Shiraishi landed on a mountaintop.
The gentle moonlight draped the earth in a silver veil, and a campfire was lit at the campsite below the mountain, where several figures could be vaguely seen busily working.
That was the convoy of vehicles transporting ore for the Ōmaeda Gem Company.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, not stepping forward, but turning his head to ask, "The team leader is probably around the level of Fifth Seat. Are you confident you can hide it from him?"
Nemu Kurotsuchi nodded and said, "No problem."
"Okay, the target is that car. The box inside is the biggest and the best place to hide."
Shiraishi pointed to a black dot below, leaped forward, and used Steel Tempest to plummet into the dark forest. He then tapped a branch with his foot and sped towards the camp.
There were no barriers or obstacles set up around the perimeter. The tents were lined up in an orderly fashion, and in the center, where the campfire was the brightest, eighteen horse-drawn carriages were parked.
Dozens of people were busy running around.
Shiraishi silently passed by them and slipped into a carriage. Inside, it was dark, and there were six large boxes lined up side by side, their openings sealed with tape.
Judging from the pattern on the seal, it is most likely some kind of small barrier. It is not very lethal, but it can still serve as a warning.
"What should we do?" Nemu Kurotsuchi asked softly, her voice so close that her warm breath tickled his earlobe.
"I have a way."
Shiraishi replied in a low voice, stepped around the two boxes, bent down, and gently lifted the last box with both hands.
The bottom panel of the box was gone, and it was empty inside. The ore that was originally inside had been thrown away during the day.
He crouched down and waved forward.
Nemu Kurotsuchi carefully stepped over and squatted down beside it. The box fell down, and everything went dark and quiet. It was so quiet that she could hear the breathing and heartbeats around her.
The noise from outside was even louder.
Shiraishi originally wanted to experience a sense of stealth, but it was too stuffy, so he quickly lifted the wooden box and placed it sideways on the box in front of him, listening carefully to the sounds outside.
If anyone gets close, immediately cover them with a wooden box; if no one is around, let them catch their breath and don't feel so uncomfortable.
Fortunately, no one approached the area at night, and it wasn't until dawn that people in the camp were shouting loudly.
Shiraishi woke up with a start, while Nemu Kurotsuchi remained obediently squatting down, not moving an inch all night.
He had to admit that the girl was a bit reckless; she picked up the wooden box with both hands and covered the two of them.
The carriage door was opened; the seal was intact.
"Alright, what could possibly be wrong? Let's hurry up and get to Seireitei as soon as possible."
The two hadn't been talking for long when the carriage started moving. The road wasn't too high, so the carriage was a bit bumpy.
About half an hour later, the carriage stopped. A strong Reiatsu was detected by Shiraishi. It should be the Third Seat of an ordinary squad of the Jidanbō guarding the Hakutōmon.
After a short pause, the carriage continued its journey.
Shiraishi calculated the distance of the Reiatsu; if it was level or exceeded, it meant that he had already reached the interior of Seireitei.
After driving a short distance, the Reiatsu from the Third Seat receded into the distance. Shiraishi lifted the wooden box, stepped out, and then gently put it down again. He walked to the carriage door, where a faint Reiatsu was still visible five steps away.
Shiraishi waved, quickly opened the door, and charged out with a Steel Tempest.
Nemu Kurotsuchi caught up in time and closed the car door behind her.
The whole thing happened in less than a second.
The driver behind them was completely unaware of anything amiss and continued discussing with his companion where they would go for lunch.
With a whoosh, Nemu Kurotsuchi landed, her deep green eyes sweeping across the area, identifying the direction of the Thirteenth Division. She then moved forward swiftly, her wooden clogs stomping across the ground.
Shiraishi followed behind.
The scenery rushed past him, and the walls of the same color and the golden tiles covering them gave him the feeling that he was standing still.
After a short while, Nemu Kurotsuchi stopped and raised her hand, saying, "Just over this wall is the Ugendo where Captain Ukitake is. I won't go in; getting too close will make it impossible to conceal our presence."
"Hmm." Shiraishi nodded, sensing a familiar, deep Reiatsu a hundred meters away.
He used his Steel Tempest to leap over the wall, swiftly passing over the lawn and bamboo forest. Beside the lake was a small pavilion, where two figures, one large and one small, stood guard at the entrance.
Shiraishi walked through, lifting the obstructing bamboo curtain without eliciting any reaction from the guards, and inhaled the strong smell of herbs.
On the tatami mat, Jūshirō Ukitake lay quietly, covered with a quilt, his face extremely pale, looking as if he were about to die.
He walked silently to the bedside, squatted down, and gently pushed the bed.
"Cough cough!" Jūshirō Ukitake coughed loudly, his body curling up in pain.
" Captain Ukitake!"
The blonde girl waiting outside lifted the bamboo curtain and, seeing Captain Ukitake and a silver-haired man besides him, glared and shouted, "Who are you? Stay away from Captain Ukitake!"
Shiraishi raised his hands and said, "Don't misunderstand, I meant no harm."
"Who are you trying to fool? Get out of here right now, Captain Ukitake!"
"Ahem, you may all step back."
Jūshirō Ukitake coughed awake, opened his eyes, and barely recognized Shiraishi's figure. He covered his mouth with his hand, and warm blood spurted onto his palm.
Even so, he sat up. "What are you doing in Seireitei?"
Shiraishi suddenly realized he'd come at the wrong time. Given Ukitake's current state, it was lucky he wasn't even dead, let alone helping. "I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have bothered you."
"Cough cough," Jūshirō Ukitake coughed up blood.
" Captain Ukitake!" ×2
Jūshirō Ukitake ignored the two. He understood that Shiraishi, a wanted criminal, wouldn't come to Seireitei unless it was something important. "What exactly happened?"
Shiraishi cut to the chase. " Kūkaku Shiba has been framed and arrested by the Central 46 Chambers. I want to get her out."
Jūshirō Ukitake looked at Kiyone with a shocked expression. Sentarō asked, " Kūkaku has been arrested by the Central 46 Chambers?"
Kiyone Kotetsu performed a dogeza (a deep bowing gesture) and said, "I am very sorry for not waking you in time. Miss Kūkaku was arrested by the Central 46 Chambers because Captain Isshin Shiba of the Tenth Division was determined to defect to the World of the Living. Now that the evidence is conclusive, she has been sentenced to the Fourth Level Howling, with a sentence of six thousand years."
"Cough cough."
Jūshirō Ukitake coughed up blood again. Because of Kaien, he knew Kūkaku Shiba very well, and he was definitely not the kind of person who would resort to scheming and trickery.
They were definitely framed.
"No, I'm going to petition the Central 46 Chambers."
Shiraishi spread his hands and said, "Do you think the higher-ups will admit they made a wrong judgment and then overturn it? We can't produce a single piece of evidence."
Jūshirō Ukitake pursed his lips.
Shiraishi revealed his plan. "Right now, the only way is to break out of the prison. I'll sneak into the Shin'ō Underground Great: The Jail and rescue Kūkaku."
Jūshirō Ukitake frowned slightly. He was a man of principle and did not want to easily cross the rules of Seireitei unless absolutely necessary.
Just as they hesitated, a series of banging sounds came from outside, and the Shinigami shouted, "An intruder has broken into the palace!!"