Chapter 394: Pinokangni (73)

Shajin posed as a reporter, gathering lots of information from people in the square by scattering gold. There were Suleda's demons, dangers in dreams, ghosts of nightmares...

Unbeknownst to him, the bag was also empty… Shajin began to look for the last lucky person, hoping to give them a surprise.

He found a Pipixi person, about to ask a question, when the influence of Harmony struck one after another——

He felt his brain pierced by countless rebars, cold metal violently stirring in his cerebral fluid. The Pipixi person in his sight twisted and deformed, countless noisy sounds like flying hornets, viciously stabbing their stingers into every inch of his skin.

"Mmm…"

Shajin let out a muffled grunt, his knee heavily hitting the hard ground. He subconsciously held himself up, even the sound beside his ears beginning to blur.

"Do you still remember what I said? You Cigangniya people are just suited to stay under manhole covers…" The Pipixi person had somehow gotten behind him at some point, mercilessly mocking, "Look at your sneaky self! Sniff here, sniff there——"

Shajin barely got to his feet, turned his head, and the Pipixi person had already returned to Huohuo's appearance.

"——How enticing is the bloody smell of death, little peacock?"

——

A Certain Scientific Railgun.

"Shajin, your efficiency at gathering information is way too primitive, huh?"

In the academy's snack shop, Bai Heizi bit the spoon of her strawberry parfait, brows furrowed: "Shouldn't we first go win more at the casino, then send a few people to help him gather information?"

"... Your behavior isn't exactly modern, is it?" Misaka Mikoto gave her an annoyed look, "You have to consider time, time! In seventeen system hours, how long do you plan to let him waste in the casino? Moreover, a person restrained by Harmony can barely speak; do you expect him to win for sure?"

"Heizi…… although he's a high-ranking company official, he's ultimately just a human, not some envoy, don't overestimate his physical prowess."

Misaka Mikoto warily stared at the smiling girl on the skydome. For some reason, although the girl was cute, her words made Misaka feel like she was being schemed against.

Her and Xingqiri's impressions were completely different; Huohuo was like a director, knowing everything about the drama, then guiding actors to her expected positions, or developing conflict, or exiting just like that…… No one could escape her arrangements.

"Huohuo's aggressiveness is still the same as ever." Heizi sighed, "Seeing Shajin's current state, she must be pleased, right?"

Misaka Mikoto couldn't help but feel a sigh: "Well, Huohuo has been using him as amusement all along…… but Shajin probably really wants to see her; once he's spent all his money, the only one from Pinokangni willing to bring him information would be Huohuo."

——

Shajin coldly let out a 'hmm': "... It's you. I should have guessed earlier—after Zhigengniao died, the 【stand-in】 appearing on TV is you, right, Masked Fool?"

Huohuo gave a bright smile, walked up to Shajin, and jokingly said, "Heard your family put a curse on you? Hey, they gave you such a direct hint… 【Go find a mute to be friends with】, just listen, that's all it takes……"

"So what? You messed up and even dragged yourself down. Letting you befriend a mute but not letting you take the lead to become one—really wasting their good intentions."

Shajin's voice sank: "... What do you mean?"

Huohuo switched to a lighter tone: "You know better than me—who was staring eagerly at the little bird that couldn't sing, lying dead before your eyes? Of course it was you, little peacock~"

Shajin said word by word: "I'm asking you… what does 【becoming a mute】 mean?"

"... Oh?"

""Fool, why do you think I'm carrying this tattered bag, handing out cheap jewelry all over the street?" Shajin took a deep breath, looking down at the smiling girl before him, "This is all for you to see. The more miserable I am, the more likely I can lure you out… I've waited for you so long; looking at how hard I've tried, won't you reward me with an answer?""

""What reason do I have to help you?""

""You don't want Pinokangni to fall into chaos, do you? I can do it—I just need to confirm one thing: back then, you told me to find a 【mute】…… was that really referring to Zhigengniao?""

""……" Huohuo closed her eyes, speaking meaningfully: "... What if I say 'no'?"

Shajin nodded satisfactorily: "Thanks. Hearing that word feels so warm."

——

Sword Art Online.

"Tongren…… I'm not really getting what they mean."

Watching the two's conversation on the skydome left Yasina puzzled one moment, then the next—what mute, not mute, who exactly were they talking about?

"If we liken a mute to a dead person, then the meaning is that the deceased Huohuo first spoke of wasn't Zhigengniao but someone else." Tongren stroked his chin, thinking, "Besides Zhigengniao, there's only Liuying. In other words…… Huohuo's original prophecy was about Liuying's death; Zhigengniao's death was the accident."

As for the other information in their conversation, Tongren also couldn't really grasp it; their chat was too cryptic, much of the info seemed said yet also not said.

"But why would Huohuo predict…… and even know so much information in advance?"

Yasina was even more dazed; it seemed this Miss Fool had already been in Pinokangni for a long time, not only deeply understanding the family but also well-versed in all factions.

Upon arriving in an unfamiliar area, information is often the most important…… even more precious than money. Huohuo made her think of the information brokers that only appear in TV dramas in real life; though she might be powerless to change the situation, she could manipulate everyone through information.

So the Fool is actually this formidable?!

Yasina even had a vague premonition: this Miss Huohuo is very likely the final boss, the ultimate target for the Star People.

——

"Sure, I underestimated you. But what good would that do?" Huohuo asked with a laughing counter-question.

""Let me tell you——【mute】, those fitting this definition originally numbered two. But Zhigengniao is dead, and the other… 【she】 is still in Pinokangni, though you probably can't find her anymore.""

Huohuo's words were like a shot of adrenaline, and Shajin's pale face finally showed a hint of color.

""Fool, now I can be completely sure that from the very start I've been on the right path, never deviating. I'm only missing two things: first, the meaning behind the truth; second, the method to reveal it.""