Chapter 180: Coincidence (5)
Chapter 180: Coincidence (5)
“I picked an extra-spacious suite so we could all stay together.”
“Good job, Noona.”
“Hehe…”
Han Shin reached out and patted Kang Yujin’s head in praise. Her black ponytail swayed slightly at his touch.
As the highest-tier suite in one of Shanghai’s premier luxury hotels, the room was so opulent it almost felt excessive.
This is actually a bit overwhelming…
Having lived in a cramped, ordinary apartment for most of his life, Han Shin still hadn't fully adjusted to this level of luxury, even after moving into a better home recently.
Of course, living in a place with high-end furniture was comfortable and nice, but what he appreciated most was the extra space, especially now that his family had grown.
Grace and Laysia weren't exactly here for a vacation, but they were nonetheless pleased to be staying in such a nice place with Han Shin.
By the time they had rushed into China and settled in, the sun was already setting, and dinner time was approaching.
“Why don't we head out for dinner and take a quick look around the area?”
“I’m in!”
“I shall follow your lead, Lord Han Shin.”
“I think that’s a good idea as well.”
All three women brightened up and agreed with Han Shin’s suggestion.
They all shared the thought that it would be wise to keep an eye out for anything unusual in the city center while they grabbed a bite to eat.
The group left their suitcases in the room—though they didn't strictly need them, they carried them for appearances—and headed back out.
Since it was the first time in Shanghai for all four of them, they navigated the surroundings tentatively using a map app.
The city was still a mess; the shattered windows and debris that had been sent flying everywhere couldn't be cleaned up overnight.
There simply hadn't been enough time to replace the glass in every building in Shanghai, nor was there enough supply to go around.
Consequently, some restaurants were closed, while those that remained open were operating with the broken glass merely swept aside.
Han Shin’s group wanted to find a decent place with popular Chinese food at a reasonable price, but the situation was difficult.
With the windows gone, many places felt like open-air stalls, and because so many other shops were closed, the ones that remained were packed to the brim.
Seeing the long lines of people waiting for tables, the group had no choice but to give up on that idea.
Instead, they changed course toward the high-end restaurants, figuring they might still be operating normally, much like the hotels.
“I’m very sorry. We are fully booked and cannot accept any more guests.”
Even the top-tier restaurants weren't all unscathed; some had suspended operations, and since most usually operated on a reservation-only basis, they couldn't get in.
Left with no other choice, the group decided to scout the area a bit more before heading back to the hotel for dinner.
“Since things turned out this way, let’s split into pairs and do a quick sweep.”
“That sounds good. Shin-a, you’re coming with me, right?”
Kang Yujin beamed at Han Shin’s suggestion and immediately revealed her ulterior motive.
If they split into pairs, there was only one spot next to Han Shin. As soon as the words left his mouth, Yujin staked her claim.
“Wait, you can’t just decide that on your own.”
“Exactly. We should be fair about this.”
Naturally, Grace and Laysia protested.
They felt the same way as Yujin. Yujin had simply been the first to jump the gun, but Grace and Laysia had also been imagining a solo stroll through the city with Han Shin the moment he suggested splitting up.
Though they were here to investigate a potential incident caused by Demons or Demonic Humans, the prospect of it being essentially a date was incredibly appealing to them.
Furthermore, after walking around for a bit while looking for a restaurant and listening to the locals, they were starting to lean toward the idea that this wasn't the work of Demons or Demonic Humans.
They weren't certain yet, and they hadn't seen the entire city, but they hadn't spotted any suspicious individuals or traces of Dark Mana.
What Grace and Laysia feared most were Dark Magic spells that could cast wide-scale physical weakening curses or spread diseases.
These were tactics that had been quite threatening back in Nippur and Bürg; many small villages and cities had fallen because they couldn't counter them.
Such threats required Priests who served the Benevolent Gods, as their power was the polar opposite of and sensitive to Dark Mana. However, small towns often had no such Priests or very few of them.
They had worried that the Demons or Demonic Humans might have launched such an attack on Earth.
But after arriving in Shanghai, Grace and Laysia found no signs of barriers created by Dark Magic, nor any lingering Dark Mana. It made them wonder if this really was just an extraordinary natural phenomenon.
For this reason, the three women, who had been trying to stay tense, found themselves relaxing.
Since it didn't seem to be the work of Demons, it was only natural that their focus shifted to their primary interest: Han Shin.
“Then… let’s do a ladder game!”
As if she had been waiting for this, Kang Yujin pulled up a ladder game app on her smartphone.
Noona was aiming for this all along…
Han Shin realized belatedly that Yujin had intentionally provoked the others to make it a public issue, so she could quickly settle who would go with him via the ladder game.
Grace and Laysia also agreed without protest, as if they had been waiting for it, and the three of them focused their eyes on the smartphone.
It was like a well-rehearsed play; the two of them clearly knew what Yujin was up to.
A moment later, joy and sorrow were divided.
There could only be one winner. The lucky person was Kang Yujin.
“Yes! Shin-a, let’s go!”
Grace and Laysia looked slightly disappointed, but they accepted the result since it had been decided fairly.
Right… it’s not a date anyway. We’re here to check if this was the work of Demons or Demonic Humans…
Grace comforted herself, and Laysia felt much the same.
“Then let’s each take a look around and meet back in the hotel lobby.”
“Yes, understood.”
“We’ll do that.”
Since the decision was made, Grace and Laysia didn't waste time. They intended to observe and analyze the surroundings even more thoroughly.
Though it was their first time in Shanghai, they were fine because they could blend in among the people using Perception Distortion Artifacts.
Neither of them was a stranger to this kind of reconnaissance; in fact, they were likely to be more proficient at it than Kang Yujin and Han Shin.
★ ★ ★
Han Shin and Kang Yujin entered the hotel lobby after finishing their scouting—which had been half-date and half-investigation for traces of Demons and Demonic Humans.
Originally, they had planned to scout just a little and then go for dinner, but they had lost track of time and ended up skipping the meal.
Grace and Laysia had been particularly motivated; when Han Shin called to check in, they reported that they had covered more than double the intended area.
Han Shin, who had been going along with the date-like atmosphere Yujin was creating, felt a pang of guilt.
The other two were essentially working their hearts out, while he felt pathetic for half-dating with Yujin.
So, he had asked for Yujin’s understanding and shifted into a more serious scouting mode for the latter half.
Yujin had been disappointed, of course, but she couldn't say much because she could sense Han Shin’s thoughts and intentions.
“Phew… Shin-a, good work.”
“No, you’re the one who worked hard, Noona.”
Han Shin and Yujin chatted as they sat on the chairs provided for rest in the lobby.
Grace and Laysia hadn't arrived yet; they had ventured further out and said they would pick up some food on their way back.
When Han Shin had seen their enthusiasm and pivoted to working harder himself, even skipping dinner, the two women had felt a bit guilty.
To a woman in love, seeing her man skip a meal was naturally heartbreaking and made her feel apologetic.
At the same time, they felt grateful that Han Shin recognized their efforts and was taking the situation seriously.
The two of them felt a renewed sense of happiness and gratitude for being Han Shin’s women.
As Han Shin sat in the lobby chatting with Yujin, he noticed a group of people entering through the front entrance.