Not a detective

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I heard him make a questioning sound.

"It's this character, 鵺."

I crouched down and gestured on the floor with my finger: "They all call you [Nue], it's a code name for a stalker."

"Isn't he the Faceless Man?"

He tapped his mask, seemingly finding the title difficult to pronounce.

It's really hard to pronounce, and most people wouldn't call him that. I secretly didn't dare tell him that this was the nickname I gave him.

The yokai nue was first recorded in the Tale of the Heike. It is described as having the appearance of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the limbs of a tiger, and the tail of a snake.

It resembles a bird but is not a bird; it has no wings yet can fly, and its call sounds like a tiger thrush, which is considered an ominous sound.

The Ye has the appearance of a mythical creature that combines the five elements. It has the characteristics of the eight symbolic animals of the northeast (tiger in the earthly branch Yin), the southeast (snake in the earthly branch Si), the southwest (monkey in the earthly branch Shen), and the northwest (dog and pig in the earthly branch Xu and Hai). It is a fictional monster that combines the ideas of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.

According to legend, the ye can judge whether a person is good or evil, and those whom it considers "good" will be protected.

If someone is unfortunately judged to be "evil," Nue will kill them in an extremely cruel way.

This is what the boy in front of you is doing.

Yes, even though he was wearing a mask, was about the same height as an adult, and deliberately lowered his voice, I could still recognize his voice and sense his appearance.

Because I'm a fan of "Nue".

I admire his power, his actions, his protection of the good and punishment of the evil, which I deeply respect and am fascinated by.

I wish I could be like him, with such a strong heart and ambition, and willing to become a hero regardless of danger or fame.

"But I still think 'Faceless Man' sounds cooler."

He seemed somewhat dissatisfied with my taste in naming things.

“They all say you’re a stalker.” I steered the conversation back on track: “But I don’t think so. You’re here to protect us, right?”

My feelings are complicated.

I wanted to express my admiration and respect for him, but I didn't dare to say it directly, so I could only maintain this restrained expression.

If he knew what kind of photo wall my room was covered in, he'd probably be scared away.

"...By the way, how did you find out about me?"

He stared blankly, then belatedly asked.

“I have a great talent.” I pointed to my mind: “You may think you’re hiding your form, your footsteps, and your breathing, but I can sense it.”

"I see... It seems you don't need my protection, then I'll be going."

He gave a wry smile and prepared to leave.

He seems to be quite devastated, not only because of the naming code, but also because of his overconfidence in his stealth skills.

Of course I couldn't just let him go like that, otherwise I would have waited so long for this opportunity.

So I grabbed him and said, "Aren't you curious why you're being mistaken for a stalker?"

"Probably because his clothes were a bit scary."

It seems he was still aware of his surroundings: "Wearing all black clothes and a mask, it's normal to be mistaken for a suspicious person."

Masks are both a tool for self-protection and a tool for instilling fear. As long as the other party cannot see one's face and expression, the unknown will naturally generate fear.

Effective communication is only possible when people look into each other's eyes. If they cannot grasp each other's weaknesses, they will become afraid. When a masked person appears before them, they refuse all communication. This kind of attire is the most suitable tool for vigilantes and vigilantes. As long as they put on this outfit and mask, any evildoer will tremble with fear.

However, this approach would be inappropriate in another context.

It's not surprising that he was mistaken for a suspicious person.

"And you're too tall."

I stood on tiptoe and gestured: "Look, it's still so far off, especially at night when it's hard to see. In a child's eyes, it's easy to be mistaken for a monster."

"The monster is too cruel... I worked hard to get this body."

He muttered softly beneath his mask, "However, modifying the skeletal structure can indeed make the disguise appear more normal, but we need to test it out..."

Great, he's starting to take an interest in "talking to me." He crouched down, looked at me, and said:

"But... why am I being treated like a stalker? You said you're special and only able to see me, so the other students shouldn't be able to notice me, right?"

He's right. With his speed and stealth skills, ordinary students wouldn't be able to detect his presence.

Especially since he often moves between rooftops and avoids main roads, it would be difficult to notice him unless you look up.

The black shadow, like a crow, is silent and stealthy, spreading its black wings; it is the "nu" of the night.

I smiled and explained to him:

"Logically, that should be true, but have you ever thought that for ordinary people, things that are 'unseen' are often more frightening? Ghosts and monsters are like that. If you can see them clearly, they are not so scary. Sometimes they are right behind you, you can't see them but you can vaguely feel their presence. You don't dare to turn around and look. There are only light footsteps and breathing, and a faint shadow, a fleeting figure, and all sorts of details and fragments. This kind of impression is particularly frightening."

“…Oh, I see.” He suddenly realized, and laughed awkwardly, “I just didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself.”

It is precisely because of its overly vague appearance that all sorts of strange and bizarre legends have evolved.

I knew I wasn't mistaken; he's still just as clumsy as ever.

He stood up and dusted off his clothes: "But this is good, it proves it was just a false alarm and a misunderstanding. As long as I leave, there won't be any dangerous stalkers here, right?"

He's leaving? That won't do.

It was an opportunity that I finally managed to seize.

I pulled him back.

"what happened?"

He turned around, and although you couldn't see it through the mask, you could imagine how confused he looked.

They should be thinking that this strange girl is alright, right? This dangerous weirdo that everyone else is afraid of is actually clinging to me.

But I knew what I had to say for him to stay:

"Wait a minute. Just because other students think you're a stalker doesn't mean there's only one dangerous individual around this school. In fact..."

"Is there another suspicious guy? Is he the real culprit?"

His tone became serious.

“Yes. That’s what I suspect…” I nodded vigorously. “In fact, I’ve seen it with my own eyes, so you can’t leave so easily.”

"Hmm... If you can find me, then the real culprit might also find me. If I'm here, he might be too scared to come out."

He thought of many things: "But... if I leave, it might be too late to get back. What if some students get hurt while I'm away..."

I laughed:

"So, I have a brilliant idea, Nue."

Nue's Summer: Chapter 5 - Memories Invaded

Interlude (Part 1)

I have to stop writing here.

I never imagined that recalling the past would cause me so much pain.

This wasn't a sad experience, but that's precisely why it's regrettable.

I haven't written in a long time, as can be seen from the frequency of my book releases. Perhaps some people will use terms like "the tragedy of Zhong Yong" or "Jiang Lang's talent has run dry" to describe it, and I can only accept that.

Perhaps this book will be his last.

Although it was only an experience from three years ago, the memory is very vague, as if something deliberately erased that memory. I could only refer to some other materials to write it down.

So the progress is very slow. Fortunately, it's not a serialized book, so when you see it, it should be a complete book, which is something to be thankful for.

As you can see from this point, this is the urban legend that caused such a stir on the internet back then: the Faceless Man.

Of course, it gradually evolved into the character 【険】 later on. You probably never would have guessed that I was the one who first came up with this name.

You won't believe it.

Some might say, "Asukaji Shiya has degenerated into a third-rate netizen who writes ghost stories online," but I must state that this incident is not fictional.

It is based on a true story.

Of course, I will not reveal Nue's true identity in any form later in the text, nor will I mention his name, appearance, or other personal information. I apologize to readers who came here with such curiosity. The editor may use the gimmick of "based on Nue's true story" on the cover, but even if the police come to investigate, I will not give any testimony.

He is an important friend of mine.

Rather, that past incident truly changed the trajectory of my life, and it also changed his.

This year, I saw him again after a long time. He had changed a bit; it was hard to say whether he had become more mature or more reserved. Although he wasn't as outspoken, he gave off a different vibe. Of course, he didn't seem to recognize me. I felt quite uneasy, unsure whether I was missing the old him or just at a loss for words in front of him.

Okay, if this continues, it'll turn into a dream girl novel and an otome game, which won't do.

This is, after all, a mystery novel, so let's get back to the main point.

This sets the stage for a case that occurred three years ago, in June 2023, during the height of summer.

I was in sixth grade at the time. Some people might think that this first-person tone is too mature for a sixth-grade girl. It's not that I consider myself a genius, but I was precocious and intelligent. I could write those books in junior high school, so I must have had a good mind. Of course, it's also possible that I've revised it now.

That was my first meeting with Nue... Actually, it wasn't the first time. I've said before that I'm a fan of Nue, and that's not a lie.

Nue is rumored to be the prototype for stalker ghost stories, and this is indeed true. If there were students from that school back then, they would definitely remember such days.

Also, the sentence I said to him, "Besides Nue, there is another dangerous element here," was not entirely meant to persuade him to stay.

It was later proven to be true.

The real culprit exists.

Alright, let's not interrupt our reading any longer. Next up is the day the case began. Let's recall that experience together.

...

Asakawa Riku stopped.

His fingers and his eyes were trembling.

I remember now... I remember now.

Why would you forget such an important part of the past?

It is incomprehensible and untraceable.

He is now like Pandora who has opened the box, Adam and Eve who tasted the forbidden fruit, and he feels a sense of foreboding.

When Asakawa Riku opened these manuscripts, he had no idea that he would see something like this, nor did he expect that it would be such a story.

This new book is not a discarded draft of "Summer of the Red Rays", but a truly new book, a completely new story.

As Asu Asai's account, the content she recounts is based on her real experiences.

Three years ago, Uta Asukai was an elementary school student, while he was just a junior high school student. Asakawa Riku in junior high school had the same chuunibyou and arrogant personality.

She was able to describe her chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) self so vividly, and in the first person, that even Asakawa Riku himself couldn't find anything wrong with it.

She even knows about her martial arts training since she was six years old... and her experience with the Faceless Man... How did she manage to do that?

Although not only one person knows about the past of "Nue" so far, this is the first person to have uncovered it to this extent.

Fans...

When Asakawa Riku saw that chapter, he even wondered if she had stolen his diary.

But he didn't have the habit of writing a diary, nor could he possibly write down his hidden past.

Or is it her who possesses the psychic "Rinnegan"? How can she know so clearly?

It felt like when Shinonome Suetsuki first revealed his past back in the detective agency.

It instills a deep-seated fear in people.

Yes, Asakawa Riku even had sweaty palms, something he hadn't done in a long time. He didn't know whether he should roll over or not, but the question didn't need an answer; he couldn't possibly hold back.

Why...why can't I remember what happened back then?

This is the most serious problem.

Before turning over these papers, Asakawa Riku couldn't remember what had happened that summer three years ago.

This cannot be explained by the simple word "amnesia." He did not forget anything; he simply "couldn't remember."