Bro, Wanna Buy Some Cheats?

"Ah, I'm full." Yu Luo set down his bowl and chopsticks with a satisfied look, clasped his hands together, and thanked the young man. "Thank you so much. I thought I was going to starve to death."

"I'm glad you didn't feel slighted." The man smiled. The older sister of the pair also gave Yu Luo a smile, while the younger sister turned away indignantly with a huff, clearly displeased by Yu Luo shamelessly mooching a meal.

Yu Luo secretly made a face at the younger sister, teasing her as he spoke to the kind father and daughter.

"Thank you for the meal. I'll be taking my leave."

"All right." The young man had no intention of asking him to stay. In truth, they were complete strangers; being willing to give a stranger a hot meal already made them exceptionally good people in Yu Luo's eyes.

Yu Luo stood up, and the young man rose as well, seeing him all the way to the front gate. Yu Luo could not help but sigh that he had truly met good people.

"May fortune favor you in battle." After offering Yu Luo his blessing, the young man hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Actually, it's a new era now. I think you should learn a trade and make a living. You shouldn't keep being a wandering swordsman."

The man's suggestion was very sincere, and Yu Luo felt a warmth spread through his heart. Though he was not actually a wandering swordsman and still had system missions to complete, he did not reject the man's kindness. Instead, he politely demurred.

"Thank you. I'll think it over carefully. Goodbye."

After leaving the kind father and daughter's home, Yu Luo hugged Lightning Cutter hidden against his chest and wandered aimlessly through the town, familiarizing himself with its layout and surroundings. Before he knew it, he had arrived at the street where he had encountered a demon the previous night. Distinct marks from a sharp weapon still scarred the wall, left behind when he had scraped away the blood splattered there yesterday.

Seeing this, Yu Luo thought of the small grave in the woods outside town and tightened his hold on Lightning Cutter. He asked the system in his mind, "Didn't you say the Demon Slayer Corps specializes in killing demons? There's a demon in this town, so why haven't I seen anyone from the Demon Slayer Corps?"

Faced with Yu Luo's question, the system replied helplessly, "First, I'm just a system, not Kiritou Google. How would I know?"

"Second, the Demon Slayer Corps is a hidden organization. How could you, someone unfamiliar with the area, possibly spot them?"

"Finally, how are you planning to complete your mission? Do you have a plan?"

"I'm just a shut-in. How could I possibly have a plan so quickly?" Yu Luo said righteously. "I'll take it one step at a time. Either way, I'll deal with that demon from last night first."

Yu Luo wandered aimlessly by the river that ran through the town. The townsfolk lived in peace and contentment, happy smiles on their faces. Who would have thought that only a few decades ago, this country had still been in turmoil, undergoing the momentous Meiji Restoration?

By the time Yu Luo had walked through the entire town, the sun was nearing the horizon. The sky had been dyed blood-red by the sunset. The townspeople hurried home without pause, anxious expressions on their faces. The peaceful atmosphere from the afternoon had completely vanished.

Yu Luo rounded a corner and found four or five children still playing together, having lost track of time. An old man hurried over from the distance and interrupted them, scolding harshly, "It's the hour when demons roam! Why aren't you home yet? Be careful, or monsters will snatch every last one of you away, just like those people who went missing!"

Frightened by the old man's warning, the children immediately scattered, agreeing to continue tomorrow as they ran toward their respective homes. Only after seeing them leave did the old man nod in satisfaction. Just as he was about to leave, he spotted Yu Luo watching curiously from nearby.

Out of kindness, though he did not know Yu Luo, the old man still came over to warn him. "Young man, you're not from this town, are you? Hurry home. It's dangerous to be wandering around outside at night."

Yu Luo put on an attentive expression and stepped forward as if asking casually, "I only arrived in town today. Judging by everyone's behavior, did something happen?"

The old man tapped his cane against the ground and sighed sadly.

"Recently, people in town have been disappearing mysteriously at night. Several have vanished in a row. Some say a bear has been attacking the town. You should head back too. Don't come out at night. This old man needs to go home as well."

"All right, thank you, sir." Yu Luo nodded obediently and watched the old man's shadow stretch longer beneath the sunset, until he turned a street corner and disappeared from sight.

After seeing the old man off, Yu Luo continued wandering through town. Sure enough, just as the old man had said, the town that had been bustling during the day was now nearly deserted. A deathly stillness settled directly over Yu Luo's heart.

I wonder whether that demon will come again tonight? Yu Luo sat on the bridge with Lightning Cutter laid across his legs, watching the town gradually be swallowed by darkness.

"I think instead of pondering that, you should think carefully about whether you can kill him even if he really does show up." The system ruthlessly struck Yu Luo's blind spot. "Other than not being able to endure sunlight, demons are ageless and immortal. With the physique of a shut-in like you, a demon could probably wear you to death."

"Well, that's true." Yu Luo scratched his cheek. He understood that himself. If he could really kill demons, then last night he would not have merely severed one of its arms. He would have killed it outright.

"You've lost the physical attribute boosts from your Heroic Spirit form. With your original physical condition, in gaming terms, you're a counterattack-type hero. You can only wait for the demon to strike first, and if it runs, you won't be able to catch it." The system explained Yu Luo's current situation in more easily understood terms.

"As long as you draw cards now and get a Noble Phantasm Card that can improve your physique, you can escape this predicament." Just as Yu Luo fell silent because of the system's words, the system abruptly changed its tone and began enthusiastically pitching him. "So? Tempted?"

"..." Yu Luo did not respond, and an eerie silence fell. The system waited for Yu Luo's reply without saying anything either, making the atmosphere suddenly awkward.

"I have to say, your skill at constantly trying to sell me things is almost on par with my skill at constantly making snide remarks."

"Well, I learned it from my host. Of course a skill like this has to be carried forward." The system replied shamelessly.

"Heh." Yu Luo sneered and declared righteously, "Listen, if you want me to pull cards, then open a lucky bag. Otherwise, forget it."

"Seriously, even if I opened a lucky bag, do you have money?" The system sounded utterly disdainful. "No money, and you're dreaming of peaches."

The night breeze gently brushed across Yu Luo's face. Before he knew it, the moon had risen above the treetops, and the chirping of insects had vanished at some point.

"Woof woof woof..." A dog from somewhere in town suddenly began barking madly, shattering the night's silence. Yet the small town reacted unusually. Not only did no one light a lamp to investigate, but the few households that still had lights on extinguished them as well. The barking soon stopped, leaving behind a scene of utter silence.

"He's here!" Such an abnormal scene undoubtedly told Yu Luo that the demon from last night had indeed come again tonight. He immediately rose from the ground, pinched the Heroic Spirit Card between the fingers of his left hand, and traced an arc through the air. Wrapped in silver light, he transformed into Sasaki Kojiro.

"Swish..." Wearing a pale purple kimono, Yu Luo did not use the long Katana that came with the card. Instead, he gripped Lightning Cutter, which had been resting across his legs. As he moved, its deep-blue blade of light drew a magnificent streak through the night.

Yu Luo stared into the town beneath the night sky. His B-rank Clairvoyance activated directly, and he paid no heed to the consumption of Transformation Energy. The state of mind of Mirror-Still Water settled over him as he closed his eyes and focused all his senses on feeling every detail within the town.