Chapter 9: Seemingly Fruitless
Hikigaya ascended a bridge. Below him, a lake met a river, presenting a picturesque view, though he wasn't particularly interested in scenery at the moment. He simply gazed northward.
"Traveling through the Three Wus, you cannot miss Yangzhou; governing Yangzhou, you cannot do without the Rainbow Bridge."
This saying referred to the very bridge beneath his feet.
Perhaps because Luo Hao seemed to pay special attention to this city, her servants had long tried to preserve it in its "original form." Architectural styles from the Ming and Qing dynasties were well-maintained—places like Hongqiao Pavilion, Shuguang Tower, and Laixun Hall still appeared as they had hundreds of years ago. Modern civilization and the medieval era blended harmoniously.
North of the Rainbow Bridge lay a place called the "Rainbow Bridge Earth Deity Temple," the reason Hikigaya had come to Yangzhou.
Luo Hao hadn't directly told Hikigaya the whereabouts of Mariya Hikari, but she had indicated that he could find useful clues for searching there in the temple.
Whether it was because he had finally taken things seriously after messing around for a long time, or because seeing Yuri crying her heart out touched him, the key reason was that Hikigaya didn't dislike Mariya Hikari. On the contrary, he found the little girl quite cute.
For girls he not only didn't dislike but also found cute, Hikigaya always treated them kindly—especially when his own sister went out to play without needing his company.
After all, they had a relationship that allowed for familiarity. Seeing Yuri constantly anxious to the point of "going Super Saiyan," though Hikigaya thought the monkey wouldn't harm her, he decided to help retrieve her since he had free time.
Hikigaya quickly located the Earth Deity Temple. He descended from the bridge and moved toward it.
Though he appeared to stroll casually, he approached his destination with a floating, almost ethereal pace.
This was a martial arts footwork technique he had learned during his time in darkness. Originally used in combat to quickly close or distance from an opponent, it had long become instinctive. When he wanted to travel without exhausting energy or creating a spectacle, he naturally employed this method.
Luo Hao, who had guided him here, also possessed similar skills, though hers combined martial arts with sorcery, making them even more formidable.
Soon, the Earth Deity Temple appeared before Hikigaya.
The streets were bustling with merchants, their makeshift stalls scattered and continuous, much like during the Qianlong era. There were drum performers, singers of small tunes, and various acrobatic acts. The only difference was that back then, such gatherings happened mainly during temple festivals in early February, whereas now it was a daily scene.
"Fried chicken! Fried chicken at the Tian family stall!" "Shi Fatty's pear stir-fry! If you don't eat it, you didn't come to Yangzhou!"
The shouts reached Hikigaya's ears, oddly making him feel… slightly hungry.
Shaking his head to dismiss the amusing thought, he flashed into the temple.
Inside, it was much quieter than outside, with fewer people, likely because management controlled entry in batches.
But none of them could see Hikigaya. Using a bit of his powers, he moved through the temple without disturbing anyone.
After a while, he stopped, puzzled.
There was nothing.
Perhaps saying "nothing" wasn't entirely accurate—not that there was literally nothing, but there was nothing related to Mariya Hikari or finding her. There was no trace of divine presence.
Although the temple's name referenced a deity, it was merely a human-made clay structure. Apart from its historical and artistic value, there was nothing special.
By common sense, disappointing a god-slayer wasn't a good idea.
But Hikigaya Hachiman was a "sensible" god-slayer, so though disappointed, he didn't vent his frustration on the temple like a fool.
He just found it odd. Luo Hao shouldn't have deceived him—or rather, her personality dictated she wouldn't do something so boring.
After wandering around a bit more and confirming he had found nothing, Hikigaya left.
Returning to the Rainbow Bridge, he climbed it once more, stepping on the stone surface. Through the power of time, his dark pupils reflected the bridge as it had been when it was still made of wooden planks.
He saw spring flowers blooming in vibrant colors along both banks, fresh green grass carpeting the ground. A man with crutches crossed the bustling bridge, murmuring to himself, "White poplar, green grass, wind and sorrow."
These residual images, engraved in the bridge's timeline, appeared effortlessly before him, yet had nothing to do with Mariya Hikari.
A smile finally appeared on Hikigaya's face.
"This is getting interesting…"
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