The old wooden door closed behind them, completely cutting off the lingering warmth and sweet scent from the shop.
The three were instantly enveloped by the damp, gloomy, and acrid smell of garbage unique to the back alley.
Compared to the commotion and chaos caused by the Spatial Quake alert on the main street not far away, this narrow, cluttered alley was eerily quiet, with only their hurried footsteps echoing between the walls.
Almost as soon as they stepped into the back alley, the formation of the group naturally shifted.
Chinatsu didn't hesitate. Following the direction indicated on Origami's phone map, she took the lead and walked quickly down the alley.
Her steps were steady and swift, her ice-blue hair cutting a sharp trajectory in the dim light.
(I'll give Shido some space; he definitely needs to communicate with his "rear support." This is also a good opportunity for me to maintain this "safe" distance from Origami and see where she intends to lead me.)
As Chinatsu expected, Shido did need this interval. He deliberately slowed his pace by half a beat, watching Chinatsu and Origami walk ahead, one after the other, creating a distance of about five or six meters between them.
He immediately lowered his voice and urgently communicated into his invisible earpiece:
"Kotori! Do you hear me? We're following Origami's route to the shelter now! But this path feels so remote... Chinatsu, she..."
"We see you!"
Kotori's voice carried an unprecedented gravity, "Route analysis shows that this path does lead to Shelter 7, but the middle section passes through an abandoned small park, where it's almost impossible for anyone else to be!"
"It's too suspicious! And the AST Unit's movements are very unusual; they seem to be intentionally guiding ordinary citizens in other directions. This route seems to have been deliberately 'cleared out'!"
(Deliberately cleared out?) Shido's heart tightened. (Could it be...)
"Shido, stay alert!" Kotori's tone was almost a warning.
"We suspect the AST Unit might be planning to take action against Chinatsu on this path! You must protect her no matter what... No, if necessary... prioritize protecting yourself! Chinatsu is most likely a Spirit, and the AST Unit won't be able to do anything to her. If she isn't, the AST Unit wouldn't target an ordinary person."
"I understand!" Shido took a deep breath, feeling the pressure on his shoulders increase. He quickened his pace, trying to close the distance between himself and the two ahead.
Origami, walking slightly behind Chinatsu, observed everything. She saw Shido deliberately fall behind to contact someone. Considering Shido's relationships, he most likely contacted his younger sister, Kotori, to see if she was going to the shelter.
Although Origami guessed the outcome correctly, unfortunately, the process was completely wrong.
She saw Chinatsu suddenly quicken her pace. (The target is actively creating distance from Shido... just as I wanted.)
In Origami's logic, priorities were absolutely clear: Shido's safety > Mission execution > Her own safety.
(If Shido and I walk together, the target might approach Shido to take him hostage or for other reasons, increasing Shido's risk.)
(Now, the target walks ahead, and I walk alongside the target. This allows for effective monitoring and guidance, and also draws the target's attention to me.)
(Shido is behind, in a relatively safe position. Even if a confrontation occurs ahead, Shido will have enough reaction time and space to retreat.)
(As for me... if the mission requires it, I can become a shield between the target and Shido, or... a bomb to take down the target with me.)
This triangular formation—Chinatsu in front, Origami closely following her, and Shido bringing up the rear—formed and maintained itself through unspoken understanding and individual calculations.
Origami's military training allowed her to easily keep pace with Chinatsu, even having the room to constantly observe subtle changes in the environment and Shido's condition behind them.
Her gaze was mostly fixed on Chinatsu's back, like the most patient hunter, waiting for the moment to lead her prey into the final trap.
The alley was deep, and the fork in the road ahead seemed like a gaping maw. The sound of their footsteps was especially clear in the silence, each step seemingly treading on a taut string.
They continuously approached that fateful intersection marked with a red "X." The air was filled not only with dust and the smell of decay but also with a dangerous, palpable tension.
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