The Ghost Fires of Rifu Highway

Episode 3: The Dilemma's Roar and the Circus of Ghost Fires

"W-What the hell is this?! These flying fox faces are tearing at my coat!"

The glowing orbs shifted into the shapes of wild "Yako" foxes, baring their sharp fangs as they swarmed the chief.

It was straight out of the old folklore—mischievous foxes pulling tricks to swipe whatever valuable gear and food humans carried.

The spectral foxes piled onto the chief, aggressively yanking at his pocket watch and his precious notebook where he logged all his achievements.

"My watch! My notebook! Get off me!"

As the chief shrieked and thrashed around, Juku sensed a strange, warm presence in the chaotic light—the unmistakable will of the local deity.

(On the veranda, a sudden warmth seeped into modern-day Ayumu's fingertips. The brass whistle in his palm felt as if it were pulsing with a faint, steady heartbeat.)

Juku gripped the brass whistle in his pocket tightly.

"You're giving this corrupt chief exactly what he deserves, aren't you?" Juku muttered. "Let me help you out!"

Juku raised the brass whistle to his lips and blew with everything he had, piercing the midnight highway.

SCREECH! The sharp, deafening whistle sliced through the thick, damp fog.

As if answering his call, the wild fox fires flared into a brilliant, swirling vortex of gold.

They blanketed the highway in a blinding white fog, completely veiling Denji's truck—and preserving Juku's moral compass—from the chief's reach. At that exact moment, the golden spirits tossed the chief's stolen pocket watch and notebook deep into the adjacent rice fields.

"No! My watch! My logs! Come back here!"
With bloodshot eyes, the chief lunged blindly into the fog.

But it was a total setup—he dove headfirst into the manure pit that had been cleverly camouflaged by the shimmering lights.

"Sputter! I-It's all over me...! God, the stench! Juku, get me out of here!"

Muffled screams and pathetic splashing echoed from the pit as the chief remained stuck headfirst. In his head, Juku thought: Serves you right, you old bastard.

Through the glowing mist, the giant white fox Shinjuro materialized, sporting a knowing smirk. He gave Juku a quick wink and whipped his long, majestic tail.

"Go, Denji! Get out of here!"

The instant Juku shouted, Denji's truck—shrouded in a warm, protective golden light—sped off, vanishing into the night without a sound.

Blinking, Ayumu snapped back to reality. He was back in the quiet tatami room, the vintage brass whistle resting heavily in his palm.

His grandfather was watching him with a warm, knowing smile.

"The local spirits can't stand greedy higher-ups who step on their workers to steal the spotlight," Grandpa Juku said. "That's why Shinjuro lent me those mischievous ghost fires to teach him a lesson."

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🌐 Original Japaneseher:https://note.com/juicy_laelia8513/n/n6830fe4300bc

"Thank you so much for reading to the very end!"💗