“There? That’s the intake!”

Pu Lu shot back, disbelief rippling like a pebble skipping across a pond.

“Eliminate the impossible, and whatever remains—no matter how absurd—has to be the truth!”

Yekase let the swim ring drift. She paddled hard, spray on her lashes, and caught the intake’s rim.

She braced against the river-force of the flow and reached inside.

“Got it! A climbing handle!”

“There really is one?!”

“Hm… sharp eyes. Ever thought about being one of my subordinates?”

Yekase shook her head so fast it blurred like a hummingbird.

“Tch. Don’t know what’s good for you.”

Last time I knew what was “good for me,” it cost me six years locked away.

To shut that path down, Yekase went first. She gripped the hidden handle, leaned into the throat of the intake, and wriggled half her body inside. The pipe wasn’t flooded like they’d imagined; the free-fall waterfall had air to breathe around it. That made her sure this was the right way.

Climbing a ladder against the current… like training under a waterfall. Before my stamina drains, one burst—

Pu Lu and Mira, still in the room, traded a look like two lanterns flickering in wind.

“What about the swim ring?”

“Small stuff. Lose it, buy another.”

“But it’s neither yours nor mine…”

Elsewhere in the park, Ling Yi, bumping boats with her little sister, sneezed like a startled sparrow.

The waterline in the room kept rising, quick as summer rain. Pu Lu glanced one last time at the ring, then left it floating. With Yekase breaking the flow up top, the other two climbed with little trouble.

They emerged from the shaft to find Yekase sprawled on the floor, gasping like a fish on wet tiles.

“Your stamina’s tragic.”

“I can’t even finish eight hundred meters… I’m shackled by this frail body…”

“Because you never exercise.”

Pu Lu reached out, a steady willow branch, and hauled her up.

A short rest, and onward—

Pop! Pop!

“Congratulations, you three cleared the course!”

“Congrats, congrats!”

A few staffers approached holding electronic mini-fireworks. The last one carried their abandoned swim ring.

Cleared? Done?

Just like that…

“Plenty of visitors make it to Room Four, but coming up with an intake escape under that pressure? We get maybe a handful a day. Here, your prizes!”

Each of them got a small box. Inside lay a water-blue, X-shaped hairpin with embossed wave lines, delicate as a tide-mark on sand.

“It’s merch from our park’s brand. If you don’t like it, you can swap for a stainless-steel bowl.”

Yekase glanced at Pu Lu, then slid the pin into her bangs.

“Anyone who copies my look dies.”

“You’re a circle-and-slash. I’m an X. Where’s the similarity?”

“…”

Pu Lu pressed the pin’s box back into the staffer’s hands and took the plain, honest stainless-steel bowl.

As for Mira—she seemed to have switched personas while climbing out. Proof? Miss Todo sat on the floor, baffled as a deer, hovering her hands over the offered box, wanting it, not daring.

“Uh…”

Perfect chance to cut loose!

Yekase sprang up and tugged Pu Lu away. “We’re off to find some other friends! Miss Todo, fate willing, we’ll meet again!”

“Eh? I also want—”

Miss Todo reached out, but the two melted into the crowd like ink in water, gone without a trace.

Behind a big pillar, Yekase finally stopped, pulse drumming, and spoke low:

“That woman’s off. Whether the persona switch was an act or not, the title Heavenly Prison King—I’ve seen it in news about the Sinister Organization. Getting close only ends badly.”

“I feel the same,” Pu Lu nodded. “Her Mind Energy can directly reshape her body… and she did it like breathing. That’s the scary part. That kind of fine control is cadre-level and above, and not everyone has the guts.”

“You really know your stuff?”

“A bit.”

They met eyes, shared a small, knowing smile.

Yekase had her bearings now.

“Let’s link up with Ling Yi. Time for lunch.”

“Where?”

“I set it up with her last night. Rest area by the shallow pool on the south side.”

“…I never set anything up with her…”

Crap.

I forgot—even on friendly mode, she’s a diehard solo stan for Ling Yi!

“Uh, well, it’s just—convenience for splitting up… a contingency plan… thinking ahead’s always good…”

Yekase babbled.

“I know, I know. You and Ling Yi aren’t dating. You just… cooperate on some secret matters—Ling Yi emphasized that to me several times.”

“Uh.”

Partners on secret matters… that excuse sounds more suspicious than dating, doesn’t it?

“It’s not really—”

Pu Lu shook her head, signaling her to drop it. “I don’t care what you two are, so long as it’s not romance.”

“…Mm.”

With the words set, even if some small misreadings lingered, Yekase had to accept it. At least Pu Lu likely wouldn’t be hostile anymore. Their easy teamwork just now said as much.

They let the mood drift back to day-trip lightness, chatting as they walked to the rendezvous.

Ling Yi and Ling Ya sat on plastic chairs. Once seated, Ling Yi handed over a menu—the rest area did lunch.

Common sense told Yekase: food here would be pricey, like a golden carp in a shallow pond. But you couldn’t bring snacks into the pools. Unless you go hungry or leave early, there’s no real way around it.

Ling Yi soothed them with a smile. “We didn’t pay for tickets anyway. Let’s just spend a little on food.”

“Mm… I’ll have griddled squid on the iron plate.”

Ling Ya didn’t even wrestle with the thought. She raised her hand first.

“Griddled squid, got it!”

“Drinks?”

“Cola. Coca.”

“You drink Coca-Cola…”

“How does a Pepsi person use that line in reverse?”

Warmth spread like sunlight on tile. Yekase looked at the three of them and realized she actually liked “hanging out with friends.” Twenty-seven years of not knowing might just mean the “friends” condition hadn’t been met.

“How did the Doctor and Lulu do?” Ling Yi asked, eyes smiling.

—The hidden blade shows.

“Uh… how did we do? Pretty good…”

“We conquered the water labyrinth.”

“The labyrinth! I heard about it from passersby. It’s supposed to be brutal. Not surprised it’s you two.”

Her eyes curved like crescent moons.

So you paired us up to repair relations. Classic you.

Yekase touched the pin in her bangs. “This was the clear bonus.”

“What about Pu Lu’s? Did she stow it?”

“I swapped for a bowl.”

“Oh… pity. I wanted to see you wearing the same one.”

“I’ll go find the staff and swap back to a pin.”

Crap.

Pu Lu meant it. She stood at once and headed back toward the labyrinth.

“She… has always been like that. At some point she just started tailing me, and became my friend,” Ling Yi said, scratching her cheek.

“You were forced into friendship?”

“When someone follows you every day to and from school, you’ll cave and agree.”

“Most people tell a teacher,” Ling Ya deadpanned.

“Eh… but wouldn’t that be too cruel to Pu Lu? She invested her heart in me. I have to respond to that properly.”

“I see.”

So that’s your answer to that question.

Respond earnestly to the heart someone bets on you. That’s a good answer.

“Squid’s up!”

“What’d you two ride?”

“Ah, I’ll grab a drink,” Ling Yi said, getting up for the counter.

Yekase had meant to ask Ling Yi, but her voice and Ling Yi’s motion overlapped, so the question landed on Ling Ya.

“Sat in a small boat and drifted a lap around the venue.”

“Rapid run.”

“Honestly, I could swim it.”

“Is that your trope?”

“What trope?” Ling Ya arched a brow. “I’m the provincial youth 100m freestyle champion.”

“Eh—”

Almost forgot—she’s ten times more athletic than her sister.

And for the record, Ling Yi’s ten times Yekase. The boxes stack high.

Yekase felt the gulf in body specs, deep as a valley. Same build, sure, but if Ling Ya flexed, a row of muscles would rise. Yekase’s arms stayed smooth, like quiet lakes.

“If danger hits and Ling Yi isn’t around, I’ll need you to haul me and run.”

Yekase had zero plans to turn athletic by osmosis.

Sports have their talent. Craft has its place. Ability isn’t ranked on a single ladder!

A cold can pressed to her cheek, a playful summer moon.

“Here. Coca.”

Ling Yi sat, stretched like a cat in sun.

“Mm—so peaceful—”

“Let’s play all four together this afternoon. Lemme check…”

—Yekase’s voice cut off.

From her seat she could see the clear summer sky behind Ling Yi. Something was flying there.

Not a plane.

A robot.

“…Let me check the map. Areas we haven’t hit yet…”

Just pretend I didn’t see it.

Think it through. A robot in the sky is normal enough. As long as it doesn’t land near the water park, it’s none of our business—

“Emerald Pool Water Park, you bastard boss won’t pay! Give us our hard-earned wages! Give us our hard-earned wages!”

“…………”

“What’s this park… called again?”

“Emerald Pool.”

“Heh… what a coincidence…”

The robot finished its shout-loop, then banked straight toward the water park.

Right then, Pu Lu returned from the labyrinth again. A third pin now nestled in her bangs—how is that not heavy?—and she heard the robot’s loudspeaker bark.

“Uh,”

“Mm…”

Yekase, Ling Yi, Ling Ya, Pu Lu traded glances, the air taut like a string.

Then, all four stood from their chairs.

“I’m just hitting the bathroom,” Ling Yi said.

“I’m not hungry. Gonna walk around,” Pu Lu said.

“Think I caught a chill. I’ll grab a shirt…” Ling Ya said.

“I’ll go with—” Yekase raised a hand.

“““Who exactly are you going with?”””