Night deepened.
Giyu Tomioka, however, remained in a cross-legged sitting posture.
His eyes were tightly closed, like a silent statue.
At this moment, Giyu's mind did not replay Shinobu's alluring figure from just now.
"Muzan, as the progenitor of demons, possesses regenerative abilities that are several times more terrifying than Tanjiro's when he was first transformed!"
"I must become stronger! I must break through the limits of human capability!"
As Giyu entered into deep meditation, his mental strength continued to surge, breaking through his own limits!
An unbelievable miracle occurred in the room.
The air, because of his extremely slow breathing, actually created a visible white vortex!
These vortexes flowed slowly around his body, as if forming an inviolable domain.
A faint red light, seemingly capable of igniting even the soul, shone through the heavy scabbard, flickering and changing in the dark room!
This force is approaching the realm of the gods.
He is a living, breathing human being. It is precisely because he is human that he has the fear of Muzan and the desire to protect everything, which causes him to unleash power beyond his limits!
***
Meanwhile, on the street outside the inn.
With Obanai darted through the dimly lit alley like a night-flying bat.
He saw a thug acting suspiciously, holding a dagger and preparing to steal.
Without saying a word, Obanai rushed forward and kicked the thug to the ground.
He drew his wavy Nichirin Blade, its blade gleaming coldly, and held it to the thug's neck, his voice hoarse as he demanded:
"Tell me! Where exactly are the evil spirits in the city hiding?!"
Combined with his bandaged face, heterochromatic eyes, and the white snake flicking its tongue, he appeared incredibly ferocious and terrifying under the cold moonlight.
The thug thought he had encountered a cold-blooded killer sent by a rival gang, or a demon crawled out of hell. He was so frightened that he wet his pants on the spot, and a foul smell filled the air.
His face was covered in snot and tears, and he kowtowed desperately:
"Great hero, spare my life! Great king, spare my life! I know nothing! I'm just a petty thief! I have an eighty-year-old mother at home..."
After interrogating the Obanai for a long time, all he managed to get, besides being so scared he wet his pants, was information about which brothel in the area had the prettiest courtesan and which casino had lead in its dice. He got absolutely no clues about ghosts.
Enraged, Obanai kicked the thug unconscious. Extremely frustrated, she headed towards the inn, her belly full of anger.
On the other side...
Shinobu walked to a steamed bun shop in the city center that was still lit up and doing good business.
She took off the butterfly hair accessory, and her smooth, short hair cascaded over her shoulders, swaying in the wind.
She completely suppressed her mischievous and cunning nature, and instead wore a pure and innocent smile.
She tilted her head slightly, looked at the shop owner steaming buns, and asked softly in that sickeningly sweet voice that could melt your bones:
"Uncle, I've heard it's been very unsafe here at night lately. I'm new here and really scared walking alone on the streets. Could you tell me what terrible things are happening in this city? I would be so grateful."
That word "uncle," paired with that stunningly beautiful baby face and innocent eyes, perfectly captures the essence of the character.
That's a bombshell!
The uncle at the steamed bun shop was so angry that his blood rushed to his head and he almost spurted blood from his nose!
He even threw away the steamer he was holding.
"Hey! Don't be afraid, girl! I'll protect you! I'll tell you everything you want to know!"
The commotion immediately attracted the attention of those nearby.
The men passing by, the night watchmen, the slightly tipsy drinkers in the tavern, and even the old man next door who sold tofu from his cart and had lost all his teeth, all instantly erupted in excitement!
A group of men rushed forward, their eyes gleaming with lust, each vying to be the protector of the beautiful girl, wishing they could tear their hearts out for her!
"Girl, let me tell you, someone died at the Li family's house in the east of the city. It was a horrific death, and the whole family ran away..."
"I know! I know even more details! Last night when I was on night watch, I saw that terrifying ghost running towards the dilapidated temple in the west of the city! That ghost could even fly and climb walls!"
"Get out of the way! Don't scare the girl! I'll tell you a huge secret: the government officials aren't out in the city catching ghosts at all; they've all gone to the quarry thirty miles outside the city! It's completely sealed off; not even a fly can get in!!"
These men spilled out everything they knew, everything they didn't know, even gossip about their ancestors for eighteen generations, as if afraid that if they spoke too slowly they wouldn't win the favor of the beautiful women.
Surrounded by the crowd, Shinobu maintained a facade of weakness, fear, and tearful gratitude, nodding repeatedly and saying, "Thank you, everyone, you are all such kind people."
But she remained extremely calm, rapidly sifting through the vast amount of information to find the useful key words, memorizing them one by one.
"Wow, these men are so easy to fool~ This method is much more efficient than torture." Shinobu chuckled to herself with satisfaction.
***
Late at night, in the lobby of the inn.
The three reunited.
The lobby was empty, with only an oil lamp flickering in the wind.
The innkeeper was so frightened that he locked the door and went to sleep in the backyard.
Obanai had a dark expression on her face, radiating an aura of menace that kept strangers at bay.
He sat silently at the table, sipping a glass of cold tea in a sullen manner, clearly having gained nothing and feeling extremely agitated.
"Snap."
Shinobu walked over with light steps and gracefully placed a small notebook on the table.
She looked at Obanai with a smile, and mercilessly launched into mockery:
"Oh dear, could it be that the mighty Serpent Hashira wandered around all night, even brandishing a knife to scare the common people, and didn't even manage to find out a single ghost?"
"I thought Mr. Iguro's intelligence-gathering abilities were something extraordinary, but it seems I overestimated them. It's truly worrying to see your capabilities."
Obanai forehead bulged, and he crushed the teacup in his hand, spilling tea all over his hand.
He growled through gritted teeth, "You woman! Don't get too cocky! If you're so capable, tell me what useful information you've obtained!"
Shinobu proudly opened her notebook, clearly laying out the clues on the table, her tone becoming serious:
"First, a month ago, a tragedy occurred at the quarry thirty miles outside the city. Hundreds of workers died overnight, their bodies completely destroyed. The officials who went to investigate afterwards all disappeared without a trace."
"Secondly, in the past week, civilians have been murdered every night in Nara Prefecture Town. Their deaths are extremely gruesome; they are all skinned alive and had their tendons pulled out. Some people have seen ghostly figures flying across rooftops, specifically targeting lone individuals."
"Third, the government sent a large number of troops, but instead of protecting the people within the city, they heavily guarded the restricted area of the quarry, strictly prohibiting anyone from approaching!!"
After listening to these three clues...
A glint of shrewdness flashed in Giyu Tomioka's deep blue eyes, who had been silent all along.
"It's obvious these are two different ghosts."
"The one at the quarry could devour hundreds of people in one night, leaving no trace of their bodies, which shows its enormous appetite and immense destructive power."
"This one in the city only operates at night, skinning and dismembering, and its whereabouts are elusive. Although it is slightly weaker, it poses a great threat in densely populated civilian areas and can easily cause panic."
Upon Obanai suddenly stood up!
In his heterochromatic eyes, one gold and one green, burned a raging fire of eagerness to prove himself and wash away his shame!
"In that case, let's split up!"
Obanai pointed to the quarry on the map, her tone arrogant:
"That big guy in the quarry is mine!"
He glanced coldly at Giyu and Shinobu, and uttered a sarcastic remark:
"Tomioka, you stay here and play house with your little wife! Don't let that city scoundrel eat her up, or you'll have nowhere to cry!"
After saying that, Obanai flicked her black and white haori and, like a black lightning bolt, plunged into the deep night without looking back.
Watching Obanai's departing figure, Shinobu pouted:
"What a competitive, stubborn, and single guy."
"Let's go back to our rooms! Prepare for battle!!"
Giyu stood up, picked up his Nichirin Blade, and spoke calmly.
***
Back in the room.
Night had completely fallen, and darkness enveloped the entire town.
Outside the window, a cold, biting autumn wind blew by, swirling up fallen leaves that rustled softly.
From the distant streets, the watchman's gong could be heard, sounding as if the darkness might swallow it up at any moment.
"The weather is dry... beware of evil spirits..."
The waning moon outside the window was gradually obscured by thick, dark clouds.
The whole world was plunged into a deathly silence and darkness.