“Turn it off.” A flash of annoyance crossed Jiang Jian Yue’s face; she hated moralizing the most.
‘Japan leading the superpower era… What a load of crap.’
Mark immediately reached out and turned off the radio, and silence returned to the car.
“Missy, the investigation results are in. It was a woman disguised as a cleaner. She waited until the backstage staff was sparse and entered the basement through the ventilation system.”
An awkward expression appeared on the burly Black man’s face. “The corridor cameras captured you and Mr. Yuki…”
Cough, cough, cough…
Jiang Jian Yue’s cheeks flushed with a hint of pink. Covering her face, she let out a sigh and instructed, “The target… is very likely… a participant. Check… the entry and exit logs.”
……
‘Prime Minister, I have a plan. That woman has a nice figure. You just need to feel them up one by one, and you’ll definitely find her,’ Meiguan suggested.
“Get lost.”
The next day, Jiang Jian Yue arrived at the New National Stadium early in the morning.
The Group Melee Qualifiers used a double-elimination system.
The venue was still the New National Stadium, but there were no live audiences for the qualifiers.
These teams simply waited in the spectator stands for the start of the event.
In the center of the field, more than fifty machines were set up, and staff members were busy conducting final tests.
“Missy.”
Jiang Jian Yue walked into the stadium surrounded by a group of people. Beside her, Morita Aoya introduced the man walking toward them.
“This is Vision World.”
The man had Slavic features and a tall, straight posture, looking like a soldier. However, he wasn’t very tall.
He wore ordinary staff clothing and a baseball cap that pressed down on his headset and a head of blue hair.
Vision World’s ability was to create any illusory space and allow people to enter it. He was the primary contributor to the effects seen in the promotional video.
Vision World bowed respectfully and greeted her in broken Japanese.
Jiang Jian Yue picked up her phone and showed the translator the contents of her Notebook.
The translator spoke with Vision World in Russian for a moment, then turned back and said, “Vision World says he can support the entire competition process. Thank you for your concern, Missy.”
That was good then.
“What about… the other one?” Jiang Jian Yue turned to look at Morita Aoya.
Morita Aoya knew who she was asking about—the matter started back during the GSAC selection when personnel information was being recorded.
There was a contestant who had participated in the Grand Prix with the ability: Human Camera. His eyes were the cameras.
By combining his skill with other Ability Users, they could achieve a filming effect with no blind spots or obstructions.
The original plan was to use drones, but the quality would definitely be compromised.
After all, drones would surely interfere with battles between Superpower Users. Besides, what if someone’s ability involved controlling drones?
For a better live broadcast effect, this person was recruited into DRG to dedicate his life to GSAC.
As for why it was his “life”—the guy’s family situation was quite tragic.
When he learned DRG was recruiting him for a high price, he immediately prostrated himself, wanting to dedicate his entire life to Jiang Jian Yue.
Jiang Jian Yue sometimes felt that anyone who got involved with the Dawn Resources Group was under some kind of Life Curse.
Morita Aoya caught someone to ask and subsequently learned one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.
The bad news was that the gentleman’s hemorrhoids had ruptured, and he was currently cleaning up.
The good news was that he stated today’s qualifier broadcast would definitely go without a hitch; he would fight through the blood.
It seemed the salary Morita Aoya offered him was quite high.
After hearing Vision World’s words, the translator spoke up, “Vision World asks if Missy would like to experience his ability firsthand.”
Morita Aoya frowned slightly.
Although Vision World was one of their own, stepping into his space meant being at his mercy—a gentleman does not stand under a crumbling wall, let alone encouraging someone to go there. This request was somewhat rude!
But whether it was a difference in thinking caused by a different culture or something else, Vision World brought it up quite casually.
“I can,” Jiang Jian Yue readily agreed. She was curious about Vision World’s ability.
Since the Missy had agreed, Morita Aoya knew persuasion was useless. He only whispered a few instructions to Vision World in Russian.
‘So you know Russian! Then why even bring a translator?’
Vision World nodded. Then, his emerald eyes suddenly lit up, and a door appeared before everyone. He followed with a “please” gesture.
It was much weaker than Ikeda Sachi’s domineering method of pulling people into a space by area. A hint of disappointment flashed in Jiang Jian Yue’s eyes.
‘What are you regretting? Do you want to kill this subordinate in front of you and seize his ability?’ Meiguan teased.
Jiang Jian Yue ignored Meiguan’s words as usual and pushed open the door.
Everything before her was pitch black. After she stepped inside, the door closed behind her, and darkness enveloped everything.
Suddenly, Jiang Jian Yue felt the previously solid floor become soft.
The pitch-black field of vision rapidly expanded outward, centering on her.
The ground beneath her turned into a meadow, and a forest appeared before her eyes. Blue sky, white clouds—it was a perfectly clear day.
Being transported elsewhere in the blink of an eye gave Jiang Jian Yue a sense of dissociation. Her head felt a bit dizzy.
‘This kind of opening feels like the start of some game, but I can’t recall which one,’ Jiang Jian Yue said in her mind.
Meiguan didn’t answer.
Jiang Jian Yue stretched her body, and her delayed sense of smell finally picked up a cloying sweetness in the air.
Huh?
She turned her head to look at the tree beside her. It wasn’t an ordinary tree. The surface texture was strange, like… bread?
Jiang Jian Yue reached out and pinched it. A piece of bread came away in her hand, and she carefully stuffed it into her mouth.
Holy crap!
Only then did she realize the grass and flowers at her feet were gummy candies, the sand was mashed potatoes, and the soil was chocolate.
A few minutes later, clutching a hamburger and fries, Jiang Jian Yue faced the vast Sprite Lake.
She couldn’t help but throw herself onto the shore and lick the bubbling Sprite with tears in her eyes.
She hadn’t expected her childhood fantasy… would one day become reality. Who hadn’t fantasized about the whole world turning into food and drink?
“Meiguan, what should I do! Even though he’s my subordinate, I really want this ability!”
Meiguan still didn’t respond.
Jiang Jian Yue realized something was off. Meiguan was actually silent despite encountering such a wondrous thing?
“Meiguan?”
“Hey.”
“Why aren’t you talking?”
Jiang Jian Yue called out for a long time but still received no reply. She then reached a conclusion—Meiguan hadn’t come in!
Vision World’s ability could shut out Meiguan?
……
When Jiang Jian Yue walked out of Vision World’s door, her stomach, which had felt like it was about to burst, was instantly emptied.
Jiang Jian Yue felt a bit disappointed. Although she had expected this, it would be too broken if things created within Vision World’s ability could be brought into the real world.
—Though Ikeda Sachi’s Devouring Form “Item Jet” could indeed bring things from that space into reality.
According to Vision World’s own account, any effects items in the space had on a human body would be cleared upon leaving, unless someone died inside or the injury was caused by another person who had entered the space.
“Meiguan?”
Jiang Jian Yue called out in her mind, yet Meiguan still refused to make a sound.
“Heh heh… Stop pretending. You can access my memories and thoughts, which means you already know what I encountered in Vision World.”
Jiang Jian Yue was convinced Meiguan was playing dead to prevent her from confirming that Vision World’s ability could isolate it.
‘Heh, anyway, you’ll definitely encounter other space-type abilities in the future, so it’ll be exposed then anyway. It doesn’t matter,’ Meiguan said with a hint of sulkiness.
‘Oh? Do all space abilities have this effect?’ Jiang Jian Yue was somewhat surprised internally. ‘Meiguan, you’re so stupid!’
“Missy, the live broadcast test has already begun. The first batch of teams is warming up. Please proceed to the private box,” Morita Aoya said, hurriedly bowing and stepping forward as he saw Jiang Jian Yue exit the door.
“Okay.”
There were two types of live broadcast plans for the qualifiers.
One involved selling the rights to online platforms in various countries and DRG’s own online streaming platform in Japan. Typically, there was a main channel and five secondary channels.
The main channel was responsible for selecting any match for commentary, while the five secondary channels provided clean, commentary-free streams of five simultaneous matches.
Though Jiang Jian Yue didn’t know who would be able to commentate a duel between Superpower Users—after all, it was the first time!
The other was the TV Station’s broadcast. After receiving the stream, they would arrange their own visual transitions and commentary booths.
Among the first ten teams to duel was Special Response HQ Unit 1. Jiang Jian Yue certainly wouldn’t miss it.
At this time, in the spectator stands, the members of Special Response HQ Unit 1 were making final preparations.
Yuki Asahi sat on a Bench, wrapping his hand bandages with a faint smile on his face.
“Captain, you seem to be in a good mood.”
Reina Hayami walked over and leaned down. “What did you see?”
“Nothing.” Yuki Asahi’s face turned red as he replied vaguely, “I just saw someone I know.”
“Hehe, let me guess… you saw Missy Jiang Jian, didn’t you?”
“That’s not it.”
“Is this what youth is like?” Kenichi Matsumoto lamented.
Tsubasa Kubo still wore his headphones, immersed in his own world.
Cuiyue, who was a bit sensitive to the word “youth,” turned to look before quickly looking away.
She saw the nearest staff member running over with a stack of papers in hand, so she said coldly, “We need to get ready to head out.”
“Alright, everyone listen to me.”
Yuki Asahi stood up and clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention. “Today’s opponent is the Gold Buddha Team. You’ve all seen their information, right?”
“A group of Muay Thai Superpower Users. The only one clearly exposed in the promotional video was one whose body can enlarge.”
Kenichi Matsumoto analyzed, “Until we’re sure of the opponent’s specific physical stats, try to keep your distance.”
Superpower Users receive physical stat bonuses that aren’t clearly reflected in their physique, making it difficult to judge someone’s strength by their appearance.
“Is that necessary?”
Cuiyue raised an eyebrow. In her view, her and Yuki Asahi’s stats were already absurdly high.
“Don’t underestimate the enemy.” Yuki Asahi said seriously, “This is our first battle. Remember to follow the strategy we planned beforehand.”
“If it’s just the two of you… will it really be okay?” Reina Hayami’s eyes flickered with worry.
“Trust me,” Yuki Asahi reached out his hand, his tone carrying a hint of hesitation, “and trust Cuiyue too… Come on, let’s stack hands!”
“Ai ai oh!” Reina Hayami shouted, placing her hand on top of Yuki Asahi’s.
“What’s that? An idol fan chant?” Tsubasa Kubo, who had been silent all along, finally couldn’t help but roast her.
“Hayami… it’s supposed to be ‘go for it,’ right?”
Reina Hayami’s cheeks flushed. After a couple of dry coughs, she said, “Fine, then…”
“Go!”
“Go.”
“Go, go…”
The voices were disjointed, as if no team spirit existed among the five of them at all.