"You're right," Kira conceded willingly. In matters like this, she had little ground to argue.
Unlike Li Mo, with his near-exaggerated insight and judgment, her title as the Captain held little weight. The true leader was the one who could guide everyone out of this cursed place.
The strong rise to the top—a lesson Kira had learned back in the Snowwolf Squad. Letting personal feelings cloud judgment could only lead to disasters on those around her.
Even the dullest observer could see what was happening here.
However, her serious demeanor didn't last long. In just two seconds—
"Heh, who knew you were actually this capable, gloomy man~"
"...It's just experience," Li Mo replied calmly. "But it's not something I'd consider a good thing."
To Li Mo, who had already died twice, Kira's teasing words didn't set her apart from anyone else.
The Honkai Valkyries typically had well-maintained physiques, with flawless, smooth skin. Li Mo's gaze drifted briefly over the curvaceous figure emphasized by her partially exposed Valkyrie armor, which accentuated her slender waist and graceful form.
If not for his second death, Li Mo doubted he could have observed her body with such seriousness.
But without a doubt...
He lacked any of those worldly desires. Not a single thought crossed his mind.
This made him question a particular aspect of his body's functionality. If he didn't feel anything for humans, could he feel something for ghosts? After all, his current existence was closer to that of a 'ghost'.
Utterly ridiculous.
No one knew what Li Mo was thinking.
While Li Mo observed Kira, she was equally intrigued by him.
She leaned closer, hands clasped behind her back, tilting her head for a better look at this mysterious young man with jet-black hair.
Everything about him radiated an enigmatic aura.
His face was unnaturally pale, as if dusted with white powder.
His corneas bore patchy clouds, an unsettling murkiness spreading across his eyes, rendering them almost corpse-like.
No living person's eyes could look like this.
Yet Kira refrained from questioning his condition. In a world where heads could detach from bodies and still move around, cloudy eyes didn't seem like much.
Even if Li Mo had been tainted by some anomaly, Kira believed that someone as exceptional as him would maintain his unique inner balance and not expose others to the risk of death.
"By the way, how did you know to drip blood on the funeral portrait? I've never heard of such a procedure before. You're from Shenzhou, right?"
Kira asked questions incessantly, like a curious child.
If it were anyone else, Li Mo wouldn't have explained.
There was no need.
But the tragic image of Kira's death from the previous timeline was still vivid in his memory. She could have abandoned everyone as bait to save herself, yet she chose to trust him—believing he could save everyone.
All for a seemingly insignificant promise.
A promise that even Li Mo hadn't taken seriously. After all, he'd encountered plenty of situations where people fled for their lives despite making verbal commitments.
Promises and oaths were like candles in the wind during a life-and-death crisis—extinguished in an instant.
In anomalous incidents, betrayal was almost expected; keeping one's word, on the other hand, was the anomaly.
Li Mo bore grudges. Those who betrayed him and put him in mortal danger could rest assured that he'd seek revenge as long as he was alive.
Conversely, those who kept their promises and helped him—even if the event hadn't occurred in this reset world—would be treated with respect.
Li Mo replied, "Yes, I'm from Shenzhou. Also…"
"Thank you, Kira." His sudden gratitude left Kira utterly bewildered.
"Huh? I didn't do anything! What's that saying in Shenzhou? You shouldn't accept gratitude for no reason. We should be thanking you! You're amazing—thank you so much! If you ever need anything, come find me at the Schicksal Headquarters! I'm Shigure Kira, an almost S-rank Valkyrie in training, and your comrade!"
Kira flashed a bright smile, playfully twirling her sky-blue hair with her fingers. A faint fragrance wafted through the air, slightly masking the stench in the auditorium.
Li Mo's expression froze. He wanted to return the smile but couldn't, so he simply nodded coldly.
"I've more or less figured out how to resolve this anomalous incident. I can't promise to fix it immediately, but as long as you follow my instructions, I can keep you alive. I'll handle the rest."
Li Mo waved a hand, prompting Kira to obediently step beside him and peer into the black coffin.
The others followed suit, their gazes shifting towards the mysterious coffin.
Through the gap in the lid, a headless male corpse could be seen lying flat inside. His hands were clasped over his chest.
His neck was only partially intact, yet there were no signs of decay—it looked as if he had just died.
"What!? How is there a corpse in the coffin? We checked every corner of the hall when we entered. If there was a body, we would've noticed! I swear on Lady Cecilia's name—we confirmed that the coffin was empty when we arrived!"
Kira raised her hand solemnly, as if genuinely making a vow.
Li Mo wanted to retort, Why use Cecilia's name? Why not your own?
But after a moment's thought, he understood. Cecilia held a higher position in Kira's heart than she did herself, which was why she swore on Cecilia's name to prove she wasn't lying.
His thoughts raced…
In an instant, numerous possibilities flashed through Li Mo's mind.
"If I'm not mistaken, this corpse… is me," Li Mo said calmly, voicing what he believed was the most likely truth.
"You… you?! Hey, gloomy man, don't joke around! That corpse is you?!" Kira's eyes widened like saucers, as if she had heard the most absurd claim in the world.
"This joke isn't funny at all."
"Yeah, you're standing right in front of us!"
The group erupted into discussion. Shaori Heyou shook her head repeatedly, rejecting the idea. "Big brother, you're right here with us. There's no way you're the body in the coffin!"
Unquestionably, no one believed Li Mo's words.
But his previous, inexplicably accurate actions made them harbor some doubts deep down.
Li Mo's decisiveness and precision couldn't be dismissed.
"Wait, I remember earlier he…"
In the silence, the students Li Mo had led recounted his past actions to Kira's teammates:
Entering the broadcast room without opening the door, explaining the fatal consequences of doing so.
Identifying Aikiri as the ghost in the broadcast room and presenting evidence.
Leading everyone into the auditorium precisely at 7:00, taking an unerring route.
When the head ghost attacked, dripping blood on the funeral portrait without hesitation and sealing the coffin to halt the ghost's movements.
Some of these actions could be attributed to keen observation and quick thinking, but others defied explanation.
Gradually, nearly everyone instinctively stepped back from Li Mo.
However, a few didn't, including Kira and Shaori.
They knew that without Li Mo, they would already be dead. If Li Mo were truly a ghost, he wouldn't have bothered saving them.
To reassure Li Mo, they not only refrained from stepping back but moved closer instead—despite how unnatural he seemed.
Not that Li Mo felt warmth or disappointment anymore.
Li Mo placed the funeral portrait in its rightful spot. The image on it resembled him, its face ashen, with a dark, gaping hole in the forehead as if something had pierced through it.
The headless corpse in the coffin wore identical clothes to Li Mo's current outfit.
"This is a 'human' funeral," Li Mo explained. "We must follow the funeral rituals precisely. If we don't, the head outside will awaken again. Without adhering to the rules, the incense won't suppress the ghosts' perception in this auditorium."
===================
Consider joining me on P@treon For 30+ Advance Chapters:
P@treon: p@treon.com/JustaPasserby