The Tri-Fold and the Urban Hunt

Dong Lu had once mentioned that their ability to accurately follow Mo Linyu and Li Yue in the suburbs relied solely on tracking Mo Linyu’s phone’s location.

While Mo Linyu understood this was born of concern, the rebellious Demon Lord heir would never accept such ‘kindness’.

In the days to come, she and Li Yue were bound to be rushing about the city, and they couldn’t possibly do all of it under ‘that person’s’ watchful eye.

Therefore, having a backup plan was essential.

“‘…Is that the legendary tri-fold phone?’”

Mo Linyu, holding her newly acquired phone, fiddled with it on the subway, resembling an emperor reviewing imperial decrees.

Everyone knew this device was expensive, making it quite the eye-catcher, and naturally, all sorts of gazes converged upon her.

Of course, this was also because Miss Mo herself was captivating enough.

She straightened her back, leaning against the carriage wall, and proudly lifted her chin, her impressive upper curves strikingly prominent beneath her thin summer attire, subtly trembling with each breath.

Such contours drew many surreptitious glances from men in the carriage, yet Mo Linyu remained indifferent to these stares.

She even puffed out her chest with a hint of defiance, viewing others’ attention as a proud affirmation.

She would never feel shy under such scrutiny; however, Li Yue, standing beside her with a baseball bat bag slung over her shoulder, found these gazes—though not directed at her—unbearable, prompting her to grumble,

“‘I say, Miss, aren’t you being a bit too ostentatious?’”

“‘What kind of talk is that? Is excellence itself a fault?’ Mo Linyu merely retorted.

Li Yue pursed her lips, opting to keep a discreet distance.

Just then, a small girl with braided hair curiously approached Mo Linyu.

However, the child’s gaze was fixed solely on the novel device in her hand.

Mo Linyu, noticing the child’s stare, allowed a slight smile to grace her lips.

She then crouched down before the little girl and turned her phone to satisfy her curiosity.

She even added, “‘Big sister’s phone can fold three times, you know?’”

‘Hey, a tri-fold isn’t the same as folding three times!’

Li Yue muttered with a wry smile.

At that moment, they had no particular destination, intending only to take the subway for a loop around Tianyuan City’s downtown area before returning to Mo Linyu’s home for an afternoon nap.

However, having failed to secure seats upon boarding, the two simply stood in the aisle between the two carriages.

“‘Stop playing on your phone. Don’t get distracted and miss the radar’s reaction.’”

Mo Linyu simply replied, “‘Impossible. No matter how much I play on my phone, I wouldn’t ignore that kind of chest pain.’”

Li Yue found herself at a loss for words, as she truly couldn’t offer any assistance with this matter.

Yet, upon opening her eyes, she was met with a barrage of mind-reading boxes.

Since these were all instantly updated, the information was fragmented, lacking any context or causality, and proving quite an eyesore.

“‘Sigh, just call me if you find anything.’”

She sighed, then simply crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, feigning sleep.

****

After approximately seven or eight stops, the subway transitioned from the city’s outskirts to its underground downtown.

“‘Hmm? Ugh—’”

Mo Linyu suddenly let out a questioning grunt.

“‘What’s wrong?’”

Before Mo Linyu could even speak, Li Yue proactively looked up at her.

As she leaned against the wall at the carriage connection, the train creaked, and her chest swayed with the movement.

Mo Linyu was clutching her chest, her brows slightly furrowed.

“‘Get off at the next station.’”

‘Oh, it seems Mo Linyu’s grand radar has picked something up.’

“‘Was it at the last station? Or somewhere along the way?’”

Li Yue walked to the carriage door, glanced outside, and then asked.

“‘Along the way. After we get off at the next station, we’ll go out and ride two bicycles there…’”

She frowned again as she spoke, adding, “‘The stinging sensation has already faded. A one-kilometer diameter is simply too small for the subway’s speed.’”

“‘Is it possible we just passed them on an opposite-bound subway?’”

“‘No, it should have vanished even faster then.’”

Li Yue then suggested, “‘Let’s chase after them. If they’re not using public transport, they shouldn’t be able to get away that quickly.’”

Mo Linyu pulled out her tri-fold phone, opened the ‘Unethical Map’ app, and drew a circle around the approximate location.

She then stated, “‘Unfortunately, there’s no way to pinpoint it precisely. The subway line might not pass through the exact center of the largest diameter; this is just a rough estimate.’”

‘A large screen has its advantages, I suppose.’

Li Yue muttered this just as the subway arrived at the station.

“‘Let’s go, let’s go!’”

The two rushed off the train in a flurry, sprinting out of the platform and the subway station at top speed.

At the exit, they quickly procured two shared bicycles, disregarding the outdoor heat, and pedaled off.

However, being a young lady of means, Mo Linyu only managed to unlock her bicycle with Li Yue’s assistance.

Mo Linyu was in a hurry, for a life was at stake;

Li Yue was equally anxious, as this concerned her chance to meet her reincarnated companions…

Even if the other party might not retain memories of their past life.

“‘It seems… I feel it.’”

Mo Linyu delivered the good news, and Li Yue’s gaze drifted to the sway of her chest as she pedaled the bicycle.

“‘Ha! On the morning of this third day, we’ve finally made some progress!’”

Mo Linyu, however, cautioned, “‘But don’t celebrate too soon. A one-kilometer diameter is still a vast area, and we can’t pinpoint the exact location yet. Finding someone within such a large radius won’t be easy.’”

“‘Even if you say that, for now, we can only rely on you.’”

Although the description of “a stinging sensation upon proximity” was somewhat vague, Mo Linyu, having once been the Demon Lord, was certainly trustworthy in her sensory abilities.

Conversely, the helplessness of not being able to assist made Li Yue restless.

Even though she was drenched in sweat, she furiously pedaled her bicycle forward.

‘If she were the Demon Lord, pedaling so vigorously would surely make certain parts bounce around.’

“‘Hey! Don’t ride so fast! Stop right at the pedestrian street ahead!’ Mo Linyu called out from behind her.

According to the phone’s map, a pedestrian street named “Runze Alley” lay before them.

The entire street stretched for about two to three hundred meters, featuring numerous cross-intersections.

Lined on both sides were a variety of shops, most displaying old-brand signboards, but also a fair share of new, stylishly decorated establishments.

The pedestrian street’s surface was paved with grey and white granite slabs, topped by a translucent canopy offering shelter from rain and sun.

Tall plane trees stood between the shops, adorned with colorful lights that would only illuminate at night.

It was a distinctive pedestrian street, where one could leisurely stroll even on a rainy day, though the stifling summer heat seemed resistant to dissipation.

The two locked their shared bicycles at the entrance of the pedestrian street.

Li Yue then wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve and asked,

“‘Are you sure that otherworldly soul is on this street?’”

“‘There are more people here.’”

Mo Linyu, holding her phone open like a map, replied thus, but Li Yue’s brows furrowed in suspicion.

“‘Er, are there?’”

However, further down the road, closer to the subway station, stood a large shopping mall.

Consequently, this somewhat aged pedestrian street appeared less appealing, attracting only a sparse scattering of pedestrians and tourists.

After all, large malls offered air conditioning, whereas the pedestrian street could only rely on tree shade and the canopy for meager sun protection.

Mo Linyu walked a few steps forward, clutching her chest, then retreated with her eyes closed.

She would turn left at times, then stare blankly to her right.

“‘…Can all this walking back and forth really help you pinpoint the direction?’”

It was fortunate there weren’t many pedestrians on this street; otherwise, Li Yue would surely have distanced herself, pretending not to know Mo Linyu, who looked as if she were playing jump rope…

In fact, she had already moved away.

For even if tourists were few, it didn’t mean there were none.

At that moment, Mo Linyu lifted her head, her brows slightly furrowed, and said,

“‘Even if I stand still, the stinging sensation is intensifying.’”

“‘Hmm, meaning?’”

“‘Someone with an otherworldly soul is approaching this way…’”

The Goddess had once said that Stand users (TL Note: A term referencing the unique powers from the manga JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, often used to describe individuals with supernatural abilities that manifest as spiritual projections or companions.) are attracted to one another.

Therefore, Li Yue focused her attention on the tourists on the pedestrian street.