Chapter 56: Kisaragi Station, Unlocked!

The doors on both sides opened.

Uesugi Toru looked outside first, and only after confirming there were no yokai kaidan did he let Kitano Runa stand up and leave.

That high schooler Miyamoto Ryo was still the first to escape the train without a care, still having learned nothing from his narrow escape from death just now.

If a yokai were hiding outside the door, he would definitely have already let out a shameful cry.

Hattori Ayako was different; she observed for a good while before confirming this was the real-world Nippori Station, then came before Uesugi Toru and handed him a slip of paper with a phone number written on it using both hands.

But this action made Kujo Tsubaki, who had also prepared a slip of paper behind her, pause, and she tapped her cane displeased.

Since someone had already given a phone number, doing so again would put her at a disadvantage; perhaps Banruo Xiansheng would forget her the moment he turned his head.

No choice, change the approach.

Hattori Ayako's face was serious: "If Banruo Xiansheng ever has difficulties, I will do everything in my power to help!"

Uesugi Toru accepted it in silence.

After bowing to him once more, Hattori Ayako woke the drunk uncle who had slept the whole ride and forcibly dragged him outside as well.

Then she ran back in and forcibly dragged the still-seated Maki Hitomi out, and a quarrel broke out between the two.

Last was Kujo Tsubaki.

She tapped her white cane and walked lightly to Uesugi Toru's side, speaking faintly: "Hanabi-sama, this time I boarded this train on a Two-Star Investigation Commission from the Kyoto Onmyoryo. After this, the Onmyoryo should designate this train as a key target of attention."

Uesugi Toru was slightly stunned; he understood she was reminding him, releasing goodwill.

So he replied: "Many thanks."

"Then, Banruo Xiansheng, farewell."

Kujo Tsubaki's lips curved slightly, and then she walked slowly down from this train that had nearly taken her life multiple times within a week.

The train started again, but there were no further accidents to disturb the journey.

Everything went unexpectedly smoothly.

However, taking the opportunity of this train ride, Uesugi Toru truly felt the weight of that saying in Chang Shi: "Once-different eras fall into one bag."

The Guidance Director hesitated again and again, getting off at a silent village called Inunari Village; that General of Ghosts laughed heartily and walked alone into the bustling, incomparably prosperous Heian-kyo.

During this, a masked beautiful woman and an odd-looking earth spider also entered the train, but without exception they all sat quietly in their seats like genuine passengers.

—If one ignores the fact that the earth spider, a single yokai, occupied an entire row of seats.

"Next stop, Kisaragi Station is approaching……"

"Next stop, Kisaragi Station……"

Uesugi Toru stood up.

This time, the one getting off was him.

After confirming there were no troublesome yokai getting off at the same station as him inside the carriage, Uesugi Toru pulled the two-shaku Adult along and stepped over the threshold, setting foot on the ground of Kisaragi Station.

Instantly, a bone-deep cold spread through Uesugi Toru's whole body.

The two-shaku Adult sneezed: "Sniff— Toru-sama, something's wrong here."

"Wrong is right."

Uesugi Toru circulated the Kiai Technique, dispelling the eerie cold, and looked around.

—Forest and railway, as far as the eye could see, apart from the Kisaragi Station in front which inexplicably had a small shop, only these two monotonous scenes remained.

As if endless rails stretched along both sides of the road and then vanished into the thin mist, while faint rustling sounds came from the forest.

But that wasn't something the current Uesugi Toru needed to handle.

The new shrine was already in Kisaragi Station; light it, and this region unlock mission should be complete.

"Two-shaku Adult, come help find the shrine."

"Po!"

The two searched back and forth in Kisaragi Station several times, and finally discovered the shrine was actually hanging on the railing right above where Uesugi Toru had just exited the train.

The dust-covered small wooden cage held nothing inside; instead it was covered in spider webs, like a discarded prop abandoned anywhere.

Truly, the darkest place is under the lamp.

Uesugi Toru clicked his tongue, reached out and touched the shrine.

The two-shaku Adult watched curiously from the side, wanting to touch but not daring to.

In an instant, the shrine burst forth with a faint light, and a prompt popped up.

【You have lit the shrine of Kisaragi Station.】

【Your region unlock mission is complete!】

【You have gained: Special Transfer Count ×1, Yomi Train Intelligence ×1.】

Special Transfer Count, as the name implies, allows his main body to transfer to the Genjitsu corresponding to the shrine's location — for example, transferring to the Edo Castle shrine means directly returning Home.

A similar reward was within Uesugi Toru's expectations.

The train intelligence, however, piqued Uesugi Toru's interest; he opened the so-called intelligence to browse.

【1. The route of each train is not completely fixed.】

【2. Terrifying things happen when the carriage is full or loses power; please get off immediately.】

The intelligence consisted of only two lines, yet the information they contained was not small.

First, the four words "not completely" are rather subtle; Uesugi Toru guessed the train probably passes through popular locations like Heian-kyo and Warring States Ruins every trip, while desolate stations like Kisaragi Station probably only come once in a long while.

Next is the intelligence Kujo Tsubaki once told him, but with an added "power loss" condition.

Uesugi Toru stroked his chin and thought — if he could get the train timetable as well, would the Yomi Train become a new type of conventional safe transportation.

He considered it, but still temporarily gave up.

No other reason; the travel time is too long.

In the time it takes to sit on a train for a few hours, Uesugi Toru could die twice.

Setting aside information about the train for now, Uesugi Toru looked up the area introduction for Kisaragi Station.

【Current Region Unlocked: Kisaragi Station (Two-Star)】

【Main Quest One: Explore Kisaragi Station at least 80%, Current Exploration Degree: 0%】

【Main Quest Two: Rescue Ye Chun.】

【Main Quest Three: Exorcise the Mononoke Baka Hayashi, Taiko Drum Bell, High-Speed Grandpa.】

【Side Quest One: Tunnel to Chang Shi—It is said that no matter what transportation item, once it drives through this tunnel, it will enter the other side of the world.】

【Side Quest Two: Mountain Inn—It is said there is an inn near Kisaragi Station; if you have no fixed home, you might as well stay there for a night.】

Still the classic quests of exploring the map, exorcising Mononoke, plus two side quests... huh?

Uesugi Toru focused his gaze on Main Quest Two.

Ye Chun.

He certainly remembered this name, because in one version of the Kisaragi Station urban legend, the protagonist Hasumi's real name was this.

But he remembered that Kisaragi Station seemed to be an urban legend that spread in 2004.

And now it was 2024.

Then the main quest told him to rescue Ye Chun.

That is to say—the protagonist of the Kisaragi Station urban legend, Ye Chun, an ordinary person, survived in this Two-Star Map for twenty years without anyone's help?

Uesugi Toru found it a bit hard to imagine.

Not to mention anything else, just catching a cold and fever every year would make Ye Chun suffer quite a bit.

Let alone anything else.

But if Ye Chun had obtained some opportunity and had herself become a Three-Star Four-Star Urban Legend, it was possible she could live this long.

But that wouldn't count as rescuing her.

He couldn't figure out the approach to this main quest for the time being.

Adding to that, the urban legends in Main Quest Three were not marked with star ratings this time, making Uesugi Toru inevitably get a headache.

Was this really a strategy map or a puzzle game...

"Adult Two Shaku, you go back into the Jizo Statue first." Uesugi Toru patted the girl's head, looking at her still sleepy eyes and said, "You've worked hard during this time just now."

"Not hard at all, Toru-sama."

Adult Two Shaku held the brim of her hat with both hands and smiled, saying, "Actually, being able to stay with Toru-sama is our greatest relaxation and reward."

This smile really made Uesugi Toru unable to tell whether it was a joke or the truth.

Still, he took out the Jizo Statue: "Alright, go back quickly."

"Popo~"

Adult Two Shaku blew him a flying kiss, drilling into the mini Jizo Statue.

After settling Adult Two Shaku, Uesugi Toru also began to transfer.

Transfer location—the Shrine of Arakawa Ghost Village, that is, the School Playground.

After all, Uesugi Toru did not want to stimulate Ghost Father with his sudden appearance, causing some unpredictable situation.

The transfer fluctuation came fast and went fast; by the time Uesugi Toru opened his eyes again, he saw the bright sun in the sky.

Wait, it's dawn?

Uesugi Toru was startled.

He clearly remembered that he had only spent three or four hours on the train.

The current time point should be late at night.

End of Chapter