Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

The crowd's emotions suddenly became more excited and the slogans became louder.

"Danger, stand back."

Kujo Renji immediately pulled the members back, trying to stay away from the center of possible conflict.

They were trapped. Between a rock and a hard place.

The air around them seemed to have become thinner, and the clamor was deafening. Yutenji Wakamu felt her heart beating rapidly, and her palms were full of sweat. She subconsciously grabbed her bag - the one that contained all her "emergency supplies". She suddenly wanted to take out something to prove that she was useful and could deal with emergencies.

But looking at the chaotic scene in front of me...my umbrella, kettle, Band-Aids...seemed to be of no use.

——Damn it, no one told me that this would happen!

"Xiao Xiang...what should we do?"

Chu Hua's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible dependence as he looked at Jiujo Liansi.

In such chaotic moments, the captain who always remained calm and in control of the overall situation became their subconscious backbone.

Kujo Renji did not answer immediately. After a few seconds, he seemed to have found an opportunity.

Between the parade and the crowd of onlookers, a brief, relatively open gap appeared near the side of the building.

"Follow me, quickly!"

He made a prompt decision and took the first step. Using his accurate judgment of the crowd dynamics, he deftly moved through the gaps between people, while also holding Wakaba Mu's hand.

"Follow closely!"

Hai Ling reacted immediately and protected the team from the side and rear.

Chuhua and Ruomai also hurried to follow.

Ruomai stumbled due to nervousness and almost bumped into the person in front of him.

Ruoye Mu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly reached out and held her firmly.

"Thank...thank you, Mu."

Ruomai thanked him in shock, feeling a little surprised by Mu's sudden action.

Mu just shook his head, said nothing, and continued to follow Kujo Renji silently.

They were like fish swimming upstream, struggling to navigate the crowded, noisy, and emotional crowd.

Her clothes were soaked with sweat, and her backpack and suitcase bumped against each other in the narrow space. Yutenji Wakamu felt like she was suffocating, and the slogans, sirens, and shoving around her made her dizzy.

Finally, under the precise guidance of Kujo Renji, they safely passed through the most chaotic area and turned into a relatively quiet commercial street where they could temporarily avoid the parade.

At an open-air cafe on the street, a few people finally stopped and took a breath.

Chu Hua leaned against the wall, breathing heavily:

"Scared me..."

Kujo Renji stood at the front of the team with his back to the crowd. He took out his cell phone and quickly and calmly contacted the office to arrange for a vehicle to pick him up.

Fine beads of sweat oozed out of his forehead and temples. A few strands of dark blue hair were wet with sweat and stuck to his fair skin.

At this moment, Ruoye Mu, who had been standing quietly behind him, silently took out a small handkerchief from his small bag.

She pulled out one.

Then, while the others were either gasping for breath, alert, or still in shock, she took half a step forward, slightly standing on tiptoe - because the other person was a little taller than her.

At the moment when Kujo Renji turned his face slightly to emphasize the meeting place to the other end of the phone, Ruoye Mu reached out and gently pressed the soft tissue on his sweaty forehead.

Her movements were very natural, with an almost instinctive concentration and... a hint of indescribable tenderness.

Through the thin tissue, I seemed to be able to feel the warmth coming from beneath the skin with my fingertips.

She didn't say anything, but just looked at him quietly with her pure golden eyes, and then carefully and meticulously helped him wipe the sweat from his forehead and temples.

The voice of Kujo Renji speaking on the phone had an extremely brief, almost imperceptible pause because of the sudden touch.

He subconsciously turned his head, and his amber eyes met Ruoye Mu's clear golden eyes.

Next to him, Sankaku Hatsuka was busy complaining about the weather in Osaka and his bad luck today, and didn't pay any attention to the details here.

Yutenji Wakamu was immersed in his own fear and worry about the prospect of being "unveiled", so he lowered his head and did not see it.

Ruoye Mu silently withdrew his hand, carefully folded the used tissue, put it back in his bag, then quietly retreated to his position behind Jiujo Renji and lowered his eyes.

It was as if the intimate gesture just now had never happened.

.........

Let’s go back a few hours.

The heat wave of Osaka unceremoniously embraced Chihaya Aine and Nagasaki Suyo as they just walked out of the station.

"Wow--!!"

Chihaya Aion was like a bird that had just been released from a cage. She opened her arms excitedly and spun around in a circle, her pink twintails drawing lively arcs:

"Is this Osaka?! It feels completely different from Tokyo! Soyorin, look at that! That giant crab! It moves!"

She pointed to the famous Dotonbori landmark not far away, her eyes sparkling, completely revealing the girl's infinite curiosity about new things.

She took out her cell phone and started taking pictures non-stop. She also pulled Su Shi to take a photo together in front of the Glico running man billboard, posing in all kinds of funny poses.

Nagasaki Suyo was pulled by her, with a bit of helplessness on her face, but she also cooperated indulgently.

She was wearing a well-fitting light blue dress with a thin white sun-protective cardigan on the outside. She still had the elegant demeanor of Miss Tsukinomori, but the fine beads of sweat on her forehead and the occasional fanning of her hands showed that she also felt Osaka's enthusiasm.

She was not as extroverted as Aine, but used her gentle and sharp eyes to carefully observe everything around her - the noisy crowd, the colorful signs, and the unique urban atmosphere in the air.

"Let's go to the hotel and drop off our luggage first, Aine."

Su Shi's voice was gentle, revealing some helplessness:

"The hotel we booked is nearby, so it's not too late to go out for a walk after we settle in."

"Hey—but I really want to eat those octopus balls right now! Look how long the line is! They must be delicious!"

Aine pouted, her eyes already drawn to a takoyaki stand on the street that was sizzling and fragrant.

"Wait a minute before going. You can't run away."

Su Shi gently pulled her wrist, stopping her from rushing to the stall:

"We are not here just for fun this time, don't forget the business."

When it comes to "business", the excitement on Chihaya Aine's face subsided a little, but it was soon replaced by another kind of interest in exploring the mystery.

She moved closer to Su Shi and lowered her voice:

"Soyorin, do you think we'll run into Xiaoxiang here?"

Nagasaki Suyo's fingers, which were stirring the milk tea, paused.

She didn't answer directly, but just hummed softly:

"Who knows..."

"However, we can go to Shinsaibashi first. I've seen that 'Meow Dream' girl's' old videos, and she seemed to have mentioned that if she had the chance to go to Osaka, she would like to visit that place."

"Oh! Yes! I remember that too!"

Aine immediately perked up:

"Maybe we can get something out of this! As expected of Soyorin, you're so thoughtful! Anon Tokyo Detective Agency, move out!"

She even saluted seriously.

Su Shi was speechless and shook his head:

"Stop messing around. Let's go to the hotel first."

Although the hotel they stayed in was not as luxurious as the one booked by Ave Mujica, it was clean, tidy and conveniently located.

After a short rest and replenishing their water, the two of them returned to Osaka's arms.

The afternoon sun is still scorching, but it is much softer than at noon.

They strolled along the Shinsaibashi-suji shopping street, where the dazzling array of goods and the endless stream of people made Aiyin dazzled.

She was attracted by the cute dolls one moment and tripped by the trendy clothing stores the next, completely forgetting her "detective mission".

"Soyorin, look at this hairpin! So cute!"

"This ice cream looks delicious! Matcha flavor!"

"Wow! That store is having a sale!"

Nagasaki Suyo followed her patiently, occasionally responding a few words, but her eyes kept scanning the surrounding shop signs and pedestrians.

"Speaking of which, Soyorin."

Aine licked the matcha ice cream she had just bought, and suddenly remembered her "ability":

"I just secretly looked at a few people. The labels on their heads are all so ordinary, like 'Want a Vacation,' 'Ate Too Much Lunch,' and 'Shoes Rub My Feet.' The effects of the initial upgrades are gone. Is my ability really that intermittent?"

Su Shi pondered for a moment:

"Perhaps... Xiaoxiang's situation is indeed special. Or perhaps, only under certain conditions can you see those deeper labels?"

She paused and added, "However, this also shows that our previous speculation may not be groundless."

Aiyin nodded, not quite understanding, and was soon attracted to a store selling anime-related goods.

They walked around Shinsaibashi but didn't find the legendary grocery store. Perhaps they remembered it wrong, or perhaps the store no longer existed.

Seeing that it was almost time, Su Shi suggested going back to the hotel to rest for a while and then going out to look for food in the evening.

They chose a relatively quiet path to walk towards the hotel, trying to avoid the crowded commercial street. This road was mostly lined with residential areas and small offices, making it much quieter.

However, as we walked, a faint, rhythmic sound of drums and noisy voices came from not far ahead, breaking the tranquility.

"Hmm? What's the sound?"

Aine stopped curiously and listened attentively.

Su Shi also heard it. She frowned slightly, a trace of alertness flashing across her eyes: "It seems to be... the sound of a lot of people."

They exchanged a glance, each seeing a hint of confusion in the other's eyes. They quickened their pace and headed towards the direction of the sound, wanting to see what was going on.

After turning a corner, they were both stunned by the scene before them.

On the wide street, a dense mass of people surged like a tide. Huge banners were hoisted high, bearing slogans in bold calligraphy, such as "Protect our homes, oppose forced demolition!", "A century-old shopping street must not be trampled upon!", and "Resist unscrupulous developers!" The waving flags, the excited crowd, the police maintaining order, and the deafening chants and drumbeats… merged into a massive wave of sound, reaching the sky.

"Wow! Is this... a festival? It's so lively!"

Chihaya Aine's first reaction was still excitement and curiosity, she even wanted to take out her cell phone to take a picture.

Nagasaki Suyo's expression turned serious. She grabbed Aine's arm, preventing her from moving forward.

"This is a protest march, idiot."

Only then did Aine take a closer look and understand the words on the banners.

"New West End redevelopment plan...protest?"

Su Shi's eyes quickly swept across the crowd and the surrounding environment.

The procession occupied the entire main road, moving slowly but steadily forward. They had originally planned to cross this road to return to the hotel, but now it seemed completely impossible.

"We...seem to be unable to get through."

"Let's take a detour." Su Shi made a quick decision and pulled Aine to go back and look for another route.

But they soon discovered that the situation was worse than they had imagined.

Due to the impact of the parade, several surrounding roads were also crowded with onlookers and evacuated vehicles, making it almost impossible to move. Police set up cordons at various intersections, directing traffic and restricting pedestrians from freely crossing.

They were trapped on the edge of this vortex of noise and chaos.

"Let's go sit in that store for a while until the parade passes."

The two carefully squeezed through the crowd of onlookers and moved towards the coffee shop. Finally, they squeezed in. The glass door seemed to partially isolate them from the hustle and bustle outside. The shop was well-air-conditioned, and soft background music flowed, forming a sharp contrast with the outside world.

They found a seat by the window and ordered some drinks, but no one had the appetite to enjoy them.

Chihaya Aine patted her chest in shock and gasped for breath:

"I was so scared... I almost thought I was going to be crushed..."

Nagasaki Suyo was currently fixated on the chaotic canvas outside the window, her brows slightly furrowed, a lingering worry in her eyes.