Amidst the watchful gazes of the Twin Goddesses of the Underworld, Lin Luo wrestled for a good while before finally freeing the little loli Tixia from Kagura’s grasp. Kagura looked utterly disappointed, while Tizhi, though grateful, had also managed to squeeze her chubby cheek during the preceding chaos.

After a round of introductions, Lin Luo finally had the chance to resume the question that had been interrupted. Tizhi’s answer, however, stunned him: she hadn't been foolish enough to venture into such a dangerous place alone, nor was she accompanying a Bracer on any assignment. As for why she was here—even she didn't know!

“What! You’re saying you were just working at home, and in a sudden instant, you lost consciousness, and when you snapped back to it, you were already here?” Lin Luo repeated Tixia’s words. Not only was he dumbfounded, but even Huangquan and the others were filled with confusion.

“Y-yes, I… I don’t know how it happened. I’m sorry.” Tixia let her hands drop, her small face flushing slightly, looking quite demure. She was usually a very cheerful and upbeat person, but this bizarre situation had caught her completely off guard, and she subconsciously felt she had caused trouble.

“Don’t worry about it, no need to apologize.” Lin Luo patted her head reassuringly. Kagura nodded vigorously beside them, also offering encouragement—she was only one step away from quoting Anelace: Cuteness is justice.

“Little Sister Tixia, can you tell big sister when you lost consciousness, and when you arrived here?” Leiya approached Tixia, taking her hand and asking kindly. As one of the Twin Goddesses, Leiya possessed nearly every virtue a woman could have, coupled with a friendly and incredibly approachable demeanor. Under her gentle words, Tizhi’s tense mood gradually relaxed.

After a moment, she collected herself and meticulously recalled everything that had happened. “I arrived here about ten minutes ago, and the loss of consciousness happened around the same time. Actually, I didn’t truly lose consciousness; it was just a sudden moment where I felt a bit dazed. Hmm, how should I put it?” Tixia touched her chin, her eyes somewhat bewildered, seemingly unsure how to articulate the feeling.

A thought sparked in Lin Luo’s mind. “Was it that feeling, as if your soul was suddenly plucked away, leaving you momentarily hazy?”

“Yes, that’s it!” Tizhi immediately nodded. “But it was very brief, only a few seconds.”

“I think I’m starting to understand what’s going on,” Lin Luo let out a heavy sigh. Noticing the astonished expressions on Huangquan and Leiya’s faces, he knew they had likely reached the same conclusion as he had.

If what Tizhi said was accurate, then the moment she lost consciousness and was abruptly transported here coincided exactly with the time he was reassembling the True Shikon Jewel. The Shikon Jewel, composed of the souls of a miko and a demonic beast, possessed immense spiritual power. While he didn't know what Hatsune had done to alter it, the True Shikon Jewel should still be capable of affecting souls; otherwise, a few mere fragments wouldn't have been enough to transform a demonic beast into a yōkai.

The reason Tizhi had lost consciousness and felt mentally adrift was due to this influence. Evil demonic beasts might transform under such an influence, but the pure-hearted Tizhi wouldn't undergo such a change. However, the problem here was… why could the act of reassembling the True Shikon Jewel here affect Tizhi, who was far away in Zeiss? Did she possess some special quality? Or was there some connection to the True Shikon Jewel itself?

Thinking this, Lin Luo couldn't help but look toward Tizhi. He noticed she was already looking at him, and upon seeing his gaze, she chuckled sheepishly, though a trace of worry remained hard to conceal in her eyes.

Lin Luo knew she was still frightened but was putting on a brave face. He gently rubbed her cheek and said warmly, “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. I’ll send you home shortly.”

Tizhi was the granddaughter of the genius (Orbal) scholar, Dr. Russell. Lin Luo hadn't thought of it initially, but seeing her now, he remembered: if there was anyone in this world capable of analyzing this True Shikon Jewel, Dr. Russell would undoubtedly be among them. This trip to Zeiss was essential.

Furthermore, Tizhi’s inexplicable arrival here was fundamentally his responsibility. He was obliged to send her back safely.

“Mmm, thank you, Big Brother,” Tizhi’s face lit up with a happy smile upon learning Lin Luo would take her home.

Lin Luo nodded, then turned to the others, stating seriously, “So, next steps…”

“Next, we all go to Zeiss!”

Lin Luo gave a frustrated look at Kagura, who had excitedly made the decision on her own, but he didn't forget to throw a bucket of cold water on her. “No, I’ll go to Zeiss alone. You all don't need to follow.”

“Hmph! Why so serious?” Kagura was immensely disappointed and protested.

Huangquan, however, asked seriously, “Is there a reason?”

Lin Luo nodded. Some things were awkward to say in front of Tizhi, so he used telepathic communication to explain: “While Dr. Russell is a genius scholar, I can’t be certain he can actually help me. Moreover, none of us understand the technology of this world; taking everyone there wouldn't be of much use. You might as well take this opportunity to look around and see if you can find any other clues… Of course, if you truly find nothing, you can settle down in the nearby city of Rolent, and I’ll find you once my business is concluded.”

Huangquan pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “Alright, then we’ll split up.”

“Eeeek! Are we really leaving?” Kagura cried out loudly. She could certainly hear what Lin Luo had said, but she hadn't expected Huangquan to agree, and she couldn't help but start whining. “N-now, Brother, can I stay too?”

“That… is a bit complicated. We need to focus on the main objective.” Lin Luo looked troubled. He couldn't very well say that part of the reason for splitting up was precisely to leave her behind. If he let this Anelace-Two cling onto Tizhi, no serious work would ever get done.

“Fine, then, Little Sister Tizhi, we’ll see you again!” Kagura’s many entreaties were to no avail, so she reluctantly bid farewell to Tizhi.

“G-goodbye, hehe.” Tizhi waved goodbye with an awkward smile.

“Then let’s go too.” A moment later, once Huangquan and the others had vanished from sight, Lin Luo turned to Tizhi and said, “To Zeiss.”

“Mmm.” Tizhi nodded firmly.

Lin Luo wasn't familiar with the route to Zeiss, so he had to let Tizhi lead the way. Watching her run, the two long ribbons on her hat bounced up and down past her waist, which he found strangely amusing—this was Tizhi’s unique moe point. He remembered from playing the game that he often made Tizhi wander aimlessly through the city just to watch those ribbons dance.

However, this idyllic scene wouldn't last long. Dusk was approaching, and Zeiss was still quite a distance away. At Tizhi’s slow pace, it would take the two of them until the next morning at the earliest to reach Zeiss.

To avoid wasting time, Lin Luo hurried to Tizhi’s front and swept her up onto his back. “Forget it, I’ll handle the travel; you just tell me the direction.”

“Ah! Th-this isn’t quite appropriate, is it?” Tizhi, caught completely off guard, flushed instantly and instinctively tried to scramble down.

Lin Luo glanced back and smiled. “There’s nothing wrong with it. At our current pace, we won’t get to your house until tomorrow morning at the earliest. If your grandfather finds out you’re not home all night, he’ll worry.”

“Th-then, alright then.” Tizhi thought about it. Although her grandfather could forget about eating when engrossed in his research, if she didn't come home all night, he would certainly notice. Not only would he worry, but he might even call the Bracers to look for her. She nodded in agreement. “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Brother Lin Luo.”

Lin Luo smiled faintly, then took a step, surging forward like a bolt of lightning.

“Whoa, so fast!” Lin Luo’s speed was incomparable to any ordinary person. Before Tizhi could react, she saw the scenery flashing by like lightning, leaving her utterly stunned. She had never witnessed such speed in a human, and she doubted even an airship could match it. Any demonic beasts along the route couldn't even catch the shadow of Lin Luo’s nose.

But what astonished Tizhi the most wasn't Lin Luo’s speed, but the fact that, at this dizzying pace, she felt absolutely no discomfort—no wind whipping her face, no motion sickness whatsoever. It was as comfortable as sleeping in her own bed.

Tizhi, of course, didn't know that Lin Luo had deliberately manipulated the flow of ambient energy to prevent the excessive speed from causing her distress.

However, an overly comfortable environment easily induces sleep, and Tizhi was no exception. Under Lin Luo’s gentle care, she could initially point out the route, but soon a drowsiness washed over her. Her eyes gradually closed, and eventually, she fell into a deep sleep.

Lin Luo found himself in a self-imposed dilemma and couldn't help but feel a wry amusement, but after the fright Tizhi had endured, he couldn’t bear to wake her. He let her sleep. Besides, he was already on the direct path now; there was no need for detours—just straight ahead.

Tizhi dreamt she was soaring upon the clouds, flying with utter freedom, which made her very happy. Yet, after flying for only a short while, she tumbled off the cloud…

Because someone had woken her up.

The moment she awoke, Tizhi rubbed her sleepy eyes. She realized she was standing right at her doorstep. Looking to the side, she saw the older brother she had only recently met looking at her with a soft smile.

“I-I’m sorry, I actually fell asleep.” The thought that she had failed in her duty midway made Tizhi instantly blush and apologize. She felt deeply grateful that Lin Luo hadn't woken her halfway and was relieved that Lin Luo had accompanied her home.

“It’s nothing; you did very well.” Lin Luo smiled and patted her cheek. In truth, he had no idea where Tizhi lived. Upon arriving in Zeiss, he had visited the Bracer Guild and learned Dr. Russell’s address from the branch manager, Kloe R. Weissmann.

“Let’s go. Hopefully, your grandfather hasn't noticed you’re missing yet.”

“Mmm.”

It was the moment the sun was setting as Tizhi led Lin Luo through the door. (To be continued.)

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