21st Century Necromancer

If one opens the map of Tokyo Metropolis, it will be discovered that Musashino City, Shibuya District, and Sumida Ward are essentially on the same line.

To go from UDI in Musashino City to the Tokyo Skytree in Sumida Ward, one must pass through Shibuya.

However, at this moment Kusanagi Ritsuko had not yet realized this; she was puzzling over the locations of Minami and Inomata Naoki on the map, searching for a connection between the two.

Meanwhile, Tokairin Yūko, who had finished her workday, was sitting on the subway heading for downtown Tokyo from Musashino.

Sitting in the subway, Tokairin Yūko first took out a makeup mirror to carefully check her appearance for the day, and having confirmed there were no issues, she then took out her mobile phone to send messages.

But Tokairin Yūko was not messaging Inomata Naoki, rather she was communicating with Qingdai.

Ever since she met Qingdai through Kube Rokuro, Tokairin Yūko had begun to deeply doubt her own feminine appeal. She felt that her persistent failures at matchmaking might very well be because she lacked the womanliness of Qingdai.

Due to her job, she couldn't wear makeup -- a significant weak point for Tokairin Yūko -- but Qingdai had taught her, even with a bare face, what it meant to be naturally beautiful and how one could not forsake their innate beauty.

Even without makeup, the right clothes and a few small adornments could make one look quite attractive and exhibit great charisma.

All these little tricks to improve oneself and hide flaws might seem a bit manipulative, but it had to be said that these techniques indeed greatly enhanced a woman's allure.

After realizing this, Tokairin Yūko was eager to learn from Qingdai, to master the ways to enhance her feminine charm.

Yet, this was a systematic matter, from everyday outfits to jewelry matching, to behavior and speech, and even changing some small habits. Tokairin Yūko realized that increasing her womanliness was not something that could be achieved overnight or by one or two little tricks.

Fortunately, Qingdai was incredibly kind, or rather, enthusiastic. She not only taught Tokairin Yūko many practical tips but also often gave her advice on her daily outfits.

After spending a little over half a month together, Tokairin Yūko felt her womanliness and feminine charm had greatly improved.

The rapid development of the relationship between Tokairin Yūko and Inomata Naoki during this time was, to a significant extent, due to Qingdai's guidance, which allowed her to capture Inomata Naoki's heart effectively.

Otherwise, why would Inomata Naoki come to Tokyo every week?

For instance, today Tokairin Yūko wore a pink shirt and black striped trousers as Qingdai had suggested. This combination elevated her overall demeanor, and after letting her hair down, she resembled an urban beauty.

"Tokairin, remember to control the rhythm when talking to him. When females converse with males, let the males do most of the talking and learn how to lead and compliment them,"

"Men like to show off; a little prompting from you will make them start boasting unconsciously. At that time, you just need to quietly watch him, showing you're listening, and occasionally saying things like 'Really? I had no idea,' 'That's amazing,' or 'You're so incredible.' This will be enough to manage the situation and ensure the conversation never lacks topics,"

On the mobile, Qingdai sent another two messages, providing Tokairin Yūko with some tips for talking with men.

Just as Tokairin Yūko was about to reply, the subway suddenly jolted, and the previously bright lights flickered a few times before going out. The speed of the train also slowed down as the lights went out.

The train car suddenly went pitch-black, with only the glow from cell phone screens.

Some people turned on their phone's flashlights, illuminating the car as everyone looked around puzzled, trying to figure out what had happened.

Soon, the subway driver appeared in the car and explained to the passengers that a power failure had caused the stop and that a repair train would soon arrive to fix the problem, urging everyone to stay calm.

After hearing the driver's explanation, Tokairin Yūko also calmed down and sent Qingdai a message that she was experiencing a subway malfunction, then she sat down in her seat, reassured.

"Then you should send a message or make a call to your boyfriend right away to inform him about this, being delayed on the way to a date due to an unexpected event requires an explanation to avoid any misunderstanding," replied Qingdai.

Realizing her oversight upon seeing Qingdai's reply, Tokairin Yūko quickly sent a message to Inomata Naoki explaining the situation and telling him that she would be late.

Inomata Naoki replied promptly, not only showing understanding but also comforting Tokairin Yūko, telling her it was okay even if she was late.

Inomata Naoki's reply immediately put Tokairin Yūko at ease, and she felt an overwhelming sense of happiness for his kindness and thoughtfulness.

However, Tokairin Yūko was unaware that as her train ground to a halt, the entire Tokyo subway network had also fallen into a sudden freeze and standstill.

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In the Necromantic Space, Chen Yu was still playing that strange chess game, but the situation on the board had changed.

The queen, who had the Black Bishop nearby, had almost reached the king, but was now subtly threatened by the advancing Black Chariot, while the other queen was approaching the king's position, pushed forward by the Black Knight.

The White Chariot, which had wanted to advance towards the king, now faced no black pawns but was still some distance away from the monarch.

Chen Yu looked at the chessboard, his expression serious and expectant, as if a fastidious audience member was looking forward to the exciting performance that the actors on stage would present.

But the actors on stage did not know that they were merely marionettes, all required to perform according to a script that had been written in advance.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Yu gently pushed from behind the White Chariot, moving it in front of the black king.

However, in another direction, the black bishop and knight had also reached a position where they could capture this white chariot.

"Let's see how far you can go," Chen Yu said, smiling slightly as he looked at the pieces on the board.

As Chen Yu was moving the pieces on the chessboard, Ritsuko Kusanagi also received news that the train Tokairin Yūko was on had malfunctioned and stopped, causing the entire Tokyo subway system to grind to a halt.

Ritsuko Kusanagi immediately felt her sixth sense desperately warning her of the threat of death.

Yet, this sudden sharp alertness made Ritsuko Kusanagi stay calm, and she took out her phone to send a message: "Time to cut the cake."