In Edo, the inn where Ogata and the others were staying, Omachi's room——
Ah-Ming knelt in front of a small table.
On the table was Su Ying, with the gun barrel opened.
Like swords, muskets are delicate weapons that require frequent maintenance.
When it comes to maintaining his pistol, Ating never slacks off.
His eyes were fixed on the cherry blossom in his hand, and his fingers of both hands were using skillful movements to clean some tiny dirt on the cherry blossom and maintain it.
But gradually, Ating's movements slowed down.
Ating's bright eyes gradually became dull.
The whole person seemed to have entered a trance state.
However, Ating's trance did not last long, and he was awakened by a male voice outside the door:
"A-Ming, are you there?"
It was Ogata's voice.
After recovering from his trance, Atachi shuddered and hurriedly responded:
"I am here."
After getting a response from Atachi, Obe slowly opened the door and stepped into Atachi's room.
Ogata just stayed at "Kitakaze-ya" until Chiba came out with the results of the diagnosis and treatment.
According to Chiba, Kondo's leg injury was just a minor one. After applying his special medicine and having a good night's rest, he would be able to walk normally the next morning.
After confirming that Kondo was not seriously injured, Ogata said goodbye to Kondo and left "Kitakaze-ya".
Before leaving, Kondo tried to persuade Ogata to stay and chat with him more.
Ogata naturally rejected Kondo's invitation.
After all, he had to go to Yoshiwara's place for work at night.
Then, late at night, he would go on his routine "rat hunt" with Genichi.
In order to comfort the depressed Kondo, Ogata promised Kondo that he would visit again when he had free time and they would have a good chat then.
Because it was still early, Ogata did not go directly to Yoshiwara, but went back to the hotel where they were staying first.
After entering Atachi's room, Oofang saw Atachi kneeling in front of the table, maintaining and caring for Suying.
"You are taking care of Suying." Ogata sat cross-legged next to Atachi.
"Yeah. After all, the last maintenance was 4 days ago. Motoya and Kasumi need maintenance every 4 days at the latest."
At this point, Ating paused.
Then he turned his head and cast a sharp look at Ogata.
"Let me confirm this - you haven't neglected Kasumi Nagi's care, have you?"
"I have never neglected it." Under the influence of the "desire to survive", Ogata responded as quickly as possible, "Whether it is Kasumigaseki or my sword, I have never neglected the maintenance. I maintain Kasumigaseki once every three days."
After hearing what Ogata said, Atachi withdrew her sharp gaze with a satisfied look on her face.
"By the way, where did you put the cannon I gave you before?" Ogata looked around.
"I left it there." Ating pointed his chin towards a corner of the room.
The iron cannon that Ogata gave to Atachi lay quietly in a corner of the room, covered with a thin cloth to prevent dust.
This iron cannon was naturally obtained by Ogata from the remnants of the bandits when he and Genichi were conducting their first "rat hunt".
The remaining bandits still proudly believed that they could kill Genichi with the power of technology, and loudly announced to Genichi that "times have changed."
Then Genichi proved to him with practical actions: "Times are changing rapidly."
Because he couldn't let other people... especially Lin, know that he and Genichi sneaked out late at night every day, so Ogata lied that he got the cannon from a thief after catching him causing trouble in Yoshiwara.
This iron cannon naturally fell into the hands of Ating, who was good at using firearms.
"It's a good thing to have more cannons," Atachi said with a wry smile, "but this type of cannon is actually hard to use. After firing a shot, it takes a long time to load a new bullet."
"Although it's not very practical, it's better than nothing." Ogata also smiled bitterly.
"Yeah." Ating nodded gently, "That's right..."
After saying that, Ating turned his gaze back to Suying in his hand, and his ten fingers moved flexibly again, continuing to maintain Suying quickly and accurately.
Ogata continued to sit cross-legged beside Atachi, staring at Atachi's face thoughtfully.
Feeling somewhat uncomfortable being stared at, Atachi turned to look at Ogata again: "Why are you staring at me like that..."
"…Nothing, I just feel like you haven't been in good spirits lately, A-Machi." Ogata said softly, "You look like you have something on your mind."
Hearing what Ogata said, the expression on Atachi's face froze.
Probably before Ogata even lurked in Yoshiwara, Ogata vaguely noticed that Atachi was acting strange.
Ogata originally thought that this was just a normal phenomenon. After all, it is impossible for a normal person to be full of energy every day.
But gradually, Ogata discovered that things did not seem simple.
Ating seemed to be worried about something.
I stare blankly from time to time, not knowing what I am thinking about.
At this moment, Ating was also like this. Although he was carefully protecting Suying in his hands, there was still a listless look between his eyebrows.
"If you have anything on your mind, you can tell me." Ogata said softly, "Did you encounter anything that made you feel bad recently?"
"…I haven't encountered anything that made me in a bad mood." A hint of helplessness appeared on Ating's face.
After a moment of silence, Ating said softly:
"…I'm just worried about Uncle Qing."
"Uncle Qing?"
Ogata repeated the name which seemed unfamiliar to him.
After just a moment's recollection, Ogata remembered who he was.
After reuniting with Atachi in Kyoto and learning that Atachi had actually become a traitor, Atachi mentioned this person to Ogata.
It was this person who helped Atachi escape from the Shiranui.
Ogata remembered that Atachi said that this person was a good friend of her father.
The relationship with Atachi is like that of uncle and nephew.
How close is the relationship?
Motozakura and Kasumi are the greatest masterpieces of Atachi's father.
If the people in Shiranui knew that he had made such a weapon, it might cause trouble, so Atachi's father had been trying his best to hide the existence of these two pistols.
Therefore, according to Atachi at that time, in the entire Shiranui, the only people who knew about the existence of these two pistols were Atachi's father, Atachi, and Uncle Qing.
The fact that Uncle Qing is trusted by Ating's father shows the relationship between him and Ating's family.
When Atachi left Chou Island and was about to return to Shiranui to report, it was this Uncle Qing who sneaked out of Shiranui, found her before Atachi returned to Shiranui, and told her the news that she had been demoted to "Gu".
Not only did he tip off Atachi, he also brought out Atachi's two pistols - Motoya and Kasumi - to help Atachi prepare for escape.
It can be said that the reason why Ating can be so lively in front of Yu Obe is all thanks to Uncle Qing.
Ah Ting has rarely talked about her past.
He rarely talks about his previous life in Shiranui.
I seldom talk about my parents.
I rarely talk about Uncle Qing.
Ever since Ogata discovered her identity as a traitor in Kyoto and she was forced to mention Uncle Qing to Ogata once, Atachi never mentioned Uncle Qing to Ogata again.
As a result, after hearing the name "Uncle Qing" from Atachi's mouth for the first time in a long time, Ogata was stunned for a moment before realizing who he was.
——He is A-Machi’s uncle… So in a way, he is also my uncle…
Ogata thought to himself.
"I don't know how Uncle Qing is doing now... If only Uncle Qing had run away with me back then..." Ating sighed softly.
"Run with you?" Ogata asked doubtfully.
"Yeah." Ating nodded.
"At that time, Uncle Qing found me who was about to return to Shiranui and told me that I had been demoted to 'Guard'. At that time, I asked Uncle Qing to escape with me."
"If one day in the future, the people in Shiranui find out that it was Uncle Qing who tipped me off, Uncle Qing will definitely not have a good ending."
"It would be better to just follow me and run away."
"But Uncle Qing rejected it..."
"He said he had important things to do and couldn't leave just like that."
"It's been several months since we last parted..."
After saying that, Ating sighed heavily again.
Atachi's hands have not stopped since the beginning. She has been telling Ogata about Uncle Qing while taking care of Suying.
After uttering this long sigh, the care for Su Ying was just completed.
After reloading the gun chamber with bullets and stuffing Su Ying back into his arms, A-Machi raised his hands and patted his cheeks, causing the flesh on his face to bounce.
"This is really difficult... We don't know when we will have to launch a general attack on Shiranui. What if we accidentally hurt Uncle Qing..."
"Have you been worried about this matter for some time, so that's why you always look troubled?" Ogata asked.
"...Yeah." Ating nodded gently, "I guess so... But besides Uncle Qing's matter, there are some other things that are bothering me..."
"Uncle Qing, does he have any obvious physical features? For example, a scar on his face? In this way, when we attack Shiranui, we can recognize him and avoid accidental injuries." Ogata asked again.
"Uncle Qing's face doesn't have any features worth mentioning..." A-Ming sighed softly, "If Uncle Qing had any features worth mentioning, I would have told Miss Kinoshita and the others to pay more attention to this person in the future..."
"Uncle Qing has ordinary facial features, with eyes that are neither too big nor too small, a nose that is neither too big nor too small, lips that are neither too thin nor too thick... He doesn't have any birthmarks or obvious scars on his body..."
"And I also can't draw, so I can't draw Uncle Qing's face."
"I don't know what to do now..."
Bitterness gradually appeared on Ating's face.
"Ayi, do you have any ideas? How can we avoid accidentally hurting Uncle Qing when attacking Shiranui?"
"Let me think about it..."
…
…
In Edo, Shiranui, somewhere——
Boom, boom, boom, boom…
There was a constant sound of axes chopping trees.
A ragged man was working in the woods.
They are of different ages, some have gray hair, while others still have childishness in their eyes and eyebrows.
Probably the only thing they have in common is that they are all dirty, and their clothes are so torn that they can hardly be called "clothes".
They were all "dirty" people who were forced to cut down trees and open up wasteland.
Ever since the Flame Demon made the decision to expand the scope of the village a while ago, most of the "Gu" living in the "Gu Village" were forced to cut wood and open up wasteland, working from morning to night, and no one knew when they would have to work.
A Sheng is one of them.
Ah Sheng's facial features were ordinary, his face was covered in dirt, and his small eyes were dull and lifeless. It seemed as if he was looking at something, but also as if he was looking at nothing.
He is considered to be one of the younger ones among the "Gu", only 15 years old this year, and was demoted to "Gu" only a year ago.
Asheng was originally a Genin, the child of a "former female ninja" who was demoted to the "Hanaya".
"Hanaya" is the final destination of most of the "former female kunoichi" who were demoted to "dirty".
While becoming a tool for venting emotions, they are also responsible for acting as reproductive machines, providing fresh blood for the village.
Children born to the "female maids" of "Hanaya" will be trained as future ninjas from an early age.
Ah Sheng doesn't know who his father is, nor does he know who his mother is.
Ever since he could remember, he had been spending every day in hard practice.
However - whether in terms of training intensity or attitude towards training, Asheng is not inferior to anyone.
What a pity: his talent is too poor.
Until he was 14, Shiranui had not successfully mastered any of the four major techniques: assassination, stealth, breath-holding, and jutsu.
In the end, the ninjas in charge of the assessment unanimously determined that Asheng was "useless".
So a year ago he was demoted to a "Gu" and thrown into the "Gu Village", where he had to do all sorts of rough and hard work day and night.
After being demoted to "Gu", male ninjas will have their original names stripped away.
For example, Asheng’s original name was “Shengtaro”. After being demoted to “Gu”, his name was changed to the current “Asheng”.
The names of female ninjas will not change after being demoted to "Ku".
After all, the names of female ninjas are basically "A X", which cannot be changed.
Although Ah Sheng has not mastered any of the four major techniques in Shiranui, he is still very strong.
Ah Sheng swung his arm and smashed the axe in his hand heavily into the giant tree in front of him, making the wound on the tree even deeper.
Just as Ah Sheng was about to swing the axe in his hand and smash it against the huge tree in front of him, a loud shout suddenly rang out:
"Everyone stop! Go back!"
Hearing this loud shout, Ah Chang breathed a sigh of relief.
—Is today's work over?
This loud shout was made by a Chunin who was in charge of supervising them.
Around the woods where they were working, there were dozens of Chuunin and Genin to supervise and guard to prevent anyone from sneaking away while they were working.
After this loud shout, the "dirt"s formed long lines without saying a word, taking weak steps like pieces of paper swaying in the wind.
After the team was lined up, they walked slowly forward under the leadership of the ninjas who were responsible for supervising them.
Their destination, naturally, is their home - "Gucun".
Crackle, clackle...
The shackles on their feet made crisp sounds when they were dragged...
When he returned to "Gu Village", Ah Sheng smelled a faint and pleasant fragrance.
Smelling the fragrance, Ah Sheng, who had been expressionless from the beginning, finally showed a hint of a smile on his face.
Now is the happiest time of the day for Ah Sheng... no, it should be said that it is the happiest time for almost all "Gu": time for dinner.
There is a small open space in the center of the "Gu Village". The "Gu" eats two meals a day in this small open space.
Every time it was mealtime, ninjas would push their food to this small open space and distribute the meals one by one.
A Sheng and his friends were led to this small open space.
At this moment, there were already two Genin standing at the northern end of the small clearing.
There was a large wooden barrel in front of the two Genin, with a faint smell of heat and rice coming out of the barrel.
A Sheng and others were divided into two teams and lined up in front of the two large wooden barrels to receive their respective dinners for tonight.
From leaving the woods for work to arriving at the place to eat, everything was so orderly.
The "Gu" silently obeyed the orders of the ninjas, stopping work when told to, and lining up for meals when told to.
The ninjas responsible for guarding the "Ku" also performed their guarding duties, always keeping an eye out for any troublemakers.
If everyone behaves well, these guards will not do anything to the quiet and obedient "dirt".
Everything is so harmonious and stable.
After waiting in line silently, it was finally Ah Sheng's turn to get his meal.
The Genin in charge of distributing rice, who was standing in front of Ah Sheng and separated from him by a bucket, picked up a lotus leaf with a little impatience, scooped a spoonful of barnyard grass from the bucket, put it on the lotus leaf, and then handed it to Ah Sheng.
There were no bowls, no chopsticks, only a lotus leaf to hold the rice.
As they are "dirty", barnyard grass is their staple food.
As for rice and millet... he hasn't seen rice and millet for a long time since Ah Sheng was demoted to "dirty".
Barnyard grass is a weed in the fields that is difficult to swallow and so unpalatable that it cannot be called food. It is generally used as livestock feed.
Only the extremely poor eat tares.
He hurriedly took his dinner for the night, feeling the warmth transmitted to his palm through the lotus leaf, a hint of joy appeared on Ah Sheng's face.
"Thanks!"
Holding the barnyard grass in his hand, Ah Sheng respectfully thanked the Genin in front of him who was responsible for distributing the food, then quickly ran to the side, sat down on the ground, and ate with his hands.
While eating happily, Ah Sheng suddenly heard an angry shout from the "meal time" counter:
"It's great that we're giving you food to eat! How dare you be so picky!"
As soon as this angry shout came out, the sound of a fist hitting someone's face was heard.
Ah Sheng looked in the direction of the sound while chewing the weeds in his mouth.
I saw a boy who was younger than him falling to the ground, covering his cheek with his hands, his face full of pain.
The ninja who was in charge of distributing food rushed over and kicked the boy who had already fallen to the ground several times in the stomach.
Whether it was the other ninjas who were responsible for watching over the "dirty" ninjas, or the "dirty" ninjas who were eating or queuing, they all watched the abuser and the abused silently.
No one spoke, and no one stepped forward to stop it.
The ninjas seemed to be watching a show and even laughed quietly.
As for the "dirt", they just watched silently with expressionless faces.
Looking at the young man who was still being beaten, a sneer appeared on Ah Sheng's lips.
He silently cursed the young man for his stupidity.
Ah Sheng knew this young man.
The boy's name is A-Bang. He is a newcomer to their "Gu Village". He moved here just a month ago and seems to be only 13 years old this year.
This is not the first time that Abang has been beaten.
About 10 days ago, Abang asked the ninja in charge of distributing meals if he could change the rations so that they wouldn't have to eat weeds anymore.
Then, as expected, he was beaten up.
Judging from what the ninja just said, Ah Bang probably didn't learn his lesson and asked again "Can I change my rations?"
After shifting his gaze away from the gangster who was still being beaten, Ah Sheng sneered softly.
——If he gets beaten a few more times, he should be able to figure out what to do to avoid getting beaten.
Ah Sheng said this in his heart with a regretful tone.
After living in "Gu Village" for a year, Ah Sheng felt that he had mastered various life tips.
For example: never contradict the ninjas who are in charge of guarding them.
For example: After receiving the meal, you should say thank you respectfully.
These little tips helped Ah Sheng avoid being beaten much less often.
While lamenting the boy's stupidity and ignorance, Ah Sheng continued to enjoy the barnyard grass in his hand.
From dinner to bedtime, the "dirt" have about half an hour of rest time.
During this period, the "Gu" can move freely in the "Gu Village".
But you can’t leave “Gucun” even a step.
There are a large number of ninjas scattered around the "Ku Village" who are responsible for guarding them. Once a "Ku" is found to step out of the "Ku Village", he will either be punished or executed directly.
During this short break, Ah Sheng’s most common way of passing the time was to sit in a corner of “Gu Village” and stare at the night sky in a daze.
After all, there is nothing else to do except staring blankly and taking a nap.
Just as Ah Sheng was looking at the night sky above as usual, a noisy sound suddenly came from not far away.
Driven by curiosity, Ah Sheng stood up and walked towards the source of the sound, and then saw from a distance what was happening - two ninjas were beating up two "Gu", one older and one younger.
The two "dirty" ones lay on the ground, holding their heads tightly, silently enduring the punches and kicks from the two ninjas without any resistance.
The "dirty" people who happened to be present all stood far away and knelt on the ground respectfully.
Seeing this, Ah Sheng shrank his neck, not daring to get closer, and hurriedly ran back to the place where he had just been sitting in a daze.
Ninjas appeared in the "Gu Village" and beat up the "Gu" people every day.
Or it is because of "dirt" that mistakes are made.
Or maybe you just want to vent.
Some ninjas who are in a bad mood will go to the "Ku Village" to beat up "Ku" to vent their anger - this kind of thing is not uncommon.
Ah Sheng didn't know whether the two ninjas were here to teach "Gu" a lesson or to vent their anger. In order to avoid being implicated, Ah Sheng left quickly as if by reflex and returned to the place where he had been sitting in a daze.
“It’s so scary…”
Ah Sheng patted his chest lightly.
"Fortunately, I run fast..."
This is another little trick that Ah Sheng learned after living in "Gu Village" for a year: If you spot a ninja, run away from it unless you can't avoid it, and don't step forward to intervene no matter what you see.
Because there were no entertainment activities, this half-hour break was painfully long for most of the "Gu".
After enduring this half hour, you can start the most relaxing and most popular activity of the day besides eating - sleeping.
The "Gu" in "Gu Village" were divided into three groups, sleeping in three large houses with only one floor.
There were no tatami mats or any furniture in the house. There was only a layer of straw on the mud floor, and the "dirty creatures" slept on the straw.
Just like queuing up for food, the "dirty" people lined up one by one and entered the room where they slept.
In a short while, the straw was filled with people.
It's so crowded that you can bump into the person next to you just by turning around.
The high-intensity work that started in the morning made Ah Sheng exhausted long ago.
Not long after lying on the wet and damp straw that had been stained black by sweat and dirt, Ah Sheng began to feel sleepy.
However, just as Ah Sheng was about to fall asleep, a low cry of pain came from above his head:
“It hurts…it hurts…”
Ah Sheng raised his head and looked above himself.
He discovered that the person sleeping on top of him was the same A-Bang who had asked the ninja tonight if he could change his rations.
Although the light around was dim, Ah Sheng could barely see clearly: Ah Bang's face was swollen than before.
The skin underneath the clothes probably isn't in any better condition.
Ah Bang's screams of pain disturbed many people around him, and those sleeping next to Ah Bang expressed their dissatisfaction:
"Stop arguing. It's just a beating."
"That's right, why are you arguing? Just be patient."
"This kind of pain...how can I possibly endure it..." A Bang looked aggrieved.
The conversation between Abang and others seemed to have aroused the conversation among the people around them.
Ah Sheng heard the people around him whispering:
"I heard that in a few days, new people will come to the 'Gu Village'."
"Really? That's great... With the number of 'Smudges' increasing, we can have some relief..."
"It is said that the newcomer who will be arriving in a few days is only 16 years old."
"So young, so pitiful..."
"You are so young, I don't know if you have ever experienced the joy of sex."
"It would be really pitiful if you came to the 'Scum Village' without even having experienced the joy of sex."
"Stop chatting. How can I sleep if you guys are so noisy?"
"There have been more ninjas entering and leaving the 'Sakamura' recently. I don't know why."
"They seem to be looking for someone."
"Who knows about this kind of thing? The ninjas never tell us anything. They just let us work hard until we die."
“It hurts…it hurts so much…”
"I've told you to just bear with it. You'll get used to being beaten soon enough."
"My right shoulder hurts too... I've been chopping trees all the time and my shoulder seems to have been strained... It hurts so much..."
"Go report this to the ninja and ask them to check your shoulder."
"What's the use? The ninjas were very perfunctory when they treated us. You should just hope that your shoulder can get better on its own."
"Sometimes I really want to die quickly... Once I die, I won't have to work so hard every day and eat disgusting weeds every day..."
Ah Sheng has been listening quietly to what the people around him are saying.
After hearing this, he immediately responded as if by reflex:
“Death?… If I could die, that would be really great.”
After saying that, Ah Sheng slowly opened his eyes and looked at the dark ceiling above.
The eyes that had always been dull and lifeless now flashed with a faint light.
"When I first came to 'Guo Village', every night before going to bed I imagined that someone would come with a knife and hack me to death in my sleep, and then I would go to the Western Paradise and live a leisurely life without worries about food and clothing."
"If there really is such a thing as 'someone comes over with a knife and chops you'..." someone not far away murmured, "that would be too wonderful..."
"What a wonderful wish..."
"It doesn't matter whether I can go to paradise or not. For me, it's enough to not have to live in fear every day."
"I've thought about something similar before. I hope someone will kill me one day. That way, I won't have to be a talking cow or horse anymore..."
"...Why are your thoughts so gloomy..." Ah Bang, who had just been covering his face and crying out in pain, said softly, "If it's just imagination, why don't you just imagine someone coming to save us?"
As soon as Ah Bang finished speaking, he was immediately laughed at by the people around him:
"There's no way anyone would come here to Shiranui to save us."
"Shiranui is so powerful, who would be willing to become her enemy to save us..."
"Here, hoping to die soon is the most realistic wish."
Ah Sheng did not continue to listen to the conversations of the people around him.
Just now, he closed his eyes again.
The light that just flickered in his pupils lasted only a moment before dimming again.
Ah Sheng didn't want to listen to the conversations of people around him anymore. He just wanted to go to bed quickly.
Because he will continue to go to the forest tomorrow to open up new land for Shiranui.
If he doesn't get enough sleep and doesn't have enough energy to work the next day, he will get beaten.
He didn't want to be beaten by the Shiranui ninjas.
…
…
Edo, Shiranui, torture chamber——
"Oh? Is this the big fish you were talking about?" The Flame Demon put his hands behind his back and looked at a middle-aged man who was tied to a pillar in front of him.
The shackles on the middle-aged man's feet announced his identity: "dirty".
This is the torture chamber in Shiranui.
As the name suggests, this is a place specifically used for interrogating and torturing others.
The humid air was filled with an unpleasant smell that was a mixture of blood, sweat, feces and urine.
"I don't know anything!" the middle-aged man shouted, "I really don't know anything! I have always been working quietly!"
Helping the village's ninja or "Kume" escape - this is a serious crime in Shiranui.
Although Shiranui, who successfully became the shogunate's official ninja some time ago, seems to be in a glorious position now, Enma, as the person with the highest authority, can still clearly see that there are many hidden dangers behind Shiranui's glory.
The most serious hidden danger is the lack of young talent.
Right now, both ninjas and "Gu" are in serious shortage in number.
Under the current circumstances, assisting "Gu" to escape is an unforgivable crime.
Therefore, after finding out that there were ninjas helping "Gu" escape, Enma 's mood at that time could only be described as uncontrollable anger.
Unfortunately - that ninja was unexpectedly well-informed.
As soon as Yan Mo and his men found out that this guy had done such an unforgivable thing, he ran away.
Enma wasn't going to let this bastard off just because he was causing his Shiranui's labor to decrease further.
After learning that this guy had escaped, Yan Mo sent his elite ninjas to track down this guy's whereabouts at all costs.
He had already made up his mind - he must find this guy and execute him to serve as a warning to the rest of the villagers, so that they would know what the consequences would be for helping the "dirty" people escape.
After Enma's investigation at all costs, he not only found out that the guy was hiding in Edo, but also found out that this guy had an accomplice outside the village.
So the Flame Demon made two preparations.
First, send elite ninjas led by Shintaro to continue tracking this rebel ninja in Edo.
Then send the rest of the people to continue gathering intelligence in "Gu Village".
This traitorous ninja had an accomplice outside the village - this was discovered when gathering intelligence in "Ku Village".
They found out all the "Gu" who had come into contact with the rebel ninja one by one, and tortured them one after another.
About a few days ago, one of the "Gu" finally couldn't stand the torture and blurted out the information that "this rebel ninja has an accomplice from outside the village."
Enma has been paying close attention to the capture of this traitorous ninja.
Not only was Shintaro required to report any new discoveries as soon as possible, but the ninjas responsible for gathering intelligence in "Ku Village" were also required to report immediately if they had any new discoveries.
Just now, Enma learned that another "Gu" who had close contact with the rebel ninja was captured in the "Gu Village".
And according to the subordinates who are responsible for gathering intelligence in "Gu Village", this time, it seems to be a big fish.
The big fish was named "Akang". According to their investigation and reports from others, this Akang had extremely close contact with the rebel ninja.
The Flame Demon happened to be relatively free at this time.
After learning that a big fish was caught, the Flame Demon came to the interrogation room with a leisurely attitude, intending to see with his own eyes what the big fish looked like.
It’s a pity that the big fish kept struggling and loudly stated that it was innocent.
Looking at Akang who kept saying that he was innocent, the Flame Demon sneered:
"I've lived for so long, and I've seen so many people say he's innocent."
"But the strange thing is - once we torture them beyond recognition, they will obediently tell us everything we want to know."
After leaving a faint sneer, the Flame Demon turned his head to look at his subordinates beside him.
"Let's get started."
"yes!"
Several ninjas standing next to Akang began to move.
They let down Akang, who was originally tied to a wooden pillar, and then hung him upside down.
Then... the interrogation began.
A ninja took out two five-inch nails and nailed them into the soles of Akang's feet like nailing wooden boards.
Two five-inch nails pierced Akang's soles little by little.
Blood oozes from the wound.
Screams of pain and wails came out of Akang's mouth.
The nail penetrates from the instep and comes out from the sole.
The ninja responsible for hammering nails for Akang put down the hammer only after the nail cap was pressed against the back of his feet.
But that’s not all.
This is just a prelude.
After the nails were hammered in, the real fun began.
The two ninjas who were in charge of hammering nails put down their hammers and each picked up two hundred-eye candles.
Hundred Eye Candle - Heavy duty candle weighing 375 grams.
They placed a hundred-mesh candle on the big iron nail that pierced Akang's foot, and then lit the candle.
In a blink of an eye, the wax flowed down from Akang's feet like sticky hot lead, dripping onto his calves.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaa——!”
As if to turn his vocal cords into a tearing scream, it burst out of Akang's throat without any pause.
The ninjas present all looked at Akang who was being tortured with indifference, and were not moved at all by Akang's screams.
The Flame Demon at the side even watched with great interest, carefully observing Akang's distorted facial features.