The pendulum of life isn't at the Ise Grand Shrine?
Zhou Huai raised an eyebrow.
He didn't rush to express an opinion, rely watching the emotional Egyptian prince calmly.
"Elaborate."
"We were tricked by that scoundrel Kazuya Kujo!"
He furiously pointed at Kazuya Kujo, who stood beside him, full of remorse.
"This guy swore to us that he found the exact location of the pendulum of life in the Family's secret scrolls, right in the Kagura-den of the Ise Grand Shrine's inner palace."
Kalun's chest heaved violently, clearly still angry.
"He said the Kagura-den was personally guarded by his uncle, the Kujō Family head, and its defenses were the most stringent."
"We devised a ticulous plan: I would handle the Restrictions and Formations within the shrine, while Polina would be responsible for controlling the priests and Onmyoji along the way."
The more he spoke, the angrier he got, almost spitting.
"And what happened? We spent a trendous amount of effort sneaking in, turned that so-called Kagura-den upside down, and besides a few broken ritual artifacts, we didn't even see a shadow of the pendulum of life!"
Zhou Huai listened quietly, his face still bearing the gentle expression of "Mr. Matsutake."
He ignored the furious Kalun and turned his gaze to Polina, who was pale on the sofa.
"There are hundreds of shrines in the Ise Grand Shrine."
"Perhaps the pendulum of life was placed in another shrine."
Zhou Huai's voice was unhurried, as if stating a simple fact.
"Why are you so certain that the pendulum of life isn't in the Ise Grand Shrine?"
Zhou Huai paused and continued:
"Moreover, the Restrictions and Formations within the Ise Grand Shrine, are they sothing you can handle?"
"My intelligence indicates that Prince Kalun, you don't possess such ability."
In Zhou Huai's impression, Prince Kalun seed to have no strengths other than being thick-skinned.
Since he wasn't a Formation Master, how could he handle the Formations in the Ise Grand Shrine?
Zhou Huai's words precisely pricked Kalun's already inflated ego.
He suddenly turned his head, his bronze face instantly flushed red, and his eyes bulged like brass bells.
"Your intelligence is long outdated!"
"The current doesn't even care about those broken Formations in the Ise Grand Shrine!"
Kalun puffed out his chest, his chin held high, adopting an arrogant posture.
"As for the pendulum of life."
"Anyway, I just know it's not in the Ise Grand Shrine, whether you believe it or not is your business!"
Zhou Huai gave the proud Egyptian prince a deep look.
He did not speak again.
If he hadn't personally witnessed this guy being rubbed into the ground by Thor in the Caslantis Ruins, Zhou Huai would have truly believed how capable he was.
Just as the atmosphere fell into a stalemate, Kazuya Kujo, who was nearby, suddenly spoke.
His voice was hoarse, filled with guilt and self-reproach.
"Regarding the pendulum of life, I... I can also confirm that it is indeed not in the Ise Grand Shrine."
"I also caused Young Miss Polina to be seriously injured because of this, all of this... is my fault."
Hearing this, Kalun's anger was reignited.
He indignantly kicked over a nearby chair.
"We didn't steal anything, yet your Kujo Family is spreading rumors everywhere, saying we stole treasures from the shrine!"
"You used this as an excuse to make trouble for the Omiya Family, what a well-thought-out plan!"
Kalun's eyes were filled with disdain and disgust, and he pointed at Kazuya Kujo's nose, cursing loudly.
"None of you Kujo Family are good people!"
"You're just a bunch of venomous snakes hiding in the shadows, good at scheming!"
Zhou Huai subconsciously glanced at Kazuya Kujo beside him.
He thought, this kid is, after all, a direct descendant of the Kujo Family.
Isn't it a bit inappropriate to curse him like that to his face?
However, to his surprise.
Facing Kalun's rciless insults, Kazuya Kujo actually showed an expression of agreent, nodding heavily in response.
Zhou Huai: "..."
Zhou Huai was a bit speechless.
He wondered if Polina's control over this guy was a bit too successful?
Or was the person in front of him just an extre love-struck fool?
Soone who would betray his Family for love?
However, Zhou Huai did not dwell on these questions.
His mind was currently entirely focused on the pendulum of life.
If, as Kalun said.
The pendulum of life was not in the Ise Grand Shrine.
Then where was it now?
Was it still in Tokyo?
Had the Kujo Family already begun unknown actions surrounding the pendulum of life?
Currently, all answers were unknown.
Zhou Huai could only have Caesar's smart core ai send out more Information Bugs to find the answers.
Mr. Matsutake, whom he was impersonating, looked at the people present.
"I have learned all that I wished to know."
"Now, if you'll excuse , I shall take my leave."
Before leaving, he glanced at the weak Polina on the sofa.
"I will find a way to deal with Young Miss Polina's curse as soon as possible."
Polina raised her head, her erald eyes gazing at the man with Mr. Matsutake's face.
"I hope you keep your word."
"If it drags on too long, I won't be playing along anymore."
As Mr. Matsutake left the villa.
Kalun walked to the window, watching the black sedan slowly drive away, his face gloomy.
"Are we really going to cooperate with this Great Xia Country person?"
"In my opinion, he is completely untrustworthy."
On the sofa, Polina sighed softly.
She moved her wound, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.
"For now, we can only take it one step at a ti."
"I don't know why, but this guy gives a very dangerous feeling."
"His dangerousness even surpasses that Great Xia Country Forbidden Spell Mage."
"What?"
Kalun gasped, his face filled with disbelief.
"How is that possible?!"
He strode over to Polina, bent down, and his voice rose a few pitches.
"Polina, are you too seriously injured, is your perception mistaken?"
"That's Gandalf! An SS-rank Forbidden Spell Mage!"
In Kalun's mind, Gandalf's Divine Rank performance in the Caslantis Ruins instantly appeared.
He fought against several powerful individuals of the sa rank by himself.
Even Thor had his legs crippled by him.
That astonishing and brilliant display still shocked him to this day.
"Doesn't the Great Xia Country only have Marshal Zhao and Gandalf as SS-ranks?"
Kalun's brows furrowed tightly.
"Could it be that he is the Great Xia Country's hidden third SS-rank?"
Polina slowly shook her head.
"Unclear."
There was a hint of fatigue in her voice.
"But he gives a completely different feeling from Gandalf."
Gandalf's danger was outwardly apparent.
He was powerful, like a drawn sword, its sharp edge fully revealed, making people dare not look directly at it.
But the man just now was like a bottomless ancient well.
You would never know what undercurrents and monsters were hidden beneath that calm surface.
"The other party seems to know us very well."
Polina's gaze swept over Kazuya Kujo.
"Our hiding place here is absolutely confidential."
"Yet he could find us so easily, even perfectly disguised as a Kujō Family mber."
"Just this level of intelligence gathering and infiltration thods are definitely not simple."
She leaned back on the sofa, adjusting to a more comfortable position.
The throbbing pain from her wound made it difficult for her to concentrate.
"Right now, we are trapped in Tokyo, unable to move an inch."
"The Kujo Family is unreliable, and the Omiya Family is our enemy."
"Cooperating with him is not a bad option."
Kalun was still sowhat unwilling.
"But he..."
Polina interrupted him.
"At least, our goals are consistent."
"He won't pose a threat to us until we find the pendulum of life."
At the sa ti.
Zhou Huai sat in the back seat.
He patted Hayata's shoulder.
The force wasn't heavy, but it made Hayata's body tremble suddenly.
"You didn't leave without permission while I was in the villa."
"That was a wise choice."
"Next, as long as you can safely get out."
"Your life will also be safe."
Hayata's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, cold sweat already soaking his back.
"You... I've done everything you asked to do."
"I hope you keep your promise."
Zhou Huai nodded, saying nothing more.
Hayata quickly restarted the car and returned the way they ca.
Once again, they arrived at the heavily guarded black wrought-iron gate.
This ti, the guards at the entrance no longer offered any obstruction.
The leader of the patrol even squeezed out a fawning smile, very perceptively pressing the gate-opening button himself.
The vehicle smoothly «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» drove out of the estate.
However, not long after driving out of the gate.
"Beep—beep—!"
A series of urgent, piercing honks ca from behind.
Zhou Huai frowned slightly.
He looked through the rearview mirror and saw an extrely luxurious black sedan chasing closely from behind.
Zhou Huai didn't recognize the car emblem.
But just by looking at the sleek lines and solid feel of the car body, he knew it was expensive.
The other party was clearly coming for him.
Could it be that at this critical juncture, soone had seen through his disguise?
It shouldn't be.
If he had really been exposed, it wouldn't be as simple as just honking the horn.
They would probably have already attacked.
Hayata had obviously also seen the car behind them; he showed clear panic.
His body began to tremble uncontrollably again.
Zhou Huai, controlling Caesar, calmly asked.
"Whose car is that?"
Hayata stamred:
"It's... it's Madam Kaori's car!"
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