Tokyo Fall Guys beats up the supernatural

Page 14

Many evil spirits in this world are as mysterious and elusive as those described in paranormal events. It is a kind of terror stemming from the unknown. Possessing, auditory hallucinations, looking around, manipulating objects... these are all common methods used by vengeful spirits. For ordinary people, these evil spirits are just like those in horror and paranormal movies.

Above that, there are even more powerful beings. These advanced evil spirits have physical forms, can move freely, and even have their own consciousness. They are more like another form of life, living in this world in ways that are not allowed by humans or ethics.

However, Lu Zizhen had never seen an existence like Dou Tang. He was just an ordinary human, but he could transform into that terrifying and bizarre appearance. In his candy-bean form, he was the nemesis of evil spirits, ignoring the influence of vengeful spirits on the mind, and could even directly grab those vengeful spirits that should have no fixed form and kill them.

How could a rebellious Taoist like Lu Zizhen not be curious?

In order to uncover the secrets of Dou Tang, she must track down the evil spirit.

Fortunately, just as she had expected, the evil spirit did not escape far.

Ikebukuro, one of Tokyo's most bustling areas, is also a hub for young people. Compared to Shibuya's mature atmosphere, Ikebukuro is like a ripe, unripe fruit, a blend of sweet and sour. Here, you can find the sweet, saccharine experiences typical of Tokyo for adults, as well as a fun-filled haven for young people and even minors. Whether it's the prevalence of anime and manga subcultures or various emerging cultural circles, you can find a place to belong here.

Similarly, this is a place where all sorts of people mingle, so much so that you can't predict what might happen in those dark, gloomy alleys.

"Luckily I didn't let you meet him, otherwise he might have really been drained dry by you... That would have been terrible, and most importantly, I wouldn't have had anything to eat."

A dark figure blocked the alley entrance, hands in pockets, hood up, looking into the deep alley, obscuring the gleaming streetlights behind him.

Inside the alley, however, lies a different, eerie scene.

The evil woman who had appeared before was in the alley. Her coat was loose again, and she stood straight in the alley, her hands stained with blood. Her beautiful body under her coat was covered in blood, which was dripping down little by little. Even the grass that used to be alluring was soaked in dark red blood, and strands of black curly hair dripped blood down.

Is it erotic? No, there is only eeriness and fear here.

At her feet lay a jumble of bodies, all young men. Judging from their attire, they were likely thugs or yakuza henchmen from the vicinity of Ikebukuro. They were clearly lifeless, and each of them was covered in sharp scratches.

Lu Zizhen stretched out her hands, the hem of her trench coat swaying slightly, her hands already gripping the hilt of her sword. With a flick of her wrist, the sword was drawn from its sheath with a whoosh.

The talisman on the hilt shimmered, and the rough silver on the sword blade transformed into a sharp, gleaming light.

"You're probably not a vengeful spirit, but rather closer to a monster. The way you controlled those corpses before wasn't because you were possessed by a vengeful spirit, but because you were controlled by your resentment... You died because of hatred and became a monster-like being rather than a vengeful spirit. Your past must have been very unhappy, right?"

As she spoke, Lu Zizhen actually laughed, mocking in an extremely malicious way: "Only people who die like that would have such great resentment. Let me guess, you drowned? You almost became a monster like the Wet Woman, didn't you? But you only became a drowned ghost. It's hilarious."

Hearing these words, the evil woman in the alley seemed a little displeased and made a series of slurping sounds.

Lu Zizhen continued to mock, "How pitiful. Such a good woman died like that. You must be very unwilling, which is why you have such a deep resentment. So, did you manage to get revenge? Probably not. If you had, things wouldn't be like this now."

"Look at you now. You haven't even found your enemies yet, but you've already started indiscriminately killing innocent people. What did they do to you? Harassed you? Made inappropriate remarks? Or, more terrifyingly, were they just seduced by you, you exhibitionist?"

She shrugged and concluded, "You were clearly the victim, but after gaining power, you became the perpetrator. You're no different from the person who killed you! How does it feel to control other people's fates like your enemy? Is it satisfying? Doesn't it feel incredibly good, like you're about to explode with pleasure..."

Just as she was speaking in a sarcastic tone, the evil woman could no longer bear it and rushed forward!

She was incredibly fast; the water carried her forward, and in just a moment she was in front of Lu Zizhen!

Lu Zizhen's eyes sharpened, her delicate brows furrowed, and a flash of anger appeared on her face as she shouted like a queen, "Insolence!"

"How dare you interrupt me before I've finished speaking!"

At this moment, she was a side of her that Dou Tang had never seen before. There was no laughter or jokes, only a surge of anger, contempt for evil spirits, and her own arrogance.

The two swords crossed in front of him, rubbing together violently and exploding into a burst of light and fire!

"call--"

As a dozen or so paper talismans shattered, the light from the telescopic sword struck the evil woman who had reached out with her hand in a claw-like shape.

"Hiss!!" Like fire meeting rain, a hissing sound appeared, and a spray of water mist appeared. The evil woman was forced back and fell to the ground.

"Swish, swish—" In the mist, Lu Zizhen leaped out, twirling her twin swords. Her whole being seemed to be dancing, her wrists twisting and shaking, her toes lightly touching the ground and shifting. Every move she made contained the charm of another country, and the tassels of her twin swords danced nimbly.

The evil woman then suddenly realized that the woman she had encountered on that street earlier... was not the real her at all.

"Whoosh!" The twin swords slashed down in quick succession, the silver light drawing a full moon that landed directly above the evil woman's head.

Even during this sword dance, Lu Zizhen's hood never fell off.

She coldly stared at the malevolent woman on the ground, smiling contemptuously: "Knowing you can think and speak, tell me, what is this crown you mentioned before?"

"I've slain ten times more evil spirits than you've killed people. Answer my questions properly, or I won't keep you alive. Don't try to play those Japanese games with me; I don't want to waste my time."

"...Crown Game".

The evil woman's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, but Lu Zizhen still heard it clearly.

Seemingly accepting her fate, the evil woman slowly lowered her head, and with this movement, something seemed to appear above her head.

"I want to win the Crown game... I want to kill Fall Guys, I want to kill all the other players..."

A golden crown appeared above the evil woman's head.

Lu Zizhen stared at the crown in shock, her thoughts racing.

Turning into a jelly bean, possessing a spirit-absorbing constitution, frantically searching for haunted locations, and encountering powers of unknown origin...

The golden light shone on her face, and the surprise on her face gradually changed into satisfaction—satisfaction at uncovering the truth of things.

Finally, she laughed and even licked her lips.

Chapter 26 Youth Campus and Fall Guys: Do You Have Any Melons?

Several days passed, and the evil woman never appeared again. Dou Tang gradually relaxed his vigilance, but he still carefully took precautions at home and went straight home without hesitation every day after school.

Waaaaah, I can't make a single friend at school...

This is how Kiryu Toudou appears at school these past few days in the eyes of ordinary people. This tall and aloof man seems to isolate himself from the world, completely unconcerned about social interactions in class, always keeping to himself, and giving off a feeling of deep bitterness and resentment.

Yeah, right! Can't you guys, a bunch of teenagers with basically negative IQs, just stay away from me?

This is Dou Tang's true inner thought.

As we all know, at this age, teenagers' greatest desires begin to stir: to prove themselves, to have extraordinary life experiences, and to take control of their lives all come rushing out. Coupled with adolescent hormones and a nascent understanding of their own personality, this creates a time that makes people laugh and feel a little touched when they look back.

But that kind of emotion only arises when you look back. You'll feel that your friends back then were so pure, and that the things you did back then were both silly and cute. You'll feel that it was a period of your youth that belonged only to you, and only you can laugh it off when you think about it.

But if you've already experienced it and matured, how would you feel if you were thrown into that kind of environment again?

Some people feel that they should be the center of attention, enjoy being the center of attention, and want to be the focus of the class and the most dazzling little star of their adolescence.

Hesitatingly speaking... If you really think that way, it's quite normal.

Some people want to make up for some regrets from their adolescence, or take advantage of this time to improve themselves and pave a more successful path in life. These people are more pragmatic.

But Doutang is different...

His mind was filled with thoughts like, "Will I encounter any new vengeful spirits today? Can I perform a few more rituals to help them pass on to the afterlife?" and he was also worried about Huaiyin, who was still at home.

Lu Zizhen, who was taking classes at university.

And feeling out of place in this group.

This is normal. The social atmosphere in Japan is indeed very different from that in China. In particular, the overly distorted sense of group consciousness in Japanese culture has led these restless students to do many foolish things.

In everyday social life, the existence of small groups makes it difficult for a newcomer to integrate into the class, unless that person has exceptional qualities.

In various light novels and comics, it can be seen that if the protagonist, as a transfer student, wants to integrate into the class, he either has to challenge the existing group to fit in, or he has to rely on his great personal charm and performance to make the group accept him automatically.

But those things were all too boring for Dou Tang!

I don't care!

He showed no talent, offered no challenge; he simply existed quietly in the classroom, attending every class without fail, but disappearing during mealtimes. It seemed that even after returning to school, this ghost student remained like a ghost.

Some legends have also arisen about him, such as that he was actually Kume Chinatsu's bodyguard, and that some people saw Kume Chinatsu go up to the rooftop with him, and then after a while, Kume Chinatsu came down alone, limping... Such rumors are truly thought-provoking.

Similarly, some people believe that this guy belongs to the Yakuza. Ordinary students have no idea about the truth of the Kiryu family's tragedy, so many speculations about the Kiryu family being a Yakuza family circulate in the dark. In addition, Kiryu Toudou's arrogant and violent temperament hidden beneath his calm surface seems quite credible.

In short, no one bothered him, but no one got close to him either.

Except for a few daring ones.

Just like Kume Chinatsu.

During lunch break, while everyone else was looking for a place to rest, Kume Chinatsu sat down in front of Tou Tang as if she were doing something wrong. Just as Tou Tang was about to get up and leave, she grabbed him.

"Kiryu-kun... I have something I want to tell you, do you have time?"

Tomorrow is the weekend, and although the two had already agreed to meet on Sunday, Kume Chinatsu still couldn't help but feel that Tou Tang was deliberately distancing himself from her, and he never replied to her messages on social media, or his replies were extremely brief.

This stirred her maternal instincts, and she assumed that the tall boy in front of her was either shy or immersed in past pain, subconsciously resisting friendship from the outside world.

Dou Tang scanned the classroom, noticing many eyes meeting his before quickly looking away. Clearly, Kume Chika's actions had drawn the attention of the class. If he agreed, the rumors they had heard before seemed to be confirmed.

but.

I don't care!

“Alright, let’s go.” Dou Tang nodded in response.

"it is good!"

Chinatsu Kume happily picked up the bento box; it seemed to contain quite a lot of food.

"It can't be a situation where they invite each other to dinner right from the start, right? It can't be that dramatic..." Dou Tang thought to himself.

But it turned out he was overthinking things.

Sitting on the rooftop, leaning against the wall, he idly sipped his juice, looking at Chinatsu Kume in front of him.

The three-tiered bento box was laid out in front of her, filled with various side dishes. At this moment, Chinatsu Kume was like a hamster that had been starving for a long time, her mouth never stopped, and she kept putting down her chopsticks and picking them up again without stopping.

She prepared all three floors for herself.

Watching Toudou slurp his juice with an indifferent expression, Kume Chinatsu finished chewing her food, tilted her head back and swallowed, finally stopping. Then she asked curiously, "Don't you eat lunch, Kiryu-kun?"

"Watching you eat makes me feel full," Dou Tang replied honestly, quite the typical straight man.

Chinatsu Kume blushed slightly, then quickly explained, "No, no, no! I don't usually eat this much. I was just too tired from dance practice yesterday!"

Dou Tang nodded: "I understand."

"Being an idol is not easy, I understand. I didn't mean to make fun of you, please don't mind it."

Seeing the extremely serious expression on Tou-Tang's face, Kume Chinatsu felt that she had figured out this guy's style of doing things.

This person... this person is unlike anyone I've ever met before, he's so straightforward!

Kume Chinatsu blushed and nodded. Tou Tang then asked, "So, Kume-san, is there something you want to discuss with me here?"

Upon hearing this, Chinatsu Kume said "Oh," put down her lunchbox, and said, "Kiryu-kun, there's actually a lot more I want to tell you about Fall Guys that you mentioned before!"

"I know a witch who says she knows something about Fall Guys, but... I don't know if I should tell you!"

Dou Tang was a little confused.

A shrine maiden? Oh... I think she was that girl in the sportswear who looked dowdy but was also quite saintly that night!

Is that considered a shrine maiden?

But Lu Zizhen doesn't seem to look like a Taoist priest, so never mind.

"...Could you elaborate? I'm very curious."

Chapter 27 Seeing Ghosts in the Daytime

Chinatsu Kume pondered for a moment, seemingly considering whether or not to tell him about Ringo Shinzen.

But to be honest, she still sympathized with the Kiryu family's plight, so she finally nodded and said, "Okay... Kiryu-kun should know what happened at school that day, right? Actually, the other person in the video that day was that shrine maiden."

She pulled a talisman from her bosom, exactly the same one that had been stuck to Dou Tang's face that day, and continued, "This kind of talisman..."

"It was given to me by that witch. She's currently investigating the Fall Guys. From what we saw that day, the Fall Guys are actually humans who transformed."

Dou Tang frowned and asked, "Transformed from a human?"

Chinatsu Kume nodded vigorously and excitedly said, "Yeah! That night we encountered a vengeful spirit, and we even saw a person in black shout 'Transform!' and then turn into a jelly bean!"

Oh... I see.

Then Dou Tang pretended to be very confused and said, "Fall Guys are humans turned into... plus all sorts of supernatural elements, it sounds like Kamen Rider or something!"

"Kiryu-kun likes tokusatsu too!" Kume Chinatsu's eyes lit up.

Dou Tang nodded: "Of course, who wouldn't like heroic tales and wildly imaginative fantasies?"

"I really love it too!" Chinatsu Kume clapped her hands first, then paused, and said shyly and a little embarrassedly, "Uh, hehe, is it a little strange for a girl to like tokusatsu or something?"

Dou Tang shook his head: "No, I don't think liking something has anything to do with gender or anything like that. People are free. Even if a Fall Guy likes a magenta World Destroyer, it's probably not that strange."

Upon hearing this, Chinatsu Kume blinked thoughtfully for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Hahahaha! Kiryu-kun is so funny, the magenta world destroyer, hahahaha!"

Dou Tang rolled her eyes and said, "Aren't we getting off-topic?"

“Yes, yes, yes…” Chinatsu Kume nodded and continued, “And we clearly remember that the man was very tall, um… about the same height as Kiryu-kun, so I thought you were that person before… I’m so sorry!”

Looking at the girl who suddenly apologized, Dou Tang felt a pang of guilt.