This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 187 - 170. "The Lost Imperial River

Chapter 187: Chapter 170. "The Lost Imperial River

"So it’s not really something to panic about," Beichuan Si said as he took a sip of tea, continuing, "Magong, your heightened spiritual sensitivity could also be beneficial for attracting fortune and avoiding disaster."

"Is that really so, Beichuan?" Magong Tong was still somewhat uneasy.

To this, Beichuan Si simply nodded, "If Magong doesn’t believe me, then there’s no point in continuing this discussion."

"No, no! I believe you, Beichuan!" Magong Tong clasped her hands tightly, then forcefully nodded, "I’ll work hard to adapt to this lifestyle. Thank you so much for being willing to discuss this with me."

Indeed, even if Beichuan Si wanted to help, he was powerless to do anything about this matter.

As a way to eliminate the lingering effects of her spiritual ordeal, Magong Tong had to confront this world that was both familiar and unfamiliar to her.

After thanking him several times, Magong Tong left.

In the spacious living room, only Beichuan Si, Shinkai Mirai—and Nishijou Kurenai, who had suddenly leaped up to hang onto Shinkai Mirai’s neck—remained.

It was unclear what Shinkai Mirai had fed Kelian, but now the little one was clinging to both Beichuan Si and Shinkai Mirai.

But Beichuan Si didn’t mind. He sat down and began to ponder the "Four-Person Hide-and-Seek Game" that Qianye Yuki had mentioned.

This "Four-Person Hide-and-Seek Game" sounded similar to the ritual game of Four Corners, but it was different.

Firstly, the Four-Person Hide-and-Seek was played in an open space, while the Four Corners game took place in a cramped, closed space, where the constant tapping on shoulders and coughing heightened the claustrophobic fear.

Secondly, the ritualistic nature of the Four-Person Hide-and-Seek was stronger than that of the Four Corners.

Imagine it like this.

Under a dark, oppressive night sky, a group of students—faces pale in the lights of their cell phones—mutter some sort of death-invoking spell and, after completing the soul-summoning ritual, hide within the school...

Layers upon layers of fear, like a coffin, in an abandoned school.

In the darkness, an unknown entity with numerous hands writhes, dragging each hidden schoolmate into the abyss—

Looking back, who’s behind you?

Turning around, who’s in front of you?

Although this thought gives off a Japanese ghost story vibe, it has one fatal flaw—

Beichuan Si thought to himself.

If there really were a vengeful spirit, someone would at least scream or make some noise, right?

And hearing that horrific wail, the remaining survivors should realize something was wrong and start running.

It’s worth noting that the stage for the Four-Person Hide-and-Seek Game was set near the old campus from the start.

Even if the survivors couldn’t escape, their desperate screams before death would surely attract nearby campus security.

But not everything could be conclusively determined.

Beichuan Si remembered very clearly the bloody space he was pulled into by the vengeful spirit of the Sanmu Doll Abandoned Factory owner.

If this ghost story was like the one at the Sanmu Doll Abandoned Factory...

Beichuan Si rubbed his temples.

Truthfully, the special bloody space in the Sanmu Doll Abandoned Factory wasn’t somewhere Beichuan Si couldn’t forcefully leave; every time he used his death Qi, he could feel the surrounding space tremble, showing a highly unstable state.

There was still too little information, and not much could be deduced.

Beichuan Si gave up for the time being. As his thoughts receded like the tide, he looked up and saw—

Shinkai Mirai’s face.

That face, written all over with ’I’m curious,’ was leaning closer.

Without saying a word, Beichuan Si raised his hand and pushed the face away.

Shinkai Mirai, looking surprised by her face being pushed, took a while to recover and then, somewhat reluctantly, said:

"Mr. Temple, how could you treat me like that!"

"You came up without saying anything; it’s mild that I didn’t instinctively hit you."

Beichuan Si glanced sideways at Shinkai Mirai.

Had Beichuan Si not retracted his defensive counterattack in time, Shinkai Mirai would probably be lying on the ground by now.

"Is that so?" Shinkai Mirai tilted her head in thought, realizing that what Beichuan Si said made some sense, and nodded, "Then I indeed owe you an apology, Mr. Temple."

Beichuan Si wasn’t bothered by her quirky logic and simply asked back, "Never mind that, what do you want?"

Shinkai Mirai sat back down, her clear eyes fixated on Beichuan Si as if in thought.

After a while, her voice, reflective, broke the silence:

"I initially wanted to ask Mr. Temple about the Sanmu Doll Abandoned Factory incident, but seeing Mr. Temple so engrossed in his thoughts, I became more curious about what Mr. Temple was just thinking."

Telling Shinkai Mirai wouldn’t be a bad idea, considering she had previously helped him get the Sanmu Puppet Factory information quite thoroughly. This time, she might also provide some insight.

With that thought, Beichuan Si didn’t hold back and repeated what Qianye Yuki had told him to Shinkai Mirai.

"The Four-Person Hide-and-Seek Game...?"

After listening, Shinkai Mirai gave Beichuan Si a peculiar look.

"Have you heard of it?"

Beichuan Si, noticing her odd expression, asked.

It was no surprise; Shinkai Mirai was, after all, a young girl extremely enthusiastic about ghost stories. It wasn’t strange that she had heard of the Four-Person Hide-and-Seek Game.

"It’s not a matter of having heard of it or not... Mr. Temple, I’ve actually witnessed people playing this game before, and it wasn’t that long ago... Probably shortly after I started high school."

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