Challenge: The Fool with the Surname Okayamine

Chapter 125 Madness Part 3: "Relieving the Worries of Scholars"

Thump... thump... thump...

Lingyin sat there quietly, her eyes fixed on the screen. The lines on the screen moved rhythmically, representing Ming's heartbeat.

Her gaze was focused and profound, as if she could see into the depths of Ming's heart through the cold screen.

"Ugh...it hurts so much, it feels like I just died...Where am I?"

"In the medical room of Ratatosk, patient, Gang Fengming, how are you feeling now?"

Looking at Ming, who was slowly getting up from the bed, and seeing his unusually clear eyes, Lingyin replied.

Picking up a pen and a piece of paper, she stepped forward and looked at Ming, whose eyes, which were usually cloudy when he looked at her, were now so clear, like those of an innocent college student. Lingyin asked him with some surprise:

"How are you? Did you damage your brain? You seem very different from usual. Was it [Nightmare] that attacked you while we were stalking you?"

“It was Murasame Analyst…” Ming shook his head. “It wasn’t Tokisaki Kurumi who did it, but that extremely evil spirit that suddenly appeared in the forest… [Flame Beast] was responsible…”

Ming explained to Lingyin, who was taking notes with a pen, and then took out the field recording function of the display device he carried with him and played the video.

After carefully reviewing the video, Reine frowned slightly. She repeatedly compared the innocent, even more bewildered expression on Shido's face with the image of the [Flame Beast] in the video, then sighed.

"Is that so? It seems that I, Flame Beast, am very likely to be Kurumi's ally. But what is their purpose?" Mingyao shook her head, indicating that she had no idea.

After taking her statement, Lingyin gently placed her hand on Ming's forehead. Ming felt a tickle on his head and didn't know what Lingyin was going to do.

Then Ming saw that Lingyin suddenly widened her eyes, her tired gaze disappeared, and her expression gradually became meaningful.

"A clone... no, there's no connection whatsoever, but spiritual power and memories..."

Muttering to herself, Lingyin stood up, took the documents, and walked towards the door of the infirmary.

"Analyst Murasame, are you alright?" Ming asked instinctively.

"I'm fine. It's probably because I haven't slept for a long time. I was feeling a little sleepy just now."

After Lingyin left the infirmary, Ming sat blankly on the bed, feeling as if he had forgotten something important.

Night fell, and all was silent. Moonlight, like water, spilled onto the streets and houses, draping the world in a silver veil. After receiving treatment, Ming, his body wrapped in clean white bandages, slowly walked home.

However, when he strolled back to that familiar park, he suddenly saw a figure. That person stood there dumbfounded, like a walking corpse.

Ming saw that Shido's eyes were lifeless, as if he had lost his soul, and he seemed oblivious to everything around him. The moonlight shone on him, but it could not illuminate his gloomy and confused face.

"Is that Shido? What are you doing standing here?" After recognizing Shido, Mei walked forward steadily with some doubt.

"Mr. Ming, do you think I can really save Kurumi? Or rather, does Kurumi really deserve to be saved?" Upon seeing the visitor, Shido did not answer Ming's question, but spoke to himself.

It was as if, burdened by a heavy load, one had finally found a close friend who could listen attentively to the voice of one's heart.

The bewilderment that had been lingering in his eyes gradually faded.

Upon hearing Shido's worries, Ming, who was present, could roughly guess, even without deep thought, that this was Shido's reaction after witnessing Kurumi commit murder.

After all, no matter how firm one's beliefs are, when faced with such a shocking event as today, it's inevitable that the thought of giving up will arise.

"Shido, do you know what? You're so stupid right now that I feel sorry for you! What kind of person could have given birth to such a blockhead like you?"

"Wow! That's not a nice way to talk..."

Shido was about to argue when Ming slapped him hard on the head, a hint of disappointment in Ming's voice.

"Ah?"

Shido scratched his head blankly and stared at Ming with a puzzled look. Clearly, he did not understand what Ming meant.

"I remember saying a long time ago that I approve of and admire what you did, not because I have good intentions, but because I am extremely selfish. However, I was also touched by your 'sincerity' in saving people who were completely unrelated to you, and I was willing to put my bet on you when Tohka did that..."

"So, are you afraid of Tohka? But why are you able to accept her? In other words, she is also a spirit, and she also has the power to destroy the world." After saying this, Ming's expression became more and more solemn.

"No, Tohka, she's not like that. Tohka and Kurumi are different. I know her. She's actually very..."

"Kindness? Gluttony? What else could it be?"

Shido wanted to argue, but unexpectedly, Ming suddenly spoke abruptly and interrupted him.

"If that's the case, let me ask you another question. How do you feel that Tohka's previous actions weren't just an act? Do you really think Tohka is different from her? Do you think she's as carefree and silly as she seems on the surface? If someone helps you several times because they think you're useful, does that mean they're truly sincere towards you?"

Ming continued, "Don't be silly, Shido..."

"No, Tohka, I know, she actually..."

"I…………"

Seeing Shido's hesitant expression, Ming grew increasingly angry. "Then, let me ask you another question. If Tohka and Yoshino had killed someone in front of you before you sealed them away, would you still treat them the same way you do now? Would you still save them again?"

As he spoke, Ming grabbed Shido by the collar, and Shido felt even more ashamed when he saw Ming's extremely serious eyes.

"I...I...I really...I really don't know!"

“No, do you actually know that you're even closer to them now, considering them family?” Ming put Shi Dao down and sighed. “If you truly didn't know, why are you still here discussing this with me instead of simply running away from them?”

Listening to these comments, Shi's thoughts had already drifted back to the wonderful times he had spent with Tohka and Yoshino in the past, laughing and playing together at home. He had long regarded them as irreplaceable family members.

Thinking this, Shido didn't say anything; he was still a little afraid to face it.

"Or rather, how could you ask me such a question? You've just encountered some intense shocks on your journey to achieve your goal, causing your brain to force you to pretend you don't know. Indeed, Shido, you are utterly hypocritical right now."

"I..."

"No need for further words, I still have questions for you. Are you still bound by something? So, Kurumi killed a few people, and that makes her a heinous criminal? Then, does that mean all the spirits who caused spacequakes and killed people should not be saved by you?"

"However, those things were unavoidable for them, and that was not what they or I wanted."

"Does killing someone unintentionally mean it doesn't count as murder? Regardless of whether it was intentional or unintentional, whether they intended it or not, whether they could control it or not, they still killed someone just like Kurumi."

"Mr. Ming, what exactly are you trying to say?"

"Shido, I must remind you not to be deceived by Kurumi's current appearance. Just as you did with Tohka, you asserted that you knew me well based solely on your own perception of me, and you do the same with Kurumi. However, you are actually unaware that you know nothing about either me or Kurumi!"

Ming Shen exhaled and pondered. At some point, a memory buried 25 years ago began to surface in his mind, and the scene gradually became clearer.

"Perhaps... the evil spirit in the world's mouth... is just a girl who likes cats, has no resistance to cute little animals, has been fighting for something, and longs to be saved..." Ming didn't continue, and even he himself didn't know why he had such confidence to say these words.

"Shido, please don't let Kurumi continue to make mistakes, okay? Right now, she's just like Tohka and Yoshino before you saved her. If you continue to hesitate and do nothing, then by the time she has completely fallen into demonhood, it will be too late for you to save her."

Finally, Mei uttered the last words he wanted to say to Shido. At this moment, Mei stood there quietly, his gaze fixed on Shido, waiting for the answer from this hero whom he himself admired.

"Thank you, Mr. Ming. I understand, I really understand!"

A faint smile finally appeared on Shido's previously sorrowful face, and his determination to save the spirits became even stronger.

"Yes, how could I forget? That's exactly the mindset I had when I rescued Yoshino and Tohka—to prevent others from hurting them, and to prevent them from hurting more people. And yet, seeing Kurumi like that, I actually had the thought of not saving her. How ridiculous! I didn't even understand Kurumi before I assumed she was such a heinous person."

'It's truly ironic that they think she doesn't deserve to be saved. If it weren't for what Mr. Ming said to me, I probably would have remained stagnant.'

"What? You've figured it out now? You're no longer confused?"

"I've figured it out!" Shido replied firmly.

“Alright, go back... go back to the elves you love.” Ming turned around and pointed in the direction of the Itsuka residence.

"Oh? Mr. Ming, aren't you coming back with me?"

"No, I also have to go home... but the place I'm going back to now is definitely not here. Maybe tomorrow... maybe the day after tomorrow, we'll see each other again, but the hand you're holding now is no longer mine..." Ming said meaningfully, this was what he wanted to say from the bottom of his heart.

Unfortunately, Shido didn't understand the deeper meaning in his words and simply smiled and ran home.

“Mr. Ming! If you come again tomorrow, I will definitely prepare many good things at home to repay you for all the guidance you gave me today! You are a good person!” Shido shouted at the end.

Shido stepped onto the road illuminated by electric lights. Watching Shido run home, with Tohka and the others waiting behind him, a tear rolled down his cheek. Although he didn't understand why it was flowing, he just couldn't control it.

"I hope... I can also return to that home where my loved ones are waiting for me, Itsuka Shido..."

The body of this "Ming" gradually disintegrated, along with that last hope, which vanished into thin air. Meanwhile, another Ming sat facing Kurumi on the school rooftop.

"Oh dear~ Copy your memories to your clone, then transfer your longing and guilt towards Shido-san to him, and finally make him crumble and temporarily let those feelings disappear? Why bother, Okamine-kun?"

"Because, if I don't get rid of that weakness that makes me think they will eventually accept me and let me give up, I will never be able to complete my final 'plan'."

Ming replied calmly, without a doubt, the self he had just seen carried all his feelings for Shido and the Itsuka family over the past few months. After he destroyed that self with his own hands, the "dream" that should not have belonged to him was also shattered.

However... because this flesh and blood clone has no soul, he cannot descend into the [Neighboring World], nor will he know that he is just a clone.

Ming stood up, looked at Kurumi, and asked calmly, "Kurumi, what are you planning to do next?"

"I might not give up, but I'll set up a test for Shido-san. I want to see if he'll still choose to save him when his life is in imminent danger... If he can still be true to himself... Although I won't give up, I plan to let him live a little longer~"

As she spoke, the clone within Kurumi's shadow, imbued with all the emotions from their afternoon date, slowly walked towards Ming, while simultaneously disappearing into the shadow of this clone.

"Well, just to be on the safe side, I'll hide in my clone's shadow. Anyway, 'me' and my memories are shared, so it doesn't really matter~"

Ming watched Kurumi enter her clone's shadow and shook his head helplessly. "Your cautious nature hasn't changed at all."

"Hmph, this concerns my life, so naturally I have to be careful." Kurumi's voice came from the shadows.

"I hope my clone doesn't fall in love with Shido first," Ming muttered to himself.

Ming and Kurumi left the rooftop and headed into the shadows of Tengu City, a path destined to lead nowhere.

Extra:

"Aaaaaah! Kid, why isn't he back yet?! I'm about to break down!"

Inside the office of Gangfeng Publishing House, Niya wailed angrily.

The table was covered with countless manuscripts. Nia usually enjoyed reading manga, but if she had to read them all carefully, there were always some awful parts. It was common to get tired of reading them.

(Note: Er Ya has magical handicrafts created by Ming himself. In front of others, she is no different from Ming.)