A moment later, Gu Mingdi Jue led the group up to the twenty-ninth floor of the hotel, guiding them into one of the rooms. The spacious, brightly lit interior made everyone feel as if they had stepped into another world. However, when they spotted the white cat sitting on the table in the center of the room, they all froze. This astonishment was particularly acute when Gu Mingdi Jue pointed at the cat and introduced it as the mastermind pulling the strings of the current Holy Grail War, leaving them all feeling utterly bewildered.

Why a cat? And a white one at that?

A cloud of question marks hung over their heads.

"Well, you can think of this white cat as my familiar. My true form is currently somewhat inconvenient, and to ensure we can interact harmoniously and affectionately, I am meeting you in this guise for the time being. I hope you will bear with me." As he spoke, the white cat stood upright and executed a perfectly aristocratic, gentlemanly bow toward the group.

Such a gallant cat!

The onlookers stared, dumbfounded, at the courteous feline before them, unsure of what to say.

Yet, they had not forgotten the main objective. Once they accepted this premise, it wasn't such a huge deal after all. Soon, Touhou Akihaba was the first to ask, "I want to know, how is Remi doing now?"

"Ah, I am already aware of Remilia's situation. Just as I anticipated, the enemy's intrusion has resulted in some very unfortunate consequences..."

"You mean?" Hearing this, Touhou Akihaba’s expression changed instantly.

"No, no, you’re overthinking it," the white cat waved a paw dismissively, speaking with perfect formality. "Remilia is not dead; she has merely vanished from this world... Little Wu must have told you already; we are not originally from this world. Thus, when Remilia died, she was also expelled from this reality. If I’m not mistaken, she should have returned to her original world."

"You mean... Remi isn't truly dead?"

"You could say that," the white cat nodded, then continued, "However, you mustn't let your guard down. The current development is far worse than I projected. Remilia being killed was merely an expulsion from this world. But I cannot guarantee the next time will be the same; there is a possibility that death might be absolute. So... I urge everyone to be on high alert and absolutely avoid dying casually again."

Avoid dying casually again... Although everyone understood the implication behind the white cat's words, hearing it still felt profoundly incongruous.

But regardless, the greatest anxiety in their hearts had been laid to rest. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Then, Touhou Akihaba hesitated for a moment before finally giving in to her curiosity. "May I ask one more question?"

"Please do," the white cat elegantly raised a paw, thoroughly demonstrating its gentlemanly demeanor.

Touhou Akihaba, not caring whether its elegance was genuine or feigned, pressed on: "Since you are currently controlling everything about this Holy Grail War, I want to know... are you the Fourth Demon Lord?"

"The Fourth Demon Lord? That is not me," the white cat shook its head.

Huh?

Hearing this answer, not only Touhou Akihaba but even Aozaki Aoko and the others were stunned. The white cat wasn't the Fourth Demon Lord? This narrative made no sense. Sanae and Marisa, among others, were left speechless, completely taken aback by how naturally and decisively Lin Luo could lie... Others told falsehoods with their eyes wide open; this one spoke lies as if they were absolute truths.

"Then who is the Fourth Demon Lord?" Touhou Akihaba, without a trace of doubt, asked again.

The white cat pointed to the side. "This person here is the Fourth Demon Lord."

The group followed its gaze and instantly noticed that a spot previously empty was now occupied by an exquisitely beautiful blonde girl. Her calm and composed expression was like an iceberg—lofty and seemingly unapproachable.

"Eh?!"

The crowd turned their heads again.

"You... you are the Fourth Demon Lord?" Touhou Akihaba asked with a hint of disbelief. After all, the Fourth Demon Lord who had appeared before them through the magical mirror was undeniably a man. How could it be a woman now?

"Yes," Lin Xiaoke nodded without hesitation.

Receiving such a firm confirmation, Touhou Akihaba felt conflicted. But then again, the mastermind revealing himself as a white cat and the Fourth Demon Lord appearing as a woman didn't seem entirely outside the realm of possibility now.

With that settled, Touhou Akihaba said gravely, "Then, about what you said ten years ago—that you killed someone named Touhou Shinkyu—was that true?"

"Touhou Shinkyu?" Lin Xiaoke repeated the name, her gaze drifting toward the white cat. Seeing its innocent expression, she sighed inwardly... She finally understood the whole charade Lin Luo was staging.

"It is true." In the end, Lin Xiaoke had no choice but to shoulder the blame.

"I see. Then, although I apologize..."

Touhou Akihaba instantly clenched her fists, but before she could finish speaking, the white cat leaped onto her shoulder and said, "Miss Akihaba, although I don't know what grievance you have with this Fourth Demon Lord..."

Hearing this, those in the know nearly spat up blood. Damn it, you're the one who got her father killed!

The white cat spoke in a voice filled with grave sincerity: "However, a gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after twenty years. The current situation is truly dire and does not allow for any internal strife among us. I hope everyone can be open with each other and unite without reservation. Only then will we have a chance to resolve this crisis. The departed are gone; the living can strive forward. I presume you would not wish to see someone you cherish die before your eyes, would you?"

"I..." Touhou Akihaba was instantly silenced. Her gaze instinctively turned to Kohaku and Hisui beside her. She saw their expressions filled with concern. She remembered that just moments ago, Remilia had sacrificed herself to cover their retreat. And what about her? She knew her father's actions were wrong; she knew he was killed because his bloodlust flared up; she knew letting that hatred drift away with the wind was the correct path. Could she still drag those around her into danger for the sake of meaningless anger?

Was that truly right?

The dead are gone; revenge won't bring them back. The living can strive forward. Putting aside this hatred and using her strength to protect those important to her—that was the correct course, wasn't it?

With this realization, although she couldn't completely forget the past, Touhou Akihaba understood what she needed to do most right now. The fighting spirit she had just mustered vanished in an instant.

"Thank you, Mr. White Cat. I was almost consumed by impulse and lost my reason."

The white cat nodded with satisfaction. "It is good that you understand. I know you have always been a sensible and good child." As it spoke, it reached out a paw and gently patted Touhou Akihaba's head.

"..." Seeing this scene, everyone wore expressions of sheer awkwardness.

Then, the white cat leaped back onto the table and addressed the group: "I believe everyone understands that our current situation is extremely disadvantageous. Neither I nor the Fourth Demon Lord can spare the energy to engage in combat, so you will have to rely on your own strength to deal with the clones. Although we have other reinforcements, we are still at an absolute disadvantage in terms of combat power..."

"What should we do then?" Kurotou Hanaka quickly asked.

"This is where unity is needed." The white cat glanced at Lin Xiaoke, who understood immediately. Lin Xiaoke reached out and sliced through the air, and a flat map instantly appeared before everyone’s eyes. The entire map was black, yet it was filled with countless white dots, densely packed, moving occasionally like ants. Scattered among these white dots were some red dots, though their number was negligible in comparison to the white ones.

The white cat explained: "This map represents the city we are in. The white dots, needless to say, are the clones, and the red dots are companions we can rally. Therefore... the most pressing matter is that we must rescue all these people. But since the Fourth Demon Lord and I cannot move..."

"So this task still falls to us?" Aozaki Aoko asked.

"Yes," the white cat nodded. "Of course, you just went through a fierce battle, so this mission might be a bit strenuous for you. Choose your rescue team carefully..."

Its gaze swept over the assembled group one last time before the white cat declared, "Meimu, you know this city’s terrain best. You will be in charge of this rescue. Any issues?"

Meimu tapped her chin in thought for a moment. "No issues, really, it’s just..."

"Just what?"

Meimu stepped forward, lifted the white cat with both hands, and tilted her head. "It’s just that this form is genuinely so strange. I don't know how to face you."

"...Let's not dwell on such details. What you need to do now is obey orders."

"Okay, but can I pick a few assistants?"

"Of course, no problem."

After receiving authorization from the white cat, Meimu immediately began organizing personnel. Although she was the youngest among them, no one doubted her capabilities after the preceding battle. Naturally, no one objected to this arrangement.

Since this was a rescue unit, strength was the primary consideration. For safety, those who absolutely could not die were best. The next factor was capability... For instance, Flandre, while immensely powerful, seemed impractical for a rescue operation.

Thus, Meimu ultimately selected only four assistants: Yagokoro Eirin, Seihaku Ren, Aozaki Aoko, and Shiki Ryougi.

While this configuration seemed strange to most, the white cat secretly nodded, thinking to itself: No one knows a father like his daughter does.

"Then you should depart now. I will likely organize another rescue team separately, just in case."

With that, the white cat immediately turned to leave. Just as it reached the doorway, a voice called out from behind, "Hey, do you know where Lin Luo went?"

The white cat's feline body stiffened, and it said sternly, "That fellow... is working hard to protect world peace. You won't be able to see him for a while."

PS: A bit tired, but I will try my best to write Chapter Three, though it might be late.