There was no need for Zhang Wei to joke much about his father Zhang Ping's words. After all, it was his father's friend, and he had already passed away. He couldn't help but say, "Alright, Dad, you're right. I'll go back in three days. Remember to pick me up. I want eight Rolls-Royces to greet me. If you don't come, I won't leave the airport."
Afterward.
Zhang Wei chatted with his father, Zhang Ping, for a while longer before hanging up the phone.
Immediately after.
Zhang Wei checked the time. He had finished his dessert, and it was now around 1 PM. "Xiao Qi, I'm going out."
"Brother Wei is going out? Meizi has a driver's license. We can drive and accompany you."
"No need, I'm just going for a walk before I go back. Don't worry about me, you guys do your own thing. Oh, my parents are back in the country. Xiao Qi, help me prepare some local specialties."
With only three days left before he returned, Zhang Wei didn't plan to be idle. He intended to make the most of the remaining time to gain any advantage he could. For this reason, he didn't want Yu Xiao Qi and the others to accompany him, using a casual excuse.
Yu Xiao Qi nodded upon hearing this. "Okay, then Meizi and I will go buy some local specialties for you."
Zhang Wei nodded, got up, and walked towards his room. He didn't intend to go looking for ghosts to "pluck wool" from empty-handed. He had to bring something out, otherwise, he wouldn't be doing justice to the large suitcase he carried.
Then.
For the next three days...
In Japan, in a river called the Edogawa.
As one of Japan's most famous rivers, stretching 59.5 kilometers, a section of its riverbed was visible.
Four Kappas were seen sitting on stones at the riverbed, holding fish in their hands, eating and happily discussing their experiences of coming out at midnight to scare passersby and drown people.
"Hmm? What is that?"
As they were chatting merrily, the Kappas seemed to sense something and looked downstream. They were all stunned.
[Ding! Kappas are stunned]
[Host gains System Points +80]
"Holy crap, what a big fish! No, damn it, is that... a whale?"
"What's going on? How did a whale get into the river?"
"Did it get lost? How is there a whale swimming into a freshwater river? Aren't whales saltwater creatures?"
"Hey, you don't look like a whale."
The last sentence was spoken by the Kappa who had initially identified it as a whale. At first, it thought it was a whale because the fish was large and comparable in size to a whale, and its body shape was also similar to a whale. However, as the creature swam closer and it got a clear look, it realized it was mistaken.
Although the whale had a blue upper body and white belly, upon closer inspection, its chin, eyes, the back of its fins, and its torso all had red stripes. As it moved its fins, the red stripes across its body emitted a red glow, and its eyes were as piercing as lamps.
After all, whales are large, but they don't glow.
However.
Why does this glowing whale feel so familiar?
The next second.
As if it had thought of something.
[Ding! Kappas' eyes widen, that is...]
[Host gains System Points +90]
"Kyogre!"
The Kappas screamed in unison.
That was clearly the mythical beast Kyogre from Pokémon!
Amidst their shock, the Kyogre opened its mouth and let out a deafening roar. As it opened its mouth, a fierce light condensed within, and a suffocating aura emanated from the light...
[Ding! Kappas are deeply shocked... Is that Kyogre's Ice Beam!! No, what are we still waiting for, run!]
[Host gains System Points +100]
Following the system prompt, the icy beam burst forth, shooting towards the Kappas.
At this very moment.
On the riverbank.
This was a park by the Edogawa, a place favored by many couples. Currently, everyone there, whether they were kissing, holding hands, or even engaged in illicit activities, was stunned. They looked at the surface of the Edogawa River with wide eyes filled with horror.
"Ah~ Quick~ Huh? Holy crap! Da Xiong, look at the Edogawa!"
"Is it an illusion? Why do I feel so cold? It's only autumn, isn't it? Hiss! The river is frozen?!"
"Look, it's frozen, that section of the river is frozen."
"What's going on? Why is that part of the river frozen?"
The people in the park all noticed.
A section of the Edogawa River, the part leading to the park, was frozen. It was frozen for hundreds of meters, as if something had instantly frozen this section of the river. It shocked everyone, and they all started taking pictures.
While taking pictures, many people cried out in surprise. They discovered that in the photos they took, there was a giant creature at the bottom of the river emitting a red glow, resembling Kyogre from Pokémon.
...
That night.
In Japan, at the famous scenic spot at the foot of Mount Fuji – the Aokigahara Forest.
This was a forest sea, one of Japan's famous attractions, and also a suicide hot spot. Many Japanese people chose this place to end their lives. For this reason, ghosts liked to linger here. The reason was simple: if they killed someone here, no one would know, and it would just be assumed to be a suicide.
At this time.
As night fell.
A group of young people crossed the warning sign and entered the forest.
There were both men and women among them. One of them was holding a phone and live-streaming. This person was an internet celebrity streamer who had specifically come here for an adventure today. Since Aokigahara became a suicide hot spot, many rumors of curses and ghosts had spread from here. Therefore, not only did suicidal people like to come here, but it also attracted some internet celebrities to live-stream, hoping to gain traffic.
As they were live-streaming, the streamer was still enthusiastically introducing the Aokigahara Forest to the viewers. They didn't notice that on a tree behind them, several invisible ghosts were standing, watching the young people and letting out eerie laughter.
"Heh heh heh, more sacrifices have arrived."
"Thanks to the current internet era, there are always a group of idiots who want to become famous by coming here to attract attention, and we can have a free meal."
"Before we eat, should we give them a scare as usual? Eating them after they've been terrified makes the meat taste better."
"Sure, then we..."
Before they could finish discussing, a rumbling, rumbling, rumbling sound echoed. With each dull thud, the ground shook violently. With every sound, the earth trembled, causing the surrounding trees to sway and their leaves to rustle with a swishing sound.
[Ding! The ghosts are stunned, what's going on? An earthquake? No, the sound doesn't seem to be coming from underground]
[Host gains System Points +100]
Just as the ghosts were about to scan their surroundings to investigate.
"Ah—"
"Oh my god, what is that!"
"A monster?!"
The group of young people screamed, looking in one direction with terrified expressions. Some were so scared they fell to the ground.
In response.
The ghosts also noticed this. Out of curiosity, they followed their gaze and looked up.
The next moment.
[Ding! The ghosts are terrified, holy crap! Mon...]
[Host gains System Points +110]
They saw it. In the Aokigahara Forest in that direction, there was a colossal figure that blotted out the sky. It was massive, its entire body covered in red, plate-like skin that acted as armor. Between the seams of the skin were orange-yellow stripes, emitting a lava-like glow, as if magma was flowing through those gaps.
Looking at this colossal monster.
Both the ghosts and the young people were terrified and immediately tried to flee.
However.
As the colossal monster took a step forward, its massive body landed, shaking the ground as if it were an earthquake. Its figure approached the crowd and the ghosts, allowing them to see its face by the moonlight. Upon seeing its face, and noticing the "Ω" symbol on the base of its massive arm.
The young people and the ghosts' eyes widened.
The next second.
They all screamed in unison:
"Groudon?"
[Ding! The ghosts are bewildered, holy shit, isn't that the mythical beast Groudon from Pokémon?!]
[Host gains System Points +120]
...