The Unforgiven from Shinigami
Soi Fon was born into the Fon Clan of lower-ranking nobles, whose members had served in the Stealth Force for generations, always at the bottom of the ranks, carrying out orders.
She herself has extensive experience working at the grassroots level and is skilled in the most common grassroots tasks, including extracting confessions through torture.
The assassin was dragged into the grove of trees. He sensed something was wrong, but he still underestimated Soi Fon's abilities.
A series of mournful howls, like those of a cat in a particular season and at a particular time, never ceased.
Ichirō Yagyū frowned. He was a bold and unrestrained man who would never resort to such methods of interrogation. He would usually just use simple punches and kicks, and if he couldn't get anything out of them, he would choose to leave.
He felt a deep aversion to things that were almost torture.
Don't try to bother her.
Shiraishi casually remarked that no one was deliberately trying to stop him, but if he wanted to, he could have stopped Ichirō Yagyū's actions immediately.
Although capturing Soi Fon Tsukikage Yagyū is their primary mission at the moment, they should also deal with any incidents of fighting that they happen to encounter along the way.
It's my duty.
"Tch, Shinigami are such a detestable bunch."
Ichirō Yagyū loosened his clenched Riot Games and stood there silently. When the screams stopped, Soi Fon stepped out from the grove, his slender hands covered in blood, which he was wiping with a snow-white cloth.
Shiraishi discarded the assassin's twin swords and asked, "How was it?"
"He's an assassin, hired by an underground middleman to kill Ichirō Yagyū."
Soi Fon looked somewhat suspicious and asked, "Someone like you is actually worth 300,000 rings? What big thing did you do?"
Ichirō Yagyū rolled his eyes and said, "Is 300,000 rings a lot? I can't even afford a nobleman's outfit."
"That's enough to buy your lives."
Soi Fon answered calmly.
The main job of the Stealth Force is assassination. The monthly salary of an ordinary member is five thousand rings, regardless of how many missions are completed in a month.
Even regular armies operate this way, let alone those untrained outsiders.
Although prices may fluctuate, a single order worth 70,000 to 80,000 rings is already a very high-quality, high-priced order.
Too expensive and unwilling?
There are plenty of people waiting.
Nobles are never generous to those of lower social standing.
Even if resistance occurs, the nobles would rather spend three million rings to suppress it than spend three hundred thousand rings to quell it.
Therefore, it is clear that 300,000 rings to kill one person is an extremely extravagant price for a nobleman.
You are disgusting.
Ichirō Yagyū's face was filled with disgust. Shinigami were nothing more than lackeys and lackeys of the nobility. He had no interest in saying anything more to these guys. "Get out of the way, I'm continuing on my way."
Shiraishi shrugged and asked, "It seems they don't welcome us. Shall we just ignore them and continue with our original mission?"
Soi Fon glared at him, understanding his thoughts, and said irritably, "Underground middlemen are usually very well hidden. Since we know one, we should go and ask him. Maybe he knows something about Tsukikage Yagyū."
Are they also looking for Tsukikage Yagyū?
Ichirō Yagyū was startled, but then thought it was normal. That was an escaped convict from the Muken; it wasn't strange that Shinigami was searching for him.
However, the fact that they've dispatched two captains suggests that the Seireitei truly intends to eliminate Tsukikage Yagyū.
"Your expression seemed to change a bit when she mentioned Tsukikage Yagyū just now."
Shiraishi didn't miss the change in his expression, mainly because it was too obvious; the word "shock" was practically written all over his face.
Ichirō Yagyū quickly denied it, saying, "I don't know him. Don't talk nonsense. How could I possibly have anything to do with someone like that?"
Soi Fon tossed aside the cloth she used to wipe the blood and vanished from Ichirō Yagyū's sight with Shunpo.
"Oh no!" he thought to himself, and suddenly turned around and threw a punch.
Soi Fon stepped on his outstretched right arm and delivered a sharp chop to the side of his neck, as if severing a nerve.
Ichirō Yagyū's vision went completely black, and he collapsed to the side.
Shiraishi grabbed his collar, "Why did you knock him out?"
Soi Fon landed lightly on the ground and said, "Even if we torture this guy, it's unlikely he'll tell the truth. We shouldn't let him go until we figure out his relationship with Tsukikage Yagyū."
Shiraishi said with a helpless expression, "I know, but your method is a bit too simplistic and crude."
"This kind of person should just be knocked unconscious. Why go through all that trouble? I don't want to listen to his rambling."
Soi Fon's words were sharp, but Shiraishi also admitted that if Ichirō Yagyū were awake, given his personality, he would probably be cursing the two of them for eighteen generations.
"Okay, I'll carry him."
Shiraishi carried the person on his back and asked, "Where do we go to find a middleman next?"
Soi Fon replied, "The elder's house in Sanjō Village, not far from here."
Sanjō Village is located in the South Rukongai District 5, with a population of about 10,000 to 20,000.
The elder in charge of village affairs is Mitsutsune Sanjō.
The owner of the largest house in the village, he is also a well-known middleman in the underground of the South District 5. He has extensive connections and often helps the nobles' retainers with shady dealings.
He has regular contact with several assassins.
He was very irritable today.
Making money is something to be happy about, but suddenly becoming rich might not be a good thing for someone in this industry.
High returns mean high risks.
But the client was someone he couldn't refuse; they offered 500,000 rings.
"Sigh." Mitsutsune Sanjō sighed, stroking his long beard. To ensure the mission could be completed, he only consumed 200,000 rings.
In addition, there was the 50,000 ring referral fee the assassin would give after the job was done.
Earning 250,000 rings in one day.
For someone of his commoner background, that much money is a huge sum.
Before things were finalized, Mitsutsune Sanjō always uneasy, worried that something might go wrong.
The person was walking around the room.
The setting sun cast a faint red glow on the window frame, Mitsutsune Sanjō circled around again. I looked up at the window, wanting to look at the sky to ease the anxiety in my heart.
A petite figure suddenly stood on the window frame, the glow of the setting sun caressing her head, leaving behind waves of color.
"Soi, Captain Soi Fon?!" Mitsutsune Sanjō's face was full of astonishment. He was, after all, a member of the system and had heard people say that the Second Division Captain Soi Fon was a petite and aloof woman.
Just like the girl in front of me.
Soi Fon, looking down at him, asked, "Who would be willing to spend 300,000 yen to assassinate Ichirō Yagyū?"
Mitsutsune Sanjō a thud and said, " Captain Soi Fon, this has nothing to do with me. I was just an intermediary."
"Shut up and answer my question."
Mitsutsune Sanjō immediately betrayed his teammates, saying, "It was Akira Mayama, the butler of the Mayama Clan, who instructed me to have someone kill Ichirō Yagyū."
Soi Fon then asked, "Why did he kill Ichirō Yagyū?"
Mitsutsune Sanjō Kaidō, "I don't know. I'm just a middleman. I take people's money and do their jobs. I never ask those questions."
Soi Fon pressed on, "Then do you know where Tsukikage Yagyū is?"
Mitsutsune Sanjō shook his head decisively and said, "I don't know, I really don't know where she is."
"It seems you fear her more than you fear me."
Soi Fon didn't believe him. This cunning old fox was hard to ascertain without torture.