The Lower Ranks * Seven Lucky Gods

Luotai took two running steps at the base of the wall, grabbed the top of the wall, and struggled to climb over. When he landed, he accidentally got caught on a dry branch and almost tore his clothes.

After freeing his clothes, he looked at Enma and Shin, who were already standing there waiting for him, and muttered, "Ninja is so convenient."

The three of them wandered around for a while and came to a row of low houses.

The house had gray tiles and wooden walls, and most of the doors were ajar. The rooms were dark and damp, and the air was filled with the smells of cosmetics, mildew, and an indescribable herbal scent.

Several Courtesan and Male Prostitutes were dozing against the doorway. Upon seeing someone arrive, they reflexively put on smiling faces and approached to solicit business, "Hey customer, you're here to have some fun? We have some with big breasts!"

"I'm pretty good in bed, want to have some fun with me?"

"Such a handsome young man, what brings him to a place like this? Do you have some kind of unusual fetish?"

"Hey, what's this girl... is she our future colleague?"

As he spoke, a tall, thin man reached out to grab Zhen's arm.

He didn't even lift his eyelids before kicking.

The man didn't even utter a sound before he flew backward and crashed into a pile of broken wooden crates with a loud clatter.

He struggled to his feet, cursing, "You bitch! How dare you kick me!"

As soon as he stood up, Enma lunged forward, grabbed his wrist, and pressed him down, pinning his arm behind his back. His face was pressed against the wall, and he gasped in pain.

Enma turned to Luotai and asked, "Can this person be killed?"

Luotai looked at the man coldly. "Not yet."

"Consider yourself lucky." Enma pressed down with his hand.

With a crack, the man's arm dislocated and hung limply at his sides.

Even his screams were Enma's knee, leaving only whimpers.

Everyone inside and outside the house fell silent.

Only then did they notice the blue haori (traditional Japanese Haori) on Luotai, the one representing the Hiroyama Family. The frivolous expressions on their faces seemed to have been scraped off by a small knife, and they all took a half step back, none of them daring to step forward again.

Enma released his grip, and the man slid to the ground, his face pale and not daring to utter a sound.

Luotai then explained their purpose, saying they were looking for a woman who had just given birth and asking where she had gone.

As someone close to Masato, he knew that dealing with these people required a firm stance, hence his unfriendly tone.

But after he said that, the surroundings became even quieter.

The Courtesan and Male Prostitute looked at each other, but no one spoke.

Some people turned their heads away, while others covered their mouths and noses and shrank back against the wall, as if the three of them had some kind of filth on them, and getting close would bring bad luck.

"We don't know, we don't know anything."

"No one here has just given birth; you've come to the wrong place."

"Hurry up and leave, or we'll call for help."

Zhen frowned, wanting to ask more, but Luotai gently tugged at her arm.

Only one elderly, gray-haired Courtesan in the corner gently waved to them when everyone else avoided her.

When Luotai got closer, the Courtesan said in a very low voice, "Don't bother looking. That girl ran out early this morning, probably to look for her child in Blackened Teeth Ditch. It's a pity, people here aren't allowed to leave, she's probably been caught by the guards by now."

Luotai asked, "Where did she go?"

The elderly Courtesan shakily raised her hand and pointed towards the narrow alleyway against the wall.

Luotai looked in the direction she pointed and remained silent for a moment.

He recognized the road; if he went past two low walls, he would reach the upstream of the Blackened Teeth Ditch.

There are usually people watching over that area, but this morning he just called the people guarding that area back to move things.

There's no one on that road now, which means the woman is probably still outside.

"By the way, Mother-in-law, what did that woman look like?" Luotai asked again.

"Blonde hair and blue eyes, she looks out of place, and not pretty enough."

Luotai nodded. "Understood, the appearance of the Land of Lightning. Let's go find her."

The three of them emerged from the narrow alley and walked upstream along the Blackened Teeth Ditch. The water was still thick and black, but after leaving the narrow bank tightly surrounded by houses, the ditch gradually widened and became much quieter.

The three stopped at the edge of the ditch and looked around.

"No." Luotai put his hands on his hips and glanced around at the surface of the ditch.

Apart from floating water plants and a few clumps of trash, there wasn't a soul in sight.

Enma closed his eyes and sensed for a while, then shook his head. "There is no one else nearby within my sensing range."

She pulled the child closer to her chest and squatted down by the ditch.

Her gaze fell on the ground. The soil along the ditch was black and damp, and in many places it had been trampled into a mess. But after only a few glances, she noticed a series of very shallow footprints.

The footprints were larger than those of an ordinary person, narrow and thin, and almost uniform in depth, stretching far into the distance along the soft mud of the bank. Every few steps, a few drops of dark water fell to the ground, having dried for some time.

"They went that way," Zhen pointed ahead.

The three of them did not linger.

Zhen led the way, with Luotai and Enma following behind.

The trail of footprints disappeared after Blackened Teeth Ditch and turned into a narrow path nestled between houses, after which it became indistinguishable. But this must have been someone who knew the secrets of writing.

She drew the word "rat" in the air, and the word actually lay on the ground like a mouse, sniffed it, and then led them away.

After a few turns, a lavishly decorated mansion suddenly appeared before us.

Although the storefront wasn't large, the walls were inlaid with glazed tiles, the front was paved with bluestone slabs, and the lanterns hanging beside the door were printed with an unknown flower in gold foil. It was clear at a glance that this was not a place that Ordinary People could afford to live in.

Luotai recognized the house at a glance, then frowned, clearly disliking the owner.

"I recognize this place," he said. "Masato used to have several retainers who handled matters for him that couldn't be done openly. The person living in this house is one of them. As for that woman... how did she end up here?"

Enma frowned. "Retainers? Does that mean people from the Land of Hot Water don't live here?"

Luotai replied, "Yes and no."

"Land of Hot Water is Hot Springs Sanctuary, but it's more than just Hot Springs. Isolated overseas and constrained by several powerful forces, it has, over time, become a legal yet lawless place."

The scenery is beautiful, and it's far from the reach of the emperor, so people who have committed crimes and want to start a peaceful life again, especially those with some ability, all flock here.

There are Samurai being hunted by enemies, Ninjas who can't make a living in other countries, merchants whose homes have been ransacked, and noble ladies who have run away from their arranged marriages.

After arriving, they changed their names and surnames, and instantly became citizens of the Land of Hot Water.

No one will pry into your past, and no one cares what you did before. As long as you don't cause trouble, everyone can live in peace.

Half of the shops in the Land of Hot Water are not backed by people from the Land of Hot Water.

The wealthy and capable all gather here, making this Hot Spring Street bigger and bigger.

But they also brought in all their shady dealings from the past.

When Daikokuten and Hiroyama arrived at the Council Hall, everyone was already there.

The Seven Lucky Gods sat in the hall, creating a solemn atmosphere.

Daikokuten walked straight to his seat, placed the scroll of document he had just drafted on the table, and nodded slightly to Hiroyama.

Hiroyama recounted the events of the previous night, one by one.

He only spoke of the important points, but even that was enough to make the expressions on the faces of everyone present change repeatedly.

"Did this really all happen in one night?" someone asked.

A hush fell over the hall.

Daikokuten and Hiroyama exchanged a glance, but neither of them rushed to speak.

Such a chaotic night, so chaotic that it made one not even want to investigate.

Hiroyama didn't really take any real action at the time, because after arriving at the dock and seeing the various forces involved, he made a judgment that the matter would eventually calm down.

Just as he had predicted, after being blown away by Uchiha Izuna of Konoha, no one dared to cause trouble again.

"It's hard to tell who's fighting whom tonight," Hiroyama said. "But one thing is clear: the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water have made the Land of Hot Water their outpost."

"Those people didn't just arrive last night. They've been hiding in the Shipyard for at least Half a Month. There are quite a few of them, and they even brought weapons."

"If we don't clean this up in time, once they really take control of the docks, it won't just be a matter for a few gangs on the streets anymore."

Ebisu frowned. "The Land of Lightning and the Land of Water, are they planning to attack the Land of Whirlpools?"

"They want to use the Land of Hot Water as a transit point," Daikokuten said. "They want to use our port as a transit point to blockade the Land of Whirlpools' sea trade routes. After that, they'll use the sea routes to starve the Land of Whirlpools to death. That's their plan."

"What a huge appetite." Bishamonten sneered. "Although the Land of Hot Water Springs is small, it is still a neutral territory. If they want to attack the Land of Whirlpools, they can send troops from their own port. Why do they have to step on our land? Could it be that they have their eyes on the Land of Hot Water as well?"

"Having designs on them is one thing, taking action is another," Daikokuten said. "They haven't completely broken ties with the Land of Hot Water yet, so they can only act covertly through people like Masato. But if we let them linger, and the Land of Whirlpools is truly conquered, the Land of Hot Water's situation will be unpredictable."

"So that Uchiha Izuna submitted that method to the County Government?" Bishamonten looked at Daikokuten. "But what's the use? After those people from Konoha leave, won't they just come here anyway?"

"Therefore, we need to bring the Tsuchigumo Clan Land of Hot Water before the people of Konoha leave."

The hall fell silent again, with only the candlelight flickering gently on the table.

"Ha?"

"Huh?"

Bishamonten thought he had misheard.

"The Tsuchigumo Clan? Aren't they also after the Land of Whirlpools? Letting such a Shinobi Clan into the Land of Hot Water is like inviting wolves into the house!"

"It's precisely because they're coming for the Land of Whirlpools that we must keep them here," Daikokuten said. "The reason the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water can come and go freely in the Land of Hot Water is because the Land of Hot Water doesn't have its own Shinobi Clan. They have no scruples. But if the Land of Hot Water has the Tsuchigumo Clan, the situation will be different."

Fukurokuju's face scrunched up. "Wait a minute, Daikokuten, your idea is good, but wouldn't it be easier for the Land of Hot Water to be targeted if it has Shinobi Clan?"

"Do you think we're safe now?" Daikokuten frowned. "As I said before, if the Land of Whirlpools disappears, we'll be even more vulnerable. At that point, we'll have no choice but to submit to the Five Great Nations. Are you willing to hand over the power you hold?"

The others remained silent, Bishamonten laughed heartily, "That's right! That makes sense!"

Ebisu stroked his chin, beginning to think along these lines: "While the Tsuchigumo Clan isn't the largest Shinobi Clan in the Land of Fire, they have considerable resources. They possess a Forbidden Techniques called 'Fury,' which, once activated, is said to be capable of destroying a city. With them stationed in the Land of Hot Water, the Lands of Lightning and Water will have to think twice before trying to pass through our territory."

"Won't the Land of Fire object?" asked Benzaiten, the only female member present. "The Tsuchigumo Clan are, after all, Ninjas from the Land of Fire. If we bring them in, Land of Fire uses this as leverage to launch an attack, the Land of Hot Water can't afford the consequences."

"Leaving aside the Land of Fire for now, the most important thing is whether the Tsuchigumo Clan is willing," Fukurokuju said, looking at Hiroyama. "They've lived in the Land of Fire for generations. Are they really going to agree to be forced to move to the Land of Hot Water for no reason?"

Hiroyama's expression was somewhat strange. After a moment of silence, he said, "As for the Land of Fire, I can't say for sure. But whether the Tsuchigumo Clan is willing or not is probably not up to them."

"What's the meaning?"

"Last night at the docks, Uchiha Izuna subdued them," Daikokuten said calmly. "The Tsuchigumo Clan hid with them in the Shipyard; that's their leverage. When they return to the Land of Fire, what will the Tsuchigumo Clan say to explain why they were in the Land of Hot Water Land of Fire? That they were just passing through? That their young lady was coerced? Who would believe that?"

The people in the hall exchanged glances.

The Hotei sighed softly, "They were driven to the brink, yet given a way out. By staying in the Land of Hot Water, their actions became known as being for the young lady's marriage. Truly a ruthless tactic."

"But if the Land of Fire doesn't pursue the matter, they can still leave," Fukurokuju said.

"Do they dare to gamble?" Hiroyama scoffed. "If you were the Clan Head of the Tsuchigumo Clan, would you dare to risk the lives of your entire clan to gamble that the Land of Fire wouldn't pursue the matter?"

Fukurokuju couldn't help but click his tongue quietly, but said nothing more.

Daikokuten now is to go with the flow and keep the Tsuchigumo Clan here. Let them settle down in the Land of Hot Water, give them a piece of land, and give them a legitimate identity."

"Once they take root in the Land of Hot Water, they'll never be able to go back. At that time, the Land of Hot Water its own Shinobi Clan, and it will form an alliance with the Land of Whirlpools. With the two countries united, the Lands of Lightning and Water will have to think twice before attacking the Land of Whirlpools again."

"I just don't know what the attitude of those people here is now," said the Hotei.

Hiroyama chuckled, "What other attitude could they have? This morning, those younger members of their clan angered the young lady so much that she ran away over the wall. My sworn sister went there but didn't utter a sound. They're bullies who prey on the weak. What's there to fear from a family like that? Once they really settle down, they won't be able to leave even if they want to."

As he said this, the expression on his face carried a ruthlessness unique to those in the underworld.

Daikokuten pushed the documents on the table forward again. "Konoha has given me the list of illegally staying Ninjas. Let's deal with these people first and give Konoha an explanation. As for Tsuchigumo, Hiroyama, you continue to keep an eye on things."

Hiroyama nodded in agreement.

"Then let it be settled," the Jurōjin, sitting in the main seat, rose, his white hair fluttering but his spirits high. "The matter of incorporating the Tsuchigumo Clan will require more of Daikokuten's attention."

Daikokuten possessed him and said, "Yes."