Volume 4: The Undead Chapter 209: Tracking down "Immortality"
"We at Huluwu obtain various types of rice through various channels, and then sell the rice to various people with illegal sources to make a profit."
"For example, the Yakuza and bandits from all over the country are our main trading partners in Huluwu."
"We use the money earned from selling rice to maintain the normal operation of the Calabash House, and also to provide sufficient funds for our pursuit of the 'Immortality'."
As soon as Mamiya finished speaking, Makimura's expression changed instantly.
“Hey! Mamiya!” Makimura’s face suddenly darkened and he frowned, “Are you going to tell these things to Brother Ogata too…?”
"What does it matter?" Mamiya shrugged, looking fearless, "It's not something shameful."
"Tracking...'Immortality'...?" Ogata asked back with a puzzled look on his face.
"My lord, the owner of the Gourd House, 'Buddha', is very interested in the legend of 'immortality' that is spreading throughout Japan."
"The legend of 'immortality'..." Atachi, who was standing next to Ogata, muttered, "The legend about Yaobikuni who ate mermaid flesh?"
"That's right." Mamiya nodded, "But besides Yaobikuni, there are similar rumors about the 'immortal' all over Japan."
"Don't talk about the distant, just talk about the near."
"About 80 years ago, there was a rumor in Yuanjiang that a poor peasant in Yuanjiang had a dispute with his enemy over some trivial matters and was stabbed to death by his enemy."
"After being stabbed to death, this poor peasant miraculously ."
"Fifty years ago, a legend of an 'immortal' also emerged in the Dewa region, but this 'immortal' in the Dewa region turned into a little girl."
"This little girl also died in an accident and then suddenly came back to life."
"There are many more rumors like this, so I won't go into detail. "
"My lord is very interested in these rumors."
"My lord wants to know very much - whether there are really immortal people in the world, and whether there is such a power that can make people immortal."
“So we built the Gourd House and made money from it.”
"Then he gathered various ronin, led by Makimura and me, and began to lead us all over Japan, tracking down the 'immortal'."
"Your lord is so naive." A-Ming said with a hint of sarcasm, "He actually believed these rumors and spent so much effort to determine whether they were true or not."
"In some ways - it's really stupid."
Mamiya shrugged.
"At that time, when I learned that the lord wanted to investigate 'immortality' to see if there really were immortals in the world and if there really was a power that could make people immortal, my first reaction was not to support the lord. Instead, I thought the lord should have a good sleep and clear his mind."
"But this man is my lord after all. He is determined to track down the Immortal, so we can only accompany him."
"But—we're lucky."
"All the efforts we have put into tracking down 'immortality' over the years have not been in vain."
“Until today, there are finally results.”
"Although neither Makimura nor I have seen the cannibals on this island with our own eyes."
"But if cannibal ghosts are truly immortal, then that means there really is a power in this world that can make people immortal."
After hearing what Mamiya said, Atachi shut up and stopped talking.
Before landing on this island, Ating must have scoffed at the rumors about the "undeads".
But after landing on the island and seeing with his own eyes the cannibals who could not be killed no matter how hard they tried, Ating had to look at these "undead" legends that he had previously scoffed at with a new perspective.
"Around the autumn of last year, my lord learned through various channels that a monster named the Man-Eating Ghost appeared on this Butterfly Island that could not be killed no matter what."
"The lord who has been desperately searching for 'immortality' will naturally not turn a blind eye to Butterfly Island."
"So they asked me and Makimura to go to the island and collect all the information related to cannibals and the undead."
"The way to come to this island is actually very simple. All you have to do is cause some serious punishment and get caught by the government."
"Ogata-kun, the reason why I came to the Tatsuno Domain was because I had two missions to accomplish."
"The first mission is to assist my lord with my other companion in destroying the Negishi family."
"As I just said, our main trading partners in Calabash House are Yakuza and bandits."
“So there are always some people who don’t know what’s good for them , thinking that we are small and easy to bully, so they buy our rice without paying.”
"The Negishi Naomasa of the Negishi family is such an idiot."
"My lord hates people who don't keep their integrity, so he personally led me and another companion to the Tatsuno Domain to attack the Negishi family."
"As for my second mission, after assisting the lord in annihilating the Negishi family, I deliberately allowed myself to be captured by the government, so that I could successfully board Butterfly Island."
"As long as I can be caught by the government, it doesn't matter whether the one who catches me is from the Tatsuno clan or the fire thief Kai."
"You should know what happened afterwards, Ogata-kun."
After listening to Mamiya's story quietly, Ogata muttered:
"I see... I now understand all the causes and consequences... When Hasegawa led the officers to surround the camp where I was, their encirclement suddenly caused quite a commotion, allowing me to successfully break out of the encirclement - the people who caused the commotion at that time, could it be your lord and your companion?"
"That's right." Mamiya nodded with a smile, "Although I'm not quite sure why the two of them would help you."
"Heh." Ogata suddenly sneered, "Mamiya, from a certain perspective, the reason why I ended up on this island is all because of you."
"Hasegawa and his men have been planning to hunt down your lord and you since the beginning. They have no idea who I am."
"As a result, because I stayed with you, I was implicated by you."
"Haha..." Hearing Ogata's criticism, Mamiya gave a few awkward dry laughs.
After coughing a few times and adjusting his emotions and state, Mamiya said to Ogata in a serious tone:
"Okay, I've answered one of your questions."
"Now it's my turn."
"Ogata-kun. Please answer the question I asked you a few months ago, but which has been put on hold until now due to various unexpected events."
"Ogata-kun, why... do you know my lord's swordsmanship - Muga Nito-ryu?"
As soon as Mamiya said this, Makimura, who had been listening quietly on the side, suddenly changed his expression.
"Muga Nito-ryu..." Makimura muttered with a look of disbelief on his face, while looking Ogata up and down several times with a surprised look, "Brother Ogata, you actually know Muga Nito-ryu?"
At this time, Omachi, who was standing next to Ogata, also looked at Ogata with surprise:
"Ayi, you actually know two-sword swordsmanship?"
