Chapter 917: NO.40: Suspicion

NO. 40: Suspicion

Most citizens of Boundary Gate District know one thing: the school culture of Jidong District differs noticeably in rules and regulations from that of East Flame District.

Among these, the most obvious difference is that East Flame Academy strictly forbids puppy love.

By contrast, Jidong Academy, although schools and families usually hold conservative attitudes, this kind of development that is quite tempting for minors amounts to opening the floodgates as long as it isn't outright banned.

Besides groups of three or five teenagers, pairs of boys and girls walking together on the slopes to and from school…… such a sight is not exactly rare in the Jidong District.

After all, it's a region where women can marry at sixteen.

Moreover, the so-called Tokyo Metropolitan Azalea Terrace, although it is land of another world, also follows the cultural style that Aomo once observed, understood, and pondered.

After all, it's a region that is mirror‑image with Buguitai, and next door the 4S Electric Light Machine King is already dating outright—any tag you see will surely involve school and romance.

By contrast, at first glance the 4S Gulite seems to show a hint.

But the story ultimately tells you that the male lead is Gulite.

Collapsed. jpg

Although it has the setting of 'simulating Hibiki Yuta's personality' as its underlying logic, the vast majority of viewers find it hard to accept the design where, in the end, the protagonist turns out not to be the original self; consequently, plot and CP discussion stop here, and the only ones still chattering are the curiosity‑seekers: for example, the strange extensions 'Gulite likes Rikka', 'Yuta cross‑dressing equals Gulite cross‑dressing', which also sprang up at this stage.

So is there still hope?

As the TV show ended, the bgcp seemed to be cut off; only the yuri creations of Takarada Rikka and Shinjo Akane were continually promoted by the official side, as if all other male characters had been forgotten.

The doctor still hasn't given up on treatment.

The remedy called a radio drama is still trying.

But everyone soon realized one thing—the male lead Hibiki Yuta's love life is still hanging.

Then everyone will discover the true winner.

The second male lead is Uchikai Shou.

Although his treatment in the TV show is that of a mere extra, in fact he became single earlier than the protagonist, and in the radio drama he entered a clear romantic relationship with Rikka's best friend, Miss Lian—the one who always wears a mask.

Not only does he have a mysterious connection (referring to the character song lyrics of Bora) with a certain middle‑schooler who looks like a girl but is actually a boy, he also successfully exists as the first internal‑digestion case of the Gulite Alliance and the Rikka Legion.

Considering that Hibiki Yuta actually lacks even the memories and sensations of being a human Gulite, looking back at Uchikai Shou—that's the real big winner.

Skipping the hurdle of confession, they move into the dating stage.

Even now, an invisible helper will have already picked out his date outfit:

"Wait a moment, let me check—wallet, keys, phone, do you have them all?"

"Of course, I've got them all!"

"Then, have you saved the route on your phone?"

"Uh, the route?"

"The mall, karaoke hall, and cinema we confirmed yesterday, plus a hotel that's unlikely to be needed but good to have on record."

"A… a hotel?!'' This might be too stimulating for a tokusatsu otaku, "You're not joking, are you?!"

"I said it's unlikely to be needed, so there's no need to get worked up just because the word came up—do you have a record?"

"Yes… besides the hotel……"

"Then let's set that aside……"

"Set aside……"

"You look disappointed again—why not keep it and add it back?"

"Set it aside!"

"You've got ambition; whether or not you plan ahead for a hotel doesn't matter— the point is, have you thought about what vehicle to take?"

"Huh? Do we really need to consider that? You'll figure it out at the station anyway!"

"... sigh~"

"Hey, why are you sighing?"

I've observed many couples' outings; a man who plans and moves with clean, efficient steps always earns points—of course, I don't rule out the case where the woman's personality is stronger than the man's and she prefers him to be lax, but if you hold the initiative, you effectively take over the decisions the other party must bear, which boosts their comfort.

That low‑pitched voice paused, then added: "It will also to some extent make the other person feel guilty."

"Guilty… guilt?"

That applies to women who are relatively timid and introverted; if you perform outstandingly, it may instead give them pressure, but if this guilt is handled well it can actually turn into a longing—though I'm digressing, I suspect your female companion is not of that sort.

"Lian definitely isn't that type—she's always wearing a mask, but that's because she does YouTuber activities, making her a sort of celebrity."

"So what's your plan?"

"Alright, alright! I'll jot it down now!"

He let go of the hand resting on the door handle, stepped back two plops and sat on his buttocks in the entryway before Uchikai, throwing both hands into the frantic work of operating his phone.

But he didn't forget to suddenly look up and ask: "Will you be coming along too?"

"Of course not." Aomo stood to the side, watching the coattails of his jacket sweep over his own leather shoes.

From the two outfits he had selected for the other—one warm‑toned, one cool‑toned—the other indeed chose the former, and the difference in taste left him feeling a bit regretful.

"Although I've observed quite a few couples, I haven't continuously monitored anyone's dating preferences—but do you still remember what I said yesterday?"

"The crisis of this world, and the monsters that might reappear in the near future."

"Ah, of course! And there'll be the return of the Gulite pair, too! Actually I've already arranged to meet Yuta and Rikka today."

"... That's quite a surprising move."

"It's not to sabotage your date! Yuta and I will meet later at Rikka's place! All right, even if you help me as a date consultant and can still chime in on my Ultraman topics, I don't really trust you!" Having risen to his feet, Uchikai pointed at the air, "I've also brought two expert roles to see what condition you're in."

"I'm over here, at the four‑o'clock direction."

"Ah, sorry… anyway! Get ready!"

"Of course, go enjoy your youth, high schooler," Aomo said calmly, "and don't forget to buy the spaceship magazine you promised me."

"I definitely won't forget—I was planning to buy it myself—but you won't get lost and be late, will you? Can you really find Rikka's house?"

Facing the other's doubtful gaze, Aomo thought to himself that he had only been there yesterday, and had even seen one of the two expert roles the other mentioned……

"…Do you still remember the possession results from last night's experiment?"

"I remember, what's up?"

"I've put a marker on you, so I know your real-time position."

"There's such a thing?!"

"Of course there is, whether relying on technology or magic, it can be done."

——

A few minutes later, watching the tokusatsu otaku whose chosen outfit made him look considerably more mature, head off in another direction, Aomo turned back and disintegrated inch by inch on the spot.

He then reassembled at the entrance of a junk shop.

《Gorgeous Junkshop》

With the shop open for business, the red‑haired woman wearing an apron was busy arranging the sign at the door, seemingly unaware that a foreign youth stood at the entrance.

"Hello, may I ask if you can hear my voice?"

The woman remained oblivious, simply focusing on her task, even humming a tune somewhat cheerfully.

Also just like everyone else……

Aomo thought with some regret.

Compared to her daughter, Baoduo Zhijiang differs greatly in hair color, eye color, and stature; she is both the mother of Baoduo Liuhua and the adult with the most exposure to non‑ordinary circumstances.

Having spent time with the Ultraman gear set "New Century Middle Schoolers," having witnessed the battles between Gulite and Yalikexisi, and thus, the demon also looked forward to her being different from ordinary people.

But the result now is quite obvious.

Unable to see or hear himself, just like the vast crowds of this city, there's nothing special about him.

But Aomo isn't sure whether she has forgotten the memories related to Gulite.

This will determine the scope of groups with which Aomo can communicate.

Last night, after returning to Neihai's home, he not only succeeded in making the other let down his guard, but also carried out many experiments and summaries of the current state.

Contact experiments, procedure interference material experiments, spirit interference experiments, and most importantly—whether one could truly manifest oneself by means of some standard remaining on Neihai's body.

This goal was not achieved, but the experiment itself did yield a by‑product.

Although he couldn't make the other become his human vessel like Gulite or Ultraman, Aomo was indeed able to possess Neihai to interfere with his future actions, and in that possessed state Neihai's mind could not bear the load, collapsing into unconsciousness on the spot.

In other words……

Didn't become Ultraman but turned into Saileibuluo, damn!

In extreme circumstances, the emergency measures are in place; the fact that magic works on Neihai also proves that although he is blocked by some framework from the outside, that framework cannot keep out those related to Gulite.

The very activation of the teleportation ability also suffices to prove that the ground he stands on shares the same spatial coordinates as the world inhabited by the residents of Cuckoo Terrace.

If this world is fundamentally a data world, perhaps I actually rank higher in the priority of certain layer‑modeling?

Harboring this doubt, he came here.

Not intending to go through Baoduo Laoge's effort.

That is Gulite's makeshift nest, and also a tool for the dimensional‑reduction stage.

And yet something so important is just casually placed on a wooden table beside the house.

"Ay ay ay, clearly you don't even help sweep the floor during vacation, kids these days, really……"

Even in the powered‑off state, that black screen can serve as a less‑than‑ideal mirror, reflecting the youth's faint outline, causing the complaining woman who passed by to startle, then immediately turn her head to look at the screen.

At that moment, the dim LCD screen reflected only her own outline and that of the junk behind her.

"Huh……Did I missee?"

The woman, who shows no fear of ghosts, walks without the slightest hesitation toward the stairs to the second floor, while Aomo, crouched beside the JUNK computer, rises to his feet again and attempts to create the most direct spirit‑manifestation phenomenon with a mage's hand.

It was as if a power switch had been turned on, and the screen lit up.

Then the cabinet moved as well.

Fortunately, for the time being, no one was disturbed.