Chapter 109: This Is Exactly a Win‑Win

The soul should originally be insubstantial, like nothing, but once filled with enough power it can certainly become stronger than matter.

This power can be one's own, or perhaps an external push.

The spirit manifestation ritual is aimed at the latter.

Spirit summoning is originally a type of conjuration that brings down spirits and calls gods, but as the name suggests, its principle is not actually limited to deities; it is more concerned with souls.

However, the most famous aspect is simply pulling down gods.

Past academic deconstruction of the soul and knowledge reforms greatly strengthened spirit summoning; today it encompasses most spirit-related summoning and related operations, such as Dongyan's spirit‑control techniques also falling under it.

It also has long‑term cooperation with the necromancy school.

If you are inclined, you could even hold a large‑scale soul‑calling near Heaven Gate, gather some transmigrator souls and make a big splash.

Even without such grand ideas, you can find a strong‑spirit spot, tug a few sleeping souls, and really raise a haunting.

Thus the reputation of the spirit‑summoning school has always been rather delicate.

Especially the newcomers, each shouting "I've learned it, I must do something!" — they are fun‑loving people who don't fit the stereotypical image of spirit summoners.

Meanwhile, the old‑timers who serve as representatives basically lack that vigor.

Most are silent and gloomy — in fact they are just otaku who have had enough of early‑year turmoil, dislike dealing with people, and prefer to keep company with spirits.

Nowadays, if you shake hands with someone and say you're a top student of spirit summoning, that person might well go wash their hands three times afterward.

Too creepy!

But this does not hinder the fact that spirit‑summoning knowledge is highly versatile, especially at crime scenes where many untrained weak souls need external support; for this purpose the spirit‑summoning ritual has the lowest threshold and consumption.

Just like the ritual Aomo set up earlier.

The threshold is very low; even if you can't draw, you can use assistive drawing tools, materials can be bought online or at a specialty store, and even without magical power you can buy disposable supplies — something anyone can do.

But here's the difference: the spirit Aomo is facing is not a weak one.

She is not merely not weak; she can control her manifestation so that only specific people see her, and in theory she could even manifest herself, rather than Aomo preparing materials and magical power to save her that energy cost.

Aomo felt it a bit tricky.

This round feels like Zhou Bapi meeting Gulangtai — a worthy opponent.

"If I manifest myself, Thus we output: Thus we output: QiuChuan Misei will notice, and that would be troublesome."

"Troublesome?" Aomo exclaimed in surprise.

So far he had a pretty good impression of that special chairperson, and he thought he had suddenly bitten into a surprise melon.

But he heard the other party's rather irritated tone speaking words of concern.

"That guy has always been quite a bother; there's no need to add another."

"Oh."

"Why do you look so disappointed?"

"That's just an illusion; tell me, how should I address you?"

"Zhouri Ningjing, sundaysilence."

Zhouri Ningjing, the older sister of Manchester Chazuo, is likewise a horse girl.

But——

"Forgive my boldness, but I seem to have never seen any news about you."

As a researcher of horse‑girl competitions and also a fan of many horse girls, Aomo did not expect his investigated information to be completely detailed and true enough to grasp privacy.

The information he knows is limited, so he always says he is merely "guessing."

Just as he initially predicted that Ailisuzhi's final‑leg burst could fiercely gather Mihou Bourbon, the result was that Suzi only had an excellent final‑leg burst, while other conditions required rehabilitation and recovery.

If she truly tried to enter the Asahi Cup, she would hardly be a match — unless he had not pulled her out and started her ongoing rehabilitation from today.

Looking back now, as Ailisuzhi's designated trainer, it seems he was cultivating her just to vindicate his own words — although currently whoever loses would feel rather bad.

But that's a matter of a few months later; what matters now is that the information he holds, while not fully deep, at least covers plenty of horse girls.

He has even made tentative folders for horse girls from the North America, Farul, and Hongying regions, yet the name "sundaysilence" is unfamiliar to him.

Furthermore, considering the apparition's current appearance……

"Stop standing there silently guessing; what's the habit of observing in a setting you specially opened just to let you ask questions?"

""

Really unable to get used to that grown‑up Chazuo's insolent demeanor, Aomo raised a hand to his forehead, yet he also followed the question: "I'm curious why your information is hidden, but I suppose we should prioritize — what did you want to say by arranging this meeting at this time?"

Hidden, naturally it is hidden.

He hasn't failed to gather news about Manchester Chazuo; even if a horse girl died young, her relatives would at least have a record, but Aomo's memories contain nothing, proving the other party's information was deliberately deleted and covered up.

But the problems still need to be dealt with one by one.

"You investigated Yugel Company because of those giant beasts, right?"

"Answering a question with a question is quite rude," Aomo said, pressing harder with the hand still on his forehead to ease his fatigue, "but I still need to point out that what I care about is a monster; do you know the definition of a monster? The emphasis is on 'strange' and 'beast,'" "It doesn't matter; after all they're all dangerous things, and I've seen your performance in the news — they're all the same."

That remark choked Aomo, and for a moment the scene was left with only silence.

Both of their extraordinary hearing could only pick up the discussion voices of the patrollers downstairs.

Having frightened a bunch of little girls like that, someone would inevitably come to check, but the two culprits had already headed toward the rooftop.

Indeed, doors leading to the highest place are usually locked to prevent accidents, but for Zhouri Ningjing this is obviously nothing.

——Aomo watched her reach out and twist off that fist‑sized unknown‑alloy lock.

"I've heard that most of Tressen's public facilities are built to horse‑girl specifications."

"Do you think I'm an ordinary horse girl?"

No way; this scene is hard to call a ghost — at least it must be a broken mask.

Aomo fell silent for a moment: "But I feel you're adding fuel to my fire."

"You deliberately chose a disposable volatile‑spirit paint, then insisted on recovering all those spirit‑medium props before running, and even beforehand used a mage's hand to put the furniture back — you're not exactly skilled at covering up evidence, are you, and you're still afraid of being caught?"

He strode to the rooftop, gazed up at the magnificent starry sky made possible by artificial assistance, and Zhouri Ningjing clearly enjoyed this view.

Aomo took a look and thought the stars were too numerous and brilliant, actually obscuring the moonlight.

"If those few girls went back and had even a bit of rationality, they could describe my demonic appearance; at least I'd get lectured by Miss Junchan."

"As the reward for this price, I'll continue our previous topic: Yugeer Company recruits horse girls to assist in researching monsters—isn't that valuable information?"

"Don't say that monster has horse ears." Aomo frowned.

"I don't know if it has horse ears, but I know that asking so loudly about that company's information will only get you nothing and alert them."

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Zhouri Ningjing turned to look at him and said solemnly, "Don't disturb Chazuo's life."

Aomo heard that, fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "You who understand them—what is your identity, so that Chazuo's classmates' lives aren't affected?"

"That's another matter, but I can tell you—I was entrusted by someone and am also investigating that company."

"Are you a detective?"

"No, it's just in the way, blocking us."

"We?"

Aomo gazed into her eyes, which still emitted a faint golden gleam even under the night sky; that eyes held a coldness that completely set her apart from the Mancheng Chazuo District.

"You sound more like a criminal."

"I haven't broken any law."

"That makes you a clever criminal."

"You brat……" "Investigating that company, do you need an assistant?"

"?"

"Need an assistant? I assess my baseline combat power as E-rank, can rise to C-rank when needed; my style is cautious and patient, though I've admittedly been a bit anxious these two days." Aomo shifted the conversation back, saying, "But knowing monsters and being acquainted with horse girls, I can also help you keep an eye on your easily wandering sister as an informed party."

"How so? Being a spirit in this day and age is actually quite inconvenient, right?"

At this moment he resembled exactly how he looked when he once persuaded that Executor in Heaven's Gate City; gazing at Zhouri Ningjing's astonished face, he himself remained steady.

"Place a specific request on the mercenary website through me, and I'll act for you immediately."

"Zhouri Ningjing Miss, who can investigate that kind of company without breaking the law, must have considerable influence in this field."

"Is this what you want? Are you rushing to sell yourself just to accumulate mercenary experience?"

"What's the harm? Isn't this a win-win?"

I can help you, and you give me monster clues; meanwhile, I'll make sure that Chazuo's child doesn't get into trouble and affect the other kids.

Finally, it's the experience needed to raise one's mercenary rank.

We're win-win.