I didn't expect that this could be used like this-

"Well, that's exactly what I expected."

An Shen relieved the concentration on the coffee cup and nodded.

"I've been thinking for a long time, can I do this level of manipulation - beyond your imagination?"

“…… Well, that's amazing. ”

It's been two months since Xia Jing got it.

I've done all the experiments I thought I could do. I also thought that I had a certain level of understanding of this prop.

As a result, my own understanding is not enough.

No, it's a mistake at all.

What Xia Jing should know is not what he can do with it.

It's about how far you can use it.

"Even I was surprised."

An Li was also speechless in surprise.

“…… Can transformation come in handy, though? ”

It took her a moment to say as if she had come back to her senses.

Hearing this, Xia Jing was very surprised—it was better to be stunned.

"That...... Aunt? ”

He looked at An Li.

"Are you serious?"

An Li's disgust made Xia Jing feel unbelievable.

"Now you understand?"

An Shen winked at Xia Jing and glanced at his wife at the same time.

"The difference between the two of you just reacted is that of the deer clan and the human...... The difference between those who have power and those who don't. ”

"What? How do you say that? What are you talking about? ”

An Shen ignored An Li, who was surprised and wandered her gaze back and forth between the two men, and re-faced Xia Jing.

"You might be surprised. In fact, the deer clan is resolutely opposed to allowing humans to use treasures. Even during the civil strife, they wouldn't allow me to touch the treasure even if I broke my head. ”

"Hey, is there such a thing? So this one of mine is—"

"You're a lucky exception. A big factor is that you cleverly caught the logical flaw of the maid named Ana. In addition, Ye Ya's young people don't know much about traditional customs. Forget it, leave that for now...... By now you can understand why they don't want humans to use their treasures, because humans know how to use them far better than the deer. ”

Xia nodded in agreement.

"In the past, I would just be stupid and practice my skills. That's because they won't let me use the treasure until they die. But what about you...... Possess the Golden Branch. You don't need to imitate me. ”

“…… Yes. ”

Speaking of which, An Shen grinned with a childlike naughty expression.

"According to the gossip I've heard, don't everyone call you Blackheart? Then you're welcome, just use your imagination. Luckily, the opponent, as you've seen, is really single-celled. ”

“…… Yes. ”

Under his influence, Xia Jing couldn't help but smile naturally.

An Shen was right.

I wouldn't be as skilled as him. However, it is not only kung fu that can fight against the deer clan.

- That's right.

In fairy tales and fables, how do humans fight monsters?

What can be done to subdue the forces that have lost more than one and face head-on opponents who will never win?

The key to victory or defeat is often human ingenuity and courage.

"What? Can you two explain it in a way I understand?"

As a husband, he mischievously replied to An Li, who was still puffing out her cheeks at her age, "It means that Kirisawa has now learned how to beat you."

Maybe that's true.

At this time, Xia Jing's heart had already jumped to the point that he didn't even have the humility to say "You have won the award".

When Xia Jing asked An Shen for advice at Anye's house-

Lin Yu was in the deep mountains where there were almost no roads to speak of.

She jumped from branch to branch at a speed faster than a human could ever do. Sometimes the foxes and rabbits below look up curiously, and sometimes they startle the tanuki who accidentally bumps into the tanuki halfway, and they travel in the mountains where they can't even figure out the east, west, north and south directions.

The departure time from the Lost House is early in the morning.

After three hours of continuous sprinting, she spotted a trickle of water and stopped there.

After a few minutes of waiting, another person, a figure catching up from behind, poked his face out of the bushes.

"It's fast."

Lin Yu praised the girl convincingly, Lan Yang.

"I thought you'd be a little slower."

「…… I'm tired."

After Lan Yang only muttered a word, he came to the river and squatted. Shoulders up and down, panting.

Burdened with the sin of her mother's support for Ah Le's rebellion, she did not receive complete martial arts training in the village, so she did not have much physical strength. Therefore, she could keep up with the speed of Lin Yu, who was regarded as the guardian of her family and had undergone strict training, which taught her a little surprise.

"Keep going at this pace, and I think you'll be getting stronger soon."

Lin Yu smiled.

"Sister Lanyang's plasticity is very high."

The blue sun is only the wind in the ears. She held the river water in her hand and drank it raw.

「…… Really, wouldn't it be nice if the attitude could be a little more kind?"

"Did you say anything?"

Lan Yang turned his head to look back in a daze. Lin Yu shook his head.

"It's okay, let's have lunch."

After saying that, she sat down on the spot.

Lin Yu and Lan Yang have only begun to warm up their relationship since this month.

The people who stayed in the Lost House had previously organized a banquet to celebrate Lin Yu's birthday. At that time, Lin Yu had a little dispute over the birthday gift, and she was in an unhappy mood - the person who was kind enough to appease her was Lan Yang, Lin Yu didn't trust Lan Yang who broke away from the prosperity faction, but since this episode, he resolved his prejudice and accepted her. The similarity of the two on the outside is certainly one of the reasons, but perhaps it is because Lin Yu feels that Lan Yang, who is expressionless and has no emotional ups and downs, has the same personality and is very easy to get along with.

Lin Yu put the backpack behind his back on the ground. Lan Yang leaned over and opened his backpack to rummage.

The rice bun is filled with rice balls. I asked Anai to do it early in the morning.

After Lan Yang picked a rock and sat down, Lin Yu sat on her lap without hesitation, his back snuggled against her.

"Come."

Lan Yang picked up a rice ball and brought it to Lin Yu's mouth.

While feeding Lin Yu to eat, Lan Yang himself picked up another rice ball, his small mouth slightly open.

On one side, it looks like a newborn beast devouring it, while on the other side it looks like a big chinchilla, biting one bite after another.

"How far is it?"

"There's less than half the distance left. The next thing you have to do is follow the river."

The two talked while eating.

Half of the purpose for the two of them going out together today was for Lin Yu to forge the chain of Blue Yang.

The other half was Lan Yang who accompanied Lin Yu to a place by the way.

Lin Yu also walked this road three years ago.

She was the only one who had traveled alone, and it had taken her all night to arrive: full of anticipation and anxiety. However, this time it is different, not only is it no longer alone, but it should not be so time-consuming.

However, at the same time, there is less expectation in my heart, only anxiety.

"Let's go."

After finishing the meal, the two rested for about ten minutes and set off again.

This time, it took about an hour to go downstream along the river.

The two found the target building on the other side of the forest and stopped.

A five-story building sits in a flattened space in the forest, as if it were the only place that has been cut down. The aged gray mixed with the greenery has a chilling atmosphere.

「…… That's it."

Lin Yu pointed to the building with his eyes and looked up.

Also known as the home where the sun shines.

It is a correctional facility set up to help children who are unable to go to school for special reasons to reintegrate into society. Live a communal life in nature and find a healthy mind. For that kind of justification, dozens of children and a few staff members live in isolation.

Three years ago, Lin Yu's father and half-sister were also there.

Father aside, now my sister is gone.

She is now one with Lin Yu.

The adults in this facility have been abused in the past.

Perhaps it is by putting pressure on the weak to relieve the pressure that the group can maintain the function of the group.

Lin Yu's sister was treated as weak, not only was she bullied by the children in the facility, but even her own father aided and abused her, and finally she committed suicide by jumping from this building - in front of Lin Yu, who came to see her father without knowing anything.

However, Lin Yu will return to his old place today, not for the reason of the past.

The impetus for her to come was the weakness that Qiu Yin said two days ago.

She knew what had happened to this facility. And the head is below the sister's business.

"Let's go. We must find out."

Lin Yu urged Lan Yang and walked towards the building.

Walk through the trees, push through the grass, and suddenly the eyes are clear.

In an instant, the two of them arrived at the front of the gray building.

「…… Sure enough."

At first glance, the building feels deserted for a long time.

The door to the suspected entrance is locked, and the glass windows are almost intact. The dirty façade is crawling with a staggering number of vines. The flower beds in the courtyard also fall under the domination of lush weeds.

It seemed to be empty.

"Do you want to go in?"

"Of course."

After nodding to Lan Yang, who asked the question, she put down the long knife behind her back and took it out of its sheath. I saw her raise her knife and wave, and the chain in the entrance was cut in two with a sharp sound.

"Sister Lanyang, don't put away the knife for the time being."

"Hmm. I see."

Lin Yu also showed the iron claws of his hands.

The two opened the hallway and entered the building.

The structure of the interior of the building feels like a hospital and a school combined divided by two.

Paintings of children and posters with slogans are pasted on the walls, and some rooms are lined with beds.

Judging from the balls that fell in the hallway and the sideboards placed in the room marked with a pantry, it is not difficult to see signs of human life. But everything was covered in a thick layer of dust.

"I wonder how long this place has been deserted?"

Lin Yu's muttered question was reflected on the wall, echoing gloomily.

Lan Yang looked around blankly and replied, "I think it should have been more than a year."

"The last time I was here was three years ago...... There were still people living here at that time."

"Probably after Lin Yu's sister died, the people here were moved out."

"It's possible."

All the children who lived here in the past knew about Lin Yu's sister's suicide. For they were both men and women, looking at their sister's corpse from the windows of this building with expressionless and indifferent faces.

Without informing the facility staff, Lin Yu took his sister's body back to the village without permission - of course, the truth of the matter was not fully revealed. The facility personnel must have treated the suicide as if it were a death or something.

Lin Yu's understanding of this place was only up to this.

After all, there was a lot of death, and there is a high probability that the facility will be ordered to close not long after the incident.

"Autumn ......"

Who is she sacred? Why did she know about Lin Yu's sister's past?

According to Xia Jing's investigation, Qiu Yin on the household registration seems to be someone else. So, where did the "woman", who is Ah Le's daughter, live before she gets Qiu Yin's name and house? The answer to that question - I'm afraid that's it.

"Let's start investigating where it's obvious."

Lan Yang lightly proposed, and Lin Yu nodded in agreement.

The two began a carpet search.

Although it was not to the point of not sparing even a mouse, the two of them still rummaged through the boxes and cabinets to the fifth floor, and even opened the bed and scattered books all over the floor.

Ideally, it would be best to find a medical history of those who had been admitted to the hospital and lived there. At the very least, I hope to find evidence that proves the existence of Akiyin. However, the two spent three hours turning the entire building over and searching, but they couldn't find any suspicious clues.

Soon the sun was setting, and it was almost time to return home – but so far nothing had been found.

It's not an option to keep consuming.

Lin Yu, who had made such a judgment, proposed to Lan Yang to go home.

Both of them were disgraced. At that time, Ye Ya will definitely be fuss and wonder what they are doing.

"If there's been an incident here, maybe it's been in the news."

At this time, it was inevitable that Lan Yang, who was a little tired on his face, said to Lin Yu with an idea, "Do you want to ask Xia Jing to help investigate?"

"Good is good...... But ......."

Lin Yu nodded with a not very happy expression.

Lin Yu did not confess to Shazi about his conversation with Qiu Yin in the village. Later, when I had a meeting with Ye Ya and others, I didn't say a word.

As she climbed down the stairs, she said to Lan Yang, "I think it's better to keep this matter a secret and don't talk about it. Since I haven't found any favorable information, I don't want to cause confusion because of my personal factors."

"Since Lin Yu doesn't want to make it public, let's not talk about it."

Lan Yang's face looked expressionless. Therefore, Lin Yu once again emphasized the meaning of secrecy and left the building, embarking on the return journey back to the Lost House.

Along the way, Lin Yu had a heavy complexion caused by futility and tiredness.

- However, Lin Yuyu overlooked one thing.

Her reason for convincing Lan Yang was just an excuse.

In fact, she felt scared from the bottom of her heart.

For the existence of Qiu Yin, who may have abused his sister-

For a woman who laughs at herself as a weak woman with a malicious smile -

The immaturity and stubbornness of refusing to let anyone know the fear in her heart and the fear of the enemy was the main reason why she kept silent.

The other side.

After achieving his goal, Xia Jing wanted to go home, but was strongly retained by Anye's parents. Although Xia Jing's mood at the moment was like that of a child who had just gotten a new toy, and he just wanted to hurry home and get the golden branch to try in many ways, he heard that some guests wanted to see him, so he had to sit down obediently. After waiting for about ten minutes, it was Shazi and her husband Ah Xuan who entered the living room with the ringing doorbell.