I'm in Morioh, just joined a chat group for cute girls.

Barefoot, like a startled cat, she silently opened the guest room door and peeked out, looking around.

The living room was empty. Good, Gu Yejun probably hadn't returned yet.

Clutching the bundle of clothes, she tiptoed down the stairs with a guilty conscience, each step taken carefully, afraid of making the slightest sound.

Huh0?樲⑵８㈢○⒐ノ╲

Her goal was to find the washing machine and then dispose of the body.

Just as her toes touched the cold floor on the first floor, the entrance door clicked open from the outside.

The cool morning air rushed in, carrying with it a familiar figure.

Gu Ye was wearing a gray tracksuit, his short black hair was still damp with sweat, and his cheeks, slightly flushed from exercise, made him look more energetic than usual.

He was looking down as he changed his shoes, seemingly unaware of the commotion at the bottom of the stairs.

Kitagawa Kaimu froze on the spot, clutching the bundle of clothes tightly in her arms, feeling as if she had stopped breathing.

Gu Ye changed into slippers, straightened up, and looked up, his gaze meeting that of Hai Meng, who was petrified on the stairs.

The air seemed to freeze for three seconds.

"Good morning," Gu Ye said first, his voice slightly panting from exercising, sounding a bit deeper than usual.

"Good morning, Gu Yejun!" Hai Meng almost subconsciously hid the clothes in her arms behind her back, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace.

Gu Ye's gaze lingered on her for a moment, then fell on the bundle of clothes she had hidden behind her. He recognized it as his own hoodie.

"Just leave the clothes there," he said casually, gesturing with his chin toward the sofa in the living room. "I'll wash them later."

ー0⒈0卼８⑶９⑻

"No, no need!" Hai Meng's voice suddenly rose, and she waved her hands repeatedly, "This... I, I can do it myself!"

"Troublesome." Gu Ye frowned, clearly not understanding her insistence. "It's just a piece of clothing."

"No!" Hai Meng was so anxious she almost stamped her feet. Her mind was blank, and she could only make up excuses haphazardly. "It's...it's because I accidentally...yes! I accidentally spilled it on your clothes while I was drinking juice last night! How could I let you wash it yourself! That's not fair!"

As she spoke, she guiltily looked away, not daring to meet Gu Ye's eyes.

Gu Ye looked at her flustered and incoherent state, a hint of confusion flashing in his dark eyes.

He didn't see any trace of juice in the kitchen.

However, he had no interest in exploring Hai Meng's strange logic.

"The washing machine is on the balcony." He finally relented, pointing towards the glass door at the far end of the living room. "The laundry detergent is in the cabinet next to it."

"Okay, okay! Thank you!" Hai Meng felt like she had been granted a pardon. She immediately grabbed her clothes and rushed to the balcony as if she were being chased by a ferocious beast.

After stuffing the two pieces of "evidence" into the washing machine, pouring in laundry detergent, and pressing the start button, Kitagawa Kaimu finally breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling as if she had finally come back to life.

She leaned against the cold wall, listening to the roar of the washing machine, and the heat on her face slowly subsided.

She lingered for a while before returning to the living room.

Gu Ye had already taken out milk and eggs from the refrigerator and was standing in front of the kitchen counter in the open kitchen, skillfully preparing breakfast.

The sizzling sound of butter melting in the pan and the rich aroma of milk eased the tense atmosphere considerably.

To break the awkward silence, Hai Meng cleared her throat and said, "Um... Gu Yejun! To thank you for taking me in and playing games with me yesterday, you absolutely have to come to my house after school today!"

She regained her usual energetic self, clasped her hands together, and her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"Let me show you what a true, ultimate otaku paradise looks like! My figurine wall is absolutely amazing!"

Gu Ye was pouring the beaten egg mixture into the pot when he heard this, and he simply gave a faint "hmm".

"Then it's settled!" Hai Meng immediately made the decision. She ran to the kitchen counter and added enthusiastically, "My home is in that apartment complex a little further from here! I'll send you the address later! Don't stand me up!"

Seeing her radiant appearance, Gu Ye finally turned his head and glanced at her.

"I understand," he said.

Those three simple words completely brightened Hai Meng's mood.

She leaned on the kitchen counter, watching Gu Ye's profile as he focused on making breakfast, and couldn't help but let a big smile spread across her face.

At the dining table, the light from the phone screen illuminated Kitagawa Haimu's face. Holding her phone, she suddenly looked up and called out to the figure busy in the kitchen.

"Gu Yejun, Lin is calling for you in the group chat!"

"it is good."

Gu Ye placed the golden-brown bacon and soft-boiled eggs onto a plate, poured two glasses of warm milk, and served the hearty breakfast on the table before looking at the chat group.

On the chat group interface, Rin Tohsaka's avatar was flashing.

【Devil Muscle Rin】: @WeatherForecast The Holy Grail has been corrupted, I accept that conclusion. But, is there really no way to cleanse the evil of this world?

Rin had clearly not slept all night, or rather, she had devoured the massive database that Gu Ye had sent her early in the morning.

She not only read it herself, but also shared it in the group as a file, giving everyone a direct and brutal understanding of the magicians' war that took place in Fuyuki City.

【Marin】: I just looked at the information too, and it feels like there were no winners in this war from beginning to end. It's really too cruel.

[Weather Forecast]: Don't rush, sometimes the answer is written in the riddle itself.

[Weather Forecast]: Caster, also known as Medea, who is participating in this Holy Grail War, possesses the ability to purify the Holy Grail. Don't forget, she was a great magician of the Age of Gods; even in that era when gods roamed the earth, she was a renowned figure.

[Devil Muscle Rin]: Medea? You mean the princess of Colchis?

[Devilish Muscle Rin]: Theoretically, it's indeed possible; the skills of the magicians of the Age of Gods far surpass those of the modern era. But the problem is time. She simply doesn't have enough time to prepare such a large-scale ritual. Moreover, she needs a massive spiritual ley line as support. The ley line magic power in Fuyuki City has already been reserved by the Holy Grail System; where would she find the spare capacity? The Holy Grail War is held only once every sixty years precisely because such a long period of time is needed to rebuild the magical power of the spiritual ley lines.

[American Scythe]: Tsk, what you said is pointless. Although I don't understand your mythology, judging from the information you provided, this woman named Medea, given enough time and materials, could easily have crafted a Holy Grail by hand, right? Isn't the key issue still time?

[Weather Forecast]: Yes, the key is timing, but you seem to have overlooked my abilities. Think about it another way: the flow of magic, the so-called 'magic tides,' isn't that a kind of 'weather phenomenon'?

Gu Ye's words instantly silenced the discussion in the group.

[Devil Muscle Rin]: What do you want to do?

[Weather Forecast]: A magician's power originates from only two sources: the large source and the small source. The small source is the magician's own life force, which is very limited. But the large source is different; it is the life energy that permeates the world, theoretically limitless. The reason Medea didn't have time is because the magical power in Fuyuki, a small place, is limited and gathers too slowly. But what if I could create a 'magical tide' covering the entire country of Japan or even a larger area, forcibly diverting all the magical power from other regions to Fuyuki City?

【Devil Muscle Rin】: ......A madman.

[Devilish Muscle Rin]: However, this crazy idea is indeed feasible. In magic theory, the flow of major magical energy is indeed influenced by the regularity of ley lines, spiritual veins, and the natural environment; broadly speaking, it wouldn't be unreasonable to call it a special kind of 'weather'. But a new problem arises: how do we convince Medea? Judging from the information, she's not exactly a saint; how could she possibly help us for no reason?

[American Scythe]: Huh? Convincing a lovestruck woman is easy, isn't it? I think you, Gu Ye, are a perfect match. Just go and win her over, right? Anyway, once the Holy Grail War is over, everyone will just pack up and go home, and nobody will remember anyone else.

[Herrscher of Food]: No! Miss W, how could you say such a thing! Using Gu Yejun's body is going too far. There must be some other, more honorable method!

[Devil Muscle Rin]: I think it's a good idea.

【Marin】: Wait a minute, wait a minute! At least you should ask the person's opinion about this kind of thing!

[Weather Forecast]: I have no objection.

【The Ruler of Rice】: Huh?

【Marin】: Huh?

[American Scythe]: See? He himself has no objection, so why are you two worrying about it?

[Devil Muscle Rin]: Your answer was so straightforward that I'm starting to hesitate. Do you have some ulterior motive?

[Weather Forecast]: What could my intentions be? I've already told you all, I'm an incurable anime/manga otaku, and besides, I played the Fate series in my past life. How could I possibly dislike characters who only exist on a screen?

Faced with Gu Ye's simple and frank answer, the chat group fell silent once again.

Mei was the first to break the silence this time.

[Herrscher of Food]: Since Gu Ye doesn't care, perhaps we can give it a try? In any case, Servants can only move freely during these seven days.

[Devilish Muscle Rin]: Then let's give it a try. I'm still not willing to let the Holy Grail be destroyed like this!

【Marin】: Should we speed things up? According to the story, Medea should have already killed her original Master by now, right?

[Weather Forecast]: Let's go!

【Marin】: Wait, we have to go to school today, Gu Yejun, you're not planning to skip school, are you?

[Weather Forecast]: I'm a homebody, you're a homebody, what's wrong with skipping school?

"I'm not a bad student!" Kitagawa Haimu looked up immediately after seeing the last message, glaring angrily at Gu Ye sitting opposite her, while still chewing on bacon.

"We're all otaku, isn't skipping class a given?" Gu Ye poked the soft-boiled egg with a fork, and the golden yolk slowly flowed out. He asked without looking up.

"What's wrong with being an otaku? Who told you that being an otaku means you have to skip class!" Hai Meng looked at him in confusion, feeling that her otaku status had been challenged.

Gu Ye put down his fork and suddenly looked at her with an extremely serious gaze: "You really are not a qualified otaku! You don't even understand this unwritten rule. On behalf of my fellow otaku, I hereby officially announce that you are expelled from the otaku community!"

Hai Meng paused for a moment, then realized what he meant and ignored his childish remark, asking directly, "So, tell me, which game is this line from?"

"It's quite early. It's a hypnosis game with a good storyline. I've saved them all on my hard drive, but I might not be able to find them." Gu Ye quickly finished his breakfast and picked up his phone again.

"I want to play!" Hai Meng's eyes lit up instantly, and she leaned forward involuntarily. In her opinion, a game that Gu Yejun specifically mentioned couldn't be bad!

“It’s hypnosis.” Gu Ye finished the last sip of milk, then suddenly stood up and put the plate and cup into the sink. “Alright, if you’re not going, fine. I’m going to join in the fun. If you’re in school, remember to ask for leave for me. You can make up any reason you want.”

"No way! I want to go too!" Kitagawa Kaimu immediately jumped up from her chair, waving her phone triumphantly. The screen was still showing her chat with her best friend. "I've already asked my best friend to help me get sick leave! Sick leave! The reason is acute gastroenteritis!"

Gu Ye paused for a moment, turned around, looked at the girl in front of him with explosive energy, and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.

"You've prepared very thoroughly."

QQ: Strike 14 9 0 37 98

"Of course!" Hai Meng puffed out her chest, her face full of pride.

Chapter 39 Blitzkrieg Medea

At the Tohsaka family home.

Rin Tohsaka crossed her arms, her scarlet turtleneck top outlining her taut body curves, and beneath her black pleated skirt, her long legs, clad in over-the-knee socks, stretched taut and straight.

“According to Gu Ye’s intelligence, Medea will be betrayed by that Middle Eastern magician named Atram.” Her voice was clear and decisive, echoing in the empty space. “Our goal is to go to his magic workshop and intercept her.”

“That man doesn’t deserve to call himself a magician.” Rin’s voice was filled with undisguised disgust. “His workshop was built on the lives of countless innocent people, turning living humans into magical crystals! Such acts are absolutely unforgivable!”

As soon as she finished speaking, a portal of light opened not far away, and Gu Ye and Kitagawa Kaimu walked out one after the other, both with relaxed smiles on their faces, still discussing something.

Gu Ye's next words were like a depth charge dropped into a calm lake.

"During the morning assembly, he kept snagging in front of the entire school, and he just couldn't stop," he said in a calm, factual tone.

The air froze instantly.

Raiden Mei's light purple eyes widened suddenly, and she subconsciously lowered her head, her fair cheeks quickly flushing red.

She understood every single word in that sentence, but when put together, it created an impact that she couldn't comprehend at all.

Rin Tohsaka's gaze swept back and forth between Gu Ye and Hai Meng, and recalling that the two had walked out of the same door chatting and laughing, an absurd yet bold guess took shape in her mind.

"I was quite anxious at the time, the momentum was so strong, I didn't even understand what was wrong with my body." Kitagawa Kaimu continued the conversation naturally, completely unaware of the change in atmosphere.

"Wait, wait a minute! What have you two done?!" Rin Tohsaka finally couldn't hold back anymore. She took a step forward, her face flushed, and her voice trembled slightly. "I know you're still students, and I know you have school today, but you can't... you can't just come here right after doing that kind of thing, can you?!"

Mei lowered her head even further, her voice barely audible: "After all, you've only known each other for a day..."

She quietly lifted her eyelids and quickly glanced at Kitagawa Kaimu, who was looking completely bewildered.

For some reason, she felt that it wasn't so surprising that this kind of thing happened to this hot girl classmate, but it happened too fast!

"I didn't expect you to be a blondie?" W's voice rang out lazily as she leaned against the wall, toying with a gleaming throwing knife between her fingers.

She sized Gu Ye up and down, her bright red eyes filled with undisguised disdain and mockery. "Tsk, you can only fool a simple-minded idiot like Kitagawa. I'm warning you, don't have any improper thoughts about me, or I'll blow you to smithereens!"

“Uh…” Kitagawa Kaimu finally realized something belatedly. She looked at Rin’s flushed face, Mei’s head that was almost buried in her chest, and W’s threatening words, and her brain instantly froze.

A few seconds later, she suddenly realized what she meant and hurriedly waved her hands to explain, "No! It's not what you think! We were just discussing the plot of the game!"

She hurriedly added, "That's it! 'Slippery Second Generation'!"

"It's just part of the game's storyline," W scoffed, putting away his throwing knife, clearly finding the answer incredibly boring.

“Wait, ‘Slippery Girl 2’…wasn’t that supposed to be a legitimate game?” Rin Tohsaka stared at Kaimu Kitagawa in disbelief. Her understanding of this kind of thing was still limited to “electronic entertainment.”

Kitagawa Kaimu nodded emphatically, her face regaining its radiance: "Yeah! It's that kind of... you know, 0 and 1 game! The story is amazing! I love it! I've decided, the next character I'm going to cosplay is Shizuku Kuroe!"

"That's really... a unique taste," Mei commented softly. Although she still couldn't fully accept it, she at least understood that it fell into the category of personal preference.