A Guide to Raising Snake Spirits - Chapter 33

Mizuki Nozomi sat fiddling with his single earring, lost in thought. The atmospheric pressure around him was incredibly low.

The Guide wiped his face with a frustrated palm.

Shiraishi Haru wanted to leave him out of this? Not a chance.

Mizuki’s stubborn streak flared up. He understood the Sentry’s motives, but understanding was one thing, being furious was another.

What would it have cost Shiraishi to send a message letting Mizuki choose for himself whether to come or not? If he hadn’t thought to ask about the visitor logs, would he have simply lost track of Shiraishi’s whereabouts forever?

Mizuki quickly pulled up Bian Mengmeng’s contact info and carefully sent an invitation: “Are you free to grab a meal soon?”

He didn’t dare be explicit in the message. Given how strict she’d said her research institute was, Mizuki wasn’t sure if her terminal was being monitored.

Once Shiraishi Haru gave his consent, the researcher broke into an exaggerated smile, looking as if she’d suddenly been granted a hundred-million-star-coin budget.

“Come, come, let’s go right now!” the researcher invited immediately. “We’ve prepared a specialized transport vehicle, there’s definitely enough room for you to sit.”

“My luggage.” Shiraishi’s snake tail didn’t budge. His slitted pupils stared coldly at the researcher.

“No need, no need. Once we’re at the institute, you’ll have everything you want. After we arrive, I can have someone pack up your things from the observation room and bring them over.”

Shiraishi locked eyes with her.

The researcher remained firm at the door, watching the Sentry’s every move.

After a brief standoff, Shiraishi followed her onto the transport. His long snake tail dragged across the hallway floor. The front desk staff peeked up briefly before quickly averting their gaze.

The carriage was entirely enclosed, the windows covered in black film so that those inside and outside were invisible to one another.

The female researcher followed him in, unable to contain her excitement the moment she sat down. “You’re going to love our institute. We have so much comprehensive equipment.”

The Sentry treated her words like wind passing through his ears, silently calculating the time and memorizing every turn and direction in his head.

After driving for about two star-hours, just as Shiraishi’s internal count approached eight thousand seconds—the transport finally stopped. Given the vehicle’s speed, they were now a vast distance from the Tower.

At one point, Shiraishi felt a sensation of descent. When the doors opened, he found that the vehicle had driven directly into an underground basement.

Bian Mengmeng hadn’t replied yet, so Mizuki decided to find Qiu Shui first. He wanted to know if she was aware that Shiraishi had been taken to a research institute.

The black-haired Guide returned to Qiu Shui’s office in the Special Class building.

“Professor Qiu Shui, I need to talk to you.”

“What is it, Professor Mizuki? Is there an issue with the curriculum?” Qiu Shui was organizing materials for her next class. Seeing him enter, she asked with a kindly smile.

“No. Did you know Shiraishi Haru was taken away by the Tianyou Research Institute?”

Mizuki wasn’t sure if Qiu Shui knew. His face showed urgency, but his heart remained cold and analytical.

“What? I haven’t received any notification at all.” Qiu Shui put down her things in surprise. “Do you know why he was taken, Professor Mizuki?”

“The people at the observation building wouldn’t say.” The Guide sat down in the chair across from her, looking dejected. “Shiraishi didn’t say a word to me either. I went to visit him only to find him gone.”

Qiu Shui stood up, walked around her desk, and comforted him. “It’s alright, I’ll look into it for you. If he didn’t send a message, he might have just forgotten.”

“Did they not even tell his homeroom teacher?” With a look of genuine heartbreak and worry, Mizuki grabbed Qiu Shui’s hand and said helplessly, “I’ve never heard of this institute. What do they do?”

“…Neither have I, but don’t panic.” Qiu Shui gently squeezed his hand back, her voice steady and reassuring. “I have a former student who works at Tianyou. I’ll ask her for you.”

“Thank you, Professor Qiu Shui…” Mizuki managed a weak smile.

The moment he stepped out of her office, the look of helplessness and panic vanished, replaced by cold logic.

Qiu Shui’s attitude seemed fine, but he couldn’t tell if it was an act.

Mizuki didn’t want to suspect her. Ever since Shiraishi returned to the Special Star, he had caused her so much trouble, yet she had remained kind and supportive a model teacher.

As for his father, ever since saying “I know” during their last talk, he hadn’t sent another message.

[Mizuki Nozomi: You said ‘I know,’ but what comes next?]

His father, Professor Mizu Koming, didn’t reply.

Looking at the sent message, Mizuki suddenly felt a wave of powerlessness.

As an ordinary Guide within the Tower, he had zero leverage against an institute like that.

Excellent grades and a brilliant resume were nothing more than a light feather when faced with the crushing weight of the elite powers.

He couldn’t find the address for Tianyou Research Institute on any map, Bian Mengmeng hadn’t replied, and even if he found the place, he might not be able to get in.

No, if the other side wanted him too, then he could get in. The real problem was figuring out how to get Shiraishi out once he was inside.

Mizuki wondered, did he have anything left to use?

His terminal chirped with a notification. It was Bian Mengmeng.

[Bian Mengmeng: Sorry, I was busy and hadn’t checked my terminal.]

[Bian Mengmeng: Let’s meet at the same restaurant as last time.]

[Mizuki Nozomi: Is dinner okay?]

[Bian Mengmeng: OK.]

***

Mizuki met Bian Mengmeng at the same restaurant.

The Guide wasn’t entirely sure of himself. His friendship with her was based on their graduation assessment and one subsequent meal. Would she really help him?

Mizuki rehearsed his opening in his head, then said, “Mengmeng, I need to ask you for a favor.”

Before he could continue, she lowered her voice significantly, shielding her mouth with her hand. “Are you looking for me because of Shiraishi Haru?”

Mizuki was startled, nearly losing his composure.

Noticing his shock, Bian Mengmeng waved her hands quickly to explain. “I don’t know the details, but I saw Shiraishi’s files at our institute. Unless it’s a coincidence and someone has the same name, I figured that’s why you’re here.”

“Yes, that’s exactly why.” Mizuki exhaled in relief. He didn’t want to think she was part of it. “How did you see them?”

“Well,” she whispered, “it all started yesterday right before I got off work…”

Bian Mengmeng had been struggling with the equipment in the lab.

She had been hired for her expertise in cartography, but her actual work had nothing to do with her major. She’d basically become a lab laborer, learning everything on the fly.

A colleague called out to her, “Mengmeng, if the experiment is almost done, let’s grab dinner. It’s nearly time to head home.”

“Ah…” Bian Mengmeng groaned at the machine. “Is it that late already? Check the time for me.”

“It’s 5:30. If we don’t leave, the guards will start hassling us.”

“Right, right. Go ahead, I’ll be right there.”

The colleague smiled and left.

Bian Mengmeng finished up the experiment, saving what needed saving and pausing what needed pausing.

She stepped out of the cleanroom, pulling off her lab coat as she walked, and nearly collided with someone.

The person braked hard, but the impact sent a stack of files scattering across the floor.

At their institute, personal terminals were restricted in many areas. Only internal devices were allowed, which meant people often used paper records.

“I’m so sorry, I’ll help you pick them up,” she apologized repeatedly.

She knelt down, gathering the loose papers with both hands.

Her eyes accidentally caught the content. She hadn’t meant to look, but three words grabbed her attention. She immediately looked down and pretended she hadn’t seen anything, continuing to gather the papers.

The other person snatched the files back into their arms, sounding very irritated. “I’m in a hurry, watch where you’re going next time.”

Bian Mengmeng’s mind was entirely on that file. She nodded absently and apologized again before the person left.

***

She finished the story and looked at Mizuki’s expression, asking cautiously, “What’s going on? Why is Shiraishi at our institute?”

“Is there any way I can visit as a guest? An exchange scholar or something?” Mizuki asked, leaning his elbows on the table.

“Let me think… don’t worry, I’ll figure something out,” she said, her brow furrowing. She looked even more worried than he did.

Mizuki watched her think.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She grabbed his arm excitedly. “There might be one way! Wait until I get back and check the forms.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for the good news.”

Mizuki couldn’t suppress the spark of joy in his heart. Finally, a lead.

Meeting his eyes, she said shyly, “It might not work, so don’t get your hopes too high yet.”

She was afraid that the greater the hope, the harder the fall.

Mizuki understood her kindness and smiled. “I know. Thank you.”

When she said goodbye, she looked back at him three times, worried he might fall into a depression because his Sentry had been snatched away.

Mizuki waved her off with a smile.

To others, he looked reliable and calm, but in reality, his energy bar was empty. By the time he got home, he had turned into a limp noodle.

The black-haired Guide buried himself under the covers. The black mamba slowly slithered up and rubbed against him.

“Do you think she can do it?” Mizuki whispered to the snake.

The black mamba stared with its bead-like eyes. Since it had no eyelids, it couldn’t blink, so it simply nodded like a human.

“I wonder what the institute wants with Shiraishi.”

Mizuki rolled over restlessly, the snake moving with him.

“You know, if we had a permanent bond right now… I’ve heard that with a permanent bond, you always know where the other person is and how they’re feeling, no matter the distance.”

He murmured the words to the snake’s face.

Then, he felt silly for thinking about a permanent bond at a time like this.

“But who gets bonded just for something like that?”

“I need to focus on what to do next.”

His mind was a buzz of noise. He stared at the blank white ceiling until his eyes slowly drifted shut.

The smart home system detected that its owner had fallen asleep and automatically dimmed the lights.

“Perfect, absolutely perfect!”

A young female researcher stood before him. She was petite, only reaching his chest, and was speaking with great agitation.

“Your control is excellent! Now, try releasing your spiritual fusion state again!”

Mizuki didn’t know what was happening, but he could feel that the owner of this body was incredibly annoyed.

His perspective suddenly shot upward, accompanied by the sound of a snake tail sweeping across the floor.

The researcher’s eyes grew even more fervent. She looked down and typed furiously on her terminal, shouting, “Quick, record the experimental data!”

Mizuki realized there were many other people around him, all busy with their own tasks.

“Try injecting a dose of Reagent F-347,” the lead researcher ordered.

“Sister Ji, is that a good idea? We don’t know the side effects yet,” a junior researcher said hesitantly. He seemed reluctant. “We only have this one specimen. If something goes wrong, we don’t have a Plan B.”

“Hmm… good point. But a small dose should be fine. Try a half-dose first.” The one called Sister Ji thought for a moment before partially accepting the suggestion.

The junior researcher immediately pulled a sealed vial from the cold storage and handed it to her.

“Sister Ji, do you think we should” Before he could finish, she heartlessly grabbed the syringe and plunged it into the specimen’s arm.

The junior researcher swallowed the rest of his words, a look of fear crossing his face behind her back. He wanted to run, but didn’t dare.

As the cold medicine was injected, the long, brownish-green snake tail began to lash out uncontrollably on the ground.

Several researchers couldn’t help but scream, scrambling backward.

The thrashing tail smashed several instruments with a series of loud cracks. The specimen gripped the table in agony, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. With a sharp “clack,” he snapped off a corner of the ultra-metal tabletop.

The junior researcher looked on piteously, those instruments cost a fortune. But soon, he didn’t have time to worry about the money, because the snake tail was swinging right toward them.

Mizuki Nozomi woke with a start, gasping for breath. The black mamba, which had been sleeping at the foot of his bed, reared its head, flicking its tongue in alarm.

The Guide held his head, slowly calming himself in the darkness and the sound of his own breathing. His eyes were clear and sharp.

He knew now. This was Shiraishi Haru’s future.