificant projection.
“Don’t look at us like that.” Ōba Yozo took a few steps closer, his face filled with feigned pity and sympathy: “Aren’t we essentially the same? We’re all guys who don’t hesitate to dirty our hands and walk in the shadows of others for some purpose.”
“However,” Ōba Yozo’s voice was gentle, and his face was also filled with a warm smile, “you are still making excuses for your actions, still wavering because of those so-called guilt. It’s really laughable and pathetic. If it were the old you, you would probably have done better than you are now.”
“You are not him,” Zhu Yi finally spoke.
“Me? Of course not.” Oba Yozo readily admitted.
"What do you want to do here?" Zhu Yi asked.
"What are you doing?" Ōba Yozo paced slowly around Takeichi, scrutinizing him intently, before finally stopping and standing before him. "I told you, we'll meet again. But my true form can't appear in this world, you know that... I'm just reminding you."
"Your hesitation and your pathetic conscience will destroy everything you have sooner or later. Look at what happened just now. If I hadn't interfered with them, would you have been able to gain so much energy so quickly?"
He was referring to Kana Muto and Osamu Dazai. Takeichi realized that Kana Muto's final, near-collapse-like fear and the manipulation of the shadow were both the work of Yozo Oba.
"Was it also you who caused the alleyway ghost stories to get out of control?" Zhu Yi immediately noticed something and asked with a frown.
"To achieve our goal, necessary catalysis is a matter of course, and it is also the greatest benefit." Oba Yozo spoke in a tone as if he were coaxing a disobedient child. Every time Takeichi looked at him, he always had a weak and innocent look on his face.
"You don't need to worry about that man's death. Isn't his regret and the energy from his death bringing you one step closer to your goal? Why pretend to be in pain? You won't experience pain... Takeichi, because you and I are both freaks."
“We all know that this is the most efficient path.”
"Shut up." Zhu Yi's voice finally showed some emotion.
“Shut up…?” Oba Yozo was taken aback for a moment, his lips pursed slightly, a tear slid down his cheek, and his tone was apologetic: “I didn’t mean to say that, I thought you didn’t care.”
“You are my friend, Takeichi.”
"I know you better than anyone else."
"You can fool others, but you can't fool me, and you can't fool yourself. You're collecting this energy just for that ridiculous wish... to resurrect that dead man. I don't blame you. To go to such lengths for an insignificant stranger, even I can't help but be moved by your loyalty, even at the cost of going against the 'right' of the entire world."
“…Takeichi, my friend. You are more insane and paranoid than any guy I know, even with such humanity in you.”
Takeichi's pupils contracted slightly. Oba Yozo noticed the other's subtle reaction and spoke in a gentle, reassuring tone: "But do you think that you've succeeded in reviving that man and that everything can go back to the way it was?"
“That child will never forget the pain of losing his father. Kunikida and Ango will never forgive your deception and manipulation. Takeichi... don't be naive. The path you've chosen is destined to be lonely, destined to bear all your sins.”
“Look at you now.” Ōba Yozo reached out and cupped the other’s cheeks, his voice full of seduction: “You clearly possess power beyond reason, yet you’re still trapped by these pointless emotions. I don’t blame you, after all, that world is so boring, I can understand treating it as a pastime. But it’s no longer necessary… Takeichi, only I, only I am on the same path as you.”
"We are the ones who understand best..."
"Friends of each other".
Looking at Takeichi who didn't react, Oba Yozo tilted his head slightly and smiled, "Let's discard those useless shackles, okay?"
“You’re like a demon,” Takeichi said, raising his hand. The black shadows in the space twisted uncontrollably, gradually wrapping around Ōba Yozo.
Despite feeling himself being swallowed up, Ooba Yozo remained calm. He looked at Takeichi with gentle eyes and sighed softly, "...Still so dishonest."
"But it's okay, we'll meet again. I'm always here..."
Before he finished speaking, his figure vanished like shattered glass, turning into white light and disappearing.
Takeichi couldn't deny what Oba Yozo said. For that ultimate goal, he did indeed walk on the edge of the gray area, and his hands inevitably became tainted with exploitation, deception, and even worse behavior.
But there was no time for hesitation or repentance.
"System, forcibly reclaim the supernatural tales."
...
Edogawa Ranpo stood silently at the elevator door, then let out a sound of displeasure.
"Mr. Ranpo?" Dazai Osamu asked.
“There’s no need for a famous detective anymore.” Edogawa Ranpo, holding his hat, turned and left somewhat angrily, with Dazai Osamu following after him.
“After all, with that guy exposed, it’s impossible for us to find any fault with him.” Edogawa Ranpo looked at Dazai Osamu: “There won’t be any -4 floors now. Notify some of the Special Abilities Division to handle the aftermath. We need to go back to the Armed Detective Agency to inform the president and the others.”
...
The next day, news that the elevator disappearance incident had been successfully resolved spread through property management announcements and news reports. The official explanation for the incident was casually given: the missing person, Kana Muto, had been found and was receiving psychological counseling.
For most people, it was just a bizarre but now-ended urban legend. But only a very few insiders knew that the seemingly peaceful ending was not as simple as it appeared.
The Special Abilities Division did detect a trace of the legend's fluctuations, but it disappeared shortly afterward, proving that the legend had vanished.
After learning about Takeichi's situation during Dazai Osamu's negotiations, Sakaguchi Ango remained silent, clearly not expecting Takeichi to be one of the manipulators behind the scenes.
"I understand." Finally, Ango Sakaguchi replied with difficulty. He did not let his personal feelings affect his rationality, but instead reported it to his superiors.
Inside the Armed Detective Agency.
Dazai Osamu and Edogawa Ranpo reported the details and experiences of last night, as well as their suspicions about Takeichi, to President Fukuzawa Yukichi and Kunikida Doppo, but some information was appropriately vague because it had not yet been confirmed.
"Takeichi-kun, is he really the mastermind behind this?" Kunikida Doppo was incredulous when he heard the news, his face filled with shock. He had had considerable contact with Takeichi, and in his memory, the man had always been gentle and polite, except for his greed. How could he be associated with the culprit who created panic and caused disappearances?
“Although there is a lack of direct evidence, all the clues point to him.” Dazai Osamu said calmly, “His appearance last night and the disappearance of the ghost stories all indicate that he has a direct connection with these ghost stories.”
Fukuzawa Yukichi sat upright in the main seat, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his breath heavy and focused: "His purpose?"
“His purpose is unclear.” Edogawa Ranpo chewed on a lollipop. “But what is certain is that he is collecting something, and that is his goal. But his actions… are full of contradictions.”
Kunikida Doppo was silent for a moment: "If this is true, then we must stop him. No matter what his reasons are, it is unforgivable to use and harm innocent people."
His words represented the detective agency's stance; justice and order were the cornerstones of their actions.
Dazai Osamu looked at Kunikida Doppo, then thought of the cold and unfamiliar Takeichi from last night, and another version of himself, and sighed silently in his heart. An unavoidable conflict was approaching.
Meanwhile, Zhu Yi is temporarily staying in Fyodor's safe house. As the energy approaches the critical point, the world's repulsion is gradually tightening.
"What are you thinking about?" Fyodor asked, looking at Takeichi who was sitting in a chair by the window, deep in thought. Takeichi turned his head and smiled, "Nothing."
"By the way, I'm very interested in the book you mentioned. Can you tell me about it?" Zhu Yi looked at him shyly, her wine-red eyes filled with curious curiosity.
“Of course.” Fyodor’s lips curled into a very slight smile.
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