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Page 8
“No problem, I’m the only one left in my family.”
"..."
"Why don't you speak?"
"Because I don't know what to say."
"Shouldn't we say a few words of comfort at a time like this? That's how stories usually unfold."
“You said it was just a story, and judging from your tone, you don’t sound like you need comforting.”
"Oh my, I didn't expect you, a bound spirit, to be so knowledgeable."
"Just because I didn't deny it, does that mean you're admitting I'm a ghost?"
"Is not it?"
"Of course not, I just have seen and heard a lot, so I have a little experience."
"Wow, that's amazing!"
"Your reading is completely devoid of any agreement."
"Because I've seen and heard a lot, but I can't tell what those diners really need."
"That's just because you've never really paid attention to those people, right?"
"..."
"Why are you not saying anything again?"
"It's nothing, I just think you're right. I realize that I haven't paid attention to the guests at all, let alone anyone else."
"..."
"Why are you not saying anything again?"
"Because I've really started to wonder what kind of person you are."
"Haha, that won't do. It's not a good sign for a woman to start being curious about men."
"A man? You?"
"certainly……"
"If you're a boy, then you're at most a boy who hasn't even grown all his hair yet, maybe even younger, since it's impossible to tell if you're male or female just by listening to your voice."
"Okay, I admit I'm young, but I am indeed male."
"Really? Let me see what you look like to confirm."
"I reject!"
"Why such a big reaction? Do you look terrible?"
"Of course not, my looks would definitely score 90 out of 100 in the eyes of a normal person."
"A full score of one thousand?"
Are you deliberately trying to annoy me?
"Oh, we're in the same boat. Don't you also think I'm a bound spirit?"
"Women are so petty!"
"You've offended half the world with that statement."
"I'm not afraid."
"Hehe, I'm curious what you'll be like when you grow up."
"That's probably hopeless. Yesterday, some very powerful person said I could die at any time. Although I don't really believe it, he wasn't exactly lying. After all, such fragile human life can really die at any time due to various accidents."
"That's so pessimistic. Are you a pessimist? But you don't sound like it. Come here for a second, let me see what you'll look like when you grow up."
"Are you kidding me? How could such a thing be possible, unless you can see the future..."
At this point, Yue Zhengling paused, realizing that this development seemed somewhat familiar.
In Guanbuzi City, in a small alley, a woman claims to own a shop, and most importantly, she says she wants to see what she looks like when she grows up.
There is only one person who can match these key points.
First it was Nero Chaos, then the Aozaki sisters, and then Araya Sōren, so it's not surprising that we'd run into this person here.
Chapter Nineteen: Observing the Mother of Cloth
"You wouldn't happen to be a fortune teller, would you?"
Le Zhengling had already guessed who the person who had been chatting with her since the beginning was.
"Oh my, I didn't expect you to be so clever. Yes, I am indeed a fortune teller." The other person exclaimed in surprise again.
Upon hearing her admit it, Yue Zhengling became conflicted. If the other person really was the one he was thinking of, should he go and meet her?
After all, this person possesses "future vision," also known as the Eye of God, in the Type-Moon universe, and her "future vision" is "absolute future vision," which transcends "prediction" and "determination."
For example, if you meet her for the first time today, she can predict that you will break up with your girlfriend in three days and tell you how to avoid it. She is someone who uses her abilities to help others avoid a bad future.
But that's precisely why Yue Zhengling felt conflicted. He was afraid that if he saw her, she would say something terrible, something like, "You're going to die, there's no way to avoid it." What should he do then?
If that's really the case, then it's better not to know the future than to know it. At least you don't have to live in fear and anxiety. That's what they call the happiness of the ignorant.
"The future isn't absolute in your eyes, is it?" Yue Zhengling asked, deep in thought.
"Oh, you believe I can see the future?"
"I was just using a metaphor."
"Hmph, it seems you really have a lot of stories to tell. Well then, I'll tell you: the future is uncertain, and my job is to help some people avoid the worst possible outcome."
"Have you ever encountered a situation where you couldn't avoid that outcome?" His tone was a mixture of anticipation and fear.
“The future holds infinite possibilities, and I’ve never seen a situation where all futures lead to the same outcome. If you listen to my advice, most people can avoid those unnecessary bad results.” Her proud voice echoed in the dark alley.
“…Then I’ll trust you this once.” Determined to show her, Yue Zhengling braced herself and slowly walked towards the direction from which the voice came, supporting herself against the wall.
Sure enough, there was another intersection in the darkness by the wall. At the end of the alley, surrounded by three buildings, a woman sat behind a table covered with a purple tablecloth. On the table were a square lantern and a crystal ball to serve as light sources.
Le Zhengling slowly walked over and stood in front of the table, where the two of them met face to face.
The woman's face was covered by a black veil. She maintained a good figure, but her actual age should be in her late forties. Moreover, her all-black clothes looked like mourning clothes. She rested her elbows on the table, put her hands together in front of her, and looked straight at Yue Zhengling through the veil.
Upon seeing this attire, Yue Zhengling confirmed that the person in front of him was the one he knew.
Absolute Future Vision – Observing the Mother of Cloth.
"Oh, it's smaller than I imagined, and you look so disheveled!"
Le Zhengling rolled his eyes in annoyance. He knew his current situation: he was rolling and crawling on the ground, hungry, and his mental state was definitely not good.
"I didn't expect you to be telling the truth. Although it's a bit dirty, I can still tell it's a very cute face. But are you sure you're a boy?" the woman said jokingly through the black veil.
"You've said that to me, but I don't even have the energy to be angry. How hateful, Mother of Guanbuzi."
"Oh my, so you knew me. What an amazing child." The face hidden behind the veil revealed no expression. "Well then, since you've chosen to come here, would you like me to look into your future?"
"Please allow me to think about it." He hesitated again.
"With this hesitant personality and pessimistic attitude towards life, even without me looking into your future, I can tell you that you will lose many important things in the future."
Upon hearing this, Yue Zhengling frowned. Although it wasn't a reprimand, it was very close.
"You mean you want me to be braver?" Yue Zhengling asked.
“No, I mean, I want you to be more manly,” Guan Buzi’s mother said in a tone of disappointment.
"..." He looked speechless, as if questioning the heavens.
"It's so disappointing to finally meet someone I can chat with so well, only to find out they have such an unpleasant personality."
"..." Provoked by her words, Yue Zhengling also made up her mind.
So he turned and left.
Seeing this, the person behind him sighed softly and repeated what he had said earlier: "You're not playing by the rules."
A predetermined future is not what everyone wants. For him, even if the future is a failure, it should not be predetermined. Although the ability of the Mother of the Cloth can help others achieve a more perfect ending, life will be meaningless until the prophesied outcome occurs.
However, even after he made this statement, Guanbuzi's mother continued, "If you leave like this, you will die a miserable death in three days."
Le Zhengling paused in his steps.
"When we first met, I already saw more than twenty ways you could die: turning into a monster, being dismembered, having a heart attack, and even more bizarrely, suddenly disappearing from this world without leaving a trace. After all that, are you still going to leave?"
After listening, Yue Zheng turned around without any backbone, throwing all his previous restraint aside. This was a matter of life and death, and it was no longer the time for his chuunibyou, his artsy attitude, or his useless integrity to come into play.
"Indeed, you are very interesting." Guan Buzi's mother once again defined Yue Zhengling.
"Alright, I admit I have no morals. Now please tell me how to avoid these deaths."
"Oh, no rush. Would you like something to eat?" Guanbuzi's mother did not answer his question immediately, but instead took out a well-packaged seaweed rice ball from under the table.
Upon seeing the rice ball, Yue Zhengling's stomach immediately rumbled, and his mouth began to water. This time, he didn't hesitate and reached out his hand towards the rice ball.
However, just as he was about to get the rice ball, the other person took it back. When Yue Zheng heard this, he was about to get angry, but then he saw the other person take out a large bottle of water and a handkerchief.
"Wash your hands and wipe your face. You have such a beautiful face, and now you can't even show it to anyone." Her tone was gentle and very kind.
Upon hearing these words, Yue Zhengling felt a lump in her throat and almost burst into tears.
After washing his hands, he picked up the handkerchief, wet it, and wiped his face. Seeing that the handkerchief had become dirty, he smiled sheepishly at Guan Buzi's mother.
"Hmm, it's good enough for 95 points now, out of 100 this time," said Guan Buzi's mother in a joking tone.
"I'll wash this handkerchief and return it to you," he said earnestly, as if making a vow, holding the dirty handkerchief.
"Well, that's not necessary, because you no longer have the chance." However, the other person said something extraordinary in a very calm tone...
Chapter Twenty Interference
When Yue Zheng heard this, he didn't seem too panicked. After all, he could be said to have experienced many storms, and these boring words and tricks could no longer scare him—the same tricks are useless against a Saint Seiya!
More importantly, he was absolutely certain that Guanbuzi's mother was a very good person, and that there was definitely more to her story.
"You're not surprised at all?" Guan Buzi's mother looked at Yue Zhengling, who was acting unusually calmly, and couldn't help but feel a little discouraged.
“I believe in your abilities, and I’m tired of seeing these kinds of misunderstandings caused by taking things out of context.” With that, he folded the handkerchief and put it into his waist pouch, then held out his hand to her. “Rice ball, give it to me.”
"Not only is it not surprising, but you've become so impolite." Guan Buzi's mother said this, taking out the rice ball again and placing it in his hand.
She watched quietly as Yue Zhengling carefully ate the rice ball, which wasn't exactly delicious, bite by bite, with admiration in her eyes.
Because she saw that Yue Zhengling's eating posture was very well-mannered, not the kind of refined manners that nobles are taught, but rather he showed focus and piety in his movements.
He finished the rice ball in no time, but instead of thanking her, he thought for a while before speaking: "Sometimes, gratitude should be kept in the heart. As the saying goes, a meal's kindness is hard to repay. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will do my best to repay you."
At this point, Yue Zhengling looked at her with great respect, "After all, for a fortune teller like you who helps others with kindness without expecting anything in return, some words would be superfluous and not worth saying."
"I never imagined that you would think I was so great." The respectable fortune teller chuckled, his gentle smile as if he had seen something precious.
"Since you've said that, then I can't let you die." She touched the crystal ball with her hand, and the originally transparent crystal ball became hazy.
"...It's not really appropriate to use such a trick on someone who knows your true strength, is it?" After considering it for a moment, Yue Zhengling still spoke up to remind him.
“It’s all about the atmosphere, you know?” Guanbuzi’s mother said, touching the crystal ball. After saying that, she asked, “Why were you so calm when I said you didn’t have a chance to return the handkerchief to me?”
"Didn't I already explain the reason?" Yue Zhengling replied.
“What if I say it’s true?” Guan Buzi’s mother looked up at him, staring intently. At that moment, her demeanor changed. “If you really don’t have a chance to return the handkerchief to me, what will you do?”
"If it's true, if even you say so, if this is my fate, then I can only accept it." Yue Zhengling shrugged.
"So you're saying your life is too pessimistic? Can't you have more courage to move forward?" She spoke these words very slowly, her eyes looking at Yue Zhengling as if she were seeing through something.
"Actually, what I meant before was that I have OCD, so since you dirtied that handkerchief, you don't need to give it back to me." After looking at him for a long time, Guanbuzi's mother seemed to be making an unnecessary explanation for her previous words, sounding like she was comforting him.
"I have a bad feeling..." Yue Zhengling muttered to herself.
Guan Buzi's mother pursed her lips but did not answer.
"Just tell the truth. Is my future so bad that even you can't find a way to avoid it?" Knowing that the other party's ability to see through all kinds of futures in an instant, and that they hadn't spoken for so long, the outcome was already predictable.
"Show me your hands!" It was probably his words that stung the pride of the fortune teller, for the Mother of Cloth suddenly raised her voice, after all, the sense of honor in every profession should not be taken lightly.