Chapter 35: A Full-hearted Swing Of Ten Million Swords!
By the time Shangshan Che anxiously rushed to the Kendo Hall carrying Kaga Kiyomitsu, he only saw Lili Zi, who had changed into a new dōgi, standing unscathed at the doorway.
Just like that, quietly watching him.
Shangshan Che breathed a sigh of relief and was about to comfort her: “Lili Zi…”
But Lili Zi raised her bamboo sword, assumed a stance, and shouted loudly,
“Halt, intruder!”
Shangshan Che’s footsteps stopped immediately, then he heard her speak gravely: “Don’t come near me, because I don’t know if you’re the real Shangshan Che.”
Lili Zi said slowly: “Likewise, I won’t come near you. Because I can’t prove that I’m Tokugawa Ririko herself.”
She said: “I’ve already seen through Ai Bieli’s disguise once because of a kendo issue, but I can’t expect her to make the same mistake again.”
These words also raised Shangshan Che’s vigilance again—isn’t that right, why should he assume that Ai Bieli could only create a clone once in a short time?
If the Lili Zi in front of him was another clone of Ai Bieli, wouldn’t he be falling right into the trap!
Lili Zi was just too calm!
But things stalled at the stage where the two were staring at each other wide-eyed.
“You’re right.” Shangshan Che nodded, likewise drew Kaga Kiyomitsu and pointed it at Lili Zi in front of him. “But how do we prove that we are ourselves?”
“—Find Nanjo Emi, or her superior.”
Lili Zi analyzed: “If even they can’t tell whether you and I are real or fake, then I think arguing here is pointless.”
“Makes sense.”
Shangshan Che nodded and immediately took out his mobile phone to call Nanjo Emi.
The first call didn’t connect.
Then he continued to call the second one…
Actually, after seeing Kaga Kiyomitsu in Shangshan Che’s hand and his actions, most of Lili Zi’s doubts had already dissipated.
But she didn’t dare to bet, didn’t dare to bet whether the person in front of her was truly Shangshan Che or Ai Bieli’s more elaborate disguise.
That’s right, just earlier when Shangshan Che was called to the rooftop by the fake Lili Zi, the freshly showered Lili Zi had also encountered the fake Shangshan Che at the Kendo Hall.
Then, after the fake Shangshan Che picked up the bamboo sword and swung the first strike, Lili Zi saw through Ai Bieli’s disguise and realized this wasn’t Shangshan Che himself.
To the puzzled Ai Bieli, Lili Zi answered like this:
“—Do you think the ten million sword swings of my lifetime were for nothing?”
Tokugawa Ririko, only eighteen years old, has practiced sword for fifteen years, swung the sword over ten million times in her career, calm as still water at four, unity of man and sword at eight, and comprehended clear sword heart at eighteen.
When other children were fussing for toys and friends, she was swinging the sword alone; when other kids were obediently going to school, she was swinging the sword alone; when other girls were having their first crushes, she was still swinging the sword alone.
It could be said that Lili Zi’s life had been spent entirely with the sword.
And precisely because of this, the sword swung by Ai Bieli looked utterly ridiculous in her eyes, like a clown’s trick.
“—Connected.”
Shangshan Che’s voice came through; finally, someone picked up on the fifth call.
He turned on speakerphone, and Nanjo Emi’s roar full of morning anger burst out immediately: “You little brat, what trouble have you caused this time! If it’s nothing, calling so many times, I’ll come beat your ass black and blue!”
It seemed the corporate slave’s grudge from being woken up while sleeping was no small thing…
After seeing Lili Zi nod, Shangshan Che spoke: “Sister Nanjo, Lili Zi and I encountered a clone of Ai Bieli at school. Now we can’t confirm if the other is real.”
After these words were said, it was as if the pause button was pressed on the other end of the line; it went completely quiet.
“Hello? Hello? Sister Nanjo? Are you still there?”
The next moment, Nanjo Emi’s extremely serious voice came through:
“—Stay put and don’t move! Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be there in twenty minutes!”
Beep beep beep…
The call was hung up.
Shangshan Che shrugged and temporarily sheathed his sword: “Let’s keep our distance like this for now and wait.”
Seventeen minutes later.
Nanjo Emi arrived, with Hiyori Bo overhead and Water Ghost floating behind her.
And arriving with her was also a stern-faced middle-aged man.
“What’s the verdict?”
Nanjo Emi lagged half a step behind and asked the middle-aged man in front of her.
Shangshan Che only felt an extremely sharp gaze sweep over his body, making goosebumps rise all over him, then he heard the middle-aged man say,
“—Both are real.”
Lili Zi frowned: “Just from one look?”
The middle-aged man said seriously to them: “You two, first time meeting. I’m the Onmyo Major Official in charge of Arakawa Ward, Kondo Yuya.”
Whoa.
A big official had come, and Sister Nanjo’s direct superior at that.
Shangshan Che thought to himself that the danger level of “Ai Bieli” was no joke.
If today the one who came looking for him had been her true body instead of a clone, he’d probably be cold and ready for cremation by now.
“As for why I can tell true from false at a glance, it’s because my realm has reached ‘clear sword heart.'” Kondo Yuya said. “This is also one reason why Ai Bieli has always hated sword technique cultivators from ancient times to now.”
After hearing this, Shangshan Che blinked at Lili Zi, who was full of question marks, as if asking: “Why can’t you?”
Lili Zi scratched her head, indicating she couldn’t either.
Kondo Yuya: “In any case, you two please come back with me to the Special Affairs Office first to discuss further. Staying at school risks unnecessary injuries.”
…
Sitting in the black luxury car, the group of four soon arrived at the headquarters of the Special Affairs Office in Arakawa Ward.
Retracting his gaze from the two stars floating in the shadow at the doorway, Shangshan Che thought to himself that as expected of a district headquarters—the shikigami guarding the door were two-star ones.
Kondo Yuya led the way ahead: “Please follow me.”
Along the way, Shangshan Che even saw Shizuma Manatsu and Kitano Runa arguing endlessly in front of a vending machine, seemingly debating which drink was better.
Looked like they were doing well here.
After exchanging a smile with Lili Zi, they entered this conference room that required a password, fingerprint, and iris scan to open.
Kondo Yuya closed the door: “This conference room is covered by a barrier, ensuring the conversation won’t be eavesdropped on or leaked.”
He sat at the head, took out special paper and pen to prepare notes,
“Now, please first tell us about the background, aftermath, and specific process of your contact with Ai Bieli.”
With Nanjo Emi present and her official endorsement, Shangshan Che and the other naturally had nothing to hide from this Onmyo Major Official.
Even so, the entire inquiry lasted over an hour.
Kondo Yuya even filled up a full dozen or so pages.
“There’s something very strange.”
Kondo Yuya frowned: “Why would Ai Bieli target you two ordinary people for no reason? Yesterday’s killing of Friendship Cult followers doesn’t explain it—such things are happening all over Arakawa Ward.”
If killing Friendship Cult followers could attract Ai Bieli’s attention, Nanjo Emi would’ve encountered her long ago.
In this silence, Nanjo Emi suddenly spoke: “Ouija board.”
She affirmed:
“That ouija board has a problem.”
