Chapter 131: Praise the Star Core!

Hey, making others eat poison? That's too dark… Look! Miss Dan Shu is definitely not that kind of person!

You lost, Pawa~

Stretching his arm forward, Denji took the biggest piece of saucy beef from Pawa's plate and put it on his own, wearing a satisfied smile.

Huh? What nonsense are you spouting, Denji?

Pawa sprang up, grabbed Denji's chopsticks, trying to stop the beef from entering his mouth, 'Hey hey hey… When did I make a bet with you? Obviously you just wanted to bet.'

Are you an idiot, Denji? If you just use your brain a little, I'd bet Dan Shu is definitely a good person~ After saying that, Pawa puffed out her chest proudly and poked Denji's forehead with her finger: 'What evidence do you have that I made a bet with you?'

If not, you're slandering me! I punish you, Denji, to feed me all the meat for the next year!

——

"Huh… It seems to have eased a bit, but I still feel uncomfortable… The situation is strange; let's go to the God Strategy Manor and consult Qing Zuo."

Halfway down Star Road, that strange feeling appeared again, as if many branches and vines were sprouting before my eyes, and my vision was shrouded in a sheet of blood‑red.

Once my consciousness cleared a little, Xing realized she was already in the God Strategy Manor, surrounded by many Cloud Cavalry soldiers.

Qing Zuo's voice echoed in her ears: 'Xing! What happened to you? Be careful, don't hurt her…'

"Xing! Xing! Wake up! Are you okay?"

The hazy feeling gradually faded, as if her consciousness struggled up from the water's depths, and the voices around her grew clear.

"What… what happened to me?" Xing rubbed her head; the lingering pain persisted.

"Thank goodness you've finally come to. I thought something serious had happened—I broke out in a cold sweat." Qing Zuo, still trembling, pressed a hand to her chest and let out a long breath: "You walked into the God Strategy Manor and suddenly started brandishing your weapon."

"I don't remember anything that happened."

"Your loss of control is exactly like those of your comrades who fell into the Demonic Yin Form." Qing Zuo worried: "I suspect there's a hidden reason—what exactly happened to you before you arrived at the God Strategy Manor?"

Xing recounted everything about her and Dan Shu.

After listening, Qing Zuo's expression turned grave: 'From your description, the gift Dan Shu gave you comes from the same furnace as the Medicine King's Secret Transmission's strange pill recipe… Yet it's odd that the physicians who examined your body said your bodily functions were unaffected.'

"No serious harm? Ah… Praise the Star Core!" Mitsuri Kanroji assumed a devout expression.

"Hey hey! That kind of nation‑destroying thing surely isn't worth praising, right? Aren't you afraid the Anti‑Matter Corps will knock on the Demon Slayer Corps' door tomorrow?"

Sanemi Shinazugawa glanced at Shinobu Kocho and asked, 'Why does that drug that induces the Demonic Yin Form have no effect on Xing? Could it be just because she isn't an immortal species?'

"Most likely it's because of the Star Core." Shinobu Kocho mused, then said, "The biggest difference between Xing and ordinary people is the Star Core inside her… and… that she's been glanced at by two Star Gods."

No matter how miraculous Dan Shu's medicine is, it's at best human ingenuity. The Star Core, however, is a creation of the Star Gods—there's no basis for comparison.

As for the Star Gods' glance… it's hard to say exactly what help it gave her, but it probably changed Xing to some extent," Shinobu Kocho speculated.

As for the Star Core, the medicine Dan Shu painstakingly concocted is hardly more than a snack—just a bit off in flavor." Iguro Obanai's voice took on a amused tone, "Also, it's fortunate that Xing took the medicine; if it had been Walter or March 7, the consequences would be unthinkable."

Upon hearing the result, Qing Zuo also felt strange: 'Is she toying with you? Or did her medicine fail on you? I suggest you come back for a re‑check later—after all, who knows how effective the Medicine King's Secret Transmission's immortal elixir really is?'

"I'll immediately issue an order to apprehend Dan Shu. If you find any leads, feel free to contact me anytime." Qing Zuo handed Xing a small dog, saying, "Take this Listener with you? Maybe it'll help you find this… friend."

As she spoke those words, Qing Zuo's face grew grave.

The chief alchemist of Dan Ding Si is actually a member of the Medicine King's Secret Transmission… What about the other alchemists? The whole Dan Ding Si—could it have become the secret transmission's nest!

Xing felt just as awful, watching Dan Shu give free medicine to a little girl—she truly believed Dan Shu was a good person, even a friend, and swallowed the medicine without a second thought. But the result was that she nearly ruined her own path…

Returning to Ruomu Pavilion, she used the Listener to sense Dan Shu's scent, then headed straight for Gong Zao Si.

There, she successfully saw Dan Shu standing amid a crowd of Demonic Yin Forms.

By now, it seems there's no need to ask anything else—the situation is already clear.

I see~

What the heck? Looks like I'm the only one who's seen through Dan Shu's true nature~

Just a little brainpower is enough to uncover the truth—I'm truly a genius among demons!

Watching Dan Shu reveal her true colors, Pawa was more excited than anyone, grinning triumphantly, she threw up a "yeah" gesture and danced around the living room: 'I'm a genius! I'm a genius!'

After saying that, she flung her arms around Denji from behind and laughed excitedly: 'Hey, Denji, you lost the bet—so all the meat for the next year is mine!'

"Hey! You just said there was no bet!" Denji glared at Pawa, annoyed.

"Huh?" Pawa smoothly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, adopted a calm tone, and said, "You still trying to welch on the debt, Denji? Obviously you were the one who wanted to bet with me from the start."

I've been saying from the start that Dan Shu is trouble!

"What proof do you have that I bet with you?" Denji flicked his nose lightly against the table.

"No proof, but we did bet!" Pawa insisted.

"... We didn't bet!"

"We did bet!"

"... Ahhhhh! You liar! Weakling! Lies‑machine!"

Watching the boy and girl bicker back and forth, Hayakawa Aki silently slipped the earbuds into her ears.

... Really quiet.