Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

Had I actually become an internal member of the Supernatural Club, or… joined someone's harem?

How did things develop like this?

“Shibuya Shopping Street…”

Sakura Rio opened the online map on her phone, checked the surrounding area view, and said thoughtfully.

“Such a bustling commercial district shouldn't logically have a 'Gate.' Even if it did appear, it should be in a remote corner. Standing directly in the pedestrian street with so much foot traffic is simply illogical.”

Yotsuya Miko added from the side.

“I checked, and there haven't been any accidents with many deaths or injuries in Shibuya in the past few months. The only thing worth noting is the renovation of the shopping mall next to the pedestrian street, but the construction process was smooth, and there were no deaths or injuries like with the Yukinoshita Construction Company.”

“Then how could this be… Could it be that under some building, there's actually an old mass burial ground?”

“That's unlikely. Even if it were a mass burial ground, the focus wouldn't be on that itself, but on people's negative emotions and perceptions about it. Even if this commercial district was a battlefield where many people died hundreds of years ago, or some other place with heavy Yin energy, most people wouldn't care at all, right?”

“This incident is indeed very difficult. A 'Gate' actually appeared in such a bustling place. Doesn't that mean the strength of the evil spirits in that area is much stronger than the evil spirits in gloomy and remote places?”

“Yes, Miko is right. We can't ignore that possibility.”

…

Listening to the discussions of exorcists like Sakurajima Mai, Kawasaki Saki suddenly seemed to think of something and tentatively offered her opinion from the side.

“Um… I don't quite understand these things yet, but is it possible that this shopping street isn't the primary location where the 'Gate' originated?”

“Huh?”

Hearing Kawasaki Saki's words, Sakura Rio was first stunned, then said thoughtfully.

“Not the primary location where the 'Gate' originated…?”

Kawasaki Saki waved her hand, flustered, and said.

“Um… I was just saying whatever came to mind, don't mind it…”

“No, you make a lot of sense.”

Sakura Rio made a habitual gesture of pushing up her glasses, but forgot that she had already taken them off, and her slender fingers pushed at empty air.

Watching the other members try to suppress their laughter, she coughed lightly, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Um… if it's like what Saki said, then it can be explained.”

“Shibuya's pedestrian street isn't the primary location where the 'Gate' originated, but was transported there.”

“After all, there are evil spirits like Hachishaku-sama that have fused with 'Gates,' and there are also evil spirits that can directly pull nearby areas into the Reverse World. If there are even more powerful beings that have been fused with 'Gates' for even longer, they might indeed be able to do this.”

Sakurajima Mai frowned slightly upon hearing this, and brushed a strand of long hair behind her ear.

“Then if they can do this, wouldn't it be more beneficial to move it to a place like a hospital, where people often die, to increase their power? Why move it to the bustling Shibuya pedestrian street, where there are almost no negative emotions?”

“Isn't that obvious?”

Yozora looked at Yotsuya Miko, the earliest member of the club and the most experienced exorcist. She had already thought of the same thing as him.

“Could it be…”

Yotsuya Miko's heart sank. Just thinking about the scene in her mind made her face turn very unsightly, and her lips trembled slightly.

“Because… Shibuya Pedestrian Street has one of the highest… foot traffic… in Tokyo… so…”

Yozora took over Yotsuya Miko's words and said in an extremely calm tone, a sentence that made Kawasaki Saki and the others look horrified.

“So, as long as they successfully create accidents, the number of humans they can kill, and the amount of negative emotions they can collect, is also the greatest.”

Sakura Rio bit her lip lightly and said in a low voice.

“Even evil spirits that have fused with 'Gates' have a limited number of humans they can pull into the Reverse World at one time…”

“Moreover, there's also the risk that their own 'prey' will be targeted and snatched away by other beings in the Reverse World.”

“Compared to the Reverse World surrounded by powerful evil spirits, the overall strength of evil spirits and ghosts in the real world is much weaker. An evil spirit that can control 'Gates' to this extent should be at the top of the food chain in Tokyo in the real world…”

“Is this guy… treating Shibuya Pedestrian Street in the real world as his own hunting ground…?”

Chapter 179: Dango's Godlike Operation, the God's Red Thread

“In any case, let's find time to go to the Shibuya Pedestrian Street site tomorrow.”

Hearing Yozora's words, Sakura Rio first nodded, then showed a worried expression.

“But whoever can do this kind of thing must be an extremely cunning evil spirit with intelligence no less than that of humans. Maybe it's just placed the 'Gate' there, and is hiding far away itself?”

“That's unlikely.”

Yozora smiled and directly said a straightforward sentence that made Sakura Rio, Sakurajima Mai, Yuigahama Yui, and Yotsuya Miko blush.

“Even evil spirits are living beings. They won't be willing to stay far away from what they cherish. Just like how, even knowing it's dangerous, I wouldn't let the four of you leave my side.”

Feeling the silence in the room, Kawasaki Saki was at a loss.

No…

The four people, does that mean I'm not included?

Kawasaki Saki felt a little uncomfortable.

But thinking about it seriously, she was just an ordinary person after all. Compared to Yuigahama Yui, Sakurajima Mai, Yotsuya Miko, and Sakura Rio, who were truly spirit users who could fight alongside Yozora, her position in his heart might indeed be incomparable.

That's how it is.

But Kawasaki Saki still felt very sad.

“Then let's go together tomorrow…”

Just as Sakura Rio was halfway through speaking, Yozora waved his hand and turned his gaze to Kawasaki Saki, who was sitting there.

“Saki, please come with me.”

“Eh? Me?”

Seeing Kawasaki Saki's incredulous expression, Yozora simply nodded and emphasized again.

"Yes, just you and me."

Hearing this, Yotsuya Miko was about to say something, but Futaba Rio nodded first, thoughtfully.

"Kawasaki-san is going with us... That's not a bad idea."

Seeing Yotsuya Miko and Yuigahama Yui looking anxious, like cats whose tails had been stepped on, Futaba Rio sighed.

"Don't be so impatient, let me finish explaining."

"Although Kawasaki-san is just an ordinary person, this operation is best suited for someone who knows the inside story but can't see the evil spirits."

"On a bustling pedestrian street with lots of people, even if we confirm the existence of a 'door,' it's difficult to destroy it on the spot."

"Moreover, if, as Yozora says, the evil spirit is hiding nearby, observing, then seeing its 'door,' which it finally managed to merge with, about to be destroyed, it might be cornered and do something dangerous."

"If it also has the ability to pull the surrounding area into the reverse world, then with the foot traffic of the commercial district, it would involve at least hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent people."

"To ensure the safety of the innocent, and of course, to ensure the operation isn't hindered and our identities aren't exposed, based on the above two reasons, tomorrow should focus on reconnaissance and gathering information; there's no need to rush."

Saying this, Futaba Rio paused, looked at Sakurajima Mai, Yuigahama Yui, and Yotsuya Miko in front of her, and raised her chin.

"Can you guarantee 100% that even if you see a terrifying evil spirit, you can still keep a straight face and pass right through it without revealing the slightest hint?"

"Anyway, I don't think I can do it. If any of you think you can, then join tomorrow's operation."

Hearing this, Yotsuya Miko and Yuigahama Yui, who had originally wanted to say something, looked at each other and chose to remain silent.

Yotsuya Miko's mental fortitude is exceptionally strong; that's true.

But would she bet the lives of hundreds or thousands of innocent people just because she wanted to go to the bustling Shibuya commercial pedestrian street with Yozora?

The answer is, of course, no.

Even if there's only a 0.01% chance that she would reveal that she "can see" the evil spirit, leading to alarming it, the consequences would be extremely serious.

"Since none of you have that confidence, then I'll continue."

Futaba Rio pointed to Kawasaki Saki, who was sitting aside looking bewildered, and said lightly.

"In comparison, Kawasaki-san can't 'see,' so she won't reveal any flaws."

"Furthermore, unlike Yukinoshita-san and Kitagawa-san, she's an internal member who knows the truth."

"Overall, Kawasaki-san is the only suitable candidate."

Hearing this, Sakurajima Mai couldn't help but raise a very logical question.

"Then... why not just let Yozora go alone?"

"Have you never gone out with him before?"

Futaba Rio looked at Yozora, who was sitting there with a frivolous smile, and sighed helplessly.

"This guy's appearance is just too attractive. If he walks on such a bustling commercial pedestrian street, there will definitely be a lot of people trying to pick him up. Not to mention that this guy's personality makes his handling of the situation too conspicuous, but refusing pick-up attempts will still take time."

"Staying in that area for even a second longer increases the chance of alarming the evil spirit."

"Going out with Kawasaki-san, disguised as a high school couple, eliminates those concerns."

After finishing her analysis, Futaba Rio looked at Yozora sitting there.

"Am I right?"

Yozora nodded repeatedly, expressing his agreement.

"Yes, you're absolutely right. That's exactly what I was thinking."

Seeing him like this, Futaba Rio was a little doubtful and muttered softly.

"Really?"

Yozora stood up, walked over, patted Futaba Rio on the shoulder, and said earnestly.

"Have faith in your own intelligence, Futaba!"

"Wait, wait!"

Seeing that things seemed to be settled, Yuigahama Yui instantly jumped up, waving her hands repeatedly, righteously.

"Saki hasn't agreed to this yet!"

"Eh?"

Seeing the topic suddenly shift to her, Kawasaki Saki couldn't help but be taken aback.

She opened her lips, seemingly wanting to say something, but Yuigahama Yui spoke a step faster.

"Saki is, after all, a girl. Even if it's for the SOS Brigade's operation, going out alone with a boy like Yozora, and even pretending to be a couple strolling around, if she's unwilling, we can't force her, right?!"

Following that, Yuigahama Yui approached Kawasaki Saki, took her hands, and put on a very considerate appearance.

"Saki, I know you're not the kind of person who's good at acting. If you go out with a guy you have absolutely no feelings for, even if you want to pretend to be a couple, it'll just seem awkward, right? It wouldn't be good if the evil spirit saw through it."

Kawasaki Saki opened her mouth: "Well, that... I..."

Yuigahama Yui interrupted again.

"See? Saki is very troubled. How about we forget about it and find Yukino or Haimu instead? If it's Haimu, she probably wouldn't mind Yozora looking around strangely..."

"No!"

Kawasaki Saki's words were blocked twice in a row, and she felt a strong sense of frustration in her heart. She couldn't help but stand up, clenching her hands into fists at her sides, lowering her head, her face flushed red.

"If... if I pretend to be a couple with Yozora... I, I can do it!"

"Is that so?"

Yuigahama Yui looked slightly hesitant.

"But, if you're with a guy you hate, you won't be able to act, even if you want to, right?"

"Well, I..."

Kawasaki Saki's face showed a hint of shyness, and she glanced at Yozora standing there, saying in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.

"I... how could I possibly hate him..."

"Oh, I see, I see."