Chapter 678: So It

Is there enough food stored?

Facing Song Shu’s righteous act of stealing lines, Emiya Shirou had planned to retort that at least three Saber-sized appetites would be needed—but before he could speak, Xiao Yan suddenly interjected, pressing him about marriage in the tone of a nosy neighbor.

“This… is the road.”

“What road? We’re talking about your personal issue—you must want to hold a wedding with the girl you like, right?”

Xiao Yan silently elbowed Emiya Shirou in the abdomen, then quickly flicked his eyes toward the rear-sideways, signaling.

Beneath the snow-dusted cherry tree, Illya stood with her back to them, gazing at the sky.

Emiya Shirou gritted his teeth against the elbow strike, straightened his waist into a rigid stance, and said, “That’s correct—I’ll always love Illya.”

The girl’s shoulder-length hair stirred slightly; a faint smile curled at her lips. She pretended not to notice them and wandered off to other parts of the Hakkai Shrine.

Emiya Shirou exhaled in relief. “If we really hold it together, the shrine grounds won’t be enough.”

“Sharp enough.” Xiao Yan patted his shoulder and nodded. “Don’t worry about practicalities—this is the moment to show resolve, so the girl feels secure.”

‘Xiao Yan’s theory is strong, but it’d be better if it connected to practice.’ Song Shu thought silently, then followed his instinct to slip away, fearing Su Lin might also demand he demonstrate security.

“Then why not hold your own wedding here too?” Su Lin arrived as scheduled.

“Didn’t you hear Emiya Shirou say the space isn’t enough?”

“Then hold one every day. You said you need to give the girl a sense of security.”

Xiao Yan’s smile vanished. He grew quiet, unsure whether he was pondering Su Lin’s suggestion or his own lack of security.

Song Shu passed by a young man of the Huai family, who was diligently taking notes—he didn’t know what the boy was studying, but Song Shu saw the notebook’s cover bore the words “The Road to Survival.”

Is this a survival game’s merchandise?

Feels perfect for me. I’ll buy a copy someday.

Song Shu turned his head, then suddenly froze—he saw a squirrel perched atop the shrine’s offering box, staring fixedly at him.

“.”

Why are you looking at me?

Song Shu rummaged through his storage pouch, pulled out a pistachio, and cautiously extended it toward the squirrel. The little creature, as if terrified, remained utterly still.

“You’re a squirrel. I’m a squirrel. Eat this, and we’re friends.”

Song Shu attempted to activate his Druid’s Nature Affinity to form a friendship pact with the squirrel.

Though it was merely a mindless pastime to kill time.

?? But the squirrel, seemingly half-human, ate the pistachio and climbed up his sleeve to perch on his shoulder.

Seeing this, Song Shu exclaimed in delight: “Fate has brought us together, little one. Would you like to inherit my Dao name?”

Nearby, watching the good-natured man trying to converse with the squirrel.

Reimu couldn’t help asking: “Is that guy a squirrel demon?”

“Probably. After all, he’s Squirrel Song.” Hecatia still wondered why a squirrel appeared in this season: “But he came without prior notice—is that alright?”

“It’s fine. I should thank you for bringing so many outsiders here.” Reimu lazily swept the snow with her broom.

Clearly, she was in good spirits—especially after the offering box filled up again.

“Still, that gap demon doesn’t seem to be hibernating this year. Don’t bring too many outsiders into Gensokyo and cause some anomaly.” Reimu leaned on her broom, as if tired.

“I’ve just brought in some fine men to balance Gensokyo’s overwhelming female population,” Hecatia teased.

“Hehe… overwhelming female population, huh?” Reimu smiled languidly. “By the way, is it true that Yatogami reported you and Fujou Meihong fighting over a man? And is your diary real?”

Hecatia paused thoughtfully. “If you mean the Paradise Plan… yes, it’s true.”

“?!” Reimu shuddered, recalling the uncensored pornographic manga Yatogami had sent the shrine—and the plot within. She glanced warily at Su Lin.

Yatogami’s reports were amusing gossip when the protagonist wasn’t oneself—but if it involved oneself, one had to consider how many boss demons one could defeat on Youkai Mountain.

“You didn’t bring fine men—you brought pervert demons,” Reimu said, noticing her gaze had been noticed, and changed the subject: “How did you two meet?”

“Met online, then in person. Come to think of it… the first time we met, he wanted me, a person from the Land of Eternity, to get pregnant.”

"Online acquaintances meeting in person—when we first met, he actually wanted me, a Penglai person, to get pregnant."

“Extremely rude. In all my long life, I’ve never met a man like that.”

Hecatia was mid-sentence when she suddenly clutched her head in pain.

“If you keep blabbing like this, that dog reporter will hear it again—and my reputation in Gensokyo will be ruined!” Su Lin stepped out from behind his Skyward Phantasm, fist still raised.

Which traveler entering Gensokyo starts with universal negative goodwill?

“Are you a man who dares to do it but not to admit it?” Hecatia shouted toward the book-reading star, rubbing her head in distress: “What did Su Lin try to do when we first met?!”

“Huh?” Star looked up, blinked, then said: “Oh, he wanted us both to get pregnant.”

“Look at me,” Su Lin smiled, his right eye glowing with eerie light. “Say it again.”

Star blinked. “Then if it happens, we’ll just abort it.”

"Let me repeat it again, brother's eyes," Su Lin smiled, his right eye glowing with eerie light.

An “eternal old woman” of unknown age. A “star-core infant” barely born.

Clearly, everyone inside the shrine who had been discussing décor and dishes had fallen silent. Their eyes didn’t turn, but their spiritual senses had circled them multiple times.

“I must explain,” Su Lin said. “It’s the maternal gaze of a Confucian sage. I only wanted them to experience the greatness of motherhood.”

“Cough… Emperor, which candle looks better—white or red?” Lu Mingfei blurted out.

“...” Zhongli paused, stroking his chin. “Generally speaking, red candles are more festive—but unnecessary.”

“Go on. I’m listening.”

Kleen donned his Night Watch uniform, dragged a chair from history, sat down, picked up a newspaper, and flipped through it while muttering and shaking his head.

Su Lin firmly believed that if one’s conduct is upright, there’s no need to fear shadows—especially after his right eye glowed with strange runes, convincing many.

Reputation salvaged. Well done.

Su Lin firmly believed that if one’s conduct is upright, there’s no need to fear one’s shadow; after his right eye glowed with strange runes, many chose to believe him.

Was it an illusion?

Many viewers—no, investigators—watching the screen felt a chill run down their spines when Su Lin’s right eye glowed; many instinctively touched their bellies.

But as the glow faded, the unease vanished.

The squirrel-shaped biological camera perched on Song Shu’s shoulder, having become his pet through the act of feeding, moving with his viewpoint.

Someone sketched designs at the Hakkai Shrine’s entrance; someone played chess and drank tea; someone held a microphone, stammering through speech practice.

【This is a tough one—so many people today. Shu Hang, what would you all like to eat?】 Emiya Shirou asked, holding a kitchen knife.

The white-haired girl hugged his waist: 【Shirou, I want steak, cake, hamburger meat, and… let me think…】

“Subtle differences in appearance, but identical personality traits,” Bubble declared. “Confirmed as the original.”

The white-haired girl hugged Emiya Shirou around the waist: [Shirou, I want steak, cake, hamburger patties, and… let me think.]

"Subtle differences in appearance, but highly similar personality traits," Bubble declared. "Definitely the real person."

The Shadow City’s Emiya and Illya raised their hands in stunned silence. The Avalon spirits arrived with them. Emiya the Servant had been dragged from jail still wearing handcuffs due to time constraints.

“Want a copy?” A bootlegger in a black suit and sunglasses asked each person.

“Who let him out?!” Chen Jun’s face darkened.

“Wasn’t he brought along with everyone else?”

“We only needed Emiya the Servant!”

But they were all here now—this wasn’t the time to argue.

On-screen, Emiya Shirou set down the knife and gently lifted Illya: 【Illya, eating that much will make you fat.】

【Just wish for weight loss with the Holy Grail. And would you find me heavy, Shirou?】

On screen, Emiya Shirou put down the kitchen knife and skillfully picked up Illya: [Illya, eating so much will make you fat.]

As their faces drew close, lips nearly touching, Song Shu coughed twice as a reminder.

【Sorry…】

【No problem. Just drown her in your embrace.】

“Does Shirou always love me?”

Not only did the two on-screen blush, but even the Shadow City side turned red—except for Kiriya Sakura, whose body was spreading black spiritual energy.

"Could it be that Shirou has always liked me?"

Emiya the Servant’s eye twitched. “What worldline is this?”

“That’s Gensokyo,” Taviel rapidly operated on her crystal-coffin device:

“According to gathered data, some were brought into Gensokyo by Hecatia of the Eternal Mountain.”

“As for these two, they likely aren’t remnants from a fallen dimension or timeline—they’re from the true ‘Type-Moon’ universe.”

She was building files for all present individuals; Emiya Shirou and Illyasviel’s files were annotated: Suspected origin: “Type-Moon” universe.

Su Lin’s file was annotated: Relationship chaos.

The Shadow City’s Yagami Shizuka frowned:

“As far as I know, the Gensokyo version of ‘Yagami Shizuka’ eliminates or expels all entities intruding from outside the universe, erasing all traces.”

“Were they granted permission?”

As far as I know, the 'Yakumo Shizu' of this Gensokyo should eliminate or drive away any entity that intrudes from beyond the universe, erasing all traces.

A world undergoing negative entropy surge has a high chance of connecting to other universes—but the Youkai Sage’s stance has always been firm: rejecting excessive contact.

Yet the footage captured now suggests otherwise.

“Should we attempt contact with them?” Sandoara suggested.

But the footage captured now does not appear to be so.

"Should we try to make contact with this group?" Sander suggested.

If the past void were described as a sheet of paper, their goal now is every dimension of this endless void—innumerable sheets of paper.

Beyond the Fantasy Realm, they are actively exploring other dimensions of the void, and have already achieved modest success.

“This...” Chen Jun was thinking.

Entering as an identical counterpart or another version of oneself would facilitate contact; later, a vanguard fleet could be dispatched to traverse the void for investigation.

【Didn’t we eat the universe’s primordial source today?】

【We finished it all at the last banquet.】

【Master of the Sword Sect, why don’t you go and】

【destroy a few universes as ingredients?】

“?”

On the screen, some bizarre conversations appeared.

The young man named Su Lin walked over: 【Today is our first banquet in the Fantasy Realm—wait, I won’t use that term—today is the first banquet of the Hilong Empire’s Space-Time Administration here. Can’t we at least make the ingredients more plentiful?】

“?”

“?”

“?”

What is he saying?

What did he just say?

He said they’re some kind of empire’s space-time administration?!

“No such person.” The little Poppies said.

【I’ve only been asleep a short while—when did you conjure up a Hilong Empire Space-Time Administration?】 asked the gentleman wearing a top hat.

【Hilong means soul.】 Su Lin merged with a strange, pale-blue figure.

【The Day of Wrath, the Time of End】

His gaze turned arrogant and wild; his brilliant golden hair grew endlessly, donning a black tie and military coat, his arms adorned with swastika armbands, his right hand raised at a forty-five-degree angle: 【Victory forever~】

So it’s THIS Hilong?!

“I’ll go back and prune a few timelines where the Jiahuang might appear, or where the Jiahuang might go on a date with my child—can timelines be used as ingredients?”

Su Lin pointed to Xiao Yan over there: “Ten billion lives will be handed to him for alchemy.”

“Hahahaha, what a pile of nonsense!” Xiao Yan turned and roared: “Since that incident, I haven’t used living beings for alchemy in a long time!”

“Please don’t do that!” Emiya Shirou looked troubled: “Besides, I can’t use these new ingredients for cooking right now.”

As Emiya Shirou spoke, Illya tugged at his collar.

“Shirou, you can make a wish to me—even if I can’t create a multiverse yet, I’ve accumulated plenty of wish energy and magical power.”

“No, that would be too extravagant.”

Su Lin had no intention of letting them use the Great Wish Art or the Holy Grail’s power; after the Sea of Wishes vanished, accumulating such wish energy was not easy: “Wish for Gilgamesh’s true body to come here.”

Illya nodded, closed her eyes, and made her wish.

A surge of golden light appeared, and Gilgamesh, clad in a black racing suit, materialized, holding a model of a black Saber.

He blinked, then roared: “Filth—”

Golden ripples spread, and the Gates of the King’s Treasury opened, revealing countless weapons.

“Make way.” Su Lin shoved Gilgamesh aside and thrust his upper body into the spatial gate.

“Filth, what are you doing?!”

“Don’t think I don’t know—last time you went to destroy the Abyss’s ruins, you wiped out entire worlds along with several names on the list.”

The Lunhuizhe and their worlds were found and destroyed.

Su Lin had the Sky Phantasm retrieve several clusters of deep, swirling fragments of Cosmic Light, their internal spaces still expanding.

“These are my treasures!”

“What’s mine is yours!”

Su Lin casually plucked a few artifacts from the King’s Treasury: “These are taxes.”

“Oh no, you—!!!”

Clearly, Gold Skin was about to explode—his hair stood on end.

“Consider it a wedding gift for Emiya Shirou and Illya. Now we have ingredients.” Su Lin tossed the Cosmic Light fragments to Emiya Shirou.

At that moment, Gilgamesh’s expression relaxed: “You said ingredients... Hey, you over there, Supreme Sword Sect Master, you’re going to cook with this?”

“Yeah...”

“I want to eat too!”