Chapter Fifty-Six: An Emergency Call to Duty

On stage, Maki Kiryu radiated brilliance, singing one song after another, elevating the atmosphere in the Budokan to ever greater heights.

Meanwhile, in the audience, Suzuna Tsukimi displayed a slightly complicated expression.

Who would have thought that in this life, after switching careers to become a singer, you could achieve such a flourishing career...

Perhaps it’s because you approach everything with such earnestness—no matter what field you’re in, you always excel.

Zili Xia, your nature is too kind and pure. You’re always thinking of helping those in need, of rescuing those in danger.

But why can’t you be selfish, just a little?

If only you had been there when I needed you most, perhaps Senior would not have...

So I will never forgive you.

“Suzuna?” Chen Zi’ang, sitting beside her, suddenly asked.

Suzuna blinked, realizing that she didn’t know when she had started to shed silent tears.

“I’m fine.” She wiped her face quickly, putting on a bright smile. “Just got something in my eye. Senior, care to blow it out for me?”

Where would there be sand in the Budokan... Chen Zi’ang hesitated, but just then, his phone began to ring.

It was a call from Section Chief Kousuke Takahashi.

“Where are you?” The moment he answered, the question came straight away.

“At the Budokan, at a concert,” Chen Zi’ang replied.

“Rio Hoikaze collapsed in the Grand Archive,” Takahashi said bluntly.

“Collapsed? What happened to her?”

“Mutation. Someone tampered with her body. Fortunately, before falling unconscious, she must have used some means to save herself. The mutation is progressing very slowly, so there’s still a chance to bring her back.”

“Should I return immediately?” Chen Zi’ang was already preparing to stand.

“No need.” Takahashi’s voice was firm. “That’s not the most pressing issue right now. Chen Zi’ang, before Rio Hoikaze lost consciousness, she left a message.”

“What message?”

“Hot spring.”

Chen Zi’ang fell silent for a moment, his mind racing.

Hot spring? Which hot spring? Is it the one in Hiyagi Town?

Is there something wrong with that hot spring?

“Is it the hot spring in Hiyagi Town?” Countless clues flashed through his mind as he spoke rapidly. “Chief, on our way to Hiyagi Town, we learned from our fellow passengers that a blogger had posted online claiming that the hot springs there have beautifying effects—after bathing, the skin becomes noticeably whiter and firmer.”

“If the hot spring Rio mentioned refers to that one...” He paused briefly, then quickly came to a conclusion. “That so-called beautifying effect has nothing to do with minerals. It’s probably some kind of mysterious power! That’s why Miye Nishikawa lured tourists to Hiyagi Town!”

“She intends to use those who bathed in the hot spring to spread the contamination throughout Kitahoku City!”

“Chen Zi’ang,” Takahashi gasped, “did you bathe in the hot spring?”

Chen Zi’ang was speechless with shock.

He didn’t answer, but his silence was telling. He quickly recovered and said, “I’ll return to the office with Suzuna right away.”

“Don’t rush.” Takahashi seemed to be speaking with someone nearby, then spoke hurriedly into the phone, “Listen carefully, Chen Zi’ang.”

“Right now, Rio Hoikaze is comatose and mutating, but the exact mysterious mechanism is unclear. As a precaution, the department will bring in everyone who’s visited Hiyagi Town, isolating them under the pretense of infectious disease prevention.”

“There were 64 people who recently visited Hiyagi Town. The eight who rode with you have already been brought in for quarantine.”

“The remaining 56—those who traveled earlier, bathed in the hot spring, and have since returned to Kitahoku City—have just been tracked down by the city’s intelligent monitoring system. Twenty-four of them are currently at the Budokan, attending the concert with you.”

“We’ve sent an official warning text to their phones from the Public Safety Bureau, but many may not check their phones in time. Since you and Suzuna are already on site and will be coming in for examination anyway, why not bring all these people along? Their identities and seat numbers will be sent to your phones shortly.”

“Understood.” Chen Zi’ang stood up, his expression solemn.

This was serious.

With at least seventy or eighty thousand people in the Budokan, if someone suddenly mutated and caused a mass outbreak of psychic contamination in front of so many witnesses, it could become the greatest disaster of the year—or even the decade, or the century.

His gaze swept across the venue again. On stage, Zili Xia had finally shown signs of fatigue after eighteen consecutive songs and had retreated backstage to rest.

During the intermission, many in the audience left for the restrooms, and the scene was chaotic.

They had to act fast!

“Suzuna,” Chen Zi’ang said quickly, “take care of Xiaozhu. I have urgent business.”

“Wait, you need to find the tourists who visited Hiyagi Town, right?” Suzuna had overheard most of his conversation with the chief and stood up at once. “Let me help!”

“We can’t leave Xiaozhu alone,” Chen Zi’ang said anxiously.

“No problem.” Suzuna snapped her fingers, and Gorou Emon appeared from nowhere, bowing respectfully. “Miss, your orders?”

Suzuna didn’t reply to him. Instead, she spoke earnestly to Xiaozhu. “Little sister, there’s urgent work at the office. Your brother and I can’t stay with you right now. Would you be alright if Uncle Emon looked after you?”

Xiaozhu was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“Don’t worry, Miss Xiaozhu,” Gorou Emon said kindly. “If you need anything, just ask.”

With his sister cared for, Chen Zi’ang finally felt at ease. He quickly left the audience area.

Suzuna kept close behind him. As she walked, a memory surfaced, connecting the current situation with a fragment from another timeline.

In the original timeline, Miye Nishikawa had unleashed a series of large-scale mutations throughout Kitahoku City.

According to the account given later by Senior, the mutations quickly spiraled out of control. With the limited manpower of Section Six, they simply couldn’t manage it. In the end, the city’s upper echelons were forced to intervene, deploying vast resources and launching a high-intensity public relations campaign to suppress the incident and relegate it to the realm of bizarre urban legends.

Afterward, there was a wave of accountability—massive upheaval in the security system, and even some committee leaders were forced to resign.

At the same time, Section Six, a secret unit crucial to public safety, finally drew the attention of the politicians. From fewer than ten staff, it was rapidly expanded to over three hundred, with a huge influx of resources and funding...

Wait—doesn’t that mean this mutation was actually a blessing in disguise?

Suzuna wondered to herself, but was interrupted as she noticed Chen Zi’ang leading her toward the backstage operations area.

“Senior, where are we going?” she asked, bewildered.

“To find all twenty-four people in the audience, organize them, and escort them to the Public Safety Bureau. The two of us alone would have a hard time. Fortunately, I know people in the organizing committee—we’ll go enlist their help.”

Suzuna was thunderstruck, rooted to the spot.

Senior... knows the organizers?

Who could it be?