Bab 61: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [61] [50 PS]
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?"
---
If there are any mistakes let me know!
Read up to 30+ Chapters! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Bab 62: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [62]
Jinjou followed the sound, turning to see a young man dressed in Snezhnayan formal robes standing before him, wearing a gentle smile.
Ever since the thunderstorms and the war had overtaken Yashiori Island, few foreigners dared to venture here. Those who did, mostly adventurers, would leave in a hurry, not staying long. Yet, a group of Fatui had settled at the southern end of the island, their purpose unknown.
Jinjou raised an eyebrow. "This is the shrine of the Almighty Shogun. What business does a foreigner like you have there?"
Luo Qing didn't rush his answer, his words slow and deliberate. "Sightseeing. Is that a problem?"
"?"
"Hmph, follow me."
Jinjou sized up Luo Qing, noting the absence of any visible weapons or Vision. Deciding the stranger posed no real threat, he led Luo Qing toward the shrine.
Chouji's mother had disappeared, and perhaps this foreigner might fulfill "his" needs.
Watching Luo Qing and Jinjou leave the village together, Bohboh silently shook his head, bewildered by the foreigner's decision to seek out such trouble. The shrine was the very source of the lingering spirits, the root cause of the village's sickness, and yet this outsider willingly walked straight toward it.
In the past, Bohboh might have tried to intervene, but now Jinjou had fully lost his mind. To speak ill of the shrine in front of him was to invite a swift death.
Sighing, Bohboh turned in the opposite direction, resuming his search for herbs in the hope of finding a cure for the villagers.
Elsewhere...
Luo Qing followed Jinjou out of the village, walking southeast until they reached a cliff. There, on a stone pedestal, sat the shrine. A faint purple mist lingered around it, occasionally crackling with arcs of lightning. Offerings of jewelry and other valuables were scattered before it, with incense continuously burning—a sign that it received daily worship.
Luo Qing studied the shrine, a strange sensation tugging at his thoughts.
"This is the shrine of the Almighty Shogun. Since you're here, why not pay your respects?" Jinjou settled beside the shrine, placing his unsheathed sword across his knees and began to clean it.
Luo Qing glanced at him and then leaned closer. "So, is your Almighty Shogun reliable?"
Jinjou blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I'm asking if she's dependable. Why should I offer prayers if she's not going to deliver? A god who takes offerings should deliver results, don't you think?"
[Frustration Value +1 from Jinjou]
"..."
"Hmph, you'll find out if you pray!" Jinjou's tone held a hint of anger, his motions sharpening as he polished the blade.
"Touched a nerve, did I?"
"Are you going to pray or not?!"
Jinjou's hand hovered over the hilt of his sword, the threat clear.
"Tsk, what if I choose not to? What are you planning to do?"
Luo Qing's smile didn't waver, unfazed by Jinjou's attempt at intimidation. He was far more curious about the lingering will within the shrine. These ancient spirits lacked raw power but were remarkably skilled at manipulating mortals.
Jinjou hesitated, releasing his grip on the hilt. "If you refuse, then leave. This place isn't meant for foreigners like you."
"Oh?"
Luo Qing was genuinely surprised. Hadn't Jinjou been completely bewitched by the lingering spirits? Yet, he managed to hold back from violence.
"So, I'm free to go?"
"Whether you stay or leave... it's none of my concern," Jinjou replied, returning to polishing his sword. Outwardly, he was calm, but inside, his mind was a storm of turmoil.
Bring him to me... I need him...
The haunting whispers echoed ceaselessly in his thoughts, urging him to act.
...
Seeing Jinjou's apparent lack of aggression, Luo Qing thought he had missed his chance. With a slight shrug, he turned to leave.
Just as he turned his back, Jinjou's hand clenched around the hilt, and he lunged forward, aiming for Luo Qing's exposed neck.
Jinjou's body, strengthened by the power of the lingering spirits, was far beyond that of an ordinary person. Even the soldiers of the Shogunate were no match for him. The foreigner before him was the perfect sacrifice—he had said so, and Jinjou couldn't let him escape.
But in that instant, Jinjou felt something cold press against his chest. His frenzied thoughts froze.
Disbelief filled his gaze as he looked down.
A pale brown spear had pierced his chest, lifting him off the ground and leaving him suspended in mid-air.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Jinjou stared at the Snezhnayan, whose once-black eyes now glowed a deep golden, reminiscent of a serpent's gaze.
"Tsk, I thought you wouldn't go for it," Luo Qing's lips curled in a faint smile. Before Jinjou could speak, Luo Qing flicked the spear, sending him crashing back in front of the shrine.
"How... did you know..."
Jinjou struggled to rise, his back pressed against the shrine, fury and fear mingling in his eyes. He still couldn't understand how the foreigner had managed to summon the spear or when it had pierced him.
"Just a hunch."
Luo Qing stepped closer, his tone indifferent. "If you hadn't attacked, I really wouldn't have had a reason to help Lumine deal with you."
"Hah... You think killing me will save them? 'His' power has enveloped the whole of Yashiori Island! You'll all become 'his' sacrifices!" Jinjou's voice was filled with deranged fervor.
"I think you misunderstand."
Luo Qing's voice was calm, almost cold. "You and they... none of you matter to me."
With that, he drove his spear downward, ending Jinjou's life before the shrine.
"Tsk... Teresa and Scaramouche weren't wrong. This really is a cursed land..."
Luo Qing shook his head, returning the spear to his inventory without a second glance at the body, now abandoned at the shrine's steps. He turned away, heading back to the Fatui camp.
This man, Jinjou, would have died anyway when Lumine arrived. It was only a matter of who dealt the final blow.
Higi Village was nothing but a tragic footnote of the war.
The Resistance forces from Watatsumi Island had shattered the warding stones, releasing the lingering spirits and cursing the struggling village of Higi with sickness and death. Yet, they still believed they were the heroes, liberating the island's people.
Meanwhile, those who placed their hope in the Shogunate's supposed aid had no idea that the "rescue" was merely a cover to quarantine and eliminate them, preventing the sickness from spreading to Narukami Island and jeopardizing the Tenryou Commission's stability.
As for the villagers who remained, barely clinging to life, Jinjou had already sacrificed them to the lingering spirits haunting the shrine.
By the time the game events occurred, the only ones to have survived from Higi Village were Chouji and perhaps his mother, who had left for Sumeru.
The memories of those in-game tragedies surfaced, making Luo Qing feel a chill of disgust.
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Status Power Mingguan
200+ Peringkat
Power 
238 Power
stone Anda mungkin juga menyukai
Komentar Paragraf