Chapter 35: My First Five-Star Book [Please Keep Reading ꉂ(ˊᗜˋ*)]

Room 1604.

Gao Mo had been back from the dead for nearly two weeks, and he had finally begun to find his footing.

With nearly two million yen in savings, taxes and miscellaneous expenses for the year were no longer a concern. With his livelihood secured, the existential threat of death that had loomed over him at the beginning had faded significantly.

"Woo—!"

In the bedroom, Gao Mo rolled off the bed, startled by the passing wail of a siren. He rubbed his eyes and realized that the sun was already high outside. Bright light filtered through the thin curtains, just grazing his toes.

It was 11:30 AM.

Gao Mo scratched his hair, wrapped himself in his duvet, and climbed back onto the bed. After a sloth-like struggle, he finally got up with a yawn and left the bedroom.

Last night, he had earned a meal at his neighbor Rei Furuya’s place, then stayed up all night to finish that freelance police work—with the aid of his "Eagle Eye" vision, it had been effortless. The morning had been unusually quiet, allowing him a rare, sound sleep.

"Beep!"

After habitually turning on the television, Gao Mo began to wash up, shirtless. His frame remained as thin as ever, as if a strong gust of wind could carry him away. He really needed to resume the training he had started with Kageyama. At his current rate, he had no idea when he would return to normal—sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if his vitality was being siphoned off by the System, leaving him so frail.

"Last night, an accidental car crash occurred near the Beika Art Museum..."

The news on the living room TV suddenly caught Gao Mo’s attention.

"The victims were Mr. Kubota, who had just left a Pachinko parlor, and Mr. Manaka, who was sitting in the back seat of the car. Both died on the spot; only the driver escaped unharmed. Currently, the police..."

"Latest reports indicate that both victims were connected to the rumors surrounding the Beika Art Museum. Mr. Kubota, a museum curator, was facing dismissal and damages for the theft and sale of art pieces, while Mr. Manaka was the museum’s new owner who had demanded compensation from him."

The host turned to the commentator sitting nearby.

"Mr. Manaka died just before he could renovate the museum into a restaurant. Is there any connection to the museum itself? What are your thoughts?"

"Everyone is saying they were cursed," the guest commentator remarked glibly. "I don't think so. Clearly, Mr. Kubota sought out Mr. Manaka over the compensation issue, and it was simply an accident..."

"Was it really just an accident?" Another, older commentator said, his voice laced with fear. "Judging by the scene, Kubota didn't react at all—or rather, he didn't know anything... He just happened to be in that spot at that exact moment and was struck by Mr. Manaka’s car! If it’s just a coincidence, then why was the driver unharmed while Mr. Manaka in the back seat died just as miserably as Kubota? Clearly, some force was guiding all of this..."

"What does that prove? There are plenty of coincidences in the world. You can’t just assume every one of them is the work of some Grim Reaper!"

The panel began to bicker.

"Last time, during that Anzai case, you insisted there was a Grim Reaper involved too. Are you getting senile? You always love to stir up panic, acting like you’ve actually seen a Reaper!"

"Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist..."

Gao Mo wiped his face and returned to the living room just as the camera cut from the arguing studio to the scene of the incident. The Beika Art Museum, which had been desolate just yesterday, was now completely surrounded by crowds. Curator Ochiai had barely appeared before he was swarmed by reporters.

"Curator, what are your thoughts on last night’s car accident?"

"Does the Reaper’s curse really exist?"

"What will happen to the Beika Art Museum now?"

"Curator Ochiai..."

"Could you comment on Mr. Manaka and Mr. Kubota?"

Curator Ochiai remained silent throughout, until finally, remembering something, he snatched the microphone.

"I have already submitted an application requesting that the government take over the museum’s operations. I hope the citizens will offer their support so that this institution, with its fifty-year history, can continue to exist... As for the Reaper’s curse, I don't know, but there is definitely divine retribution in this world, right here among us."

Gao Mo threw on a jacket and sat on the sofa, watching Curator Ochiai speak on camera. It seemed the curator had found a new path to save the museum. The museum was, for all intents and purposes, saved.

"Also," Curator Ochiai looked into the lens, his eyes bright, "I especially want to thank someone... Although I don't know who he is, where he came from, or where he went, I am truly grateful—he saved me, and he saved this museum."

The old man in the frame wore a childlike smile, as if he were a completely different person. "Kurosaki, the museum will always welcome you back."

Gao Mo propped his head with his hands, leaning back on the sofa for a moment before shaking his head with a smile and getting up to open a can of iced cola.

[Task complete. Drawing rewards...]

The familiar sound of pages turning rapidly echoed in Gao Mo’s mind. A series of glowing text projections appeared in his field of vision.

[Obtained 5-Star "Conan-Science" Book: "Curator Ochiai’s Guide to Longevity." The older you get, the healthier your body becomes... Special talent "Enduring with Age" can be bound.]

[Performance qualified. Reward: 1 Star. Bonus reward: 2 Stars.]

...

"A 5-star book?"

Gao Mo stopped mid-sip of his cola. He had expected to draw a 4-star book and gain one of the curator’s professional skills; he hadn't expected to jump straight to 5 stars. He had been curious about what a 5-star book would be...

Why did "Conan-Science" appear? This seemed extremely close to the supernatural—or perhaps, it was simply supernatural.

Gao Mo’s lips felt dry. He sat up straight and picked up the old reference book from the table. The book’s projection expanded. The content was brief, consisting only of simple wellness descriptions; it took less than 10 minutes to read from start to finish.

[Supernatural Ability: Eagle Eye Vision]
[Professional Talents: Rapid Roleplay, Enduring with Age]
[Book Abilities: Marksmanship Lv1, Makeup Lv1]
[Storage Pool: 24 Stars]
[Professional Task: Roleplay 2/4]

Gao Mo tried throwing a quick punch, but he didn't feel any major change. It seemed his body had simply reached the level of a normal person, shaking off his sub-health state and leaving him feeling more energetic. He wasn't sure if it was because he was only 25, or if "Enduring with Age" had hidden levels...

Gao Mo looked down at his body. It was a bit sturdier than before, essentially restored to the state of his previous life. At the very least, climbing 16 flights of stairs wouldn't be as difficult as it had been.

If this continued...

Wait.

Gao Mo suddenly realized a terrifying fact. The timeline in the world of Conan was a parallel mix where almost everyone remained in the same year—their ages didn't grow at all.

Could the age described in this talent also be calculated according to "Conan-Science" time? If so, he was in real trouble. His advantage as an immortal was already tenuous enough.

"That shouldn't be the case." Gao Mo sat back down. The "Enduring with Age" talent acted directly on the body; "age" was just a literal description, and in reality, it likely related to his body's metabolism.

While lost in thought, Gao Mo looked back at the persistent projection of "Curator Ochiai’s Guide to Longevity." Aside from his daily training, he would have to dedicate part of his time to wellness—even if it sounded a bit early. No matter what he wanted to do, a healthy, strong body was essential.

...

"Ding-dong!"

The doorbell rang suddenly. Gao Mo put down the magazine he was using as a projection carrier and approached the door. Looking through the peephole, he saw Rei Furuya holding a plate of sandwiches. He didn't attract as much attention as the female neighbor from two weeks ago.

"Mr. Amuro?"

"Just call me Amuro, no need to be so formal," Rei Furuya said. As the door opened, he observed Gao Mo while habitually glancing into the apartment. "Yesterday you said you wanted to give me the processed data..."

"Oh, right!"

Gao Mo returned to the bedroom and picked up the closed laptop from the table. "I had a little bit left over yesterday, so I stayed up to finish it."

"I thought as much," Furuya said, smiling as he took the laptop. "Your payment will be sent to your designated bounty account..."

As he spoke, Furuya’s eyelids twitched imperceptibly. "Mr. Kido... you seem a bit different today. You look... much healthier."

"I've been working out quite a bit lately."