Chapter 130: Proceeding With Caution All the Way
A door, a scary dark sculpture of a demon.
Behind this door, there lies a dark and mysterious world. Countless flesh-eating monsters pour out from it.
The evil demons are born as wild beasts, only understanding killing and devouring.
They seemed to have no knowledge of being full, only desiring to slaughter all living beings and swallow them whole, satisfying their endless hunger.
This door, known as...
Bai Wei opened his eyes and glanced at the clock. It was 1:30 in the early morning. He had only slept for less than three hours before having a dream.
The stronger the spiritual power, the less likely one would dream. Most of the time, they would consolidate their knowledge and pass the time in dreams. That's because working efficiency in dreams is also high, and the subconscious memories are vivid and profound. It's commonly referred to as working overtime in dreams, typing in dreams, studying in dreams, and practicing in dreams...
Bai Wei didn't quite understand why he had dreamt of Rashomon. The impact of the past on him had not completely disappeared, but it didn't have any major negative effects on him. Other than making him feel a little melancholic, not even a single coin could take that away from him.
Assuming there was indeed an impact, he should have dreamt of Yukichiyo as a young girl, rather than dreaming of a pitch-black door.
"There's a problem..."
He was confused for a moment, feeling like he should do something to get rid of this confusion and uneasiness.
So, he rolled over.
Then, he continued sleeping.
He must have been asleep but somehow, he started feeling a bit heavy and had difficulty breathing. He also felt a slight icy sensation.
It felt like a little hand was gently touching his face.
Cold, wet, smooth and slippery...
Hmm?
Bai Wei suddenly opened his eyes and realized that this didn't seem to be a dream, but a real experience!
He opened his eyes, abruptly sat up, and grabbed onto something that was lying on him. He lifted himself up from the bed.
A pair of amber-colored eyes were close by, just inches away.
Right in front of him, there was a delicate little face with almond-shaped features.
She had long hair that was pure white in color, and her skin was also pure white. Her skin had a shimmering white glow... Because of the brightness, it was hard to see her clearly, but it was certain that she wasn't wearing any clothing.
A cold arm was still resting on Bai Wei's shoulder, and her head was so close, which made him think that the touch he felt before might have been...
Tongue.
Did she just lick me? Craving my body?
Bai Wei was about to speak when he suddenly saw her open her mouth, and a tongue appeared and quickly retracted back inside.
The tip of the tongue split apart, and it was flat, not like a human tongue.
She got really close, but she felt very cold, her whole body freezing, and filled with an eerie presence.
The enchanting atmosphere vanished in an instant, and Bai Wei frowned with caution. "Who are you?" he asked.
The girl didn't answer, but instead said, "If you don't wake up soon, you won't be able to catch up... You should know."
"Wake up?" Bai Wei wondered, thinking to himself, "Could it be that I haven't woken up yet?"
"Will you want me to help you?"
"What?"
In the next moment, the beautiful girl in front of him transformed into a massive white snake with a big body. It stuck out its tongue and abruptly opened its mouth, revealing sharp fangs. The sudden fright made the emperor's heart beat wildly, nearly causing him to throw a punch.
Bai Wei suddenly sat up and exclaimed, "Oh my goodness!" He looked around, making sure there was no beautiful snake on his bed.
Pressing against his racing heart, he suddenly realized how Xu Xian was frightened to death by Bai Niangzi back then. (Translator: this is an ancient story about a man named Xu Xian who married a woman named Bai Niangzi, but his wife was actually a snake demon.)
This? It was really scary! His heart and lungs almost stopped, you know!
Glancing at the clock, it was one-thirty in the early morning. So, was the recent situation just a dream within a dream?
"Why would you bother me like this, and what is it that you're trying to achieve? What's so urgent? And you're only telling me half of the story..."
Bai Wei, upon seeing the White Snake, immediately thought of the White Snake Shrine that he had imagined before.
The ones who can directly communicate through dreams must have a special connection, probably from the same snake, most likely.
Could it be that I played with snakes in a previous life?
It's not very likely. Who has that kind of ability? The time for snakes to mate is measured in days... It could be deadly.
As he entered the imaginary scene and approached the White Snake Shrine, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. Within the ancient shrine, there was a mirror placed for worship.
On the mirror, there was a line of ancient writing. The words were hard to understand, but that was alright. An exclamation mark had already appeared!
[Event: Mountain Conquest]
[In the distance, the elite of the shrine are embarking on a mission. However, they have no idea what kind of enemy they are facing, and they are already trapped, at any moment facing the possibility of being destroyed.]
[Show your spirit as an international friend and save the girls who are about to or have already fallen into a deadly trap. Rescuing pretty young ladies is something you excel at, isn't it?]
[Jingūji is in great danger, how can you bear to abandon her and disregard her?]
[Besides, many of the people who have appeared on this journey are actually your acquaintances.]
[A friend coming from a distant place, isn't it delightful?]
[Friendship Tip: When a 'friend' comes from afar, shouldn't we invite them to ride in a convertible car?]
Bai Wei, who was still looking relaxed, had a change in his expression. He only realized during the day that there must be something wrong with the sudden gathering of the shrine maidens, and now it was proving to be true.
Am I really like the person in the story who gets chased and hit by a falling meteor? Whatever I think about, it happens.
Thinking about Saki Jingūji quickly made her dismiss the idea of putting this exclamation mark aside.
After a long time, he let out a soft sigh and said, "Sooner or later, I will die from overwork."
Before leaving the shrine, he took a glance at the mirrored idol, and a series of questions popped into his mind.
"Why do you know about the incident on the mountain? And why did you come to remind me specifically? Who are you, after all?"
A line of ancient writing appeared on the mirror, and Bai Wei turned around and walked away.
I don't understand, so I'll take my leave.
On the mirror, there were only a few short words, which surely were not the answers he needed.
Guessing, perhaps they were words like 'Why don't you guess', 'let's talk later', 'next time for sure', and things like that.
...
Returning to reality, Bai Wei immediately changed his clothes and prepared to go out. He didn't need to bring any luggage, just his wallet and ID card. He arrived in the living room.
He didn't want to wake up Yagyū Simozi, so he planned to leave her a note. However, she happened to wake up in the middle of the night to have a sip of water. She saw Bai Wei looking serious, as if he was about to go out at night to fight evil, but unfortunately, he lacked the superpower of Batman - money.
"Brother, where are you going?"
"Kyoto."
"Now?" Yagyū Simozi nearly dropped her cup in surprise. "This is too sudden!"
"Right now," Bai Wei said earnestly, "after all, in life, there are always some spontaneous journeys to embark on."
"But now, there are no more trains to Kyoto."
"As long as I stay positive, there are always more solutions than obstacles... I can take a taxi or even rent a car," Bai Wei thought, considering hitching a ride on a freight train as well.
"Normal people don't go to work in the early hours, right? If we want to rent a car, we should do it during the daytime," Yagyū Simozi crossed her arms and then noticed Bai Wei's expression. She slowed down her speech and thought carefully, "But there might be a way... I'm sure there are people who would be happy and capable enough to get you a car right away."
"Who?" Bai Wei thought, fearing it might be a robbery.
"…Hokusinn," Yagyū Simozi whispered the name very softly.
"We are really unfamiliar, I can't bring myself to speak up," Bai Wei hesitated. This wealthy lady surely had the ability and connections to handle this matter, but... would it be appropriate?
"You shouldn't waste time hesitating if you're in a hurry," Yagyū Simozi said with increased determination. She immediately dialed the phone number.
Hokusinn Kichyō was woken up by a fuzzy phone call, before she could even complain.
Yagyū Simozi, who understood people very well, said just one sentence that made her instantly give up complaining.
"My brother needs you, come quickly!"
The kind lady arrived promptly, and she even gave away a limited edition motorcycle for free... as a loan. It was actually a cherished item from her elderly father's younger days.
During the night, someone quickly sent the motorcycle to Yagyū's doorstep.
Bai Wei knew very well that rich people can be heartless, but he was also surprised, "Didn't your father oppose it?"
"No, he didn't. My father even said," Hokusinn Kichyō replied with a clever double meaning, "I entrust my precious treasure to you."
"The news said a typhoon is coming, so be careful on your way," Yagyū Simozi waved goodbye.
Bai Wei thanked Hokusinn and hopped onto the vehicle. With the importance of speed in mind, he swiftly set off toward Kyoto. The weather was stormy, and the train might not be running tomorrow.
Hokusinn Kichyō thought to herself, "I can only stay here for the night." She quickly noticed the mixed expressions of joy, disappointment, and relief on Yagyū Simozi's face.
"What's wrong?"
Yagyū Simozi spoke with a gentle tone, her expression gradually becoming resolute and determined. "It seems like my brother won't be able to come back in a short time," she said. "That's probably for the best. With him by my side, I was afraid I would hesitate. Now, I can finally handle this personal matter with peace of mind."
