Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

When Alice arrived in the basement five minutes later, Patchouli could see a strange emotion in her expression. It was like the feeling she had two hundred years ago when Patchouli had made her a dessert, only to find halfway through that the filling had turned from mustard into oil—the subtle expression on Alice's face as she tried to vomit but forced herself to eat it, finally managing to twitch her brow and say she was alright. Patchouli would occasionally dredge up this scene from the depths of her memory and savor it, often deriving new joy from it.

—Incidentally, Patchouli was forbidden from going into the kitchen from that day on, and that ban remains in effect to this day.

"What's wrong, Alice? Has something strange happened?" Patchouli put down her chores and looked at her friend with a questioning gaze. "Why did it take you so long to come down?"

“…It’s nothing.” Alice paused for a moment, then shook her head slightly. “It’s just that something happened that I expected, but it was different from what I had imagined.”

She exhaled softly and said.

“My understanding of this infinite world may be somewhat different. But that’s not important, and it won’t hinder my strategy… Hmm, I’ll let you know once I’ve organized the relevant information. My mind is still a bit of a mess right now.”

“Is that so?” Patchouli nodded gently. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. Alice, you can always rely on me. Don’t keep me waiting too long.”

“I won’t hesitate when needed.” Alice lightly bit her tongue, her spirits immediately lifting. “Let’s put this matter aside for now… I’ve captured Kayako, and the winner of the competition has been decided. So, as the loser, do you have anything to say about this?”

"A bet's a bet?" Patchouli tilted her head, looking at Alice. "So, Alice, what do you want from me? Is there anything else I have that you desire but doesn't belong to you?"

"Of course, I want it..." She was excited when suddenly her expression froze. She blinked, her sharp gaze turning blank.

Alice's lips twitched.

"...Okay, I admit I was inconsiderate." She really couldn't imagine what she could possibly gain from Patchouli that wasn't hers. Heart, body, knowledge, memories—everything between them was shared; there was no bargaining chip to be exchanged.

Even making some shameful demands... like being a maid for a day or something, is pointless. These things can be done anytime with a simple request. There's no need to use it as a wager.

This is really frustrating.

"Can't figure it out?" Patchouli tilted her head to the other side. "You can bully me however you want, but if you can't even think of one, then forget it."

Alice's shoulders slumped.

"I have to admit, you're stronger now..."

"Hoo hoo, silly Alice." Patchouli reached out and ruffled Alice's hair, making a mess of her listless blonde hair. "Let's put aside what we can't do for now. Now, let's see what I've found."

She raised her hand and pointed to a magic circle hidden at the bottom of the basement for Alice to see.

"The development of the demonic path in this world is quite interesting."

................................................

"A vengeful spirit...?" Zhao Yingkong looked at the girl in red who appeared in front of her and frowned in confusion.

She found the student ID fifteen minutes earlier. Then she noticed that the scene of the school before her had become blurry and chaotic, like an old, damp oil painting.

When she came to her senses, she found herself in a dilapidated, abandoned school building. A girl who looked no more than eleven or twelve years old, wearing a long red dress and with black hair that reached her ankles, was sitting casually on the lecture platform, her bare little feet bobbing up and down, and the ends of her black hair trembling slightly.

She could clearly sense the deathly aura surrounding the girl. The Netherfire Fang in her hand was also slightly warm, and the deep, dark flames seemed to be spontaneously about to surge forth.

She lowered her body slightly and adopted an aggressive posture.

"Please don't make a move, young lady, I have something to say to you." The little girl smiled at her, her translucent pale face revealing a hint of pitifulness. She jumped down from the lecture hall and performed a somewhat awkward Western-style curtsy towards Zhao Yingkong.

“I am Sachiko Shinozaki, the owner of this school. It was indeed my method to invite you here using that student ID. But I meant no harm; I simply wanted to ask for your help. May I ask how I should address you?”

Zhao Yingkong didn't answer her directly, but instead slightly shifted her gaze to look at the dilapidated school buildings around her. The embers within her body flickered slightly, and she could glimpse the hidden, endlessly dense aura of darkness emanating from the shadows of the school buildings.

“Many people have died in this school. And their resentment and curses before they died are all related to you.” Zhao Yingkong said slowly, “I have no need to talk to a vengeful spirit who has killed countless people. If this is all you have to say, then your fate ends here.”

"Oh dear, have we been discovered?" The young ghost girl sighed softly. "If possible, I don't want to be enemies with you, miss. We're not enemies, and we have no right to kill each other. Hmm... you're after that slit-mouthed woman with terrible taste in clothes, right? If I capture her and tie a pretty ribbon around her neck as a gift for you... would it be possible for us to get along peacefully?"

Zhao Yingkong lowered her eyes, and tiny sparks rose from the hem of her clothes as a reply.

"Is it really not possible? I had my reasons for killing those people; it wasn't my intention. If you're willing to coexist peacefully, I can explain the details to you step by step. I really don't want to fight you. Look, I haven't laid a single hand on you yet. Doesn't that show my sincerity?"

"The butcher, stained with blood and bits of flesh, exuding a menacing aura, walks down the street carrying a still-dripping cleaver," Zhao Yingkong replied. "How many passersby do you think would consider this butcher harmless?"

“…What you said seems to make some sense.” The ghostly little girl sighed deeply, looking helpless.

"I really don't understand. It's so easy for that guy to find a helper, but it's so hard for me. Does being well-developed really mean I can do whatever I want?" She glanced at Zhao Yingkong's obviously overdeveloped chest, and the helplessness on her face turned into confusion and frustration.

Thick black mist emanated from its body.

“There’s no other way. I can’t let you go to see them directly—because that guy’s ability to lie is just too good. I’m already at a disadvantage, so I can’t take the risk… Therefore, I have no choice but to use my strength to prove that there is a need for an equal dialogue between us.”

Section 15 - It turns out we haven't even gotten to the main topic yet.

"...A seal?" Alice raised an eyebrow slightly as she looked at the magic circle hidden beneath the Ju-on mansion. Although their research areas differed, as a materialist, she wasn't entirely ignorant of idealistic magic and spells. With Patchouli's assistance, she quickly deciphered the basic effects of the magic circle.

This should be a complex, large-scale sealing array. The technique is rather rudimentary, suggesting it was concocted by a beginner following a magic book left by an ancestor. It has existed for about ten years, and its function is to attract the strange black energy surging in the air and transform it into a curse capable of creating bizarre phenomena.

In short, Kayako's vengeful spirit was created by the creator of the magic circle. As long as the magic circle remains intact and the black mist in the sky persists, Kayako will be reborn no matter how many times she dies. Whether she is reborn or simply surviving, as long as Kayako's vengeful spirit can move, she will continuously and slowly consume the black mist in the sky.

[So their goal was to dissipate the strange black mist in the sky? Hmm… creating multiple anomalous points in the city, using them to generate vengeful spirits, and then using those spirits to create consumption. In that case, their poor energy manipulation skills are understandable. Was this so-called consumption intentional…?]

"That's true. Judging by the sheer scale of the black energy, if it were all converted into an equal amount of magic power, even at our peak, Patchouli and I wouldn't have been able to easily subdue the monster it formed. However, if we transform it into multiple vengeful spirits, and then let them kill each other, or simply attract other exorcists to eliminate them, given time, we should be able to completely destroy this aggregate of black energy."

[So that's how it is. The Central Continent Team didn't encounter any other ghosts when they last arrived in the Ju-on world. Was it because they were seen as exorcists dealing with Ju-on that the cartographer intervened to block other monsters from attacking them? No wonder something like Kayako could have a 20-person difficulty level, the highest level in the Reincarnation World. If it had been fully triggered, the Central Continent Team back then would have truly been doomed.]

She let out a soft breath.

"Alice, have you come to a conclusion?" Patchouli asked.

“Hmm, I understand roughly.” Alice nodded, reaching out to manipulate gravity waves, re-covering the magic circle, whose disguise had been stripped away by Patchouli, with dust and gravel. She organized her thoughts and began to recount her conclusions.

"Somewhere in this city, a powerful monster is supposed to be sealed, but the seal broke down about ten years ago. Perhaps the seal was damaged, or perhaps some of the monster's power escaped. Therefore, the seal's guardian at the time decided to use the entire city as an extension of the sealing array, creating vengeful spirits in various areas to weaken the monster's power."

Her gaze drifted to the top of the basement, as if she could see through the concrete slabs the long, black river that covered the sky.

“I had my suspicions before. With so many ghosts in this place, I wonder how many people die every day… However, the fact that the city can still function normally clearly means there’s something wrong behind the scenes. In fact, if I hadn’t been able to observe the black river at the top of the sky, we probably wouldn’t have considered this possibility.”

She thought for a moment, then added, "Well, they should still be able to find it, but it might take longer."

Patchouli smiled gently, then produced a comb from somewhere and went to Alice's side to comb her previously disheveled hair. Alice obediently sat in the chair, her head gently drooping beside Patchouli's hand.

"Should we try to break this magic circle? Although the systems are different, I should be able to give it a shot if I spend some time on it," Patchouli asked Alice while combing her hair.

Now that we understand its purpose and the principles behind its construction, deciphering its structure and figuring out each step of its internal operation is only a matter of time. With sufficient effort and time, we can certainly obtain the answer.

However, Alice rejected the proposal.

"...No need, Qi Tengyi will handle the decryption. We just need to do our jobs, and then..."

She picked up the sphere of force field that bound Kayako's spirit. She squinted and examined it closely.

"Patch, I have an idea."

"Um……?"

"Don't you think this journey is far too easy? It's so easy, it's like a day spent on a picnic in the countryside. If we really spend the thirty days that the God of War has exchanged for us like this, wouldn't it be a bit... wasteful?"

................................................

Qi Teng flexed his fingers, quietly escaping the illusion created by Suite 1408. He had to admit that Zhang Heng, fully ignited with fighting spirit, was indeed a formidable opponent; the Wind Arrow bestowed by the Main God, when combined with some high-level enchanted arrows, would be a deadly threat to him. However, since the battlefield was within an illusion, victory was already predetermined from the start.

"Well done." He glanced at the unconscious Zhang Heng and nodded with a hint of approval.

The battle within the illusion was rather uneventful; from beginning to end, Qi Tengyi led Zhang Heng by the nose, controlling the illusion created by 1408, while Zhang Heng remained completely unaware. The outcome was predetermined from the start—but Zhang Heng's greatest gain from this journey was his ability to fight back, driven by his inner rage. If he could fight with anger, he would surely be able to step onto the battlefield with courage in the future. Perhaps it wouldn't be long before Zhang Heng grew into a true warrior. But not now; there were more important things to do.

Qi Teng narrowed his eyes, examining the mottled ball of light he was holding tightly in his hand.

"This is the core of this suite. As expected, it is a composite spirit formed by the aggregation of multiple vengeful spirits. So, all we need to do next is devour and decompose it to create a sufficiently sturdy defensive position."

“Then…” His pupils changed once again into the vertical pupils characteristic of reptiles.

Just then, a communication from Alice suddenly rang from the terminal in his pocket. He hesitated for a moment, and instead of directly absorbing the core of 1408, he first connected with Alice's communication.

"This is Qi Tengyi." He asked as soon as the communication connected, "Miss Alice, the problem with the position has been resolved. Are you contacting me now because the plan needs to be revised?"

"……………………"

“You make a good point. The Ju-on world is weaker than we expected. Although we’ve only been active in this world for a short time, there probably aren’t any enemies in Japan that are much stronger than Kayako. Indeed, there is a possibility of wasting reward points.”

"……………………"

“This is truly…a remarkable discovery.” He looked up at the night sky outside the suite. His gaze seemed to pierce through the cold moonlight, looking towards a certain point in the void. “It seems my observation methods are not perfect enough. I never expected such a surprise here. So, Miss Alice, what are your plans?”

"……………………"

"……………………"

"Heh, interesting. As expected of you, this strategy is as innovative as ever. It's a pity I can't participate directly. But I think others would really like it."

"........."

"Yes, no problem. I'll contact Zhan Lan and Xiao Honglu. Although their mental strength has been enhanced accordingly, their manipulation skills still need practice. I guarantee it will be a huge surprise."

"…………"

“Ah, it’s alright, you don’t need to apologize to me. My way of thinking is my own choice, and I think it’s fine this way. Even if I can’t participate, I can still gain a lot of practical experience as the guardian of the ritual. After all, the local forces in this country have already come knocking on my door. And I’m happy to let them be my opponents.”

He hung up the phone and looked out at the tranquil night view. His slightly pursed lips slowly parted, and then the smile widened, the gap at the corners of his mouth even extending all the way to below his ears.

In the distance, the sound of numerous police sirens approached. Clearly, this was the consequence of the gas explosion triggered by apartment 1408, which had been used to prevent him from reaching the fourteenth floor. The intense sirens suggested that apartment 1408 was making its final, desperate attempt to escape.

But... it doesn't matter anymore.

Qi Teng stretched his hand out the window, his fingertips pointing towards the area with the highest concentration of police cars.

"Abyss Artillery Fire".

Author's Note:

................................................

I feel like WPS is acting a little strange today... is it just my imagination?

Chapter Sixteen: Borrowing a Knife

Zhan Lan looked up at the sky, gazing at the pale, cold moon. For some reason, she suddenly felt cold, as if a chill had risen from the base of her spine, rushed straight to her brainstem, and then exploded in her cerebellum. The sudden cold almost made her lose coordination; her hands and feet trembled like someone having an epileptic seizure.

"Achoo—!" Xiao Honglu sneezed suddenly. He rubbed his forehead, looking around in confusion. "Did it suddenly get colder? Strange, given the basic constitution of the Three-Eyed Clan, they shouldn't be affected by this level of temperature change. Could this be the reason?"

He picked up the videotape that recorded the ghost of the dry well and examined it carefully, but ultimately couldn't figure it out and had to give up in frustration.

"It's probably just my imagination," Xiao Honglu sighed heavily.

The female ghost, who would claim lives within seven days of anyone watching the videotape, remained in the well for half an hour. Even as the two grew impatient and the divine notifications from the other groups triggering their missions echoed in their minds, this named ghost, who could even hold a place in Japanese horror history, still failed to trigger their side quest.

"Hmm." Zhan Lan pursed her lips, pinching her chin with some doubt. "I have some doubts. Is this female ghost... really the real Sadako from Yamamura? Although the movie and the novel have different settings, neither should be like this... timid and hesitant."

She looked at Xiao Honglu.

"We're not very good at fighting, are we?"