Scallion! Orange!

"So high-profile! He really is full of passion!"

Kinji Hakari had already made up his mind. Once he regrouped with the others and found Angel, he would immediately head for the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre.

He would loyally help Yue Liusi achieve his goal, plain and simple.

Scallion!!! Sincerity!!!

He had thought it through. Yue Liusi might well be the next Satoru Gojo, or even stronger than Satoru Gojo. Someone with such era-defining combat power would certainly hold an extremely high position.

How could he possibly justify not latching on to someone that powerful?!

He hadn't known about Yue Liusi before, but it wasn't too late to catch the last train now.

This was a huge gamble with extremely good odds!

Perhaps with Yue Liusi's support, he could open casinos on every street and alley in Japan, in every corner!

And then...

Wahahaha...

"Hey, mister, what are you grinning about?"

Just as Kinji Hakari raised both hands and laughed, imagining the future, a voice sounded beside him. He turned a rather speechless gaze toward it.

"Who are you, lady?"

Naturally, he had noticed the woman approaching. He simply hadn't paid her any mind.

Remi held both hands behind her back and fought back the urge to roll her eyes. After smiling, she said,

"I'm just a pretty girl looking for some help."

Lady? Your whole family's full of ladies!

I'm so cute. How could an old man like you call me a lady?

And the way he was grinning for no reason just now... is there something wrong with his head?

Was she really this unlucky?

Under normal circumstances, Kinji Hakari wouldn't have minded chatting with her a little, but right now, his mind was entirely occupied with latching on to someone powerful. He had no time for this.

"Hey, do you know where Angel is?"

Although Yue Liusi had told Megumi Fushiguro to find Angel, he felt he ought to take part too. After all, who knew whether things would work out on that end?

"Angel... I do know."

Remi smiled and said softly,

"If you want me to tell you, you'll have to..."

"Enough talking! Hurry up and take me to her!"

Before Remi could finish, Kinji Hakari waved a hand and interrupted her outright. He truly felt this was an unexpected windfall.

He hadn't expected this woman to actually know Angel's whereabouts.

"I'll take you there."

Remi secretly gritted her teeth. She was deeply displeased with this utterly ungentlemanly fellow, but couldn't show it.

She didn't know a damn thing about Angel. She only wanted to lure him over there.

"What a kind girl. Thanks so much!"

Kinji Hakari spoke with a smile, without the slightest suspicion.

The reason was simple.

This woman... was weak.

Even if she had bad intentions, she couldn't accomplish much, could she?

"Stay here and wait to regroup with the others."

Before leaving, Yue Liusi said this to Hiromi Higuruma.

Hearing that, Hiromi Higuruma, who had been about to leave, was somewhat taken aback. He understood what Yue Liusi meant, but had no intention of accepting.

He had planned to turn himself in after the barrier disappeared, and to spend this time repeatedly thinking through what he would do next.

He didn't want to get involved in all this mess.

Hearing Hiromi Higuruma's refusal, Yue Liusi stopped, turned sideways, and looked at him with calm eyes.

"The First Colony is short on people right now. Your help may be needed here."

Hiromi Higuruma remained silent, and Yue Liusi's voice reached his ears again.

"Stay."

"Stay and atone."

His pupils suddenly contracted. He raised his head to look at Yue Liusi, and after a few seconds of silence, a bitter smile slowly appeared on his face.

"Thank you for understanding."

"I'll do everything I can."

Yue Liusi nodded. As he left, his voice drifted back.

"If those two people's lives can be exchanged for the survival of innocent people, that's a very worthwhile trade."

Hiromi Higuruma looked thoughtful.

A worthwhile trade... that idea went against the equality of human lives.

But... the value of a life did indeed vary from person to person.

This was something he had vaguely come to understand after the Culling Game began.

Atonement, huh...

Coming back to himself, Hiromi Higuruma let out a soft breath.

By then, Yue Liusi had long since left.

Yue Liusi didn't rush to the other colonies. Instead, he first returned to the Tokyo No. 2 Colony.

Shoko wasn't surprised to see him appear so suddenly.

She was already used to it.

"People are gathering much faster than expected. It looks like those who want to survive still far outnumber those who want to fight."

"At this rate, we might not need to wait until tomorrow noon. Everyone who wants to survive may be able to get here by this evening."

This was undoubtedly good news.

If things went like this everywhere, Yue Liusi would complete task three very quickly.

He nodded, and just as he was about to say something, Shoko added,

"I've already screened them."

She met Yue Liusi's gaze, and he couldn't help chuckling.

The two of them had always understood each other this well.

"Then just have them eliminate those people."

Yue Liusi made the decision immediately.

Dealing with the Culling Game and saving more people didn't mean he had to save those who had already committed evil deeds as well.

Whether they had been forced or driven by the pressure to survive, those deeds were undeniably evil.

Besides, he trusted Shoko's judgment. Anyone she singled out was certain to deserve death.

"The ones still willing to come here and gather aren't particularly strong. They can be kept under control. Why don't we hand them over to the justice system once the barriers disappear?"

After some thought, Shoko still voiced her suggestion.

It wasn't that she wanted to give these people more time to live. She simply didn't want Yue Liusi to shoulder too much.

He had already done enough.

And worked hard enough.

Yue Liusi knew what Shoko was worried about. With a slight smile, he said,

"Don't worry. I'm not so fragile that I'd feel weighed down by sin over a few lives that aren't worth it."

"Besides..."

His gaze turned toward the crowd beneath the Tokyo Skytree, who had finally found a moment's peace.

"I'm a hero, aren't I?"

Even though Shoko understood him, she still couldn't help worrying about this.

Yue Liusi knew this was unavoidable.

Reason and emotion could coexist without contradiction.

So he didn't mind explaining and offering a few words of reassurance.

Seeing him like this, Shoko smiled softly, tacitly accepting his approach.

"Oh, right. A bad guy came here, calling himself Hajime Kashimo, the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer from four hundred years ago. He keeps clamoring to challenge you."

Shoko suddenly remembered something and spoke with a slight frown.

That Hajime Kashimo had come knocking without warning.

He had arrived remarkably quickly.

Although Yuki Tsukumo said he was indeed quite strong, she still couldn't associate him with the word "strongest."