Collapse Iron Live Broadcast Connects All Worlds, Scares Away Wuzhan at the Beginning

Inosuke tilted his boar headband and snorted disdainfully, "With abilities like these, everyone should be in awe of me! I can use this ability to become the boss of all of Pinocchio! And by the way, I'll have that Sunday kid take off the ring on his head and give it to me. That ring is what makes me a boss!"

-

"Misha expressed her gratitude to Xing again, and Clock Kid realized that Xing and Misha had been friends for a long time."

"Thank you, Xing. I didn't expect to see you again so soon," Huang Quan also expressed his gratitude. "The chaos just now... I heard that a group of masked fools were causing trouble on the streets, disrupting public order. I was stopped and questioned while passing through here, and some... misunderstandings occurred during the process. As a result, I'm sorry to have caused you trouble again."

"Is this young lady... also an acquaintance of yours?" Liuying looked at Xing curiously.

"I wouldn't call her an acquaintance, but I've met her once. She helped me out at the hotel before, and she's a kind person. Nice to meet you, beautiful lady."

Liuying felt a little shy at the compliment and lowered her head: "Beautiful, beautiful lady..."

"But what did you do to that gentleman just now? His instant change of mood... is a bit unbelievable." Huang Quan said.

"A flash of inspiration came to me: 'It was talk therapy. I used talk therapy!'"

"I wonder if it has something to do with that... Clock Kid that only you can see?" Liuying speculated.

Huang Quan narrowed his eyes, somewhat confused: "...Clock Boy?"

“Yes, that cartoon character… It seems to have appeared in reality—I mean, in a dream. I don’t quite understand the situation, but Xing said that only straightforward, innocent, and childlike children can see it…”

"..." Huang Quan sighed, "It seems that I am no longer at that age."

"But if this Clock Boy really existed, many things would make sense. I can sense that something seemingly unreal is accompanying you. Unfortunately, I can't communicate with it like you can. Perhaps we both react to the memory, allowing us to perceive these incredible things in dreams, and you are more sensitive than I am."

-

grim Reaper.

In the backyard of Urahara's shop, a black cat lazily sprawled on a low table, its golden eyes reflecting the conversation between Firefly and Yomi in the sky. Urahara sat cross-legged beside him, tapping his folding fan against his knees intermittently.

"Hey." Yoruichi's tail tip twitched gently, "Did they miss something?"

Urahara's lips curled up slightly, and his folding fan suddenly opened. "As expected, Miss Yoruichi noticed it too. Firefly's discussion didn't seem to include Misa at all, but he could clearly see Clock Kid."

"Why? Shouldn't Misha be more worthy of attention? Or is it just because he's an ordinary doorman?"

"Ordinary?" Urahara lowered the brim of his hat, a hint of amusement in his tone. "From the moment he saw Clock Kid, he was no longer ordinary. I think he and Hoshi reached some kind of 'special agreement' that allowed him to see Clock Kid."

"I still don't know the specifics of this condition, but I'd venture a guess... the two of them might have, intentionally or unintentionally, touched upon some fundamental rule of Pinocchio."

"Could it be related to [development]?" Ye Yi asked.

"I can't be sure, but it's easy to verify. Xing isn't the only one who pioneered. All we need to do is bring Clock Boy to Himeko and the others. If Himeko and the others can also see Clock Boy... then that would explain something."

-

"I originally thought that the elegant Rememberer had left something in your mind, but now it seems there are many other beings as special as her in this dream."

"The Elegant Rememberer?"

Huang Quan nodded and said, "Not long after we parted, I stumbled upon a ball, and a lady in a black veil invited me to dance with her. It was my first time dancing... and it was an unforgettable experience."

"Unfortunately, I forgot to ask her name... I only know she's from [Liuguang Yiting]."

"Is Liuguang Yiting... the group of people who serve the Star God of Memory?" Liuying asked.

"Yes. They can travel between worlds as memes, appearing only to certain people—don't they look a lot like the Clock Kids you mentioned? This is a family event, after all, so perhaps there are more guests invited than we imagined."

"Anyway, thank you all for your care again. I wish you a pleasant dream. I won't disturb your date..."

Liuying's face flushed crimson instantly, and she waved her hands frantically: "No, it's not a date...!"

-

Spy play house.

(It was clearly a date! And it was a legitimate, irrefutable date!)

On the shopping street, Aniya, holding the Chimera doll in one hand, couldn't help but complain in her heart.

Watching the blushing Firefly on the sky screen denying the date, even Lloyd, an elite spy, couldn't help but sigh: "Are all girls in the universe so dishonest? Since they're already working with Xing, the best strategy would be to just admit the date and press on."

"How can this be...!" Yoel's face suddenly turned red, and the shopping bag in his hand almost fell to the ground. "Of course girls will be shy! And... and..."

Her voice became weaker and weaker, and she couldn't help but think of how she still hadn't been able to say the three words "I love you" to her husband.

...She understood Liuying's shyness very well!

"But Xing is also a girl. When two people are girls..." Lloyd said analytically, "If they both remain reserved, the relationship will become difficult to break through and reach a deadlock. At this time, one person needs to take the initiative to break through—"

"So, that's why Mr. Lloyd doesn't understand at all!" Joel interrupted him excitedly, not noticing that he had just crushed a stone at his feet while he was distracted. "The relationship between girls should be more... more..."

"More what?" Lloyd leaned closer curiously.

Joel's face was as red as a bowl of bell pepper beef stew. "It needs to be more...more natural! This is the first day they've met! They need at least fifty dates before anything goes further, right?!"

"Fifty times? Does that really require that many dates?" Lloyd calmed down and pondered the deeper meaning of Joel's words.

(Could it be that I proposed too hastily that night, and Miss Youer was a little dissatisfied, and was using the relationship between Xing and Liuying to hint that I should go out shopping with her more often?)

(Sure enough, I was negligent...)

Anya read her father's logical and thoughtful thoughts and nodded seriously.

(Dad was thinking about Mom. Aniya also thought Dad should go on more dates with Mom. Although… Dad’s reasoning was completely wrong, the unexpected result was right.)

-

"After Huang Quan's figure disappeared into the neon depths of Pinocchio, Liuying breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Xing beside her. Her fingers unconsciously stroked the hem of her skirt, and her voice was a little softer than before:"

“…She left. So, should we…?”

Chapter 337: Pinocchio (Twenty-six)

"After Clock Kid thanked Xing once again, he left with Misha."

"Come with me. Don't let your invisible friends call you away this time..." Liuying turned her back and let out a soft, small hum."

"There seems to be a smell of vinegar in the air at Pinocchio... maybe it's just an illusion, right?"

"The two of them rode the pinball machine and arrived at a cafe. Liuying said this was the place."

"Is this the secret base?" Xing looked around at the people coming and going. This place could indeed be used as a base, but it wasn't "secret" at all, was it?

"No, no..." Liuying blushed and pointed awkwardly at the manhole cover behind her: "--It's here."

"This is a bit embarrassing," Xing unconsciously lowered her voice, "There are people watching around here..."

"It's okay! Anything can happen in dreams. People fall from the sky every day—it's nothing new to pedestrians. Let me demonstrate—it's a little dark at first, so stick with me."

"After saying that, the girl lifted the lid right in front of her and slipped in gracefully."

“…”

"Going down the sewer with a beautiful girl is a new experience for me. Xing was overwhelmed with thoughts for a moment, but after all, I'm here..."

-

Gintama.

"Isn't it full in there?"

"Ayin, no one here can teleport."

In front of the coffee table in the Yorozuya, the three of them stared at the scene in the sky where Firefly and Star were crawling into the sewer.

Gintoki slumped on the sofa, his dead eyes expressionless: "Ah... my heart is dead. Not a metaphor, I'm really envious to the point of my heart stopping."

Kagura chewed some vinegared kelp and tilted her head. "Huh? What's there to envy about going into the sewer? It stinks and you might even run into rats, Aru."

"The point isn't the sewer!" Gintama suddenly sat up straight. "It's about two people going into the sewer together! This kind of youth! This kind of romance! This kind of—"

"Your youth and romance are a bit strong..." Xinbaji pushed the body on the bridge of his nose.

"Besides, don't you find it strange? Why do we have to go through the sewers to reach the secret base? This is simply Liuying's little trick!"

"Gin, you're just jealous, right?" Kagura swallowed the vinegared kelp in her mouth. "If you're really envious, why not try drilling with Mr. Hijikata next time—"

"Shut up! This is a serious shonen manga! Not a BL fanfiction!"

-

"The girl with black twintails suddenly stopped by the roadside, her hands on her hips, and suddenly said, "Hey, let me ask you..."

"Is your way of attracting a girl's attention to stalk her openly?" She turned around, her ponytails swaying slightly with her movements. "It's almost half a system hour."

Gold Dust swaggered out of the shadows and said calmly, "Forty-five minutes, to be exact. Good times always fly by, don't they?"

The girl scoffed, "Hey, little peacock... you have beautiful eyes. Are you from Tsygansk?"

"Gold Dust put one hand on his hip: "Want some further hints? For example, I'm an Evikin?"

"Well... my eyesight isn't as good as yours, but I'm not blind..." the girl scoffed coldly, "Who in the universe doesn't know you Gypsygonians? Born liars, thieves, socialites... sweet-mouthed, but with a sharp tongue, you're truly worthy of your reputation."

“‘If you ask me, you’re more suited to being under a manhole cover than in your dreams…’ The girl looked around and indeed found a manhole cover next to her. She smiled and winked at Shajin, ‘…Ah, there’s one right there. Go ahead~’”

"No need for that. Dark corners don't suit my temperament. This beautiful dream suits me better: frivolous, vain, and flashy..." Shajin seemed unfazed by the girl's rather aggressive remarks, her smile still lingering. "...and it won't rain! My outfit is so delicate it can't withstand the elements."

She raised her chin slightly, not disguising the sarcasm in her words: "Put away your playful tongue, little peacock. Please go back. We are fools, not fools. We don't intend to play friend games with the company's lapdogs."

-

Battle of Two Cities.

"This Du Jin is really being bullied wherever he goes. If you ask me, he's too good-tempered. If it were me, I would definitely punch this little girl in the face to see if she dares to say such things again."

In Piltover's park square, Wei and Caitlyn sat side by side on chairs by the sidewalk, watching the sky show. Seeing the little black-haired girl's blunt taunting of Gold Dust, she instinctively clenched her fists—but then forgot she was holding a can of beer, and it sprayed all over herself.

Caitlin sighed helplessly, took out a stack of tissues from her pocket and handed it to her: "You are always like this, hoping to solve problems with violence. In my opinion, he is not good-tempered..." She narrowed her eyes slightly, "but... He is used to it."

"Are you used to being a doormat?"

"Believe me, no one can get to the P45 position in the company by being a doormat."

Caitlin shook her head, her long blue hair fluttering in the warm sunset breeze. "Perhaps to some, his Tsygannian identity is a shameful side of him, and simply exposing it is enough to humiliate Shajin. But to him, his Tsygannian identity is perhaps just another card in the game. As long as he plays it at the right moment... humiliation or not doesn't matter."

"Just like my mother always brings up 'Gillaman's daughter'. Even though I hate it, I have to admit... this is also a card I use. At least in certain upper-class occasions, playing this card can save me some unnecessary trouble."

"As for that masked girl..." Catherine smiled slightly. "I think she simply wants to irritate Gold Dust. Perhaps for the Masked Fool, watching people rage is part of the fun."

Wei was also amused: "But she didn't expect that Shajin didn't care at all."

"Well, I guess this isn't Gold Sand's first time dealing with the Masked Fool. He's very familiar with their tactics." Catherine nodded. "The more she tries to humiliate Gold Sand, the less he takes it seriously. But I don't know what Gold Sand is thinking. He actually wants to cooperate with the Masked Fool."

"Little Cake, you seem to be very familiar with the Masked Fool... How do you know they can't cooperate?" Wei cast a puzzled look at Caitlin.

"I wouldn't say I'm familiar with it, but do you remember the part about the Masked Fool in the Locust Plague?"

Chapter 338: Pinocchio (Twenty-Seven)

Caitlin rested her chin on her hand as she recalled, "To aid the C'tan, the Fool borrowed a gondola from the Entertainment People. Then, he gradually recruited people from countless factions to join him. As the number of people on board grew, no one noticed that the original Fools had slipped away."

"Pinoconi now also gathers countless forces and factions. I don't know if this foolish girl will organize a group... but after she gets the fun she wants, she will definitely be the first to run away."

-

"Oh? Are you serious?" Shajin asked with interest, "You've never made friends with anyone in the company?"

The girl chuckled. "Do you think I haven't read the history of Pinocchio? Don't try to involve me in your boring office politics."

"Fool—from the moment you were invited to this event, you had no choice. Choose your side before you lose everything."

"You sound pretty confident, like you've already dealt with that chicken wing boy in your family."

The girl's eyes suddenly lit up, as if someone had sprinkled a handful of stardust into her petal-like pupils, a glint of curiosity lingering in her eyes. "How did you do that, little peacock? Did you strip naked, kneel down, apologize, and promise, 'Wow, wow, the company will never target Pinocchio'?"

"After saying this, the girl's soft voice suddenly changed, becoming cold and stern: "Friends... Come on, you only use others as bargaining chips."

"Aren't chips good? At the gambling table, chips are the only thing that prevents you from losing everything. Look at the friends at Liuguang Yiting and Xingqiongche, they all understand this principle. They're very smart."

"But a smart person wouldn't join the game from the beginning. Look, am I smarter?" the girl said seriously. "Listen up, Little Peacock. You've also received an invitation to the Tavern. Want to invite the Masked Fool to join? Sure, use your brain and find out what the God of Fun wants."

"Here's a tip: since you can't convince anyone, why not consider finding a mute friend? At least he won't contradict you, haha."

“Goodbye~”

"After saying that, the girl smiled and left."

"Thank you! 'Make friends with the dumb'—I'll keep it in mind!"

"Looking at the girl's bounding figure gradually disappearing into the distance, the smile that had just appeared on Shajin's lips gradually faded, turning into a sigh."