Chapter 14. Shopping as a Ritual of Exorcism

As previously mentioned, the Boss was not only the guide who introduced Qiao Qiao to the circle of exorcists but also her supplier of equipment. He always managed to procure items that were impossible to find in the country at astonishingly low prices. Qiao Qiao had never dared to investigate the Boss’s supply channels; after all, if she stumbled upon some unspeakable secret, who knew if the Boss might silence her forever?

The Boss was unsurprised by Qiao Qiao’s request. It was common for her to visit him during the day to purchase gear.

“Let’s eat first,” he said, igniting the gas stove. He added ingredients to the leftover pork soup from yesterday, simmering it into a fresh pot. Rice was served from the electric cooker, and the two ate their fill, savoring the soup.

After helping tidy up, Qiao Qiao watched as the Boss took up his keys and unlocked the door to the back room. She followed him inside. Even in daylight, with the curtains drawn, the room was dim. The Boss switched on the lights.

A dazzling array of goods was revealed before Qiao Qiao: firearms from bygone eras worthy of museums, equipment currently making waves in war-torn countries, everything from small explosives to single-soldier combat gear, and even, tucked in a corner, a towed rocket launcher.

This was the Boss’s warehouse—and Qiao Qiao’s favorite emporium.

“Boss, I need something a bit more powerful,” she said. Though she knew little about firearms, she trusted the Boss’s recommendations implicitly.

“How about this?” The Boss thought for a moment, then took down a black gun from the rack. “UMP45. If you play games, you’ll recognize it. Released by HK in 1998, it’s a .45 caliber submachine gun, 695 millimeters in length, weighing 2.5 kilograms, with a twenty-five-round magazine and a maximum fire rate near 700 rounds per minute. Within fifty meters, it’s unrivaled.”

He stroked the gun gently, as one would a sleeping cat. “It uses a blowback action and closed-bolt firing for accuracy. If you install a rate reducer, the fire rate drops, but precision improves. On top, as well as on both sides and the underside of the foregrip, you can easily fit RIS rails, allowing any standard firearm accessory—scopes, tactical lights, laser sights, and the like—to be mounted.”

“The price is only ninety thousand yen. If you buy it, I’ll throw in two hundred rounds for you,” he rattled off, loading the weapon deftly before placing it in Qiao Qiao’s hands.

She weighed it, then returned it. “Hmm, it feels good, but the firepower seems a bit lacking,” she said, troubled. “Is there anything stronger?”

“Something stronger?” The Boss paused, staring at her. He said nothing more, but with a regretful glance at her, replaced the UMP45 on the rack.

He produced a second gun—a shotgun.

“Eagle 982, produced by Northern Industries. An 18.4-millimeter military shotgun, pump-action, 876 millimeters long, under 3 kilograms, with a five-round magazine. Though an imitation model, the barrel’s been treated with black phosphating to resist rust, enhance corrosion resistance and concealment, and lighten the weight. It took me considerable effort to acquire this.”

“Only one hundred twenty thousand yen to take it home—quite affordable.”

Qiao Qiao accepted the shotgun and tested its heft seriously. The weight was ideal, the feel excellent; however—“Is there anything with even greater power?” she asked, returning the shotgun.

The Boss nearly dropped the gun in surprise. Qiao Qiao was troubled. She actually thought the shotgun was quite good. Her own modified revolver fired explosive rounds. She wasn’t a professional soldier, after all. Weapons that didn’t require precise aiming but could kill targets easily suited her well.

Because of this, she understood a shotgun’s limitations. For example, if a vengeful spirit hid behind a wall, ready to attack her, even if she reacted fast, the bullets couldn’t penetrate the wall to harm the spirit.

In such moments, having a weapon capable of breaching barriers would be reassuring.

“If this won’t do…” the Boss began to seriously consider Qiao Qiao’s dangerousness. No matter what, using powerful explosives in a city like Tokyo was risky; she might injure herself.

Still, after thinking for a moment, the Boss pointed to the hefty item in the corner.

“Type 63 107-millimeter light towed rocket launcher, with three rows of directional tubes, twelve barrels. The elevation mechanism is gear arc-based, the traverse mechanism uses a screw structure, and it’s equipped with the sight from the Type 56 75-millimeter recoilless gun.”

“It’s almost sixty years old, but even today, it’s still used in battlefields worldwide. This particular one was salvaged from combat. I’ve fixed it up—it’ll probably work two or three more times.”

“Don’t be fooled by its outdated appearance; it’s precisely this look that lets it hide among farming tools and miscellaneous items.”

“Of course, its greatest advantage is price. The launcher and twenty-four rounds cost only three hundred fifty thousand yen—a bargain.”

“On battlefields in less developed regions, this is counted among the three legendary weapons alongside the RPG-7 and AK47,” the Boss said, patting the rocket launcher as if it were his own masterpiece.

“This… is excellent,” Qiao Qiao’s eyes lit up. She examined the launcher closely.

The dark green barrel was covered with scratches and chipped paint from use. The muzzle was slightly blackened, and the towed section had clearly been repaired. The gears and screws for maneuvering still bore yellowed oil, exuding a faint scent.

Gazing into the dark maw of the muzzle, Qiao Qiao felt a deep sense of reassurance. With this weapon, even spirits lurking behind walls could be obliterated in a single shot.

But then, there was the issue of transport. Qiao Qiao considered her options. She had no driver’s license, and a car was a luxury she didn’t possess. Hauling a rocket launcher onto the subway would be problematic. Stowing it in a taxi trunk? Or simply dragging it along? No, Qiao Qiao was sensible enough not to do anything so blatantly suspicious.

So she resolved to get herself a small motorcycle. Then she could mount the launcher on the back for easy transport.

Truth be told, she’d been contemplating buying a motorcycle for some time. In her country, a motorcycle license could be obtained in a weekend for about twenty thousand yen, whereas a car license would cost at least three hundred fifty thousand yen in tuition and demand a lot of time—not to mention age restrictions.

Thus, she hadn’t bought a car, only a motorcycle license—the most basic kind, limited to speeds under thirty kilometers per hour. But that would suffice.

Now, seeing the rocket launcher, she finally made up her mind to buy a bike. She’d already set her sights on one: Yamaha VINO-50. Though a women’s model with only a fifty cc engine, it boasted surprisingly advanced features—electronic fuel injection, water cooling, three valves, four-stroke. Driven at thirty kilometers per hour, fuel consumption was less than 1.5 liters per hundred kilometers. Most importantly, the price was just two hundred fifty thousand yen (tax included)—cheap and practical.

“What do you think?” The Boss noticed the change in Qiao Qiao’s expression and knew the deal was done.

“Yes, I’ll take this one,” Qiao Qiao nodded, clearly satisfied. Surely, even Priestess Asano would smile upon seeing such a reassuring weapon. Qiao Qiao was certain of it.