Capítulo 1030: Chapter 41: Rain Falls Like Blades (Part 3)
“The textbooks are fine,” Shiyu Ling said, “the recent news and TV programs are the sa, I couldn’t find any evidence of skill or psychological suggestion influences.”
Gongsun Ce scanned the books rapidly, responding, “What about toys? Have you checked the toys children like?”
After leaving the elentary school, the two of them headed to the library in Water Shield City, searching for information about the local entertainnt industry over the past six months. Gongsun Ce believed that the increase in rainfall might only be a trigger, and the changes in the children were inseparable from the influences subtly perating their daily lives. Yet this search yielded no results, everything seed normal, leading Gongsun Ce to doubt whether his thinking was correct.
“Libraries don’t have toys.” Shiyu Ling shoved the elentary art textbook back on the shelf, “Let’s go check out the small shops near the school, if there’s no results, let’s just head back for dinner.”
It was already 7:40 PM, and the two, who had been busy since arriving in Blade Rain State, had not yet had dinner. They found their investigation target near the elentary school at the center of the underground city—a small shop called “George’s Treasure Box” which was still open. In the shop window were dolls, robot toys, and comic books that children liked, and beside the counter were many cheaply made “local souvenirs.”
Mr. George, the shop owner, was an overly burly middle-aged man, with broad shoulders and a thick waist, his hands almost twice the size of an average person’s. Yet, his features were peculiarly small, with two tiny black eyeballs that looked like sesa seeds, bringing a strong sense of cody. “Sorry, we’re about to close…” His small eyes scrutinized the two, flashing a look of realization, “Infant products are sold at the supermarket across the street.”
Gongsun Ce coughed forcefully twice, as Shiyu Ling pinched his waist hard from behind.
“No no no, it’s not that ti yet. I’m thinking of buying a gift for my sister back ho, she just started second grade.”
“That’s just the age when they’re adorable. Most elentary school kids are really cute until they start middle school, then the three years of nightmares begin,” Mr. George said cheerfully, “How about a Holy Grail? Kids love it, it’s a small wish machine.”
On a conspicuous spot on the shelf were so poorly made trinkets; the top row was painted a garish, cheap gold, and about the size of a mineral water bottle was the “Holy Grail.” Shiyu Ling picked one up and gave it a couple of looks, seeing that the center was a small slot for coins, revealing it to be a coin bank for children.
“The Holy Grail is our local mascot,” Mr. George enthusiastically introduced, “You probably have heard the story of the Saint being injured, Blade Rain State was once his battlefield. ‘His holy blood flowed into the cup, becoming a panacea for curing all ailnts.’ When I was a child, my mom used to let play with this, and when you fill it with coins, you can make a wish co true.”
“No offense, but the Wish-granting Holy Grail is a legend from the Country, right?” Shiyu Ling said, “The local belief in the Holy Grail legend isn’t it more inclined towards suffering?”
“From the Country?” The shop owner rubbed his large fingers one against the other, “There seems to be such a saying. But culture is always being passed around, I guarantee even the Saint would say the sa. If you hear this story in the Union, it’s a Union legend.” The man had a childlike optimism and didn’t care a bit about the nuances of ideological evolution.
“Makes a lot of sense.” Gongsun Ce picked up a small Holy Grail and placed it on the counter. He took a stroll around the shop, noticing a distinct recent rearrangent—many toys were placed on shelves that originally held books, while the books which used to be on the counter were covered with a black cloth, sitting in the farthest corner. He lifted the black cloth and saw the relocated books were so ancient fairy tales, “The Wizard of Oz,” “Snow White,” “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”…
“Aren’t kids interested in fairy tales nowadays?”
“We are a traditional state, unlike places like Shiyin or Xuan Ci. Our children still read old stories and adhere to paper-based reading habits,” Mr. George replied proudly, though he quickly beca despondent, “But recently… sigh… it’s probably because of the rain, the heavy rain is making everyone act abnormally.”
“Let guess,” Gongsun Ce said, “the kids begin to act very agitated when they see fairy tale books, start crying and yelling, just like they’ve seen a ghost?”
Mr. George’s expression was like he had seen a ghost.
“Are you investigators from the Ministry of Education?”
“I’m a college student here on a trip.” Gongsun Ce said, “Thanks for your cooperation, wish you a pleasant evening.”
He paid for the small Holy Grail coin bank, and together with Ling, left the shop. Before leaving, he spotted a beautiful little notebook by the counter, an inkwell, and a feather pen specially designed for those big hands, suggesting that Mr. George’s hobby was calligraphy or writing.
“What do you think, Spiritual Image expert?”
“Using fairy tales, nursery rhys, and other common s to conduct a spiritual attack, I can more or less guess what the thod is.” Shiyu Ling said with disgust, “It’s a repulsive bad joke, doing sothing like this, what benefit can they possibly gain!”
“Indeed, it’s a completely different style compared to before…”
Amidst his anger, Gongsun Ce also felt a hint of strangeness, the thods used were too discrepant. Gaius’s followers usually created advantages using technology and the broader environnt; their actions displayed a clear purpose, in validating a certain technology or developing a project. But everything happening in Blade Rain State couldn’t bring any benefits to anyone, there was only a deep underlying malice from the mastermind.
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