Chapter 67

"You're so arrogant."

Efnir almost choked on Yukina's words, so she quickly changed the subject, remembering the parent-teacher conference tomorrow.

"By the way, Yukina, your parents probably won't be able to attend the parent-teacher conference tomorrow..."

"Eh? Why?"

They're leaving by plane tomorrow afternoon.

Efnir sighed, her face darkening.

After finishing her work in the afternoon, Efnir mentioned the parent-teacher conference at Yukina School to the Yanase couple, but unfortunately, they had already made plans for the next afternoon.

Because it involved very important and confidential work, they had no choice in the matter.

Even though they were still somewhat reluctant to part ways.

"Naoko..."

Yukina looked at Efnir.

Like Efnir, Yukina's feelings for her aunt and uncle were genuine. The news that her aunt and uncle would be leaving the next day also made Yukina feel lonely, and she could understand Efnir's feelings at this moment.

She couldn't think of any words of comfort.

"Naoko."

Suddenly, Yukina called out to Efnir, ran over and stood in front of Efnir, tiptoed lightly, and planted a kiss on Efnir's lips without saying a word.

"School will let out a little earlier after the parent-teacher meeting tomorrow, Naoko... can you go shopping with me?"

Yukina tilted her head and smiled.

I want to buy some clothes for autumn.

Efnir paused for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Yes, let's do it together."

89. Cemetery

Take the bus from the Youcheng Girls' Academy bus stop, spend half an hour getting off at the stop before the final stop, and walk for about ten minutes to reach an unattended cemetery.

The neglected cemetery was overgrown with weeds, some of which were even taller than her eyes. Due to Erosion Disaster, even the cemetery gate had collapsed, and some tombstones were only half-buried, crooked and leaning.

Kanade Kotone, carrying a bouquet of white flowers, walked past the overturned and damaged graves, stopping in front of a black tombstone.

The tombstone was missing a small corner, but it looked much neater than the other tombstones.

Kanade Minori —the tombstones, covered in weeds and dust, bear the names of those who rest here.

That was the mother who Kanade Kotone.

With one hand bandaged, Kanade Kotone slowly knelt down, placing a thin white bouquet of flowers in front of the grave with her other hand. Then she reached out to pull away the weeds in front of the grave and wipe away the thin layer of dust on the tombstone.

This cemetery is an ancient site located on the very edge of the city. Due to urban shrinkage and the relocation of the city's Defense Line, it was completely abandoned after being damaged by an Erosion Disaster.

Now, most of the tombstones remaining here are from tombs that were no longer claimed by family members when the addresses were transferred.

It's not that they're unwilling to come and claim them, but... those people have already left this world forever.

In addition, there are some tombstones abandoned here, the stories and reasons behind which are not well known to Kanade Kotone.

Among them was her mother's tombstone.

The father absolutely refused to move the mother's grave. He wouldn't sign anything, and the management didn't bother to make any demands, so the grave was left there, becoming the last resident of this place, just like the other unclaimed tombstones.

"Mom, I've come to see you."

A sweltering breeze, carrying the scent of distant earth and grass, brushed past Kanade Kotone's profile. She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and quietly bent down, the setting sun casting a long shadow of her.

After a long while, Kanade Kotone got up, simply tied the pulled weeds into a pile, and prepared to throw them away. At this moment, a delicate necklace caught her eye among the weeds next to the tombstone.

She crouched down and picked up the necklace.

It was a silver necklace with a beautiful white pearl hanging from it, and the mother's name was engraved on the back.

She had seen this necklace before.

That was something I'd seen on my father's desk a month ago.

After her mother died, only she and her father would regularly come to clean and maintain her tombstone, and her father would always bring some "gifts" with him.

It seems Father has been here...

Kanade Kotone held the necklace, wiped it clean with the corner of her clothes, and carefully placed it back on the tombstone.

She sighed and glanced at the surrounding weeds; it was right here that she had seen the necklace.

"Isn't it about time to clean up...?"

Setting her commuter backpack aside, Kanade Kotone bent down, pulled up the weeds, and tossed them aside.

She was doing this repetitive work.

Fortunately, the soil was relatively soft, and although she was a little tired, she was able to manage it.

Just then, a small patch of white caught Kanade Kotone's eye. She subconsciously looked up, her gaze passing over the half-fallen tombstone. She saw a corner of a clean white cloth peeking out from behind a tombstone not far away, and then... next to the cloth was a pale human hand, which was completely hidden from the angle Kanade Kotone had been from.

Kanade Kotone was completely stunned.

This is an abandoned cemetery, on the very edge of the city. There's a bus stop a kilometer away, and beyond the checkpoints and Defense Line lies the Beyond the Boundary. Normally, no one comes here.

It was evening, and there was no one around. The wind seemed to carry the mournful cries of Crow.

So... what's the situation now? What should she do?

That hand looks exactly like a human hand.

Could it be a dead person?

It doesn't look rotten, so could it have just died?

Was it suicide or homicide?

Is the killer still at large?

Some of the weeds around her had grown taller than her eye level. She looked around, but it was completely quiet, and she couldn't see anything.

It would be a lie to say I'm not afraid.

The scene before her eyes was far beyond what Kanade Kotone could bear. She stared at it intently, swallowing hard, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of her throat.

Her hands trembled as she remained crouched, carefully and slowly moving her feet.

Her backpack was in front of her mother's gravestone. Once she got the backpack and the phone, she could call the police.

As she drew ever closer to the backpack, she dared not even make a sound.

"Mom... please bless me..."

Just then, Kanade Kotone saw the hand suddenly twitch.

That person is not dead yet.

"Uh..."

Faint human voices could be heard coming from behind the bushes, sounding like cries for help.

Kanade Kotone's face turned deathly pale, but she didn't know where she got the courage from, she suddenly darted forward, grabbed her backpack, quickly pulled out her phone, dialed the police, and ran towards the source of the sound.

As her gaze shifted from the tombstone, Kanade Kotone saw a woman in a white coat. The woman was leaning against the tombstone with her head down, her shoulders, abdomen, and thighs stained with shocking crimson blood, and she was making faint breathing sounds.

"You..."

Kanade Kotone was so horrified by the horrific scene she witnessed that she could barely speak. She tried to recall the emergency response lessons she had taken, and knelt down to help the woman up. At that moment, a piece of gravel suddenly appeared in the woman's hand. With a speed that was almost impossible for her severely injured body, the woman tackled the unsuspecting Kanade Kotone to the ground. Kanade Kotone was stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Her phone was thrown away and she was pinned down, watching helplessly as the woman raised the stone to smash it down on her head.

But the other party froze at that moment.

"You..." The woman's voice was somewhat hoarse, yet it held a strange familiarity for Kanade Kotone, "You are... from yesterday..."

At this moment, Kanade Kotone also saw the woman's face.

"You are... Dr. Nishiki!?"

The other party was the doctor who treated Kanade Kotone yesterday, and also a friend of Ms. Yanase, Nishizaki Yuki.

Kanade Kotone stared blankly at the older woman who was pressing down on her.

"Dr. Nishiki, why...?"

Give me your phone...

"Why?"

Give me your phone!

Nishizaki Yuki interrupted Kanade Kotone's question, panting, and almost roared as she spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Hurry! Otherwise... it'll be too late..."

90. Basement

Meanwhile, in a basement somewhere in West District—

Many buildings inherited from Old Era, even apartments and residential complexes, have underground passages that serve as temporary facilities for evacuation or refuge in special circumstances. This is an abandoned underground warehouse, formerly a storage room for a small convenience store. Inside, there are several abandoned, rusty shelves and other miscellaneous items.

At that moment, several figures appeared in the dark basement.

A tall woman, four burly men armed with guns, Uzuki Saori, and the unconscious Shiina Rin.

Except for Shiina Rin, they were all wearing hooded coats.

"Buz, you're in charge of guarding the outside."

One of the men, who seemed to be in charge, propped up a light bulb and gave the order.

"Yes!"

"Xin, establish contact."

"Yes!"

The man called "Xin" was squatting on the ground, holding a laptop, his fingers rapidly typing on the keyboard.

"Please check our equipment to make sure nothing is missing."

"Yes!"

Quickly assigning tasks, the man glanced at Uzuki Saori, Uzuki Saori dark eyes showed no interest in what they were doing.

The man at the head of the group paused and looked at the tall woman in the group.

"Karina," the leading man pulled out a white plastic box, tossed it to her, and said in a deep voice, "I'm leaving this to you. Be quick, that doctor might expose our operation. We don't have much time left."

Karina took the thing the man handed her, opened it, and found two syringes inside.

She examined the syringe in her hand for a moment, appearing somewhat nonchalant.

"Captain, what are you afraid of? That Efnir?"

The damp air in the basement was unpleasant to smell; it was filled with a disgusting musty odor, and in the corners were piles of opened and looted merchandise packaging bags, black mold spots, and dead rats.

It looks like someone has been here before, but judging from the dust and footprints on the ground, that person must have left some time ago.

"I'm not sure, but I really don't want to face her."

The man answered, his tone flat and even.

"You've seen her file, you should know that there's no way we ordinary people can beat her."

Karina didn't speak, but instead looked at Uzuki Saori beside her.

"Don't count on me," Uzuki Saori said indifferently, her eyes calm. "Even if you brought ten more of me, you still couldn't beat her, and neither could you."

Uzuki Saori were clearly pointed, and the leading man and Karina could hear the undisguised sarcasm in her tone.