Chapter Fifty-Four: Please Look at Me Closely

Intelligence is life itself.

Riku Sui, of Section Six Countermeasures, moved silently through the Grand Intelligence Archive.

In truth, the so-called Grand Intelligence Archive was more aptly described as the Grand Library. Nearly all classified materials were preserved as printed, bound paper documents.

The reason was straightforward: storing a large amount of arcane intelligence on hard drives could easily cause the drives themselves to become tainted with supernatural properties, eventually “sinking” out of the mundane world or attracting far greater dangers—much like how one must exercise caution around those who possess spiritual sight.

By choosing the less efficient medium of paper, the arcane was deliberately fragmented and dispersed, ensuring safety.

Indeed, for intelligence, security was paramount.

In the realm of the occult, information was both the most valuable asset and the greatest peril.

Every piece of intelligence required careful evaluation and classification: “reliable,” “questionable,” “unstable,” or “untrustworthy.” If a report hovered between two categories, prudence dictated it be assigned to the lower tier.

After the incident at Lingyi Town, Chen Zi’ang had relayed all his conjectures in detail to Riku Sui. Now was the time to review them, one by one.

First: The Lord of the Deep Sea and the King of Ghouls are mortal enemies.

Classified as [Reliable]: Hostility among deities is exceedingly common in the Abyss, and this intelligence came from the subordinate race known as Nightmares. Whether or not these beings truly worship their claimed deity, none of the lower races dare lie about a god’s stance—unless they seek their own destruction.

Second: Miye Nishikawa is a witch in service to the King of Ghouls.

Classified as [Questionable]: When Miye Nishikawa’s identity was first confirmed, there were suspicions she might belong to the Lord of the Deep Sea, given she had deposited a relic of that god in Sky Silver Plaza. However, if she served the King of Ghouls, the facts would also fit… This intelligence, too, came from the Nightmares, whose attitudes seemed credible, but there was no solid proof.

Third: The Ossuary in Lingyi Town served as the ritual site for the King of Ghouls’ descent.

Classified as [Reliable]: From the information Chen Zi’ang provided, the key features of the Ossuary were the pool of blood and the bone totem.

The blood pool lay beside a stone pillar, with crimson droplets falling from the stalactite above. In terms of ritual symbolism, the pillar and stalactite represented “piercing”; the dripping water, “forced offering”; and the crimson pool, “flesh on the verge of decay.”

The bone totem, with three skulls positioned left, center, and right, symbolized “capricious moods”; the spread ribs below, “sacrifice”; the upturned palms, “requisition.”

Chen Zi’ang’s deductions were sound—should that book be placed atop the totem, and the ritual conditions met, the person who did so would be killed instantly.

All the ritual features closely matched the essence of the King of Ghouls, and considering the fierce battle that later erupted between the Ghouls and Nightmares on the surface, this intelligence was confirmed.

Fourth: Miye Nishikawa deliberately gave the book to Naoya Yasui to lure people to Lingyi Town and activate the ritual in the Ossuary.

Classified as [Unstable].

Without having witnessed the ritual site, if one were to divine the book’s existence alone, the result would inevitably be: “Return it to the Ossuary to free oneself from the deity’s gaze.” But the price of returning it was one’s life—an outcome undetectable through divination. A cleverly designed trap.

But why did Miye Nishikawa do this?

Moreover, if her intention was merely to lure someone into the Ossuary, why bother attracting tourists to Lingyi Town as well?

According to records from the Arctic City bus terminal, sixty-four people had recently visited Lingyi Town and all had returned safely, encountering no danger…

Wait—a return to Arctic City?

With that thought, realization suddenly struck Riku Sui.

She hurried out of the Grand Intelligence Archive and dialed the phone:

“Saki, the tourists we brought back from Lingyi Town—are they still in our custody?”

“Yes,” replied Deputy Section Chief Ken Saki. “Quite a few were awakened by the strange events that night, so we’ve scheduled memory cleansing for all of them this afternoon. Is there something you need to check?”

“Send one of them to me,” Riku Sui said quickly. “I need to conduct an examination.”

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Arctic City, Martial Arts Hall.

As the opening time for the concert drew near, the previously exuberant crowd gradually fell silent.

For a venue holding tens of thousands, such spontaneous collective quiet had only one cause: everyone was watching the clock, counting down the seconds until Maki Kiryu’s concert began.

No one knew who started it, but someone began shouting out the countdown, and soon it swelled to a mighty chorus:

“Sixty!”

“Fifty-nine!”

“Fifty-eight!”

The staff at the Martial Arts Hall began to panic. Although the concert was publicly scheduled for ten in the morning, there was no rule against starting a few minutes late… But now, with the crowd counting down in unison, it was as if the organizers were being roasted over an open fire.

They hurriedly contacted Norika Hoshino, asking if Maki Kiryu was ready and, if so, to have her take the stage as scheduled.

Norika Hoshino was astonished—fans were counting down out loud? Was their impatience truly so extreme?

Nonetheless, she was well prepared and had anticipated all sorts of unexpected situations. With a decisive wave, she declared, “Don’t rush! The moment the time arrives, just start the music.”

Everyone immediately understood and admired her wisdom.

The sound equipment had been tested in advance and could play at any moment. As for whether Maki Kiryu was on stage—once the music started and the atmosphere was set, the audience would be swept along, none the wiser.

The staff scurried off to their stations. Norika Hoshino was heading for the dressing room when she saw Shiori Natsuki emerging.

The great star “Maki Kiryu” was dazzling in a sumptuous, exquisitely crafted gown, her golden hair shining brilliantly—she was like a princess sprung from a fairy tale. Of course, this world had no Disney, but in Norika Hoshino’s mind, the first thought was that this girl was the very incarnation of beauty and love.

“Maki!” she cried, her voice brimming with excitement. “Perfect! You look absolutely perfect. This image will make headlines once the holograms go out!”

“By the way, have you had some water? Been to the restroom? There’s still time to prepare—don’t rush, stay calm…”

Drinking water before going on stage was essential; a dry throat could ruin a singer’s performance. But too much water could be disastrous if nature called mid-song.

So, to be safe, drink just enough and empty your bladder.

“Norika, why are you more nervous than I am?” Shiori Natsuki said with a gentle smile. “I’m feeling great—I can go on stage any moment.”

“Are you sure?” Norika Hoshino pressed.

“Absolutely,” Shiori Natsuki nodded.

In truth, it was her first concert at the Martial Arts Hall, and no matter how confident a singer, nerves were inevitable.

Yet, at the thought that a certain someone might be in the audience, her anxiety was replaced by an indescribable, inexplicable emotion.

They had met only once.

Still, it was strange—so long as he was watching from the crowd, she felt an inexhaustible strength and courage.

So, have you come?

If you’re here, please watch me closely…