PS: Many thanks to the reader Lan Shang Yun Piao Hong for their generous tip, making them the twelfth Mengzhu of this book.

That evening, to celebrate Reimu’s miraculous return from the brink of death, to celebrate Lin Luo’s triumphant homecoming, and most importantly, to celebrate finally resolving a major crisis that had plagued Gensokyo, a lavish banquet—the grandest Gensokyo had ever witnessed—was held at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, hosted by the affluent Remilia.

Of course, for the host family of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, as well as the numerous young ladies attending, "celebration" was merely the pretext. The real reason was pure joy; because their hearts were uplifted, they wished to share that elation with everyone through a grand gathering.

Such was the style of Gensokyo!

As for why the venue was the Scarlet Devil Mansion and not the Hakurei Shrine, it was because earlier that day, Lin Luo had paid a visit to the Mansion. After a torrent of persuasive, utterly dazzling words, he had completely bamboozled Remilia, leaving her feeling that not hosting the banquet at the Scarlet Devil Mansion would be an offense against heaven and earth… The utterly naive mistress, having fallen prey to Lin Luo’s cunning plot, surveyed the unprecedented scale of the festivities and was filled with a sense of superiority regarding her status and authority.

Not far off, Lin Luo watched the enraptured Remilia and couldn't help but feel a surge of intellectual superiority himself… What could one say? Children were so easy to fool.

“Speaking of which, you must be quite busy today, right?” Lin Luo beckoned to Sakuya Izayoi, who was pushing a trolley nearby, then retrieved a bottle of red wine from it and spoke with a smile.

Although banquets in Gensokyo rarely required formal waiters—everyone was self-aware, serving themselves while enjoying themselves as guests—Sakuya, as the premier maid of Gensokyo, clearly maintained her professional standards. While even the fairy maids had set aside their duties to enjoy the party, she was still diligently pushing her small cart back and forth, rushing about. Perhaps, for her, such busyness was a form of enjoyment in itself.

Sakuya offered a slight smile, as if this grand spectacle meant nothing to her. “Oh, not at all. I’m quite idle. It feels more like window shopping.”

“Is that so? I happen to be quite idle as well. How about we find a secluded spot and have a little tryst?” Lin Luo nodded, staring at Sakuya with a look of utter seriousness.

“…” Sakuya instantly adopted an expression of utter blankness.

Only this man could utter such shameless words so openly.

“Hehe, I was just kidding,” Lin Luo chuckled dryly. As for whether he was truly joking or not, only he knew the answer.

Sakuya had never held high expectations for Lin Luo’s integrity. As a maid who never indulged in tsundere behavior, she wouldn't blush or grow flustered over such a remark. She calmly pushed her cart past Lin Luo, but as she departed, she casually added, “Kirin seems to have had too much to drink. She looks like she’s about to start speaking nonsense.”

“Hmm?… Ah!”

Lin Luo was momentarily stunned, but the meaning of her words dawned on him instantly. His expression shifted dramatically, and he sprinted toward the garden on the left… The Scarlet Devil Mansion was not only vast inside, but its exterior grounds were substantial too. Besides the large area between the main entrance and the Mansion’s central building, there were two separate gardens on either side. Because the number of attendees far exceeded any previous gathering, both gardens were utilized, and Kirin, along with a select few, were situated in the garden to the left.

Lin Luo wasn't intimately familiar with Kirin’s drinking habits, but he knew that if she got drunk, she would certainly speak without restraint. With the threat of the Inverted Causality now neutralized, Kirin had shed all caution and could say anything. Given her inherently candid nature, she likely wouldn't hold anything back… When a naturally airheaded person lets loose, they can be far more terrifying than a sadist.

Moreover, if he recalled correctly, Kan'yasu was also in the left garden…

Lin Luo rushed breathlessly to the left garden. The scene confirmed his fears: a circle of women best described as 'aunties' were seated around, sipping wine and chatting merrily. Judging by the movement of the lips, the one speaking the fastest and the most was Kirin, already slightly inebriated.

What was most infuriating was that where there was news//Book Fan Tower updates fastest Seeing this, Lin Luo dared not hesitate any longer. He dashed forward, and before anyone could react, he grabbed Kirin’s arm and dragged her back, finding a secluded corner to hide.

“What are you doing? Trying to snatch the bride!” A gasp of surprise erupted from the crowd; it sounded like Kan'yasu.

“What were you just saying?” Lin Luo ignored the distant noise and pressed Kirin directly.

Kirin was clearly tipsy; not only were her cheeks flushed, but her eyes looked hazy with drink. Upon seeing Lin Luo appear before her, she immediately stretched out both hands to wrap around his neck, leaning into him limply. Then, tilting her face up, she leaned close to Lin Luo’s mouth, squinting with a smile, “Say… what?”

Lin Luo couldn't tell if she was genuinely drunk or using the pretense of intoxication to seduce him, but he had to admit, this method was highly effective. Feeling the soft, full pressure against his chest, and the hot breath exhaled from her small mouth—though she had been drinking, there was no trace of alcohol smell, only a faint, subtle fragrance—his mind instinctively began to wander… In terms of allure and sexiness, the married woman truly was supreme!

Lin Luo sighed internally, but with the main task at hand, he wouldn't be easily distracted. He murmured quietly, “The thing you were just discussing with Holy White Lotus, Kannako, and the others—did you reveal anything about our relationship?”

“No, I didn’t…” Kirin replied in a woozy, hazy tone.

“That’s good then.” Lin Luo immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But he had clearly rejoiced too soon, as Kirin followed up with a laugh, “But I was just about to say it.”

The stone Lin Luo had just set down in his heart jumped back up. He tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Uh… I think it’s better if we don't reveal our relationship for the time being. The matter concerning Alice, too…”

“Why? Are you denying it?” Kirin sounded displeased.

Lin Luo quickly explained, “That’s not what I mean at all, I just meant for the time being…”

Kirin wasn't Remilia. Although she was naturally simple-minded, her wisdom ranked highly in all of Gensokyo. She wasn't someone who could be easily fooled. However, this was not the moment to reveal his plans, so he could only resort to emotional pleading, appealing to her sentiment.

“In short, I hope you can keep this secret for now.”

“…Alright.” After much persuasion and gentle explanation, Lin Luo finally managed to calm Kirin down. Though slightly disappointed, she ultimately nodded. She was someone capable of letting things go once decided; since she had agreed, she didn't press for reasons. After chatting a little more, she removed her arms from around Lin Luo’s neck and turned to leave.

“Oh, right. Should I leave the door open for you tonight?” Kirin asked, looking back halfway through her departure.

This was no joke; Lin Luo saw a very serious expression on her face.

Lin Luo felt a sweat break out. “Um, let’s talk about that next time…”

“Oh.”

Watching Kirin return to her previous spot to chat with Holy White Lotus and the others, refraining from mentioning his affairs, Lin Luo finally felt completely at ease.

The reason he didn't want Kirin revealing their group's embarrassing history wasn't due to irresponsibility, but because at this precise moment, he had critical tasks that required him to act alone. If Kirin were to fully expose their skeletons in the closet, coupled with the presence of the truth-twisting Kan'yasu, within moments, he would likely become Gensokyo’s undisputed center of gossip.

If that happened, there would undoubtedly be no shortage of people throwing metaphorical knives at him, seeking out gossip, or doing… other things, and shaking them off would not be simple.

During the day, while everyone else was busy, he had quietly set up certain things, undetected by anyone. Next, before dawn, he would move again, and at that time, he absolutely could not have contact with anyone… This was precisely why he had remained on the periphery of the banquet all day—to avoid attracting attention. If he could turn into an invisible wallflower, that would be ideal.

“There is only one chance… It must succeed, failure is not an option!”

Lin Luo closed his eyes and stated this inwardly.

As night deepened, everyone except Lin Luo was immersed in the celebratory atmosphere of the banquet. The sounds of boisterous laughter and revelry were endless and showed no sign of abating even into the early hours. However, not everyone possessed an iron stomach; after a long night, most attendees grew tired. Of these, a small number retired to the guest rooms in the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but the majority simply lay down where they were and fell into deep sleep.

Banquets in Gensokyo generally don't last all night—another characteristic of the realm—but this particular celebration had slightly overstepped that boundary.

No one noticed that while the clamor of the feast disrupted their normal routines, Lin Luo had quietly made his way to the Hakurei Shrine. Reimu and her daughter had left for the Scarlet Devil Mansion to freeload long before nightfall and were still there, leaving the shrine utterly deserted at this hour.

“The Eye of the Barrier… It should be right here.” Lin Luo circled the shrine area, observing for a while, before stopping at an inconspicuous spot next to the main house. “Marisa, Renko!”

As his voice fell, two young women materialized beside him.

“I hadn’t expected you to call us over this quickly,” Marisa stood quietly, while Renko surveyed the surroundings. “I thought you might hesitate for much longer.”

“I’m surprised too; I thought I would agonize over it for a long time,” Lin Luo smiled, then pointed to the Great Barrier’s Eye before him. “Alright, time is limited, no more pleasantries. Let’s begin.”

Lin Luo had already briefed them on the precise methodology, so there was no hesitation now; he immediately took his position by the Barrier Eye.

“Say, what exactly is the point of all this?” After positioning themselves, the two looked around and detected nothing particularly special. Renko couldn't help but ask.

Lin Luo offered a slight smile. “Your power itself isn't what matters; what’s important is who you are… I will use your very existence to gather the fragmented soul of the First Shrine Maiden, scattered throughout the barrier, and then… bring the First Shrine Maiden back into existence!”

PS: Writing this chapter was a bit tiring; it’s late, my apologies, but the big climax is fast approaching, and it’s high time for some real excitement.

Additionally, the Monthly Ticket ranking is still in eighth place. I implore any readers who still have monthly tickets to lend a hand and cast yours for this book so we can push into the top six.

Pulling an all-nighter is exhausting, but with your monthly ticket support, no amount of fatigue matters!

Please vote with your monthly tickets! (To be continued)