Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

Yukino Yukinoshita forcefully knocked on the insect cocoon-like shell, realizing that she absolutely couldn't break it with her own strength.

"Huff... Huff..."

Yukinoshita Yukino adjusted her breathing, forcibly calming her mind and beginning a rational analysis in her heart.

"No... Nishimiya-san should not be in mortal danger. After all, according to her description, this kind of thing seems to happen every time she falls asleep at night. This white insect cocoon looks more like it's protecting her."

"The most important question to consider now is... why did we come to the Reverse Side? Clearly, there is no so-called 'gate' nearby..."

Yukinoshita Yukino's expression looked very panicked. In reality, she was indeed very panicked, but she was just forcing herself to remain calm.

She slowly walked to the closet and glanced inside, finding only a set of bedding. However, Yuzuru Nishimiya, Shoko Nishimiya's younger sister, who was originally sleeping inside, was nowhere to be seen.

This, on the contrary, relieved Yukinoshita Yukino.

This proves that Yuzuru Nishimiya did not enter the Reverse Side, but remained in the safe real world.

The main problem now is...

Yukinoshita Yukino looked at the tightly closed door in front of her, reached out, and placed her hand on the doorknob. The violent beating of her heart seemed to occupy her entire brain, and she could no longer hear any other sounds.

Should she open the door?

She doesn't have the ability to enter the Reverse Side, and Shoko Nishimiya probably doesn't have this ability either. In other words, there is someone else who dragged the two of them into the Reverse Side... or rather, another spirit.

Isn't this a common plot in horror movies?

Clearly, nothing happens when you stay in the room, but there's always that one person who doesn't believe in evil and insists on running outside. Only after encountering a ghost do they regret it.

Yukinoshita Yukino took a deep breath and released the doorknob.

She's not an idiot.

Shoko Nishimiya has been alive all this time, which proves that her room is a place similar to a safe house.

If she runs outside, this is the Reverse Side, filled with evil spirits. Who knows what kind of demons and monsters will appear?

Only a fool would go out.

Just as Yukinoshita Yukino released the doorknob, she heard a smiling voice coming from the window.

"Yo, not going out? Looks like you're not stupid."

Yukinoshita Yukino's body trembled in fright at first, then she reacted and looked towards the window, watching Yexing sitting by the window in a cool pose, and sighed slightly.

"You... scaring people like that can really scare someone to death, you know?"

"You're just too nervous."

Seeing that Yexing had also come here, Yukinoshita Yukino's originally tense mood relaxed a lot, but she still pretended to be calm and snorted softly.

"Even if you didn't come, I could have completed the investigation alone."

"You can complete what? Stop bragging."

Before Yukinoshita Yukino could refute, Yexing threw out a crucial question.

"Come on, tell me, how are you going to return to the real world without leaving this room? Huh?"

"This..."

"Aren't you going to thank your brother-in-law?"

Yukinoshita Yukino pursed her lips, and after a few seconds of silence, she finally whispered.

"Thank... thank you."

"Say, thank you, Master."

Yukinoshita Yukino frowned slightly, her beautiful eyes narrowed, and a hint of coldness appeared on her face.

"Don't push your luck."

"Just teasing you, why are you getting so worked up?"

Yexing sat down on the edge of the bed, looked at the luminous cocoon-like object that enveloped Shoko Nishimiya, and asked casually.

"So, has your investigation yielded any valuable information?"

Hearing this question, Yukinoshita Yukino composed herself, thinking as she replied.

"The lingering, creepy feeling that Nishimiya-san described after waking up every day should be the feeling of being in the Reverse Side in a semi-conscious state... the lingering feeling of this world..."

"But if we were dragged into the Reverse Side by evil spirits, then Nishimiya-san's younger sister should also be here. Moreover, after entering the Reverse Side, Nishimiya-san directly transformed into this protected form. There would never be such a thing in the real world. In other words, this is not an area created by the Reverse Side to mirror reality... but..."

Speaking of this, Yukinoshita Yukino raised her head and looked at Yexing.

"Someone's desires were too strong, creating a 'distortion' in the Reverse Side, thus forming a 'palace', right?"

"That's right."

Yexing nodded first, then, like a teacher patiently guiding, posed a question.

"Then, whose 'palace' is this after all? Was it created unconsciously by Shoko Nishimiya, who suffers from hearing impairment, in order to protect her weaknesses and heart?"

"No, definitely not."

Yukinoshita Yukino shook her head.

"Although I haven't spent much time with Nishimiya-san, I can sense that what she really wants is not to be isolated, but to communicate with others and build relationships as a normal person. This kind of isolationist protective shell can never be her true intention."

"Then who is the owner of this 'palace'?"

Yukinoshita Yukino's face showed a heavy expression, and she sighed slightly.

"Nishimiya-san's mother... Yaeko Nishimiya..."

"Then why, even though she is a mother with two daughters, in the 'palace' formed in the Reverse Side, she only pulled in Shoko Nishimiya and didn't pull in Yuzuru Nishimiya?"

"This... perhaps it's because in Yaeko Nishimiya's heart, her eldest daughter, Shoko Nishimiya, who suffers from hearing impairment, needs her protection more, and she neglected a lot of attention to her healthy and normal younger daughter, Yuzuru Nishimiya..."

"Then what is the desire that is so strong in Yaeko Nishimiya that it can even create a 'palace' in the Reverse Side?"

"It's... the desire to protect her daughter, Shoko Nishimiya."

"Congratulations."

Yexing clapped his hands twice in a demonstrative manner, and said with a smile.

"Congratulations, Investigator Yukino Yukinoshita, your first mission is perfectly completed."

Yukinoshita Yukino couldn't help but be stunned when she heard this.

"Eh, is it completed already? Isn't there still the desire representing the origin of the 'palace'...?"

Yexing interrupted Yukinoshita Yukino, chuckled, and asked.

“After finding the origin of desire, what do you plan to do? Let me eat it? If that happens, Shoko Nishimiya's mother, Yaeko Nishimiya, will die.”

“This…”

Yukino Yukinoshita wore a serious expression as she pondered, murmuring.

“If… people's desires are too strong and distorted, and they create a ‘Palace,’ then besides directly devouring it along with the person's life and the origin of desire, there must be other ways. As long as we correct this desire… the ‘Palace’ should disappear…”

Saying this, Yukino Yukinoshita looked at Yusei.

“Am I right?”

“How would I know if you’re right?”

Yusei shrugged, replying nonchalantly.

“This is also the first time we've encountered this kind of ‘Palace’ that hasn't fully formed and can't directly interfere with corresponding locations in the real world. Whether it's based on our principles of action or to gather more information, the method of correcting desires that you proposed is worth trying.”

Hearing these words, Yukino Yukinoshita rarely showed a hint of a smile, and softly said.

“As expected, although you seem to have violent tendencies, when you encounter this kind of situation, you always choose a solution that, although troublesome, won't harm anyone… Your personality is really gentle.”

“Maybe.”

Yusei directly sat on the floor by the bed, leaning against the edge of the bed, noncommittally.

“It's just that if there's a chance to achieve a perfect solution, then naturally a perfect solution is best. Besides, Yaeko Nishimiya hasn't done anything bad. She just has an overly strong desire to protect her daughter, which is why this ‘Palace’ was created. She hasn't done anything bad. Since there's hope of saving someone like that, then let's save her.”

Hearing these words, Yukino Yukinoshita's gaze toward Yusei softened a lot. She glanced around the room and said softly.

“But I originally thought that there would be some scenes in Yaeko Nishimiya's ‘Palace’ that symbolize the economic pressure in reality. But unexpectedly, other than Shoko Nishimiya, who is protected by the cocoon, the rest of the room looks almost the same. More important than economic pressure, as a mother, is protecting her daughter…”

“Like your mother, isn’t it?”

“Eh?”

Hearing this, Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but be taken aback, then she showed a slight smile and said.

“Yes, like my mother.”

“That's why…”

Yusei said with a smile.

“I'll leave the task of resolving Yaeko Nishimiya's inner knot to you and Haruno.”

Before Yukino Yukinoshita could reply, a figure crawled out from under the bed.

“Alright, leave it to me and Yukino!”

Looking at her sister who suddenly appeared, Yukino Yukinoshita was speechless. After a long while, she said with a complicated expression.

“Why… why were you hiding under the bed?”

Haruno Yukinoshita looked like she was disappointed in her younger sister, and sighed.

“Isn't this giving you young people a chance to be alone?”

“Then… wouldn't it have been better if you just hadn't come along in the first place?”

“If I hadn't come along, how would I know how you two usually chat when you're alone? Can't I be curious?”

“Okay…”

Yukino Yukinoshita was speechless.

After getting to know Yusei, Haruno did seem much happier than before.

The problem is… her already somewhat shocking and never-ending mischievous personality… seems to have undergone a strange evolution after combining with Yusei's abstraction.

Yukino Yukinoshita wondered if one day she would also be infected by abstraction?

Too scary.

…

The next day, in a café in the shopping district.

“Hello, Ms. Nishimiya.”

Haruno Yukinoshita stood up and proactively extended her hand towards Yaeko Nishimiya, who was walking towards her, with a perfect polite smile on her face.

“I am Haruno Yukinoshita, Yukino Yukinoshita's older sister.”

Yaeko Nishimiya extended her hand and lightly shook Haruno's hand, then took the business card that the other party handed over, but didn't look at it closely, and directly put it away.

After sitting down, she didn't pick up the coffee cup placed in front of her, and there was no hint of a smile on her face. She just mechanically and somewhat numbly said.

“Ms. Yukinoshita, may I ask what you need me for? I still have work matters to deal with later, so please be brief.”

Haruno Yukinoshita didn't mind the other party's attitude. After all, she knew that this Ms. Yaeko Nishimiya had to independently support two daughters and an elderly mother, not to mention tuition fees, book fees, Shoko Nishimiya's hearing aid costs, and hospital check-up fees.

All of these burdens were pressing down on the other party's shoulders alone.

Under these circumstances, Yaeko Nishimiya's strongest desire was actually not related to money at all, but to protect her daughter, Shoko Nishimiya.

To be honest, Haruno admired this tenacious single mother very much. Even without the Super-Limited Society's request, as long as she knew about such a thing, she would definitely not choose to stand idly by.

“Ms. Nishimiya, it's like this.”

Haruno Yukinoshita picked up the coffee cup and took a sip. Taking advantage of this action, she also glanced at the other party out of the corner of her eye.

Yaeko Nishimiya's clothes were very plain. Although the clothes were neat and clean, judging from the slightly white cuffs, they were obviously old clothes bought many years ago.

Her features were very well-defined. It could be seen that Shoko Nishimiya and Yuzuru Nishimiya's appearances were inherited from their mother's beautiful appearance. The other party must have been a beauty when she was young, but because she was exhausted and burdened too much, her complexion appeared somewhat pale, and wrinkles had appeared at the corners of her eyes.

After putting down the coffee cup, Haruno Yukinoshita smiled and said.

“Our Yukinoshita Construction Company is now gradually shifting the focus of its business from Chiba to Kyoto. And now, our company has a vacant position. Although the difficulty is not high, because it involves a lot of confidential information, we need a trustworthy, mature, and steady person to be responsible for it. I hope you can take on this position.”

“Hmm?”