Chapter 62: I Not Only Self-Di-Hua, But I Will Also Di-Hua You

"I believe everyone should know why the government has invited you here today."

Director Takahashi sat on the villa sofa, looking at the various shrine and temple leaders seated on the sofas around him.

Hearing this, the corners of everyone's mouths twitched.

"Director Takahashi... it is true that yokai truly exist, but that does not mean priests, shrine maidens, or monks must possess supernatural powers. We..."

The head priest of Senso-ji Temple stood up, his face filled with embarrassment.

From yesterday until now, his phone had been ringing until it went soft; the callers ranged from the government to friends and family, and everyone asked him: Was he an enlightened Gao Seng? Was he a hidden supernatural being with enlightened magical powers capable of subduing demons and taming monsters?

He understood that the government's secret gathering of them today was eighty percent likely to inquire whether priests, shrine maidens, or monks possessed supernatural powers.

"Head Priest Miya, do not rush to explain; wait until I finish speaking."

Director Takahashi raised his hand to interrupt the head priest of Senso-ji Temple and smiled.

"Everyone is clear that the government invited you this time to ask whether you possess supernatural powers. Please do not overthink it; we are truly just asking and have no other intentions.

The government does not require you to join the state to serve, nor will it constrain you in any way; your lives will continue as usual.

As for why we ask, it is simply that the government wishes to better protect its citizens, understand more matters, and thus do more within its power to protect the citizens, that is all.

Actually,

as for myself personally, I very much hope that you are supernatural.

Because I truly love this country so much; I do not wish for this beautiful land to be damaged, so I am very selfish and very hope that you are supernatural. I do not ask for you to protect us at all times, I only ask that when yokai run rampant, you do not stand idly by, but can take action to eliminate the yokai."

Having spoken thus.

Director Takahashi sighed.

"Alas, yokai are always terrifying, beyond human capability; only the supernatural can deal with the supernatural."

Looking at Director Takahashi's words, the shrewd shrine and temple leaders nodded on the surface, saying, "Director Takahashi is right, only the supernatural can deal with the supernatural," and "Yes, yes, Director Takahashi is right."

But in their hearts, they secretly cursed Director Takahashi as an old fox.

They were not fools; they could see that Director Takahashi was feigning reluctance while actually welcoming, playing the victim, speaking specifically to the juniors brought by them.

That is correct.

At this secret gathering, besides the shrine priests and head priests of the shrines and temples, the younger generation, the future successors to the shrine priests and head priests, also came.

Director Takahashi's speech was purely performed for the young people to see.

He knew deeply that the older generation kept their mouths shut and could not be pried open, but the younger generation, full of youthful vigor, who did not have some passionate sentiment? They could easily be led to heat up their brains and say everything; in this way, perhaps they could learn the secrets of the supernatural.

Pity.

Director Takahashi, we truly are not supernatural, so your clever scheme is useless.

The various shrine priests and head priests chuckled in their hearts.

"Director Takahashi, your words not only insult us but also blaspheme the gods."

Amamiya Xia Mei frowned, her exquisite face lacking only the two characters for 'dissatisfaction' written on it.

Her pleasant voice, carrying displeasure, echoed through the villa.

In an instant.

The villa fell silent.

The shrine priests and head priests could no longer smile; their eyes bulged, looking at Amamiya Xia Mei in disbelief.

????

????

Their heads were full of question marks; they felt a daze as if a large hammer had struck their brains, nearly knocking them into a cerebral thrombosis and fainting.

What is the situation?

Who is this young girl?

As shrine priests and head priests of Japanese Shinto and Buddhism, they knew what Amamiya Xia Mei meant.

Director Takahashi's words, when considered from a strategic perspective, were a baiting tactic and a victim-playing scheme, intended to extract words, but when considered from the perspective of Shinto and Buddhism, his words blasphemed everyone present in Shinto and Buddhism.

Since ancient times, yokai represent evil, and gods represent justice.

Right and evil cannot coexist.

As people of Shinto and Buddhism serving the eight million gods, while they propagate the gods and save all sentient beings, they also bear the responsibility of fighting against yokai and ghosts.

For example, shrine maidens; ancient shrine maidens had the function of spiritual mediums and were also responsible for punishing demons and monsters. For example, Kikyo in Inuyasha; do not look at it as just an anime, but the manga author did not blindly fabricate; it truly restored the image of ancient shrine maidens.

Therefore, exorcising demons is one of the duties of Shinto and Buddhism, the will of the gods.

Director Takahashi said, "I only ask that when yokai run rampant, you do not stand idly by, but can take action to eliminate the yokai." This phrase "stand idly by" is equivalent to saying that everyone present in Shinto and Buddhism is neglecting their duties and not obeying the will of the gods.

This is a blame against Shinto and Buddhism, a blatant insult, and a blasphemy against everyone's faith in the gods.

Regarding Director Takahashi's words, how could the shrine priests and head priests present not know the meaning of the words for Shinto and Buddhism?

However, they did not care.

First.

They understood that Director Takahashi did not intend to insult; probably Director Takahashi did not even know his words carried this layer of meaning, because he is not a person of Shinto or Buddhism, so it is normal that he does not understand these things.

Second.

Director Takahashi is the highest official of the Japanese Metropolitan Police Department; his official authority is great. Where would they dare to reprimand him? After all, they knew very clearly... they were not supernatural at all; they were just a group of charlatans.

Facing a national-level high official, they were not supernatural; where would they get the confidence to put on airs, nor did they dare to put on airs.

Because once they put on airs, would that not mean they were very confident? They would truly be mistaken for supernatural beings; what would they do then if Director Takahashi asked them to exorcise demons? That would be no different from suicide.

They did not want to die.

Precisely for this reason, they did not retort to Director Takahashi, did not put on airs, and chose to wait until after the matter passed to properly explain that they were charlatans.

Amamiya Kenji's eyelids twitched wildly; his old eyes bulged with bloodshot veins; he desperately signaled to Amamiya Xia Mei with his eyes and even lightly pulled her sleeve to indicate.

"Xia Mei."

Tomoemon Kenji lowered his voice, sweat beading at his temple.

An old man like him nearly burst into tears right there on the spot.

The other shrine priests and abbots present were also on the verge of crying, their faces filled with disbelief and an urge to die or weep.

What the hell is going on?!

Tomoemon Kenji, are you trying to trap and kill us, you damn fool?

Is your granddaughter insane?

Do you even know the consequences of your granddaughter saying such things? It means Director Takahashi will believe we possess the supernatural!

The Asakusa Temple abbot grabbed his massive bald head with both hands, eyes wide, mouth agape, showing not a shred of an elder monk's dignity, feeling as if lightning had struck his scalp, splitting it open, driving him mad.

The people around were no better off.

Some clutched their temples, others nearly rolled their eyes back and fainted right where they stood.

"Uh."

Director Takahashi paused, stunned.

He had expected someone to be goaded into speaking, but he never anticipated being challenged himself.

Seeing this, everyone felt their scalps prickle and their hearts pound violently.

This is bad!

Director Takahashi won't believe we have the supernatural, will he?

They knew very well what consequences Tomoemon Xia Mei's defiant response would bring; it would make Director Takahashi think his provocation had succeeded and that someone had truly been goaded into speaking.

And what was his provocation for? Was it not to fish out whether the supernatural existed?

Therefore, Tomoemon Xia Mei's answer amounted to an admission of the supernatural; otherwise, why would she be so defiant?

Without some backing, how would she dare challenge a national-level official?

The Asakusa Temple abbot nearly scratched his scalp raw, wailing inwardly, tears in his eyes but none to shed, wishing for death.

It's over, it's over; Director Takahashi surely thinks we have the supernatural.

It must be so.

He must think we have the supernatural.

He is certainly thinking that since our juniors have the backing to challenge him, they must have backing, someone behind them supporting them.

What kind of backing for juniors would make them dare challenge a national-level official? That needs no thought; it must be the supernatural, which stands above the nation! Otherwise, even if you gave juniors a hundred guts, they wouldn't dare stand up to a national-level official.

……