Chapter 47: The Shrines and Temples That Got Sued by Mistake, Looking Completely Confused

Silence.

The entire hall was deathly silent.

Everyone stood with mouths agape, their faces etched with shock.

With so much evidence, this was no longer confirmation; it was irrefutable proof.

"The above is a preliminary overview of the investigation into the Yunhu incident. The specific and detailed investigation contents are in the documents distributed to everyone just now."

Upon hearing this.

Those present hurriedly picked up the document materials handed out by Saito's subordinates while the Minister was speaking.

Upon opening them, they found the records detailed, even more so than what Minister Saito had spoken. They included inferences on the style of ancient cities, conclusions matching Heian period architecture, DNA reports, and so on—extremely detailed.

For a moment, conversation filled the conference hall, with people whispering to one another, their expressions showing shock, solemnity, or worry.

Not long after.

A cabinet member stood up, his eyes flickering.

"Since supernatural beings exist and are powerful, how did ancient humans deal with them? Do onmyoji, monks, or even gods also exist?"

Japan is a nation with a long history, possessing not only supernatural culture but also profound divine and religious culture, with countless shrines and temples.

In Japan, basically wherever you go, you will inevitably find a shrine or temple nearby.

According to statistics, there are about eighty-five thousand shrines in Japan, not even counting temples. One can imagine how deep Japan's divine and religious culture runs.

And in Japan, whenever supernatural beings are mentioned, it inevitably involves gods, onmyoji; these are precisely the cultural contents of shrines and temples.

"Ahem."

Nodding slightly, Director Takahashi coughed lightly to attract everyone's attention.

"Regarding this point, it is exactly what I am about to elaborate on and discuss with everyone.

Since supernatural beings truly exist and may have intersected with our world in ancient times, and now the Sakurada Group has accidentally entered the Supernatural world, there is no exclusion that the Supernatural world will intersect with our world again.

Currently, we know very little about supernatural beings and can only understand them through historical documents left behind.

Through the analysis of the scenes in the Yunhu landscape, the destructive power caused by supernatural beings is no worse than modern weapons, and for some supernatural beings, their destructive power is even superior to modern weapons.

For the sake of national safety and for the future of Japan, I propose establishing a special department dedicated to the research of supernatural beings, as well as investigating and researching ancient culture.

Shrines and temples are also key investigation targets."

After a brief pause.

Director Takahashi spoke in a heavy voice.

"To be honest, long ago, our country, like other nations, conducted research and investigations on its own culture, and our investigation targeted shrines and temples, hoping to find unexpected discoveries.

The result was that nothing was found; it was merely the transmission of culture.

However, judging by the current situation regarding supernatural beings, personally, I seriously suspect that shrines and temples must be hiding secrets from us.

I suspect that shrines and temples possess onmyoji arts and monk Buddhist powers capable of countering supernatural beings, as recorded in ancient texts."

His judgment and remarks received support from many high-ranking officials present.

"That's right, I hold the same view."

"He's right. Shrines and temples must be hiding something. They are really too stand-offish. It's all for the country; why not contribute?"

"Exactly. We wasted our time proposing to vigorously promote shrine and temple culture, yet they made no move."

"No! This time we must ask shrines and temples to clarify, especially the big ones like Senso-ji, Atsuta Shrine, and Meiji Shrine."

At this moment.

The cabinet member who spoke earlier said:

"Speaking of shrines and temples, they have been declining in recent years. With the changing times and technological development, more and more people no longer believe in these, wait!!"

As if realizing something.

Bang! The cabinet member suddenly straightened up, his eyes filled with shock.

"You say, the Yunhu incident, which is the opening of the supernatural channel, could it not be the doing of shrines and temples?"

In less than a second, all the top Japanese leaders present turned to look in unison.

Hmm?

What does that mean?

Could it be...

"Think about it. In recent years, shrines and temples have declined severely, especially this year, where the decline worsened. Then, under this trend of decline, the Yunhu incident appeared."

As the cabinet member's words spread.

The next moment.

Everyone's faces changed.

"This..."

"My heavens, don't say it, it's actually possible!"

"Hiss! That's not impossible."

Shrines and temples began to decline in recent years, especially worsening this year, and right after the worsening, the Yunhu incident appeared; the timing of the two was unexpectedly coincidental.

Most crucially, shrines and temples are most closely related to supernatural beings, and since the connection between the Supernatural world and this world was suddenly severed and now intersects again, it can be judged that the supernatural channel was definitely sealed in the past, possibly by onmyoji or monks.

For the sake of the world and the people, ancient onmyoji and monks sealed the supernatural channel.

However, now that shrines and temples are in decline, to make people continue to believe, it is very possible that shrines and temples opened the supernatural channel to sustain their incense.

Because once supernatural beings emerge, the world will remember shrines and temples again, go to worship, seek protection, and believe again; in this way, wouldn't shrines and temples come back to life?

A conspiracy!

A huge conspiracy!

The high-ranking officials present, holding great power and authority, were so frightened they broke out in a cold sweat, their backs soaked, shivering with a chill.

"No! We must investigate, thoroughly investigate the shrines and temples!" the cabinet minister declared with righteous solemnity, his expression grave.

"Yes!"

"Yes, we must investigate!"

After this.

One plan after another was discussed; these plans concerned the shrines and temples, and also the yōkai, while some research plans decided upon earlier were advanced, such as the Super Serum Project, the Biological Mutation Project, the Seed Reserve Project, human modification...

Japan, Aichi Prefecture, Nagoya, a certain deep mountain forest.

"Grandfather, how many more days must we stay on the mountain?" Tomobe Xia Mei sighed at her grandfather Tomobe Kenji.

Tomobe Kenji, dressed in the robes of a Jingong shrine priest, looked up at his granddaughter Tomobe Xia Mei, who was sitting on a rock fanning herself.

Sigh.

Tomobe Kenji sighed, not knowing whether to cry or laugh, and glanced at the uninhabited deep mountain environment around him.

"Stay a few days? Stay until you no longer believe the nonsense I used to brag about."

This scene was strange; in this deep mountain forest, seeing an old man and a young man, both Jingong shrine priests, the old one in his sixties or seventies and the young one in his early twenties, one would surely think they were two reclusive, enlightened masters, full of mystery.

In fact, this was indeed the case.

Whether it was his attire or his status, Tomobe Kenji truly could be considered an enlightened master.

He was the current Jingong shrine priest of Atsuta Jingong, one of Japan's three great Jingong shrines, that is, the highest priest of Atsuta Jingong.

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