Chapter 22: Kageyama the Muscle Man

Mihana Town, Block 5.

The Mori Detective Agency was indeed in Block 5, but it was quite a distance from the gym that Gao Mo was seeking.

It wasn’t until noon that Gao Mo found the sign the clerk had mentioned in the old district: “Mihana Spirit, Mihana Soul.”

A dilapidated neon light hung outside a rusted iron gate on the second floor, next to some crooked characters that read “Muscle Transformation Class.”

Had the clerk made a mistake?

He wasn’t in dire need of money anymore.

He had 600,000 yen in hand, and there was still a final payment of 1,000,000 yen coming from the Kanemoto family... All this had happened in just a few days.

The several part-time jobs he had since then had also given him a steady income.

Gao Mo stepped back a few paces, hesitated, then, still holding onto the stairs, approached the iron gate. “Is anyone here?”

Best to try first—having money didn’t mean spending it recklessly.

After all, part-time work was unstable...

“Bang!”

Before Gao Mo could knock, the iron gate was suddenly yanked open by a huge hand.

Calling it a huge hand was no exaggeration; the arm was thicker than Gao Mo’s neck, muscles bulging and veins twisting, sending a chill down his spine.

Looking up, he saw a rugged face framed by a thick beard.

The man’s lips twitched as if trying to smile, but the expression only made him look more terrifying.

“You’re here to join the Muscle Transformation Class, right? Welcome, welcome!” Though the muscular man smiled, his eyes were fierce, like a gang boss. “I could tell at a glance you need muscles. Don’t worry, in half a year, I’ll help you complete your transformation!”

Muscle transformation... why did that sound so frightening?

“No, thanks,” Gao Mo forced a stiff smile and took a step back. “I think I might have the wrong place. Sorry...”

“Not here to sign up?” The muscle man eyed Gao Mo’s slender frame up and down, scratching his head in confusion. “Registration is currently at 20% off... no, 50% off. If you miss this chance...”

Fifty percent off.

Tempted, Gao Mo paused. “It takes half a year? Actually, I don’t need too much muscle. I just want to be a bit healthier and stronger... Preferably with not too intense exercise.”

He especially added that because he was already out of breath climbing stairs.

“I see...” The muscle man’s face scrunched into a troubled look.

Another client without ambition.

People nowadays just didn’t understand the charm of muscle.

But there was no choice—if he didn’t recruit more, he wouldn’t be able to pay the rent...

They had moved from downtown to here, and if things continued, maybe next time it would be the countryside.

“No problem!” The muscle man grinned and gave a thumbs-up. “I’ll make you the strongest... healthiest Mihana resident! Um... can you pay a deposit first?

Not much, just 50,000 yen. Try it for a week, and you can quit anytime... Don’t judge the place now, I used to be a famous ‘devil coach’—registration started at 500,000 yen...”

“Devil coach?”

“Here, fill out this form.” The muscle man changed the subject.

...

Half an hour later.

The muscle man trembled as he held Gao Mo’s physical assessment sheet. His fierce eyes now faintly revealed despair.

Calling Gao Mo a dying man was no exaggeration.

Just standing here felt like a miracle.

“I’ve never seen someone like you... don’t worry, one week... train with me for a week, and I guarantee you’ll regain your health!”

“Hopefully.” Gao Mo sighed inwardly.

He had come to a full understanding of himself.

He was a man reborn from death.

His poor health seemed not only due to innate deficiencies from his other self...

“Then let’s start today,” the muscle man said, folding his arms thoughtfully. “We’ll begin by conditioning your body... start with jogging and learning breathing rhythms.”

He reached out and helped the panting Gao Mo up. “By the way, I’m Kageyama. If the training works well, remember to spread the word.”

Finally having a student, no matter what, he had to complete this challenge.

A man couldn’t fall at the first step.

“I remember you used to be a well-known actor, right?” Kageyama smiled warmly again.

“Just an idol, and now out of fashion.” Gao Mo wiped sweat from his brow and thought it better if the muscle man didn’t smile. Maybe without the grin, he’d have more clients.

...

Tsuzen Riverbank.

In the afternoon, many people were walking their dogs along the riverbank. Among them, two peculiar figures stood out.

One was a muscular man resembling a bandit; the other was feeble to an alarming degree.

As the two passed by, many dogs became frightened, causing a commotion by the river.

A chained bulldog blocking their path bared its teeth and growled low, ready to attack, but then cowered with its tail between its legs and fled. Its owner, a wealthy plump woman, screamed and stumbled.

“A-san, don’t run off!” she shouted.

“Huff, huff!” Gao Mo panted heavily behind Kageyama, his legs heavy and his face growing paler by the moment, as if the entire world were twisting.

Keeping up with the breathing rhythm was impossible.

“I... can’t go on...” Gao Mo gasped, stopping.

He looked at Kageyama, who was striding ahead confidently. Was this ‘starting with jogging’ some kind of joke?

He simply couldn’t keep up.

“That’s enough,” Kageyama said without pushing him further, smiling and giving a thumbs-up. “It’s impressive you lasted this long. Kido, with a year of training, you could definitely join the muscle family.”

Though Gao Mo’s physique was weak, his willpower was remarkable.

It seemed recovering health within a week was not out of the question.

“No need then,” Gao Mo forced a smile.

He didn’t want to become that kind of muscle man.

Look at those scared dogs...

...

“Did you always come here like this?” Gao Mo rested slightly, noticing the silent but angry dog owners around.

“No, not really,” Kageyama scratched his head, equally puzzled. “I haven’t been here much before, and the dogs didn’t react like this.”

He was the one most baffled.

The dogs seemed to have seen some terrifying presence; a few were so stunned they lost control, as if facing death itself.

“Strange,” Kageyama tried to flash a friendly smile at the bystanders.

This time even the dog owners fled in fright.

The riverbank suddenly grew much quieter.

...

At dusk, a sudden rain fell over Mihana Town.

On his way home from the “Muscle Transformation Class,” Gao Mo detoured towards the supermarket, hoping to catch the late-night clearance sale.

But beneath the drizzle, all that remained was a fenced-off ruin, charred black from a fire.

The usual throng of bargain-hunting housewives was gone, and passersby hurried away under umbrellas.

The supermarket had truly been bombed.

He couldn’t understand why.

“Swish, swish!”

After standing there for a moment, Gao Mo left amidst the hurried footsteps and went to a nearby convenience store to buy some bread for dinner.

The rainy street was quiet yet vibrant.

A frog suddenly leapt from a puddle nearby, croaking at Gao Mo.

Occasionally, a stray cat sheltering from the rain licked its paws, then puffed up and darted away upon seeing him.

In a nearby alley, stray dogs and cats fought over scraps.

Lights shone from small homes lining the street. On a windowsill sat a cute teddy bear; a little girl with braided hair curiously watched Gao Mo before being called away by an adult.

A tempting aroma of food wafted from a courtyard at the street corner.

The walls bore many repair marks, as if often hit by cars.

Sounds of an elderly couple arguing floated from some homes...

This world was full of flaws and dangers everywhere, yet it also held a peaceful beauty that calmed Gao Mo’s heart.

He hadn’t paid proper attention to these things before, caught up in survival.

Ordinary life still sustained this world.

Though cases had increased somewhat, compared to those extraordinary worlds that could destroy entire cities, it was nothing.

“Mr. Kido?”

A white sports car drove by, rolled down the window, and stopped steadily beside Gao Mo.

“Want a ride back? Get in, the rain’s about to pour.”