After saying these words, Hina Amano only then realised how easily Ye Xing could misunderstand her words. She hurriedly waved her hands to explain:
"No... when I said I'm not resistant, I didn't mean I want to do that with you... I meant I wouldn't mind doing that with you... no... I don't know how to say it..."
"I understand what you mean."
Ye Xing nodded deeply in agreement, his tone light and carrying laughter:
"Everyone in the Supernatural Society is my important family. Besides, it's just acting to save the world, so don't feel burdened by it."
Hearing Ye Xing's rare words of comfort, Hina Amano's eyes shone with emotion. Just as she was about to say something, she saw him pat her shoulder with a deeply meaningful expression and speak slowly.
"My appearance is so outstanding, it's only natural you'd have improper thoughts about me. Quite understandable, really."
Hina Amano: "..."
"You're truly narcissistic..."
Ye Xing replied with a laugh.
"I don't have many virtues, but my main quality is honesty. My appearance being outstanding is just like how you, Amano-san, are very cute - it's simply a fact."
"Eh...?"
Faced with this sudden direct compliment amidst Ye Xing's narcissistic remarks, Hina Amano was momentarily stunned, then her face flushed slightly as she murmured quietly.
"I'm... cute?"
She cautiously stole a glance at Ye Xing's face, not quite understanding why she felt somewhat defiant inside, and muttered under her breath.
"You have Mai-senpai, Yukinoshita-san, Kitagawa-san... so many beautiful girls around you... and you still think I'm cute? I don't believe that."
"That makes no logical sense at all."
"How doesn't it make sense?"
"Mai, Yukino, Kitagawa-san, including all the members of the Supernatural Society - no matter how beautiful they are, it doesn't conflict with me thinking you're cute."
Hina Amano's lips parted slightly as she prepared to retort, but upon careful consideration...
It actually did make sense?
No matter how attractive the other members were, it didn't negate Ye Xing's compliment about her appearance.
But... cute?
This word made Hina Amano feel rather unsettled. After several seconds of silence, she couldn't help but ask.
"Then... do you like the cute type?"
"Tsk, the way you say that shows you still don't understand me."
Ye Xing began his speech with righteous seriousness.
"As the Harem God, I don't have any particular preference for just one type. As long as they're good-looking, I like them all."
Hearing this blatant harem declaration, Hina Amano didn't know whether to feel happy that Ye Xing would like her type or exasperated by this guy's absurdity and promiscuity.
She could only sigh helplessly and offer the same evaluation many girls who deeply understood Ye Xing's character - including Rio Futaba, Miko Yotsuya, Mai Sakurajima, and others - had given before.
"Typical you."
Ye Xing glanced down at his and Hina Amano's joined hands, then looked out the window again.
The summer night was extremely quiet, with only a slightly cool breeze blowing through the window cracks.
"It seems just doing this much isn't quite enough yet."
Hina Amano realised this, too.
Just holding hands probably wouldn't make the evil god hiding behind the scenes feel the risk of its chosen sacrifice being taken away.
Which meant...
They needed to continue.
To do something... more intimate.
"Um..."
Hina Amano took a deep breath, gathering all her courage.
"Let me do it."
Ye Xing had come to Itomori Town for her sake, even going so far as to oppose a deity.
Since he had already gone to such lengths for her, how could she remain timid and hesitant, held back by her own shyness and nervousness?
Hina Amano took another deep breath, determination shining in her eyes as she rose on her toes. Slowly closing her eyes, her delicate lips trembled slightly before gently pressing a kiss against Ye Xing's cheek.
After the brief contact lasting less than two seconds, Hina Amano blushed crimson and withdrew her lips, asking cautiously.
"How was that? Did it work?"
To her surprise, when she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Ye Xing's utterly unimpressed expression.
"Seriously... you needed that much preparation just for a cheek kiss? You got me all worked up thinking something major was happening, and it's just a peck on the cheek."
Hina Amano felt somewhat embarrassed and asked carefully.
"So... that's not enough?"
"Do you think that evil god is an idiot? It's existed for hundreds of years. If it came rushing out just because of a cheek kiss, that would be ridiculous."
"That... that's true..."
Hina Amano responded, then lowered her head slightly, not wanting Ye Xing to see her flushed face. She whispered in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
"Then... then... should we... kiss properly?"
"Kissing..."
Ye Xing nodded noncommittally and smiled.
"Though the part I wanted you to kiss wasn't actually the lips, but there's no harm in trying everything one by one."
Hina Amano looked confused upon hearing this.
Kissing... can only be done on cheeks or lips, right?
What other places could there be to kiss?
The back of the hand?
Wouldn't that be even less intimate than kissing the cheek, making it even less likely to lure out the evil god hiding in the shadows?
Hina Amano didn't understand.
She just nodded obediently, but before rising on her toes, she seemed to remember something. Pretending to be casual, she deliberately emphasised.
"That... this is my first time... kissing."
Ye Xing nodded sincerely.
"Me too."
"Re... really?"
Though Hina Amano found it hard to believe that Ye Xing still had his first kiss.
But at this moment, she preferred to believe that he, like her, was experiencing such intimate behaviour for the first time.
To save the world, eliminate the evil god, and restore Japan's weather to normal, Hina Amano and Ye Xing's lips slowly met.
At first, it was just a tentative touch.
But after a few seconds, when Hina Amano slightly parted her lips to catch her breath, she encountered a surprisingly skilled invasion.
Her tightly closed eyes flew open, revealing disbelief, and her hands pushed lightly against Ye Xing's chest.
However, after another seven or eight seconds, Hina Amano's gaze became dazed, a mist forming in her eyes, and even her pale neck flushed with a delicate pink hue.
Her originally gentle pushing hands had unconsciously shifted to holding Ye Xing's back, and she occasionally emitted soft gasps.
"Mmm..."
As they kissed, Hina Amano realised her body had, without her noticing, ended up lying on the soft floor bedding.
After a long, deep kiss, their lips finally parted.
"Hah... hah..."
Whether it was because the kiss lasted too long or because it was her first kiss filled with nervousness and shyness, Hina Amano's face was flushed, and her breathing had become noticeably heavier.
She looked at Ye Xing, who was supporting himself on the bed with both hands, gazing down at her from a dominant position, not daring to meet his eyes directly. She could only turn her cheek aside, purse her lips, and whisper softly.
"You... since it's your first time kissing... why... why are you so skilled..."
Ye Xing's reply was as abstract as ever.
"Because I like eating peanut butter cups, the kind you don't need a spoon for."
"Peanut butter cups... what are those?"
"You don't need to know. Anyway, I'm treating you like a peanut butter cup now."
As his words fell, before Hina Amano could continue questioning, Ye Xing launched another offensive.
Lying in this position on the floor bedding, their bodies were practically pressed tightly together.
Hina Amano's arms wrapped around Ye Xing's neck, while a strange sensation she had never experienced before arose within her body - something peculiar, as if anticipating something, making her legs unconsciously press together and rub.
Snap.
Hearing this crisp sound, then feeling the sudden relief from a certain part of her chest, Hina Amano froze momentarily before immediately realising what had happened.
"No... don't..."
Hina Amano wanted to say these words, but because they were kissing, only soft, cooing-like moans escaped.
And Kyoto's strongest exorcist, the greatest Harem God in history, veteran eroge shooter Ye Xing, knew one principle well.
The current situation was somewhat similar to exorcism.
In battle, you must use every weapon at your disposal to gain an overwhelming advantage before your opponent can react.
Hina Amano, who had fallen into disadvantage, only realised when one of her two weaknesses was assaulted that somehow, the other party had already breached her clothing's defences, executing a direct strike at the enemy general.
Before she could react, she felt Ye Xing's other hand choose to take drastic measures.
Even...
Directly reaching inside, making direct contact.
"Mmm..."
Outside the window, the previously calm sky suddenly began shedding fine, dense raindrops.
Hina Amano's body squirmed slightly, as if trying to break free, yet also seeming to respond.
She had already abandoned all defences, utterly devoid of any power to resist, with only the crying-like moans from her harmonising with the sound of rain falling on the ground.
"No... I can't, I'm going to..."
Hina Amano's body trembled, her entire form tensing up. After two or three seconds, she went completely limp, the light fading from her eyes as she lay with parted lips, panting.
Boom!
As Hina Amano experienced her first climax, a blinding flash of lightning suddenly lit up outside the window, immediately followed by the rain intensifying dramatically, and the sound of rainwater relentlessly pounding the ground.
"Finally couldn't hold back anymore?"
Ye Xing stood up from the bedding, casually withdrawing his hand as well.
He looked at the torrential rain outside, a slight smile appearing on his face, his eyes also carrying amusement as he murmured softly.
"Heh, getting impatient already? Your composure isn't great."
If the evil god who controlled the weather heard this, it would probably be fuming with rage.
Composure?
If they'd waited another two or three minutes, the main event would have probably started!?
Waiting another half hour, and not only would the main event be over, but Hina Amano would probably have eaten her fill!?
If they waited half a day, wouldn't everything already be developed?
They really couldn't wait any longer.
"Come out."
As soon as Ye Xing spoke these two words, two ghost hands - one pitch black and one pale - instantly appeared, circling within the room.
"Stay here."
The pale ghost hand nodded with its middle finger, making a gesture similar to a human nodding in agreement.
Hina Amano, with dishevelled hair and having just expended considerable energy, saw Ye Xing heading towards the door. Forcing her exhausted body to sit up, her brow furrowed with concern as she asked anxiously.
"You... where are you going?"
"Out, to engage the enemy."
Ye Xing responded, then walked over to Hina Amano, crouched down, and gently pinched her still-flushed cheek with a light chuckle.
"I'll be back soon. Shall we continue when I return?"
Hina Amano blushed crimson and retorted indignantly, "We've... we've already drawn out the enemy, what's there to continue... you fool..."
Ye Xing smiled nonchalantly without another word, simply leaving the room and heading out of the inn.
He wasn't particularly worried about Hina Amano's safety, nor that of the elderly woman in the inn.
The evil god had only one target: himself, for blocking its attempt to make Hina Amano a living sacrifice.
Therefore, as long as he left the inn and shifted the battlefield elsewhere, Hina Amano and the elderly woman were unlikely to be caught in the crossfire.
Leaving the black-and-white ghost hands behind was merely a precaution.
Amid the torrential rain that formed what seemed like a continuous water curtain, Ye Xing walked unhurriedly out of the inn's door and proceeded along the remote, deserted country road ahead.
The thunder in the sky and the blinding flashes of lightning grew increasingly frequent as he moved.
Boom!
By the time Ye Xing had walked nearly two hundred metres, the lightning flashing through the clouds had become so intense that it illuminated the late-night rural street as if it were daytime.
Plip... plop... plip...
Unlike the flashing lightning and deafening thunder, the rain inexplicably began to lighten, as if it were finally about to stop.
"So it's finally beginning..."
Faced with such bizarre phenomena, Ye Xing merely surveyed his surroundings illuminated by the lightning, his eyes gleaming with excitement and joy, like a long-starved diner finally about to taste a desired dish. His voice held no trace of fear, only pure anticipation.
"Come on!"
As if responding to his provocation, a clear cry suddenly echoed from within the clouds.
A massive whale formed of rainwater swam through the clouds, its eyes locking onto Ye Xing standing below. The colossal creature leapt down from hundreds of metres in the air—it couldn't be described as pouncing, but rather plummeting directly towards Ye Xing.
"Interesting."
Facing the enormous whale falling towards him, Ye Xing remained motionless, not even bothering to don his Mask attire.
BOOM!!!
The massive whale's body crashed onto the ground with a deafening roar.
Within the clouds, a mysterious gaze seemed to appear, peering down at the scene below.
The deity hidden in the shadows had revealed its intense hostility for the first time, along with a glimpse of its true form.
No mere human could possibly survive the impact of dozens of tons of rainwater forming the whale's body falling from hundreds of metres high.
This weather-controlling deity had always maintained a disdainful attitude.
Had that male human who called himself an exorcist not been staying close to its chosen living sacrifice, it could have launched such an attack much earlier.
It had merely been constrained by caution.
Now that the other party had foolishly moved away from its chosen sacrifice, coupled with its fury that its sacrifice's purity had nearly been defiled, this deity would no longer hold back in the slightest.
Just as they were thinking this, they clearly saw the scene on the ground through the exploding raindrops.
That human...
Was actually still standing there completely unharmed!?
Wait a moment...
What was that thing in his hand!?
"So this is it."
Ye Xing grasped a strand of golden spiritual power that kept twisting and struggling to escape his control and return to the clouds, speaking lightly with a chuckle.
"So you've integrated your spiritual power into the rain and clouds to achieve weather manipulation. Quite interesting."
After saying this, under the astonished and incredulous gaze of the deity hidden in the clouds, Ye Xing looked at the strand of golden spiritual power in his hand and murmured.
"Now then, let me taste your flavour."
Taste?
The weather-controlling deity was stunned.
Could "taste" possibly mean...
The next moment, the deity concealed within the clouds experienced pain unlike anything they had ever felt in their existence.
Boom!
As a weather-controlling deity, their cries or roars manifested as thunderous crashes.
That strand of golden spiritual power was part of their own being.
Though only a small portion, when it was consumed, their main body still felt extreme agony.
Just like all the evil spirits Ye Xing had devoured before.
This deity had witnessed Ye Xing devouring evil spirits while hiding in the shadows.
But with the pride of a god, they believed themselves entirely different from those lowly evil spirits.
Just because the other could devour evil spirits didn't mean they could devour a god.
Now this deity realised they had been terribly mistaken.
This guy was truly starving!
"Quite delicious indeed."
After devouring part of such a powerful being, Ye Xing first nodded in satisfaction, then looked up toward the clouds, his gaze seeming to penetrate hundreds of meters to collide with the hidden deity's watching eyes.
His amused words made the deity feel the most intense humiliation and rage since their birth.
"Let me think... after I catch you, should I deep-fry, steam, braise, or stir-fry you?"
"Too many cooking methods. For a premium ingredient like you, I need to consider carefully."