36. We Hope You Will Keep Your Promise

Kurusu Kunoichi's words made the samurai's eyes turn dangerous once more.

Clearly, most of them still harbored fear toward Mumei and Ikoma, unwilling to travel alongside these two at all.

And Fang Li, having consistently stood by Mumei and Ikoma, had long been regarded as an enemy by the samurai as well.

Thus, aside from Kurusu Kunoichi and Kibito Aragane, one by one the samurai slowly raised their guns.

"Damn it..." Ikoma gritted his teeth, his gaze at Fang Li filled with hesitation.

Seeing the situation spiral irretrievably once more, Ikoma no longer wanted to drag Fang Li down with them.

So, the only thing Ikoma wanted to do now was to make Fang Li go over to the other side, to stop opposing the samurai for their sake.

If he did that, at least Fang Li could survive.

Unfortunately, Ikoma didn't know that for Fang Li, survival was never the most important thing.

If one didn't even fear death, then living wasn't such a crucial matter.

Still, even if living wasn't the most important thing, that didn't mean Fang Li was unwilling to live.

Thus, watching the samurai slowly raise their guns, Fang Li thought silently to himself.

"It should be about time for something to turn this situation around."

Fang Li's duel with Kurusu Kunoichi had been triggered as a side quest.

This side quest reminded him that only if he lost would the samurai shoot him dead.

In other words, according to the space's judgment, once Fang Li won, an event should occur that would change this outcome.

And it proved that Fang Li's guess was correct.

Just as the samurai were about to shoot Fang Li and the others, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Stop right now!"

A clear, crisp voice instantly drew everyone's attention.

The next second, everyone saw it.

From the door of the carriage leading ahead, Yomogawa Ayame stepped in with two attendants.

"Lady Ayame!"

All the samurai were startled at once.

"Lady Ayame!"

Kurusu Kunoichi and Kibito Aragane were also shocked, then quickly stepped forward to protect Yomogawa Ayame.

"Lady Ayame, why have you come here?" Kurusu Kunoichi's expression was extremely serious as he said to Yomogawa Ayame, "This place is too dangerous. Please return to the front!"

Although his duel with Fang Li had ended in Kurusu Kunoichi's defeat, making him decide not to interfere further, still, there were two non-human beings here, and Yomogawa Ayame coming here couldn't rule out the possibility of danger.

To this, Yomogawa Ayame naturally understood, but she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Kunoichi, but let me take charge this time."

Yomogawa Ayame looked at Fang Li, her delicate, pretty face no longer bearing the slight petulance of a few days ago, only a sense of mission.

The sense of mission of the sole survivor of the Yotsuyu Clan.

"Aragane Station has fallen, and my father has been confirmed dead. Now, I am the only one left of the Yotsuyu Clan. For the sake of the people on this Iron Fortress, I will take on the responsibility of management."

Yomogawa Ayame's expression was somewhat sorrowful, but she still stared firmly at Fang Li and said, "Mr. Fang Li, personally, I am willing to believe that you are not beings who would harm others, but for the people on the Iron Fortress, I must ensure that you are harmless."

"...I understand." Fang Li met Yomogawa Ayame's gaze and asked directly, "What do you intend to do?"

Yomogawa Ayame did not answer immediately. She glanced at Ikoma, whose expression was shifting uncertainly, then at Mumei, who was leaning against the wall fast asleep. After a moment, she made up her mind.

Then, Yomogawa Ayame spoke.

"I can allow you to stay on the Iron Fortress."

These words made Ikoma's eyes light up, and the corner of Fang Li's mouth lifted slightly.

But the samurai anxiously spoke up.

"You can't, Lady Ayame!"

"You can't let those two monsters stay on the Iron Fortress!"

"That's too dangerous!"

The samurai's remonstrations made Yomogawa Ayame unable to help but say, "These three have all fought against the Kabane. Without them, we might not have escaped. Do you all intend to ignore this debt of gratitude?"

The samurai fell silent.

Those who had witnessed Fang Li and his group's actions firsthand knew this even better.

"But still, they aren't human. They might harm us..."

No matter how they put it, the samurai kept circling back to this fundamental issue.

In short, it was a matter of safety.

The fear of death.

Fear of the monsters.

Fear of the future.

Fear of the present.

All kinds of fear had worn down the ambitions of these warriors.

In Ikoma's words...

"They're all a bunch of cowards..." Ikoma muttered under his breath.

Fortunately, the warriors didn't hear that.

Otherwise, their reactions would likely have become even more intense.

As for Fang Li, seeing that the atmosphere had eased somewhat thanks to Yomogawa Ayame's appearance, he immediately seized the opportunity.

"You're just worried that Mumei and Ikoma might attack you, aren't you?" Fang Li said. "In that case, I'll keep an eye on them."

"You'll keep an eye on them?" Yomogawa Ayame and her group all turned their gazes to Fang Li, looking somewhat taken aback.

"On the Iron Fortress, Mumei and Ikoma will only stay in this last car and won't enter the ones ahead." Fang Li looked at Yomogawa Ayame and said, "I'll stay here too, responsible for watching them. If they try to go into the front cars, I'll stop them. That should put your minds at ease, right?"

Kurusu Kunoichi and Kibito Aragane immediately furrowed their brows.

As for the warriors, they clearly didn't trust Fang Li and continued urging Yomogawa Ayame.

However, Yomogawa Ayame agreed to Fang Li's proposal.

"I understand. This car is yours to use." Yomogawa Ayame said to Fang Li, "I hope you'll keep your promise."

And so, Fang Li and his group successfully remained on the Iron Fortress.

Thus, the Iron Fortress slowly pulled out of Aragane Station, escaping without a hitch.

At that moment, the system's prompt echoed once more in Fang Li's mind.

"Number 11273 has completed all main quests. You may choose to return to the Main God Space at any time, or choose to remain in the Instance World."

"Choosing to return will initiate a mission evaluation and reward distribution."

"Choosing to remain allows you to stay in the Instance World for three more days."

Without much hesitation, Fang Li chose to stay.

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