Chapter 7: The Art of Kissing

The maid drove the car. Mo Yu sat in the passenger seat, while Iris sat in the back. The interior of the car was quiet. As long as Iris didn't speak, Mo Yu wouldn't go looking for trouble, lest he say the wrong thing. He only occasionally glanced at Iris through the rearview mirror.

She was staring blankly out the window, as if deep in thought, a visible trace of worry clouding her brow. Mo Yu turned his attention to the outside. Black City was prosperous, with skyscrapers and high-end shops visible everywhere along the roads. Halfway through the journey, the car came to a stop. Ahead lay an endless line of traffic. The car’s navigation map indicated that the street ahead was completely congested. A pop-up image on the display showed a large group of people marching in uniform, holding signs.

The maid silently changed the route, and the car soon began moving again, bypassing the area.

"Those people again," Iris remarked. "Which time is this?"

"The seventh," the maid replied. "The authorities haven't issued any announcements; this is likely another illegal demonstration."

Iris scoffed. "Some people are becoming increasingly brazen."

Mo Yu asked curiously, "Who are they? And what are they protesting?"

"It’s not a protest, it’s a promotional event for a cult," the maid explained. "The Kissing Cult appeared in Black City three months ago. This is their seventh event, and the numbers are growing."

"Wait... what did you call it?" Mo Yu raised his voice, thinking he had misheard.

"The Kissing Cult," the maid repeated.

"What kind of half-baked name is that? Are they siblings of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?" Mo Yu quipped.

The maid looked disgusted. "It’s literal. Their doctrine promotes the freedom to kiss. Members can kiss anyone they want, and they make group kissing the cult’s primary activity."

Mo Yu was speechless. "How can such... such an 'interesting' cult exist?" He softened his tone halfway through. As the car approached the event district, the streets were packed. Above the crowd, a string of crimson text appeared, accompanied by numerous arrows.

[A total of 112 Head-Spiders. Weak strength. Killing them will unlock the Monster Bestiary.]

"I see." Mo Yu punched his palm with his fist, a sudden realization dawning on him. If monsters were the cause, everything made sense. His eyes lit up. He had been fretting over how to unlock the Monster Bestiary; wasn't this a free gift of experience points?

His odd reaction drew suspicious glances from the maid and Iris. Mo Yu pointed at the crowd outside. "Can I join them for a bit?"

The maid and Iris looked at him as if he were something filthy.

"Don't bother coming back if you go," Iris warned.

"I’m just joking! My Lady is my one and only eternal faith!" Mo Yu chuckled, leaning back into his sycophant persona to express his loyalty.

Iris snorted and said nothing more. The silence returned to the car.

The only change was that the maid’s posture while driving became slightly strange, as she pressed herself as close to the door as possible.

Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of a grand school gate with a sign reading: First Elite High School.

Mo Yu remained in his seat. He saw another crimson text prompt, this time hovering over a male student.

[This is a werewolf. Somewhat dangerous. Killing it will unlock the Monster Bestiary.]

He looked in other directions.

[This is a ghoul. Somewhat dangerous. Killing it will unlock the Monster Bestiary.]
[This is a parasite. Somewhat dangerous. Killing it will unlock the Monster Bestiary.]...

This private school was crawling with monsters.

The maid went around to open the door for Iris. Iris straightened her clothes and picked up her handbag, heading toward the school gate. Before she had taken two steps, a girl ran over from the side and wrapped her arms around hers intimately. She was a light-haired beauty, sweet and cute, with a level of attractiveness rivaling Iris. They seemed very close.

Mo Yu, however, was focused on the crimson text.

[This is a Spirit Rabbit. Extremely dangerous! Recommend immediate escape!]

The prompt was identical to the one for Iris—a monster comparable to a vampire baron. Were all pretty girls this dangerous?

The maid returned to the car and scolded, "You should have opened the door for my Lady. Do you not know such basic etiquette?"

"Next time, definitely," Mo Yu said dismissively before asking, "What’s next?"

"Do what a butler should do. Grocery shopping this morning, cleaning the villa this afternoon," the maid replied.

"That's it? Shouldn't we be doing something grand? Like purging enemies and striving for the Great Emperor's foundation?" Mo Yu struck a righteous pose.

The maid scoffed. "Don't be impatient. There will be a time for you."

"Got it!" Mo Yu stopped asking.

The maid wouldn't initiate conversation; her attitude was icy, treating Mo Yu like air. Mo Yu felt this was for the best; he didn't really want to engage in futile communication with these vampires anyway. They began the morning’s shopping. By the time they loaded everything into the car, it was 11:05 AM.

They drove back to the villa. Mo Yu sat in the passenger seat, scrolling through his phone. He found information about the Kissing Cult and said, "The security forces dispersed the cult members at 9:00 AM. They’ve gone to the Xinglai Hotel. Geez, a massive open-air pool party, so many people."

The car swerved slightly. Mo Yu looked back to see the maid’s disgusted expression. She raised her voice, "Stop these dangerous thoughts."

"I was just looking."

"Just looking, just touching, just rubbing, outside, buying medicine. Is that how it goes?"

"Please focus on driving!"

"How about I let you try with me?"

"No thanks, I’m not worthy."

"Hmph, at least you have some self-awareness." The maid scoffed.

Mo Yu smiled without saying a word. Vampires were actually quite arrogant, viewing themselves as superior beings and humans as food. Mo Yu was no longer afraid of Iris. Her bringing him out had been a mistake; with so many Rewind points, he had countless ways to escape.

"If you don't want to die, don't go to places like that," the maid added as a warning.

"Yes, yes, yes~" Mo Yu replied perfunctorily, his attitude casual. Judging by the maid’s frown, she was deeply dissatisfied, but she didn't say anything further.

Back at the villa at 12:10 PM, after Mo Yu finished tidying up, he made an excuse to go to the bathroom. He took the time to sort out the events of the morning; he was ready to begin his formal operation. His time was just about to begin.

Rewind!

6:51 AM. In an empty corner outside the villa, two Mo Yus appeared.

For this rewind, he chose to generate a mirror image. In this fixed timeline, the mirror image would replace him, repeating all his actions—dropping Iris off at school, going to the supermarket—replicating everything precisely as long as he didn't interfere. He was the only variable.

Rewind could copy the mirror images of objects, but with strict limitations based on the object's ability to influence the timeline. High-value, irreplaceable, or unique items could not be copied. Mo Yu could only replicate simple clothing. His phone, ID card, and keys could not be copied; the mirror image had to hold the real items.

The mirror image returned to the villa. Mo Yu took a package from the corner and headed in the opposite direction. The package contained what he had prepared in advance: an automatic pistol, a titanium alloy dagger, and a pair of pantyhose. The pantyhose were new, taken from the villa’s dressing room. Judging by where they were stored, they belonged to Iris.

He pulled the pantyhose over his head. Keeping away from the villa where Iris was, he specifically chose to walk in the opposite direction of the school to avoid interfering with the mirror image. He rewound multiple times along the way, deploying mirror images to walk in different directions as a counter-tracking measure to ensure no one was following him.

Next came the reality version of GTA. He needed a vehicle, a phone, and weapons. His target: Head-Spiders.

This was a wealthy district, full of large villas; he could do some serious looting. After all, he had a perfect alibi and infinite room for trial and error.

Time for a zero-dollar shopping spree.