You're Blushing?

Could Ch'en have been cursing people even in her sleep?

Hoshino lowered her head, watched Ch'en's lips twitch slightly, and felt that it was entirely possible.

Never mind. Since she hadn't heard anything anyway, she would just assume Officer Ch'en was sleeping peacefully. While Ch'en still hadn't opened her eyes, Hoshino needed to figure out how to handle her interrogation once she woke up.

This Lungmen police superintendent was nothing like that Dali Temple official from before, who understood propriety and knew when to advance and when to retreat.

She knew what she should understand and what she shouldn't.

That was the difference between a police officer and a prosecutor. It wasn't a matter of who was better or worse, but to a dangerous person like Hoshino, someone like Officer Ch'en was undoubtedly more troublesome—and harder to deal with—than Jingzhe.

Hoshino randomly touched Ch'en's face.

Her skin was fair, smooth, and supple, so full it seemed to be brimming with moisture.

For someone Officer Ch'en's age, maintaining such good skin despite working overtime every day and toiling day and night was rather unbelievable.

Maybe it was a racial talent.

Hoshino knelt on a cushion, the weary soul resting on her lap. She gently brushed aside Ch'en's bangs, revealing a smooth forehead like egg white. Her tightly furrowed brows came into view again, and Hoshino hurriedly reached out to soothe them, finally doing a shrine maiden's proper job for once.

Shrine maidens existed to provide lap pillows.

At least, in Hoshino's eyes, the profession of shrine maiden didn't seem to have much other use.

Oh, and banishing evil and driving away demons.

Hoshino scratched her head and stopped thinking about such messy things. Instead, she calmed her mind and waited attentively for Officer Ch'en to wake up.

The sun rose and the stars shifted.

A full two hours passed. Only when a trail of drool ran from the corner of her mouth did Officer Ch'en slowly wake up and stretch lazily. It was the soundest sleep she had ever had, as though she had instantly cast off every burden and thrown herself into her mother's embrace.

That feeling was too dreamlike.

For a brief moment after waking, Ch'en had even forgotten where she was.

"Yawn~~"

"You're awake? Looks like you slept pretty well."

It was a voice Ch'en didn't particularly like. Like a thunderclap exploding beside her ear, she instinctively opened her eyes and saw the face she least wanted to see.

The shrine maiden!

She had developed a full-fledged shrine maiden PTSD.

Rolling over, Ch'en rose to her feet warily and checked that her body was intact, that she hadn't been subjected to anything strange while unconscious.

"Are you doubting me?"

Hoshino asked sadly.

In fact, not only had Ch'en not been subjected to anything strange, she even felt refreshed. She lightly clenched her fist, and the bandages scattered like confetti. Without her noticing, her palm had healed too, without even leaving a scar.

Something was off.

Ch'en eyed her suspiciously. "Did I sleep for two or three weeks?"

"No, only two hours. Lightning circulated through your body and accelerated cellular activity. It not only gave you the equivalent of far more sleep than normal, but also rapidly healed your wounds. Don't be surprised."

Hoshino was a little bewildered herself.

She truly hadn't expected Ch'en's injuries to heal so inexplicably.

The storm in her heart lasted only an instant. She had to look like she had everything under control and quickly fool Officer Ch'en into leaving.

Like this—give the answer before the other person asked the question.

No matter what the answer was, because it had been "voluntarily disclosed," people couldn't help believing it. Its credibility was several levels higher than asking first and answering afterward.

This was a kind of strategy.

Sure enough, Ch'en nodded, naturally recalling the thunderstorm from before. She shuddered.

This was a very rare occurrence.

Ch'en had developed a psychological shadow from that fleeting glimpse of the figure. Without a weapon, that power had seemed untouchable, representing some absolute law. She had stood rooted in place, watching that person drift lightly toward her.

Then, Ch'en knew nothing.

"You were knocked unconscious by high-voltage electricity. You probably took a Lightning Mega-Heal. Don't worry. She may not like talking, but she knows her limits."

"Did I provoke her?"

Ch'en asked gloomily.

"You cursed at me. She holds a little girl's grudge against you. Isn't that perfectly normal?"

That fucking counts too?

Ch'en wanted to curse, but reason stopped her in time. She didn't let the words slip out and continued searching for that person's figure.

"Where is she?"

"She's hiding. She's very shy."

Hoshino explained casually, naturally earning Ch'en's suspicion. Her crimson eyes swept up and down Hoshino's body, while her dragon tail swayed back and forth, revealing the doubt in her heart.

"What, do you want to get zapped again?"

True enough.

She was scared, scared.

Like a deflated balloon, Ch'en stopped searching for the Lightning Empress. Instead, she turned around and carefully explained the dangers of raising someone with late-stage Originium Infection.

Hoshino listened seriously and nodded seriously.

Utterly unrepentant.

Seeing how stubborn she was, Ch'en felt a jumble of emotions. Her newly healed right hand touched her own face.

She wanted to say that there should be more people like her.

But after thinking it over, she couldn't say it.

One shrine maiden was annoying enough. If there were so many more people like her who loved stirring up trouble, the Lungmen Guard Department would be driven crazy.

She could only sigh.

Hoshino watched Ch'en leave the shrine.

Her steps were no longer as light as when she had first awakened. Instead, they carried a certain heaviness, as though she were walking through a mire.

Hoshino pondered in silence, lowering her head in thought.

Of course, she knew why Ch'en felt so burdened, but knots in one's heart could not be untied overnight. It was a process that took years. Ch'en's knot was not as humble or easily satisfied as Rope's; what she wanted was something even Hoshino feared.

"Practice your swordsmanship more. Sweat doesn't lie."

That was all she could say—an irrelevant, powerless comfort.

After seeing off her guest, Yae Shrine became deserted once more. Hoshino silently closed her eyes and stared at the mission interface, as well as the Sky Ranger that had been unlocked to forty-six percent.

Penguin hadn't called.

But Hoshino was unwilling to accept that. She found the business card and casually called Exusiai.

Ring, ring, ring~

The busy tone had only sounded for a few seconds before an energetic voice came from the other end.

"For work-related services, please wait. Due to the boss's personal reasons, Penguin Logistics is currently on an extended vacation. Our return-to-work date is yet to be determined."

"It's me."

The voice on the other end abruptly froze.

"It's Lady Shrine Maiden. Then that's different. What work do you need my help with?"

"I need you to deliver something to Yae Shrine."

"What is it?"

"You."

A vast silence fell over the other end of the call, but it wasn't hung up. After a long while, Hoshino heard Croissant's puzzled voice through the phone.

"Exusiai, you're blushing?"