Bonus Chapter!
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When Luo Qing called out, the person hiding in the bushes remained silent, pretending not to be seen.
Seeing no response, Luo Qing summoned a bolt of lightning that struck the bushes, igniting them instantly.
"Wait... don't hit me! I'm coming out!"
A young boy scrambled out of the now-burning bushes, his voice shaky.
Dressed in rough burlap clothes with worn-out straw sandals and a wooden basket strapped to his back, he looked like a native of Yashiori Island.
"Why are you following me?" Luo Qing asked.
"S-Sir, I... I didn't mean to..."
The boy stammered, his eyes full of fear.
"I'll ask you again. Why were you following me?"
"I..."
The boy hesitated, seeing the impatience in Luo Qing's gaze. He quickly explained:
"I... I heard that the Fatui have something called a Delusion that can make people very strong... so I wanted to ask if I could... get one too..."
"A Delusion?"
Luo Qing frowned, scrutinizing the boy from head to toe.
The scrawny kid was practically skin and bones, barely more than a fragile twig. If he used a Delusion, it would probably drain him dry and leave nothing but a husk.
"What's your name?"
"Chou... Chouji," the boy stuttered.
"Why do you want a Delusion?"
"I... I want to join the Shogunate Army, but they said I was too weak and kicked me out. Then I heard that some people in the army have something called a Delusion that makes them really strong, so... so I thought..."
"A kid your age, joining the army? For what?" Luo Qing asked, his frown deepening. He vaguely recalled hearing about Chouji before, but the memory was hazy.
"The island's been at war, and it's always storming. A lot of people in my village got sick. My mom's bedridden, and the village doctor said her illness can't be treated here... We have to go somewhere else for help...
But Nazuchi Beach is under Shogunate control, so I thought if I joined them... maybe I could sneak my mom out..."
Chouji lowered his head, avoiding Luo Qing's gaze.
"So, you want a Delusion?"
Luo Qing folded his arms, a hint of amusement on his face. "Alright, sure. One million Mora each. Pay up, and it's yours. Got the cash?"
Chouji blinked in confusion. "Huh... one... one million Mora... But I heard it didn't cost anything?"
Luo Qing snorted. "You think power comes for free? No money, no strength."
"Ah...?"
Chouji's small head was filled with big doubts.
"I... I don't have any Mora..."
"Then you still want a Delusion?
Sorry, kid, but I don't do charity for the poor."
"I..."
[Frustration Value from Chouji +1]
"S-Sorry... for bothering you..."
Chouji looked up at Luo Qing, as if hoping for a second chance, but quickly lowered his head. He adjusted his basket and turned to leave.
"Hold on."
Chouji froze. Nervously, he looked back at Luo Qing, who had stopped him.
"Y-Yes, sir...?"
"Did I say you could leave?"
"I..."
"I have some questions. You'll answer whatever I ask."
"W-Will I get a reward for that...?" Chouji asked timidly.
"..."
"What do you think?" Luo Qing's voice turned cold as he crossed his arms.
He wasn't trying to bully Chouji on purpose, but he needed to give the boy the impression that the Fatui were dangerous and untrustworthy. The last thing he wanted was for this kid to show up at the Delusion Factory, demanding a Delusion.
In this case, the Fatui's terrible reputation was actually a useful tool.
"Oh..."
Chouji's face fell. He'd wasted a whole trip, only to run into such a nasty person. If he'd known, he would've stayed behind to dig for Crystal Marrow—it'd have been a better use of his time.
"What's your village's location? Is it nearby?" Luo Qing asked.
"Uh... just a bit east of here..."
"You mentioned that many people in your village are sick. What happened?"
"I... I don't know... There was an explosion over by Tatarasuna, and our village took in a lot of refugees from there... After a while, people started getting headaches and rashes... Many of them didn't make it..."
Listening to Chouji's explanation, Luo Qing thought for a moment before saying:
"Take me to your village."
"Ah..."
Chouji hesitated, wary of the dangerous-looking man standing before him. What if leading this man to the village turned out to be a terrible mistake...?
"What's wrong? Don't want to?"
"N-No, I'll take you right away, sir..."
Chouji shook his head quickly, already plotting how he might shake off this stranger once they got moving.
"Alright then. Lead the way."
"...Yes, sir..."
With his basket strapped to his back, Chouji began walking, leading Luo Qing eastward. Luo Qing followed, occasionally glancing at the looming serpent's head in the distance.
He couldn't explain why, but even though only the bones of the serpent remained, he felt as if something was watching him.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck a tree not far from them. Startled, Chouji darted into the underbrush, clearly trying to make a getaway.
He knew the local terrain like the back of his hand and was confident that he could lose Luo Qing in the narrow paths only children could navigate.
But before he got far, he felt himself being lifted off the ground. Looking back, he saw that the man's eyes had turned a predatory shade of gold, like those of a monster.
"Ah...! D-Don't eat me! Everyone in my village is sick... We taste terrible!"
"Who said I was going to eat you?"
Luo Qing set the boy back on the ground and said calmly, "Just keep leading the way, and don't think about running. You think your little legs can outrun me?"
"I'm... I'm sorry," Chouji mumbled, too afraid to meet Luo Qing's eyes.
As they neared the village of Higi, Chouji tried to slip away several more times. Yet no matter how far he got, Luo Qing always appeared in front of him in the blink of an eye, as if he could teleport.
Finally, Chouji had no choice but to lead Luo Qing into the village.
Higi Village was filled with refugees from Tatarasuna. Most of them looked despondent, their faces sallow and gaunt, many bearing various injuries.
Even the original villagers of Higi had vacant, lifeless eyes, giving the whole place a sense of desolation.
As they walked through the village, Luo Qing's ornate Snezhnayan attire drew stares from the weary villagers.
"S-Sir, we're here. C-Can I go now?" Chouji asked, his voice trembling.
"Your mother—she's home?" Luo Qing inquired.
"W-What...? Why do you want to know about that...?"
Chouji's face went pale with anxiety.
He'd heard rumors of strange men with... peculiar tastes who preyed on vulnerable women.
---
T/N: I SWEAR MY CLIENTS INNOCENT YOUR HONOR!
If there are any mistakes let me know!
Read up to 30+ Chapters! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Bonus Chapter!
---
"Just a question, why are you so nervous?"
Seeing Chouji's anxious expression, Luo Qing was puzzled. He hadn't done anything yet, so why was this kid so worked up?
"I..."
"M-Master, my mom is sick too... Please, don't harm her..." Chouji's voice was trembling, his words carrying a hint of a sob. He thought bitterly that he never should have approached the Fatui.
The grown-ups were right—these people were even worse than pirates or soldiers...
"When did I say I was going to harm your mother?" Luo Qing frowned, wondering what kind of strange thoughts were running through the boy's head.
"Alright, I was just asking. If you don't want to talk about it, then forget it. It's fine. You can go now."
He waved dismissively, indicating that Chouji was free to leave. When Luo Qing turned back to observe the village, the boy had already vanished from sight.
In the game, Higi Village was deserted, overrun by wandering ronin and bandits, with no sign of the original villagers. Yet now, there were still refugees and villagers inhabiting the settlement, which caught him by surprise.
As he was musing, snippets of a conversation reached his ears.
"Did you hear? Ryoko from the south side of the village passed away."
"That's not all. Tsune from the west—she couldn't stand the voices of the lingering spirits in her head and threw herself into the sea..."
"Sigh... When will this nightmare end?"
"What's that Snezhnayan doing here? Isn't he afraid of catching whatever we have?"
"Fatui, huh... They're a bunch of reckless types. Who knows, maybe they were the ones behind the explosion at Tatarasuna..."
"Tsk, seems I arrived just in time."
Glancing at the wary villagers who were eyeing him, Luo Qing couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
He still remembered the tragic fate of Higi Village from his gaming days. The sight of the villagers still alive here left him unexpectedly nostalgic.
Lost in thought, he noticed a squad of heavily-armored samurai entering from the opposite end of the village.
The leader carried a flyer, which he raised high as he reached the village center, shouting out loud:
"Citizens of Higi Village! Lord Kujou Takayuki of the Tenryou Commission sympathizes deeply with the hardships faced by the refugees of Yashiori Island and has come to rescue you!"
"The Tenryou Commission will ensure your safe departure from this island and transport you to Narukami Island!"
"If you are in dire need of aid, head immediately to the front lines of the Kujou encampment!"
With that, the samurai leader posted the flyer onto a stone wall and quickly led his men out of the village.
A crowd of villagers gathered around the flyer, murmuring among themselves.
"Didn't the Shogunate forbid us from leaving? Why are they suddenly offering to help?"
"Who knows? Maybe it's another one of their schemes... Those soldiers are no better than bandits! If they hadn't messed with the warding stones, none of us would be sick! They're worse than the pirates!"
"I can't stay here any longer. If I do, I'll either starve or get sick..."
"Yeah, at least if we go to the Kujou camp, there'll be food..."
After some discussion, many of the refugees started making their way to the Kujou camp, leaving only a handful of local villagers who were still hesitant, uncertain whether to trust the Shogunate's notice.
To Luo Qing's amusement, not far from the Shogunate's flyer was another notice, this one from the Sangonomiya Resistance.
It read:
"The Shogunate's tyranny is unjust. The gods have abandoned us. Join the Resistance and overthrow the rule of the Shogunate!"
"How interesting..."
Luo Qing knew well what awaited those who believed in the Kujou camp's promises. After all, the one who issued that order was none other than Kujou Takayuki, the head of the Kujou Clan and a close ally of the Fatui.
And as fate would have it, his mission here involved dealing with that very man—finding leverage to secure his complete cooperation with the Fatui.
"So it seems I won't be able to stay a mere bystander."
Luo Qing wasn't the type to go out of his way to save people he had no connection with. He wasn't cruel, but neither was he excessively kind-hearted. However, now that the fate of Higi Village's villagers might serve as a valuable bargaining chip against Kujou Takayuki, he saw a potential opportunity.
As he pondered his next move, he heard a boy's anxious voice not far away.
Turning around, he saw Chouji, who had previously disappeared, back at the village entrance, crying out to a young man.
"Brother Bohboh, my mom is gone... Did you see her anywhere?"
"This isn't the right place to talk..."
Bohboh glanced around warily before pulling Chouji into a secluded corner.
Curious, Luo Qing quietly followed.
From the shadow of a nearby house, he watched Bohboh take out a letter and hand it to Chouji.
"Your mother... she went far away to seek treatment for her illness. This is the letter she left for you..."
Chouji opened the letter and began reading. It wasn't long before tears streamed down his face.
"Mom... She left me behind..."
"No, no! She just went to get better. Once the war is over, she'll come back for you!" Bohboh said, trying to comfort him.
"I..."
After a moment of silence, Chouji seemed to make up his mind. "I'm going to find her!" he declared, his voice resolute. He slung his basket over his shoulder and dashed out of the village.
"Ah... That kid..."
Bohboh shook his head helplessly, preparing to leave as well. But as he turned around, he found himself face to face with a well-dressed foreigner watching him intently.
"A foreigner?"
Bohboh was surprised. He didn't want to get involved with someone who looked so out of place, so he simply glanced at Luo Qing before heading for the village entrance.
Seeing Bohboh's clear desire to avoid interaction, Luo Qing chose not to press the matter.
Suddenly, another samurai—dressed in simpler attire, more akin to the locals—entered from the east road and nearly collided with Bohboh.
Unlike the heavily-armored Shogunate soldiers from earlier, this man was dressed in plain cloth and appeared to be a fellow villager from Higi.
"Bohboh, why are there so few people left in the village? Where have they gone?" the newcomer asked.
"Chief Jinjou," Bohboh responded, his tone uneasy. "The Kujou forces came earlier with a notice, saying they'd help evacuate us to Narukami Island. Many refugees went to their camp, and a few villagers decided to check it out as well..."
Bohboh's nervous expression made it clear he wasn't comfortable around the village chief.
"The Shogunate forces? Hah! They're nothing but liars! Those men cannot be trusted!"
Jinjou's hand tightened around his sword hilt as he cursed loudly. Then, turning back to Bohboh, he asked, "Where's Chouji's mother? She usually goes to the shrine to pray every day. I haven't seen her today."
"She..."
Bohboh hesitated, glancing down. "I... I don't know... I haven't seen her today..."
"Hmph. She used to pray at the shrine every day, and now she's gotten lazy? With that attitude, how does she expect to earn the Shogun's favor?"
"This..."
Bohboh was at a loss for words, desperately searching for an excuse to escape the conversation. At that moment, the well-dressed foreigner walked up.
"Excuse me," Luo Qing said with a friendly smile, "You mentioned a shrine to the Almighty Shogun. Could you show me the way?"
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If there are any mistakes let me know!
Read up to 30+ Chapters! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
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