Transformed into the leader of an esoteric sect in Japan

He quickly shooed the black crow back into the shadow behind him, glanced at his phone, and feigned panic, "Oh no, I'm going to be late!" He muttered to himself dramatically, then turned and ran towards the school.

The agents from the Anti-Corruption Bureau seemed somewhat concerned about her, but ultimately they didn't try to force a passing pretty high school girl to stay and cooperate with the investigation just because she stared at the scene for a few minutes.

This time, Shizuki Kurosawa arrived at school on time and began another day of campus life.

Springtime is in full bloom, and the young men and women are radiant and carefree, filling the air with youthful energy.

Even though Heijing was about to suffer the natural disaster of Kirie's resurrection two days later, there was still no sign of turmoil or chaos on campus. Everything was so calm, and the high school students were still living their carefree daily lives, which seemed to continue forever, completely unaware that Heijing was a lone boat on a dark sea that could sink at any moment.

As Kurosawa Shizuki listened to her classmates chatting about various gossip, idols, anime, and youth, she felt like she belonged to a completely different world from these guys, and was out of place with everything around her. She had no mood to talk to anyone, and the strange aura emanating from her made everyone afraid to approach her. The way her classmates occasionally looked at her was not like they were looking at a human being, but like believers walking past a temple to admire an unattainable goddess statue.

Kurosawa Shizuki only felt slightly relieved when Ando Chinatsu, who was walking and blowing bubble gum, strode to her seat with her usual energy and plopped down. Even she would feel very uncomfortable if she remained in the classroom in that unexpectedly distant and awkward atmosphere.

Kurosawa Shizuki had been worried that she might turn around at any moment and see a little girl named Muko emerge from the shadows with a terrifying smile. But now it seems that the situation may not be that bad.

Simply being enveloped by Ando's radiant aura, as bright as a lighthouse, gives one a mysterious sense of security, like a traveler about to face a storm finally finding a cave to shelter from the rain in a dark forest.

"Kurosawa, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Even Ando would feel uncomfortable being stared at like that by Kurosawa Shizuki. She put down her bag and turned around in surprise.

Today, Ando wore her hair in a single ponytail, adorned with lapis lazuli on her hair clip. She wore a small blue-purple tie across the front of her sailor uniform skirt, with various cute little sprites drawn on it.

In the sunlight, her facial features appeared soft, her smile was cheerful, and her bright eyes seemed to contain light and warmth that would never dissipate. Just by looking into her eyes, Kurosawa Shizuki felt that she could draw strange "Ando energy" from those eyes.

Is it only light that can illuminate shadows? Is that why the supernatural keep chasing after the light emanating from Ando?

Today, Ando brought two strange creatures to school with him again: a zashiki-warashi and a headless nurse. They were like two humble little followers. How delightful! Could it be that these strange creatures were also chasing after the energy on Ando's body?

As usual, the strange creatures turned their heads slowly to look at Kurosawa Shizuki. Before they could make a move, Kurosawa Shizuki had already taken action with practiced ease.

Kurosawa Shizuki felt her stomach growling again, so her dark spirit sprang up and then recoiled, happily accepting the delicious food that was delivered to her door.

"It's nothing... I'm just looking forward to our ghost-hunting activity tomorrow." Kurosawa Shizuki smiled somewhat reluctantly.

"Is that so? Kurosawa, you're such a textbook example of tsundere. You looked so unwilling yesterday."

"I wasn't unwilling, I was just a little scared when I first heard about it..." Kurosawa Shizuki wasn't afraid of the Cursed Paradise, but rather the people she might meet there.

Ando patted Kurosawa Shizuki's shoulder, his jade-like face suddenly drawing closer, a sly smile on his face: "But Kurosawa, you can't fool me. Excuses, just more excuses!"

"What excuse? I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's adventure!" Kurosawa Shizuki shrank back a little. We're too close. Even if you're an orange-tier character, are we really that close?

She raised an index finger and poked Kurosawa Shizuki's forehead: "What are you afraid of again, Miss Kurosawa? Did you have a nightmare last night? If you're not feeling well, I can be merciful and let you enjoy the treatment of having a lap pillow during your afternoon nap."

She patted her long legs, which were always clad in black pantyhose, and then restlessly swung her left leg over her right. If it were a lap pillow, it would be a very blissful experience. Kurosawa Shizuki's heart raced.

"No need, thank you for your kindness, Minister Ando, ​​but I have my own things to do..." Swallowing hard, Kurosawa Shizuki quickly waved her hand at Ando Chinatsu. She wasn't here at school for this kind of thing, absolutely not! If she were to slack off like this in the gentle embrace of women, was she really planning to stand shoulder to shoulder with Miss Ando and face the destruction of Heikyo?

"You saw me?!" Yet another hanged ghost obliviously fell in front of Kurosawa Shizuki, whose heart was pounding, her long skirt swaying from side to side with her stiff body.

The black spirit, its body coiled like a snake behind it, leaped up again towards Ando's back, and after another precise attack, only a small section of the rope hanging in the air dissipated into particles of light, and another 0.1% of black matter growth was obtained.

For the rest of the day at school, Kurosawa Shizuki kept finding various excuses to hang out with Ando, ​​making sure he remained within her sight. Even when Ando went to the restroom, Kurosawa Shizuki stood guard outside, causing Ando to give her rather strange looks all day.

However, Kurosawa Shizuki didn't care, because her dark spirit body was reaping abundant rewards as always, with five more strange creatures joining her today! The growth rate of her dark spirit body had already broken through the four percent mark!

And indeed, she escaped unharmed. She didn't encounter the girl she was always worried about at school. Surely even the ruthless Kamishiro Association wouldn't just barge into a high school full of students in broad daylight, would they?

"Kurosawa, although you are indeed one of the most beautiful girls in our school," Ando said, picking at her ear as she came out of the restroom, looking quite troubled, "it's a little hard for even me to accept that you're always stalking me like this."

"President, you've misunderstood. I'm not a stalker..." Kurosawa Shizuki didn't know how to explain, but at school, to ensure everything went smoothly, she did need to stay by Ando's side.

Ando does indeed possess an aura no less powerful than any immortal being, like a lighthouse that never goes out in the darkness. The vengeful spirits and strange creatures are like shadows under the radiance; they have always existed, but it is because of the radiant light emanating from Ando that they manifest in reality.

“If you really have that kind of interest… well, if it’s you, I might actually consider it,” Ando said, pinching his chin with his fingers as he thought quite seriously. “But if you’re just after my body, please forgive me for refusing!”

"President, you're overthinking it," Kurosawa Shizuki pouted, her eyes still fixed on the rabbit swaying up and down with Ando's movements. "Well, actually, I'm still a little tempted by your body." "You know I'm a psychic, with the power to eliminate vengeful spirits, right?"

“Yes, of course I know. That’s why I invited you to join the Ghost Club.” Ando blinked, seemingly not understanding what this had to do with Kurosawa Shizuki sticking to her side all day.

"Recently, in my perception, you've been frequently accompanied by various terrifying vengeful spirits, President. Are you aware of this?" Kurosawa Shizuki asked with a smile.

"Huh? Is that so? Speaking of which, I have been feeling a chill down my spine quite often lately," Chinatsu Ando said, scratching the back of her head sheepishly and chuckling. "But ever since you saved me, Kurosawa, I haven't had that strange feeling again. Is it because you've been..."

The original owner's acquaintance with Ando seems to stem from a recent encounter where she happened to witness Ando being tormented by a vengeful spirit. The original owner rescued her, displaying what she termed "spiritual abilities." Was this truly a coincidence, or a carefully orchestrated performance by the original owner?

"That's right, it's all because I'm helping the president exterminate evil spirits!" Kurosawa Shizuki patted her chest confidently and didn't lie. However, she was certain that even without her, those strange creatures that had entangled Ando would eventually be reduced to ashes under the blazing light emanating from Ando. Those strange creatures that didn't even have a third state would definitely not be able to harm Ando.

“I see! I’m sorry, Kurosawa, I was overthinking it. Thank you so much for your help!” Ando paused, a hint of hesitation in his smile. “But is it really necessary to wipe out all those evil spirits? I’ve often felt cold in the past, but apart from that one time, they haven’t really caused me much harm. Sometimes, I even feel… that they are very pitiful.”

“The strange states of those spirits may each have a sad story behind them, but that is not a reason for us to ignore them out of pity. Their lingering resentment will keep them from ever finding peace. If we can remove them with our spiritual power, it may actually be a relief for them.”

Kurosawa Shizuki was still casually comforting Ando. It was unexpected that Ando was so kind. She didn't really care about the tragic stories behind the evil spirits in this world. She herself was about to die, and she wouldn't let go of any opportunity to improve her strength.

“Based on our experience with horror movies, shouldn’t we try to communicate with them, investigate their dark past, fulfill their last wishes, and ultimately help them achieve enlightenment?” Ando asked doubtfully.

"The scenes in the movie are too idealistic. In reality, most vengeful spirits, not to mention whether they retain the sanity to communicate, their last wishes may never be fulfilled... Even if they do fulfill their last wishes, their long-accumulated resentment will still be difficult to dissipate in a short time, and they will only continue to do evil in the human world. As for becoming a Buddha, once you are dead, you are dead. There is no other world where vengeful spirits can become Buddhas."

Kurosawa Shizuki shook her head. She had no interest in fulfilling any vengeful spirit's wish; it was a pointless endeavor. In this world, death was death, with no possibility of return. All the dead could only go to the Netherworld to suffer eternal exile, either merging with the gods or falling into the Dark Matter.

“There are ghosts but no heaven or hell, good and evil do not receive true karmic retribution, and an unquenchable malice runs rampant in the world. There are no gods watching our every move. Is this the kind of world we live in? It sounds so boring. If only it could be a little more interesting…” A dazed light appeared in Ando’s big eyes.

"Perhaps, the gods do exist, but they are not as lovely and approachable as humans imagine..." Kurosawa Shizuki said uncertainly. In the eyes of the hidden gods, this human world is probably a rotten garbage dump. But why would that Kirie Izumi have to lower herself and forcibly descend to this world? What is the significance of transforming the human world into a history exclusively for the gods for the gods?

“If vengeful spirits are truly hopeless beings as you say, then I have a favor to ask of you, Kurosawa,” Ando said, his eyes gleaming as if he had been pondering for a long time before making this decision.

“My home is big and empty. My parents are both away on business trips. Ever since a new neighbor moved in, I often feel a very strange chill in my home. I also often have a strange dream in which I am standing in a very tall, shining cube-shaped room. I can always see a red door not far away. I feel like something inside is calling to me, but I can never get close to it or open it.”

"Kurosawa, I suspect there are many vengeful spirits in my house. Perhaps it's because of those spirits that I had that strange dream. Do you have time to stay at my house for one night and let those who have been suffering so much find relief?" Ando suddenly made this strange request.

[Congratulations! You have triggered the side quest, "Ando Chinatsu's Diary Fragment (Part 1)". Spend a night at the Ando family home and investigate the secret behind the Ando Gate Dream. Reward unknown.] Kurosawa Shizuki heard the side quest notification from the system again. Ando really is a super NPC! Just chatting casually can trigger another side quest.

"President, I'm sorry, I've been extremely busy these past few days and I'm afraid I won't have time to visit your home. After all, I have a younger sister to take care of. However, if I encounter any vengeful spirits haunting you during the day, I will definitely help you get rid of them!" Kurosawa Shizuki has already taken on too many missions. Apart from her daily tasks, she simply doesn't have time to do any other ones. She can only consider Ando's matter after dealing with Kirieko.

"I see. Was it too hasty to extend such an invitation to a friend I've only known for a short time? It seems to be my fault," Ando said, looking down with a hint of disappointment. He looked at Kurosawa Shizuki with the comforting gaze of a small animal. "But, Kurosawa, you don't dislike me, right?"

"Of course I don't hate it! It's just that I haven't been able to find the time lately..." Kurosawa Shizuki sensed that Ando's mood had inexplicably dropped suddenly, and remembering what Suzuki had said not long ago, she quickly spoke up to comfort Ando.

"So when you have time in the future, you'll come to my house to play, right?" Ando revealed that cunning smile, like a fox trying to lure a little rabbit, as if she were changing faces in Peking Opera. What was she expecting?

"If you invite me, President..." Kurosawa Shizuki sensed a conspiracy. Had Ando been acting all along?! What was going on at Ando's house? Why was she so eager to invite her to her home? Was it really just that there was a vengeful spirit in her house that she needed to exorcise?

"It's a promise, right?" Ando earnestly extended his little finger to Kurosawa Shizuki, as if he wanted to make a pinky promise.

"It's a promise." After hesitating for a long time, Kurosawa Shizuki still made a pinky promise with Ando Chinatsu. There was a side quest that seemed very important, and she would have to do it sooner or later when she had time. She always had the habit of completing all the side quests when playing RPGs!

After all, Ando is just a carefree and charming young girl; they wouldn't actually eat her!

P.S., This is a 4500-word chapter; I won't break up the transitional chapters. The main story will begin after school on the third day.

PS2, thanks to Guimeng for the soap!

Chapter 63: Is a Typhoon Coming?

During the afternoon break, after confirming that Ando was fast asleep with his head resting on his arm and his head on the desk, Kurosawa Shizuki left the classroom and leaned against the fence outside the classroom, looking at the clear blue sky outside the window. Not far away, a dark cloud seemed to be pressing heavily towards the school.

"Hello, boss!" Two more male voices rang out behind her. One of them sounded familiar, but she didn't remember the other.

Looking back, she saw Kanda Hiroshi and Mizushima Wataru, the same two men who had dragged her into beating up Yamauchi yesterday—her former school underlings.

Although they came to school today, they were still covered in injuries. Mizushima Wataru had his left hand in a cast and the swelling on his face hadn't subsided. Kanda Hiroshi was wrapped in bandages all over his body and was limping as he walked.

"Oh, it's you guys. Are you alright with your injuries?" Kurosawa Shizuki greeted him casually.

"Of course, no problem! We're the hot-blooded men of Yamagata!" Mizushima patted the cast on his left hand, looking very tough, but after being stared at by Kurosawa Shizuki, he lowered his head shyly. "Big sister, I heard you defeated Yamauchi. You must have... gotten what you wanted from Yamauchi, right?"

"Of course, I will get what I want no matter what..." Kurosawa Shizuki said confidently. "But you guys, how do you plan to get out of the enemy's encirclement without my help?"

“It’s all our fault for being too arrogant. Because we had Big Sister backing us up, we acted too recklessly. We’ve learned our lesson this time, and we’ll be more restrained in the future,” Kanda Hiroshi said with a smile of satisfaction. “But since you got what you wanted, Big Sister, our injuries weren’t in vain.”

“Once Yamauchi fell, we took over all his power, including the channels for those ‘medicines’,” Mizushima Wataru’s smile carried a strange undertone. “These medicines are incredibly delicious, as if they can make you forget the whole world. If we sell those medicines in Heijō, we can make a huge profit.”

“Big Sister, if you need that medicine again in the future, you can contact us anytime. We will supply it for free! This is our way of thanking you. Without Big Sister, we would not have our current status at all…” Kanda Hiroshi bowed deeply to Kurosawa Shizuki.

"Wait, you've already taken that drug?!" Kurosawa Shizuki's gaze towards the two gang leaders grew increasingly strange.

"Hehe, I'm sorry, boss, we couldn't resist. After all, we confiscated a lot of 'medicines' at our base in the mountains. These are medicines that we would never normally be able to afford. So I temporarily allowed everyone to have some fun... just this once, since everyone wants to have some fun." Mizushima Wataru laughed a little embarrassedly.

"It's alright, as long as you're happy. That's all for now, goodbye," Kurosawa Shizuki waved to them, turned and went into the classroom. "I'll contact you if I need anything in the future."

"Understood! Goodbye, Big Sister!" The two were completely unaware of Kurosawa Shizuki's strange behavior and bowed respectfully to her under the curious gazes of their classmates.

These scumbags are truly useless; I doubt I'll ever have the chance to contact you again.

Two days from now, you'll probably all turn into amethyst worms, right? Enjoy these last two days of your lives. Kurosawa Shizuki gave a cold, indifferent smile and walked back to her seat.

------

Before school ended, Mr. Takano, the balding middle-aged English teacher and homeroom teacher of Class 1-B, hurriedly walked in, his forehead dripping with cold sweat, stopping the restless students who were about to leave the classroom.

"Students, according to the Pyeonggyeong Meteorological Agency, starting tomorrow afternoon at 4 PM, Super Typhoon Helles, the 8th typhoon of the year, will be hitting Pyeonggyeong. There is a possibility of gale-force winds of level 16 or higher and torrential rain..."

Boom—A series of muffled claps sounded outside the window, as if confirming the authenticity of Professor Takano's message.

The wind howled like weeping across the empty playground, causing flags, trees, and students' clothes to sway incessantly.

The wind whipped up wisps of gray dust from the flat ground, casting a gloomy, hazy hue over everything.

"Therefore, the school has given a last-minute notice that tomorrow is a holiday, making it a three-day break including Saturday and Sunday. When the typhoon hits, please keep your doors and windows closed, and under no circumstances should you go out..."

A burst of noise erupted in the classroom, with most of the students cheering with delight.

"Even during holidays, I hope everyone will complete the assignments we give you. Your studies cannot be neglected for even a moment..."

Another chorus of boos erupted in the classroom, but the homeroom teacher seemed completely oblivious, continuing to assign homework as if nothing had happened.

After school, despite being assigned three days' worth of homework, most students excitedly discussed how to spend their unexpected holiday at home.

"Yay! Long live the typhoon! Let's party all night long!"

"I'll definitely have time to grind for Lisa-chan's elite materials this time."

"This awful typhoon... I was planning to confess my feelings tomorrow night!"

However, the teacher still announced the final, death knell-like news in his monotone voice: "Finally, I regret to inform you that due to the super typhoon, Pyeongsang will be under lockdown tomorrow and the day after, and all external transportation will be temporarily closed. Moreover, during the typhoon, the government may experience widespread power and internet outages in order to maintain the integrity of infrastructure. Things will be restored in three days, so please understand."

"What?! No power or internet?! Are we living in the Stone Age?"

"Lockdown? Are you kidding me? Is this a typhoon or a plague? I've never heard of anything like this before!"

"Damn it, there's definitely a conspiracy behind this. We have to leave Pingjing tonight..."

The students in the classroom finally sensed some unease, and their discussions were no longer as cheerful as before.

Kurosawa Shizuki was not surprised by the news at all. She turned to look out the school window. The sky, which had been clear and sunny in the morning, was now covered with dark clouds that blocked out the sun. The occasional rumble of thunder could be heard. The air was dry and oppressive, making people feel inexplicably anxious.