Chapter 478: Sincere Apology, Dare Again Next Time
Chapter 478: Sincere Apology, Dare Again Next Time
When the sharp fruit knife hovered near her chest, Sato Mai finally found the courage to push Uka Mirai away, scrambling backward in panic.
“Help!”
Her scream pierced through the apartment.
Lights flicked on as Qingxue rushed from the neighboring room. “What’s wrong?”
Sato Mai ducked behind Qingxue like a frightened rabbit, trembling fingers pointing toward Fang Cheng’s room.
Qingxue turned to see Uka Mirai emerging from the pitch-black doorway. The girl clutched a fruit knife, her eyes ink-dark and unblinking. She tilted her head slowly.
“One thief… two thieves…”
Qingxue’s lips tightened.
Not this again.
Months had passed since Uka Mirai’s last dark transformation. Drawing a steadying breath, Qingxue extended her palm. “Mirai. Give me the knife.”
Uka Mirai’s teeth gleamed in a sudden smile. “Okay!”
The blade whistled through air, aimed straight at Qingxue’s face. She jerked sideways just in time—the knife thunked into the wall behind her, vibrating faintly.
Qingxue’s breath caught. The light revealed Uka Mirai’s shadow writhing like caged beasts beneath her feet. Sato Mai whimpered, face blanched.
“Oops,” Uka Mirai giggled, though her hollow stare chilled their blood. “My hand slipped.”
“Mai.” Qingxue kept her voice low. “Alert the others.”
Sato Mai bolted toward Kanzaki Rin’s room. Everyone knew Rin was the real authority here, leader title notwithstanding.
Qingxue advanced slowly. “Mirai. Bedtime.”
“You’re not my maid anymore.” The words slithered out as Uka Mirai spun toward the front door, moving with Olympic sprinter’s speed—unnatural for the clumsy girl they knew.
Qingxue snatched a cup from a side table. Water arced through air, solidifying mid-flight into crystalline bonds around the fleeing girl’s limbs. Uka Mirai pitched forward, ice crackling across her crashing body.
Qingxue swiftly caught Uka Mirai from behind and carefully laid her on the ground.
Uka Mirai’s eyes remained shut with steady breathing, as if in deep slumber.
Staring at the sleeping face, Qingxue looked thoughtful.
“Big sister Rin!”
Sato Mai ran to Kanzaki Rin’s room and pounded the door fiercely, yet heard no reaction inside.
She used her secret key to open the door, only to find Kanzaki Rin absent.
Remembering Fang Cheng’s disappearance too, Mai nearly grimaced in frustration.
So this sneaky couple slipped out for nighttime dating!
Huffing angrily, she rushed to bang on Ye Yuqing’s door – determined to expose them through a red-handed catch.
“Emergency, Ye Yuqing! Get up now!”
After dozens of unanswered knocks, Mai unlocked the door with her key.
Ye Yuqing’s room stood empty too.
The vacant bedspread immediately sparked a vivid thought.
Holy hell – double dating? Wait… why would three people sneak out together?
Defeated, she went to find Takeda Masumi instead.
Qingxue settled the sleeping Uka Mirai on the sofa just as Mai returned alone.
“Mai? Where are they?”
“Gone.”
Mai wore utter bewilderment: “They all vanished.”
Qingxue’s brow furrowed, recalling how everyone had retreated to their rooms after dinner.
She doubted any danger, but suspected covert shady dealings with Fang Cheng.
After brief consideration, she retrieved her phone to call Fang Cheng.
Mai sat hugging her knees on the sofa, mind drifting.
“Outdoor adventures… group exercises… without me… nope, I’m not ready for that…”
……
The relentless beating continued mercilessly for over an hour.
Fang Cheng deliberately suppressed his healing ability instead of rapidly recovering.
His battered body soon became unrecognizable – a breathless human-shaped rag doll sprawled on the ground.
Only when their fists grew sore did Kanzaki Rin’s trio finally vent their heart’s anger.
Ye Yuqing kicked the motionless body. “Dead yet?”
Kanzaki Rin shook her head. “Not entirely.”
Nangong Saye cracked her knuckles. “Keep going?”
“Let’s rest before continuing.”
“Oh.”
Just as the three were gearing up to take a break, a cheerful ringtone suddenly rang out.
“Hope’s flower~ the bonds we share…”
Fang Cheng, who’d been lying motionless on the ground, abruptly sat up and fished out his phone.
His wounds rapidly healed until they vanished completely by the call’s end, leaving his face grim.
Ye Yuqing, having been fooled by Fang Cheng’s phone trick earlier, suspected another act.
But Kanzaki Rin recognized this was his serious-business expression: “What’s wrong?”
Fang Cheng rose: “Mirai’s in trouble. We’re heading back.”
Ye Yuqing finally grasped the urgency but still snorted. “Consider this a temporary reprieve. You’re not off the hook.”
Nangong Saye stayed quiet, though privately disappointed.
Had they not been interrupted, she and Fang Cheng might’ve… progressed further tonight.
The group rushed toward Mechanical City, encountering Takeda Masumi dawdling back.
She blinked. “Aren’t you supposed to meet Kamikawa Takumi?”
Fang Cheng felt three icy glares stab his back. “Lied. Family emergency. Move it.”
Takeda Masumi: “…”
Were she stronger, she’d have rubbed this bastard’s face in the dirt.
Back at the apartment, Qingxue and Sato Mai waited in the living room. The nine-tailed fox and Tsukikage Chuxia snored obliviously.
Sato Mai smirked at Fang Cheng’s four-girl entourage.
Nighttime outdoor activities? How edgy… no, how trashy.
Qingxue calmly reported Uka Mirai’s state. Though initially only she and Fang Cheng knew about the dark transformation, secrecy was now impossible.
Shock rippled through the group. Who’d have guessed their meek, bullied Mirai had yandere tendencies?
Qingxue added, “Her shadow behaves oddly – likely external influence.”
Fang Cheng checked Uka Mirai’s body. Normal heartbeat, temperature, blood flow – like ordinary sleep.
Yet she remained undisturbed by their noisy discussion. Unnatural.
He opted against waking her. “Qingxue, take her to her room. We’ll wait.”
Sato Mai tried lingering, but Qingxue dragged her off by the neck.
Four girls encircled Fang Cheng like a tribunal.
He collapsed onto the sofa. “Take my 100-pound carcass. Chop me up if you want.”
Their fury clashed with helplessness at his shamelessness.
“Think you’ll pull this again?”
Kanzaki Rin sneered and glanced at the other three. “From today, nobody lets him touch anything until he apologizes. Agree or disagree?”
Ye Yuqing surprisingly supported her. “Right! Should’ve done this earlier. I agree.”
With the two strongest members agreeing, the others had no choice but to unite against their common enemy.
Fang Cheng immediately sat up. “Sorry, I was wrong.”
“And next time?”
“Will do it again.”
“Get lost!”
The four stormed back to their rooms. Fang Cheng entered Uka Mirai’s room where she lay sleeping, guarded by Qingxue.
After rechecking her body and finding nothing wrong, Fang Cheng mentally asked, “Iyaya, was this your doing tonight?”
He believed his four-line control worked fine. Kanzaki Rin and Ye Yuqing colliding had to be Iyaya’s mischief. Uka Mirai’s dark transformation signs also only appeared after Iyaya’s influence.
“Silent treatment?” Fang Cheng snorted. “Then I’ll ask Tsukimi Narumi.”
Tsukimi Narumi now had Ye Yuqing as her proxy – far more responsive than Iyaya.
The threat worked. Qingxue suddenly embraced him, whispering in his ear, “You’re my proxy, yet threaten to consult other gods before me? Not afraid I’ll get angry?”
Fang Cheng snorted. “I’d switch proxies if I could. Was tonight your scheme?”
Disguised as Qingxue, Iyaya pushed him down and started undressing him. “Which part?”
Fang Cheng didn’t resist, still irritated from earlier teasing. “You know damn well.”
Iyaya spoke haltingly, “I arranged their meeting…as your price for upgrading Word Spirit Technique.”
When Fang Cheng battled Isis, he’d demanded Iyaya upgrade paradise. She’d warned of consequences. He thought the price was vulnerability during paradise use, not this.
“You just wanted entertainment!” Fang Cheng glared. “And paradise was useless! I want a refund.”
“Denied.” Iyaya shifted to automatic mode. “Divine gifts can’t be refused.”
Knowing reasoning was pointless, Fang Cheng pointed at unconscious Uka Mirai. “What about her?”
Iyaya chuckled. “Her existing problems just surfaced through my influence.”
“What problems?”
Iyaya silenced him with a kiss, avoiding the question.
After several hours, Iyaya left satisfied. Fang Cheng and Qingxue found themselves still standing by the bed.
“Mmm…”
Uka Mirai slowly opened her eyes on the bed, finally waking from her deep sleep.
“Cheng-brother, Qingxue, why are you here?”
“Mirai, do you remember what happened earlier?”
“What happened?”
Uka Mirai pondered for a few seconds before shaking her head. “I played a game before sleeping tonight. Did something occur?”
Fang Cheng and Qingxue exchanged glances – just like last time, she’d lost all memories after sleeping post-dark transformation.
Unable to gain answers from Mirai, Fang Cheng soothed her back to sleep. Stepping outside with Qingxue, he instructed, “Stay by her side these days. When Iron Fortress representatives arrive in three days, we’ll investigate her condition properly.”
Qingxue nodded, watching Fang Cheng depart. Her jade-like complexion suddenly flushed pink. Vivid scenes had flooded her mind earlier in the room – shameless visions featuring herself and Lord Cheng as protagonists.
The recollection sparked burning warmth in her heart. She hastily cast a cooling spell to regulate her body temperature.
…
Three days vanished swiftly. The Iron Fortress delegation finally arrived, led by Uka Kaori.
Upon entering Mechanical City, Uka Kaori’s attention was immediately drawn to the bustling construction sites encircling the urban area. Though Iron Fortress had received prior messages about the developments, it paled in comparison to witnessing it firsthand.
A single glance confirmed Mechanical City’s supreme leader possessed remarkable ability. Only such a person could commandeer entire city resources for massive construction projects. Clearly, Mechanical City stood poised for a golden age of development with unprecedented favorable conditions.
Were it not for Fang Cheng’s backing, Iron Fortress would never permit this city’s ascendance.
Kanzaki Rin personally greeted the government delegation members. Fang Cheng remained absent, having never involved himself in administrative affairs – his presence wasn’t required for such formalities.
Though representing Oni Yuki, Uka Kaori adopted an equal stance, treating Mechanical City as a peer ally rather than subordinate territory. Her true purpose centered on strengthening ties with Fang Cheng – the undoubted strongest in the island nation since defeating Isis.
Where Iron Fortress had once despaired about the looming Lord of All Monsters competition, they now sought to cling to Fang Cheng’s formidable influence. His mere presence guaranteed Iron Fortress’s survival, though his overwhelming power naturally shifted their dynamic.
Uka Kaori arrived bearing sincerity, while Kanzaki Rin required Monster Kingdom’s vast markets to absorb their exploding production capacity. Mutual needs forged instant agreement – a comprehensive cooperation pact was signed that very day.
Concurrently, Uka Kaori vowed to restrain monsters residing in Mechanical City, making clear they couldn’t reclaim former status.
With official talks concluded, Uka Kaori dismissed her subordinates and accompanied Kanzaki Rin to the apartment. Business hours had ended – private discussions now commenced.