Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Bai Luo’s Secret Weapon

Chapter 171: Bai Luo’s Secret Weapon

Higi Village.

True to its name, the village and its surroundings were covered with vibrant crimson maple trees. At the very heart of the village stood the most majestic one of them all—so wide that it would take five grown men linking arms to encircle its trunk. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say the entire village had been built around that tree.

In Higi Village, this particular maple held sacred meaning. Shimenawa ropes were tied around its branches—symbols marking the boundary between the realm of the gods and the mortal world. With the addition of shide paper streamers, it signified the presence of divine spirits, watching over and protecting the villagers.

But whether those gods were truly watching over anyone… that was hard to say.

From a high vantage point overlooking the village, Bai Luo stood beside Gorou, his gaze fixed on the scene below. His brow gradually furrowed.

Decay.

That was the only word that came to mind.

Broken-down carts lay abandoned at the roadside, their wooden frames blanketed in fallen maple leaves. Water urns that were once used daily now sat neglected, most of them dry and coated in grime. Only a rare few still held any liquid. The moss-covered stone walls suggested no one had bothered to clean or maintain them in a long time.

All the houses were simple thatched huts. After days of unrelenting rain, several of the roofs had collapsed in parts—yet no one seemed to be making any attempt at repair.

If this had been a ghost village, long since abandoned, none of it would’ve been surprising.

But the problem was…

People still lived here.

From the outside, it was hard to tell whether the houses were inhabited. But in this dreary, rain-soaked weather, the villagers who were visible looked utterly hollowed out—like they’d lost their souls. Some curled up beneath the trees. Others leaned motionlessly against the mossy stone walls.

A few stared blankly at the sky, their expressions vacant, lost in thoughts no one could understand. Others mumbled to themselves incessantly, bowing over and over again toward the massive tree at the center of the village.

And then there were those who were just like the ones Bai Luo had seen in the Musoujin Gorge—desperately clutching their ears, faces twisted in pure terror.

It was as if they had heard the same whispers too.

“What on earth… happened here?”

Gorou’s furred ears perked up involuntarily as he surveyed the village—a beastkin’s instinctive response to danger.

He’d been here before, of course. This wasn’t his first time in Higi Village. Back then, sure, the village was poor, but it was never this… desolate.

“This is what happens when a village is cursed by the Tatarigami.”

Bai Luo’s tone was calm now. After everything he’d seen in the Musoujin Gorge, the eerie decay of Higi Village didn’t shake him as much.

Judging by Gorou’s reaction, it was clear that even though the Resistance had been talking about dealing with the Tatarigamis, they didn’t truly understand what those curses did to people.

Maybe, to them, the effect of the Tatarigami was just a gloomy sky or a slightly heavier air.

But to a village like Higi Village—so close to the Musoujin Gorge—This was hell.

“Let’s go see what we can find out. At the very least, we need to confirm if there are still any sane people left.”

There were signs of recent activity. Some of the water jars had been used. The vegetable patch at the edge of the village had clearly been harvested not long ago. Despite the ruin, it was clear that at least a few of the villagers were still functional.

And if they were, they might be the key to breaking through.

“Me? You want me to go?”

Gorou froze for a moment.

It wasn’t fear. As a general of the Resistance, he was no stranger to danger. In fact, he was one of their most recognizable leaders. His beast ears and tail were practically symbols of the movement.

Which meant, if he walked into that village now, there was a good chance he’d be mobbed by angry villagers, people desperate for someone to blame.

Sure, he could take them on. As a proper general of the resistance, wiping out an entire village by himself wasn’t beyond his capabilities.

But only if he was willing to do it.

“With my level of strength, just setting foot in the village would alert anyone lurking in the shadows. If that happens… the difficulty of solving this will increase dramatically.”

Bai Luo’s voice was calm, serious—even convincing.

It was also utter nonsense.

True, his power was overwhelming. Back when he was still in Liyue, the sword intent he radiated could never be mistaken—anyone with even a hint of perception would sense it immediately.

But now? Thanks to the passive skill Sealer, he gave off no aura whatsoever. To others, he was no different than an average civilian. Even that monster—the Maguu Kenki, who could only communicate through the language of blades—hadn’t recognized his strength until they locked eyes.

So long as it was people like Gorou he was dealing with, this level of deception was more than enough.

“You have a point, Himura-san. But… if I go, I’ll be just as easily exposed. Perhaps it’s better we fall back for now and send in a regular soldier to investigate later from the encampment?”

Gorou didn’t question Bai Luo’s logic at all.

Not because he lacked intelligence, but because he’d spent enough time around Bai Luo to simply take his strength as a given.

The Sealer effect might hide Bai Luo’s power, but in Gorou’s eyes, that was like trying to pretend a sweet fruit was sour. If you’ve tasted a tangy sunsettia once, no matter how someone insists the next one is sweet, your tongue already knows what to expect.

“The state of this village clearly shows it’s deeply affected by the Tatarigami. If we send in a regular soldier now, they’ll probably end up dead. Besides…”

Bai Luo lifted his oil-paper umbrella slightly, his voice lowering.

“The signs here point to something worse—this village could completely collapse at any moment. We may not have time to wait.”

In truth, he’d already come up with a plan.

“Then… what do we do? Should I risk it and just go down?”

Gorou’s tail was swishing again—this time from anxiety. It was clear his concern for the villagers was genuine.

Just as he gritted his teeth, preparing to take the plunge—

“This is exactly the time,” Bai Luo interrupted casually, “to make use of the secret weapon I brought.”

He shot Gorou a meaningful glance and gestured for him to follow. Together, they stepped down onto the red-leaf-carpeted path, making their way toward Higi Village.

At the edge of the village stood a dilapidated thatched hut, its roof patched with moldy straw and its walls leaning with age. From the looks of it, no one had lived here in a while. Normally, in times like these, desperate refugees would’ve scrambled for shelter like this.

But strangely…

There were no signs of recent human activity.

Despite leaking in the rain, the hut still offered more protection than the open sky.

Once they’d found a dry corner inside, Bai Luo knelt and opened the bundle he’d been carrying.

Gorou leaned closer and blinked in confusion.

Inside was a set of ornate clothing.

At first glance, the outfit bore a striking resemblance to his own uniform—same color scheme, similar embellishments. It looked like someone had taken his attire and made a fancier version of it.

But compared to his usual battle gear, this version seemed… how should he put it…

Girlish?

Bai Luo casually lifted the outfit out of the bundle, and in doing so, confirmed Gorou’s suspicions.

It was, beyond a doubt, a female version of his uniform—tailored specifically to match his own style and colors. Even the included wig matched his hairstyle and fur color almost exactly.

What the heck is Himura-san up to…?

As Gorou stared, bewildered, Bai Luo turned to look at him with a grin full of layered meaning.

“…Why are you looking at me like that, Himura-san?” Gorou asked, instantly on alert.

Bai Luo’s grin only widened.

“Take a wild guess.”

. . . . .

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