Chapter 62: If Che Doesn’t Abandon Me, Nai Wishes To Call Him Adoptive Father!
Shangshan Che wearily opened his eyes on the bed, nearly vomiting.
He glanced over the dense prompts in front of him and then looked at the change in his Soul Ash count.
Soul Ash: 449→486
“This thing is way too stingy…”
He had chopped nonstop at the tunnel entrance for nearly twenty minutes, pondering that he must have killed at least three or four hundred Chi, yet his Soul Ash only increased by 37 points.
It would cost more than that to return to Arakawa Village and find the Three Stout Farmers!
Too much of a loss; better to avoid dealing with Chi minibosses in the future.
Next life entering Kisaragi Station, he definitely had to pick off a few Chi above Half-Star first, at least to save up the 500 Soul Ash for a ten-pull.
However, thanks to this being Shangshan Che’s first time facing a large number of plural enemies, the proficiency gains for his two skills were decent.
【Your skill, Ki-Gong Technique Fragment proficiency +58!】
【Ki-Gong Technique Fragment（Mastery 144/600）】
【Your skill, Natural Reason School proficiency +35!】
【Natural Reason School（Beginner 378/500）】
Natural Reason School’s proficiency gain was again less than Ki-Gong Technique… which was reasonable enough.
After all, Shangshan Che’s Natural Reason School had only just reached Beginner level, revolving around the same few moves.
Without consuming Soul Incense Ash to have Lili Zi guide him from the side, it indeed grew quite slowly.
This issue could only wait until Lili Zi mastered the Breathing Technique and returned, or until he first broke through this Sword Technique to Proficient Level.
Although he still had one life left unused, Shangshan Che decided to sleep first.
——Swinging the knife continuously for twenty minutes, then being crushed to death and suffocated by human wave tactics, the mental damage was immeasurable.
……
About five hours later, with his status fully restored, Shangshan Che simply washed up and ate, then prepared to enter Kisaragi Station again.
But before that, the Line app on his mobile phone predictably showed a red dot again.
——Let me see what’s up.
Shangshan Che opened Line and found that someone had added him as a friend this time.
Opening the request, he saw the other party’s profile picture was surprisingly the blue-haired loser female protagonist from the recently popular new anime.
Soon enough, Shangshan Che knew who it was.
The two-dimensional vibe was so strong it prickled; he could smell it clearly even through the phone screen.
【Absolutely Not a Loser!: Shangshan Jun, it’s Kitano Runa!】
Seeing this Line name, Shangshan Che couldn’t help but smile.
【You have approved “Absolutely Not a Loser!”‘s friend request.】
Just two seconds after approving, Kitano Runa sent a “peeking and waving” emoji to say hello.
Shangshan Che directly stole the emoji and sent it back.
【Absolutely Not a Loser!: Shangshan Jun, your ID…】
【Absolutely Not a Loser!: Bro you smell so good.jpg】
【Moon Sand Sauce: Get to the point.】
【Absolutely Not a Loser!: Sincere bowing apology.gif】
【Absolutely Not a Loser!: Here’s the thing: I was inexplicably pulled into a Supernatural Event halfway through my train ride before, so now I’m stuck at the Special Affairs Office and completely afraid to go out!】
Shangshan Che understood and roughly got Kitano Runa’s request.
【Moon Sand Sauce: Want me to visit Aunt at the hospital and help her check out?】
After sending this, Shangshan Che saw “typing…” disappear from the top of the chat box,
then the typing status flickered back and forth several times, but in the end, the other side only cautiously sent three words.
【Absolutely Not a Loser!: Is that okay?】
Manatsu and Kitano Runa were together at the Special Affairs Office and couldn’t go out to avoid trouble; Lili Zi was still learning.
So this socially anxious two-dimensional girl could only turn to him among her friends.
That made sense.
As if afraid Shangshan Che would hesitate, Kitano Runa quickly sent another message.
【Absolutely Not a Loser!: Adoptive father! Afterward, I can whisper in Lili Zi’s ear every day and help you aggressively wingman that flat-chested girl!】
What fake bestie vibes.
【Moon Sand Sauce: Of course. But no need for wingmanning; Lili Zi and I are normal friends.】
【Absolutely Not a Loser!: Runa drifts alone for half a life, only regretting not meeting a wise lord sooner… Adoptive father! I’ll call you when the time comes; go ahead with your business now!】
【Absolutely Not a Loser!: Clothes and toys all placed in dogeza.jpg】
Closing his phone, Shangshan Che sighed that Kitano Runa was not only socially anxious offline but a super socially anxious one online too.
These emojis were definitely stolen from lurking in various group chats daily; they were all pretty good, so he stole them all.
Waiting another two minutes with no new messages, Shangshan Che closed his eyes.
Kisaragi Station, your dad is here!
He opened his eyes.
The familiar railroad track, mountain forest, and convenience store came into view.
Shangshan Che felt something was off, but couldn’t pinpoint what.
He first incarnated as Laughing Hannya, called out Two-Foot Adult, and asked: “Can you sense the Taiko Bell’s position?”
Two-Foot Adult: “Uh… it’s right next to the tunnel entrance now.”
Shangshan Che was slightly stunned.
From previous encounters, the Taiko Bell didn’t seem like such a dumb Supernatural Phenomenon.
“Let’s check the convenience store first…”
Before Shangshan Che finished speaking, the railroad track began to vibrate slightly, followed by the sound of a train approaching.
Clang clang.
The train stopped, and the carriage doors slowly opened to both sides.
Then, a short-haired girl holding a flip phone, looking panicked, ran out from it.
Shangshan Che and Two-Foot Adult both looked at her and froze in place together.
——Ye Chun!?
How could it be Ye Chun? Hadn’t she been killed by the Taiko Bell?!
Shangshan Che clearly remembered burying this pale, bloodless girl with handfuls of dirt himself.
And since Shangshan Che wasn’t wearing Kaga Kiyomitsu at his waist this time, Ye Chun’s first sight was of Two-Foot Adult in her white dress.
“Little sister, hello!”
Shangshan Che saw Ye Chun run delightedly to Two-Foot Adult’s side and ask the exact same question as last time:
“—I’m Ye Chun! Were you also brought here by that Supernatural Train?”
“Huh? Ah?!”
Two-Foot Adult fearfully stepped back two paces, looked around, and finally at Shangshan Che: “Che Adult! Has she turned into a Vengeful Spirit to take my life?!”
Ye Chun followed her gaze, then jumped in fright: “Wah! Evil Spirit! Little sister, run!”
Shangshan Che wouldn’t let her run off, of course.
He stepped forward and pressed his broad palm on Ye Chun’s head, applying slight pressure,
“Take one more step and I’ll crush your head.”
Ye Chun immediately stopped.
She cautiously, extremely slowly raised her hands, voice trembling: “Evil Spirit Adult, I won’t move, not one bit.”
Shangshan Che released her: “Follow me and don’t say anything extra.”
Ye Chun, fearing the Hannya Evil Spirit before her would eat her at the slightest disagreement, nodded very obediently.
Still, being able to talk was a good sign.
What Ye Chun feared most was encountering those movie ghosts that only made weird noises and tortured people to death; if so, she’d rather suicide for a quicker end.
Shangshan Che first entered the convenience store and saw that bag of Barbecue Flavored Potato Chips, identical in placement and production date.
Then, under Ye Chun’s puzzled gaze, he tore open the packaging and tossed the potato chips into his mouth.
Shangshan Che gripped the chip bag tightly: “The taste is identical.”
Leaving the convenience store, Shangshan Che led Ye Chun to the small tree where he had buried her before.
The latter was full of confusion.
She had braced herself to be swallowed whole, but now it seemed like she and this white-dressed little sister had become lackeys together.
Also, do ghosts like potato chips too? If she offered the original flavor super-large bag from her bag, could she befriend it?
Ye Chun’s curiosity gradually took over.
Shangshan Che stepped back two paces, pulling out the crowbar while staring at the staring Ye Chun.
——Next up, time to reveal the mystery.
