Chapter 157
The assistant's forehead began to break out in cold sweat, his mind racing to try to explain this situation.
But at this moment, every second of silence would seem suspicious, and some people were already showing doubt and whispering among themselves.
The assistant spoke sternly but inwardly fearful: "Are you deliberately here to cause trouble?"
"What's wrong with you? When you can't argue, you start biting people randomly?"
Usuha Izuki complained: "Cult Leader, trust me, I'm really not here to wreck your place, but I know this isn't your fault. When promoting externally, some exaggeration is normal. Everyone thought you could read minds—that's just your assistant talking nonsense during promotion, right?"
Those present today still had some doubts about this cult, which is why they needed to witness the Cult Leader's mind reading in person. The truly devout were already working for them as laborers. So when Usuha Izuki said this, quite a few people became suspicious.
If Usuha Izuki had directly questioned the Cult Leader, some people inclined to believe might not have been so cooperative, but with Usuha Izuki pointing at the assistant, these people felt the Cult Leader might also have been deceived.
So someone questioned the assistant: "How exactly did you promote this?"
The assistant was nearly furious.
This religion could expand to this extent entirely thanks to his efforts, yet now when something happened, they pushed the blame onto him!
The Cult Leader remained silent.
The assistant could only step forward himself: "The Cult Leader isn't feeling well today, this ability is working intermittently..."
Usuha Izuki: "Then can you use clairvoyance to find mine? There aren't many people here, so even fewer letters left. Finding it should be quick. I'm not trying to make things difficult for you, am I? I just want to know if the Cult Leader's supernatural powers are real!"
Someone below shouted gleefully: "I want to know too!"
People follow the crowd, and those with doubts spoke up one after another.
"Me too!"
"Just find it! There aren't many letters left anyway!"
The assistant's hands trembled slightly.
Their cult had barely stepped onto the right track. Previously when preaching in the surrounding area, the ignorant country folk were easier to deceive. Recently the assistant had tried to expand the preaching range and attract outsiders, which brought in a wave of skeptical troublemakers who liked to question things.
If it were before, the atmosphere here would never have become like this...
At this moment, Nakata Akira, who had been the first to have his wish seen through, stood up and righteously spoke for the Cult Leader: "Stop making trouble!"
The assistant was gratified.
Good, at least this new member was completely convinced and quite devout, able to help control the atmosphere at the scene.
However, the next second, he heard Nakata Akira say:
"Up until now, has the Cult Leader said anything? She's obviously confident! But with you all making noise like this, it seems like she's being forced to agree, so you need to be quiet!"
After saying this, Nakata Akira fawningly said to the Cult Leader: "I believe you must rely on your true abilities. Please demonstrate your miracle and convince these ignorant people!"
Cult Leader: "..........."
Assistant: "..........."
This is what you call a pig teammate... say less!
But the atmosphere had already been built up to this point, so the assistant could only give the Cult Leader a look, telling her to try.
So the Cult Leader still maintained her composure without saying a word, quietly picking up the remaining envelopes and beginning to "sense" them one by one.
When she got to one particular envelope, the Cult Leader suddenly frowned.
She looked up at Usuha Izuki, then down at the envelope in her hand, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Is it this one?"
As she spoke, she opened the envelope.
Unlike the other envelopes, the original paper size was just right to fit flat into an envelope, so almost everyone had just stuffed the paper directly in.
But this envelope was different—the paper inside had been folded once.
Such an unconventional approach felt very much like someone who came specifically to cause trouble, like Usuha Izuki.
The Cult Leader had just taken out the paper and was about to unfold it when Usuha Izuki stopped her.
"Wait, didn't you always say the wish first before opening the envelope? Why aren't you saying it this time?"
Usuha Izuki asked with a curious expression: "Is it because your clairvoyance can only see through one layer, so when the paper is folded once, you can't see through it?"
The Cult Leader's movements froze.
Usuha Izuki realized this might be one of the conditions for the Cult Leader's clairvoyance.
So he walked directly and openly toward the Cult Leader.
To Bourbon and Scotland's surprise, the assistant standing in Usuha Izuki's path not only didn't try to stop him, but actually stepped back.
This had to do with the equipment Usuha Izuki was wearing today.
Yesterday he wouldn't let Bourbon and Scotland see what he'd brought in his suitcase, and today it came in handy.
The lucky bags Usuha Izuki drew from the system could be temporarily stored in the system as long as he didn't click to claim them.
Since his house was almost running out of space, and after drawing one every day for years—even sending gifts to his Middle Eastern contacts couldn't use them all up—a pile had accumulated in the system warehouse.
After waking up today, he'd pretended to stay in bed while going through all the attributes of these items in the warehouse, taking out the ones that seemed useful and pretending he'd just taken them from his suitcase.
So although what he wore today was still somewhat flashy, he'd maxed out [Persuasiveness], added [Sense of Righteousness], and many other miscellaneous attributes, making himself seem more trustworthy than others.
Though the effect was somewhat limited on strong-willed, specially trained undercover agents like Bourbon and Scotland, it was enough for dealing with ordinary people.
The fact that no one had objected to his outfit so far showed how reliable system products were...
Usuha Izuki walked up to the Cult Leader and suddenly smelled a familiar scent. He instantly understood how the Cult Leader could see what was written in the letters.
Ah—so that's how it was. They'd all guessed wrong. This was the trick being used, no wonder the preparation time was so long.
Usuha Izuki smiled. He'd drawn this thing from the system before! Now he could use it directly.
The assistant thought Usuha Izuki would say something when he went up, but instead he picked up an unopened envelope and, mimicking the Cult Leader's earlier movements, gently stroked the envelope as if sensing something.
The assistant had already rushed to his side. Seeing his movements, he was shocked and wanted to say something, but held back, not even daring to step forward to stop him.
After a while, Usuha Izuki suddenly said: "Kobayashi-san, aren't you troubled about your son's marriage?"
Kobayashi-san sitting below looked shocked: "Yes, how did you know?"
"It's simple." Usuha Izuki revealed the portable disinfectant alcohol he'd just taken from the system warehouse in his palm. "Just apply alcohol to the envelope to make it temporarily wet and semi-transparent, allowing you to see the words written on the paper inside. Alcohol evaporates quickly, so once it dries there's no trace, thus achieving the so-called 'mind reading' effect... Sigh, this doesn't even count as clairvoyance!"
There was an uproar below.
Only Bourbon and Scotland remained relatively silent.
Bourbon slowly asked: "Does he even carry disinfectant alcohol with him? Prepared to this extent?"
Scotland: "...He's always carried strange things. At least disinfectant alcohol is pretty useful."
"Do you think he already guessed this method and brought it on purpose, or was it pure coincidence?"
"...I don't know." Scotland smiled bitterly. "Actually, I've never really understood him."
The assistant's face was ashen: "Enough! I'm calling people! Don't cause trouble here! Get out!"
Usuha Izuki wasn't having it, even raising his voice: "It's precisely because this method was used that without signatures, she didn't know whose wish it was, and with folded paper, she also didn't know whose wish it was—by the way, my paper wasn't folded. This belongs to someone else. The Cult Leader was wrong again."
The assistant directly started calling for backup, planning to contain this situation to a small scope. As for this group who knew the truth, most were outsiders who should have no chance to come here and spread rumors after being driven away.
Only the newly converted Nakata Akira was a bit troublesome.
He looked completely incredulous and pitiful, still trying to defend the Cult Leader: "This is just your word. Though alcohol can indeed do this, how do you prove the Cult Leader used alcohol?"
Usuha Izuki directly turned around and grabbed the hand the Cult Leader had been rubbing on envelopes, then from the wide sleeves of her kimono, pulled out a small bag containing alcohol.
Nakata Akira was greatly shocked and finally closed his mouth, no longer making excuses for the Cult Leader.
At this time, the people the assistant had called also rushed in from outside. These people were either devout believers or hired workers. Though unclear what had happened, when the assistant told them to drive these people away, they prepared to act.
Some people closer to the door were roughly grabbed by the arm, so they angrily shouted: "Your Cult Leader is a fraud! He can see what's in envelopes because he applied alcohol to them!"
The hired workers had no reaction and continued their scuffling, but the believers' movements unconsciously slowed down a bit, as if wanting to understand what was really happening.
Someone also refuted: "Impossible! The Cult Leader has genuine supernatural powers!"
Usuha Izuki cleared his throat: "Everyone, could you listen to me for a few words first? Oh, and the person who just spoke."
The person who had just refuted was stunned, looking somewhat wary, but due to Usuha Izuki's equipment attribute bonuses, still nodded: "What is it?"
"Haven't you been in love recently?"
The woman was stunned, her face suddenly reddening: "...No! Don't talk nonsense!"
"That's impossible. I can see it."
Usuha Izuki stared at the map mode of [Universal Navigation], clicking on the detailed profiles of people around him. His pale green eyes looked slightly vacant, adding an eerie and mystical quality to him.
Under various attribute bonuses, many people couldn't help thinking—could he really have seen something?
The assistant, being firmly on the opposing side, wasn't much affected, and quickly said: "He might have investigated beforehand and came prepared! He's ambushing us!"
Some people's wavering expressions became more restrained.
But Usuha Izuki immediately delivered a big blow: "I advise you to break up with him quickly. He's a murderer who had no choice but to join this cult to avoid investigation..."
Everyone gasped.
The woman couldn't care about contradicting herself and instinctively said: "How is that possible! He said he was just tired of the big city..."
Now everyone knew Usuha Izuki hadn't been wrong—this woman really was in love.
Even these cult members who spent day and night together hadn't discovered she was dating someone, yet this newcomer knew at a glance...
"Could you be the one with supernatural powers! Do you have spiritual sight?!" someone asked excitedly.
Usuha Izuki didn't specifically answer, just smiled at the man whose background had suddenly been exposed, emphasizing the key words: "I advise you not to make excuses. My·eyes·see·everything·clearly. Everyone, arrest him now—this is a good opportunity to accumulate merit."
This obviously wasn't information that could be prepared through prior investigation.
That man felt that anyone who could know this much must be a police officer who'd been tracking him! And this guy had an inexplicable convincing quality—definitely a cop!
Police generally didn't act alone. There were probably several police officers here, maybe they'd come specifically for him...
So he stopped explaining and turned to run.
Originally, Usuha Izuki had displayed his mystical side, and without a more scientific explanation for now, the already superstitious people, under the attribute bonuses, were starting to believe him. But then this guy's guilty flight made it even worse—everyone immediately understood this guy really was a fugitive!
Plus being able to tell at first sight that someone was in love, and even that their romantic partner was a fugitive...
This seemingly young guy might have some real ability!
Now he was telling them to catch the fugitive! Said it would increase merit... hesitating even a moment would be disrespectful to the next life!
So a group of people rushed out howling to chase the fugitive, leaving the less superstitious people in the room dumbfounded.
Bourbon was incredulous: "...How did he see that? No matter how many times I watch, I can't understand the principle behind his eye for people..."
This kind of insight that could identify a murderer at a glance—it was such a waste not to be a police officer! Why did he join the organization!
Scotland pondered: "I'm feeling a bit uneasy now."
"What?"
"...Do you think Usuha might find this fun and stay to take over this cult? I saw those people who rushed out earlier already seemed somewhat obedient to him... and he looks like he's having a great time, might not have had enough fun yet..."
Bourbon: "..........."
While the two were discussing, Usuha Izuki suddenly came over and asked:
"What are you standing around for? Call the police! Do I have to urge you? You really have no sense."
Bourbon & Scotland: "..........."
Even in this situation he doesn't forget to call the police...
Bourbon was somewhat speechless but also relieved, feeling that at least Usuha Izuki wouldn't stay here to become a Cult Leader.
Anyway, their fake identities were watertight. Even if police came, it wouldn't matter, and they could take the opportunity to give Usuha Izuki a statement, see if they could get some useful information.
Just then, someone who didn't look very superstitious complained: "Calling police is useless. The police officer responsible for our area is too unreliable... what was his name again?"
Someone responded: "Yamamura Misao."
Scotland: "..........."
Ah this, if it was a police officer named Yamamura Misao from Gunma Prefecture next to Nagano Prefecture...
Oh no!! That's someone he knew! If they called police and that guy carelessly called out his name with his big-mouthed personality, wouldn't he be exposed immediately?!
So Scotland decisively raised his hand and hung up the call Bourbon was making: "Wait, don't call police."
Bourbon, who didn't know Yamamura Misao, was very confused by Scotland's reaction: "...Huh?"
—What's wrong with you?! Are you planning to stay and be Usuha Izuki's guardian?!