A Land of Wailing, A Land of Blood

"Slaughtered the Dire Wolf Squad, Second Brother, Third, Fourth, and Fifth. Total Soul Shards obtained: 270."

"Current Soul Shards: 580."

Lin Qing stepped over the corpse of Second Brother, untied the reins of the carriage, led out a horse, and swung onto its back. He looked back at Sasuke and Xiaotao and said:

"Stay here. I'm going to the county town."

Mei Terumi grabbed hold of him.

"You heard what he said just now! Two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen are coming!"

"I know."

"It's not just them! There are samurai, ninja, and guards inside the county town... Are you planning to take on an entire town head-on?!"

"I know."

"You don't know a damn thing!"

Mei Terumi yanked the reins, snarling, "Who do you think you are? The legendary Hashirama Senju? If you go today, you're going to your death!"

"You don't want me to die?"

"Of course not!"

"Why?"

"Because—"

Mei Terumi was momentarily struck dumb; she didn't know how to answer. Less than a month ago, she had been tracking him specifically under orders to kill Lin Qing.

Seeing her silence, Lin Qing smiled instead.

"Because you've come to see me as a friend."

"Lin Qing!"

Blade Master's shout rang out. He came running over, carrying a massive blade as tall as a man. Pressed for time, he hadn't been able to craft a scabbard, so he had imitated the old Samehada by wrapping it in layers of bandages.

"Catch!"

Blade Master put his strength into his arms and hurled the great sword over.

Lin Qing reached out and caught it with one hand; it was heavy and cold to the touch.

But it suited him perfectly.

"Doctor Lin."

The Village Chief walked over, trembling, followed by a group of the elderly and weak.

The Village Chief handed over a thick cloak and a parcel filled with food. His lips parted, as if he had a thousand things to say, yet not a single word could escape.

What was there to say?

The Village Chief had lived long enough to see the coldness and warmth of human nature.

Never mind that Lin Qing had no ties to Snowfall Village beyond a chance encounter; even a native born and raised here wouldn't risk their life to court death.

Mei Terumi was right—this was reality.

But beyond reality, when faced with a desperate situation, people... always harbor a sliver of fantasy deep within their hearts.

They yearn for a hero to descend from the heavens.

Lin Qing took the parcel and hung it by the saddle, then swung the cloak over his shoulders. He gently patted the hand Mei Terumi had clamped onto the reins.

"I have to go."

Mei Terumi couldn't understand: "Why must you go?"

None of the people kidnapped were Lin Qing's kin.

Although the incident had a slight connection to him, it was, at its core, the tyranny of County Magistrate Senmura.

The so-called tax was merely a pretext for his extortion and murder. Whatever they said was the law, and Lin Qing had no obligation to take responsibility for it.

Lin Qing looked calmly into Mei Terumi's eyes. He thought of many reasons, but in the end, he settled on one sentence:

"With wailing and blood across the land, it is but a single thought to save the common folk... I want to go and see."

It was a simple sentence, yet many present could not grasp its meaning.

Mei Terumi was one of the few who understood. She stared blankly at Lin Qing, forgetting even when she had loosened her grip on the reins.

In that instant, she thought of the tragedy of the Village of the Bloody Mist and the increasingly insane policies Yagura had enacted in recent years. An impulse surged from the depths of her heart, a desire to follow the man before her into battle, into the fray.

But after taking only a single step, Mei Terumi was forced to stop.

She could not go.

Her opponents were a county magistrate appointed by the Feudal Lord of the Land of Water himself, and the high-ranking Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure.

If she went, it would be tantamount to betraying her country and her village.

A warm hand rested on her shoulder. Lin Qing shook his head slightly at her: "Do not make things difficult for yourself. Take care of them for me."

Lin Qing swept his gaze over the crowd and flicked the reins. The horse let out a neigh.

A man and a horse charged into the snowy night, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Mei Terumi gently stroked the shoulder where Lin Qing had just rested his hand; as the warmth gradually faded, she could not help but feel a sense of loss.

"In the world of martial arts, one is often not the master of their own fate. Teacher Mei, there is no need to blame yourself," Sasuke said.

Mei Terumi snapped back to reality, putting on a brave face.

"Who said I was blaming myself? Didn't Lin Qing tell you? I am a ninja sent by another organization to scout him. Besides, isn't Lin Qing afraid that I might kidnap you two and use you as leverage against him later?"

Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest.

"He wouldn't. Teacher Mei, you aren't that kind of person. While you are observing others, you are being observed in return. Brother Qing says, 'When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you'—ouch!"

Mei Terumi flicked Sasuke on the forehead.

"Spouting nonsense. I should be the one calling you 'teacher' at this rate."

The sound of hooves striking snow echoed through the night, and the trees on both sides of the road blurred past. Lin Qing gripped the reins, channeling the power of the Ripple into the horse.

The horse let out a short, sharp whinny, and Lin Qing leaned low to reduce wind resistance, pushing the speed even higher.

He galloped from deep night into the day, and from the day back into the night, without a single moment of rest.

It had taken the Dire Wolf Squad five days to travel leisurely from the county seat to Snowfall Village.

It had taken the Dire Wolf three days to receive the letter and lead the villagers back to the county seat.

Yet Lin Qing had done it in less than twenty-four hours.

"Clop—clop—"

The horse's hooves struck the edge of a cliff. The final rays of the setting sun illuminated the county seat below, as if painting it with a layer of crimson pigment.

The sunset vanished, and the world plunged into a brief darkness.

But soon, lights flickered on within the county seat.

The only lights.

The source was the center of the county, the most exquisite and massive mansion.

The mansion was ablaze with light, with the faint sounds of singing and laughter drifting out—a stark contrast to the deathly silence and total darkness of the commoners' houses within the county.

Lin Qing understood: he had found the right place.

Inside the Magistrate's Mansion, a banquet was underway.

Four people sat at the table: on the left were County Magistrate Senmura and the Dire Wolf, and on the right were two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen who had come to investigate Lin Qing's whereabouts.

Biwa Juzo, wielder of the Kubikiribōchō.

He had short black hair, no eyebrows, sharp teeth, and a cross-shaped scar on his right cheek. His ears and neck were wrapped in bandages, and his lower face was painted with red stripes.

Raiga Kurosuki, wielder of the Kiba.

He had long green hair, thick eyebrows, similarly sharp teeth, and his upper body was wrapped in bandages.

The two sat cross-legged with their ninja swords within arm's reach, eating meat and drinking wine while enjoying the dance of the performers below.

Biwa Juzo rarely showed a smile.

In recent years, the policies of the Mizukage, Yagura, had become increasingly harsh.

Although he held the title of one of the "Seven Ninja Swordsmen," he knew his own situation best; he knew whether his life was truly comfortable or not.

Many in Kirigakure had become rogue ninjas, and Biwa Juzo had originally planned to do the same, having heard that an organization called the Akatsuki was quite active.

But lately, after interacting with County Magistrate Senmura, his thoughts had gradually shifted.

Why bother becoming a rogue ninja?

Wouldn't it be better to bypass the ninja village and work directly for the Feudal Lord of the Land of Water?

With his shrewdness, County Magistrate Senmura keenly sensed the shift in Biwa Juzo's mindset.

He poured wine for Biwa Juzo, made promises, and with the Dire Wolf fanning the flames from the side, Biwa Juzo's face flushed with excitement. He gripped County Magistrate Senmura's hand tightly.

"I have drifted for half a lifetime, only regretting that I never met a wise master. If County Magistrate Senmura does not despise me, when the time is right, I am willing to serve you with the loyalty of a dog or horse."

Who said Biwa Juzo was cruel and heartless? When one's own interests are truly at stake, how many people can remain indifferent?

As for what "when the time is right" meant, it naturally referred to when County Magistrate Senmura left this backwater town and truly became a favorite in the eyes of the Feudal Lord.

Only the weak need to bet on others when they are at their lowest.

For a strong man like Biwa Juzo, it was enough to add flowers to the brocade once someone else had already achieved success, ensuring he would get his share of the spoils.

All of this was understood by everyone present; they exchanged knowing smiles, and no one felt the need to point it out.

The dancers finished their performance, and the young women flocked over, throwing themselves into the men's arms. Biwa Juzo naturally did not refuse; he opened his arms, pulling one to each side, squinting his eyes as he kneaded their delicate, snow-white skin.

Only Raiga Kurosuki had no woman in his arms.

County Magistrate Senmura asked in a low voice, "Is it that none of these are to Lord Raiga's liking? Shall I bring in another batch?"

Biwa Juzo chuckled.

"This brother of mine... he has a penchant for the male sex."

As soon as these words left his lips, County Magistrate Senmura was stunned, Dire Wolf was stunned, and even the dancing girls held in their arms were stunned.

Pfft—

One of the dancing girls let out a soft giggle.

Before the sound had even faded, the banquet hall fell into a deathly silence.

She was hoisted up by Dire Wolf, and before she could even beg for mercy, he snapped her neck.

Dire Wolf tossed her corpse onto the floor and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

"My apologies, Lord Raiga, for ruining your mood."

Raiga Kurosuki waved a hand, unbothered by the incident.

Even as several subordinates walked over to drag the dancer's body away, not a single person spared her a second glance.

"But speaking of the male sex..."

Dire Wolf recalled, "Among the people I brought back from Snowfall Village, there is a boy named Haku. He is quite handsome; I wonder if you might be interested, my lord."

Raiga Kurosuki raised an eyebrow slightly.

Seeing the change in his expression, County Magistrate Senmura urged:

"What are you waiting for? Bring him up here for us to see."