Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

"Dead people can't talk, and they certainly can't stop me from eating chocolate pie."

"Waaah, my chocolate pie, chocolate pie!"

Menma sat directly in Yexing's lap, poked her head out, and took a bite of the chocolate pie in his hand that had already been bitten into. With crumbs on the corner of her mouth, she looked smug.

"Hehe, didn't I still get to eat it?"

Yexing rolled his eyes.

"Looking at your posture, I was afraid you'd bite my hand."

"Afraid I'd bite you and it would hurt? That doesn't sound like you."

"I was afraid you'd break your teeth."

Looking at Yexing and Menma playfully bickering, everyone was speechless.

Especially Menma's father and younger brother, who exchanged silent glances.

What's going on?

After so many years, Honma Meiko not only came back to life, but it seems... she also brought back a boyfriend?

And then, her boyfriend is stealing... no, openly eating her offerings, and then the two of them, one human and one spirit, are fighting over a piece of chocolate pie?

The scene in front of them was too abstract. Menma's father and brother, just ordinary people, never imagined that one day, they would encounter such a situation?

......

On the other side, inside the shop on the commercial street.

"Mr. Oda, those three requests have been completed. It was just a matter of ordinary evil spirits causing trouble. A few talismans with spiritual power should be enough."

Hearing Yotsuya Miko's words, Oda Nodoka smiled and nodded.

"Thank you for your hard work, Miko-san."

"It's no trouble, it's what I should do."

Just as Yotsuya Miko finished reporting and was about to turn around and leave, the Goddess Matriarch suddenly called out to her.

"Miko, come over here for a moment."

"What's wrong, Matriarch?"

The Goddess Matriarch stared intently at Yotsuya Miko's golden eyes. After a long while, she took out that familiar stack of tarot cards from under the counter.

"I feel like something has changed about you. Let's do a divination."

"Alright."

Although she had already done a divination once before, Yotsuya Miko nodded when she heard the Goddess Matriarch say this, and randomly drew three tarot cards from the spread-out deck in front of her.

The Goddess Matriarch slowly revealed the first card, and said in her aged voice.

"Strength, upright, bold action, courageous decision."

Yotsuya Miko wasn't surprised that this card appeared.

She transplanted the eyes of Hundred Eyes to the supernatural power users of the Overlimit Society, and specifically said that when she felt any member die, she would immediately commit suicide to trigger time regression.

If that doesn't count as bold and courageous, what does?

"The second card, the Hanged Man, upright, accepting trials, sacrifice."

Similarly, this card, like the upright Strength card just now, is consistent with the actions Yotsuya Miko has taken.

But when the third card was turned over, not only her, but even the Goddess Matriarch and Oda Nodoka, who was beside her, couldn't help but be stunned.

"The third card, it's actually the upright..."

Yotsuya Miko looked at the pattern on the tarot card and murmured.

"The Fool."

......

Several hours later, outside Nishinomiya Shoko's apartment, in the stairwell.

"You finally came."

Yukino's sister, who was wearing a mask and hat, dressed like a stalker, sighed slightly when she saw Yexing walk over.

"Why isn't she living in a detached house... In an apartment, I can't even find a place to hide."

"I didn't ask you to come with me."

Hearing Yexing's words, Yukinoshita Yang Nai said unhappily.

"That's my dear sister. I only have one sister. It's her first time investigating supernatural-related matters. Are you telling me to stay at home and wait obediently?"

Yexing couldn't help but complain when he heard this.

"Sis-con, disgusting."

"Go, go, go, what sis-con."

Yukinoshita Yang Nai looked righteous.

"Although I usually like to tease Yukino a little, on the whole, I am a very responsible, loving, and caring older sister."

Yexing curled his lips.

"The way you say that makes it sound like Yukino is a pet cat who can't take care of herself."

After complaining about this, Yexing looked at Yukinoshita Yang Nai's attire and frowned slightly.

"What kind of getup is that?"

"Disguise for the mission."

Yukinoshita Yang Nai was even more righteous, with a slightly chuunibyou-like appearance, and slowly said in a deliberately cool tone.

"Although I haven't yet mastered the ability to materialize my soul into armor, I've already asked Kaimu to help me design it..."

"No, what I mean is..."

Yexing looked at Yang Nai with a look of pity, as if looking at an idiot.

"It's just an exorcism mission... Why do you need to disguise yourself?"

"Ah?"

Yukinoshita Yang Nai was stunned for a moment, and hesitated.

"Don't... don't need to disguise? Haven't you guys always been..."

"Of course, there's no need to disguise."

Yexing shook his hand with a smile.

"I'm begging you, it's the middle of the night, you're standing in the stairwell of this apartment building, dressed like a perverted pervert, isn't that the most suspicious thing? Besides, unless it's an event that requires special powers to be displayed, otherwise, if it's just exorcism... is there any need to disguise?"

"Eh..."

Yukinoshita Yang Nai was stunned when she heard this. After thinking about it carefully, it seemed that this was really the case.

The first time she met Yexing... and an unimportant Yotsuya Miko, wasn't it on the way to completing an exorcism request, and those two didn't disguise themselves in any way?

Exorcism itself isn't something that needs to be hidden. Originally, there was a need to conceal it somewhat, but after Rikka Sakurakawa revealed the existence of evil spirits and ghosts to the world, the exorcism industry suddenly became bustling.

In Kyoto alone, there are probably countless exorcists, but only a handful of them are truly skilled.

Consequently, Oda Notou's business has also improved significantly. Most of his customers are just worried and haven't actually been troubled by evil spirits, so he continues to sell his fake and shoddy products.

The clients get psychological comfort, and he makes money. Isn't that a win-win situation? A huge win?

Besides...

No one knows that they're here waiting for an exorcism, so there's no need to conceal their identities. In the middle of the night, no one would particularly notice two extra people in an apartment building, right?

"That seems to make sense..."

Yukinoshita Yang Nai took off her mask and sunglasses, relieved and letting out a sigh, and raised her head to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

"Ugh, seriously, it's so hot! Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Yozora said with a slightly helpless tone.

"How could I have imagined that you, who are usually so clever, could be so foolish about something like this?"

"Please, I don't have any exorcism-related experience. Besides you being trapped in the Reverse Side and the incident on Hitotsushima, I haven't participated in any strange events. How would I know your usual modus operandi?"

"That's true."

......

Meanwhile, at the Nishimiya Shouko's house.

At this moment, Yukinoshita Yukino, listening to the soft and steady breathing of Nishimiya Shouko, who had already fallen asleep beside her, and looking at the other's adorable sleeping face, didn't feel even a trace of drowsiness.

Being able to sleep under these circumstances is truly strange!?

Chapter 377: Shouko's Mother's 'Palace,' Yang Nai's Money Power

Yukinoshita Yukino pursed her lips tightly. Although it wasn't summer yet and the temperature in the room wasn't considered hot, the palms of her hands holding the blanket were already sweating.

After so long, she was once again personally involved in a strange event.

However, this time, Yukinoshita Yukino was no longer trembling in front of evil spirits like she did during the Kyoto attack. This time, she would proactively go out as a member of Overload Company to find the true source of the strange event, and then...

It seems like she can still only tremble in front of evil spirits.

Yukinoshita Yukino knew very well that she was just an ordinary human right now. Before awakening the ability to materialize her soul and becoming a spirit user, ordinary humans absolutely couldn't contend with evil spirits.

However, logically speaking, Nishimiya Shouko should also be just an ordinary human. If she, like Yotsuya Miko, Makinohara Shouko and others, possessed the ability to "observe," she should have noticed the strange things in the city long ago.

Although the number of evil spirits in Kyoto City wasn't large, those tiny ghosts were still everywhere.

If Nishimiya Shouko could really see those things, shouldn't she have come to Overload Company long ago? After all, she wasn't unfamiliar with the members of Overload Company and wouldn't hesitate to approach them like most students.

Then...

What could cause even an ordinary person like Nishimiya Shouko to be affected... It means that this strange event, like Yuigahama Yui's first request, has an evil spirit that can interfere with reality through the power of a "door"...

No, it's also possible that it's the influence of the "Palace."

And the owner of the "Palace" is...

Yukinoshita Yukino didn't want to continue thinking about it.

Just then, a sudden change occurred.

The originally bright moonlight suddenly changed color. Dark red light shone through the window and onto the dark floor of the room, instantly turning it into a scene from a horror movie.

"This is..."

Yukinoshita Yukino's expression changed, and she immediately sat up from the bed and walked to the window to look outside.

What came into view was a scarlet crescent moon.

"This is... the Reverse Side..."

Looking at the scarlet moon in the sky and the black, viscous mist permeating the streets visible outside the window, Yukinoshita Yukino already knew where this was.

Yozora's exclusive unlimited supply restaurant, but for ordinary people like her and Nishimiya Shouko, it's a thousand times more terrifying than hell, filled with evil spirits...

The Reverse Side.

"Nishimiya-san, Nishimiya-san."

After confirming the situation, Yukinoshita Yukino immediately ran over and pushed Nishimiya Shouko's shoulder, trying to wake her up from her sleep. After calling out twice, Nishimiya Shouko still didn't open her eyes. She couldn't care about politeness or disturbing others at this time, so she could only push Nishimiya Shouko harder and raise her voice.

"Nishimiya-san, wake up!"

As Nishimiya Shouko's body shook, Yukinoshita Yukino heard a metallic scraping sound coming from under the covers.

When she lifted the covers, Yukinoshita Yukino couldn't help but shrink her pupils in shock.

"This is..."

She saw that Nishimiya Shouko's wrists and ankles were locked together by metal shackles, and the shackles didn't even have keyholes for a key.

Before Yukinoshita Yukino could react, a white, cocoon-like light suddenly appeared around Nishimiya Shouko, enveloping her entire body.

"Nishimiya-san!"