Will Die, Right?

Gu Mo's mind was a little chaotic. Perhaps it was because he had just strengthened his spirit yesterday, increasing that attribute by two points. Although a somewhat lengthy "record" suddenly appeared in his mind, his brain quickly received and processed the information.

It was also possible that he already had some grasp and understanding of the information Saito Dosan wanted to convey. Although the old man was recalling the glorious past, the message he sent through his Guardian Spirit was nothing more than his past experiences—

As the leader of the demon hunters in the Oni Slaying Village called Soyah, he fell into confusion after years of hunting Yokai. He felt this repetitive, mechanical labor was meaningless because the Yokai could never be completely eradicated. The root cause of the large number of Aragami was humanity itself, in this chaotic world where neither humans nor demons could find peace…

In his confusion, he met a female demon named Miyoshino. They came together because of their shared ideals, determined to end this world that was wrong from the start, hoping that humans would no longer suffer from war and that demons could rest forever in peace…

After that, Miyoshino left after giving birth to twins due to certain concerns, taking one daughter with her. He also changed his overall plan of action, transitioning from a demon hunter to a Sengoku period Daimyo. He didn't do this to compete for power, but to gain more strength to eliminate the Spirit Stones in the world and create an era of great peace…

—Communicating information through a Guardian Spirit was indeed a very useful method. Normal human communication is limited by the means of expression and receiving ability of both parties, but this method utilized "Divine Sense" to transmit thoughts, which had unimaginable speed and efficiency.

Gu Mo felt as if in that instant, he had watched a movie that lasted several hours. Although the filming techniques and editing of this movie were clumsy, it could be said to be full of emotion but lacking in any skill. However, it was enough to convey everything Saito Dosan wanted to express.

He deeply understood everything about this person's past, his former confusion, his later realization, and his resolute determination to act…

Because the information transmitted by the Guardian Spirit contained the most genuine feelings and thoughts the person had about each memory.

It wasn't just seeing images and hearing sounds; one could also truly feel the person's "emotions," allowing for a complete understanding of everything the "movie" wanted to convey, with almost no deviation in comprehension.

After a brief feeling of dizziness, Gu Mo's thoughts returned to reality, but he was still somewhat dazed and lost in thought.

This turn of events was something he hadn't anticipated. He had heard Saito Dosan say many times that he would do his best to help him, but he hadn't expected such a grand gesture. After all, by conventional standards, giving him a castle to manage was already an extremely generous and magnanimous act.

Which other Daimyo would be willing to give such treatment to a stranger? Forget about having a daughter involved; they would be wary even if the other person was their own brother.

One could only say that Saito Dosan was indeed extraordinary. Just as in history, even the formerly hostile Oda Nobunaga, after gaining his recognition, was given Mino Province. Because he had no attachment to power or status, and not much obsession with the Mino Province he had built and managed. All of this was never his ultimate goal; it was merely a means to achieve what he pursued…

—Regarding the distinction between purpose and means, this unrestrained and heroic figure understood it very clearly. He did not treat the process as the result, gradually losing himself due to the intoxicating effect of power while pursuing his ideals.

Therefore, Gu Mo now realized that he had underestimated this Viper. The decision the other party had just made shook him, leaving him unable to recover for a long time. After finally sorting out the whole matter, he felt completely unwell, almost wanting to jump up.

His head shook rapidly, like a rattle drum. His first reaction was to refuse—

"No, no, I can't do this…"

"…"

"…"

"Huh? What did you say—!!"

Saito Dosan's voice suddenly increased by many decibels. He was already full of energy and didn't look old at all; now his voice was like a thunderous roar. He glared, his eyes full of anger. What did this kid just say?

He hadn't made any other requests, just for him to treat Axiu well, and he actually replied "No"? "Can't do it"?

Naturally, his anger instantly increased by +1000!

Flames almost shot out of Saito Dosan's eyes, seemingly intending to scorch the detestable fellow in front of him with his substantial gaze!

"Uh, no, I didn't mean that…"

Gu Mo couldn't help but lean back, instinctively wanting to distance himself from the other party. That man-eating aura was truly intimidating… Let's talk things out properly, just sit down and discuss it. Why are you yelling so loudly?

"Then what do you mean?!" Saito Dosan still glared, his fists clenched.

"…"

"…"

Gu Mo twitched the corner of his mouth, subconsciously turning his head to look in the direction of the Hidechiyo sisters. He couldn't handle this anymore, he needed some external support!

Regarding someone's pleading gaze, Saito Yoshitatsu tilted her head slightly. After examining him, she looked away again, still appearing indifferent, as if she had no intention of offering help.

However, she also slightly turned her head to look at the other black-haired girl who was like her mirror image standing beside her, her long-lost sister.

She didn't care about what her father had just said, because it was indeed the truth. She had had the opportunity to become the new head of Mino Province, but in the end, she had chosen to give it up.

Unlike the suspicion and animosity in real history, before Hidechiyo's return, Saito Dosan was very concerned about her, the only bloodline left by his beloved… Before making the decision to abdicate, he would earnestly seek her opinion, after all, this family business should have belonged to her.

It was like this when he previously assessed that person from Owari Province, and it was also like this when he made the decision to choose this person now. Both times were with her nod of agreement, indicating no objection and no opposition.

Saito Yoshitatsu had not changed her mind now, she was just simply curious, curious about what her long-lost sister would do, curious about how they met, curious about what kind of story it was… Of course, besides curiosity, there was also a subtle psychological factor influencing her.

Because the twins were too similar, they were practically facing each other as if in a mirror, always feeling that the person opposite wasn't another person, but their own reflection. Therefore, this situation was inevitable—

It was like seeing herself in the mirror, about to be together with a stranger…

This strange psychology was difficult to avoid, and her sense of incongruity was so strong that despite her outwardly calm demeanor, she couldn't help but inwardly care.

However…

Hidechiyo just blinked her eyes, looking somewhat unsure of what to do. Even when she met someone's pleading gaze, she only hesitated for a moment, ultimately doing nothing. After all, she couldn't speak, and she also felt that it was difficult for her to express any opinion on such matters.

If her younger sister was indifferent and had no thoughts, then she, the older sister, was the same. Perhaps there was an additional reason, which was… she still didn't have much sense of reality.

After all, the family reunion and father-daughter recognition were still very recent events. Hidechiyo had not been able to quickly integrate into the new family environment and still felt unaccustomed and uncomfortable with Saito Dosan's enthusiasm. How could she possibly naturally regard Mino Province as her own thing all at once?

So the girl had no sense of reality at all. Even if her father gave the family business to this person, she had no opinion. Anyway, her sister who had always been by her father's side had no opinion, so what opinion could she have… As for what her father said about this person taking good care of her and Yoshitatsu, Hidechiyo also felt it was very normal.

Neither she nor her sister had any intention of inheriting the family business. Their father, who was old and whose energy was greatly diminished, could only entrust it to someone else. At the same time, he hoped that person would take this into consideration and take more care of his daughters afterward. This kind of thing—

Even for Hidechiyo, who didn't understand many worldly things, she felt it was completely fine, just a very commonplace matter.

So calm. As expected, she had already made up her mind…

Looking at her sister's calm and indifferent appearance, Saito Yoshitatsu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Facing this matter without any girlish airs, she felt very much like Saito Kicho. It was the same when her half-sister married years ago; she was poised and natural, without any sign of shyness or awkwardness.

Sensing the gaze from beside her, Hidechiyo also tilted her head, looking strangely at her unfamiliar yet familiar sister, wondering why she was looking at her like that.

Saito Yoshitatsu gently shook her head, retracting her gaze, and said nothing.

Returning to the other side—

Watching the silent interaction between the two identical sisters, Gu Mo couldn't help but twitch his mouth. Why are you just watching?

It was one thing for Saito Yoshitatsu to ignore him; they weren't familiar with each other anyway. But why did even Axiu accept it so calmly... Wait, wait! Could it be that Axiu actually didn't know what the old man's last sentence meant?

This thought flashed through his mind, and Gu Mo suddenly felt like he had grasped the key, then felt a toothache coming on.

The young girl herself probably hadn't thought of this at all. She was indeed very intelligent, but she wasn't familiar with interpersonal relationships and didn't have so many complicated thoughts. Many things were only understood on the surface, interpreted only from the literal meaning...

But Saito Dosan ignored this point and assumed from the start that this was the case. When talking about the current matter, perhaps Hidechiyo didn't truly understand his meaning, so her reaction was seen by the old man and, in turn, became the evidence that he believed this was the case...

Gu Mo, who had roughly straightened out a little, felt something was wrong. This whole thing was like a tangled mess of threads; everyone was in it, and only he could see the end of the thread.

But, there was no way to explain—

Because the reason this mess of threads became so tangled was his initial idea of relying on Axiu and getting involved with her... Although Axiu had realized the truth, she ultimately chose to believe him and never exposed him, so by a strange twist of fate, it became like this.

Only the two of them knew the truth, but neither said anything. Instead, the fabricated story from the beginning became the "fact" that others accepted.

"Hey! Kid, look at this old man!"

The impatient tapping of knuckles on the tatami mats echoed, and Saito Dosan still glared at the hateful young man in front of him—

"Are you sleeping? Don't think you can get away with this! Stop looking over there! Axiu clearly trusts you so much, yet you, this kid, are still so... so... Hmph!"

He glanced to the side and saw that his precious daughter indeed had a calm expression, seemingly accepting the matter he had decided to announce immediately. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for no reason. He had doted on her and protected her as the apple of his eye, but today she was going to be taken away... And this kid was so irresponsible!

"I..."

Gu Mo realized that in his past twenty years of life, he couldn't find a single sentence to deal with the current situation.

"What's wrong with you! Speak!" The Viper said in a harsh voice. At this moment, he didn't have the demeanor of a Sengoku period Daimyo, but rather that of a father-in-law sticking up for his daughter.

How to explain? There's no way to explain... Gu Mo looked at the giant White Snake wrapped around him, thought about the recording of the image, sound, and feelings that had just appeared in his mind, then secretly glanced at Saito Dosan in front of him whose eyes were practically spitting fire.

The Guardian Spirit had been given to him...

His lifelong ideals and beliefs were also entrusted to him...

And his daughter, whom he regarded as the apple of his eye, and his half-life's work, perhaps even the Document of Abdication had been written...

This Viper had considered so much before making up his mind, and after making up his mind, he had done so many things, only to unleash it all today. If at this moment, he were to properly explain to him that it was all a misunderstanding, that he and Axiu had no special relationship, and that everything he thought was true was just his own fabrication...

He'll die, right? He'll definitely die!

A few drops of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and Gu Mo gave a dry laugh: "I mean, I don't... No, it's no, there's no problem!"

"Hmph! That's good!" Saito Dosan snorted angrily. "I've seen your governance of Sagiyama Castle. You are quite capable, kid. You can make a castle look brand new and so orderly in less than a month. Even Mitsuhide says he's far inferior to you, but governing a province is not the same as managing a castle..."

With the change in identity and status, he naturally adopted the stance of a father-in-law, perhaps with some malicious desire to retaliate and strike, and began to lecture Gu Mo in an imperious manner.

The latter could only nod repeatedly, feeling tormented, his mind completely elsewhere, not listening to the elder's life experience at all.

A moment later.

Walking in the corridor, Gu Mo stumbled along like a walking corpse, his eyes somewhat vacant.

Finally free... He didn't know how he got out, and he didn't hear anything that was said afterward. The old man seemed to have a real problem with him, and was even more annoyed about that matter than he was. After settling it, he didn't mention another word, but instead immediately put on a show and lectured him.

Like an old child, if he was unhappy, he had to get even.

What could Gu Mo say? He could only keep agreeing and echoing, whether he listened or not, whether he understood or not, until now, he was finally relieved.

The two girls behind him also walked along the corridor, looking strangely at his stumbling figure.

After a long while, listening to the clear and light footsteps behind him, Gu Mo slowly came back to his senses, his expression changing slightly. Agreeing just now was a temporary measure; now he had to talk to Axiu and discuss how to deal with this troublesome matter.

Or perhaps take advantage of the fact that everything hadn't been announced yet and use the time difference?

He could take advantage of the remaining time to run away with his tail between his legs, and then Axiu could seize the opportunity to stop and explain before Saito Dosan announced this matter to the world. That way, her reputation wouldn't be damaged, and he wouldn't have to face the wrath of the enraged father-in-law?

His mind was in a mess. Gu Mo stopped, took a deep breath, then turned around:

"Axiu..."

He glanced at the two black-haired girls behind him, blinked his eyes in annoyance, his gaze sweeping over their heads, then reached out and pulled the girl's wrist, squeezing out an apologetic smile at Saito Yoshitatsu: "Sorry, Miss Saito, I have something to tell Axiu. Please forgive me—"

He quickly threw out this sentence and pulled the girl away quickly without looking back.

Huh?

The black-haired girl left standing there had subconsciously nodded, then opened her mouth in astonishment. Didn't he say he wanted to talk to me? How could he...

She saw the girl who looked like another version of herself freeze for a moment when her hand was grabbed, then immediately compose her expression. Now, as she was being pulled away, she even looked back at her with a cunning and amused look. Everything was so natural that she subconsciously developed a sense of illusion.

After a moment of愣了一下, the black-haired girl reacted and quickly followed.