Genichi looked up and down at Chuguang, who had his head lowered, with a scrutinizing gaze.
"...Okay, then you can come along."
Yuan Yi is a straightforward person. He always makes decisions and speaks straightforwardly, and never nags.
It only took a few seconds from listening to Chu Guang's words to making the decision.
"Master Genichi." As soon as Genichi finished speaking, the first person to react violently was not Hatsukimi, but Asai.
Asai lowered his voice and put his lips close to Genichi's ear:
"Are you serious? Do you really want to let someone you've only just met follow us? What if she suddenly hinders us or betrays us when we're taking action?"
"What does it matter?" Yuan Yi smiled calmly, "It won't take much more effort to bring her along anyway."
"With Mamiya and I here, she can't do anything to harm us."
"And I think what she said just now makes sense - bringing someone who is familiar with the Toyotomi clan and Iga with you may have some unexpected effects."
"Since she is willing to follow us, then let's do as she wishes and take her with us."
"…You are the boss now." Asai said helplessly, "Whatever you say is what it is…"
“Thank you so much…” Chu Guang lowered his head even lower, and bowed to Yuan Yi to express his gratitude.
"Well then..." Genichi raised his hand and scratched his hair, looking around at the people around him, "Let's decide who will go to Koyasan."
"Ganshi."
Genichi first turned his gaze towards Fengma, who was forced to hunch over because his waist was still aching.
"Tonight...thank you so much for your help."
"Let us handle the rest of the matter slowly."
"Just stay in Osaka and rest."
Fengma raised his hand and punched his lower back, then said jokingly: "Genichi, you are really nice. I was so tired tonight that I could hardly stand up straight, and you just sent me away with a simple "thank you."
"I'll buy you a drink later." Genichi grinned, "Drink until you puke."
"And then... Asai, Shimada."
Genichi turned his attention to Asai and Shimada.
"You both have serious injuries. You two should stay in Osaka and recuperate."
In the previous battle in Ryushui Temple, Asai's abdomen was accidentally burned by the flames caused by the explosion, while Shimada's legs were crushed by the collapsed roof beams.
The two injured men's skills were greatly reduced, especially Shimada, who even had a hard time walking fast.
Asai always obeyed Genichir's orders.
But who would have thought——after Genichi's order just now fell, he heard Asai's strong tone of refusal:
"No, Master Genichi. We are going to Koyasan, too."
"Asai." Genichi frowned, "From what I've heard - you don't seem to be the kind of idiot who would force his body to do something even though he knows he's injured."
"I know that Shimada and I are injured now and are not fit to fight anymore." Asai said slowly, "So, when I said just now, 'We also want to go to Koyasan', I didn't mean that we also have to carry swords and follow you to Koyasan."
"Even though Shimada and I can't fight now, we still have the ability to drive."
"Let Shimada and I drive the carriage for you."
"Shimada and I will take you to Koyasan. This way, you won't have to take turns driving. You can just sleep and recover in the carriage."
Having said this, Asai paused for a moment.
"…It was the lord who gave me a place to stay, even though I had no other strengths except swordsmanship." After a pause, Asai continued in a deep voice, "If it weren't for the lord's taking me in, I might still be a wandering ronin with no food to eat."
"My lord is in danger now. I want to save him no matter what. I will do my best to save him."
"I hope you can understand my feelings, Master Genichi."
At this time, Shimada on the side also quickly echoed:
"Asai-senpai is right. Although we two can't fight now, we can still help you drive."
"Master Genichi, please allow us to go with you!"
Genichi pursed his lips slightly, looked at Asai with complicated eyes, and then looked at Shimada.
"...I understand." Genichi nodded gently, "Then you two can help us drive."
While Asai and Shimada were "bargaining" with Genichirō, Ogata was also "bargaining" with his small team.
"…A-Machi, even if I told you not to follow me to Koyasan, you wouldn't listen, right?"
Although Ogata's sentence was a question to Atachi, his tone was as if he already knew what Atachi's answer would be; it was an affirmative sentence.
"Of course." Atachi puffed out her chest and gave this brief answer without any hesitation, "I will stay in Osaka and wait for you to return from Koyasan. Do you think this is something I would do?"
"I also have... a lot of things I can do, and maybe only I can do."
A-Ming smiled and raised her hand to pat the pistol in her arms.
"…Then after arriving at Koyasan, you must stay close to Genichirō and the others, and be careful about your safety at all costs." After giving a helpless smile to Atachi, Ogata turned his gaze to Azuku who was standing beside him.
"Azuki, you stay in Osaka."
"Why?" Azhu was stunned, then asked anxiously and loudly.
"Because you don't need to get involved in the dispute between us and the Toyotomi clan." Ogata explained calmly, "There are unknown forces on Mount Koya. This trip to Mount Koya is bound to be very dangerous."
"You are an outsider in the dispute between us and the Toyotomi clan. There is no need for you to take risks with us."
"Listen to me and stay here."
"……don't want."
Azhu lowered his head and bit his lower lip with his upper teeth.
"I want to go to Koyasan with you, too."
Hearing Azhu's firm response, Ogata was stunned at first, then his brows slightly frowned, and then slowly relaxed.
"Why?"
Ogata asked.
"Can you tell me why?"
"If you can't give me a reason that can convince me, I won't let you go to Koyasan with us."
A look of hesitation slowly climbed up Azhu's eyes and cheeks.
"…turn your ears over here."
Azuki waved to the couple Ogata and A-Machi.
The couple standing side by side put their left and right ears towards Azhu respectively.
Azhu put his little mouth close to the ears of the two children, one big and one small, and said something quickly to them.
After Azhu finished speaking, Ogata and A-Machi both had looks of surprise on their faces.
"Is everything you said true?" A-Ming stared at A-Zhu with her beautiful eyes wide open.
"Hmm..." Azhu nodded gently, "I can guarantee that I won't say anything wrong or make any mistakes..."
"So that's what's going on..." Ogata raised his hand to scratch his hair and sighed heavily, "You could have told us about this earlier..."
"Sorry..." Azhu stammered, "I just couldn't find a chance to tell you about this..."
"...I understand." Ogata sighed again and put down his hand that was scratching his hair. "Then you can go to Koyasan with us."
"Once you arrive at Koyasan, remember to follow Master Genichi and his men closely and don't stray from them."
"Yes!" Azhu nodded his head vigorously with a look of joy on his face.
After making arrangements with A-Machi and A-Tsukushi, Ogata's gaze slowly moved towards... the last person in his "small team".
"Ms. Isshiki, you stay here."
"Huh?" Isshikika had the same dazed expression as Azuku just now.
Ogata did not give Isshiki any chance to react. While Isshiki was still in a daze, he said to her in a serious tone that left no room for doubt:
"I can understand your concern for your family."
"But this trip to Mount Koya is really not suitable for you."
"Your swordsmanship is decent, but you lack practical experience."
"The Toyotomi clan has no shortage of people who kill without blinking an eye."
"What's more, you are still injured."
Ogata glanced at Isshikika's calf, which had been accidentally stabbed by the Iga ninja's shuriken when she was helping him escape.
"So... just stay in Osaka and wait for our good news."
"B, but..." Isshikika subconsciously wanted to refute Ogata's words.
But after hesitating for a while, Isshikika discovered unwillingly that she had no way to refute Ogata's words.
In my current condition, if I follow Ogata and the others to Koyasan, I will probably only be a drag on everyone else.
Looking at Isshikika's troubled face, Ogata's originally tense expression gradually softened.
"…Ms. Isshiki, don't worry."
"I will definitely rescue your family."
"...I understand." Isshiki was silent for a long time before she finally took a deep breath and whispered the words that Ogata wanted to hear most from Isshiki.
Hearing Isshikika's answer, Ogata couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
"Everyone! I've got the carriage!"
At this moment, Mamiya's voice came suddenly.
"Mamiya?" Genichi looked at Mamiya, who was sweating profusely, with a surprised look on his face. "You got the carriage? So fast? Where did you get it from?"
"A rice merchant nearby." Mamiya smiled slightly, "I once came to Osaka on the orders of my lord to do business with some rice merchants."
"I clearly remember that one of the rice merchants had a large business and owned several horse-drawn and donkey-drawn carts specifically for transporting rice."
"I borrowed two of their carriages."
"Of course - I didn't borrow the things for nothing. I paid them the rental fee. The rental fee I paid was probably enough for them to buy four carriages of the same model."
Mamiya's words...or rather, his terrifying ability to take action and efficiency, left everyone present speechless.
Genichi turned his head and cast a playful look at Shimada beside him.
This look seemed to be saying to Shimada: What do you think? Did I lie to you? Give the task to Mamiya, there will be no problem.
"Since the carriage has been brought here," Genichi said loudly after taking his amusement look from Shimada, "then there is no time to lose - let's prepare to go to Koyasan!"
"Komachi, Komachi."
At this moment, Ah-Ming suddenly heard Fuma calling her.
Turning his head, he saw Fuma rubbing his lower back and limping towards Ating.
"My Lord, what is wrong?"
A-Ming hurried over to meet him.
"After you go to Koyasan, you must be careful."
At this moment, Fuma no longer looks like the last leader of Fuma Village, but more like an ordinary old man who cares about his younger generations.
"Don't worry, old man." A-Machi smiled, "I am... no longer the genin in Shiranui who can't do anything without firearms."
"...I think so." Fuma slowly showed Atachi a relieved smile, "More than a month ago, when I met you again in Kyoto, I noticed that you seemed to have changed."
“I have become much more mature than before.”
"You were like a child before."
"And now you have become like a grown-up."
"It is true that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."
"You have only traveled with Brother Ogata for half a year, and yet you have changed so much."
After laughing a few times with a tone of joy, Fengma reached into his arms and took out a small paper bag from his arms.
"Although due to my back problems, I can no longer help you."
"But it's not like I can't really help at all."
"Komachi, this is for you. Compared to Brother Ogata and the others, it is most appropriate to give this thing to you."
"What is this?" Ating asked puzzledly.
"This is the new secret of the Fuma Style that I discovered by chance when I was older." Fuma said proudly, "The content in this paper bag is the powder I specially made."
"If you sprinkle this into someone's eyes, it will cause unbearable eye pain."
"The most powerful thing about this powder is that it is difficult to remove."
"You have to use a lot of water to wash it clean."
"If it is put to good use, it might have some extraordinary effect."
"Because this powder is difficult to make , this is the last packet of powder I have, so use it with caution."
"Oh..." Ating showed an expression of sudden enlightenment, "This is what you threw at that crazy woman's face when you attacked Longshui Temple tonight."
"Yes, yes." Feng Mo nodded, "This powder is very useful. You should have heard how miserable that crazy woman's screams were, right?"
"The secret of Fuma-ryu..." Atachi played with the small paper bag in his hand with a strange expression, "The female ninja in Shiranui uses the secret of Fuma-ryu... It feels a bit weird."
After making a little joke, Atachi solemnly put the paper bag handed to him by Fuma into his arms.
"Thank you, sir. I will make sure to use the secret of Fuma Ryu properly."
"Komachi." Fuma tried to straighten his back, "I wish you good luck in fighting."
"Okay, we'll be back soon." A-Ming opened her arms and gently hugged the old man whom she had always respected as an elder.
Heading to Koyasan —no packing required.
After properly settling the captives of Soemon, Ogata and others boarded the two carriages that Mamiya had found.
The people responsible for driving the two carriages were Asai and Shimada.
Just as Asai had said to Genichi before: Although their fighting power was greatly reduced due to their injuries, they still had the strength to sit in the driver's seat and hold the reins to drive the carriage.
Not counting Asai and Shimada, the two non-combatants, those who went to Koyasan were: Ogata, Ama, Azuki, Genichi, Mamiya, Makimura, Hatsumitsu, and Shibata. A total of 7 people.
Just as Ogata was about to board the carriage driven by Asai—
"Master Ittosai."
Isshikika suddenly called him from behind.
"Miss Isshiki, what's wrong?"
Ogata lowered his right foot which had already stepped onto the carriage.
"Don't tell me now that you've changed your mind and decided to go to Koyasan with us."
Ogata said this to Isshikika in a half-joking tone.
Folding her hands in front of her, Isshikika, with the demeanor of a young lady, gently shook her head.
She looked around.
After making sure there were no outsiders around, she uncrossed her hands in front of her and reached out to Ogata.
However, just as she stretched out her hands towards Ogata, she paused as if she had thought of something.
Isshikika bit her lip, and a hint of hesitation appeared in her eyes.
Finally - she silently withdrew her hands that were stretched out towards Ogata, and continued to fold them in front of her.
"…Master Ittosai, please be careful."
She said softly.
"Yes." Ogata smiled, "Thank you."
"Just wait for my good news in Osaka."
"If your family is really in Koyasan, I will do everything I can to rescue them."
Isshikika, with a look of emotion on her cheeks, gave Ogata a charming smile.
"Master Ittosai, no matter what, please protect yourself."
"If you get hurt while saving my family... I will be very sad..."
"I wish you good luck in martial arts."
"I'll wait for you in Osaka."
…
…
…
…
Time goes back to the present——
"Ogata-kun is here too?" Hasegawa cast a surprised look at Makimura who had just told them what had happened last night.
"Yes, that's right." Makimura said, "Mr. Ogata is probably heading to the back mountain now. You should be able to see him in a while."
"Hasegawa-kun." Genichi, who was running in the front, suddenly turned around and asked Hasegawa, "You just said that the Toyotomi clan's people were planning to transfer you away, right?"
"Yes, that's right." Hasegawa replied, "They suddenly appeared just now and wanted to transfer us away."
"...This is trouble." Genichi murmured, "Even the people have started to move away. It seems...the Toyotomi clan really intends to abandon Koyasan..."
"The worst situation has happened." Mamiya on the side agreed silently with a sullen face.
"Now we can only hope that Xiaolin hasn't been transferred away..." Yuanyi's eyes gradually became sharper.
The area of ​​this underground prison is much larger than Genichi and his companions had imagined.
Yuan Yi and his companions had finally found this underground prison and placed all their hopes here.
If they couldn't find Lin here, they wouldn't know where to find Lin later.
Fortunately, although this underground prison is relatively large, there are not many forks in the road. Although there are many cells, they are basically empty, which makes it easier for Yuan Yi and his team to find them.
The crowd headed straight towards the deepest part of the underground prison, and after speeding for nearly 10 minutes, they finally arrived at the deepest part of the prison.
At the deepest part of this underground prison is a cell that looks somewhat ordinary at first glance.
This ordinary-looking cell is also the last cell in this underground prison.
Yuan Yi and others saw from afar that there seemed to be a figure swaying in the cell.
Everyone's heart tightened immediately, and they quickly quickened their pace and moved closer to the prison door.
As soon as they arrived in front of the prison door, Yuan Yi and others, who had been full of hope, immediately saw their hopes turned into disappointment.
They did not see the beautiful figure they expected to see in this cell.
Inside this cell, there was an old man with disheveled hair and a lot of flies flying around him.
The old man has been curled up in the corner of the cell.
After hearing the footsteps of Yuan Yi and others, he immediately raised his eyes and looked at the "new guests" outside the cell whom he had never seen before with a look of confusion and surprise.
"Tsk... Isn't the lord in this underground prison..." Mucun clenched his fist and pounded the stone wall next to him with resentment on his face.
"...Hasegawa-kun." Genichi's expression became more serious uncontrollably. He looked at Hasegawa again and asked, "When the Toyotomi clan's men came to escort you, did you reveal any valuable information?"
"For example: Did they tell me where the other cells are?"
"Or: Did they tell you where they were going to take you?"
"Hmm? This..."
Hasegawa raised his hand to his head, frowned, and tried hard to recall.
After a while, Hasegawa's frown finally relaxed.
"Ah, I remember now..."
"The narrow-eyed guy who came to escort us at the beginning... said to his men: 'Hurry and take them all to the coast.'"
"Afterwards, I asked the man who was chasing me where we would be taken. He said we would be taken to the east, but he did not say where in the east."
"Coast? East?" Yuan Yi raised his eyebrows.
Just as Genichi was about to ask Hasegawa something else——
"The coast... Hehe , then we should probably take the Hikari Maru and the Gourd Maru and head to Edo."
"Hehe, from your conversation just now, are you looking for someone?"
"If you want to find someone, you have to reach the dock of the two ships before the Hikari Maru and the Calabash Maru set sail."
"Otherwise, when the second ship sets sail... hehe, you will have to be fearless and use samurai swords to chop down the British sailing battleships on the sea. "
A voice that no one expected suddenly rang out.
Everyone at the scene - including Genichi, was stunned.
Everyone looked at the person who had just said this - the dishevelled old man in the cell.