Curiosity That Couldn't Be Hidden (1)

After Kisuke Urahara took over as captain of the Twelfth Division and established the Technology Development Bureau, life in Seireitei seemed to continue as peaceful as ever. But for Liu Ziyun, this peace concealed an infuriating undercurrent.

Initially, Liu Ziyun didn't pay much attention to the new captain of the Twelfth Division. He believed in Yoruichi Shihōin's promise and thought that Kisuke Urahara would keep his word and stop delving into secrets that shouldn't be explored. However, as it turned out, he overestimated the genius scientist's self-control, or rather, underestimated the driving force of curiosity for a researcher.

It all started on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon.

Liu Ziyun was sorting newly arrived herbs in the Fourth Division's herb warehouse, categorizing them by grade and medicinal properties. This task required absolute focus and meticulous patience, qualities he happened to possess. Just as he picked up a rare "evening primrose" to put it into a special medicine box, the warehouse door was pushed open.

"Excuse me, Ziyun."

Liu Ziyun his head and saw a man wearing a fisherman's hat and holding a cane standing in the doorway. The man had a gentle and harmless smile on his face, but Liu Ziyun could feel that the eyes hidden in the shadow of the hat brim were scrutinizing him like a sophisticated scanner.

"Captain Urahara?" Liu Ziyun put down the herbs in his hand and bowed respectfully. "What brings you to the Fourth Division? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Kisuke Urahara entered the warehouse, looked around, his gaze sweeping over the precious medicinal herbs before finally settling on Liu Ziyun: "Ah, it's like this. The Technology Development Bureau is currently conducting research on 'Reishi and medicinal reactions,' and needs to borrow a few team members with in-depth knowledge of medicinal herbs to assist. I heard from Captain Unohana that you are one of the most knowledgeable people about medicinal herbs in the Fourth Division."

Liu Ziyun's heart tightened, but he maintained a calm expression. "Captain Urahara, you flatter me. I'm just an ordinary member, and my knowledge of medicinal herbs is limited to what I need for daily work. There are many members in the Fourth Division who know more than I do, such as the Tazawa Fifth Seat..."

"The Tazawa Fifth Seat is indeed excellent," Kisuke Urahara, "But Captain Unohana specifically recommended you. She said you have a... special sensory ability, allowing you to accurately distinguish subtle differences in medicinal herbs even when you can't see them. This could be very helpful for our research."

[Recommended by Captain Unohana?] Alarm bells Liu Ziyun's mind. [She couldn't possibly not know I'm avoiding Kisuke Urahara. Is this a test? Or is Kisuke Urahara lying?]

"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint Captain Urahara." Liu Ziyun chose the safest way to refuse. "I haven't been feeling well lately and am currently recuperating. Captain Unohana instructed me to minimize my work trips and focus on resting."

Kisuke Urahara's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but then relaxed. "Is that so? That's a real shame. But it's alright, we can move the experimental equipment over. Anyway, the Technology Development Bureau is testing a new portable lab recently, so we can try it out here at the Fourth Division."

Liu Ziyun: "..."

From that day on, Kisuke Urahara was like a sticky plaster, frequently appearing in the Fourth Division under various pretexts. Sometimes it was under the guise of being a "temporary transfer personnel," sometimes under the pretext of "academic exchange," and sometimes even just "stopping by on the way." And each time, he could find a reason to approach Liu Ziyun.

"Ziyun, look at this Reishi particle detector. I think its sensitivity could be improved..."

"Ziyun, what do you think of this new type of bandage? It can release healing Kidō while bandaging..."

"Ziyun, we've been researching 'Reiatsu concealment materials' lately. Do you have any insights into this? After all, you asked me for those Black Cloaks before..."

Each time they met, Kisuke Urahara would throw out seemingly harmless questions, but Liu Ziyun could sense that behind those questions lay probing and digging. This genius scientist was trying to unravel the mystery surrounding Liu Ziyun in his own way.

Worse still, Kisuke Urahara seemed to have mastered some kind of tracking or surveillance technology. Liu Ziyun had sensed faint Reishi fluctuations around him several times, as if he were being watched by an invisible eye. Although the fluctuations would disappear each time he tried to detect them, the feeling of being watched made him feel extremely uneasy.

This situation lasted for a full three months.

For the past three months, Liu Ziyun's life has been completely disrupted. He dares not enter the Underground Training Ground to train at will, for fear that Kisuke Urahara discover something is wrong; he dares not have in-depth exchanges with Tazawa Kentarō, for fear of implicating his friend; he even dares not talk too much in his dormitory, for fear that the walls will be overheard.

This constant spying finally pushed Liu Ziyun his breaking point.

On this day, when Kisuke Urahara came to the Fourth Division again under the pretext of "discussing new treatment agents," Liu Ziyun turned around and left, heading straight for the Captain's Office.

He pushed open the door to the Captain's Office, and without even bowing, said directly to Unohana, "Captain, please contact Captain Yoruichi Shihōin. Now, immediately."

Unohana looked up and saw Liu Ziyun's gloomy face, instantly understanding what was going on. She didn't ask any more questions, but simply nodded and gave a few instructions to a soldier outside the door.

An hour later, Yoruichi Shihōin reappeared in the Fourth Division Captain's office.

"Captain Yoruichi, can you please control your childhood sweetheart?" Liu Ziyun to the chase without any pleasantries, his tone laced with suppressed anger. "I'm so annoyed! Didn't we agree last time that we couldn't reveal anything? What is he trying to do? Does he want to destroy the Three Worlds?"

Yoruichi Shihōin, clearly not expecting Liu Ziyun to be so direct and agitated. "What exactly is it that makes you so cautious, and that involves the entire Three Worlds? Can't you even tell us two captains?"

"You're just meat on someone else's plate!" Liu Ziyun's voice rose eight octaves. "What do you want me to say? What about the consequences after I say it? I've already said I'll explain everything to you naturally when we get to the World of the Living. Why are you in such a hurry? It's only a few years away, what's the rush!"

He pointed at Unohana: "Look at my captain and the Captain-Commander, they didn't ask anything, they didn't say anything, they just waited patiently! It's not like we're sending you to your deaths, wouldn't it be better to just follow the course of events?"

Yoruichi Shihōin's expression turned serious. "What? We're prey for someone else? Who's been targeting us?"

Liu Ziyun a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "You stepped forward on your own. If you hadn't, Kisuke Urahara would probably be dead. They're after him, not you. But you still have to step forward."