·59｜Exclusive to Jinjiang·59
His true identity.
The soul was transferred from the clone created by the Administration Bureau into the body of the red-haired Yomi, and Yomi felt no discomfort.
only……
Achoo!
This is the second sneeze Lai Chuan Huang Quan has given.
Kenji Hagiwara quickly pulled the blanket from the hospital bed, and under Mr. Raikawa's murderous glare, wrapped his girlfriend in his arms like a little dumpling with only her head sticking out.
Kenji Hagiwara ruffled Yomi Rikawa's soft, fluffy curly hair: "Looks like Soft Bread, your current body is afraid of the cold."
It's only natural that he'd be afraid of the cold. This body is just an ordinary human body, sensitive to both cold and heat, requiring food to replenish its daily nutritional and calorie needs, lacking a strong self-healing ability, and even slightly lacking exercise—in any case, Lai Chuan Huang Quan would never use this body to jump up and kick someone in the face.
But compared to her weakened body, Yomi Laichuan faces even greater troubles.
"1107, I must remove you from this world."
All the skills assigned to employees by the Time and Space Administration can only be used by bodies copied and modified by the Time and Space Administration. After returning to her original body, Lai Chuan Huang Quan couldn't even open the virtual control panel.
Moreover, having lost her enhanced body, Yomi Laichuan became more vulnerable and more easily injured.
"If it's a body prepared by the Time and Space Administration, I can extract you along with your body in extreme situations and use the Time and Space Administration's technology to quickly repair your damaged body. But if I'm using your original body, I can only extract your soul. And once that body dies, it's truly dead. Unless time is reset, all the damage suffered is irreversible."
In other words, Yomi Yomi could not use the body of the red-haired Yomi to carry out missions or fight.
The risk is too high.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan rubbed his forehead against Hagiwara Kenji's chin: "What will happen to my body after I'm removed?"
"The clone will be removed along with the original body, which will fall into a deep sleep, entering a state similar to a vegetative state."
Body and soul are mutually attracted. Lai Chuan Huang Quan's long-term tracking and investigation of Shan Fa Huang Quan's behavior led to the soul returning to its original place. The operating procedures written by the Time and Space Administration for Shan Fa Huang Quan's empty shell were forcibly squeezed out by the returned soul.
If Lai Chuan Huang Quan's soul were removed at this point, the red-haired Huang Quan would truly become an empty shell.
Unless the data program set by the Time and Space Administration is replanted into her body, she will remain in a deep sleep.
But since the matter has been laid bare, the administrator believes there is no need to replant the data program.
"Having Lai Chuan find someone to protect his body can actually save us from unnecessary trouble and danger."
As long as the red-haired Yomi is still capable of acting independently, she could potentially be drawn into danger in the high-risk city of Tokyo. Rather than having to allocate separate resources to protect her later, it's better to start now by hiding her in a difficult-to-notice place and taking care of her alone.
It's always easier and simpler to nip danger in the bud and take preventative measures than to try and fix things after they've gone wrong.
Once Yomi Laichuan has completed all the relief efforts, her mission will be completely over. At that time, the administrator plans to let Yomi Laichuan return to her original body and live a good life in this world as Yomi Laichuan.
Therefore, they must ensure that the body of the red-haired man in the underworld remains safe and sound.
Otherwise, even if Raikawa Yomi successfully completes all the relief work this time, she will not be able to stay.
Kenji Hagiwara: "After it's been removed, will the soft bread come back?"
"Yes. But to save time and avoid any unnecessary accidents, I will send her directly to three years later, which is six months before Matsuda Jinpei died in the line of duty."
Upon hearing this, Ken Hagiwara twitched his two fingers, as if he were about to clench his fist and then relaxed them.
Kenji Hagiwara wore a smile, but his restless emotions were already quietly surging through his body with each heartbeat, making it hard to breathe. He looked pitifully at Yomi Laichuan with his eyes downcast: "Then does that mean I won't see any soft bread for three years?"
For Kenji Hagiwara, Yomi Yorikawa seemed to be floating in the sky. He had finally gained a real sense of holding her in his hands, only to lose her again.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan grasped Hagiwara Kenji's hand, interlocking their fingers: "I'll try to beg the administrator to let me come over sooner. Kenji, you have to wait for me, okay?"
Kenji Hagiwara opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat. All his thoughts ultimately turned into a gentle smile. He softened his brows and eyes, his captivating purple eyes filled with a soft moonlight: "You must come to me first, okay?"
Mr. Lai Chuan sat opposite them, one hand propping up his forehead. His face was expressionless, revealing neither joy nor sorrow, but he was clearly very agitated. He had already endured enough unpleasant things and frights today, and the fact that he could still calmly and methodically analyze and deal with the situation was a testament to his strong inner strength.
But Mr. Raikawa still couldn't get used to his daughter's sudden change in personality, and even her inexplicable appearance of a boyfriend who worked in the SWAT team.
Although based on available intelligence, it's possible that Yomi Yorikawa and Kenji Hagiwara had a close relationship many lifetimes ago. However, at this point in time, Yorikawa's beloved daughter clearly didn't even have any male friends she was intimately acquainted with.
Mr. Raikawa originally planned to introduce his youngest son, a graduate student from the neighboring Tokyo Medical University, to Huang Quan. Everything was settled with Huang Quan, but unexpectedly, a squad leader from the Mobile Unit suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
But Mr. Rikawa had no way to ask Rikawa Yomi to get down from Kenji Hagiwara's arms.
To Yomi Laichuan, he was the outsider who suddenly appeared.
Both he and Lai Chuanhuangquan need time to process all of this and to process the relationship between them.
Thinking this through, Mr. Lai Chuan, whose head was throbbing with worry, rubbed his temples and decided to compromise for the time being.
Just a month ago, he secretly sighed to himself, thank goodness that crazy girl Lai Chuan Huang Quan wasn't his daughter. But today, he was told, "Sorry, she is your only biological child."
What a ridiculous and absurd life!
But thankfully, his daughter's eyes finally lit up.
With things having come to this point, Mr. Raikawa was helpless. He sighed and said seriously, "I will arrange for someone to take good care of your body, but you cannot live with Kenji Hagiwara after you come back, even if you are using a clone's body."
Lai Chuan Huang Quan pouted: "We don't live together, we're tenant and landlord."
Mr. Lai Chuan squinted and scrutinized Lai Chuan Huang Quan: "Move back to live here."
"I don't want to!"
Seeing that the two were about to argue, Kenji Hagiwara quickly interrupted. He smiled and hugged Yomi Raikawa, comforting her gently, and offered Yomi a way out so that he wouldn't be embarrassed. Kenji Hagiwara truly lived up to his reputation for high emotional intelligence; he found a reason that made Yomi Raikawa feel comfortable, and got him to temporarily agree to let Yomi Raikawa continue to stay with him after her return.
But in reality, Mr. Raikawa himself knew that he probably couldn't control the current Raikawa Yomi. He was both angry and annoyed, but there was nothing he could do.
Mr. Lai Chuan bent his back, letting his body lean completely into the back of the chair: "When do we start to withdraw?"
"Now."
The longer it drags on, the more stable Lai Chuan You Quan's body and soul will become. At that point, extracting them in an absolutely safe and harmless manner will be something the administrator alone cannot handle.
The Time and Space Administration disdains oppressing its employees; they always believe in fairness and that you get what you put in.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan's current workload is just enough to balance her wishes. However, if the Time and Space Administration intervenes to remove her from the mission, the balance will be broken, and she will have to start all over again.
As soon as the administrator finished speaking, Kenji Hagiwara instinctively tightened his embrace. He held the person in his arms tightly, like an insecure child clutching their beloved teddy bear. But he only tightened his arms briefly, then forced a smile and released the person in his arms.
Kenji Hagiwara reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair from Yomi's temple, his fingertips tracing her face. His violet eyes were filled with Yomi's features; he gazed at her, unwilling to even blink.
"Soft bread, you must come and see me when you get back!"
Lai Chuan Huang Quan pursed his lips, his eyes wandering and uneasy: "I'm going to be gone for three years. When I come back, will you still not like me?"
“No way,” Kenji Hagiwara chuckled. “I’m still waiting to take you out for some delicious food.”
Lai Chuan Huang Quan glanced at Hagiwara Kenji, lowered his gaze, and muttered softly, "All he does is say nice things."
Kenji Hagiwara was about to say a few more words of comfort when the administrator suddenly spoke up: "He won't."
After four time resets, Hagi and Matsu have developed memory cracks. Since they can already glimpse what happened in the past, they will eventually remember everything. Moreover, with each reincarnation, he believes he has seen through their true nature.
A trustworthy person.
This is the evaluation given by the administrator.
Time was of the essence. Lai Chuan Huang Quan grabbed Hagiwara Kenji and rattled off a whole bunch of things before jumping down from his arms and bowing deeply to Matsuda Jinpei: "Officer Matsuda, thank you so much for taking care of me all this time. Even though I always call you that jerk officer, you're actually a really nice person! I'm really happy to be with you!"
Yomi Lai spoke sincerely and earnestly, making Jinpei Matsuda a little uncomfortable. He hooked his fingers around his collar and pulled it out a couple of times, his Adam's apple bobbing before he finally managed to squeeze out a muffled "Mmm."
Of course, it would be even better if Raikawa Yomi didn't bump his chin when he looked up because he was too excited.
A muffled thud echoed as forehead and chin collided, the sound of bones colliding shattering the heavy atmosphere. Raikawa Yomi and Matsuda Jinpei both crouched down, one covering her head, the other her chin, instantly transforming the scene from heartwarming to a childish squabble.
Matsuda Jinpei: "If you're going to get up, then get up. Why did you jump like that?"
Matsuda Jinpei was so jolted by the impact that he almost lost his grip on the cigarette in his mouth. He was suddenly thankful that he hadn't tried to speak, or he might have lost his tongue.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan clutched his forehead, tears welling in his eyes from the pain. This body had been too well protected by Mr. Lai Chuan; it was extremely delicate, and soon a small bump appeared on his head.
She glared at Matsuda Jinpei defiantly: "I was just too excited, and it was you who suddenly came over!"
"That was...!"
Matsuda Jinpei abruptly stopped speaking, glaring at Yomi Raikawa before finally managing to squeeze out the rest of his sentence, "Alright, alright, I appreciate your sentiments. Go and say your final goodbye to Hagi."
Yomi Laichuan turned around, and Kenji Hagiwara had already stood up from the edge of the bed. His brows were slightly furrowed, and he stared intently at Yomi Laichuan.
Kenji Hagiwara wore a bright smile, but a deep, gloomy look welled up in his eyes. He sighed, then smiled faintly and opened his arms to Yomi Rikawa: "Give me a hug?"
Strong arms tightly encircled Lai Chuan Huang Quan's waist. Hagiwara Kenji pressed him forcefully into his embrace, but then quickly released him.
He was afraid that if he held her for too long, he would be reluctant to let Lai Chuan go to the underworld.
Kenji Hagiwara smiled and took a half step back, his tone gentle: "I won't change my address or phone number. I'll always wait for you."
"Okay~"
The administrator seemed impatient, or perhaps time was running out, for he interrupted their interaction: "I'm about to begin the withdrawal. Countdown 10, 9..."
Only now did Raikawa Yomi finally turn her head to look at the man who had been sitting quietly by the window since earlier.
Mr. Lai Chuan had his hair slicked back, with only a couple of stray strands falling across his forehead. He sported a mustache, and his sharp, lion-like eyes now betrayed a hint of weariness. A few graying hairs were also hidden behind his ears.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan hesitated for a moment with his hands behind his back, his voice barely audible: "Dad, Dad..."
The call was soft, but Mr. Raikawa still heard it. He froze for a very brief moment, then quickly relaxed. When he looked at Raikawa Yomi again, in addition to feelings of pity, there was also a touch of emotion.
"Um, I..." Lai Chuan Huang Quan was not quite used to being with Mr. Lai Chuan. She twirled her red hair with her fingers, her bright eyes darting around. "I'll come to see you again in three years. In the meantime, I'll leave my health in your care."
Mr. Raikawa opened his mouth, with a lot to say, but in the end he could only squeeze out a short "hmm".
As the countdown ended, Yomi Laichuan, who was smiling just a second ago, collapsed into Kenji Hagiwara's arms like a piece of dead flesh with its bones removed.
Kenji Hagiwara held the unconscious Yomi Raikawa in his arms, carefully laid her flat on the hospital bed, and gently covered her with a blanket.
Silence filled the ward. It was as if God had ripped away all sound; not even the hum of the medical equipment could be heard. It was eerily quiet.
After a long while, Matsuda Jinpei finally pulled a new cigarette from his pocket. The click of the lighter was the only sound in the ward. He lit the cigarette, then suddenly seemed to remember something and hurriedly stubbed it out: "She's gone?"
Consciousness and soul have separated, but the body remains. Lai Chuan Huang Quan is still breathing; he cannot smoke in front of her.
Kenji Hagiwara sat sideways on the edge of the bed, gently brushing aside the stray hairs on Yomi Rikawa's forehead with his fingers: "Yeah, I'm leaving."
Mr. Lai Chuan sighed and stood up: "I still have work to do at the police station, so I'll head back now. I'll arrange for my subordinates to take good care of Huang Quan's health. It will probably take two to three hours. I'll leave Huang Quan in your care during this time."
He turned to look at the two aces of the mobile squad and said seriously, "I have many questions, but it's my duty, and being away from my post for this long is the limit. I might pay a visit in a few days, but I hope it won't be presumptuous."
After saying that, he strode away without looking back.
After Mr. Lai Chuan left, the ward fell silent once more. Kenji Hagiwara held Lai Chuan's hand tightly, reluctant to let go. He looked down at Lai Chuan's face and unconsciously gave a faint smile.
As the clock ticked, Kenji Hagiwara, whose back was starting to ache from sitting so long, finally stood up. He turned to look at Jinpei Matsuda, who had been quietly leaning against the wall, and slowly said, "Jinpei, there's something I want to talk to you about, it's about soft bread."
...
After being extracted, Lai Chuan Huang Quan first fell into a state of confusion, her consciousness gradually fading until she fell into a deep sleep. When she opened her eyes again, she was back at the place where her memories began—a cylindrical glass container filled with a transparent liquid.
The administrator stood outside the glass container, frowning and gazing at her with a heavy heart.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan opened his mouth and spat out a series of bubbles. The next second, the liquid was drawn out from the bottom. The glass container was cut in half and contracted into the wall from both the top and bottom.
A beam of light, resembling the aurora borealis, shone down from above, scanning Lai Chuan Huang Quan twice. Then, an electronic female voice announced: "Scan complete. Repair complete. You may continue the mission."
Lai Chuan Huang Quan raised her arms and stretched her body like a cat, then wrung out her long, wet hair. Her hair, inherited from her previous hair, was fluffy and slightly curly, and heavy when wet.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan skipped over to the administrator in a few steps, his bright eyes full of anticipation: "Administrator, when can we perform a space jump!"
The administrator frowned, only tossed out a "Get some rest" before leaving without looking back. For the next week, no matter how much Raikawa Huangquan harassed her, the administrator would simply give a cold "Go back and rest," forcibly sending the eager young woman, who couldn't wait to see her boyfriend, away with a stern face.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan was not willing to accept this. Every day, she would sit cross-legged in the administrator's control room, her hands supporting her chin and her face scrunched up. But no matter whether Lai Chuan Huang Quan tried to reason, act coquettishly, or be unreasonable, the administrator was only focused on the world of other employees, only occasionally glancing at her out of the corner of his eye before quickly looking away.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan staked out the administrator's office every day, practically rolling around on the floor in frustration. She glared angrily at the administrator, but the more she looked at him, the more she felt that his weathered eyes held a wealth of emotions. Her earlier speculation about the administrator's identity resurfaced in her mind, and Lai Chuan Huang Quan stared intently into his eyes, becoming increasingly certain of her guess.
The day before he was to be sent away, Lai Chuan Huang Quan nestled in the extra soft sofa in the administrator's office—a sofa that the administrator had specially provided, even though he already had a comfortable office chair. Lai Chuan Huang Quan picked up the juice on the table and sipped it slowly, then shifted into a comfortable but unsightly, limp position: "Administrator, your face and voice are actually fake, aren't they?"
The administrator remained expressionless and sternly denied Lai Chuan Huang Quan's guess.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan glanced at the man's busy back, pouted and muttered under his breath, "Liar, he must have asked the Time and Space Administration to impersonate him."
She didn't confront him directly, nor did she insist on returning to Kenji Hagiwara's side immediately. Instead, she became unusually quiet. Every day, she would spend her time curled up on the soft sofa, munching on the juice and less-than-ideal snacks prepared for her by the administrator.
She stuffed something that looked like jelly into her mouth, and Lai Chuan Huang Quan looked like a wilted little flower. The food from the Time and Space Administration was terrible; she missed the oden and bear-shaped cookies that her second-year student had bought for her. And she missed his embrace so much too.
Fortunately, the administrator didn't make her wait too long.
On the tenth day after waking up, the administrator agreed to perform a time-space teleportation to Yomi Yoru. The time was six months before Matsuda Jinpei's death, and the location was Hagiwara Kenji's apartment.
On the day of the teleportation, Lai Chuan Huang Quan got up early on purpose. She bit her hair tie, carefully combed the two little buns on her head in front of the mirror, and then excitedly pushed open the teleportation room door.
"Administrator, I'm ready!"
The administrator had been waiting in the teleportation room for some time, serving tea. When he sent Lai Chuan Huang Quan into the teleportation area, his eyes were so deep they were unfathomable. A mixture of emotions mingled within them, like paint blending different colors into a bucket.
The time-space jump countdown entered ten. The administrator stood before Lai Chuan Huang Quan, his spine straight. He spoke, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly: "Good luck, 1107."
Golden, granular light gradually enveloped Lai Chuan Huang Quan's entire body, as if she were being sucked into a thick fog, slowly blurring from her limbs onwards.
Just as the teleportation countdown was about to reach zero, Lai Chuan Huang Quan suddenly turned around and gave the administrator a bright smile: "Thanks, you old geezer."
The moment the words left his mouth, the countdown reached zero. The teleportation area was now empty, with only the administrator standing outside. He stared intently at the spot where Lai Chuan Huang Quan had disappeared, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Fine particles fell from the caretaker's body, finally revealing his true face—Mr. Raikawa. He died six years after Raikawa's suicide in Yomi.
The administrator looked up at the brightly lit ceiling. His eyes stung, but he kept them wide open, carefully feeling the stinging sensation in his eyes.
He hadn't heard that "Dad" in so many years.
His vocal cords trembled, his Adam's apple bobbed, and the administrator slowly exhaled a breath of stale air: "...You brat."
I must survive this time.
[Author's Note]
The next chapter will feature a flashback, where the truth of the past will be revealed.
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