It was 10 p.m. when Xu Yang pulled over at a gaming arcade on Highway 90. He had already paid remotely, started up a virtual reality pod machine, and seated himself in it, connecting the machine to his neural wires. He expertly tampered with most of the service agreement, making it anonymous and confidential.
Inside the virtual pod, there were preset avatars. He chose a nondescript default male appearance, then used an access code shared by Kirino Reisei to enter a private meeting area.
He closed his eyes, waiting for the neural tuning process. Electronic circuits connected with biological neurons began transmitting and recoding photoelectric signals. Since he had pre-installed Digital Mind, this process was extremely fast.
In the blink of an eye, when Xu Yang opened his eyes, he found himself in a tranquil classical garden. A babbling brook flowed through its center, with a blue-gray stone bridge straddling it. Rockeries, stones, and white pathways were arranged in an interlacing pattern, full of Zen spirit.
A woman wearing a fox mask and dressed in a suit was sitting on the stone bank of the garden. She dipped her pale, delicate feet into the water to wash them, propping herself up on her hands behind her and tilting her head toward Xu Yang.
"Hello," she said with ease, waving to Xu Yang, then stood and bowed respectfully to him.
"Miss Kirino Reisei, it’s a pleasure," Xu Yang said as he approached her, returning the courtesy with a slight bow.
The virtual pod’s preset realism was set to 50%. He could generally feel the breeze on his face and the fragrance in the air, but nothing too distinct. Too high a level of simulation could impact a person’s physical body in reality, causing stress responses, so it was safer to keep it turned down.
"Please, have a seat," Kirino Reisei said as she knelt before Xu Yang, gesturing lightly and a full tea set appeared. "The surroundings are modest; I hope you don’t mind."
"Yes," Xu Yang sat down cross-legged, finding the fox face to give a mysterious impression. As a Reality Manipulator, it was hard to decipher Kirino Reisei’s capabilities. The most dangerous aspect was that she might possess composite abilities—if she were like Farosa, a double-ability holder, then extra caution was needed for whatever other ability Kirino Reisei had yet to show. Extreme caution was imperative in dealing with her.
Kirino Reisei gazed at Xu Yang with equal trepidation. The fate of Kyoto Infinity had come to a crossroads, and if they were to lose in the multi-tiered struggles, over a hundred years of effort could be swept away. Any slip on her part could lead to dire consequences. The unpredictable heavy rock above her made her movements doubly careful.
"Perhaps you understand that Kyoto Infinity is facing grave threats," Kirino Reisei remarked solemnly. "Dangers close in from all sides, and our president even took his life to apologize, leaving me alone to struggle on. Therefore, whatever form of assistance you can offer, I am sincerely grateful."
"As a colossal conglomerate, Kyoto Infinity must have sufficient resources and crisis management plans in place," Xu Yang commented.
"That’s precisely the problem," Kirino Reisei replied. "I suspect that there is an invisible threat within our company, one that deeply roots in our core systems."
"It all started in June this year when the R&D team of Kyushu High Pavilion successfully developed ’Heavenly,’ a network monitoring AI," Kirino Reisei explained. "Perhaps you’re unaware, but this is a set of AI solutions intended to replace traditional manual monitoring, designed to maintain and manage the connected networks. It easily replaced the jobs of old network security staff, leading Kyushu High Pavilion to structurally optimize 398 Neural Network Engineers, greatly saving on labor costs. It helps the company to save up to 47 million Funds annually, not only aiding in streamlining the corporation’s structure but also successfully reclaiming over 200 Digital Minds. Multiple gains in one fell swoop."
So this was the beginning of everything, Xu Yang thought to himself. Without this event, the entire world would have looked very different.
"Nicely done," Xu Yang said casually. "A perfect plan to save on human capital—management has really thought it through. So, how is this connected to Kyoto Infinity?"
"Seeing the optimization work at Kyushu High Pavilion, my company has also been keeping up," Kirino Reisei explained. "We’ve shared some technologies and designed our own network security AI ’Hundred-eyes Demon,’ successfully converting 50 neural network engineers into societal talents. However, that’s precisely where the problem lies... I think the ’Hundred-eyes Demon’ has betrayed us."
"Artificial intelligence rebellion?" Xu Yang pondered.
"In the great sea battle at Warmstone Sea, our Chika Island suffered a heavy blow," Kirino Reisei said. "The ’Hundred-eyes Demon’ was also installed on Chika Island as an electronic warfare defense measure, but upon investigating the space mothership’s fire control and air defense systems afterward, we found they were repeatedly interfered with by the ’Hundred-eyes Demon,’ leading to an unfavorable weakening effect. As a result, Chika Island was severely damaged and is still under repair in the dockyard. This is now a well-known fact among the upper echelons, but I cannot trust other factions within the company to fairly investigate the ’Hundred-eyes Demon’s’ condition."
"You suspect that they’ve been tampering with its operation from behind the scenes?"
"I manage an independent third-party network security team," Xu Yang said, which was actually just himself as he intended to personally take on the task. "I can help you completely resolve this issue, as long as you grant me the appropriate investigation privileges."
"I’m truly grateful." Kirino Reisei performed a dogeza, a prostrating gesture, by leaning forward with her forehead touching the ground. "I am sincerely hoping that you can unravel this mystery. With the various factions in the company undermining each other, I have become isolated and weakened. Without your assistance, I could only watch helplessly as Kyoto Infinity is dismembered by the factions or even totally destroyed by Black Fire Innovation."
"I have a condition for the exchange," Xu Yang said. "It involves a Battle Witch with whom I have some personal scores to settle, and you are connected to her whereabouts."
"Is it Pan Ruiyi?" Kirino Reisei reacted instantly, sitting upright.
"Indeed," Xu Yang agreed.
"Pan Ruiyi was dispatched by me to a place outside of this world," Kirino Reisei stated calmly. "Once the investigation into the ’Hundred-eyes Demon’ rebellion is concluded, I will inform you of Pan Ruiyi’s precise movements."
"I want the answer now," Xu Yang said.
"She was sent to the world’s rift," Kirino Reisei revealed, "a place beyond conventional reach and unpredictable, situated behind the entire world. That’s all I can disclose for now. When she was seconded, she reported directly to me, and I am the only one aware of this transfer. Please be assured, when the time comes, I will have nothing to hide."
Pan Ruiyi being seconded by Kirino Reisei and then dispatched to an unknown peril was indeed a peculiar move. Xu Yang thought to himself. It was only through an exchange of interests on this level that Pan Ruiyi’s exact location could be clarified. For now, that would have to suffice.
"So, one answer for another," Xu Yang stood up.
"I am curious about something," Kirino Reisei looked up. "If I am not mistaken, you seem to possess considerable resources and influence."
"Indeed," Xu Yang said.
"Although it may be presumptuous..." Kirino Reisei also stood up, "would you consider taking the position of the eighth president of Kyoto Infinity?"
"No interest," Xu Yang said.
He would rather go home and cuddle with Farosa.
"It was impolite of me," she quickly bowed in apology to Xu Yang.
"Open the necessary permissions for me through that channel, I’ll help you uncover the truth, and then you hand over all information and the whereabouts of Pan Ruiyi to me, agreed?"
"Yes, absolutely agreed," Kirino Reisei bowed deeply to Xu Yang.
"Farewell." Xu Yang logged off from the virtual space, his body disappearing from the courtyard in an instant, as if he had never been there.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Kirino Reisei shouted, hoping he could hear her before he disappeared.
Kirino Reisei also quickly logged off.
The cabin door rose, and she stepped out of the egg-shaped chamber, feeling a strange sense of relief wash over her. She walked towards the side chamber of her private room and leaned against the door, the ancient mysterious box placed at the center.
"I’ve found someone willing to work for us," Kirino Reisei said. "A professional technical team, possibly a very large one."
"...It’s really... amazing how you always find new friends, Kirino Reisei..." wisps of black mist spewed from the crevices of the box, in a raspy voice.
"I had identified someone even better for you," she opened her handheld tablet, "but he turned me down. Oh, the replacement you chose is arriving soon."
An elevator ascended to the 79th floor of the Kyoto Infinity Headquarters, and a burly, well-built man with a full forehead emerged. He wasn’t tall, had dyed his hair a light gold, and sported a goatee, presenting an air of efficiency. He was the head of the overseas department of Kyoto Infinity, smart and capable, named Akita Takashi.
"Excuse the intrusion," Akita Takashi bowed to Kirino Reisei. "I rushed back to headquarters as soon as I received your message, hoping I haven’t delayed your affairs."
"Not at all, please come in," Kirino Reisei personally helped him with his shoes, leaving him flattered.
"Ah, it’s quite... spartan here," Akita Takashi observed the decorations around, "barely any electronic equipment. Is this your style, Lord Kirino?"
"Only those I trust, both people and objects, remain here," Kirino Reisei said, leading Akita Takashi by hand into the inner room.
"So, what specifically would you have me do?" Akita Takashi asked, feeling inexplicably nervous.
He was led into the side chamber and, with a climbing sense of dread, glanced at the ancient box inside the room.
"The position of president has been vacant for over two weeks now," Kirino Reisei looked back at him. "Do you understand what that means?"
"Could it be..." Akita Takashi felt a surge of excitement. "Lord Kirino..."
"Yes," Kirino Reisei removed the fox mask. "Everything of mine now belongs to you."
Seeing what was beneath the mask, Akita Takashi was stunned.
"Uh—," Akita Takashi’s mouth fell open. "Lord Kirino... why..."
The black mist from the box reached out, gradually forming the solid figure of a disheveled woman, who quietly stood up and grabbed Akita Takashi’s hands from behind.
"What’s going on!" Akita Takashi couldn’t move.
"Shh..." the woman whispered.
"Sorry." In the blink of an eye, Kirino Reisei twisted Akita Takashi’s head from his neck.
"You’ve dirtied my clothes," the disheveled woman picked up a cloth, cleared her throat, her voice gradually becoming clearer.
"I’ll hand him over to you in a bit," Kirino Reisei held Akita Takashi’s head in her hands, "let me handle him first. This face is not bad, right? Don’t regret it later; it’s your own choice, a very good visage."
"After eight generations, how much longer must I play along with this ruse?" the woman said, not without a hint of sarcasm.
"Now that we’ve finally put this team together, let’s keep playing. I’m counting on you," the woman with the fox mask said with a smile.
"You’re truly wicked... ’Kirino Reisei’."
"You repeat it so often, I almost believe it’s my real name," the woman with the fox mask put Akita Takashi’s head onto a machine, beginning to clean out the unnecessary contents.
"Sakura Witch, Sakura Maiden... what you’ve borrowed from me is more than just a name... Well, you use it as you see fit," the disheveled woman walked towards the washroom to rinse off the blood, pulling back her hair to reveal a completely ashy void underneath.