Chapter 23: Side Quest Twisting And Turning
In the withered and abandoned farmland, that twisting and turning pale phantom seemed to possess some strange magic, making Shangshan Che unable to look away after just one glance.
The Laughing Hannya mask twitched for an instant, but the next moment, the originally stern face revealed a eerie smile.
A dry, hoarse, distorted voice uncontrollably emanated from deep in Shangshan Che’s throat:
“Twisting and… turning…”
Clearly, Shangshan Che felt extremely disgusted, yet he laughed even more brilliantly, and his originally exhausted body seemed filled with energy as he stood up straight.
Then, following that pale phantom in the farmland…
Twisting and turning.
……
On the lawn, Shangshan Che suddenly opened his eyes and retched in extreme disgust.
“What thing…”
Even now, Shangshan Che’s mind still lingered with that extremely eerie twisted white shadow, and the sensation of his body completely out of his control.
Lying on the lawn to rest for a good while, Shangshan Che finally restored his chaotic thoughts to normal.
—This time, he had actually died on the spot just from taking one extra glance at that thing in the farmland.
Explode from one extra look?
That’s ridiculous.
How many stars does this guy have, one-star? Or one-and-a-half star?
Noting down a few characteristics of that twisted white shadow, Shangshan Che unhesitatingly pulled out his mobile phone and asked the omnipotent corporate slave netizens.
【Moon Sand Sauce】: I have a friend who saw a twisting and turning white phantom in the fields, suspected to be a scarecrow. Is this thing dangerous?
In the office, Nanjo Emi, who had her black-stockinged feet propped on the desk and was happily sipping happy water, couldn’t hold back and sprayed soda all over Shizuma Mafuyu’s face, who was seriously working opposite her.
Shizuma Mafuyu’s mouth twitched, she didn’t speak, just silently wiped the soda from her face and neck with two pieces of tissue paper.
—Even in just half a day, she had already gotten used to Nanjo Emi’s unserious demeanor.
This onmyo junior officer’s private side was completely different from her public persona.
She didn’t seem like a workplace elite at all, but rather very similar to her high school sister—like drinking soda in big gulps, eating puffed snacks, and often secretly gossiping about colleagues with her.
Shizuma Mafuyu sighed inwardly.
It felt somewhat disillusioning.
—But Nanjo Emi thought there was a reason she sprayed the soda.
Just a few hours ago, hadn’t she just told Shangshan Che to behave? How did he provoke a famous supernatural phenomenon again?!
Bored out of his mind, huh!
The classic “I have a friend” couldn’t fool Nanjo Emi; she’d used that trick countless times before.
However…
Nanjo Emi was somewhat puzzled.
From the sensing of her spirit control technique, the doll she gave Shangshan Che hadn’t been damaged yet. If he really encountered twisting and turning, the doll should have acted long ago.
This specific supernatural phenomenon born in rural villages, even if widely known and spread, wouldn’t have great strength.
Because this is modern society.
Just like putting the famous supernatural phenomenon “Miss Mary” back a thousand years, she would also lose much of her strength without a telephone—same logic.
【Work to Die】: Then your friend will die soon. This is “Twisting and Turning,” a very famous supernatural phenomenon. Seeing it causes mental derangement, leading to madness and death.
Seeing the reply with all features matching, Shangshan Che thought, indeed.
He had seen twisting and turning for just a few minutes before mentally collapsing and dying, counting as experiencing a brand new way of death again.
—This thing is so strong, could it be related to the side quest.
【Side Quest Two: White Scarecrow—In the fields eroded by chemical wastewater, the scarecrow sways in the wind.】
Shangshan Che read the task description carefully again, feeling that “twisting and turning” was very likely related to it.
So the question is.
Even one extra look is unbearable, so how should he slay it?
Shangshan Che truthfully informed the netizens of this question.
—Nanjō Emi thought Shangshan Che had gone mad.
That twisting and turning stays in the vast, sparsely populated countryside and doesn’t run around, making it one of the most harmless types of supernatural phenomena.
Why go provoke it when your brain acts up?
Thinking this inwardly, Nanjo Emi tossed out a key: “Shizuma, go get that diamond statue from the safe, and when you head out this afternoon, take it along…”
Halfway through her words, Nanjo Emi suddenly realized Shangshan Che was asking 【Work to Die】, not her Nanjo Emi.
If she gave him the item, wouldn’t her alt account be exposed?
So Nanjo Emi took the key back.
【Work to Die】: There is indeed a way, and it’s not difficult.
【Moon Sand Sauce】: What insight does big shot have?
【Work to Die】: Since seeing twisting and turning causes madness, just close your eyes and hack it to death, right?
—Close eyes and slay?
Shangshan Che laughed. Did the corporate slave netizen think he was some sword master with “mind’s eye” or “fist eye”?
But after sitting silently for a while, Shangshan Che realized this idea… might actually work?
—Lili Zi had said that sound location is the most basic skill for a qualified swordsman.
Seems feasible.
When he sees Lili Zi this afternoon, he’ll ask her.
Thanking the netizen who replied promptly, Shangshan Che didn’t waste more time and re-entered the Aragawa Ghost Village.
—He had offed the foreman but hadn’t claimed the reward from the blacksmith yet.
Massive water pressure assaulted him.
Having gradually adapted to the cutscene, Shangshan Che wordlessly put on the mask and headed straight for the blacksmith shop.
Along the way, he didn’t forget to test the effects of the foreman’s crowbar, this rare quality weapon.
From the actual test, Shangshan Che joyfully discovered that the crowbar’s effects far exceeded his expectations.
For ordinary locked doors in thatched cottages, he just needed to lightly tap with the crowbar to destroy the lock, giving it a real universal key vibe.
Even for thick wooden doors blocked by planks and various furniture, Shangshan Che just swung it with normal force and sent the entire door flying along with the obstacles behind it.
Though powerful, he still hadn’t tested the crowbar’s upper limit.
“Maybe test it on the school rooftop’s iron gate later.”
Shangshan Che thought as he stowed the crowbar before entering the blacksmith shop.
Entering the blacksmith shop, Shangshan Che this time noticed no blacksmithing sounds from the backyard; instead, a short figure wearing a hood stood beside the blacksmith.
“Making such a small child learn blacksmithing, exploiting child labor…”
Muttering inwardly, Shangshan Che was about to explain the process to the blacksmith when he saw the other smilingly place the iron hammer on the table:
“Say it, what weapon do you want?”
Nearly thinking the other wanted to kill the donkey after unloading the mill, Shangshan Che was stunned, put the cleaver away—unexpectedly, the old blacksmith was so straightforward.
He said: “I practice Natural Reason School.”
The blacksmith paused, reining in his smile.
