Day ten.
Senju Chen feels like he is having fun.
The effect of last night's paper bird was unexpectedly good. Fu's mood swings were greater than those of the previous few days combined. The system refreshed the list three times in a row. Although it was all leftover materials such as basic Ninjutsu and Insect Sensing, it showed that the direction was right.
The key is - you can't just engage in terror.
Pure fear would only make Fu run away, and then she would have to run with him. The best state would make her confused, curious, and even a little hopeful, and the best state would be to be reluctant to leave.
Senju Chen sat on the cliff, took out the booklet, turned to a new page, and started writing today's "programme".
"Morning show: Rice balls with smiling faces. Midfield show: Singing Shuidi. Evening show..."
He stopped writing and thought about it seriously.
"Let's have a starry sky for the evening show. The starry sky is projected on the top of the mine. It should be quite nice."
After he finished writing, he crossed it out again.
"No, it's too gentle, and the mood swings are not big enough. I need to add something to the starry sky..."
He drew a little figure next to it.
"Let a flying... cat appear in the starry sky?"
Cross it out again.
"No, it's too similar to Killer B's time. There needs to be something new."
Senju Chen struggled on the cliff for half an hour, like a designer planning a haunted house in an amusement park.
Finally he patted his knees and stood up.
"Why think so much? Just adapt to circumstances. Take it one step at a time. Inspiration can't be squeezed out."
He carried today's food package and walked towards the mine.
Mine entrance.
Senju Chen placed the package at the same location, this time bringing an extra small bag of salt and two apples.
As usual, he sat down at the entrance of the cave and took out a book and pretended to write something.
The sound of footsteps came from the cave faster than yesterday.
Fu walked to the entrance of the cave, glanced at the package, and then at Senju Chen.
"Have you got any salt?"
"Bring it."
Fu knelt down, opened the package and checked it.
Then she didn't immediately retreat into the cave.
She sat down on the other side of the cave entrance.
It is about three meters away from Senju Chen.
This was the first time that she took the initiative to stay in the same space as Senju Chen at the entrance of the cave.
Senju Chen did not show any surprise and continued to "write" with his head down.
It was quiet for about two minutes.
"Where is your home?" Fu suddenly asked.
"Land of Fire."
"Land of Fire is big."
"Well, it's pretty big."
"Then where exactly is your home?"
"You ask so carefully, do you want to visit my home?"
Fu pursed her lips and turned her head.
"Who wants to go to your house?"
Senju Chen The corners of his mouth curled up and he didn't answer.
It was quiet for a while again.
"My name is Fu."
Senju Chen's pen stopped for half a second, and then continued writing.
"Got it."
"Don't you ask me why I live in a mine?"
"If you want to say it, you will naturally say it."
Fu was silent for a long time.
"You're such a weirdo."
"I've heard worse reviews."
Fu said no more.
She picked up an apple, took a bite, and looked at the valley in the distance.
Senju Chen drew a small circle on the booklet, indicating that today's "morning session" can begin.
He quietly activated Illusion Space.
The area was very small. It only covered the food package in front of Fu.
When Fu took her third bite of the apple, she looked down at the package.
Then her movements froze.
The three rice balls in the package were arranged into a smiling face at some point.
Two rice balls serve as eyes, and the third one is broken into a Yueya shape to serve as the mouth.
Fu stared at the smiling face for three seconds.
Then she looked up at Senju Chen.
Senju Chen is writing with his head down, without even raising his eyelids.
Fu looked down at the rice balls again.
The smile is still there.
"..."
She stretched out her hand and pressed the rice ball in her "mouth" back into a round shape, then quickly stuffed it into her mouth.
Evidence destroyed.
"Chōmei."
"No. There are no fluctuations. You can make it yourself."
"I'm so full! Who would put a smile on a rice ball!"
"That's what the wind blows."
"Where does the wind come from in the mine?"
Seven-Tails Chōmei chose silence.
It was too lazy to answer. For many days in a row, every time I asked it, the answer was the same - nothing could be detected.
Tailed Beast, which has lived for thousands of years, was found speechless in a mine.
This is simply the biggest shame of my career.
Senju Chen wrote a line on the booklet: Early game effect score - seven points. Expression reaction is obvious, but the fluctuation range is not large enough. Increase the weight in the midfield.
noon.
After Fu finished eating, she returned to the depths of the mine. Senju Chen also returned to the stronghold on the cliff.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, Senju Chen decided to test a new idea.
There is a shallow stream near the mine, and Fu goes there every day to get water to wash her face.
Senju Chen adjusted the coverage of Illusion Space in advance to include the section of Qianxi.
Fu squatted by the stream and washed her face with water in her hands.
The water was very cold and stung a little when it hit my face.
She wiped her eyes and looked down at the water.
Her own face was reflected in the water.
--Then the reflection on the water stuck out its tongue at her.
Fu jumped back two meters with a whoosh.
Kunai is already in hand.
She stared at the water, breathing rapidly.
The water surface returned to calm. The reflection returned to normal. It was doing exactly the same thing as her.
"Chōmei!"
"No--"
"Can you say it another way?"
"... I also want to change, but the truth is that there is nothing." There was even a hint of grievance in Seven-Tails's tone, "Do you think I am willing to say this every time? I am a dignified Seven-Tails Chōmei, and my detection ability ranks among the top among Tailed Beast. In the end, I can't even detect a ghost in the mine. Do you think I can show off?"
Fu opened her mouth, not knowing how to answer.
It was the first time she heard Chōmei speak in this tone.
Tailed Beast, which had lived for who knows how many years, was actually complaining to her about being embarrassed.
Fu slowly took Kunai back.
She took another closer look at the water.
The reflection reflected her face neatly. It couldn't be more normal.
"... I actually saw it stick out its tongue." Fu whispered.
"I believe you." Chōmei said, "But I haven't found anything."
"What the hell is going on?"
"I don't know. But there's something strange about it."
"What?"
"Everything that has happened these days - the pebbles spinning in circles, the smell of flowers, the glowing flowers, the paper birds, the smiley faces on rice balls, the reflection sticking out its tongue - none of it has been malicious or harmful to you."
Fu was stunned.
"You can even say," Chōmei's voice lowered, "These things... seem to be teasing you."
To tease her?
Who would entertain a fugitive in an abandoned mine?
Fu squatted by the stream, hugging her knees and thinking for a long time.
She couldn't figure it out.
[Ding! The target creature 'Fu' has been detected to have violent mood swings... The list of stealable abilities has been refreshed!]
[A: Wind Release·Wind Palm (Intermediate)]
[B: Scale Powder Sensing(Intermediate)]
[C: Parasitic Insect Technique(Elementary)]
On the cliff, Senju Chen glanced at the list.
Not out.
Go ahead!
But the frequency of fluctuations is increasing. The direction is right.
"Why don't we do the big show tonight?" Senju Chen muttered.