KOF: Rise of the King of Fighters

Yan Yue pondered, since the boss dared not speak, then continuing to search for other relevant personnel might yield clues.

So Yan Yue ran to a corner and sat down, pulled her hat down to cover her face, and then released a powerful sense of perception. The field of influence spread instantly, sweeping across the entire live house.

[Perception Domain] Open!

Time passed slowly, and Yan Yue carefully inquired about everything around her. She searched for clues amidst the various casual conversations.

"Have you heard? The Princess has sent people again to put pressure on a musician, and it's all happening around this time. It's terrifying..."

"Yes, I heard that musician was looking for Mr. Kuwabara, but was threatened by Himegami..."

A thought struck Yan Yue: perhaps Himegami and Kuwabara were important clues, maybe even related to Iori Yagami's affair. Yan Yue continued eavesdropping on the others' conversations, hoping to glean more information.

Soon after, Yan Yue seemed to hear some information about the Valley Sisters.

"Ah, my Miss Konoe Tanima, such a beautiful and generous girl... It still hurts me to think that she can no longer perform..."

"Her younger sister, Kikuri Tanima, is just as pitiful. She had a medical attack just now, and the ambulance came and took her to the hospital..."

"So the ambulance was there to pick her up..."

Upon hearing this, Yan Yue withdrew her senses and briefly connected the clues she had gathered in her mind.

"Hime-no-kami sent someone to put pressure on Kuwabara. It seems Kuwabara is a local. Let's ask him if he has any news..."

"The Tanima sisters should be in the hospital right now, so Iori Yagami, as someone they know, might also be there... Let's go to the hospital to check on them now."

With that in mind, Yan Yue immediately set off for the hospital.

……

hospital.

"...But you have to tell me yourself if you like Yagami. I hope you can bravely pursue your own happiness." After saying that, Konoe Taniyama walked out of the room.

Just then, after overcoming numerous hardships, Yan Yue finally found the Valley Sisters. At this moment, he leaned quietly against the wall of the long corridor outside the ward, clearly hearing every word of the sisters' conversation, taking in the entire dialogue.

Time passed slowly, and soon after, Gu Jian Konoe slowly walked out of the ward and strode straight toward Yan Yue.

Upon seeing this, Yan Yue first took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and then mustered up her courage to step forward and greet the valley guards with a smile.

"Hello, Miss Konoe!" Engetsu greeted politely.

However, Gu Jianwei looked up at the sound, staring at the strange man who had suddenly appeared in front of him with a puzzled expression and a look of confusion in his eyes.

Yan Yue noticed the gaze directed at her by Gu Jian Konoe and felt a little nervous, but she quickly explained, "My name is Yan Yue, and I'm from X Music Company in Southtown, USA. I'm both a singer and a part-time composer. Here's my business card, please accept it."

As she spoke, Yan Yue quickly pulled an exquisite business card from her pocket and handed it to Gu Jian Jinwei. This business card was made by someone Yan Yue's company manager when she was in Nanzhen. Yan Yue was worried that she might need to use this identity when she traveled, so she carried several with her in her backpack.

Konoe Tanima paused slightly, then took the business card and looked at it with some confusion. When she saw the words "Southtown X Music Company, USA" printed on it, her eyes lit up. X Music Company was a world-renowned company, holding a pivotal position in the music industry.

For someone like Konoe Tanima, who works in a band, being associated with X Music is undoubtedly an extremely attractive and significant opportunity. Therefore, she involuntarily stopped what she was doing.

"Mr. Yan Yue, may I ask... what brings you here?" Gu Jian Konoe asked with a hint of curiosity.

"I've learned a bit about your band's situation. It seems that this guy named Himegami has some powerful connections, which is why your performances have encountered so many obstacles," Yan Yue said, looking intently at Gu Jian Konoe.

Konoe Tani lowered her head slightly and replied in a low voice, "Although I don't want to admit it, it's true." Her voice revealed a hint of helplessness and frustration.

Yan Yue then pressed on, "So, what exactly is Miss Kiku's condition now?"

Konoe Tani raised his head and replied with a somber expression, "My sister is out of danger for now, but her condition has not improved..." At this point, Konoe Tani seemed unwilling to talk about the matter any further, and his words came to an abrupt end.

Yan Yue keenly noticed the pain on Gu Jian Konoe's face and quickly comforted her, "Miss Konoe, please rest assured, I can lend you a helping hand. The forces that Ji Gong relies on are nothing compared to my backing!"

"Wh...what?" Upon hearing this, Konoe Tani's eyes widened suddenly, an incredulous light flashing in them. For an ordinary person, establishing a good relationship with a famous singer under X Music Company was simply a pipe dream, an unattainable dream.

However, Konoe Tanima still retained some rationality. After a moment's thought, he asked, "But why would you be willing to help us?"

Yan Yue's lips curled slightly upward as she replied casually, "Just think of it as me simply disapproving of Ji Gong's usual behavior... Of course, while I'm helping, I naturally have my own conditions..."

Yan Yue's intentions were naturally kind, and she also wanted to improve Iori Yagami's favorability by becoming the benefactor of the Valley Sisters in the future. At least if she encountered Iori Yagami in the King of Fighters tournament later, she wouldn't be beaten too badly.

Gu Jian Konoe frowned slightly, hesitating for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. She parted her lips and slowly replied, "Mr. Yan Yue, please state your specific conditions first..."

Yan Yue smiled gently and said slowly, "It's actually very simple, Miss Gu Jian. I greatly admire your outstanding singing talent and beautiful appearance. Therefore, I hope you can cooperate with X Music Company."

"Furthermore, there will be a series of exciting performances scheduled. In this way, not only will you personally receive a generous reward, but more importantly, this money will be enough to help your sister pay for her expensive medical treatment. You should know that Nanzhen Hospital is a top-tier medical institution with world-class medical standards."

Gu Jian listened intently to every word Yan Yue said, her initially sorrowful expression gradually softening. When she heard that money could cure her sister, a glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes, as if she had seen a ray of dawn in the darkness.

The thought of Iori Yagami leaving tomorrow, and how she and her sister would face all the pressure alone after losing their jobs, made staying here seem pointless. At this moment, the opportunity offered by Engetsu was undoubtedly a lifeline for her.

Filled with gratitude, Konoe Tani bowed deeply to Engetsu and said sincerely, "Thank you so much for giving us such a rare opportunity. I am willing to accept your offer!"

Yan Yue nodded in satisfaction and replied with a smile, "Since Miss Gu Jian has agreed, I will contact the company immediately. I believe the letter of recommendation will be sent to you in a few days. Please wait patiently."

After Yan Yue nodded slightly, she turned to leave. Meanwhile, Gu Jian's guard was still immersed in the shocking conversation they had just had, his thoughts replaying every word exchanged, to the point that he seemed somewhat lost in thought.

"Am I really dreaming...? That's someone from X Music Company, and the legendary Masked Voice comes from that company..." Konoe Tanima muttered to himself, his eyes filled with a complex mix of disbelief and surprise.

Just then, as if a flash of inspiration struck her, Gu Jianjing suddenly remembered something important. She jolted awake and quickly grabbed the business card that Yan Yue had just handed her.

Konoe Taniyama discovered that the stamp and serial number on the business card could not be faked, and then began to examine it carefully, word by word.

As her gaze slowly shifted, when Konoe Tani turned the business card over to the other side, a surge of intense emotion welled up inside her. She felt her eyes sting and tears nearly spilled out.

She quickly covered her mouth tightly with her hand, afraid that she might accidentally cry out, but she couldn't hide her excitement, and her eyes were fixed on the words on the business card.

On the back of the business card were four large characters: "Voice of the Mask".

Just as Konoe Tanima was reeling from this astonishing discovery, a voice suddenly rang out: "Miss Tanima!"

It turned out that Yan Yue, who had already turned around, had turned back and interrupted the exclamation that Gu Jian was about to utter.

It turned out that when Yan Yue was leaving, she caught a glimpse of Gu Jian's guard out of the corner of her eye and thought that Gu Jian's guard did not seem to have seen her business card clearly. She was worried that this would reveal her true identity, so she specially turned back to remind her.

Yan Yue looked at the guard in the valley with a serious expression and said solemnly, "Please keep this a secret for me. My name is Yan Yue. Do not reveal my identity to anyone... This is my only request."

At that moment, Konoe Tanima, like a frightened child, instinctively covered her mouth tightly with her hand, trying to stop the sobs that were about to escape her lips. Her body trembled uncontrollably.

Those once bright and captivating eyes were now brimming with tears of overwhelming emotion, which streamed down her cheeks and soaked her collar. She choked back sobs, her voice broken and fragmented, struggling to express her deep gratitude: "Th-thank you...thank you so much!"

Konoe Tani took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down as quickly as possible. She knew this was not the time to lose her composure. So, she blinked hard, forcing back the tears welling up in her eyes, and then solemnly extended an invitation to Engetsu in front of her: "Tomorrow, please... Mr. Engetsu, you must come to watch our final performance. It will be of great significance to us."

Upon hearing Gu Jian's words, Yan Yue smiled slightly, a smile as warm as the spring sunshine, making people feel incredibly comfortable and at ease. He nodded gently and replied, "Yes... I will come."

With that, Yan Yue turned around and walked away with elegant steps. Watching Yan Yue's receding figure, Gu Jian Konoe was filled with anticipation and emotion.