This night.
For the Onmyo-ji, it was destined to be a sleepless one.
This night.
For ghost hunters worldwide, it was destined to be sensational.
With the burning of the Grand Shrine, the Fatty made his move, his ghostly aura unmasked. The Onmyo-ji were the first to receive news and rushed to the scene. Upon discovering the mark of the Senrakan, the Onmyo-ji were horrified to find that the old Onmyo Master Abe had lost contact.
Hundreds of Onmyo-ji, along with a Zhenlongwei-level expert, had vanished simultaneously.
The news spread like a whirlwind throughout the ghost hunting community of Sakura Country and rapidly escalated onto the international ghost hunting forum.
Then.
As the Onmyo-ji dispatched personnel to the location of the disappearances, the territory of Shuten Doji, they witnessed the horrific aftermath. Even though the Onmyo-ji attempted to suppress the news, it was impossible to contain. Within a single night, the information had spread across the international ghost hunting forum.
Without exception.
All who learned of it, whether ghost hunters from Sakura Country or those from abroad, were stunned. Then, as if by a shared understanding, upon receiving the news, everyone immediately grabbed their phones and called their friends to relay the information.
From one to ten, then ten to a hundred, the news spread globally in just one night.
Similarly.
On the Great Xia ghost hunting forum, a thread titled "[Senrakan Suspected to Have Acted, Eradicating Sakura Country's Top Ghost Faction, Killing a Nation-Guarding Onmyo Master!]" exploded, with its click-through rate skyrocketing to break forum records.
...
The next day, at 6 AM.
The sky was just beginning to lighten.
Ring ring.
The phone's ringing woke Zhang Wei from his sleep.
"Are they crazy? Which idiot is calling this early? It's barely dawn... Zhang Chao?"
Zhang Wei picked up the phone and checked the caller ID.
Immediately.
Zhang Wei answered the call. Before he could even ask a question, Zhang Chao's startled voice came through, exclaiming:
"Damn it! You really tricked me, you bastard Zhang Wei! You even said it was JoJo, that the Onmyo-ji discovered JoJo. It was clearly the Senrakan they discovered. I almost believed your bullshit. Don't say anything yet, let me guess how you'll make excuses. You're probably going to say JoJo belongs to the Senrakan, haha."
"Zhang Chao, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
Zhang Wei was confused. He had been sleeping all night and was unaware of what had happened the previous night.
In response.
Zhang Chao replied:
"It's about what I asked you yesterday. Something happened in Tokyo, and the Onmyo-ji tried to suppress the news. You said some Onmyo-ji discovered JoJo. Holy hell, that wasn't discovering JoJo at all. Now, many people are spreading the word that the incident is definitely related to the Senrakan last night, given the timeline. "
"Huh? Senrakan last night? What happened to the Senrakan?"
"Damn it, Zhang Wei, you don't know? Such a huge event happened last night, and you don't know? What were you doing last night? Having spiritual intercourse with Aragaki Yui?"
"I was sleeping."
"Hell, you could sleep through that? You're too carefree."
Then, Zhang Chao didn't hold back and recounted the events of the previous night, including the destruction of the Grand Shrine, the death of the old Onmyo Master Abe, and the eradication of Shuten Doji's faction.
After he finished speaking.
Zhang Wei's voice followed closely:
"Are you sure the Senrakan did this?! Did the Senrakan come to Sakura Country last night?"
"Really, it's basically confirmed. The Onmyo-ji found Senrakan marks in both Shikoku and at the Grand Shrine. Those are unique Senrakan marks, with a special refining technique that only the Senrakan possesses. It's incredible, the Senrakan actually went abroad to cause trouble."
Zhang Chao spoke with spittle flying, continuing:
"So, when I asked you yesterday about the Onmyo-ji suppressing news from Tokyo, it wasn't about some Onmyo-ji discovering JoJo. It was most likely that they discovered the Senrakan and then suppressed the news. Many people are speculating this now."
"So I came to ask you, Zhang Wei. Why the hell did you babble about JoJo? You missed the opportunity to clash with the Senrakan, a missed opportunity."
"Honestly, the one you said was impersonating JoJo might have been a high-ranking member of the Senrakan, no, even the mastermind behind it."
Seeing Zhang Chao continue to discuss the connection between JoJo and the Senrakan.
Zhang Wei was at a loss for words, as the person involved, he naturally understood the situation:
"Zhang Chao, I wasn't joking about that JoJo, it's real. To be honest, I was the one who did it. It has nothing to do with the Senrakan."
"Uh, damn, for real?"
"Yes, I turned a ghost couple into JoJo. Never mind that, quickly tell me about the Senrakan, why did the Senrakan suddenly come to Sakura Country to do these things? Tell me if you have any more gossip."
"I don't know either, otherwise why would I call you so early? I was going to say you're in Tokyo, living in an Onmyo family, can you ask for any information? Give me some hints. After all, why not let you ask from up close instead of me asking around aimlessly."
Subsequently.
Zhang Chao said a lot, and towards the end, he suddenly realized that Zhang Wei on the other end of the phone had stopped speaking:
"Zhang Wei, what are you doing? Are you still there? Did you go ask? Why aren't you speaking?"
At the same time.
As Zhang Chao inquired, although Zhang Wei heard his words through the phone, he did not respond. At this moment, his attention was entirely on a text message on his phone, sent by Huahua.
Just now.
After Zhang Wei finished speaking to Zhang Chao, he glanced at his phone and saw that Huahua had sent him a message last night. Huahua was in the Senrakan, and she had sent a message last night, possibly about the intelligence of yesterday. Zhang Wei quickly clicked to read it.
And upon reading it...
Zhang Wei was stunned.
[Huahua]: Meow~ Master, I helped you vent your anger (*^▽^*) Last night, I had the Senrakan blow up the Grand Shrine, and also wiped out Sakura Country's ghosts and Onmyo-ji. Am I amazing~ I just pretended to be injured...
In the message, Huahua revealed her plan and sought credit from Zhang Wei.
Seeing this.
Zhang Wei stood there in a daze, murmuring:
"So I'm the culprit? I just slept, and almost overturned the ghost hunting world?"
Just then.
Zhang Chao's voice came from the phone:
"Zhang Wei, are you there? What were you saying just now? Did you finish asking your friend from that Onmyo family? How is it? What's the reason for the Senrakan coming to Sakura Country?"
In response.
Zhang Wei said with a strange look:
"I didn't ask, but I roughly know the reason the Senrakan came to Sakura Country. The reason is a bit ridiculous, you probably won't believe it if I told you."
"Hmm? You know without asking? What ridiculous reason could there be? You're not going to try to fool me again, are you? Forget it, the Senrakan can't be reasoned with by normal standards, so a ridiculous reason is normal. Anyway, just don't say something like the Senrakan came out for team building, that would be too absurd."
"If I say that the Senrakan did this, it seems to be caused by me, would you believe it?"
"?????"
Zhang Chao was stunned for a moment, then his voice came:
"Holy hell, I don't believe a word you say, Zhang Wei. That reason is more ridiculous than my team building idea. You might as well say the Senrakan belongs to you. It seems your lying skills are getting worse, Zhang Wei."
...