soul stone

3 o'clock in the morning.The room was dark with thick curtains drawn, and the only light source was the reflection of the display screen.Facing the three computer screens, Qiao Huan felt a little helpless.Intelligence processing is not his forte.Although I found a familiar expert to crack the password (because the other party said it was extremely difficult and cost a lot of money), trying to find out the clues from the computer left by Kamijou is still tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack.

"You should thank her well, I mean, Her Royal Highness the 'Queen'. She saved you."

In the last scene with Kamijou, every word she said now seems to be full of subtle meanings, as if wrapped in the dark matter of the universe.It is death that gives them meaning.No matter how absurd the words are, they are the last message she left for me.In snowblindness, information of any kind is precious.Whether or not it points to the answer I want, that's the only way forward.

Suddenly, a sharp bell broke the silence of the night.Qiao Huan picked up the phone.When he saw the caller ID, he took a deep breath as if making a major decision, and then pressed the answer button.

"Mr. Michael."

"Judging from your tone, it seems that I knew that I would call." The slightly hoarse young male voice was gentle, but contained an undeniable sense of oppression.

"At times like this, there are usually only two types of people who can call my cell phone—bosses and women." Qiao Huan grinned at the rubber tree in the corner.

"And you're going to ditch the boss and go find a woman."

"Exactly. In fact, I'm about to hand in my resignation."

Through the microphone, a sigh-like breathing could be heard.

"My father's death is not your responsibility. The bodyguards of other families are dying. You are lucky to be alive. Some guys talk nonsense, saying that you are involved with the enemy, and you only hid after knowing the news in advance. Of course , I didn't hear a word. You can rest assured."

Silence compressed hard. "I didn't know beforehand." Qiao Huan said.He lied.

"That's the end of this topic." Michael Corleone's tone was calm, and his father's shadow could be heard in it, "No matter what you want to do or where you go, we will not stop you. There will be an extra year's salary , as gift money."

"Thank you very much."

"If one day you find what you're looking for, or if you tire of wandering, come back. The doors of House Corleone will always be open to you."

In the darkness, Qiao Huan closed her eyes.A long stone corridor appeared in front of him.It was the corridor outside the refectory of the Abbey of St. Thirteen.Keep going until you reach the library.A dark-haired girl in glasses squatted by the wall, stroking the grain of the slate.The sound of a piano wafting from nowhere above my head.Suddenly the screen flickered, and the images of more than ten years flew away from him like a sea current full of noctilucent insects.A small red dot appears in the center of the line of sight.The dots are getting bigger and bigger.Boom!Everything flew and splashed.The dots turned into the last picture of the cafe - a raging flame.

"If there is a day."

After speaking, he unilaterally hung up the phone and turned off the phone.

Staring at the unpretentious shell of the mobile phone, a thought flashed through my mind like lightning.Kamijou's phone was destroyed in the explosion.But there should still be relevant data in the database of the communication operator.He immediately started investigating.Through specialized intelligence personnel, he obtained Kamijou's address book.Simpler than expected.Although it seems that the call records cannot be retrieved, having an address book is enough.

Kamijou used code words for the names of the contacts.It seemed that he had expected to be seen by others a long time ago, so he had to say that he was well thought out.It is much easier to crack code words than passwords.After browsing all the contacts, according to Kamijou's personality, Qiao Huan quickly locked his target on a contact named "Ice Queen".He dialed the number.

"Mrs. Laroyer, or Miss Oyagi Xueye," Qiao Huan omitted the opening remarks, "No. 17, Edinburgh Avenue, Southern District, Youkexin City."

No echo.

"No. 17, Edinburgh Street, South District, Youkexin City. There is a lady named Kamijou who stayed there. Unfortunately, she can no longer contact you."

"What's wrong with her?" He asked without emotion or tone.It's a neutral voice like an airport flight announcement.

"Accidentally lost. In an explosion."

"How do you know this number?"

"She mentioned your name in the last hours of her life in this world."

silence.A blank silence reminiscent of dreamless sleep.

"Mr. Qiao Huan, long time no see."

"You guessed it right. You really deserve to be the 'Queen'. I admire you."

"Miss Kamijou acts cautiously. There are probably not many men in this world who can make her mention me."

Qiao Huan took a silent breath.Through the microphone, one crucial fact can be captured: Yukino has feelings for Kamijou that are close to affection - if she has feelings.

"To make a long story short. She has left me something that concerns you, I am afraid. If possible, I would like to give it to you in person."

"What is it?"

"An electronic card similar to an ID card."

"Understood. It really needs to be recycled. I will arrange someone to pick up Mr. Qiao Huan. Ms. Kamijou also left some things here. I have been letting people leave them alone. I think it is better for Mr. Qiao Huan to decide how to dispose of them."

"Thank you very much. But is there anything else I need to take care of?"

"You'll know when you come." The other party hung up the phone.

Qiao Huan stared at the receiver of the phone that was unilaterally hung up, speechless for a long time.After hanging up the phone, he took out a set of screwdrivers from the drawer, picked the penultimate one among them, and opened the back cover of the phone.A small square chip is stuck near the movement.He peeled off the chip carefully.It stores the recording of the call just now.Put the chip, which is no bigger than a little fingernail, into a large brown paper envelope, put a stamp on it, and drop it into the mailbox at the entrance of the residential area.

Pink clouds floated in the eastern sky.I don't know if it was a mental effect, but Qiao Huan felt that today's morning glow was indescribably sick, like the bloody phlegm coughed up by a patient with lung disease.Just thinking about it makes my whole body feel uncomfortable.He put on his overcoat and went out, sat down in a small cafe near the mailbox, and ordered a ham sandwich and black coffee.While eating breakfast, keep an eye on the mailbox.At 8 o'clock in the morning, the postman wearing a green uniform rode a bicycle to the mailbox and took away the first batch of mail of the day, including his kraft paper envelope.

Qiao Huan breathed a sigh of relief.Sometimes, the simpler the means of communication, the more reliable.This mail will be sent to a hunter friend of his, who can analyze a person's telekinetic ability by sound.In case something happens to Qiao Huan, this chip will also become the Achilles' heel of Yagi Yukiya.

When we checked out and went out, it was already daylight.At the crossroads ahead, you may meet an old lady who is shopping for vegetables with a white dog.

Time stops suddenly.There are indeed people at the fork on the left.Not an old lady, but a little boy.His gray hair was combed back with hairspray, his gray diagonal striped suit was tight on his body, and the metal prosthetics hidden in his trousers made muffled sounds with his steps.

"Are you ready to go, Qiao Huan-brother?"

Before he could react, something covered his mouth and nose.In the last few seconds before consciousness disappeared, Qiao Huan smelled a pungent smell.

...is it chloroform?

When she woke up again, Qiao Huan found herself lying on a single bed.He tried to prop up his upper body, but found that his body was abnormally heavy, as if his limbs had escaped the command of his brain.Fortunately, the eyeballs can move freely.He twisted his neck as hard as he could, looking around.There is a simple desk and a folding chair on the left.The room is less than ten square meters, and there is an orange-red night light on the edge of the door, which is the only light source here.

This is the "Holy Thirteen Institute of Spiritual Evolution".An intuitive first reaction flashed in Qiao Huan's mind.

According to his tolerance to chloroform, it can be deduced that it is the middle of the night of the second day, or the early morning of the third day to be precise.Chloroform was used to prevent him from discovering the real location of the institute.The boy who brought him here after being stunned was undoubtedly... But why did he dress up like that?

Apart from paralysis all over the body, there is nothing unusual.The clothes are well dressed, and the sunglasses are also well worn.Watches, mobile phones and other equipment are also there.He wanted to see what time it was, but couldn't lift his wrist.

Wait... there's one more thing?

Qiao Huan blinked.The inside pockets of the vest are flat, and it is impossible to see if there is anything in it.He took a deep breath and activated Nian's advanced application skill - "Circle".The five-meter space covered by thoughts has become an extension of the skin.Even the slight vibration of a grain of dust in the air can be felt clearly.

And sure enough—"that thing" was gone.

While confirming this fact, Qiao Huan's "Yuan" also sensed that someone was coming from the corridor.He quickly canceled the "circle".

The door opened. "I'm sorry, Mr. Qiao Huan."

I thought it would be the gray-haired boy who brought him here, or Oyagi Yukiya himself, but unexpectedly it was a middle-aged and elderly man with a protruding forehead, thin cheeks, and wrinkled face.The visitor hunched slightly and turned on the light switch by the door.The bright white light suddenly illuminated the room, Qiao Huan subconsciously narrowed his eyes.When he opened it again, his small eyes widened into an unusual oval shape.

"I didn't expect it to be you, Mr. Kuroki."

"Everyone. Did you sleep well last night?"

"To be honest, it's not very good. But it's much better than the one that never wakes up after falling asleep." The big man lying on the bed grinned.

"Hehehe, well said."

Kuroki turned around.It is still the housekeeper's attire when he was working at the old man's house in La Royer, smart, capable, elegant and calm.However, even from a distance, it can be seen that he is much older than the last time we met, his gray hair has increased significantly, and his voice has lost a kind of transparent penetrating power.

"My card..."

Hei Mu interrupted him, "That access control card has been recovered safely, please make a special trip."

"Really, then I can rest assured." Qiao Huan focused his gaze on the corner of the ceiling.Tiny cobwebs formed there.

"As a thank you, Ms. Xue Ye specially ordered me to give you the things that Ms. Kamijou left here."

"……Oh?"

Hei Mu walked to the table, pulled out the folding chair, sat down facing Qiao Huan, and crossed his fingers on his knees.

"Maybe you don't know, but to be honest, it's against the rules for Miss Kamijou to go out of the island and meet with you in private."

"Regulation?"

"Yes. Although I didn't say it clearly, since Miss Kamijou has the access card, you should also know that she has become a member of this research institute. Therefore, Miss Xueye believes that the reason why she suffered such misfortune is that It is the consequence of violating the rules."

"Excuse me, but I don't understand at all what you're talking about."

"Simply put, if she hadn't left 'something' and stayed here honestly, she would have been able to live well until now."

Qiao Huan didn't answer immediately.There seemed to be a transparent colloid slowly precipitating in the air, wrapping around his body.

After a long time, he said in a low voice, "Is it 'something' that Oyagi-san asked me to pick up?"

Kuroki nodded.

"This is the room where Ms. Kamijou used to live. Please feel the 'reason' she left here, take it with you, and don't repeat the same mistakes."

The process of leaving the institute is similar to that of coming in, first using drugs to induce a coma, and then returning to the original place unconsciously.The difference is that before going into a coma this time, Qiao Huan had a chance to ask a few words.

"Why did you suddenly imitate your elder brother's appearance, Boucha?"

"My brother is dead. He died as me, so I will live as him. That's what Miss Xue Ye said."

"Luke... is dead?"

"He's dead." The gray-haired boy nodded expressionlessly, "My brother became a sacrifice for me in the 'soul evolution' ceremony. Even though one leg was amputated and a metal prosthetic was installed, I still couldn't escape sister Xue Ye. eyes."

"..." Qiao Huan suddenly felt suffocated, as if he was in the deep sea, and the pressure of the surrounding water made him unable to breathe.

"Sister Xue Ye was very angry at first, but fortunately, that thing appeared, so she let me go and let me just 'live as an older brother from now on'."

"...'that thing'?"

"It's the kid," said the pungent smell of chloroform, "'Summer' appeared."