Chapter 92

Something like that happened in the suburbs, and last night the military police were all mobilized; who knows how many satellites were up in the sky, scanning this city back and forth, and the international community has started churning.

And the commotion from that thing being driven off by me late at night would definitely attract some attention too……

So someone coming to investigate is simply as reasonable as it gets.

The whole affair has its pros and cons; Xia Zhi didn't arbitrarily judge these remnant waves and influences as bad, after all this city itself is bound to be affected by remnant waves, and everything is sure to be screened through once.

It's just that what happened late last night directly drew official attention to that area there at the first time.

Because it's right nearby, it'll probably be screened quickly too…… but that also means as long as we can get past the screening, there won't be any problem, and it's equivalent to indirectly strengthening the security level of the surrounding area.

Of course——the primary mission is still to get past the screening.

The young man turned around, walked into the living room, came to the dining table and sat down right beside it.

He looked at the girl eating breakfast quietly and spoke seriously: "Miss Tenka, regarding last night's matter, official personnel will probably come to screen today, I think it's better to give you a heads-up about this."

The hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly; the black-haired, red-pupiled girl raised her head, revealing that exquisite face.

"Th-this is how it is…… was it us who were exposed?"

Toriya Satone's expression remained pale as ever, but from the subconscious pauses in her body movements and speech, one could still tell she was more or less nervous.

"Probably not; I cleaned up all traces very well last night too, whether it was when you went over there or when we came back together later, no traces were left……"

The young man shook his head, explaining calmly: "It's more likely that last night, something else appeared nearby; although I drove it off later, it still attracted some people's attention, so that's what drew the official gaze over."

"Last night…… appeared too?"

Miss Tenka keenly caught the keyword, a trace of worry surfacing in her pupils.

"Yeah, they definitely won't give up that easily…… but from the current look of things, they shouldn't be able to appear during daytime, so you don't need to worry too much." Xia Zhi comforted her; he was now basically certain that's how it is.

Daytime is the human world.

Nighttime is the non-human world.

Only when the Advent Hour at twilight begins do the two worlds start to blur, overlap, no longer so clearly distinct, can those non-human things truly cross the boundary…… and before the daytime period arrives, they must return to that side's world.

This is this world's law; humans excluded the dark parts from their lives.

For creatures dwelling in the evening gloom, only when night falls and the human world is covered by the planet's darkness can they appear in the mortal world once more.

This is why nothing can be found in that search; because once daytime comes, all traces left by the injured monster, even smells and auras, dissipate completely clean, as if they never appeared at all.

"So, no need to worry about that…… right now the most important thing is still to deal with the upcoming screening."

Xia Zhi gave a simple summary, indicating the truly important problem at present is actually the pressure from the official, open side?

"How to deal with it? This should be unavoidable, right? Deliberately avoiding it would instead more easily arouse others' suspicion, right?"

Toriya Satone asked doubtfully.

The young man nodded in agreement: "Indeed unavoidable; trying to find any excuse to avoid screening is undoubtedly the most foolish move, tantamount to directly declaring you have a problem; this option is not viable……"

"The best way is to accept the screening, then pass normally."

"……"

"……"

"I understand……" Toriya Satone looked thoughtful, "Then when the time comes, I'll say I was home all yesterday afternoon, wanting to prepare a sumptuous dinner for Rikka, and even went downstairs to ask the wealthy madam for seasoning……"

"Too detailed."

The young man shook his head; he likewise had rich criminal experience, so he understood from criminal psychology that liars subconsciously add details to prove the authenticity of their lies.

Perhaps Miss Tenka was embellishing on a factual basis, but it'd probably be hard to fool the professional personnel coming to screen this time.

"Then what should I say?" Toriya Satone stared straight at him.

"Forget it……" Xia Zhi thought a moment, then waved his hand, "Later when they come to the door, I'll handle it; conveniently Fu and them are downstairs too, so I can help them muddle through as well."

"Mm, and there's that classmate Dansenya too; she'll probably need a little care…… but presumably they won't investigate her that quickly."

"……"

"……"

Miss Tenka opened her mouth, but ultimately only nodded imperceptibly and gently: "Then I'll leave it to you……"

On this matter, it seems indeed only possible to rely on the other party.

………………

Ten-odd minutes later.

Carrying her bookbag, Togashi Rikka walked out of the apartment building in quick steps, looking somewhat hurried.

But just as she reached the roadside, she suddenly stopped, staring blankly toward a certain direction of the sky; but as if seeing nothing, she then tiptoed, and walked a few steps to the side.

"Master, what are you looking at?"

Xia Zhi walked up from behind, asking casually.

"My Evil King True Eye…… saw the world's truth!" Togashi Rikka turned her head excitedly, declaring solemnly: "Just now, over there, there was a very, very big tree!"

"A very, very big tree?" Xia Zhi's expression shifted slightly.

"Yeah, but it vanished in a blink…… I think it definitely entered the Invisible Boundary Line again!"

Classmate Rikka nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking rice, and simultaneously looked at him with eyes full of anticipation, asking a question——

"Xia Zhi, you definitely know that tree exists, right? I'm not lying, I absolutely, absolutely saw that big tree!"

"…… I know, but didn't expect you'd be able to see it." Xia Zhi turned his gaze toward that sky; in his field of view, he could indeed see a towering giant tree far away; not to say it could block the whole sky, but it occupied half the firmament.

Extending branches stretch toward the surroundings……

Luxuriant branches and leaves like transparent……

The overall outline faintly visible, sunlight penetrating through, coating the tree in a layer of golden color…… it looks like a very illusory feeling, like a phantom that shouldn't exist.

Actually it is indeed so; it currently only grows in another time segment, fundamentally not existing in real history. It's only because Xia Zhi and it are currently in a symbiotic state that it can be seen in this reality.

Like seeing overlapping layers, but theoretically only he can see it.

As for classmate Rikka, it might be because of the connection ties of the Contract, just like a Master might dream of a Servant's experiences through dreams.

"Oh oh oh——So it really is like that! There's actually such a huge tree inside the Invisible Boundary Line?!"

Rikka widened her eyes, instantly becoming excited.

"There is. In fact, that actually is the Golden Tree——"

Xia Zhi pondered for a moment, considering how to bluff his way through, but before he could finish speaking, a series of hurried footsteps rang out from the apartment building behind him.

"Terrible, terrible! I'm gonna be late!!" With a piece of bread clamped between the corner of his mouth, Fu Yuta Togashi's hair was still a bit messy, and he charged down the stairs with a reckless Mors Momentum while draping his school uniform jacket over himself.

Just from this one scene, the image of a student who likely overslept and ran out of time leaped vividly into view.

But the moment he rushed downstairs, Fu Yuta Togashi froze.

"Eh eh eh...... Y-you guys, how come you......"

Xia Zhi calmly gave him a Casual Scan, smiling as he greeted him: "Good morning, Black Flame User."

"......"

"......"

"Don't...... don't call me by that name!" The Black Flame User froze completely, and only after a good Half Moment did he React, his whole body shuddering in an Instant, making a weak protest with a tearful face.

"You don't like it? The Golden Tree is prepared to bestow a blessing upon you——"

The young man smiled very Sunlight-ly, suddenly having an idea, and so very seriously bewitched him: "Didn't you used to want to Seal a Dragon in your right hand? Maybe you could realize your childhood dream, who knows......"

He held the Golden Fleece in his hand; that was the dowry of the Witch lady from ancient Xi Jia.

There is a Legend that "if thrown on the ground, a Dragon will appear."

Might as well give it a try.

(Chapter End)