Chapter 115: King-Rook Switch, Bishop Piece, and Intelligence Exchange |
Late at night on July 18th, inside a massive shopping mall in Tokyo, flames and thick smoke continuously billowed from a clothing boutique, driving away the surrounding darkness.
The Silver Soldiers bustled about the store like firefighters, clutching fire extinguishers as they dashed in every direction.
Vast clouds of steam clashed violently with the bright flames, as if a brutal cage match was unfolding within the cramped confines of the shop.
Ji Minghuan leaned against a nearby railing. While directing the Silver Soldiers to put out the fire, he reviewed Xia Pingzhou's character interface.
A stark black-and-white panel reflected in his pupils.
[Current number of Demons available for a pact: 1.]
He thought, 'Making a pact with a Demon is actually quite crucial. You can only forge a pact, not break it. Once you bind yourself to a Demon, there is no turning back.'
'The textbooks from the Exorcist Association stated that a pact Demon's strength and its compatibility with the Celestial Drive directly determine an Exorcist's absolute limit.'
As his thoughts drifted here, Ji Minghuan suddenly recalled the day he used his Restraining Band Detection on Su Zimai. Her ability panel had displayed several prominent words:
Previously, because he lacked a comprehensive and clear understanding of Exorcists, he hadn't found anything particularly strange about this Refrigerator Demon.
But now, looking back on it, the illustrious name of the Refrigerator Demon caused Host Body Two, Xia Pingzhou, to faintly twitch his stoic poker face.
He took a deep breath, narrowly suppressing a string of mocking laughter from echoing through the quiet mall, which would have definitely drawn a weird look from Uncle Takikage.
Ji Minghuan silently chanted Buddhist scriptures in his heart, trying his best to stop his brain from dwelling on the sheer prestige of this "Refrigerator Demon".
He mused, 'As expected of my Little Sister. Even her taste in picking Demons is so unique that it leaves others in the dust.'
'Since her very first contracted Demon is such a high-class, elegant entity, then in the future, wouldn't things like a "Toilet Demon" or an "Ashtray Demon" also fall into Su Zimai's demonic clutches?'
'Demons are hard to find in Tokyo to begin with. There is no need to force a hasty pact just for this Auction. Besides, with Host Body Two's current strength, he is more than enough to completely thrash the master of the Refrigerator Demon. I am not desperate for a contracted Demon right now.'
'It is better to wait until the Auction concludes. Once I have ample time, I can slowly scout for a Demon that truly satisfies me.'
With that in mind, Ji Minghuan glanced up at the Silver Soldiers extinguishing the fire. Water mist erupted from the red fire extinguishers, scattering in all directions. A faint, damp scent draped the air, as if a localized rainstorm had just swept through the mall.
In a matter of moments, the Silver Soldiers completely doused the flames inside the boutique.
Ji Minghuan retracted his Celestial Drive, returning all the Chess Pieces to their black and white orbital paths.
He then turned to Oda Takikage, who was slowly walking over, and said, "Thanks, Number 4."
"You are welcome. Let us head back," Oda Takikage said expressionlessly. He rested a hand on Xia Pingzhou's shoulder, and immediately, both of them sank into the shadows beneath their feet.
A short while later, they re-emerged inside the familiar cafe.
Oda Takikage pulled a pair of reading glasses from a case on the counter and slipped them on. As if nothing had happened, he reverted to the kindly, mild-mannered older gentleman, though his looming two-meter-tall physique still felt somewhat jarring.
Without a word, he strode into the kitchen, packed the ingredients he had just prepared into a crisper, and stored them in the refrigerator.
Ji Minghuan leaned heavily against the counter, massaging his throbbing forehead with his free hand. He thought to himself that enduring this ninja-style teleportation a few more times would truly be unbearable. It felt like riding a rollercoaster from Hell cranked up to ten times the difficulty.
'If I hadn't lowered the sensory sensitivity, a single trip like that would have scared my soul right out of my body,' he reflected.
After resting against the counter for a moment to recover, he turned his head and gazed out the glass door.
The long street was filled with the gentle hum of voices. A line of girls clad in kimonos and wearing geta clattered past the glass door. They chatted and laughed, discussing how the fireworks festival was only a few days away, debating what outfits to wear after their baths, and plotting which boys to invite to the summer festival.
It felt like a lifetime ago.
"Well then... please turn in early tonight."
Oda Takikage stepped out of the kitchen as he spoke, his hands clasped behind his back, his tone warm and instructive.
"It is about time I headed back to the inn as well. The cafe will remain closed tomorrow. The day after, July 20th, is when the entire White Raven Brigade will assemble. Finally, at midnight on the 20th, the Auction operation will officially commence."
He paused. "Mr. Xia Pingzhou, please ensure you rest well and prepare your physical condition for the upcoming operation."
Ji Minghuan lifted his gaze to meet the man's eyes and replied tonelessly,
"Alright. I am going to sleep then."
Oda Takikage offered a faint smile and nodded. He then proceeded to turn off the first-floor lights one by one before stepping out of the cafe, locking the door firmly behind him.
Perhaps having seen this exact scene too many times had triggered some form of PTSD, but Ji Minghuan inexplicably felt the profound loneliness of being abandoned alone in a Confinement Room.
And so, in the pitch-black environment, he fumbled his way up to the loft and sat on the mattress laid out on the floor.
When he looked up, he saw Ayase Origami resting on the bed. The moonlight spilling through the window bathed the kimono girl's sleeping face in a soft glow, snapping him out of his daze and reminding him that this place was entirely different from that freezing Confinement Room.
Ji Minghuan slowly lay back, gesturing with his fingers to open Host Body Two's character interface.
[Second-Rank Celestial Drive Skill: "King-Rook Switch" (Allows your "Rook" piece and "King" piece to instantly swap positions)]
[Prerequisite for casting this skill: Both the "King" piece and the "Rook" piece must be present on the Chessboard simultaneously.]
[Cooldown: 12 hours.]
'Good stuff... Not only can it protect the King, but it also allows the Rook to blast the enemy point-blank in the face.' Ji Minghuan absolutely loved this kind of devious trickery; his eyes gleamed faintly in the dark.
Immediately after, he checked the description of his newly acquired Chess Piece.
The "Bishop" piece. In the local translation of International Chess, it was sometimes referred to as the "Elephant", which easily misled people into picturing an actual elephant.
[You currently possess one "Bishop" piece.]
[Base Ability of the "Bishop" piece: Healing (Its Scepter can heal the wounds of any biological entity, be it a Chess Piece, human, Demon, or Magical Creature...)]
[Authority of the "Bishop" piece: Holy Covenant (Temporarily increases the attributes of a designated Chess Piece for a short duration)]
Staring at the Bishop's introductory text, Ji Minghuan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, musing with great interest, 'So now I even have a healer. It can heal and apply buffs. Host Body Two becoming a flawless all-rounder is just around the corner.'
He scratched his cheek. 'If I accidentally hit too hard at the Auction and beat my Little Sister senseless, I can use the Bishop piece to drag her back from death's door.'
A moment later, he closed all the interface panels hovering before his eyes. The entire world seemed to quiet down, leaving only the chirping of cicadas outside the window echoing in his ears. He slowly closed his eyes and shifted his consciousness to Host Body One.
In a corner of Tokyo, inside the Roppongi Grand Hotel.
Host Body One, Gu Wenyu, woke up on the bed, his eyes greeting the dim lighting of the hotel room.
Ji Minghuan pondered, 'I still haven't met the Commander yet. I wonder if he's already in Tokyo but just hasn't contacted the Brigade members.' He then fished out his mobile phone from beside his pillow and sent a message to Ke Qirui.
[Black Cocoon: Miss Ke Qirui, I heard that the Commander of the White Raven Brigade once invited you to join. Is this true?]
After firing off the text to the lesbian train hero, Ji Minghuan found himself bored. He used his Restraining Bands to fish some snacks out of the drawer.
Tearing open a box of chocolate sticks, he munched on them one by one, the bedside lamp illuminating his expressionless face.
It wasn't long before a soft "ding" chimed, and Ke Qirui's text arrived.
[Ke Qirui: Oh? This is the first time you've reached out to me. What you heard is true. It happened two years ago.]
[Black Cocoon: Have you seen the Commander of the White Raven Brigade with your own eyes?]
[Ke Qirui: No, I haven't. He sent someone to meet me back then, likely one of their members. However, that Member later died at the hands of Rainbow Wing. I was quite surprised when I saw the news report.]
'Died at the hands of Rainbow Wing. Was it the previous Number 12?' Ji Minghuan wondered.
[Black Cocoon: You are quite lucky. I would have thought that after rejecting their invitation, you would have been snuffed out by the Brigade members right then and there.]
[Ke Qirui: Although the Brigade Commander is an out-and-out villain, he is surprisingly appreciative of talent.]
[Ke Qirui: Anyway, the clash officially begins the day after tomorrow. Do you have any intelligence you're willing to share... regarding the White Raven Brigade members?]
[Black Cocoon: I have a crucial piece of intel, but the condition is that you keep it strictly under wraps.]
[Ke Qirui: Of course. I am not the type of person who acts without thinking.]
'Oh, really now...' Ji Minghuan silently mocked. 'It wasn't that long ago I heard my Big Brother scolding you for acting without thinking.'
[Black Cocoon: One of the Brigade members likes to wear a mechanical box on his head. His Supernatural Ability allows him to open a door on any wall, and this door connects to places he has been before.]
[Black Cocoon: The White Raven Brigade knows this Member's ability guarantees a safe retreat, which is why they launch surprise attacks all over the world. Even if an operation fails, they can simply open a door and leave.]
[Black Cocoon: Therefore, you must strengthen the personnel checks for the Auction and ensure this Member does not slip inside. Understood?]
[Ke Qirui: Understood. This underground Auction has no fewer than ten secret venue options scattered across Tokyo. The Yakuza haven't confirmed which venue will host the final Auction yet, so the Member you mentioned hasn't had a chance to strike yet.]
[Ke Qirui: I will communicate with the Core Bodyguard Team and have them thoroughly inspect everyone entering the Auction venue, doing our utmost to prevent the Member you mentioned from sneaking in.]
[Black Cocoon: As for the abilities of the other members, I cannot share them with you one by one. It is always a good idea to leave a little mystery.]
[Ke Qirui: While I am not sure if you are lying to me, even if you are, consider it providing us with a new line of thought. This is already enough.]
[Black Cocoon: I have one more piece of intel. There is an exceptionally skilled Hacker in the Brigade, so it would be best if the Core Bodyguard Team avoids conducting communications and tactical deployments online.]
Typing up to this point, Ji Minghuan curled his lips into a smirk. He thought to himself that if his messages with Ke Qirui were intercepted by Number 8 of the Brigade, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. In fact, it would effectively draw the Commander's attention.
He fully intended to use Black Cocoon to establish a cooperative relationship with the Commander in the future. Leaving behind an elusive and unpredictable impression with this move was a fantastic starting point.
[Ke Qirui: We had already taken that into consideration, which is why we hold our discussions offline.]
[Black Cocoon: Finally, based on my estimations, even excluding the Commander, the White Raven Brigade has at least six Near-Calamity Tier ability users. And as for what kind of ability their Commander possesses... that is even harder to say.]
[Black Cocoon: So, Miss Ke, I suggest you all watch yourselves.]
[Ke Qirui: Thank you for the warning.]
"I just hope everything goes smoothly..."
Ji Minghuan muttered softly to himself. He turned off his mobile phone and stared blankly at the ceiling for a while.
The final one-day countdown to the Auction had begun. He closed his eyelids, and soon after, his consciousness sank into a deep slumber.