I said you are all war criminals

After hearing Aine's explanation, the housekeeper relaxed her guard a little. "So that's how it is... Miss has been acting a little strange lately. She's been shutting herself in her room a lot and not eating much. I thought it was just a little teenage mood swings..."

The housekeeper sighed with a hint of worry.

Bai Ye added a few words at the right time, "Is it because she had a quarrel with the elderly people at home after returning home? I heard from Xiangzi that she was living alone not long ago and only returned to her family a while ago."

This was information that Aine didn't know.

After throwing out this information, the vigilance on the housekeeper's face finally disappeared.

"come in."

She stepped aside and welcomed the three people into the house.

A faint scent of sandalwood mixed with the smell of disinfectant filled the air, causing Lixi to frown a little uncomfortably.

The housekeeper led the three of them through a thickly carpeted corridor and came to a room at the end of the second floor.

"The young lady is inside."

The housekeeper pointed to the closed door and said in a low voice, "Please try to persuade her and don't let her get stuck in a rut."

After saying this, the housekeeper with a thick accent left in a dignified manner.

Hakuno nodded and knocked lightly on the door.

"Xiangzi? We're coming in."

There was no response from inside.

"What's going to happen?"

Aine looked at Hakuno with some worry.

Bai Ye laughed, "What could happen?"

After saying that, Bai Ye directly opened the door.

The room was bright, almost blindingly bright. Sunlight poured in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the documents covering the walls. These documents weren't neatly arranged, but rather spread out like weeds, from the desk to the walls, even strewn across the floor.

Li Xi instinctively stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the papers. What caught his eye wasn't the "sexual magic" Xiangzi had so confidently taught Hakuno, but rather information on the "art of resurrection." Densely packed with bizarre rituals, spells, and even strange hand-drawn patterns, the materials were filled with information. Even more shocking, they centered around the "Seven Wonders of Honjo"—an urban legend set in 1982 in Tokyo's Sumida Ward. Legend has it that there was a secret resurrection of the dead.

"Xiangzi is really quick. How long has it taken to complete the investigation?"

Hakuno came closer.

Li Xi stared at the documents in his hands, his brow furrowed. A subtle sense of strangeness washed over him. The information was incredibly detailed, containing not only written records but also photos, maps, and even several handwritten testimonies from individuals suspected of being involved. Had Xiangzi really only started collecting this information yesterday? Even with her immense power, she couldn't have gathered such complete information in such a short time.

Sure enough, Li Xi flipped through a few pages and found that one of the documents was printed out three days ago.

That's right, even Xiangzi couldn't possibly collect so much information in one day. However, if it took three or four days to collect this much, then Lixi would be able to accept it.

But... Xiangzi should have just found out about the "art of resurrection" yesterday, right?

If she only found out yesterday, why did she print out the information three days ago?

"Hey, you two?"

Behind Riki and Hakuno, Aine raised her voice and called out to her two companions, "Don't you think this is weird? Didn't that auntie say Xiangzi was here? But Xiangzi isn't here!"

"Maybe he went to the bathroom?"

Bai Ye said casually.

"But I still feel like something's not right—"

Aine’s voice was drawn out.

It wasn't that she stretched out her voice.

But an explosion.

The exploding air made everything seem stretched.

44

Chapter 44: Song of Autumn.

"Don't keep talking to yourself!"

Li Xi shouted at the other person, "Who are you, anyway?"

The pink-haired middle-aged man's smile did not diminish at all, but instead became even more friendly, like a somewhat listless uncle next door.

"Don't be nervous, little girl,"

He took two slow steps closer, speaking at a steady pace, "My name is Narumiya Akito, and I'm a scholar of folklore. I'm currently researching the history of the Toyokawa family, which is why I came here."

He paused, his short pink hair standing out in the sunlight. "Of course, I know these matters might be a little sensitive, so I didn't go directly to the Toyokawa family. I wanted to inquire first."

Li Xi narrowed his eyes and looked directly at Mingpiao Qiuren like a vigilant watchdog.

If you consider her petite body, maybe a Teddy dog would be more appropriate... or a Corgi?

"How do you know I have a relationship with Toyokawa Shoko?"

Li Xi's tone was cold.

"Ah, this..."

Narumiya Akito scratched his head. "You know what? In today's society, a lot of information is easy to find out... For example, Shiina Ritsuki. The fact that you and Toyokawa Shoko were once bandmates isn't that difficult to find out either."

"Then how did you know I was here?"

Li Xi asked mercilessly.

"Hmm... by chance?"

Akito said in a joking tone, "Maybe it was just a coincidence."

"happen?"

Li Xi sneered, his tone full of sarcasm, "You 'happened' to pass by here and 'happened' to meet us?"

Akito Narumiya still maintained that gentle smile, as if he didn't care at all about Riki's hostility.

"Yes, it just happened."

Li Xi didn't believe his nonsense. She narrowed her eyes and stared at Mingpiao Akito sharply.

"Since you're so interested in the Toyokawa family, you must know a lot about them, right? Tell me, how much do you know?"

"That's exactly what I wanted to say... Let me start from here."

Akito kept a distance from Riki and raised his finger.

"When you talk about ghosts, what comes to mind, Ms. Shiina?"

"The evil ghosts you're talking about are the ones in hell that hold iron rods?"

Li Xi asked.

"It's probably about man-eating ghosts. There used to be legends like this, saying that those evil ghosts would appear in the countryside and capture and eat people."

Akito added, "The most classic legend is that of Shuten-doji... You've probably heard of that, right?"

“…Who are you looking down on?”

Li Xi's eyebrows knitted together.

Everyone knows the legend that Shuten-doji was first drunk by the "poisonous wine of Kamibenki" at a banquet, and then his head was chopped off by Minamoto no Raikou's demon-slaying sword "Yasutsuna".

"Are you trying to say that the Toyokawa family is a descendant of the Minamoto family?"

Li Xi cursed loudly, "This is too ridiculous!"

"On the contrary,"

Akito said, "The Toyokawa family should be the descendants of Shuten-doji."

"……what?"

When Li Xi heard this, he didn't even know how to curse.

So, Akito continued.

"Legend has it that it feeds exclusively on the flesh and blood of women and children. It's adept at seducing young girls and then cutting off their breasts to eat... This is indeed an unforgivable monster behavior, but since it's called 'seduction,' do you think the monster would just 'talk about it'?"

Lixi's face turned ugly... Considering that her face was not good-looking before, perhaps it should be said that it "became even uglier".

Akito continued, "Most of the women he 'enjoyed' died, their bodies discarded carelessly and left exposed in the wilderness. However, there were a very small number of survivors. They became pregnant with Shuten-doji's children—even demons wouldn't swallow their own offspring."

"So... you're saying that the Toyokawa family are... descendants of monsters?"

Li Xi's voice was bitten, as if he was sneering.

"Yes."

Narumiya Akito answered simply, his pink hair looking particularly dazzling in the sunlight, "The Toyokawa family is one of Shuten-douji's descendants. They inherited Shuten-douji's bloodline and also inherited some of his... special abilities."

Li Xi just thought it was ridiculous.

After all...

"There are monsters in this world? Are you out of your mind?"

Li Xi said mercilessly.

"That's a strange thing to say, Ms. Shiina... Don't you have evidence of the existence of monsters in your hands?"

Akito said, pointing his finger towards Riki's pocket.

"The mantra beads are in your pocket, right?"

Li Xi subconsciously touched the mantra beads in her pocket, and the cold touch made her heart shudder.

Who is this guy? Could it be that... he is also...

"How... did you know I had the mantra beads?"

Li Xi's voice was a little dry.

Qiu Ren smiled, with a hint of mystery in his smile.

"This is... a secret."

He paused, his pink hair dazzling in the sunlight. "Anyway, you just need to know that I hold no ill will towards you."

"no offence?"

Li Xi sneered, "Then why are you telling me all this? Are you bored?"

"of course not."

Akito dropped his smile, his expression becoming serious, "I'm here to help you."

"help me?"

Li Xi seemed to have heard a joke, "Help me with what?"

"To free you from the curse,"

Akito answered simply, "The spell released by Toyokawa Shoko has affected the entire Tokyo."

"Freed from the curse,"

Li Xi suddenly thought of something, and his expression became even uglier. "You mean, the curse beads are also a curse?"

"You've probably experienced this before... When the curse bead is filled with dregs of soul, you'll be washed away by the curse within. If you can't endure it at that time..."

Qiu Ren didn't mention the consequences.

But Li Xi had indeed experienced the feeling of almost being dissolved, so naturally he didn't need Qiu Ren to explain it in detail.

"With only a few residual souls left, being washed away by the curse is already so uncomfortable. If there were more residual souls, you would probably become like Toyokawa Kiyoshi..."

"and many more."

Li Xi raised his hand and interrupted Qiu Ren.

There was one thing she didn't understand.

"Who is Toyokawa Seikao?"

The only person she knew from the Toyokawa family was Toyokawa Shoko. The sudden appearance of Toyokawa Seikao left Lixi completely baffled.

"I thought you knew him,"