Shirou and Mashiro, Paranormal Detectives / The Spider Yokai Online

Several weeks later, the television station made some changes, and the Explosion Head Uncle successfully turned around his public image.

All this happened because Mashiro accepted an invitation from the TV station to participate in a paranormal program with the afro-haired guy and the Fat Director. Since Shirou was also pulled in, they ended up going to dangerous places with real monsters every time, which made the program start to shine.

Mashiro has gradually become famous as a supernatural manga artist. Some people think she is the real deal because her manga is so realistic, it's as if they have witnessed the event firsthand, and it even gives people a sense of immersion and tension.

Some eyewitnesses even claimed that Mashiro's account was exactly the same as what they witnessed at the scene. However, one of them had never met Mashiro, let alone been interviewed by the girl.

On the television, amidst rousing background music, the introduction was being shouted out:

'A naturally beautiful girl with an enigmatic charm, she's a renowned genius painter who came to Tokyo because of her dream! Now she's the famous supernatural manga artist, Mashiro!'

And there's also the all-powerful assistant! A young man skilled in both martial arts and housework— 'Shirou'!!! He's always been by Mashiro's side, protecting her with his loyal and sturdy body, never leaving her side!

Chapter 902 Shirou Mashiro the Paranormal Detective

Inside the room, Shirou and Mashiro were watching a TV program. Seeing their own faces on the screen was a strange experience. But what was even more intriguing was the accompanying description.

It wasn't like this during filming, but for some reason, it became completely different when it aired. It was supposed to be just him subduing some mischievous ghosts, with the Explosion Head Uncle posing for various photos. But in the aired version, it became a very exciting development, with him fighting alongside the Explosion Head Uncle against the ghosts, making the battle extremely dangerous and thrilling.

"So what exactly does the manga artist have to do with all this? This isn't a detective and assistant game," Shirou retorted.

The girl responded quickly, but it wasn't Mashiro in the living room who spoke; it was Mashiro on the television.

"Did you spot the key point? Blind student. The culprit is over there!!! It's the ghost of the woman who lost her child and was hit by a car!" Mashiro, who was on TV, suddenly overdid it. She put on a fake mustache she bought at the monster Night Market, rested her chin on her hand, and had an unlit pipe dangling from the corner of her mouth, acting like a famous detective.

The Explosion Head Uncle raised his hanging prayer beads high. "Alright! Target spotted! Leave it to us! You've worked hard all this time! But you can stop suffering now. We'll send you on your way to the afterlife tonight, and then you can start anew in the underworld! The horse-faced grim reaper and the judge Enma-tei in the underworld are both very good people. I fought alongside them in the Great Adventure, and I can guarantee that. So go in peace, Shirou-kun!"

"Yes, yes..." Shirou replied helplessly, took off his coat to reveal a suit vest, and rushed towards the surging vengeful spirits in front of him.

The television program was showing the earthbound spirits in the haunted house. Because people kept coming to this haunted house to make pilgrimages, and then died, becoming food for the earthbound spirits, it had now become a giant earthbound spirit.

However, other humans cannot see the monsters here.

The super-powered uncle on the TV show could see the weak but not the malevolent earthbound spirits, causing a huge commotion on the show. The super-powered uncle was punched away by a giant earthbound spirit, plunging the production team into a major crisis.

Then Mashiro stepped forward and unleashed her ultimate attack!

"Shirou! Come quick!"

So Shirou charged straight at them, and the ferocious evil spirits, changing forms, swept towards Shirou. They were female ghosts who fed on the life force of humans, and because they lingered in the pleasures of the human world, they had not yet been brought into the underworld, so they were searching everywhere for Shirou.

Look at how they pose and preen, thinking they're so beautiful. But in Shirou's eyes, they're just monsters with dark, fleshy skin stuck to their bones. They're dry and rotting, and their skin could fall away at any moment, leaving only their skeletons.

"Shirou-kun! I'm ready~!" At that moment, the Explosion Head Uncle brought over a rice cooker and began chanting incantations.

Shirou crumpled the captured evil spirit into a ball, then stuffed it into the rice cooker used for sealing. He pressed down on the lid with both hands, finally calming the commotion down.

That's roughly the pattern.

However, the TV series received mixed reviews after it aired. Because it was so hardcore, it scared children. In fact, even adults were so scared that they couldn't sleep. But it received unanimous praise from its enthusiastic fans and was showing signs of becoming a masterpiece.

Later statistics showed that the number of young people who found out they were pregnant the following month increased by one percentage point, all thanks to this program.

The camera that took them to the underworld broke down, and the Explosion Head Uncle, who had no reliable footage, was destined to return to his hometown to farm. But unexpectedly, they were given a chance to turn their lives around later.

The reason they turned the tables was because in the first episode of the show, the guy with the afro went to return the stone hand holding the statue of the Demon Mother Bodhisattva. In the dead of night, on a mountain that was specifically for the care of children and abandoned babies, there was only a lonely little temple. Then it was surrounded by hundreds of vengeful spirits of abandoned babies on the mountain.

The Explosion Head Uncle held prayer beads in his hand and said to the crowd, "Sorry, it's a bit late to say this now, but I can actually see spirits, only a little over 30%, which means the spirits here are at least..."

"No, what's worse is that my child is 100% a summoner, so the total number has to be tripled," Shirou said, sweating profusely.

Therefore, the actual number of spirits surrounding this place, as seen by the Explosion Head Uncle, needs to be multiplied by 9.

In fact, Shirou's surroundings were filled with dense, black ghosts, forming a wall of ghosts that blocked everything—a scene straight out of an American zombie movie.

The camera, covered with a talisman, filmed everything below, making it even more terrifying than a Japanese horror movie.

However, it was so terrifying that the government banned the episode. A small number of paranormal enthusiasts called this episode the pinnacle of Japanese paranormal history.

In fact, besides people who love the paranormal, this show also has other types of viewers. They tune in to the TV every day, watching one episode after another.

Meanwhile, in this bizarre world, two female yokai are watching television. The program playing is a popular supernatural show, which is actually quite popular among yokai and ghosts. After all, yokai have no direct blood relation; they are all distant strangers. Moreover, those who are hunted are mostly out-of-control madmen, incapable of even the most basic compassion.

In fact, many animals have the vicious habit of eating their offspring. For example, when food is scarce, or when the mother has mental health issues such as depression or bipolar disorder, she may prey on her newborn children. Although it is cruel, even humans sometimes fail in this regard, so how can we expect other animals to be perfect? Perhaps this is the tragic aspect of uncontrolled animalistic instincts.

"Cool, amazing, as expected of Shirou..."

Both the Slit-mouthed Woman and Himeko spoke in low, unison.

"As expected of Shirou-kun... he's so handsome!"

She clearly remembers being praised as "beautiful" by Shirou when she turned her head, and receiving Shirou a type of steamed bun) from him.

Himeko also carefully treasured the teddy bear she received from Shirou. It was practically a token of their love!

Chapter 903 The Spider Demon on the Internet

In a pitch-black room, illuminated only by the blue glow of a computer screen, sat a fat man with a withered expression. He stared blankly at the screen, motionless for a long time, only his eyes, reflecting the square screen's light, seemed to gleam with excitement.

"Ah... ahhh..." The man stared at the screen, his voice hoarse and weak, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

There was actually nothing inside the computer screen? But the man staring blankly seemed to see something.

On the other side, in the TV station's break room.

"Have you heard any strange stories about viruses spreading online?" the Fat Director asked the Explosion Head Uncle.

"What? It's 2019 already, a lot of people have outgrown their computers, are you still going to tell me some old joke about computer viruses making people sick?" the Explosion Head Uncle asked.

"No, it's true! I heard that some people have encountered situations where their computers crash with a blue screen at midnight, and they can connect to a special space. Through the screen, you can see a strange, beautiful woman... If you try to talk to her, you'll fall in love with her and never be able to leave her again," the Fat Director said.

"What the hell is this...? Have you ever encountered this before?" the Explosion Head Uncle asked.

"No, that's why we need you," the Fat Director said confidently.

"Then we'll have to ask him to do it."

"Yes, let's contact him and do it."

The Fat Director and the man with the afro simultaneously revealed subtle smiles.

Recently, a rumor has been circulating online that a virus of internet addiction is spreading everywhere, and people who are addicted to it are like being entangled in a sticky net.

On the other side of the screen, there was a Spider Woman who spun silk that connected people's heads, pierced their skulls, and sank in, mixing with their brain matter.

She absorbed people's dependence and fanaticism on the internet, growing into a monster with real danger.

The man couldn't remember when he had become infatuated with her.

--network?

Without realizing it, I've become inseparable from her.

Day and night, every moment, we're inseparable from our computers and mobile phones. We're wrapped in an invisible net, and although we don't feel it, we really can't live without them anymore.

More clingy than any lover.

During power outages, they all seem unbearably thirsty, their hearts no longer at peace, their bodies and minds yearning for her.

Is this a feeling only a decadent otaku like me would have?

Yeah?

No, right?

If you deposit 10,000 yuan in Yu'ebao, you can earn 1 yuan in interest every day. If you deposit 40,000 yuan, you can earn enough for two packs of instant noodles a day, which is enough to get by.

She said there are many funds in the world that offer higher interest rates than hers.

Cell phones and iPads—even elites and the upper echelons of society are never without them, are they?

Telephone, email, text message, internet.

Before we knew it, the world had become inseparable from the internet.

Much of the world's land has been covered by a network of information...

Like an insect caught in a web, it may be unable to escape.

Can you imagine someone living in a world without information or the internet? It would be even more unbelievable if there were no electricity.

"I ask you, can you imagine the day when electricity and the internet disappear? It's not just a temporary outage for a day or two, but a complete disappearance."

When the laws of physics reverse, electricity disappears completely, vanishing from every corner of the planet. Humanity's only source of pride, its technology, reverts to the steam age due to the lack of electricity and will rapidly decline.

As dusk falls and the sun sets, everything turns pitch black. The only light comes from the moon and the faint starlight. If it is an overcast day, thick black clouds will block out that only light, and the world will be plunged into darkness.

But it's okay, humans are resilient creatures. At this time, torches will be lit, bonfires will be piled up in the open square, and everyone will gather around, laughing and dancing.

That's absolutely disgusting...

"I don't know what they're thinking, but if I had to dance with a bunch of fake smiles and pretentious jerks, I'd rather die!" A bespectacled, thin-faced nerd muttered to himself as he stared at his computer screen.

The pretty woman on the screen had her mouth open, but she didn't make a sound.

The nerdy guy, a little embarrassed yet also a little smug, touched his nose and said with a smile, "No, it's nothing special. I've just read some books. Hey? You say I'm knowledgeable and amazing? Hehe... hehe..."

"It's easy to imagine that society will descend into chaos. Kids who would kill someone over internet fees, and those who used to hurl insults and slander online, will suddenly have no outlet. Many people will suddenly be idle, aimless, and wandering the streets. Who knows how many more victims will be created? What will happen to the unemployed without entertainment? It's truly unpredictable."

Seeing this, the woman on the blue screen seemed to be mocking the man, yet also encouraging him, letting out a giggle like a wind chime, but also like a cloud, making her impossible to fathom.

A vast network formed across Japan, causing the women to uniformly smile in front of various screens.

The man, a military enthusiast, said smugly to the blue screen.

"Do you know about the end of the world? I hope that day comes quickly, so society will be rebuilt, and people like me with spiritual powers can live better. Then you can eat and drink well with me."

"First, we need to avoid the impact of the explosion. Then, we need to gather supplies, because a bunch of unruly guys will appear at that time, so it's more suitable for small groups to travel and live together. Then there's the issue of radiation protection. Speaking of radiation, zombies might appear next. I'm sure many of my kind don't realize their own limitations, fantasizing about how they'll live happily as tyrants, looking neither human nor ghost, because they're zombies."

"Don't tell me it should be zombie. That's how it's used in Japan. The terminology is the same in both the East and the West! In China, it's called 'zombie,' and in Russia, it's also called 'zombie.' Don't think that only the United States has big iron blocks."

Well... whatever, it's all fine anyway. Actually, none of this really concerns me. I'll hide away and rescue a few women who can manage a household. This isn't about building a harem; it's just necessary for rebuilding in this post-apocalyptic world. Of course! You're different! Wherever we go, I'll treat you as my first lady."

The military enthusiast stared at the blue screen with a lewd grin.

Chapter 904 Detective Mashiro

"Hey, listen to me... I want to die..."

There was also a boy wearing headphones, wrapped in a blanket, smiling as he looked at the blue screen.

"But an ordinary death is not for me. I want to go to Sichuan, where in spring, the bears have just finished hibernating and must be very hungry. I'll run to the secluded mountains there, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and then enter the bamboo forest before sunset. Then I'll heroically sacrifice myself to become food for the black and white bear cubs. The compounds I excrete in the deep mountains at some unknown time will be traces of my existence. After reincarnation, perhaps I'll be more lovable, although I don't know if pandas would like to eat me."

The woman on the other side of the blue screen simply smiled at the boy. She seemed to want to reach out and touch the dejected boy, or perhaps she was extending an invitation to him.

Negative energy and all sorts of bad emotions are being transmitted through that invisible thread into the blue-glowing screen, as if providing nourishment for the monster inside, which is constantly widening its eyes and devouring the land.

On the other side of the blue screen was a woman who exuded a friendly aura. Judging from her features, she was probably of mixed heritage, with the best qualities of many different people harmoniously combined in her face, evoking a sense of warmth and affection. You could sense similarities between her and the people closest to you.

However, if you could see inside the head, you would find that this woman's beauty is only in her upper body... no... in terms of body proportions, calling it an upper body isn't quite right; perhaps it should be called a head, or tentacles would be more appropriate.

Inside the screen was a deep blue space. Below the beautiful and kind woman was a hairy, spiky body—the body of a giant spider. It had eight long, shiny black, sharp claws with mysterious blue-glowing patterns at the joints, and was surrounded by sharp black hairs.

The woman with the spider's body smiled at the screen. Within this space were countless blue screens, connected to computers in different locations. If one looked down into this space from above, one could see countless blue and silver threads extending from the spider's body, connecting all the screens...

On the other side, someone was using a laptop to browse topics about cyber ghost murders on a well-known urban legend forum.

The site features attention-seeking scammers, storytellers, and fervent fans. It even includes tutorials on how to cause a blue screen by ending processes using Task Manager.

"Shirou's assistant, what do you think?" Mashiro was wearing a white lab coat, seemingly cosplaying as a science-oriented detective. However, she was wearing short leather shorts with a belt, revealing black stockings underneath, which inexplicably made her look like some kind of genius girl.

"Mashiro, I feel there's something fishy going on here. Also... the Baumkuchen is ready. Would you like some?" Shirou had just come out of the kitchen still wearing an apron, readily agreed.

"I want to eat!" Mashiro immediately put down what she was holding, transforming back into her usual ethereal and somewhat adorable beauty.

"Yes, yes," Shirou replied with a light laugh, brewing black tea for the girl. Today's tea was Qimen black tea from China, served with milk but without sugar—the most authentic way for British aristocrats to drink it. However, the reason he did it this way at home was that the Baumkuchen was already sweet enough.

Lately, her clothing style has been changing so much. It's said that celebrities in the industry never wear the same clothes in public, so the Mashiro Fat Director asked Mashiro to change her clothes more often.

As a manga artist, Mashiro wouldn't normally care too much about these things, but Alice, a doll artist, took on the job, and because of this, she actually managed to make peace with the TV station.

Although Shirou didn't say it aloud, Mashiro was probably dressed up like a doll by Alice.

Shirou poured himself a cup of black tea, picked up his laptop, and continued looking at and organizing the information he had gathered.

This internet monster, a soft poison, has made those who have encountered her unable to live without her. Though she's a strange entity that only appears when computers malfunction and crash, causing blue screens, humanity relies on her for amusement, venting, expressing their inner darkness, and satisfying their physical needs. Humanity depends on her far too much.

One scholar said, "She was so learned and knowledgeable."

One artist said, "She is so beautiful, she is simply the reincarnation of Venus."

She is a monster born from the internet, spinning silk and constantly expanding herself in the world of electronic information. The world of the internet is boundless, gathering a vast amount of information every day and expanding its territory. So she is boundless too.

Many software programs are involved in big data, requiring the collection of vast amounts of information. They recklessly leak user privacy, eavesdrop on user calls, and track your location. They gradually transform what should be personal data into their own technology, which they then use to make money off users.

She also seemed to be eavesdropping on those humans, even the heads of state of a country, recording every single phone call they made and every piece of information they viewed on their computers every day.

She observes what others are doing online, constantly expanding her own influence.