It was already past nine o'clock. After getting up and washing up, Lin Ze quickly ate a few bites of breakfast before answering the phone.
“Lin Ze? This is Hikari Kinuko.”
“It's me, Ms. Kinuko. Did you return?”
“Yes, come find me. I'll be waiting for you here. We'll discuss everything else when you arrive.”
Kinuko told Lin Ze the location: a shrine. He called Tsukino, “Captain Tsukino, please pick me up. Ms. Kinuko has returned.”
Lin Ze carefully placed the broken artifact into a bag. He hesitated for a moment but still decided to bring Kayako's old lunch box. When he heard the sound of a bicycle horn outside, he stepped out.
“Morning. What are you carrying?” Tsukino greeted Lin Ze, noticing the clinking sounds from the bag.
“Uh… an artifact.”
“? The one from the day before yesterday? What happened? Why is it broken?” Tsukino was shocked and turned around completely.
“It’s fine. The Flower Spirit was subdued, but the artifact was destroyed.” Lin Ze didn't want to elaborate further. He'd discuss it with Kinuko later.
After giving Tsukino the address, Tsukino clicked his tongue, “That place? That's the biggest shrine in Tokyo. Their status is definitely extraordinary.”
Lin Ze looked out the window, of course it was extraordinary. It was Hikari Kinuko.
The massive shrine was devoid of any tourists. “Please follow me,” a man in a black suit led them inside. “Is the shrine closed today?”
“Yes, this is Ms. Kinuko’s order. Also, Mr. Tsukino, please sign a confidentiality agreement with me later.”
Hearing this, Lin Ze realized this was official personnel.
They were escorted to a secluded area not open to the public, finally stopping in front of a room. “Please come in. Ms. Kinuko is waiting for you inside.”
They pushed open the door to find two women seated opposite each other. One was Hikari Mako, her makeup was more formal compared to the day before, but her face was filled with helplessness. She insisted on coming, but her sister said she had to follow her instructions if she wanted to go.
The other wore a white shrine maiden’s robe, her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, and a jagged scar ran through her left eye, adding to her already strong and capable aura. She exuded an air of a strong, capable woman.
“Hello, Ms. Kinuko.”
Kinuko gestured for Lin Ze and Tsukino to sit down. “You don't need to be so formal. I've heard Mako's description of you, Lin Ze. You're two years younger than Mako. Just call me Kinuko-san. Please be at ease, I'm not that strict.” Mako pursed her lips at these words.
Kinuko prioritized efficiency, like her sister. Both of them disliked formalities.
“Okay, Kinuko-san.” Lin Ze didn't mind, of course. He wanted to build a good relationship with Kinuko, as it would make things easier later on. He casually sat cross-legged, kneeling was too uncomfortable.
“First, let's talk about the Flower Spirit. That's your main concern, right?”
Lin Ze shook his head and placed the bag on the table. “The day after yesterday, after I went home, the Flower Spirit came to me. Then I subdued it.” Lin Ze took out the fragments and the lunch box from the bag. “Last time, the Dragon Priestess saw this lunch box and asked me where it came from, so I brought it along too.”
Looking at the lunch box, Kinuko’s brows furrowed. “Mako! Take Tsukino-san outside! Inform everyone in the surrounding area to withdraw. All shrine priests stand by!”
Mako was reluctant, but seeing her sister's unyielding demeanor, she obediently left with the bewildered Tsukino. Her strength was no match for her sister's. Her spiritual power was self-cultivated, and she was always chasing after her sister's footsteps, but she didn't understand the gap that existed between them was like heaven and earth.
Mako couldn't sense the aura emanating from this object, or to be more precise, weaker mediums couldn't sense it, but Kinuko could! Mako was her only weakness, so she had to make her leave!
What was this? Kinuko felt a sense of unease just from the faint aura clinging to it.
“Lin Ze, you said the Flower Spirit was subdued?” She shifted her gaze back to Lin Ze.
“Yes… it was… sealed away by something on me. Sorry, I can’t tell you its name. Last time, the Dragon Priestess vomited blood after I mentioned it.” Lin Ze refrained from revealing the name of the curse. He was afraid it would cause another commotion.
“Is that so… It’s fine. Tell me, let me see what it is. Otherwise, I can’t help you.” The lunch box wasn’t enough for her to investigate the root cause, so further observation was necessary!
“Alright, but please be prepared. I know how terrifying it is.” Lin Ze took a deep breath and uttered two words, “Curse of Grudge.”
If an ordinary person were here, they wouldn’t see anything, but it was different in Kinuko's eyes. Lin Ze's body was enveloped by numerous strands of black hair. Each writhing strand radiated intense unease and ill omen. The eerie darkness clung to Lin Ze’s body like pitch.
Lin Ze was relieved when Kinuko didn’t vomit blood. Just three seconds later, the abnormalities on Lin Ze’s body disappeared in her eyes, returning to normal. Her heart sank. She couldn’t discern the source of that thing! It was unlike any ghost, spirit, or monster she had encountered before. The only familiar feeling it gave her was that of a curse!
Curse of Grudge! Was that its name? Kinuko took a deep breath and then asked, “The thing on you seems like a curse. It’s deeply ingrained in your body. Have you encountered any specific people or events? For example, have you come across any strange objects?”
Lin Ze thought about it. Hikari Kinuko was definitely righteous. Her entire life was dedicated to protecting humans. After some deliberation, he spoke, “I had a dream, a tragic girl, and a terrifying presence. Her name was Kawauchi Kayako. She was my classmate. Her… childhood was miserable, and she liked me very much. In the dream, we didn’t interact or get together. She married someone else, but she was wrongly accused and misunderstood. Then her husband killed her. After her death, she became a vengeful spirit, that presence.”
Kinuko handed him a glass of water. Lin Ze took a sip and continued, “That thing is terrifying! Let me put it this way: it can travel from the future to the past! Anyone who comes into contact with it, without exception, dies a horrible death. There’s no way to solve it!”
Kinuko’s expression was grim now. She had vanquished countless evil spirits, but never a vengeful spirit that could transcend time. “Did you see in your dream how the curse spreads?” Kinuko suddenly grabbed Lin Ze’s shoulder, her entire being radiating urgency.
This touch made her heart sink again. She felt as if Lin Ze’s body had been branded. This would bind him to it forever! She had to find a way to sever the connection!
“In the dream, only those who enter the house where she died would be cursed, but the curse follows her to the outside world, but it doesn’t spread to others.” Lin Ze knew what she was worried about.
Hearing this, Kinuko was slightly relieved. If the curse could easily spread from person to person, it would be too terrifying… It would be a disaster for the world!