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"Araya Souren, destroying this body of yours will serve as the interest I'm collecting. However, I'm not an unreasonable person. I still highly approve of your ideals and ambitions. So, after we settle this account, I will give you information you cannot refuse." Wang Chong lowered his voice, speaking in a whisper that only Araya Souren could hear, "There's more than just her in this world who connects to the Root."
Araya Souren's pupils constricted slightly, then he felt a sharp pain in his heart, and his consciousness plunged into darkness, beginning to transfer to a backup body. Wang Chong crushed the heart of that shell and casually tossed it onto the ground, not even glancing at the terrified Alba nearby. He turned around just in time to see Shiki Ryougi's slightly pale face.
At this moment, Aozaki Touko also came to Shiki Ryougi's side, gave Wang Chong a sidelong glance, and said, "You told me not to smoke in front of children, fearing it would affect their health. But you, on the other hand, kill people right in front of a child."
"Don't underestimate me, I'm fine..." A stubborn yet somewhat forced voice came, precisely from Shiki Ryougi. It could only be said that children born into the Ryougi family had seen quite a lot of such bloody things. However, Shiki Ryougi had not yet personally killed anyone.
"They have to learn this feeling eventually. After all, the hidden world is a place that devours people whole. They can choose not to kill, but they cannot fear killing because of it, especially those killings directed at themselves." Wang Chong said, pointing back with his hand at the terrified, frantically fleeing red-robed magician, "Otherwise, with his glaring flaws and Ugly, if the enemy didn't have the intention, he would have died a hundred times over."
"Then you just let him go? Aren't you afraid he'll cause trouble later?" Aozaki Touko said.
"You wouldn't think that just because he got hit by my blade, it's as simple as losing a kidney, would you?"
"Hmph, as expected of you." Aozaki Touko looked at Alba, who had already disappeared into the apartment, shook her head, and said, "Speaking of which, that guy had quite a few conflicts with me during his time at the Clock Tower."
"Hmm, it's more than just a few conflicts. In fact, this guy came to this small place to help Araya Souren, not out of respect or friendship for Araya Souren, but for you, Miss Aozaki. Before you arrived, in my conversation with him, he had quite a lot of complaints and hatred towards you, Miss Aozaki, seemingly since his academy days. He came to help Araya also because he wanted your life, Aozaki Touko."
This was a lie. Alba had only spoken three sentences to Wang Chong in total. But when Wang Chong was fighting Alba, Aozaki Touko wasn't present, so he could say whatever he wanted and pin as many black pots as he pleased. Anyway, a broken-spined dog, no one would care.
"Oh? My life? Hehe, that really makes me look forward to it." Subsequently, Aozaki Touko smiled indifferently, not caring in the slightest.
"You seem quite happy?"
"Even I'm not confident I can kill myself. Sometimes I can't even figure out my own connection to 'Aozaki Touko'. To be honest, Alba's hatred, which started in his academy days, isn't bad. Because at least it's proof of my existence as Aozaki Touko." Aozaki Touko said.
"Alright, but anyway, that guy doesn't have many days left. This can be considered his own fault." Wang Chong shrugged. If he remembered correctly, in the original plot, Alba even called Aozaki Touko by her taboo nickname, and was then devoured alive by the mysterious demon released from Aozaki Touko's sealed box. Now, however, he had died by Wang Chong's hand.
"Da da..." At this moment, the apartment door opened again, and Araya Souren, who had just died by Wang Chong's hand, reappeared and walked in front of the two. Aozaki Touko's eyes narrowed slightly, but she wasn't particularly surprised, as all three of them had considerable achievements in this field, so it wasn't hard to understand the other party's resurrection. After all, Aozaki Touko herself was like that.
However, what Aozaki Touko cared more about was that Araya Souren still had the guts to come out again and stand in front of the two magicians. Could it be that to get this child, Araya Souren had lost his mind?
"Don't be nervous, Miss Aozaki, you take Shiki Ryougi back first. Next, I have some private matters to discuss thoroughly with him. It won't take too much effort." Wang Chong said, his back to Aozaki Touko.
"It seems my invitation has expired. Alright, Mr. Wang Chong, I suggest you hurry up. This isn't a daycare here." With that, Aozaki Touko took Shiki Ryougi and moved away from the area. And Araya Souren watched Shiki Ryougi gradually walk away, subconsciously taking another step in that direction, but as soon as he stepped out, a man blocked the receding figure of Shiki Ryougi.
Araya Souren's heart was immediately filled with a hint of bitterness. He did not fear death; if one hears the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening. He once held a strong ideal of "saving all living beings." He traveled to various places to help people, traversing the entire country to save lives. But after constantly witnessing the massacres and destruction brought by war, realizing the fact that he could never save everyone, he also began to question whether humanity was worth saving due to the various evils he saw.
Ultimately, he chose to compromise. After the desperate thought, "For me, no one can be saved," he believed that if he couldn't save people, he should at least clearly record their deaths. Thus, he collected deaths, interpreted the origin of humanity, and sought the Root, hoping to clarify the value of humanity or end the ugly suffering of humans.
For someone like him, the threat of death was utterly insignificant in his eyes. What truly made him feel powerless was that his dream was within reach, yet he was powerless to touch it. The man standing in front of him was too strong... If he hadn't heard from the other party that there was hope of other Root-connectors, then for Araya Souren, the only choice would have been to sacrifice himself like a moth flying into a flame.
"Mr. Wang Chong, are there really other existences connected to the Root in this world?" The appearance of a Root-connector like Shiki Ryougi was already a miracle among miracles. Such a miracle occurring more than once made Araya Souren wonder if this miracle was too cheap.
"It's true, you know. After all, I, too, once searched for Root-connectors everywhere, just like you. However, unlike your approach, I hoped to become their teacher. As for your methods, I won't comment much." Wang Chong shrugged, "Before meeting Shiki Ryougi, I had actually already met a Root-connector, but unfortunately, she didn't wish to become my disciple. And I wasn't capable of teaching her."
"I see. Then what price do you require me to pay to tell me her whereabouts?" Araya Souren said in a deep voice.
"You're a smart man. Pursuing the Root is your lifelong quest, isn't it?"
Araya Souren nodded upon hearing this.
"Previously, the Ryougi family head, their family's long-cherished wish was to possess an omniscient and omnipotent being. And I promised them. The price they paid for this was—everything." Wang Chong said indifferently.
"I understand..." Araya Souren understood the implication.
And so, Araya Souren's lifelong research and learning, collected magical materials, and his own magical knowledge and skills... basically everything except the clothes on his back, were all handed over to Wang Chong.
"Very good, Araya Souren. However, with just these things, I can only give you a general city location. Whether you can find her in the vast sea of people will depend on your own abilities." Wang Chong said with a smile after storing all the wealth he obtained from Araya Souren into his system space.
"A city location... that's enough." Araya Souren said slowly.
"The location is actually quite close, right in the center of this country—Tokyo."
"Tokyo? Can you tell me her name?" Araya Souren asked.
"Buddha says, it cannot be said."
"..."
Wang Chong's single sentence silenced Araya Souren, who was once a Buddhist.
"To put it plainly, although you gave me all your possessions, what you handed over is far inferior to what the Ryougi family gave. You can only get this level of information. The Ryougi family directly gave me a precious disciple, and she's even connected to the Root. If you could give me something of that level, let alone her name, I'd personally take you to her doorstep, guaranteed service." Wang Chong spread his hands, adhering to the principle of 'you get what you pay for.'
What the hell do you mean, 'give you something of the same level'? If I had a Root-connector, would I still need you to take me? Wang Chong's words almost made Araya Souren, who was usually as calm as a still well, lose his composure.
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