Gensokyo Detective, but surrounded by Shura Field

#16 - Section 16

Chu Bai's threads of fate, with him at the center, spread out like a dense spiderweb.

Each thread represented his connection to someone.

And those threads connecting him to the residents of the Scarlet Devil Mansion were among the thickest, even within the complex web of fate.

Lines of that magnitude, based on past experience, were usually indicative of…

…the kind of bond shared between close family or loved ones.

“Loved ones… No, that’s impossible…”

“A mere human, with a lifespan of only a century, could never be with a noble vampire…”

“Ugh…”

Suddenly, the kiss with Chu Bai flashed through her mind.

The kiss was long and lingering, the moist, warm breath seemed to caress her cheeks again, and her tongue faintly recalled the sensation of the touch…

Remilia shuddered, then buried her head into the pillow.

Her petite body hugged the blanket, rolling back and forth.

Her exposed little ears were already as red as her cheeks…

Chapter 14: Gensokyo's Number One Otaku Battle Tournament

Time, like water in a sponge, always slips away unnoticed.

In the blink of an eye, a week had passed.

Spring rain drizzled, and all things revived.

After the rain, the Human Village was filled with the fresh scent of earth, and verdant new buds gradually sprouted from the damp soil. In the breeze-swept sky, white fairies of spring danced back and forth, sharing the news that spring had arrived.

“What a peaceful day.”

Chu Bai sat leisurely at his doorstep, basking in the sun with a contented expression.

The afternoon breeze gently brushed his face, and the bamboo rocking chair swayed rhythmically.

A week had passed since the Scarlet Devil Mansion incident.

Thanks to the 200,000 yen reward from Lady Remilia, Chu Bai had finally escaped the ranks of the impoverished.

He immediately took out 50,000 yen to completely renovate his little home and purchased a series of furniture.

Now his cottage was brand new and could generously accommodate guests.

As for the remaining 150,000…

Although he could continue doing business and make money from money,

Chu Bai had also learned a lesson: even if he were to engage in business in the future, he would first need to understand the market environment of Gensokyo.

He would wait until he had a complete grasp of the situation before investing, instead of rashly jumping in like before, ultimately turning from a gold bar-owning tycoon into a homeless person.

So he saved the money directly for future use.

And now, he had become a veritable “100,000-yen millionaire.”

Although he still couldn't compare to those top-tier wealthy people, it was more than enough to maintain an ordinary life.

“…I thought it was some old grandpa taking a nap here, but it’s just you, Bai.”

A sudden voice interrupted his reverie.

Chu Bai turned his head and immediately saw a familiar face:

“Yo, it’s Reimu, it’s been a while.”

“It has been a while.”

Reimu sized up Chu Bai:

“Looks like you’re living pretty well, have you gotten used to life in Gensokyo?”

Chu Bai immediately revealed a surprised expression:

“What? How did you know I earned a 200,000-yen reward?”

“???”

Reimu almost couldn't hold back: “Who asked you that!”

Seeing Chu Bai's smug look,

The red-white shrine maiden suddenly felt a little itchy, with an urge to rob this guy.

But after thinking about it carefully, Chu Bai wasn't as easy to bully as Rinnosuke.

Besides, he was a big customer who had given her gold bars, and the shrine still had plenty of supplies thanks to him.

Thinking this way, Reimu finally gave up:

“So you’ve entered early retirement?”

“The way you’re relaxing in the yard, you look just like a retired old grandpa.”

“…No, I don’t think a normal old grandpa would be cooling off in early spring, rheumatism is quite painful.”

Chu Bai chatted leisurely with Reimu as she passed by.

They were both idle people, so they quite enjoyed this slow-paced life.

However, soon, a figure descended from the sky, interrupting their conversation.

“Gensokyo's fastest reporter, the honest and upright Aya Shameimaru has arrived!”

“Thank you for subscribing to ‘Bunbunmaru Newspaper’! Here’s today’s paper, please take it~”

Chu Bai was immediately invigorated:

“Oh, the newspaper I’ve been longing for has finally arrived!”

Seeing Chu Bai personally welcoming her and looking so appreciative, Aya Shameimaru immediately revealed a touched expression:

“Wow, Mr. Chu Bai, are you a loyal fan of our newspaper?”

“Of course, I really like your newspaper!”

Chu Bai gave a thumbs up in appreciation:

“After all, your newspaper is really thick!”

“Mm-hmm!”

“Whether it’s used for wallpapering, burning for warmth, or as scratch paper, it’s very convenient!”

“Mm-hmm… Hmm?”

“Oh right, next time I go camping with Koishi, I’ll need to bring a few more sheets as toilet paper, I’ll be counting on you then…”

“Hey! Wait a minute!”

Aya couldn't help but roar:

“Don’t use our newspaper for weird things!”

“Read it properly three times, and then carefully treasure it like a family heirloom!”

Seeing that Chu Bai still didn't care,

Aya couldn't help but proactively reveal some information:

“And this time there’s big news, something big is coming!”

“The annual ‘Gensokyo Number One Otaku Battle Tournament’ is about to be held, and many factions will send people to participate.”

“At that time, the Human Village will become a gathering place of various forces, the center of the entire Gensokyo’s struggles!”

“I won’t say more, you can read the newspaper yourself, don’t blame me for not reminding you later.”

Having said her piece,

Aya, wearing high-toothed geta, soared into the sky and flew into the distance.

Chu Bai calmly picked up the paste and prepared to start wallpapering.

Reimu, however, was thoughtful:

“Otaku Battle Tournament… I remember it was held last year too.”

“Oh? There really is such an event?”

Chu Bai tore the newspaper into long strips and skillfully brushed on the paste:

“But I heard that otaku culture is relatively niche, and it’s quite difficult for ordinary people to enter the circle.

“So this Otaku Battle Tournament should be a very small-scale event, right?”

Reimu shook her head in denial:

“No, you’re wrong.”

“In the human circle of Gensokyo, this is considered a fairly large-scale event.”

“After all, the humans here are generally weak and don’t dare to wander around. Therefore, more and more young people have become otaku, only working and staying at home.”

“By the way, the champion of last year’s Otaku Battle Tournament reportedly received a super prize of ‘500,000 yen’.”

“Oh… only 500,000 yen…”

Chu Bai brushed the wall without any reaction.

But suddenly, his arm froze in mid-air, and his pupils suddenly contracted like a beast:

“What? Re-Re-Reimu, what did you just say? How much money did last year’s champion get?”

Reimu looked at him with cold sweat:

“500,000 yen, what’s wrong?”

Almost instantly,

Chu Bai directly dropped the paste bucket, frantically found the newspaper scraps, and carefully pieced them together.

His eyes quickly scanned, and he finally obtained the information he wanted from the newspaper.

【Shocking!】

【Men are silent after reading, women shed tears after reading, Gensokyo residents collectively climaxed!】

【The “Gensokyo Number One Otaku Battle Tournament,” hosted by the Hieda family and co-sponsored by Bunbunmaru Newspaper and other companies, will be held in the Human Village!】

【This is a feast for otaku, a carnival for shut-ins, a huge stage gathering many forces!】

【As long as you have otaku cultural knowledge, regardless of identity, race, or age, you can sign up to participate!】

【The final champion will be awarded the honorary title of “King of Otaku” and receive a maximum cash prize of 500,000 yen!!】

【Action is better than excitement, act quickly!】

【The next King of Otaku is the one reading the Bunbunmaru Newspaper—】

【—You!!!】

Chu Bai: “…………”

This private content is too obvious!

The entire text is an advertisement for Bunbunmaru Newspaper!

However…

Chu Bai's gaze fixed on the “500,000 yen prize.”

This thing is actually real?