Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

That year-long "game," that man named Kujo Renji, had completely destroyed his old worldview and, on the ruins, opened a door to a whole new world for him. Behind that door lay the unknown and dangers, but also excitement and possibilities he had never experienced before.

Freedom? This kind of aimless freedom was the last thing he needed right now.

He needs a goal, a direction, something worth following, learning from, challenging, and even surpassing.

Who else is more suitable for this role than Kujo Renji?

The man who saw through the emptiness deep in his soul, pulled him back from the brink of death with a gamble, shattered his pride with crushing strength, and finally gave him the power to choose.

Kimura carefully put away the piece of contract and put it in his pocket.

He made a decision.

It is not because of the constraints of the contract, but because of the choice of the heart.

A mixture of awe, curiosity, unwillingness, and a desire for more "interesting" ways to play.

He wants to follow Kujo Renji.

Not as an "employee," but as a player who recognized the other's "game level," a challenger seeking to learn from the "Grandmaster." He wanted to stay by this man's side, to see how he truly "played" the world, to learn his methods, to understand his thinking, until one day... perhaps, he could find his own unique "way of playing."

That night, Kimura didn't go home. He sat in the bar for a long time, until dawn. When the first rays of sunlight pierced the darkness, illuminating the still bustling city, he stood up. His eyes were no longer the gray and empty gray of the past, but shone with a new, sharp, and determined light.

His life truly began from this moment on.

.......

Kimura Seiichiro's recollection was interrupted by his secretary's voice:

"Sir, there is new news."

He pulled himself out of his revelation of the past, his gaze regaining its usual sharpness and composure. He took the tablet computer from his secretary, and the screen displayed a concise and precise latest intelligence report.

"The final date for Ave Mujica's Osaka tour has been confirmed. It will be held at the Central Concert Hall in three days."

The secretary reported the results of the investigation:

"At the same time, we have confirmed that Winwing's new management team was fully in place yesterday. Almost all key department heads have been replaced, demonstrating astonishing efficiency. Based on preliminary infiltration information, most of the new executives have clean backgrounds and appear to have no obvious connections to any known forces."

If his guess is true...if Toyokawa Shoko is really the "successor" or "chess piece" chosen by Kujo Renji.

So, what should I do?

Should we wait and see? Or...intervene?

Kimura's gaze fell on the bustling night view of Osaka outside the window, but his thoughts drifted back to ten years ago, the night when Kujo Renji showed him the "real way to play".

Those words that were engraved deep in his soul like a brand rang out clearly again.

Kujo Renji taught him that the world is not as simple and boring as it seems.

Money, power, information, people's hearts... these are the elements that make up this grand game, and the real players know how to use the rules, and even... create the rules.

If Toyokawa Shoko is truly the one he has chosen, then perhaps what she is experiencing now is just the initial stages of the game—a small taste of business and a preliminary grasp of power. But this is far from enough.

The real game is far more cruel and complicated than this. It is not just about winning or losing, but also about the cost, about the choice, about... the ability to keep moving forward in the darkness.

An idea, like a seed breaking through the soil, quickly took root and sprouted in Seiichiro Kimura's heart.

Maybe... he could "teach" this young "agent" just like how Kujo Renji "taught" him back then?

Not out of kindness, nor to help.

But it was motivated by a more complex...

He wanted to see how much potential this chess piece chosen by Jiujo Liansi had.

Can she truly understand and master this "game"?

Can she, in the face of pressure and difficulties, show similar qualities to that man... or even just a hint of similar qualities?

More importantly, he wanted to test it out in this way.

Test the true intentions of Kujo Renji, who may be hiding behind Toyokawa Shoko.

“The real gameplay…”

Kimura whispered to himself:

"It's time....let this young lady experience it a little bit."

He walked over to his desk and picked up the intercom.

"Connect me to Kuroda."

He gave instructions into the microphone, his voice calm and composed:

"Tell him to prepare a 'gift' for our new friend in Tokyo... the eldest daughter of the Toyokawa family."

..

The Shinkansen train to Osaka ran smoothly on the track, and the scenery outside the window quickly receded, gradually transitioning from the dense urban jungle to more open fields and distant mountains.

The carriage was relatively quiet. The members of Ave Mujica occupied several adjacent rows of seats. Invisible tension and their own thoughts permeated the air, mixing with the cool air brought by the air conditioner in the carriage.

Jiujo Renji sat by the window, his gaze fixed on the ever-changing scenery outside. Next to him, Ruoye Mu sat, as silent as ever, holding a thick hardcover book in her hands, her gaze fixed on the pages, though she seemed to have not turned a single page for a long time. Her long, light green hair fell softly over her shoulders, and her profile was serene, making it impossible to guess what she was thinking.

Across the aisle, Sanjiao Chuhua was fiddling with her phone with great interest. The screen flashed with a colorful music game interface, and her fingers danced nimbly. She seemed completely immersed in her own world, occasionally uttering a soft sigh of admiration or a gasp of annoyance.

Hachiman Kailing was wearing headphones, closing her eyes and resting. Her body swayed slightly with the slight shaking of the train. The cold lines of her profile softened a little, as if she was enjoying this rare moment without being nervous.

Yutenji Wakamugi, on the other hand, was in a pretty good mood at the moment. With the Osaka tour just around the corner, the promise of "unmasking" was like a shining beacon, brightening her somewhat gloomy mood.

The thought of reappearing as "Meow Dream" under the spotlight and regaining her account with hundreds of thousands of followers filled her with endless energy. The absurd speculations and anxieties that had arisen from Ruoye Mu's unusual behavior in the past few days seemed to be diluted by this strong anticipation.

"ah--"

What broke the silence was the voice of Sanjiao Chuhualue.

She put down her phone, wrinkled her nose, and waved something in front of her ear.

"There seem to be mosquitoes?" she complained. "Why are there mosquitoes in this carriage?"

Chu Hua had fair skin, which seemed to attract mosquitoes. After a while, a small red dot appeared on her fair arm and began to itch.

She couldn't help but scratch it gently, and her beautiful brows furrowed slightly.

"Buzzing..."

The subtle flapping of wings did indeed hover nearby, like an annoying source of noise.

"Really? At a time like this..."

Chu Hua muttered, looking around in her bag. It was obvious that she didn't bring any mosquito repellent.

At this moment, Yutenji Wakamu, who was sitting next to her, groped in her brand-name handbag, which looked bulging and had an astonishing capacity.

"Chuhua."

As Ruomai spoke, he skillfully took out a small and exquisite spray bottle:

"Dangdangdang! Look at my secret weapon!"

It was a bottle of portable mosquito repellent spray, the brand of which was carefully selected by Ruomai. The smell was fresh and not pungent, and the effect was good.

She deftly unscrewed the lid and gently sprayed Chuhua's exposed arms and ankles a few times.

"Wow! Thanks, Ruomai!"

Chuhua immediately felt much more comfortable, and the annoying itching sensation was relieved a lot.

Situations like this have happened more than once.

About a few hours later, Miss Big Cat had another chance to show off.

It's approaching evening.

Ruoye Mu suddenly sneezed softly, the sound was very small, but enough to attract attention.

She rubbed her nose, and a barely perceptible blush seemed to appear on her fair cheeks, and the corners of her eyes were a little moist.

"Is it an allergy?" Chu Hua asked with concern.

Wakaba Mu seems to be sensitive to dust or certain smells, and this has happened occasionally before.

She herself didn't seem to care too much and just rubbed her nose gently again.

"Tsk."

Yutenji Wakamugi made another sound, this time with a tone of "I knew it would be like this."

She unzipped her bag again and rummaged through it. This time, she pulled out a small medicine box.

"Hey, Mu-chan."

She handed over the medicine box:

"Loratadine, an allergy medicine. I always keep it on hand when I go out, just in case. Do you think taking one pill would help?"

Ruoyemu was stunned for a moment, looking at the medicine box handed to her, then looking at Ruomai, a hint of surprise flashing in her golden eyes. She silently took the pills and whispered, "...Thank you."

Kujo Renji also gave a compliment at the right time.

This compliment from "Xiangzi" obviously has different weight.

Yutenji Wakamai felt as if a warm current was injected into him. He felt very happy in his heart and couldn't help but show a bit of smugness on his face.

She cleared her throat and tried to maintain her composure, but she couldn't suppress the upward curve of her lips.

"Hehe, that's no big deal!"

She waved her hand nonchalantly.

"Wow, Ruomai, your bag is like a treasure chest!"

Sanjiao Chuhua moved closer, curiously examining Ruomai's bag that looked like it could hold the entire world.

"It feels like we have everything! Is there anything you didn't bring?"

This sentence completely ignited Yutenji Ruomai's desire to show off. The slight sense of elation after being praised by "Xiangzi" greatly satisfied her vanity at the moment.

She felt it was time to show her abilities as a "life expert" and a "reliable senior (although she may not be the oldest)"!

"Of course!"

Ruomai puffed out his chest, his face full of an expression that said, "Come and worship me!"

"I've made every possible preparation for this Osaka tour!"

As she spoke, she began to take things out of that magical bag as if she were presenting a treasure, her movements exaggerated and performative:

"Look! Fold your umbrella! The Osaka weather forecast says there might be some rain, so it's better to be prepared!"

——A small and lightweight pink plaid umbrella was taken out.

"And this! A mini electric kettle! What if the hotel kettle isn't clean? Boiling your own water is a peace of mind! You can even make tea or something!"

——A portable electric kettle the size of a thermos cup.

"And this! Band-Aids, disinfectant pads, stomach medicine, motion sickness patches... We probably won't get motion sickness on the Shinkansen, but what if we do?!"

——A clearly categorized first aid kit.

"Oh yeah! And this!"

She took out another small bag:

"Sewing kit! In case your costume or someone else's clothes get scratched by accident, you can use it as an emergency measure!"

Chu Hua's eyes widened: "Oh my god, Ruomai! You are so amazing!"

Even Hachiman Kailing, who had been resting with her eyes closed, took off one of her headphones and looked at the small pile of "emergency supplies" in front of Ruomai with some surprise.

Wakaba Mutsuya stopped rubbing his nose and watched quietly.

Surrounded by the astonished gazes of the crowd, Yutenji Wakamu was completely immersed in the feeling of being "needed" and "admired".

"Hey, there's more than that!"

She was very proud and searched in her bag even faster:

"I still have... uh... that... ah!"

Perhaps because she was too excited, or perhaps because her bag was too full, she suddenly took out not only the portable power bank she was looking for, but also two... things that didn't fit in.

pat.

A soft sound.