Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Higi Village

Chapter 170: Higi Village

The wind blew across the grassland, staining the little blades of grass with a sunset-like blood red. They stubbornly stood tall, swaying freely in the wind, but no matter how hard the wind blew, the red traces never fell off.

They even faintly appeared to turn black.

Although the appearance of the Tatarigami had turned this place into a forbidden zone for living creatures, the plants here grew even more vigorously, even displaying a vitality beyond their natural limits.

A swordsman in red, holding a sword in one hand and carrying a bundle in the other, walked out with heavy steps.

“Himura-san!”

Seeing Bai Luo, the Resistance soldiers guarding this place immediately showed expressions of joy.

After Bai Luo went down, all contact with the surface was completely cut off.

Not only could the lower area not see the surface, but from above, the lower area was also invisible. The Tatarigami’s power had completely severed the connection between the Musoujin Gorge and the outside world, even preventing sound from transmitting.

Worried about possible issues, Gorou had stationed the Resistance soldiers at every possible exit, just to be ready to receive him upon his return.

“Where is Lord Gorou?”

In Bai Luo hand is a bundle, it didn’t look remarkable at all, appearing just like the luggage carried by miners fleeing from Tatarasuna.

Though the Resistance soldiers were curious about its contents, they answered honestly, “Lord Gorou was concerned for your safety, so he had us guard every exit, while he stayed at the spot where you entered the Musoujin Gorge to await you.”

“Take me to him. I have something to ask.”

The Reverse Blade Sword once again transformed into the Myriad Manifestations Umbrella.

The fragrance of plum blossoms, which could not even be washed away by rainwater, was now overwhelmed by a thick scent of blood.

The fragrance of plum blossoms intertwined with the rusty smell of blood, just like that red figure under the gloomy sky, extremely discordant, yet carrying a trace of helplessness.

Was it the Tatarigami that was terrifying, or was it humanity itself?

Was it the Tatarigami manipulating humans, or humans manipulating the Tatarigami?

The Tatarigami drove humans insane, leading them to acts as horrifying as cannibalism under the guise of faith and ritual.

But such a Tatarigami was, in fact, born from humanity itself.

After learning about the Tatarigami, the Shogun’s Army didn’t think of solving the problem immediately but used it as an excuse to attack Watatsumi Island.

Upon learning about it, Watatsumi’s first thought wasn’t to solve it either, but to clear their name.

No wonder Nathan, relying solely on himself, could play both warring sides like pawns.

Humans… truly terrifying creatures.

“Himura-san, it’s truly a relief that you’re alright.”

Bai Luo met Gorou halfway. After learning that Bai Luo had returned safely, Gorou hurried over at once.

“This is…”

Gazing at the bundle in Bai Luo’s hand, Gorou’s canine instincts detected what was inside.

“It’s something I brought back from the Musoujin Gorge. Please bury it properly.”

Bai Luo glanced at the surrounding Resistance soldiers but did not open it.

“I understand…”

Gorou was a smart man and caught the hidden meaning in Bai Luo’s words. He solemnly accepted the bundle of bones and handed it to a trusted aide, whispering a few instructions.

The aide showed a surprised expression but nodded nonetheless and hurried off.

“Lord Gorou, is there a village nearby?”

After settling the matter of the remains, Bai Luo asked again.

He hadn’t just been wandering inside; he had gathered quite a bit of information. For example, some of the madman’s gathering around the Musoujin Gorge were from a nearby village.

“A village… yes, there is one, just opposite the Musoujin Gorge, it’s called Higi Village.”

When Gorou mentioned Higi Village, he showed a trace of helplessness.

Because when it came to that village, he too had a headache, but there was nothing he could do.

“What’s wrong with that village? You seem a bit… troubled?”

Puppies are the worst at hiding their emotions — whether it was their drooping tail or their slightly slumped ears, all of it exposed their feelings at the moment.

“That Higi Village used to get along well with us, but later, due to the Shogun’s Army’s mishandling, the Mikage Furnace exploded, and miners fled to this area. After that, Higi Village started turning hostile toward our Resistance soldiers, choosing to trade with pirates rather than trust us.”

In war, it’s always the soldiers who die, the civilians who suffer, and the seemingly indifferent bystanders who profit.

“Come with me, the Tatarigami’s influence seems quite deep there.”

Glancing up at the still gloomy sky, Bai Luo spoke.

The scene in the Musoujin Gorge — even Bai Luo, who had witnessed many dark things under Dottore’s command, found it hard to bear.

Back then, while working under Dottore, all he could do was give those little ones a sliver of hope for survival, but the only ones who truly survived were K423 and Collei.

Now, Bai Luo finally had the power to make his own decisions. When encountering similar matters again, he would not just stand by and do nothing.

Is Bai Luo a good person?

No, Bai Luo had never seen himself as a good person.

In Snezhnaya, just like Dottore, the Ausbilder is one of the Harbinger that can’t be considered as a good person.

He was a figure capable of making many wealthy tycoons and high-ranking officials lose sleep.

But whether he’s a good or bad person, Bai Luo still considered himself, fundamentally, a human being.

. . . . . . . .

Higi Village, located directly west of Yashiori Island, stood opposite the northern Fort Fujitou — only the Musoujin Gorge lay between them.

After the explosion of the Mikage Furnace at Tatarasuna, Higi Village had already become estranged from the Resistance soldiers over the refugee issue. Later, the destruction of the Tatarigami’s wards and the Shogun’s Army’s aggressive propaganda drove the relationship between Higi Village and the Resistance soldiers to a freezing point.

Earlier, there had been single-log bridges and suspension bridges above the Musoujin Gorge allowing passage.

But after the Tatarigami incident, Higi Village had unilaterally destroyed those bridges, cutting all contact with the Resistance soldiers.

Fortunately, neither Bai Luo nor Gorou were ordinary people — under the effect of the One-Winged Angel costume, Bai Luo’s jumping ability was extraordinary, so crossing the Musoujin Gorge posed no difficulty.

Gorou, too, managed it by getting a running start and relying on the excellent jumping ability typical of canines.

As for the ordinary Resistance soldiers… Bai Luo and Gorou had never planned to bring them along from the start.

Just from hearing Gorou’s description, he can already sense the deep resentment the Higi Village harbored toward the Resistance.

Bringing regular soldiers along would not only fail to solve the situation but might also create even more trouble.

Moreover, there was something that only he and Gorou could know, it could not be exposed to anyone else.

“By the way, Himura-san, what’s in that package you’ve been carrying from the start? It doesn’t seem heavy, it looks rather light?”

Gorou looked at the package on Bai Luo’s back and asked curiously.

After they decided to head to Higi Village, considering the earlier lesson from the destruction of the wards, Gorou had gone back to the camp to make some arrangements.

When he returned, he noticed Bai Luo was carrying an extra package, and he acted quite secretive about it.

“It’s a secret weapon.”

While holding the Myriad Manifestation Umbrella in his hand, Bai Luo carefully covered the package and said meaningfully.

“Secret weapon?”

Hearing this, Gorou was even more confused.

. . . . .

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