Chapter 70 — Laoshu (Paid-Patrons)

A/N: Leo's first meeting with a Xian is about to happen.

It is the cold, murky depths of the Southern Sea we land—all twelve of us, pilots included. The nearest landmass is a barren rock with three coconut trees and a handful of sand—not exactly the ideal vacation spot the passengers were hoping for, I reckon…

It is, however, close to the nearest Chinese war vessel.

With the flaming metal coffin hurtling toward the ocean at 800 km/h, “It’s only a matter of time before Chinese patrol ship arrives. Keep your cool… They might be trigger-happy. It's not every day they get to see a flaming plane dive into the sea,”

“Y- You can fly?!” Annoyingly, the pilot interrupts before I can finish, which earns him a glare that causes his bowel to empty in a second.

“Thirty seconds after we leave, you'll forget everything you saw earlier. The plane’s engine failed… Something hit it—that’s the story. Got it?"

Having already destroyed the black box and any evidence pointing to the true cause of the crash, I made sure both engines were burnt black and even altered the damages to look like they suddenly experience critical failure mid-flight… You know, just in case the forensic team decides to take a closer look.

Everything is in place—people hypnotized, evidence erased or altered…

Everything except for one.

I vibrate a clump of saltwater above the mother, drenching the unconscious woman with cold water and waking her from her deep slumber. Shooting up in a panic, she frantically rubs her eyes as she screams for her daughter. “Ikari-chan? IKARI-CHAN?!”

“… Do you know them?”

“We’ve met on a few occasions.”

“What are you waiting for? It’ll be best for her if she forgets… Best for all of them.”

“I know.” Dropping the Astromancer onto the sole patch of soil on the island, I walk toward her, supported by platforms of compressed air beneath my shoes. “Ms. Takashi?”

“Y-You! What have you done to her? What have you done to my— “

Racing towards me, her tiny fists collide with my chest, harmless as feathers, as she roars—voice full of fear and hurt.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY DAUGHTER?!”

“What I had to…”

"You... YOU!"

She’s… Human.

Her punches shouldn't hurt, yet they do… Somehow, bypassing even my [Shield]. "Give her back! GIVE HER BACK—"

“I can’t.” I catch what must be the thirteenth punch she's thrown tonight.

As she launches another with her free hand, I catch it too, and then Takashi switches to kicking and flailing as if she's lost her mind.

I can't blame her.

I'd feel the same if my daughter's murderer stood right in front of me. "For what it’s worth, I waited for her to turn before…"

I even used [Life-Binding] in an effort to keep little Takashi alive, but being infected with Ghoulism is more of a transformation, and I couldn’t transfer the damage to myself. The Gods know what kind of abomination would result if it infected me; and even if by some miracles I braved through it, the Infection would not have stopped until it had claimed the girl or we both.

I pinned my last hopes on [Transfiguration], trying to turn the Mysteries causing the rapid mutations into something beneficial.

However, the Spell seems ineffective against Spiritrons, which Apostlehood—a sickness of the Soul—alters… A person’s Spirit Core is like the DNA for the Soul; once it's rewritten, there's no going back.

No reset;

No starting over.

I doubt there's any record of her Soul in its original state; only the half-mutilated, twisted Spirit Core remains.

Despite my efforts, the veins on her skin continued to darken, her teeth growing jagged and sharp behind pale, bloodless lips, all while the last trace of Humanity she held onto, just so she could… Speak to her 'Hero' a second longer, slowly faded and eventually vanished—snuffed out like a cheap matchstick.

It bothered me more than I'd like to admit—seeing those final sparks get tainted and darkened—like a Star collapsing onto itself. The outcome is pulsating Black Hole radiating the boundless thirst Apostlehood and Ghoulism are well-documented for causing. “I’m sorry but this is for the best.”

“Not for my daughter…”

Ms. Takashi mutters, our eyes meeting halfway.

“[You did everything possible, but your daughter was already gone before you could reach her. It’s not your fault… You tried everything you could think of, but she was pinned… The pilots had to pull you to safety or you would have stayed with Ikari-chan.]”

“I— I did?”

“[You did. Find peace in knowing that the idea of leaving her behind never even crossed your mind, but sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can and will still fail.]”

Life’s just a major bitch like that… Every once in a while, she will knock you down a notch for no reason, if only to prove she can; is, and will when given the chance, all the while daring you to do something about it too.

“[After I snap my fingers, you’ll forget everything you saw. Nod if you understand.]”

“B- But what happened to the plane then? To Ikari-chan?”

“[She died, remember? The plane exploded mid-flight… That’s all you remember; everything else is just a blur.]”

“Th-That’s all I remember…” Takashi repeats, drool dripping from the corner of her lips.

“Man, I hope I didn’t look that dumb while hypnotized…”

On the sideline, the flight attendant mumbles, which the younger coo-pilot follows up with a quiet, “You looked even dumber, sorry to say.”

“Have some damn respect! She just lost her daughter!”

Thank you, only sensible passenger.

“[Now… Sleep.]”

Just like that, Ms. Takashi drops to the ground, saved from a killer headache by yours truly.

“Hard to believe we survived all that… What now?”

“I told you… We leave, you forget, and you go back to your lives as if nothing ever happened, as God intended.”

“Do we really have to forget? This is the most exciting thing that’s happened to me all year!” As expected, the speaker is one of those posh private school girl who has the same common sense and survival instinct of a goldfish. “If you don’t erase my memory, I will tell Daddy to hire you!”

Who seriously calls their dad ‘Daddy’ at her age?

That was only cute in kindergarten and preschool!

You’re in high school—that’s just fucking creepy!

"Whoever your 'daddy' is, he can't save you from being killed by my kind, and he definitely can't save you from me..."

The girl’s face turns pale as she feels the intense Od I'm emitting, quickly backing away. "The Supernatural is a private club, you see, and you’re not invited."

"Ugh... Are you guys racist towards us Muggles?"

"Very.” The lense through which most Magi view Humanity is that of the Ancient Gods—test subjects to be experimented on; cattles to be farmed and cheap labor who can perform the tasks we consider… Menial. "Usually, it's kill on sight, but I’ve done enough of that today. Just so we’re clear, if the [Hynotization] fails for whatever reasons, take this to the grave, or die without one. Your choice.”

“Not much of a choice…”

The pilot whispers, echoing a thought that likely resonates with his fellow passengers.

“You’re right—it’s an ultimatum. Maybe I should just kill everyone; after all, dead men tell no tales. What do you say?”

I muse dispassionately, as if genuinely considering the thought, which finally scares them into silence. Peace at last…

“That won’t be necessary. We’re just ordinary people, not Wizards like you—we know our place.”

As expected of an elder… He’s wise—wiser than the clamoring idiots.

Probably close to retirement too, judging by his white hair. “Then we’re leaving now.”

Waving them goodbye, I glance at Ms. Takashi one last time, making to grab Alexios by the scruff of his neck.

“Kiritsugu…”

I understand now why Shirou and Kiritsugu ended up so miserable. I don’t care about people I have never met, and I truly hope my enemies suffer, but standing by helplessly while someone in my camp died—someone so young too—hits me in a way I’ve never thought possible… Well, I suppose it’s ‘had’ now.

How many times have Archer or Kiritsugu experienced the same?

How many times have they failed someone? “I get it now…”

Maybe after this ordeal, I’ll come back and share a glass of Sake with the ol’ Magus Killer.

Miles away from mainland China, Alexios and I find ourselves in the middle of nowhere, a place where no vegetation grows and no animals live.

It’s difficult for city-dwellers like us to grasp, but the rural areas of China, like much of Asia, haven’t changed significantly over the past century. Sure, there are cars and electricity, but much of the land remains empty and barren, uninhabitable for all except a rare few of the continent’s most resilient lifeforms.

Unfortunately, not even the chill of Spring can chase away the heat determined to make us both as miserable as possible.

“You weren’t flying… You were stepping on platforms.”

“How’d you figure, Sherlock?”

“Not in a good mood, huh?”

“Wow! You’re on fucking fire today… If the Magus thing does not work out, you should really consider being a detective.”

Aside from being forced into a journey I never planned on taking, I just had to send 46 people to the ‘Pure Land,’ including a fan of mine.

To say I’m angry would be underselling it.

I’m positively murderous.

“Where’s that piece of shit?”

“You mean my brother?”

“Did I stutter?”

“No idea.” Alexios shrugs, an annoyingly innocent expression on his face.

I can almost hear the gears in my neck turning as I slowly face the whistling Magus. “This isn’t funny.”

“Good, because I don’t find much humor in it either.”

“Van-Fem didn’t tell you his exact location? Even if we know he’s in Sichuan, the whole Province is the size of a damn State! How the fuck are we supposed to find the little shit?!”

If anyone ever understood Cinderella’s frustration, it’s me right now. Though unlike her, I don’t have to sort flour and salt—I just have to tear through every town, city, and settlement within like a gazillion square kilometers!

Oh, and he could be hiding behind a waterfall, in a cave, or under a rock, for all I know, which means we have to comb the whole of Sichuan more like!

To make matters worse, I have no Fae helping me! “Where’s a goddamn Fairy-Godparents when I need them?”

That’s when it strikes me…

“Wait… Fairy-Godparents? That’s it!”

“I get you’re upset, but get a grip. We just have to wait a few weeks; months at worst.”

I don’t have months, weeks—heck, I don’t even have hours to waste, let alone days, and I did spend 3 AP to buy the perk. “Time to make the most of my AP. [Winds… Whisper your secrets to me.]”

The [Wind] speaks like a chorus of giggling women, sharing thousands of stories, all eager to recount their journeys.

Apparently, Ms. Lushen in the next town cheated on her husband and gave him herpes… Not exactly what I was looking for, but at least they’re responding enthusiastically. “[Wind—Be serious.]”

“Great… I’m stuck in this mess with a madman. Just fantastic.” The Astromancer mutters, running a hand down his face as he crouches and gently massages his temples.

“You forgot to pack underwear?”

“Wha- What? How did you know?!”

“The [Wind] speaks.”

And it talks a lot... It's a lot like standing in a crowd where everyone’s shouting to their heart’s content, and once in a blue moon, some dickheads with lungs that would make a smoker envious would scream bloody-murder for bo reason.

“O-Okay, relax, guys. One at a time.” 

Either the [Wind] is having the same hearing issue, or it simply doesn’t care enough to behave. 

“[Wind]?” 

It keeps howling like a group of petulant children...

This wouldn’t be an issue if I hadn’t just forced myself to endure listening to Takashi Senior and Junior both screech themselves hoarse just an hour ago. "I—Can I just—“

They’d not shut up… “[SILENCE!]"

The word bursts from my throat, raw and guttural, driven by the frustration I have only barely managed to contain via sarcasm. “[You’ll do as I command from now on—speak when spoken to; one at a time and if you break my Laws, may the Gods have mercy on you—]”

The air current vibrates violently, whipping up several tiny tornadoes which are then compressed into a sphere that screams in agony. “[Because I won’t.]”

Perks are just tools; they only serve a purpose if they do their Master’s—My Will.

Otherwise, they're useless and are just taking up space.

I hold the spell for another five seconds, then release the [Wind], which bursts out in shockwaves that make my outfit flutter. “Blo—Bloody Hell! Let me know when you’re going to do that next time!”

Behind me, Alexios complains, but I ignore him. “[Wind, speak, where’s the Magus?]”

[T-Too many… I-I can’t tell which one…]

“He’s a Westerner. Probably resembles the guy behind me.”

[Humansss—all look the same.]

Rampant speciesism is on the rise, I see.

“How many Magi are currently in the Province? And don’t tell me you don’t know what Province is.”

Even though its appearance is so alien and it can't distinguish between physical descriptions, I know for a fact that [Wind] isn't stupid.

It may not be able to see, but it can definitely eavesdrop on conversation.

[13075.]

Is that it? Aren't there upward to 30-40 million people in the entire Province? "Where are the largest concentrations located?"

Most of those connected to our side in China are under the Spiral Manor or the Summit Court.

They're as strict, if not stricter, than the Clock Tower.

I doubt Alexios' brother would willingly mess with them.

If I were him, I’d stay in the smaller, remote towns disconnected to the outside world.

Those can be wiped out without causing a major stir.

If he needs more people, he can just move from one town to another until he reaches his quota.

Eventually, the Magi of the Summit Court or the Spiral Manor will realize something’s amiss, but by then he should have already gotten what he wants.

[Wind] whispers to me a list of cities currently hosting agents from various Sects and Schools.

These agents usually position themselves on the outskirts, honing their Martial Arts or ‘Daoist Spells’ while acting as de facto guards.

Despite their small numbers in relation to the area, they manage to control access in and out of the cities rather effectively.

Of course, the presence of city-wide Bounded Fields or Formations greatly assists in this effort.

This setup highlights the differing mindsets of the East and West quite well.

Both the Aristocrats and the Democrats have skeletons in their closet, and due to the limited landmass the Tower oversees, no one wants to establish such extensive surveillance Bounded Fields.

In contrast, China has more land than the Spiral Manor and the Summit Court can ever hope to manage, leaving plenty of space for criminals within their ranks to slip through the cracks, hence why the Sects and Schools all banded together to create said Formations.

I can’t be certain, but I have heard that the Formations were integrated with the Rainbow-Rank Mystic Code the Xian used to create the Philosophy Foundation.

The entire Foundation focus on areas with large populations and prioritize the Dragon’s Veins where the Xian reside—the Leylines, for the uninitiated.

“What about Magi who fly in the last six months?”

[371, y- your Majesty.]

371 Magi in the last six months? That’s not as few as I thought, but it should help narrow down our list. “Describe their stature to me…”

[They’ve got noses; ears; eyes; four limbs and—]

Jesus H. Christ... Apart from the rare few born with physical defects or those who lose a part later in life, which human doesn't have that? "If you can't provide a physical description, just share whatever else you can remember about them."

After relaying the information to Alexios, we finally pinpoint one suspicious guy.

“What do you think, is it our guy?”

“Sounds like my brother, all right.”

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

My hands are itching to tear the bastard’s vocal cords out already.

I grab Alexios by the collar, bend my knees slightly, and with a leap, propel us both near the clouds using [Air Vibration].

Situated near the border between Sichuan and Tibet, Laoshu is a small town with around 500 residents.

According to the [Wind], Serios Anathasiou was spotted near here a few weeks ago. I'm not sure if he's still around, but we can start asking around—by that, I mean asking [Windy].

"Guide me to his exact location, will you?"

"Is this one of your Sorcery Traits? Quite useful."

"Fewer questions; more action, Astromancer."

I'll squeeze him for everything he's worth once this is over, but first...

"Wait, let me head into town real quick."

"Why? We've got him."

"He's not going anywhere,” A Ritual as big as this takes forever to setup.

Serios won’t abandon it that easily, and even if he did, there’s nowhere to hide…

Not as long as the [Wind] itself is my Servant.

Besides, “I need a smoke."