Chapter 121: Hirata's World
Chapter 121: Hirata’s World (End)
“Clearly, there are things Xiu Yi could never do—like leaving Fukui’s corpse unattended,” Feng Bu Jue said. “But you, Ping Tian Jun, your existence explains everything. From the moment you appeared, the entire case became effortless for me.
“You wouldn’t turn yourself in—it would affect sentencing. Instead, you brought Zuo Teng Haruko home and terrified her into silence. To her, her husband’s sudden change and the killings were her fault, so scaring her was easy. The gun’s bullets were already spent, so you hid the weapon somewhere it’d be ‘found’ during the police search.
“The next day, you went to Xiu Yi’s company as if nothing happened. You’re superior to him—unknown to him, yet possessing all his memories. You deliberately went there, waiting for the police investigation. Once they checked the facts, you’d be arrested as a ‘cooperating witness.’ But since the body wasn’t discovered until noon on the 27th, the day passed without incident.
“On your way home, perhaps on a whim, you returned control to Xiu Yi. You wanted to watch the drama unfold—see how he’d react confronting Haruko. By then, Xiu Yi was on the brink of collapse, dazed and unable to recall the way home. That’s where his third memory begins.
“Upon returning to the nagaya, seeing his wife’s suicide, his mind shattered completely. He screamed wildly, alerting the neighbor. You retook control to deal with the elderly woman, intentionally showing her some anomalies before sending her away—hoping she’d call the police. Ultimately, you refused to report it yourself, avoiding an ‘confession’ scenario.
“Finally, as you wished, the police arrived at the nagaya and arrested you, finding Yamada’s handgun. That explains why you were calmly sipping tea when caught.
“After the arrest, your revenge was complete. You returned to the consciousness world—until today.
“As for Xiu Yi, he went mad. Imprisonment trapped his body, while his three memories warped into horrifying visions, tormenting his mind for fifteen years. Unsurprisingly, this torment will last until his death.”
“Hmph… hahahaha!” Hirata’s eyes widened grotesquely as he leaned toward the mirror. “That fool deserved it.”
“No—Xiu Yi’s choices weren’t morally wrong. He was simply unlucky,” Feng Bu Jue replied. “But without you, he’d never have fallen this far.”
“What? Do you plan to punish me, Mr. F?” Hirata sneered. “Can you even alter the past?”
“No. But I can offer you both liberation,” Feng Bu Jue said.
“Liberation? Ridiculous! He’s the one suffering—I need nothing of the sort.”
“I’ve three layers of consciousness. Xiu Yi’s endured the deepest, most terrifying layer for years,” Feng Bu Jue interrupted. “I don’t know how many layers you have, but judging your psyche, you’ve only one. Fifteen years… no, twenty-one years—you’ve relived horrors akin to Xiu Yi’s worst memories all this time, haven’t you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hirata lied, his gaze shifting.
“My consciousness isn’t bound to this body. I move freely through these mental prisons. The more I learn, the higher I ascend. Now, I could easily take over Hirata’s body in reality—or enter your realm and cast you into… anywhere,” Feng Bu Jue said coldly.
“Impossible!” Hirata roared.
Before he finished speaking, the mirror shattered.
Feng Bu Jue stood, his handcuffs and shackles vanished. His attire reverted to his signature violet jacket. He touched his pocket—yes, the Key was there, three keys total, one unused.
At the ward’s door, he aimed the key at the lock, opening the final gate symbolizing mental imprisonment.
Blinding white light flooded in, consuming Feng Bu Jue. In the next moment, he shifted scenes—this time consciously entering the unknown realm of… Hirata’s world.
“Ping Tian Jun… is it really you?”
A clear-eyed woman in her twenties, wearing a puffer jacket, stood before him.
Feng Bu Jue’s jester outfit seemed absurd, yet to her Npc eyes, he appeared as Hirata Shuichi.
They stood on a pedestrian bridge—a legendary spot for confessions, breakups, suicides, and street performances. Below, the metropolis pulsed with neon, night’s glow undimmed by the hour.
“Uh… which part?” Feng Bu Jue asked cautiously.
“You said… after graduation, you’d return home to marry Miss Zuo Teng,” her eyes glistened.
“Zuo Teng… So she’s Mei Jiazi,” Feng Bu Jue realized. “Xiu Yi chose Haruko, while Hirata…” He sighed. “For years, Hirata’s relived this breakup with Mei Jiazi. Xiu Yi’s choice, yet his own memory. Watching her weep and leave, powerless to change it—what crueler torment?”
He tested his mobility—able to draw a pipe wrench or gun, though inappropriate here. The deeper the mind, the freer the body, it seemed.
“Heh,” Feng Bu Jue smirked, swaggering forward to embrace her. “I’ll never leave. I love you.” He declared the words he’d never said in life, playing his role as Ping Tian Jun.
Once, a girlfriend demanded those three words. He’d replied, “‘I love you’—a man speaks it once, when you’re dying.”
Since then, no sane woman had stayed with him. A blessing, perhaps.
[Current task completed. Main quest complete.]
The system prompt played as Feng Bu Jue opened his game menu. The incomplete main quests—[Stay Until Dawn], [Explore Western Mansion], and [Work Until Off-Duty]—were struck through.
A new task emerged, previously hidden: [Correct Ping Tian’s Mental World]. A checkmark glowed beside it.
He should’ve heard the teleport prompt, but instead, the scene shifted to a first-person cutscene.
“Oh? A post-credits scene?” Feng Bu Jue mused. “Not bad—beats mandatory grinding.”
[Automatic teleportation after viewing ending.]
The scene shifted—a cloudy afternoon on a familiar street. Colors returned, signaling reality.
Feng Bu Jue recognized his initial path upon entering this scenario.
Two figures approached—a man in a crisp suit and a woman in an elegant dark coat.
Hirata Shuichi and Mei Jiazi, seemingly in their twenties.
Their voices rose:
“Almost there, Ping Tian Jun?”
“Almost. A bit further.”
“Your hometown’s transport’s so inconvenient.”
“Haha… It’s quite old-fashioned,” he scratched his head. “Truly, Mei Jiazi, walking after taking the train this far…”
“Mmm~ No,” she shook her head. “Walking with you is enough…” Her cheeks flushed.
Feng Bu Jue muttered, “What’s this? Altered worldline? I got the Good End to watch this fluff? Die, Hirata!”
“Oh, did I mention?” Hirata said. “Nearby’s an old nagaya. They say it’s haunted.”
“Why bring that up now?! Flying a flag for disaster?!” Feng Bu Jue grimaced.
“Ghosts don’t exist—just stories,” Mei Jiazi laughed.
Hirata chuckled, “Right…”
Suddenly, the camera pulled back—a lightning bolt split the gloomy sky. In that flash, Feng Bu Jue glimpsed a spectral figure in white kimono crouched on a streetlamp behind them…
(End of Chapter)
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