At the mention of her sister Haruno's name, Yukino's expression clearly changed.
Just as Haruno appeared indifferent, she actually cared deeply about her younger sister Yukino.
As the younger sister, Yukino's feelings toward her sister were complex, but one thing was undeniable.
Although she didn't want to become Haruno, she also admired Haruno, who could smoothly resolve everything with her excellent talents.
Yukino had always wondered.
Why would her sister with that kind of personality become lovers with her classmate Ye Xing?
How did they meet?
Not just Haruno; even her mother spoke to Ye Xing differently than she did with ordinary people—not as a superior to a subordinate, but as equals negotiating.
The truth of the world?
Yukino felt she was just one step away, just missing the final piece to put everything together.
"The qualifications you mentioned, sufficient to become an internal member..."
Yukino asked in a flat tone.
"What are you referring to?"
Ye Xing waved his hand dismissively as he replied.
"That's exactly what you need to demonstrate to me during the investigation process."
Yukino's eyes showed some conflict as she raised her hand to tuck the black hair behind her ear, silently thinking to herself.
'One thing is certain - this Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Research Society isn't as simple as I initially imagined.'
'What is this club's true objective?'
'What role is my sister Haruno playing in all this?'
Finally, Yukino made her decision.
"I can assist with your investigation."
But immediately after, Yukino wore an extremely serious expression, her tone becoming particularly earnest.
"However, you must promise me that during the investigation, you won't do anything dangerous that could bring trouble upon yourself. Even if you do uncover the identity of that sunny doll killer, immediately notify the Metropolitan Police Department and leave these matters to the professionals, alright?"
Hearing this, Ye Xing chuckled teasingly.
"Yukinoshita-san, are you concerned about my personal safety?"
Unexpectedly, Yukino Yukinoshita only hesitated briefly before nodding and directly admitting it.
"Yes, I am."
Noticing Ye Xing's slightly strange gaze, Yukino's fair face flushed slightly as she turned her head away, maintaining her flat tone, though her voice carried a nervous awkwardness.
"Please don't misunderstand. I just think that it's because of you that this club exists."
"You told my mother yourself that this club is an important reason why I can remain at Sobu High School."
"I don't want to transfer to Shuchi'in Academy, so this club must continue."
"It's not out of personal concern. I... I just want to stay at Sobu High School, so don't overthink it."
Faced with Yukino's string of explanations, Ye Xing responded with that familiar, laid-back tone, drawing out the single word.
"Fiiine"
"You..."
Yukino gritted her silver teeth, glaring at Ye Xing with resentment, thinking to herself, 'Your reaction is so calm, it makes me seem like I'm protesting too much.'
Just as she was about to say something, a soft sound echoed in the living room.
"Gurgle."
Hearing this sound, Ye Xing looked at Yukino's blushing, embarrassed face and smiled.
"Hungry? Let's go out to buy some food then."
"...Alright."
As Yukino stood up and followed Ye Xing to the entryway, she noticed a can of Pepsi and what appeared to be a not very expensive but quite beautiful crystal ball placed on the nearby cabinet.
"This can of cola... was from the first day of school..."
Halfway through her sentence, Yukino realised she had spoken carelessly and immediately closed her mouth.
Unfortunately, Ye Xing was far too sharp and immediately spotted her slip-up, delivering the fatal blow.
"So Yukinoshita-san has been secretly observing me since the first day of school?"
Yukino hummed lightly and said flatly.
"I just have a habit of observing everyone around me."
"Fiiine then."
...
The next afternoon, in the Class 1-A classroom at Sobu High School.
"Summer vacation officially begins after school today."
Shizuka Hiratsuka stood behind the lectern, looking at the students in the classroom with a faint smile.
"This semester, I've been quite satisfied with everyone's performance. Although you'll have freedom during the summer holidays, please pay attention to safety and try to minimise going out at night, especially female students. Is that understood?"
"Understood."
Hearing the students' unified response, Hiratsuka nodded with satisfaction.
"Good, then I'll see you all next semester."
As a teacher, Hiratsuka had both strengths and weaknesses.
Her strength was that she valued cultivating personal thinking and moral character more than academic results.
Her weakness...
Hiratsuka liked to slack off.
In the past, whenever students were on holiday, she would be extremely happy, enjoying the long period of freedom.
But this time...
Before leaving the classroom, Hiratsuka glanced at Ye Xing, who was sitting in the corner by the window.
The two-month summer holiday made her feel, for the first time, that it was so long.
...
Half an hour later, in the Supernatural Society activity room.
Seeing that Yukino Yukinoshita had also joined today's internal meeting, Rio Futaba's gaze held a trace of confusion as she tentatively glanced at Ye Xing.
The moment their eyes met, she understood his meaning.
They could talk, but not about everything.
What is telepathy?
This is telepathy.
"About what we discussed earlier..."
Futaba adjusted her glasses, took out her phone and placed it on the table, pointing at a news report on the screen.
"The home address of one of the victims, which is also where she died, has been found."
"News?"
Seeing the clearly sneak-photographed picture of a detached apartment in this news report, Yukinoshita couldn't help but frown slightly.
"Isn't this kind of private information prohibited from being reported?"
"No choice."
As a former nationally popular idol actress, Mai Sakurajima obviously understood the dirty side of the media and journalists better than ordinary people do. She sighed softly.
"After all, when this victim's body was discovered, it was hanging outside her second-floor balcony in a residential area. Passers-by saw it, so it couldn't be kept secret even if they tried."
Hearing this, Yukinoshita became even more puzzled.
"But shouldn't reports that disclose victims' home addresses and violate their families' privacy bear legal responsibility?"
"It's not that simple."
Sakurajima shook her head, a hint of disgust appearing in her eyes, her attitude towards the media and journalists already quite clear.
"A long time ago, those second and third-rate small media outlets came up with ways to avoid responsibility by creating so-called anonymous submissions."
"Since it's anonymous, the reporter naturally can't be traced, and there's no way to talk about bearing legal responsibility."
"As for the small media's responsibility? If things really blow up, they'll just publish an apology letter claiming they weren't strict enough in their review and take down that news report."
"But even when the news reports disappear, the damage done to those involved is irreparable."
"The media only cares about popularity, as for conscience? They don't possess such a thing."
Hearing these words, the members present all showed expressions of righteous indignation.
To have family members murdered in such a cruel manner, and while the victims' families are grieving, they face harassment from unscrupulous media outlets.
This is too...
Indescribably disgusting.
Looking at the photographs in the news report, Ye Xing turned to Miko Yotsuya.
"So, can you see anything?"
Miko Yotsuya shook her head.
"Just from this photo alone, I can't find anything."
Yukino, beside them, was quite puzzled, thinking to herself, 'Is Yotsuya-san's hidden identity that of a detective?'
Otherwise, why would Ye Xing ask her if she could discern anything from the photo?
"Continuing to discuss this here is pointless."
Ye Xing stood up, looking at the internal members of the Supernatural Society before him, and said calmly.
"Let's proceed with the previous arrangement. Me, Miko, Futaba, Dango, Mai, and Yukinoshita-san will visit the victim's family together and investigate the death scene."
"If we discover any clues, we'll gather at Mai's house tomorrow. That's it."
...
One hour later, outside a two-storey detached house in a residential area of Kyoto City.
"This is the place."
Watching as the members genuinely prepared to enter, Yukino Yukinoshita frowned slightly and hesitated.
"Isn't visiting so abruptly... rather rude?"
Yukino Yukinoshita had never imagined.
That she, who was always straightforward and easily offended others, would one day be advising someone about matters of etiquette.
Mainly because...
Visiting without any reason, especially when a family member has just passed away - how could the victim's family possibly welcome them?
This is just too absurd.
"You can stay outside then."
Hearing Ye Xing's casual reply, Yukino Yukinoshita felt quite helpless.
Given her position, she truly had no authority to interfere with this so-called investigation.
Considering Ye Xing's abstract personality, she wasn't particularly surprised that he would engage in behaviour that normal people would find utterly ridiculous.
But why were girls like Mai Sakurajima, Yui Yuigahama, Rio Futaba, and Miko Yotsuya - who usually seemed quite normal - going along with his nonsense?
Could it be...
They've been infected?
Does your mental illness have contagious properties?
What kind of Cthulhu evil god is this?
While Yukino Yukinoshita was pondering this to herself, Ye Xing had already led the group to the door of the two-storey apartment and raised his hand to knock.
After nearly half a minute.
The door opened a tiny crack, accompanied by the clear sound of a security chain being pulled taut.
Through the gap appeared the face of a middle-aged man with stubble, looking listless and burdened with grief.
The middle-aged man's voice was somewhat hoarse.
"Are you... reporters?"
Ye Xing slightly stepped aside, pointed to Mai Sakurajima behind him, and replied with a smile.
"You should recognise her, right? The actress Mai Sakurajima. May we come in and talk?"
The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
"Alright."
Before opening the door, he had already observed through the peephole.
Ye Xing and the others didn't look like journalists at all – they looked like high school students.
Otherwise, the middle-aged man would never have opened the door.
Upon entering, the group noticed the lingering scent of burning incense in the house.
"No need to remove your shoes, it's fine."
The middle-aged man led them to the living room, where their eyes immediately fell on a memorial photo of a golden-haired girl smiling brightly, with a burning stick of incense in the holder.
This arrangement was all too familiar to Miko Yotsuya.
It was identical to what her mother had set up after her father's death – the traditional household memorial for the deceased.
"May I ask... what brings you here?"
Yui Yuigahama pressed her lips together nervously as she addressed the middle-aged man.
"Excuse me... are you Sato Asako's father?"
"Yes."
Sato Asako was the victim's name.
"Please accept our condolences."
Seeing the man's haggard, grief-stricken expression, the members of the Supernatural Society couldn't help but feel heavy-hearted.
Losing a daughter in middle age... and in such a horrific, painful manner – they couldn't even begin to imagine his suffering.
After Yui finished speaking, Mai Sakurajima took over the conversation.
"We've come unannounced because I want to use my public platform to rally society in finding the perpetrator of this terrible crime."
Sato Asako's father nodded impassively.
"I see..."
His eyes looked utterly lifeless, devoid of any light.
This was clearly Mai's first time handling such a sombre topic, but she pressed on for their mission's sake.
"Could you show us... the room where Sato Asako was found?"
The man waved his hand dismissively.
"It's upstairs, the leftmost room. You can go up yourselves."
"Thank you."
Mai exchanged a glance with Miko, and the two ascended to the second floor, entering the leftmost room.
When they carefully opened the door, the scene appeared completely normal.
Just an ordinary high school girl's bedroom, with a teddy bear-like plush toy by the pillow.
The room was impeccably clean and tidy, featuring a transparent glass door leading to a small balcony.
After gently closing the door, Miko scanned the room's furnishings and whispered:
"Open your eyes, Hyakume."
At her summons, Hyakume materialised in the room – clad in a traditional kimono and wooden sandals, with hemp cloth binding her eye area.
"See if you can find anything."
Hyakume nodded slightly. "Understood."
She then slowly raised her hand and removed the hemp cloth covering her eyes.
In her right socket was the Slaughter Demon's eyeball.
As a yokai-hunting shinigami, the Slaughter Demon's eye possessed unique abilities.
No matter how old or faint, no trace left by evil spirits could escape its detection.
Combined with Hyakume's own investigative nature as a soul manifestation,
it was a match made in heaven.
"This is..."
Hyakume paced back and forth inside the room, scanning her surroundings, before finally stopping in front of the glass door leading to the balcony and murmuring to herself.
"There are traces, but these traces..."
Miko Yotsuya and Mai Sakurajima approached, only to see Hyakume pointing at the handle of the glass door and speaking calmly.
"There are some residual traces here."
Mai Sakurajima quickly asked.
"So it really was the work of evil spirits?"
"No."
Hyakume shook her head, her expression showing confusion.
"These traces do resemble the residual aura of evil spirits, but they're also somewhat different... It doesn't seem to be just evil spirits; there are also traces of distorted souls..."
"Eh? Distorted souls?"
Hearing this, Mai Sakurajima's pupils contracted.
"You mean... this wasn't simply done by evil spirits... but by those evil spirits that can possess human bodies and disguise themselves as humans?"
"It's hard to say."
Hyakume shook her head and replied softly.
"With this level of distortion and madness, I can't tell whether it's evil spirits manipulating a human body, or a human with an extremely twisted soul and desires taking control themselves."
...
Meanwhile, in the living room on the first floor.
Faced with the oppressive silence, Yui Yuigahama hesitated slightly before finally speaking up.
"Um... Mr Sato, about your wife...?"
"Ah, you mean Asako's mother."
Sato Asako's father waved his hand, his eyes as still as death.
"That day, she was the first to discover Asako's body."
"When I returned home, I found her collapsed on the floor, with Asako's body out on the balcony."
"From that moment on, Asako's mother lost her ability to think normally and became mentally ill."
"To avoid causing her further distress, I sent her back to our hometown for recuperation."
Looking at the memorial photograph placed there, the members of the Supernatural Society could imagine what a happy family this had once been.
All because of the twisted desires in that murderer's heart, it had been reduced to this broken state.
Rio Futaba took a deep breath and said with a serious expression.
"Please rest assured, we will definitely catch the culprit."
Hearing these words, Sato Asako's father's eyes finally showed some change, but he simply shook his head, his face ashen as he said.
"My daughter was the second victim, but even now, the Metropolitan Police Department hasn't caught the criminal."
"And even if they do catch them, what difference would it make?"
"Legal punishment is completely inadequate to make such scum experience true suffering."
Faced with these words, the members of the Supernatural Society could only choose to remain silent.
Although death sentences were numerous in Japan, very few prisoners actually had their executions carried out.
Moreover, many prisoners would use mental illness as grounds to reduce their sentences.
Some even eventually returned to society and committed cruel crimes again.
Amidst this silence, the Supernatural Society members left Sato Asako's home with heavy hearts.
Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita stayed at a distance, while Ye Xing, Mai Sakurajima, Rio Futaba, and Miko Yotsuya - all being psychics - moved further away to discuss matters.
Miko Yotsuya recounted in detail the strange traces her Hyakume had just discovered.
"A soul twisted to the extreme..."
Rio Futaba adjusted her glasses. Though her mood was equally heavy, as the Supernatural Society's chief strategist, she needed to set aside emotional factors and consider this matter from a purely rational perspective.
"Could it be... a psychic like us?"