Chapter 2585 / Chapter 2586

"Baiheng, you also have your own room on the Astral Express, right?" Jingliu was standing next to him, suddenly turned to look at Baiheng after hearing that Chen Li was going to check into the Astral Express today.

"Of course! I'm not like that lazybones Xing, who decorated his own room on his very first day joining the Astral Express. So what?" Baiheng put his hands on his hips and raised his chin with a rather smug look.

"I'm a bit tired Shuhu today's raid and don't want to go anywhere else. Could I rest in your room for the night?" Jingliu asked after nodding thoughtfully.

"Great! No problem! Of course! I'll go prepare a new set of bedding right away!" Baiheng's eyes lit up, his tone full of surprise, and he excitedly ran towards the guest room carriage.

Jingliu watched Baiheng's departing figure, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

"Will you talk or not! Will you talk or not! Will you talk or not!"

As everyone filed into the Party Car from the Parlor Car, the first thing they heard was a series of angry shouts and the sound of whips whistling through the air.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a separate wooden door standing abruptly in the center of the Party Car, completely out of place with the surrounding modern bar and booths.

Warm yellow light shone through the crack in the door, and occasionally a flash of orange-red light, streaked with sparks, would burst out from the gap. And the sounds were coming from this half-open door.

Clearly, this door is the entrance to the "torture room" that World-Painting has temporarily set up. And the sound of someone vigorously wielding a whip naturally comes from Murata World-Painting herself.

"That Mr. Murata Ryusuke seems to Guiji, is quite a man. If I remember correctly, when Chen Li handed the [Invitation of Fate] key to World-Painting, he also gave her a whip-like Miraculous Item called [A Friend from Afar]," Hoshi couldn't help but exclaim.

[A Friend from Afar] This Miraculous Item is considered a torture tool in Friends Circles. It can even extract confessions through continuous beatings and Forced Confession. Once the other party can no longer withstand the severe torture and agrees with the user's ideas, a certain thought or command can be forcibly implanted into them.

Moreover, the whipping from this Miraculous Item is a pain that strikes directly at the soul.

Although Xing hadn't seen the torture scene yet, just by listening to the almost continuous whistling of the whips, he knew how fast they were being lashed.

This is a pain that strikes straight to the soul, not just physical suffering, but a continuous torment on the level of will.

To remain silent under such circumstances, Guiji is indeed a remarkable person.

But when everyone walked up to the door and gently pushed it open, the scene that came into view Taiyi anyone had imagined.

A red-haired figure stood before a cross, diligently wielding a flaming whip. Each lash was crisp and clean, the arcs trailing the flames drawing bright orange afterimages in the dim space.

"Click."

Noticing the door being pushed open, World-Painting slowly turned her head. Her face, which bore a slight resemblance to Himeko's, showed signs of fatigue, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

"You're here to question me about the torture, right? I'm sorry to have disappointed you. This guy's mouth is as hard as iron; he hasn't uttered a single word yet." World-Painting wiped the sweat from her brow, casually draped the whip over her shoulder, and said somewhat apologetically.

World-Painting's sleeves were rolled up above her elbows, indicating that she had been fighting for quite some time.

However, instead of responding to World-Painting immediately, everyone turned their attention to Murata Ryusuke, who was bound to a cross, covered in whip marks, yet remained silent.

To be precise, it landed on the wad of cloth that was stuffed tightly into Ryusuke's mouth.

"Ah... World-Painting, didn't you ever think about removing the gag from Mr. Murata Ryusuke's mouth?" Hoshi opened his mouth and said with some difficulty.

"Huh? Is this really necessary?"

Chapter 2585

"World-Painting paused for a moment, then turned to look at Ryusuke, who was tied to the cross, and said after hesitating for a moment."

"Of course! If you don't let go of their mouths, what are they supposed to say? This isn't interrogation, it's just you venting your personal anger!" Xing couldn't help but complain.

March 7th, standing to the side, nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"The main reason is that Guiji, as an avatar of the Extrarealm Heavenly Demon Lord, doesn't his true form also lack a mouth? Perhaps he can speak ventriloquism, so there's no need to open his mouth," World-Painting explained earnestly.

"But according to you, it doesn't matter whether you gag him or not, right? If he really can do ventriloquism, he can still bewitch you even if you gag him," Xing retorted logically.

"I'm afraid he'll bite his tongue and commit suicide," World-Painting said without changing his expression.

Xing remained silent, her lips moved slightly, but she ultimately chose not to refute.

Okay, that's confirmed. This was purely out of personal resentment.

Himeko stood at the doorway, looking at her ancestor with a complicated expression.

Especially after talking with Feiying and learning that Murata World-Painting was Guiji daughter, her feelings became even more complicated.

I never expected that Guiji would actually raise a daughter.

What makes Himeko even more uneasy is that her father, Ryusuke, seems to have been Guiji, and she now has to rely on her ancestor, who was also Guiji, to interrogate her father...

However, from another perspective, having Guiji's own daughter interrogate Guiji can be seen as a kind of karmic cycle.

"You must be Himeko? I've heard the Train Conductor of the Astral Express mention you. I never expected that a descendant of the World-Painting the Family would produce a navigator for the Astral Express. Fate is truly a wondrous thing." World-Painting noticed Himeko standing at the door, put away her whip, and revealed a gentle smile.

"Perhaps this is fate. My father told me stories about the starry sky since I was little, so I've always been curious about it." Himeko turned to look at Ryusuke, who was hanging on the cross, her eyes filled with an emotion she couldn't quite explain, and said softly.

Humanity has never hidden its desire to control the stars. Himeko is no exception.

Upon hearing Himeko's words, World-Painting whip-wielding motion, then turned to look at Ryusuke on the cross.

Well, how should I put it?

Murata Ryusuke is currently hanging up, is undoubtedly in Guiji. This is because when World-Painting whipped him, she easily triggered the Anti-Guiji Radar she gained after appearing as Servant.

But after hearing Himeko's words, World-Painting felt a sense of déjà vu.

Is there any possibility... that's just speculation?

Perhaps the Murata Ryusuke that Himeko knew since childhood has already been replaced by the spirit of Guiji?

After all, aren't my experiences a little too similar to Himeko's?

Guiji adopted him, taught him skills, and even "nurtured" him in a sense.

As for Ryusuke... or rather, the Guiji that possessed Ryusuke, he told Himeko stories of the starry sky from a young age, ultimately leading Himeko down the path of a navigator.

The similarities between these two experiences made World-Painting feel uneasy.

That guy Guiji... could he have used the same methods he used to train him on Himeko again?

Thinking of this, World-Painting unconsciously tightened her grip on the whip handle.

"I have some slightly unfortunate news for you. The Murata Ryusuke before me has indeed Guiji, because my Anti-Guiji Radar has activated." World-Painting sighed, put away the whip that was churning with flames, and looked at Himeko as she spoke.

Himeko, who already knew about World-Painting 'Servant Panel stats from Pearl, didn't show much surprise.

"I see... So when did he replace Mr. Ryusuke?" Himeko asked softly.

Knowing this fact, Himeko should have been disappointed, but instead felt that everything was as expected.

Given the information provided by Pearl, this outcome was already the most probable result.

But "knowing" and "hearing it with your own ears" are ultimately different.

If Ryusuke was replaced by Guiji Rebirth after entering New Penacony, then he would be resurrected in the Duality Paradise after the Holy Grail War ends. If he was replaced before entering the Duality Paradise, then it depends on how early that happened.

Resurrection is definitely possible. The [Resurrection Card] is truly a perfect Miraculous Item.

Thinking of this, Himeko subconsciously looked in Chen Li 'Chen Li direction and gave him a grateful look.

If Chen Li hadn't equipped every participant with a [Resurrection Card] before the Holy Grail War began, Himeko would probably be in a much more desperate situation now.

But... when Murata Ryusuke is replaced is related to whether the other person can be considered a competent father.

If the person who told Himeko the adventure stories of the Trailblaze Aeon every night from the very beginning, when Himeko was still a child, was already Guiji, then this father-daughter relationship was a complete deception from start to finish.

"As for when the other party replaced Mr. Ryusuke... I don't know. But I'll ask him again. Will he tell me or not! Will he tell me or not!" World-Painting shook her head, then turned and lashed out at Ryusuke on the cross, the flaming whip lashing at him repeatedly.

"You... you shouldn't get agitated. Put your hand down first, let's ask slowly." Himeko subconsciously raised her hand in a soothing gesture.

Himeko was unsure how to address World-Painting. By seniority she was an ancestor, by age she was Servant, and by status she was Guiji's adopted daughter... so she could only address her as "you".

"What? You want to try it too?" World-Painting turned to look at Himeko and casually handed the whip handle to Himeko.

"No... I mean, why don't we try taking the gag out of his mouth? You've been hitting him for so long, and he hasn't been able to say a word. Maybe it's not because he's stubborn, but because his mouth is gagged." Himeko shook her head.

"Alright then." World-Painting nodded with some regret and put the whip back at her side.

"Then I'll do it." Xing walked to the front of the group with some eagerness, clasping her hands together and loosening her knuckles.

"Be careful of Guiji's mouth; it's all lies and nonsense. Don't listen to his instigation. He once made an entire resistance army kill each other with just a few words." Just as Xing walked up to Murata Ryusuke, World-Painting suddenly warned him.

Xing turned her head and glanced at World-Painting, then paused in her tracks.

When removing the rag from someone's mouth, be careful of their manipulation? In other words, you knew from the beginning that if you gagged them, they couldn't speak, right?

Xing didn't seem to care about the matter, after all, Chen Li was there, and even if Guiji was good at bluffing, he couldn't fool her for long.

So Xing directly reached out and pulled the rag out of Ryusuke's mouth, then swiftly jumped back to shield Chen Li in front of her.

"Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! What do you want me to say? Just ask me!" After the rag in Murata Ryusuke's mouth was ripped out, the first sound he made was not an explanation, not a seduction, and not a pretense, but a desperate accusation.

World-Painting looked at Murata Ryusuke with some surprise, taken aback by his sudden loss of composure.

To be honest, World-Painting initially thought that the other party, Guiji, as Servant, would be a tough nut to Guiji, but she didn't expect him to beg for mercy so easily.

What period of time was this period of Guiji? Why is it so cowardly?

"What are you surprised about? The effect of this Miraculous Item in your hand can be said to be specifically designed for torture." Chen Li, seeing World-Painting's surprised expression, casually explained.

Chen Li wasn't lying. After all, this Miraculous Item was once capable of severely testing the willpower of someone like Alaya. Using it to deal with a Guiji clone was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Chapter 2586

World-Painting looked down at the still slightly warm whip in her hand with some surprise, and the light in her eyes gradually changed from confusion to a kind of belated realization.

"When did you replace Ryusuke?" Himeko stepped forward and stood in front of the crowd, her gaze calmly falling on the man on the cross who had the exact same face as her father.

"Want to guess for yourself? Here's a hint: it'll be earlier than you think." Murata Ryusuke's lips curled up slightly as he spoke in a teasing tone.

Seeing that the other party was not cooperating, Himeko did not answer, but simply snatched the whip from World-Painting's hand, raised her arm high, and then lashed the whip hard at Murata Ryusuke.

The moment the whip struck her skin, a flash of dark blue light exploded from the point of contact, illuminating Himeko's face, which was filled with displeasure.

"Ouch! That hurts! I'll tell you, okay? Just kidding, don't take it so seriously," Murata Ryusuke said, grimacing.

After Himeko stopped whipping him, Murata Ryusuke's pained expression vanished, replaced by amusement, and he continued:

"The answer begins on the day he traced the source of the Weathering Curse for the sake of his wife and daughter, only to be Destruction by me. That year, Himeko was six years old, and she met her father for the first time at her mother's funeral."

The air in the Fate Invitation Space seemed to freeze for a moment.

Six years old. Mother's funeral.

In other words, the father in Himeko's Remembrance was not the real Murata Ryusuke from day one.

Thinking of this, Himeko's fingers tightened suddenly around the whip handle.

"Impossible. You're lying." Himeko's voice suddenly turned cold.

"I've only ever said one thing to my daughter in my entire life. Nice to meet you, I am your father, Ryusuke." Murata Ryusuke looked into Himeko's eyes, his tone carrying an almost gentle cruelty.

Faced with Guiji's almost provocative statement, Himeko did not reply, but silently picked up the long whip in her hand and lashed it twice more.

"Haha! This is exactly the expression I wanted to see. Playing a father... I'm having a lot of fun." Faced with the excruciating pain, Guiji didn't scream; instead, he threw his head back and laughed loudly.

Himeko gritted her teeth and gripped the whip tighter in her hand.

But this time, the moment she raised her wrist, another hand suddenly reached out from the side and firmly gripped her wrist.

Himeko turned her head and saw Chen Li's face so close to hers.

"... What's wrong?" Himeko was taken aback.

"Hmm? Himeko, you really trust this guy Chen Li. You were able to suppress even such emotions after being persuaded by him?" Murata Ryusuke looked at Himeko with some surprise, then at Chen Li.

"Don't misunderstand, I'm not stopping anything. I'm just worried about tiring you out. It would break my heart if you did. How about... you try this?" Chen Li released Himeko's wrist and took out a book from his pocket.

Upon hearing Chen Li's words, "I feel sorry for you," a barely perceptible blush appeared on Himeko's face.

But she immediately shook her head gently, shaking those inappropriate thoughts out of her mind.

Himeko, calm down. What if Chen Li just wants to sell Miraculous Item?

Don't get any strange ideas. Chen Li is still a child.

"Huh? Isn't this that Miraculous Item called the [Law on the Protection of Minors]?" Xing stroked her chin and curiously leaned closer.

Himeko glanced at the Miraculous Item Chen Li had handed her, then at Murata Ryusuke on the cross, who was still wearing his disguise and wearing a smug smile. After a soft sigh, she took the Miraculous Item from Chen Li's hand.

The very moment Himeko received the Miraculous Item...

"Boom!"

Countless bolts of lightning suddenly struck down from the top of the Fate Invitation Space.

It struck Murata Ryusuke hard, illuminating the entire space with a burst of lightning. The current exploded on his body, producing a series of ear-piercing crackling sounds.

"Huh? Isn't this the Miraculous Item effect of the [Law on the Protection of Minors] artifact? Himeko can also trigger the effect of this Miraculous Item?" Hoshi was stunned for a moment.