Comet Dragon, breaking into the gravity field

To convince the agency behind Sanjiao Chuhua, Chuhua's willingness alone wasn't enough. So what leverage could she offer to get the agency to join her plan?

Before she could come up with a suitable solution, she saw another uninvited guy sitting opposite her.

"It's really strange. He's keeping an eye on the other people, but he chose to leave you out."

Just as Toyokawa Shoko looked at the other person in surprise, Tenkai Ryu also touched his chin and looked at her with interest.

At first it thought it was a bait to lure it out.

In its memory, apart from the five people who gathered together at a specific time, this human was the only one who maintained close contact with the ancient dragon.

Tianhuilong, who did not understand the logic of Tianhuilong's actions, preconceivedly included the humans it had seen that night in its own list, trying to identify the puppets it could control.

Believing in its own good fortune, it hadn't given up even after five consecutive failures. Now, it had proven that its belief was still correct.

Tianhuilong was not shy about recruiting others to join its camp, so it came uninvited in its attempt to become an angel investor. Although it didn't understand why Naruse Ritsu had left her out, it knew that she was definitely someone worth controlling.

Not being good at negotiation, it quickly put its chips on the table, trying to tempt the other party with things that humans desire.

However, when hearing those frivolous words mixed with "money" and "life", Toyokawa Shoko had only one answer:

"I reject."

Putting down the teacup in her hand, Shoko Toyokawa looked directly at the humanoid ancient dragon opposite her without fear.

"Reject me? I'm so sorry. I thought we were the same type." Shaking his head with mock regret, Tian Huilong looked at her with a mocking gaze. "I thought you were at least like a tiger that had just entered its growth stage, but I didn't expect you to be just a kitten that hadn't been weaned yet."

"I will fight for what I want on my own, rather than making a deal with someone whose background I don't know."

"Necessary vigilance," Tian Huilong applauded, then sighed, "But my experience tells me that the world's resources are limited. If you take the good, someone else will take the bad. If you want to realize your dream, someone else will lose theirs."

"I can see that you are not a naive person, so you should understand what I mean."

Forced into silence, Toyokawa Shoko began to suspect that this suspicious creature had been observing her conversation with Sankaku Hatsuka from the very beginning. However, even if it had witnessed everything, it would not change the correctness of its words.

"You believe you can rely on your talents to gain wealth and status, yet you disdain the decadent future that lies too far ahead. If a human being desires neither money nor longevity, then perhaps she desires 'love,'"

"Do you think you can beat the others at this?"

His eyes widened slightly, and Toyokawa Shoko never expected it to say such words.

"Of course you can reject me now. If your arrogance is not groundless, then I will tentatively believe that you are capable of achieving what you are pursuing."

"But what happens after you achieve something?"

"When you return to the empty house alone, he'll be laughing with other lovely children, maybe even doing something that will help him reproduce. Will he remember you, who once shared the same memories with him?"

"When you achieve success and fame, the male you once loved will already be raising his third or fourth offspring with another female. Will he still miss the girl whose memory is gradually fading, or remember your appearance and name?"

"What would you be doing at that time?"

"Would you rather go on blind dates at the persuasion of others, weaving a web of interests and connections to filter out those of the opposite sex who align with your interests but with whom you've never spoken a single word? Or would you rather achieve success and fame, gaining what humans consider freedom, and enjoying every day the benefits of your status and wealth?"

"Well, even if he still keeps in touch with you and maintains a friendship with you, how much time will he spend with you? Is his partner willing to be completely ignorant of this and willing to smile and send him off to have a private rendezvous with a beautiful woman of the opposite sex who has known her husband for many years?"

The straightforward and sharp words lifted the shell that Toyokawa Shoko wore, making her realize that the things she coveted had gradually exceeded the scope she had originally defined.

Her expression was dark and unclear.

Apparently, being friends with Ritsu Naruse wasn't enough to satisfy her appetite. Not to mention that her current portion wasn't even an appetizer; at best, it was just the aroma wafting from the corridors and the kitchen.

She rejects others because of her loneliness, and feels lonely because of rejecting others. The person of the opposite sex she allows into her heart may be one and only one.

The feather-like platinum light swayed slightly with the previous movement, flashing with an intoxicating color.

The glass bottle on the table was reflected in her eyes, and Toyokawa Shoko fell silent...

……

"You look a little tired."

"Is there any?" Just as he was about to pick up the potion, Ritsu Naruse paused and looked at the other ancient dragon who had arrived at his request. "I thought I was always full of energy."

Standing in the basement of their home, they were discussing a plan to defeat Tianhuilong.

The golden eyes moved slightly, and a hint of coldness emanated from the ancient dragon as he spoke: "From what I've observed, you often show a very heavy expression."

"Is that so?"

Looking at the Tenkai Dragon sample on the table in front of him, Ritsu Narose tapped the table lightly.

He shouldn't have missed anything...

Why do I still feel uneasy?

79.Transform wisdom into emptiness.jpg

“Eh~ Aine is actually going to perform there?”

"It's just a separate area. If you have time, you can come and take a look~"

During lunch break, Chihaya Aine, a foreign student, performed a traditional Gaulish art.

Inadvertently revealing the news of her performance this weekend during casual conversation, this is the chat technique of active JKs!

Objectively speaking, this is Versailles - but Chihaya Aine, who is well versed in JK speaking, can easily eliminate those parts that are likely to make people feel uncomfortable.

However, after her elation faded, she suddenly noticed something strange in the words just now: "You... also know about this event?"

"Of course I know. It's very popular lately. We often see promotional posters for the event on the train. We even bought a copy to read it."

"Speaking of which, since Aine will be performing there, do you know what the Stoneman teacher actually looks like?"

"Stone man...teacher?" Chihaya Aine's smile became a little stiff, and she began to doubt whether she was talking about the same person as the other party.

"Because his Twitter profile picture is a stone statue, and his username is too long, everyone just calls him 'Stone Man' teacher. And isn't it cuter that way~"

Is it cute?

Secretly opening her cell phone, Chihaya Aine quickly logged into Twitter and browsed Naruse Ritsu's personal space.

Why so much attention?

Obviously the latest update is still the promotional announcement of the previously forwarded library, but if you scroll further back, you will still see updates mixed with two-dimensional pictures, internet memes, landscape photos, and forwarded sharp comments.

There is no overall change, the only difference is that the comment section is much more lively.

This... in a sense, can be considered a successful promotion?

Putting away her phone, Chihaya Aine's inner vanity made her want to show off her close relationship with Naruse Ritsu. But her rationality told her that if she did so, some strange things would definitely happen that she could not imagine.

It’s better to just keep your mouth shut and get away with it.

"Well... I don't know about that either."

Using all her life's skills and micro-manipulating her facial expressions, Chihaya Aine was sure that no one would be able to see through her disguise.

The other three people at the table had no suspicions and thought it was a deliberate act by the publishing house to increase the popularity and discussion of the event.

But despite what they said, they were still discussing the true identity of the "Stone Man Teacher" enthusiastically.

"I see he writes so delicately, so he must be a man with rich emotions, right? In my opinion, he should be the kind of melancholic poet who walks alone on cloudy streets, wearing a long gray trench coat and a scarf - like Yeats!"

Chihaya Aine:oO?

Isn't this right? Look at the 2D Da Lei nun picture he forwarded and say it again?

Melancholic poet?

Lustful Silver Dragon!

"That's your own standard for finding a boyfriend, right?" The friend sitting astride the chair next to me grumbled, then enthusiastically elaborated on her own thoughts: "If you think so, maybe he'll be a handsome guy~ huhuhu~"

That's enough! What kind of plane did you come from to fly straight into my Crystal? Stop having these weird fantasies about my boyfriend!

"If I were to guess... he must be a very gentle person, otherwise he wouldn't be able to write such a gentle story..."

Hehe, do you want me to show him the "ANO-chan's Adventure" I wrote for him? That kind of story has nothing to do with tenderness!

Besides, Dragon Spear wasn’t gentle at all when he hit me in the face before!

——No, what am I thinking!

Shaking her head violently, Chihaya Aine suddenly noticed that they were all staring at her.

"What does Aine think the Stoneman teacher will be like?"

ah? I?

"Ahahaha... As for me, I think... maybe he's a guy with a really bad personality."

"Bad taste?"

"Because his Twitter feed is full of weird stuff, and the comments when he retweets are really sharp, aren't they..."

As she was talking, Chihaya Aine found that the others were looking at her in the same way she had expected.

“Aine really understands!”

"No la!"

However, no matter how she argued, everyone else believed this established fact.

"Well, everyone's going to watch the fun this weekend anyway, and we've already been betting on what the Stoneman teacher's true form looks like."

Smiling, Chihaya Aine could only pray in her heart that Naruse Ritsu wouldn't do anything weird when the time comes...

……

Shortly after the school bell rang, the phone in her pocket vibrated. When Toyokawa Shoko saw the message on the screen, she smiled slightly, then put it away in an instant.

"Toyokawa-san—"

Hearing someone calling her from the front, Shoko Toyokawa had to stop.

When she looked up, she saw the squad leader standing in front of her.

"What's up?"

Feeling that this scene was somewhat familiar, the class monitor smiled awkwardly and then asked, "I just wanted to ask if Fengchuan is free this weekend. Several classmates are planning to go to a bookstore event together this weekend, so I came to ask if you want to go with us."

"Weekend? Bookstore?" Extracting the key words, Toyokawa Shoko already understood where they were going.

But even so, she still shook her head: "Sorry, I already have plans for that day."

“Oh, I see…”

Instead of trying to dissuade her like last time, the class monitor just watched her leave the classroom silently.

"Failed again?" The classmate next to her poked the monitor who worked hard for class affairs with a mischievous look on her face, only to find that she had a thoughtful expression.

"It shouldn't... be considered a failure, right?" With his finger on his chin, the squad leader recalled the scene he had just seen.

Since Toyokawa-san can show such a special smile, I don't have to worry anymore - rather, being able to show that kind of expression already puts him far ahead of the rest of the class.

After all, this is a girls' school...

Feeling both puzzled and curious, she kept the matter to herself and continued chatting with her friends about her weekend plans.

On the other side, after leaving school, Shoko Toyokawa soon arrived near Hanasakigawa Girls' College.

Here she met the bassist who would form the band.

His eyes were first attracted by the wooden pendant on her snow-white neck. Shoko Toyokawa pretended to look away casually and looked at the famous "band mercenary" again.

"My name is Shoko Toyokawa, and I will be active as the band's keyboardist."

"Hachiman Kairin, the bassist who has been supporting musicians until now."

Both parties knew who had arranged the meeting, but they tacitly avoided mentioning the person who introduced them.

80. The situation has really taken a turn for the worse (two in one)

Shoko Toyokawa finally tells Ritsu Naruse her true feelings.

Whether it was the fantasies that had been circling in her mind, or the weak prayers that were usually difficult to express, and the slight hatred that arose from them, she said them all out in one breath.

After removing all the vines that were tightly bound around her heart, Shoko Toyokawa quietly waited for the other party's response.

What would he say?

She had no way of knowing what Ritsu Narose was thinking so she could only wait, and the anxiety rose again like smoke, obscuring her eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, the smoke dissipated in silence. When she opened her eyes again, she saw a glass jar placed in the corner, glowing faintly in the dark room.