Red Moon Fortress, Chanup's home——
Chanup held the pipe, took big puffs of the cigarette, and puffed out clouds of smoke to his heart's content.
Although he was the person in charge of the entire Red Moon Fortress, he never treated himself specially. He didn't build himself a very luxurious house, nor did he get himself a large number of waiters.
Chanup's house is ordinary, but in terms of grandeur, many people's houses in the Red Moon Fortress are more grand than Chanup's.
In a nutshell - Chanup's house does not look like the house where the highest administrator of the Red Moon Fortress with thousands of people lives.
Chanup sat cross-legged in his not-so-spacious and imposing house, quietly waiting...
Waiting for someone to come.
Finally - the person he was waiting for came.
"Chaanup. I brought the old man here."
“Come in.” Chanup spit out a big eye circle.
The door curtain was lifted and two people entered.
The leader of the two was the burly man who had just come to report the news to Chanup.
Behind this burly man, there followed an elderly Japanese man.
After the two men entered, Chanup immediately turned his gaze, passing the burly man and looking at the old Heman - and while Chanup was looking at the old Heman, the old Heman was also looking at Chanup.
The emotions contained in the two people's eyes were surprisingly similar - they were both looking at strangers.
"Kimship, thank you for your hard work." Chanup said to the burly man, "Kimship, do you have anything to do next?"
"Nothing important to do." Kim Heep scratched his lush beard.
"Okay. Then do me a favor." Chanup turned his gaze to the door of his house. "I hope you can help me guard the door now and don't let anyone in - including my daughter and my son."
"Everyone?" Kim Heep asked in surprise.
"Yes. Everyone."
"I understand." Kim Heep nodded solemnly and turned to walk out the door.
As he turned to leave, Kimship subconsciously looked at the old man with a puzzled look.
Kimship could figure out with his ass that Chanup asked him to guard the door so that he could meet and talk with the old man better.
He couldn't help but wonder in his heart: Who is this old guy...
…
…
"What are you discussing? You seem to be discussing it so enthusiastically." Aisuma, who was walking home, holding her bow, approached her three friends who were standing on the roadside discussing something with a puzzled look on her face.
"Aisuma, don't you know yet?" one of Aisuma's three friends asked back.
"Know what? I've just been practicing archery." Asuma shook the bow in his hand.
"Just now, an elderly Japanese man came to our Heyezhe. It is said that he drove a dog sled to the front door of our Heyezhe and shouted: Tell your father that the 'God of Tang' is here."
"God of Tang?" Aisuma raised her eyebrows.
"Aisuma, is this man your father's friend?"
Aisuma quickly went over the name in her mind - she didn't remember that her father had a good friend named "Tang Shen".
Asuma shook her head. "I don't know this person... maybe he is an old friend of my father from long ago. Where is that Tang Shen now? Is he still outside the gate?"
"He's gone. The Tang Shen has been released and taken directly to your father. When the Tang Shen was taken to your father, we went to watch. He was indeed a very old man with white hair and beard."
"He was taken to my father?" Asuma frowned slightly. "That might really be an old friend of my father... I will go home and take a look now."
After saying that, Asuma said goodbye to his three friends and walked quickly towards his home.
As soon as Asuma arrived at the door of her house, she saw Kimship just walking out of the house.
When Kimship saw Aisuma, he immediately raised his hands and blocked her way: "Aisuma, you can't go in for the time being."
Asuma was stunned: "Why?"
"That's what Chanup told me," Kimship said. "He seemed to want to have a good chat with the old man who suddenly visited. He told me to stay here and not let anyone in, including you and your brother."
Asuma pouted: "Even I am not allowed to enter... Who is that old Kazuto... Kimship, do you know the Kazuto named Tang Shen?"
"Aisuma, if even you don't know the Japanese called Tang Shen, then I, who just moved in after Heyezhe was established, don't know him either." Kimship smiled bitterly, "But the Japanese speaks Ainu quite fluently and standardly."
"Just by listening to that Japanese speaking Ainu, I couldn't imagine that he was a Japanese."
"So I guess that Kazuto might have lived with us Ainu for a long time. Otherwise, it's hard to imagine how he could speak Ainu so fluently."
…
…
After Kimship obediently left Chanup's house as Chanup instructed and stood guard at Chanup's door, Chanup pointed his chin in front of him.
"Please sit wherever you like."
The old man picked up the thick and long walking stick in his hand, walked quickly to Chanup, and then sat down cross-legged like Chanup.
Chanup opened his mouth and seemed about to say something.
But as soon as he opened his mouth, he seemed to remember something, his expression paused, and then he smiled bitterly:
"I almost forgot that your name now is Tang Shen... I almost wanted to call you by your old name."
"Tang Shen, you've aged a lot. When I saw you just now, I almost didn't recognize you... When was the last time we met?"
"I don't remember it anymore." The old man - or rather, Tang Shen, spoke slowly in fluent and standard Ainu language, "You too... When I saw you just now, I almost didn't recognize you either. You've turned into an old uncle."
"I shouldn't have changed as much as you have," Chanup shrugged. "You look like an ordinary old man now. Has peace lasted too long?"
At this point, Chanup suddenly looked sideways at the thick and long crutch that Thompson placed on the right side of his body.
"…But you still carry this thing with you…"
"Okay, Chanup. Let's save the small talk for later." Tang Shen crossed his arms and looked straight at Chanup in front of him. His expression gradually became serious. "I came to you suddenly after a long absence because I have something very important to tell you."
"Just now when I entered your Heyezhe, I discovered that you are still living a leisurely life. It seems that you don't know that something big has happened."
"Big deal?" Chanup frowned. "What happened?"
Tang Shen sighed.
"Cha Nup, your Heyezhe...is going to be finished..."
…
…
The place where Ogata and the others are currently hiding is——
Ogata raised his hand and touched Atachi's forehead - the temperature was about the same as when he left last night.
At this time, Ogata had already changed into clean clothes and washed off all the blood and stains on his body.
After taking back his hand from taking A-Ming's temperature, Ogata turned his head to look at Yashili beside him and said softly:
"Has A-Ming woken up since last night?"
Yashili looked at Ogata blankly - she didn't understand what Ogata had just said in Japanese.
Ogata was completely helpless regarding this language barrier...he could only hope that Ayizan, who was out hunting, would come back soon.
Ogata grabbed the clean cloth beside him and gently wiped the fine beads of sweat that had just appeared on Atachi's face.
"Mashima-san, do you want to take a rest now?" Yashili, who was sitting next to Ogata, said while pretending to sleep, trying to communicate with Ogata using "sign language". "You look very tired... I think it's better for you to take a rest now... I'll call you when lunch is ready. (Ainu)"
After watching what Yashili did many times, Ogata finally understood what Yashili meant.
No matter who it is, after running into a military camp with 3,000 soldiers stationed there, they would not act as if nothing happened.
Although Ogata was not seriously injured, he was mentally and physically exhausted - especially mentally.
There is nothing much to say about the physical strength. I rushed left and right in the camp alone, moving basically entirely on my feet, and I even entered the "state of no self" once in the middle of the journey.
As for his mind - since breaking into the camp, Ogata's nerves have been in a state of tension. He is alert to his surroundings and guarding against any possible attacks.
After successfully leaving the camp and relaxing his tense nerves, Ogata instantly felt fatigue surging from his brain and every muscle in his body.
The double exhaustion of mind and physical strength indeed makes Ogata's condition look quite bad now, to the extent that "outsiders can tell at a glance that this person is very tired now."
Ogata, who understood Yashili's "sign language", was just thinking about whether to follow Yashili's advice and take a short rest when he suddenly heard a low gasp coming from the side.
The volume of the gasp was neither too loud nor too soft - just enough for Ogata and Yashiri to hear clearly.
Hearing the gasp, Ogata and Akiri quickly turned their heads to look at Atachi beside them as if by reflex. Atachi, who had kept her eyes closed since Ogata left last night, now opened her eyes a little, tilted her head, and looked at Ogata and Akiri.
Before Ogata and Yashiri could say anything, Atachi spoke to them in a weak voice:
“Is there any water…?”
Yashili has followed Ogata, Atachi and others for such a long time that she can now recognize some simple Japanese words.
She didn't understand what Ating meant by what he just said.
But she heard the word "water".
Ah-Ming had been sweating profusely since last night, and had not taken a single drop of water. It would be strange if he was not dehydrated. After realizing that Ah-Ming probably wanted to drink some water, Ya-Hil nodded vigorously, said "There is water, there is water" several times in Ainu, and quickly got out of the hunting lodge.
After a while, Yashili reappeared in front of Ogata and Amaji with a large cup of warm water.
Ogata helped Atachi sit up with one hand, and took the warm water handed to her by Yashili with the other hand. He tried it himself first, and after confirming that the water temperature was okay, he handed the cup of warm water to Atachi's already cracked lips.
Ating, who was extremely thirsty, drank the cup of warm water like a buffalo. In just two breaths, he finished it all.
"Would you like to drink more?" Ogata asked.
Ating shook his head: "I'm full..."
After hearing what Atachi said, Obe handed the cup back to Yashili.
Just as Ogata was about to ask Ating to lie down again, Ating said to Ogata in advance:
"Wait a minute... I was lying down the whole day yesterday and my back hurts from it. Let me sit for a while now. It will be good for my health."
"Won't it be uncomfortable to sit there?" Ogata asked.
"No...I feel more comfortable sitting down now..."
"Oh well……"
Ogata changed his sitting position from sitting beside Atachi to sitting behind Atachi, so that Atachi could use him as the back of the chair and lean on him.
Upon seeing this, Yashili took the cup that Ogata had just handed back and quickly left the hunting lodge, leaving enough space for Ogata and Atachi.
In fact, Ogata was not afraid that Yashili would stay here - she couldn't understand his conversation with A-Machi anyway.
"How do you feel now? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"Except for the pain in my wound and feeling very tired, everything else is fine..." Ating forced a not-so-pretty smile, "How long have I slept? What time is it now?"
"You've slept for seven or eight hours, and it's already noon."
"Have I slept for so long..."
After saying that, Atachi closed her eyes and leaned her head against Ogata's left shoulder.
"Do you have an appetite now?" Ogata asked, "Ayizan has gone hunting and should be back soon. I'll see if I can cook something nourishing for you."
"I feel like my appetite should be okay now... I should be able to eat something..." After saying that, Atachi buried his head in Ogata's shoulder and said, "Let's not talk about my business for now... Let's talk about yours..."
"My business?" Ogata raised his eyebrows.
"You smell... strongly of blood..."
Ogata's expression froze.
"Although your clothes look clean...but when I leaned against you just now, I immediately smelled the blood on you..."
"So... you went to avenge me after all...?"
"...Yeah." At this point, Ogata couldn't think of any way to hide this matter, so he pursed his lips and nodded gently, "While you were sleeping, I went to avenge you. The guy who almost killed you is now sleeping forever."
After Ogata finished speaking, Atachi slowly opened her eyes, then raised her head and looked at Ogata, who was sitting behind her and using his body as a chair back for her. An emotion that was difficult to describe in words slowly emerged in the depths of her eyes.
"You're not hurt...?" she asked.
Ogata smiled and shook his head:
"I'm not injured. If you don't believe me, you can feel around."
"Why can't you just be more patient..." There was a hint of blame in Ating's tone.
She closed her eyes, leaned her head against Ogata's left shoulder again, and said no more.
Seeing that Atachi was silent, Ogata could not help but said in a cautious tone:
"I thought you were going to scold me harshly... scold me for not listening to you obediently..."
"I don't have the energy to scold you now..." Ating sighed softly , "Besides, since it has already happened, there is no point in me scolding you anymore..."
"As long as you are okay..."
"Mr. Majima, Ms. Atachi!"
At this moment, Yashili's voice suddenly came from outside the house.
Yashili, who had just left, went back into the hunting lodge.
"Mr. Aizen is back. (Ainu language)"
As soon as Yashili finished speaking, Ai Zan's voice rang out from outside the house:
"Mr. Majima, you're finally back... Ah! Ms. Atachi, are you awake?"
Ai Zan followed Yashili into the hunting lodge carrying a bow and arrow and a fat rabbit. He was surprised to see Ogata who had finally returned and Ating who had woken up.
"I'm sorry to have made you worry." Ogata said, "Thank you for helping to take care of Atachi while I was away."
Ayi Zan quickly said: “It’s nothing, please don’t mind it.”
"Mashima-san, you came back just in time."
At this point, a strange look appeared on Ayizan's face.
"We have... guests visiting."
After hesitating for a long time, Ayizan finally uttered the word "guest".