Perhaps I overdid it slightly. Luo Tianchen surveyed the surroundings, which were littered with debris and stained with blood. He felt a flicker of relief that he had sent that fellow away earlier; otherwise, collateral damage would have been rather unfortunate.
“Damn it… why… can you be so strong…” With those final, ragged words, the man collapsed completely, lying motionless on the ground.
‘Huh? I thought I held back,’ Luo Tianchen mused. ‘Or perhaps this guy was simply too weak to begin with?’
“I never imagined… they would actually send… a monster like you…”
A sigh escaped Luo Tianchen’s lips. ‘Good, still breathing,’ he thought, a hint of satisfaction in his tone.
He slowly approached the man and crouched down before him.
“Alright, if you don’t mind, could you tell me more about this in detail? Depending on what you say, I might even let you off the hook.”
“Don’t joke around… ‘The Funeral Maiden of Myriad Flowers’…” The man cursed loudly, his words punctuated by ragged coughs of blood.
“Oh, it seems you know my moniker, then? If that’s the case, I’m quite curious about your reason for rushing to your demise,” Luo Tianchen said, a smile playing on his lips.
“Do you think… I would ever tell you?” Even on the brink of death, the man managed a cynical laugh.
“Well, your life or death holds little consequence for me, to be honest,” Luo Tianchen replied indifferently. “Don’t assume that only you dark sorcerers can wield ‘spiritual’ arts.”
“…It doesn’t matter… even if you know… as long as tonight passes…” the man uttered, his voice fading in and out.
“What do you mean? Tonight? Is something happening tonight?” Luo Tianchen asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
“Our god… will return to this world… and then… all things will wither… everything will revert to nothing…” With those chilling words, the man breathed his last, falling utterly silent.
‘God… does he mean the Witch?’
Ugh, how irritating! Luo Tianchen detested people who spoke in riddles. He rummaged around. ‘Ah, there it is! The spiritual analyzer!’
‘I remember how to use this… Wait, really?’
If all of this were true, then the Witch might indeed descend upon the world once more.
No, he had to get out of here quickly, but…
The exit was gone.
****
…
‘The heavy burden of saving humanity, I’ll leave it to you.’
Luo Tianchen offered his sincere blessings to Luo Tianchen.
****
Mmm…
Light.
He slowly opened his eyes, greeted by the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling.
‘Where is this…’
“You’re awake,” Lili’s voice chimed in just then. “This is the police station’s duty resting room. I brought you here.”
“Is that so? Thank you… Wait, what are you doing?!” It was only then that Luo Tianchen noticed Lili lying beside him, completely naked from the waist up. From the fleeting glance he’d just caught, it seemed she wasn’t wearing anything below either, sending him leaping off the bed in fright.
‘Hold on… why am I not wearing anything either?!’
“You, you, you…” Luo Tianchen stammered, frantically grabbing clothes from the bedside cabinet to cover his body, glaring at her with a mix of indignation and horror.
“Huh? We’re both girls, what’s there to be flustered about?” In stark contrast to Luo Tianchen’s panic, Lili seemed entirely unconcerned, casually leaning back against the bed as if ‘after the fact,’ a cigarette being the only thing missing from her picture of perfect ease.
‘Girls, my foot! I’m a man, damn it! Even if my body is female! No, isn’t it even stranger precisely because we’re both girls?! And this inexplicable ethereal lightness in my body…’
“W-what exactly did you do?!”
“Eh? It was nothing much, just the kind of thing girls do amongst themselves, you know. Though I only started with a ‘let’s just try it’ mindset, I didn’t expect to draw so much energy from you. You’re quite comparable to Master, actually.”
“W-what kind of energy?!”
“Hmm? Didn’t Master tell you? I’m a succubus, but unlike those other vulgar types, I only absorb energy from girls. Ever since Master summoned me, I’ve been her maid~~~”
“’Maid’ my foot! Aren’t succubi a type of demon?! Why would you be a maid for a Witch Hunter?! Could it be that you… you two actually… every night…”
“Exactly as you’re imagining,” Lili purred. “Don’t let Master’s usual haughty demeanor fool you; in bed, she’s just like a little kitten~~~~”
‘A little, little kitten? Xia Luohua?’ The wild horses in Luo Tianchen’s mind involuntarily galloped across the vast plains of his imagination.
“Tonight, you’re my Master, meow~~~”
‘No, I can’t imagine any further! Stop it, Luo Tianchen! Don’t venture into that forbidden territory, or you’ll never be able to turn back!’
“B-but I’m a man! Don’t you hate men?!”
“Hmm? As long as the body is a girl’s, isn’t that enough?”
‘This woman… she’s a complete carnivore!’ Luo Tianchen mentally categorized Lili into the ‘absolutely untouchable’ bracket.
In any case, he needed to get dressed first.
“Alright, you’re not to tell anyone about what happened today! Especially not Xia Luohua! Understand?!” Having finally calmed down, Luo Tianchen declared to Lili, his voice betraying a hint of false bravado.
“Hee hee hee, what a shy little kitten~~~” Lili chuckled, a playful smirk on her lips.
“Y-you put your clothes on too, right now!”
“Eh? There’s no one else around, anyway. Or are you saying you want to do it again? While you’re awake…”
“G-get away!” Luo Tianchen exclaimed, retreating backward in alarm.
“Don’t be scared. I’m very gentle, you know. Let me gradually teach you about the pleasures of a girl’s body, shall I?”
“W-wait, wait… Ah, that’s right! I have something important to do! Your Master specifically ordered it!”
“Oh? Is that so? Then there’s nothing for it. We’ll just have to do it next time,” she said, feigning disappointment.
‘That was a close call! It seems invoking Xia Luohua’s name was indeed the right move.’ Luo Tianchen breathed a sigh of relief, feeling more exhausted than ever before. ‘Loyal dog + perverted woman + carnivore + yuri… just how many more twisted attributes does this person have?’
“So, did anyone call later?” Luo Tianchen asked Lili, who had now donned her maid outfit.
“Hmm… it seems a girl called, but she hung up after being told you were asleep.”
“Eh? Is that so? By the way, what time is it now?” Luo Tianchen glanced up at the sky outside the window, which had already begun to darken.
“It’s 5:30 PM. Is there a problem?”
“What time did that girl call?”
“Around 3:00 PM, I think.”
‘I’d better call them back.’
He dialed An Yueyin’s mobile number once more.
“Hello, this is Little An’s Hotline! How may I help you?”
‘Still the same as ever, aren’t you.’
“It’s Luo Tianchen. Have you found the things I asked you to retrieve?”
“Mm-hmm, yes, I did find their names.”
‘Just as I thought. All the clues can finally be connected.’
“Excellent! What about their information? Should I come and pick it up?”
“Eh? But I already delivered it to your school?”
…Eh?
“Since you didn’t answer your phone, I went to your school, found Bingying in the student council room, and gave her the items!”
‘Damn it.’
‘Those were things Bingying absolutely could not see.’
A wave of unease swept through Luo Tianchen’s heart. Without time to ponder, he anxiously questioned An Yueyin: “When did you deliver them?”
“Hmm… probably around 4:00 PM?”
‘So, only an hour and a half has passed?’
He dropped the phone and bolted.
“Hey, hey, where are you suddenly rushing off to?!” Lili shouted from behind him.
Luo Tianchen didn’t have time to respond, silently praying in his heart.
‘Please, don’t let things escalate to the worst possible outcome…’
When he finally reached the student council room, all he found was an opened envelope, with several photos and papers scattered across the desk.
A quick glance was enough to confirm his suspicions, yet he felt no joy. Bingying was not foolish; with these items, she would undoubtedly deduce the same conclusions he had. However, sometimes knowing too much could be far more perilous.
‘Damn it, where is she now?!’
“Hello, isn’t this Little Lian! I heard you went home because you weren’t feeling well. Are you better now?” President Ye Siya suddenly appeared behind him, greeting him with a smile.
“President! Do you know where Bingying went?!” Luo Tianchen grabbed Ye Siya’s shoulders, asking loudly.
“Eh? I think I saw her earlier with a boy and a girl, but they were a bit far away, so I couldn’t see clearly. I just know they were students from our school…”
“Thank you, President!”
“Eh? Wait a minute, you shouldn’t run in the corridor, you know?”
‘Sorry, but this is no time to follow school rules!’
‘That idiot, she really went looking for them herself!’
Luo Tianchen recalled seeing that person’s name while organizing student files; he was a student in Class 14 of the third year. At this time of day, he should be at the basketball court.
Ah, there he is!
Using the photos he’d seen earlier, Luo Tianchen quickly located the person he was looking for. He strode forward, grabbed the boy’s hand, and started pulling him towards the small grove of trees.
“Eh? Who are you? What do you want?”
“Shut up! Just follow me!” Whether it was due to Luo Tianchen’s imposing aura or his current appearance as a beautiful girl, the boy followed without resistance, while jeers erupted from others behind them.
“Oh my, his girlfriend came looking for him!”
“Deng Gaoda, you lucky dog!”
“Damn it! You actually betrayed the group without a word?!”
After they were out of sight, Luo Tianchen aggressively pinned Deng Gaoda against a tree. Just as he was about to speak, he found the boy looking at him shyly and saying, “Um, actually, it’s my first time, so please be gentle…”
‘…Which manga heroine are you from?’
“Cut the crap! Quickly tell me where Bingying and Ji Zhilan went! No, I should say Li Qiqiao, right?”
Upon hearing Luo Tianchen’s words, the boy’s face turned pale. “I, I don’t know what you’re talking about…”
Luo Tianchen punched the nearby tree, creating a crack the size of a bowl, and spoke each word distinctly: “I don’t have time for your nonsense. I already know everything you’ve done. You can’t escape. If you tell the truth now, it can still be considered a confession, and leniency will be applied. Do you understand?”
“Eek!” Deng Gaoda cried out, his face utterly pale as he slumped to the ground, terrified. “I, I know nothing! The Vice President found me first, so I took her to see her!”
“So, where are they now?” Luo Tianchen unceremoniously grabbed his collar, lifting him from the ground.
“I don’t know! I really don’t know!”
“…Then you’re useless, aren’t you? You must understand what happens to useless people, right?” Luo Tianchen said, looking down at him coldly.
“Wait, please spare me! Ah, that’s right, I think I heard Vice President Bingying say she was going to a place only she knows about to talk things over carefully…”
“Tch!” Luo Tianchen casually tossed Deng Gaoda away. He hit the tree and passed out.
“Hey, Yang Mingzhi?” Luo Tianchen pulled out his phone and dialed Yang Mingzhi’s number.
“Eh? This voice! Could it be Little Lianlian? I happen to have a spot open today, would you like to come…”
“Hold on, that tone, this phone number! You’re Luo Tianchen, you bastard! What’s with that fake voice?! I can’t believe you’re such a person! Is it fun to mess with me on purpose?!” Knowing it was Luo Tianchen, Yang Mingzhi’s tone instantly became aggressive.
“Mess with your sister! I don’t have the time for your games! Quickly tell me a place only Bingying herself knows!”
“Huh? You just said only she knows, how could I possibly know…”
“Aren’t you her childhood friend?”
“Big Brother, I’m a childhood friend, not a god! Ah, speaking of which, there does seem to be a place. I remember after Bingying’s burns healed enough for her to move, besides staying at home, she’d go there. But I only saw it by chance…”
“What?”
“You’re asking for the address? It’s a villa in the West District. I heard their family originally bought it for vacations, but for some reason, the investors suddenly canceled the resort development plan, so it’s been abandoned. The renovations were all completed, though. I’ll text you the address shortly…”
“I wasn’t asking about that! I was asking about the burns!”
“Hmm? You don’t know? When Bingying was little, her home caught fire, causing 80% full-body burns. Although her life was saved, she was left with various unsightly scars all over her body. Some neighborhood kids called her ugly and a monster, so during that time, she never dared to go out, or she’d run off to her family’s villa to stay…”
“But there’s no trace of burns on her body now?” Luo Tianchen recalled the beautiful, pristine body he had seen in the nightclub, like an angel’s.
“I find it a bit strange too, because the doctors said that with that degree of burns, even the most cutting-edge cosmetic surgery might not completely fix it; it was almost certain to leave lifelong scars. But, apparently, she went abroad, and by the time I saw her again at the start of high school, she didn’t have a single scar. However, this also left her with the after-effect of being afraid to show her body in front of outsiders, which is why she always dresses very heavily, regardless of the season, and never participates in swimming classes.”
“…Could you tell me when she went abroad?”
“Eh? Roughly three years ago, during the summer vacation of junior high, I think.”
Luo Tianchen silently put down his phone.
Everything connected.
The Yao Xinchang murder case, the Li Qiqiao suicide, why Bingying would seek her out alone.
And at the very beginning of it all, the Witch’s Game.
The phone screen displayed the address Yang Mingzhi had sent him, about half an hour’s journey from here. Without time to think or rest, he started running once more.
If he didn’t hurry, Bingying would surely be killed too.