Shirou Wants to Be the City Lord / Those Who Love Shirou

Shirou then introduced Yamada to Worei, saying, "He's an ordinary person who got caught up in this, and he's from my hometown. Let him stay with me for now."

"Is that so, that's seventy-three (tentative)."

"How could this be...?"

Yamada squatted on the ground, holding his head. He had thought that by following Shirou, his status would rise, whether in terms of his value as a fulfilled person who could realize his ideals or in terms of the physical value he would gain by being around a great man.

If one of your elementary or middle school classmates—your deskmate, the one in front of you, the one behind you—later becomes a celebrity, wouldn't you feel like you've gotten much closer to the circle of famous people? Even if they're from the next class, you can still feel a sense of pride. But if you only entered the school after they graduated, then everything loses a lot of its prestige.

Unexpectedly, he arrived so late that he dropped to seventy-third place. According to the calculation method in Water Margin, he has already been excluded from the list of the Seventy-Two Heavenly Spirits and is now a minor character.

What's worse is that he's only a temporary worker. Isn't he just a pathetic conscript in a shady company, working overtime without pay, having the lowest status in the company, and having to leave as soon as his time is up?

"Yamada, let's go. There are people waiting for us up ahead," Shirou called out to Yamada.

Walking further in, we arrived at the side of the church, where the church staff's lounge was located, and Shirou's study for receiving guests was also on this side.

"There are church members," the waitress said to Shirou.

"Mr. Shirou, a guest has come to see you and is already waiting in the study."

"Yamada, sit here for a while. I'll go get someone to show you around, then I'll assign you equipment and a room. It'll be dangerous if you stay with me; you'll need to undergo some training," Shirou said.

"Yes," Yamada had no choice but to agree. Great men are indeed very busy, while he seemed to be of no use at all right now.

"I'm going to the armory to help Shirou maintain the torture instruments. You can stay here, rookie." The blue-eyed black boy left these words, then picked up his chainsaw and departed.

"He's really a decisive and efficient kid, completely different from those in Japan." Yamada looked at him.

A woman's voice said calmly:

"Before coming here, Worei was a young soldier sent to scout for landmines on the battlefield. He was only brought back after he met Shirou, who wiped out his army."

Yamada looked up at the sound, but quickly lowered his head again. He dared not look at the woman's face or her figure.

This was a very alluring woman, with several wide knife scars on her face. Her body and hands were covered in scars—bullet holes, burns, cuts, and cigarette burns. But judging from the unblemished parts of her face, this woman must have been an absolute beauty when she wasn't injured. Even now, her figure, encased in a tight-fitting bodysuit and military jacket, surpassed 99% of the women in Sin City. This asceticism only fueled one's desire.

Yamada discovered that everyone here seemed to have their own story, while he, a guy who went abroad to work illegally on a whim, was all too ordinary.

"I'm Tolstaya, a captain who moved from the battlefield to the City of Sin, but now I'm just Shirou's personal assistant. If you don't understand anything, just tell me. Now, let me show you around!" The scarred boss introduced herself in a very bold manner, then pulled Yamada outside.

"This is the armory!"

The scarred leader led Yamada to a place that resembled a factory workshop. Rather than an armory, it was more like a small weapons factory, complete with its own bullet-making machines.

"You've all worked hard, let's have chicken tonight! Let's have a drink!" Scarface, the leader, said, raising her fist.

The craftsmen, wearing protective goggles, cheered and then continued with their work.

I walked inside alone. The walls were covered with guns hanging from wire mesh and frames, just like a gun shop.

The scarred gang leader reached out her hand towards one of them.

"Here, these are your equipment."

A semi-automatic pistol was shoved into Yamada's hand, along with a stock. He didn't quite recognize the brand, but it was a magazine that could hold twenty bullets.

Yamada strapped a gunstock to his shirt, but it didn't match his office suit at all.

Xisha, Xisha, Yamada looked into the room inside.

The black boy, Worei, who had left earlier, was sitting on a small stool, disassembling the chainsaw that Shirou had used and carefully cleaning each part.

His expression was very serious, his movements very careful, and he genuinely treated Shirou's chainsaw as a precious treasure.

Worei was very happy that Shirou had entrusted him with this task, because it was the Bishop Lord's instrument of torture, a rule he established with the world. For each rule, a different instrument of torture was used, just like a famous official in ancient times who used different guillotines for people of different statuses.

A chainsaw is an execution tool used against professional killers.

However, for the people here, it is a treasure like a faith.

At this moment, Worei also noticed the two. Scarface waved casually at him and left, not wanting to disturb the boy. Yamada was led to the fields where crops were grown, the place where large livestock were raised, and so on, where everyone was cheerful.

Yamada noticed that the people here were very proactive, probably because they were doing what they wanted to do.

Unlike Japanese office workers, who work as hard as ants and achieve astonishing success through collective effort, yet never truly live for themselves. Occasionally, some ants break down and choose to leave the colony, either jumping off tracks to their deaths or hiding away, only to face the pressure of public opinion.

Work is precious, laziness is shameful, dedication is noble, and pettiness is contemptible.

But for whom do we work? Does that really make it valuable?

What causes laziness? Is diligence always worthwhile?

To whom is this dedication given? Who said you're noble?

Being petty and calculating is looked down upon, so why not do it this way? Who will guarantee the rights and benefits one deserves for their labor?

But the people here live a completely different life.

If Yamada hadn't traveled abroad, he probably would have always thought the world consisted only of Japan. Now it seems the world is indeed vast, just waiting to be discovered.

Hehe... hehe.

The woman with the scar casually glanced around the chicken coop, circling among the few larger chickens.

"Okay, you're the one I choose, the fattest chicken. Let's have a welcome party for the newcomer today."

Chapter 1139 Shirou Wants to Become the Castle Lord

"You're too kind. There's really no need to go to such lengths," Yamada said, feeling embarrassed. He knew that resources were scarce here, and that meat could only be eaten during festivals. He was deeply moved by such warm hospitality and felt somewhat unworthy of it.

Creak.

At this moment, Scarface grabbed the chicken by the neck and twisted it, pulling its head to the side. The chicken in her hand instantly became Headless Knight.

Hmm... aside from the fact that they don't seem to care about life at all, their killings are just too ruthless.

"Don't be shy! It's a must! I'll give you a chicken leg later!" Scarface Tolstaya threw the chicken head on the ground, which immediately attracted several dogs to fight over it.

She patted Yamada's shoulder with a smile, her hands still covered in chicken feathers, and muttered, "Chicken has to be paired with alcohol."

Okay, looks like he's overthinking it. The other person just wants to win.

Tolstaya held the decapitated chicken upside down, letting the blood drip onto the ground, forming a bloody line.

Yamada had no choice but to follow the trail of blood, walking forward with the leader.

Shirou was in the study, receiving guests.

The man who came to see Shirou was a tall, thin man wearing small round-framed sunglasses, a watermelon hat, and a long robe. He seemed like an old immigrant out of touch with the times, stuck in the 1950s, stubbornly clinging to his own beliefs.

The old man pretended to sip his tea, but his eyes were fixed on Shirou's expression out of the corner of his eye. He slowly said, "Some time ago, Old Mark already hinted that he was going to retire. This time, the whole city will vote to choose a new city lord, and I would like to recommend you for the position."

Sin City is located on a continental plate in the northern part of the Earth, bordering the most developed country in the world, yet it exists as a unique, independent place. Logically, this land should belong to that country, and the inhabitants of Sin City should be residents of that most developed country.

However, due to various historical issues and the fact that Sin City was simply too chaotic, no country wanted to take on such a hot potato.

Therefore, the highest leader of Sin City is the City Lord, at least nominally. The current City Lord Old Mark, is already a ninety-two-year-old man. He has been in office for decades, although he has only acted as a local force sharing the benefits of Sin City with other powerful families. He hasn't done much, but everyone believes that he will remain in office until he dies.

The old man was the representative of the Chinese immigrants in the city of sin. It was hard to say whether he was highly virtuous or not, but he was of a very high generation, and many people had to listen to him.

The old man's surname is Hong and his given name is Yan. Decades ago, he left his original country and came to a foreign land by boat to make a living. After several transfers, he finally arrived in this city.

When faced with conflicting interests, disputes and clashes are inevitable. In places with sound legal systems, people rely on the law and lawyers. However, in places where discipline is lax, violence and dishonesty are often used to resolve these issues.

The older generation, who were largely illiterate, let alone foreign languages, managed to establish themselves and thrive through their experience and skills in the marketplace.

When people are away from home, in unfamiliar places, as vulnerable members of society, they are inevitably bullied. Therefore, even for the sake of their own survival, people will naturally band together with their fellow villagers for mutual support, in order to protect their own interests. In this city of sin, the Chinese Merchant Guild is one of the most powerful forces.

Most of the members of the merchant guild were immigrants who had illegally entered the city of sin to make a living. They were diligent, clever, hardworking, and nimble. Often, one Chinese person could do the work of two black people. Therefore, most Chinese people were welcomed by all walks of life.

Therefore, they are all very good at making money. In the City of Sin, the Chinese are considered to be a wealthy ethnic group above the middle class. However, they never actively participate in political affairs, nor do they express their opinions through demonstrations or speeches. They simply live their quiet lives peacefully.

In Shirou's eyes, they were among the more law-abiding members of the Sin City. The fact that they came to him this time suggests they were truly driven to desperation.

The old man said slowly:

"Actually, there's no shortage of ways to make money in the city, but the order down there is just too chaotic. For us business people, protecting our goods and preventing embezzlement is a huge hassle. If someone donates money and runs away, we have to hire people to hunt them down. All of these things take too much money and time."

Shirou nodded slightly; there was some truth to what the old man said.

Of course, this doesn't mean he was a good person. In fact, within Chinese circles, he was also known as the "Old Landlord" or "Zhou Bapi." He was quite notorious for his harsh treatment of employees and his penny-pinching of wages.

Those who can make money in the City of Sin are not easy to get along with. However, as Chinese people who believe in making money through harmony, they are naturally inclined towards peace and stability. They just want to live their own lives and do not like to get involved in politics.

Therefore, they hoped to elect a new leader who could bring them stability and, ideally, not interfere too much in their lives. In this regard, Shirou was definitely the best choice.

For thousands of years, this is how the Chinese people have interacted with officials: as long as they curry favor with the officials, they can quietly amass wealth.

"Mr. Emiya, we old and frail merchants are in your hands now. If it's done, I'll treat you to a show." The thin old man stood up, took off his hat, and wanted to bow to Shirou.

Shirou pressed down on the old man with one hand to stop him from bending over, and said softly:

"Don't do that, I can't afford it. I'll consider it."

"Alright, then I won't bother you any longer. I'll head back now. Please consider it." The old man smiled, his face crinkling with wrinkles. He put on his hat and made a move to walk outside.

"Take care, Old Mr. Hong," Shirou said, adopting this attitude towards everyone.

"You're busy, you're busy, no need to see me off, I'm right at the door." The old man smiled and waved his hand, then walked outside.

"Then I won't see you off," Shirou said calmly. He didn't reveal his true feelings, but Shirou did want to establish order here, to reform the most evil place in the world, and thus to reform the evil people all over the world.

"Shirou, aren't you going to agree to his proposal? He's offering to support you in becoming the castle lord!" the female receptionist asked.

"Is it really a good idea for me to be the lord of the castle?" Shirou asked uncertainly.

"Of course! Look at our church, there's no better place in the city. You would be absolutely perfect for it."

Most Shirou in other worlds seek a way out through the ultimate good, but he chose to pursue the ultimate evil, which destined his path to be full of thorns from the very beginning.

Chapter 1140 People Who Love Shirou

At this moment, four people were waiting outside the door, helping the old man walk outside. Further outside, there was a soft chair with a frame, which two people were there specifically to carry him.

Although he already has a car, and with his financial resources he could definitely afford to buy one, he still prefers to ride in a sedan chair, since that's how he's always ridden his whole life.

Ueda stood frozen at the exit, staring at the strange scene.

The old man noticed the young man with black hair and a similar complexion, smiled at Yamada, and left in a sedan chair.

Yamada twitched his eyebrows at that smile, then looked at his rolled-up sleeves and felt goosebumps rise on them.

That's strange... Huh? Huh? The other person was just smiling politely, but it felt like I'd seen a lonely, ghostly old man.

For some reason, Yamada found the old man's smile somewhat disgusting. He didn't understand why, but he just felt a little uncomfortable.

Wasn't he supposed to greet me very politely?

If this happened in Japan, he would definitely be reprimanded as a brainless and rude person.

However, the old man reminded him of the politicians he saw on TV. In Japan, politicians are called statesmen, or teachers; their positions can be hereditary, and lineage matters. It's completely different from the political system in other countries, or rather, it's not really about politicians at all, but rather a power game played behind closed doors within a small circle.

'How terrifying!' Yamada shuddered. So there are still people like this overseas.

The thought that there are still so many hypocritical, selfish, cunning old men in this world who are adept at using their age to make trouble and have made agreements with selective amnesia, and whose existence proves that an unreasonable, troublesome scoundrel can also live to be a hundred years old.

When many people realize that the tradition of respecting the elderly and caring for the young may not necessarily be correct, it is often not because the elderly have become bad, but because the bad people of yesteryear have grown old, and they are surprisingly able to live very long lives.

That's absolutely terrifying.

"Yamada! Hey! What are you doing there? Hurry up and catch up, we're going to the last place!" The scarred woman waved and shouted at the man.

"Ah! Yes! I'm coming! Senpai!" Yamada snapped out of his daze and walked towards the leader.

"Senior, who was that old man just now?"

"Ah, he's just an old fox outside. He only acts tough within his own circle. Don't worry about him," the scarred woman said, waving her hand.

If it weren't for the fact that those old guys controlled a lot of money and had their interests intertwined with various people, thus having their descendants protecting them, she could have easily killed Shirou's personal bodyguard.

Shirou simply wanted to establish a sound system, and not just Tolstaya, but everyone living in the church thought the same way. There were no good people in the City of Sin, because they were not a species that could survive there.

They've only softened up now because they're with Shirou, protected and safe. But a wolf is always a wolf; even now, lurking, they won't forget to sharpen their teeth in the shadows.

There is no tenderness in this city of sin, enough to allow a fool who doesn't know how to avoid danger to live.

At Shirou's command, they will once again take up arms and fight for Shirou, using their combat skills and survival experience.

"Is that so? That's great!" Yamada was infected by the woman's confidence. If he followed them and Shirou, whom they trusted, then they would be able to solve any problem.

This world is a third-rate, trash game with absolutely no balance.

Fortunately, different kinds of life exist in the world, representing the existence of some bright, pure, and beautiful things. Even if some people are corrupting the world; even if some people are apathetic and only see themselves;

The people here have clearly endured far more cruel suffering than I have, but they haven't become despondent or fallen into despair. Instead, they face their lives with a smile and a positive attitude in their own way.

That's truly amazing!