A Decision Made in Secret

The voice thanking him was soft, but Wang Xun heard it.

Wang Xun didn't speak, but simply took out a pocket from his back, pulled out some herbs, and handed them to Gin Ichimaru.

"Here, these are some basic healing medicines."

Wang Xun explained to him in detail the effects and methods of taking these herbs.

"If she wakes up later and is weak, you can decoct some medicine for her. But it should be in moderation, not too much."

Gin Ichimaru took the herbs and looked down at them.

A moment later, he raised his head and looked at Wang Xun.

The wariness and scrutiny from before were gone from those eyes.

There was only one complex emotion.

Gin Ichimaru looked at Wang Xun and suddenly asked.

"May I have your name?"

"Wang Xun, where are you?"

Ichimaru paused for a moment, then spoke in a low voice.

"Gin Ichimaru, she is Rangiku Matsumoto."

Wang Xun nodded, indicating that he understood.

Without saying anything more, he got up and walked towards the door.

It's almost time; he should go back and regroup with his teammates.

He suddenly stopped when he reached the door.

"Silver."

"Um?"

Wang Xun turned around.

"Both of you have high Reiatsu levels."

"With your qualifications, your final destination should be the Seireitei, to become Soul Reaper)."

He paused.

"If you'd like, you can come back with me."

Silence fell behind him.

Wang Xun then continued.

"I'm here on a mission, and I'll be staying here for a few more days."

"I'll come back here again before I return to Seireitei after this mission."

"If you've made up your mind by then, you can come with me."

Wang Xun paused.

"Of course, she should wake up in a day or two. You can also ask her opinion."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and walked out.

At that moment, Gin Ichimaru's voice suddenly came.

Why should you help us?

Wang Xun paused slightly in his steps.

"There's no special reason; we can't just stand by and watch someone die."

Wang Xun didn't turn around, waved his hand, and disappeared into the night.

That's enough said and done.

As for the rest, just watch how this seed takes root and sprouts.

Inside the room, Gin Ichimaru stood still, watching the door slowly close.

After a long while, he lowered his head and looked at the Rangiku on the tatami mat.

Under the moonlight, her complexion had improved considerably; she was no longer as pale as before, and her brows had relaxed.

She slept soundly and peacefully.

Gin Ichimaru crouched down, reached out, and gently tidied her messy hair.

He just squatted down beside her and quietly watched her for a long time.

By the time Wang Xun arrived at the foot of the mountain, most of the people had already returned.

The members of the Fourth Division had already gathered at the assembly point, their pockets bulging.

They were taking stock of their harvest, talking in hushed tones, their faces showing signs of exhaustion.

"Fourth Seat Wang Xun!"

One of the team members was the first to see him and quickly came to greet him.

"You're finally back! We thought you were in some kind of danger."

His tone carried a mixture of worry and relief.

Wang Xun shook his head.

"It's nothing, we just went a little too far."

He walked over to the team members, his gaze sweeping over the bags that were bulging with contents.

How was the harvest?

"Fine!"

The team member said excitedly, his face beaming with undisguised joy.

"There are more medicinal herbs on this mountain than I imagined, probably because not many people pick them. High-quality herbs are everywhere."

As he spoke, he pointed to the several bulging packages behind him.

"We've collected enough samples; even if there are more wounded, it should be enough for a short time."

Wang Xun nodded.

"Good, let's pack up and get ready to head back to camp."

"Yes!"

The team members immediately sprang into action, re-tying their bags and taking stock of the supplies they had collected.

Some people were whispering about how to deal with the herbs when they got back.

Wang Xun turned around and glanced to the side.

Aizen remained standing there, hands behind his back, composed and unhurried.

Noticing Wang Xun's gaze, he turned his head, a gentle smile on his face.

You're back?

Wang Xun walked to his side.

"Okay, we've gathered enough herbs, we can go back now."

Aizen nodded, his gaze falling on him.

After a moment, he suddenly said.

"You've had a hard time," he paused, "What happened? Did something go wrong? Your Reiatsu is so high."

His tone was casual, as if he were just asking a casual question.

Wang Xun's expression remained unchanged.

He had used up a lot of Reiatsu while treating Rangiku, and coupled with the many wounded he had treated earlier, his Reiatsu was indeed weaker than usual.

Wang Xun sighed softly, a helpless smile appearing on his face.

"The healing of the 11th Division members just now used up too much Reiatsu. It's quite a coincidence, really."

"I encountered an injured spirit on the road just now, so I healed it."

"Although it consumed some Reiatsu, it's nothing serious."

He spoke so naturally, as if he were simply stating a perfectly ordinary fact.

Aizen simply nodded upon hearing this.

"Yeah."

The group then began their return journey, heading towards the camp, and disappeared into the night with their bountiful harvest.

Behind us, the mountains and forests remained silent.

The moonlight remained cold and clear.

Meanwhile, in that dilapidated little house...

Gin Ichimaru remained seated beside the tatami mat, quietly watching over the sleeping Rangiku.

Her breathing was steady and long, her chest rising and falling slightly, as if she were simply asleep.

Gin Ichimaru looked at her, his narrowed eyes devoid of any expression.

The herbs left behind by Wang Xun emitted a faint fragrance that permeated the dilapidated house, bringing an indescribable sense of peace.

Gin Ichimaru lowered his head, his mind churning with countless thoughts.

That white-haired Soul Reaper.

He said his Wang Xun, he was the Fourth Seat of the Fourth Division, and a doctor in the medical division.

He said that someone in the Fourth Division could save Rangiku.

He said that if you were willing, you could go to the Seireitei with him and become the Soul Reaper.

Soul Reaper...

Gin Ichimaru clenched his fists slightly.

Of course he knew what Soul Reaper was.

To become the Soul Reaper means to possess power and attain a higher status.

This means...

You can get close to those people.

Gin Ichimaru slightly opened his eyes.

In the moonlight, a cold glint flashed in those eyes.

He remembered their faces.

Those people dressed in black Shinigami uniforms took things from Rangiku's body right in front of him.

He will settle accounts with them one by one in the future.

He also remembered that those people called the leader...

Aizen.

Gin Ichimaru silently repeated the name in his heart.

He will remember this name; he will never forget it for the rest of his life.

He wants to find that person and then reclaim what belongs to Rangiku.

He is willing to pay any price for this.

His gaze fell on Rangiku's face again.

Under the moonlight, that innocent face was quiet and peaceful, completely unaware of what had happened or that its fate had been utterly altered.

Gin Ichimaru looked at her, a complex emotion flashing in his narrowed eyes.

Gentle, heartbroken, guilty...

There was also a hint of deep pain.

If he wants to become the Soul Reaper, to get close to those people, to seek revenge.

Will he still be able to stay by her side?

If they find out about my relationship with Rangiku, if they find out that I approached them only for revenge.

Rangiku will be in danger.

She will become his weakness, a bargaining chip for those people to use to blackmail him.

He couldn't let her get into that danger.

Gin Ichimaru's hands trembled slightly.

He looked down at his clenched fist.

The knuckles turned white from the exertion, and the fingernails almost dug into the palm.

But he couldn't feel any pain.

Compared to the agony of Rangiku's soul being ripped away, what is this pain?

After a long while, he let go.

He reached out and gently smoothed Rangiku's orange hair.

The movements were very light and gentle, as if afraid of waking her.

Then, he withdrew his hand.

He knelt down beside her, quietly watching her.

He just kept his head down, looking at that familiar face.

After a long silence, he spoke softly.

This time, his voice trembled slightly.

"I'll come back to you after I've finished what I need to do."

"At that time..."

He didn't finish speaking.

He then reached out and gently grasped Rangiku's hand, feeling its faint warmth.

He held it there quietly, without moving.

Moonlight streamed through a hole in the roof, casting two slender figures on it.

The night was deep.

Dawn is still far away.