The Stone Hashira, Himejima Gyomei and forcibly restrained the two.
"Let go, Himejima! That's my mother, that's my sister!"
Turning his head, Sanemi glared at Gyomei with bloodshot eyes and Gyomei.
"I'm going to save them! They're my family!"
Although Tomioka Giyu didn't say anything, his struggles were no less intense than Sanemi's.
"Don't let anger cloud your judgment; they are deliberately provoking you!"
Even though his plan had been exposed, A-Yu wasn't angry; he simply waved his hand.
A soldier pushed the Kocho Sisters' father in front of Ayu and kicked him hard in the leg.
With a wail, the man knelt down on the ground.
"Originally, I should have completely wiped out you vicious criminals."
Drawing a musket, Ayu pressed the muzzle against the man's head and spoke slowly.
"But now, I'm giving you a chance."
"Surrender, abandon all resistance, surrender immediately."
"If you surrender, your families can live!"
As Ah Yu snapped his fingers, more people were pushed out with guns pointed at their heads.
Among them were Sanemi's mother, younger brother and sister, and Tomioka Giyu's older sister.
More often, they were the families of the other swordsmen.
Seeing their only remaining family members being so humiliated in front of them, the swordsmen wished they could tear Ayu apart alive.
His eyes were split open at the corners, blood vessels filled his eyeballs, and blood seeped from his clenched teeth.
But none of them dared to make a move.
Even if they can kill Ah Yu, so what?
When Ayu dies, his family will inevitably be buried with him.
Even they themselves, and the rest of the team, will die.
Ah Yu also offered a way out.
You can live if you surrender.
No one wants to die, even if it's just to eke out a living.
"I..."
A swordsman tried to raise his hand, his lips moving, his expression one of utter confusion.
Gradually, more and more swordsmen also showed similar expressions.
The tough stance formed by the arrival of Zhu and the Ranked Corps Member is gradually crumbling.
Suddenly, an old voice rang out.
"Your Highness, may I say a few words?"
Chapter 579 Threat
Upon hearing this sound, Ayu narrowed his eyes.
Immediately, he looked in a certain direction.
An elderly man with a weathered face was seen slowly walking down the mountain, supported by a beautiful woman.
"So it really is you, Mr. Ito."
A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but Ah Yu then smiled and said...
"I don't know what you want to say."
"Your Highness, you have changed."
Shaking his head, Ito's face showed regret.
"I remember when you were very young, you weren't like this. Back then..."
"Let's not talk about the past anymore, Mr. Ito."
Yu interrupted Ito, speaking coldly.
"Since you stand on the side of sinners, then I can understand that you are my enemy."
Taken aback, Ito hadn't expected Yu to say that.
But he quickly realized what was happening and sighed.
"No problem, I am indeed your enemy now."
"Very good."
Raising his hand, Ayu issued his first command.
"The first squad of thirty men, step forward. Their target is those two."
"Shoot anyone who poses a threat immediately!"
Upon receiving his order, thirty men immediately stepped forward from the troops, took out their muskets, and aimed them at Ito and Amane Ubuyashiki.
At this moment, the foreign nobles who were being protected by the soldiers were in an uproar.
Those lower-class nobles might not recognize it, but since they were able to go abroad to do business with imported goods, their perspectives were naturally different.
Upon hearing Yu call out the name "Ito," their first thought was of the Ito Family.
Judging from Ayu's attitude, it's easy to guess the old man's identity.
The current head of the Ito Family.
"So he is the head of the Ito Family. He truly lives up to his reputation."
"Yes, yes, our Shiroly family wanted to do business with the Ito Family, but we couldn't even get through the door."
"What is Your Highness Ayu planning to do? You don't really intend to kill Chief Ito, do you?"
A murmur of discussion arose, but A-Yu's cold expression remained unchanged.
"Mr. I'll ask you one more time, are you really going to stand on the side of the sinners?"
He gritted his teeth, his lips twitching, as if unwilling to witness what was happening before him.
"You were my teacher, and I respect you."
"If there is anything to hide, please speak up immediately."
"I, Ayu, can guarantee that I will absolutely not let these sinners harm a single hair on your head!"
Ayu's words resonated strongly with the surrounding soldiers, who shouted his name loudly, their faces filled with excitement.
However, after listening to what Yu said, Ito still shook his head.
"You've really changed; all you ever talk about are sinners."
Ito patted Amane Ubuyashiki's hand, signaling her to let go of him.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Ito left the Demon Slayer Corps' protection and walked to the middle of the two sides.
Being so close, Ito could even smell the gunpowder coming from the gun barrel.
"If you want to kill me, you can do it now."
"Otherwise, I will begin to expose your evil deeds."
"Expose me?" Raising an eyebrow, Yu suddenly laughed. "What crime have I committed? I eliminated the Demon Slayer Corps to rid the people of a scourge!"
"On the contrary, it is you who are old and blind, unable to distinguish between the loyal and the virtuous!"
"Mr. Itō, you have fallen into depravity."
Realizing there was no point in continuing the conversation, Ito simply stopped looking at Yu.
He took out a small package from his pocket and opened it.
The package contained a thick stack of papers, which appeared to be covered with writing.
"Gentlemen, I am the head of the Ito Family. Please hear me out."
After coughing a few times, Ito looked at everyone in front of him.
"What I'm about to say may change your perceptions."
"Shut up! Are you trying to frame His Highness Ayu?"
In the crowd, a younger soldier roared.
He didn't know any patriarch of the Ito Family; he only knew Yu.
Respected Brother Jingtian led the others out, leaving me behind to uphold the dignity of Prince Yu.
"No, let Mr. Ito finish speaking."
Raising his hand, Ayu gestured to the soldier to keep quiet.
"I am very curious about what sins are that even I don't know about."
After saying that, he covered his chin with his hand, pretending to be thinking.
No one saw that the corners of her mouth, though hidden, were already slightly upturned.
A hint of mockery flashed in his narrowed eyes.
"Fine, fine, since you're so stubborn, then don't blame me."
Enraged by Yu, Ito's chest heaved with anger.
"First of all, Ayu, you are no longer human!"
"You're the one pulling the strings behind the scenes!"
"You are a man-eating demon, a devil who manipulates people's hearts; you are the real sinner!"
However, after Ito excitedly finished speaking, the crowd did not cause the uproar he had imagined.
On the contrary, everyone's face showed a hint of doubt, or even mockery.
Even the foreign nobles shook their heads, their faces filled with disappointment.
They never expected that the head of the Ito Family would say such unfounded things.
"Mr. Ito, you say I'm a ghost, but do you have any proof?"
With his arms outstretched, Ayu looked at the soldiers behind him.
"You all know very well where I, A-Yu, have been and what I have been doing these days."
"Even if I leave the camp, someone will definitely follow me."
"Do you mean to say that we are all ghosts?"
Speechless with anger at Yu, Ito could only point at him with her finger and say angrily.
"Ghosts have a special ability: they can teleport. You can leave or return without anyone noticing!"
"Then, where is the evidence?"
With a cold laugh, Ayu said calmly.
"Words alone are not enough. Do you think you can just say it exists?"
"Old sir, don't treat other people like fools."
A trace of color appeared on his pale face, caused by the surge of blood and qi.
"Okay, it's alright if I can't produce the evidence you need."
"Even if I can't prove you're a demon, I can prove that the Demon Slayer Corps isn't some kind of evil force!"
"These words are the evidence!"
As he spoke, Ito raised the paper in his hand and shook it vigorously.