Su Shuang's world is collapsing [Comprehensive]

Chapter 154

She thought about it, and then gave this girl whom she actually admired as a friendship gift—because this girl was unexpectedly frank, strong, and assertive, and she didn't seem to follow blindly—a reason she could understand a little bit.

"The next time we meet, I hope that the two of us won't have to fight each other. But if that's the case, there's nothing we can do..." She smiled.

"Because we're all fighting to defend the place we think we belong."

...Actually, as a girl, who would really care about what the future of this country will become?In this era, who can say which path is absolutely correct for the future of this country?The side they choose is actually the people who rescued themselves from the desperate situation when they were desperate, lost and desperate, the people who never gave up on themselves when they were in distress and suffering, and they are their last refuge and belonging. place--

In order to defend such a beautiful place left to me in this world, I must face all opponents seriously and fight hard.

Seemingly surprised, Kirishima Kou let out a dumbfounded sound, and stood there without leaving for a long time, seeming to realize something.

Liu Quan nodded to her with a smile, followed closely behind Hijikata, and left Shimabara, which was full of lights and laughter at night.

On the way back to the settlement, Tufang didn't speak for a long time.

Liu Quan followed him one step away, maintaining the same speed as him, and the two walked silently one after the other on the road in the middle of the night.

The road was very quiet in the middle of the night, and most of the lights of the houses on both sides of the road had been extinguished.Liu Quan was holding a small lantern in his hand, and the light green mountain-shaped pattern representing Shinsengumi and the word "sincerity" were printed on the paper covering the outside of the lantern.A piece of candle inside the lantern was burning with a small flame, casting a circle of slightly dim light on the road between Tufang and Liuquan.

At the intersection of a small road that should turn into it, Tufang stopped suddenly without warning.

Liu Quan kept his head down and looked at the road. At this moment, he was startled by Tu Fang's movements, and hurriedly stopped his feet, almost hitting Tu Fang's back.

The lantern in her hand shook back and forth greatly because of this slightly dangerous movement.Fortunately, the flame of the candle withstood the test and was not extinguished.

"Really..."

Tu Fang, who didn't turn his head back, was silent for a moment, then suddenly said in a low voice.Then suddenly raised his voice.

"What kind of reckless speech did you make! Please don't say strange things without authorization!"

Liu Quan was taken aback for a moment, then immediately raised his head, looking at Tufang's back.

It just so happened that they were walking on a dark path with no one in it, and it was convenient for Shinsengumi's Deputy Oni to reprimand each of his more difficult subordinates.

Earth Fang turned his head abruptly, his brows furrowed into stern and profound lines.

"What's 'the deputy chief may have said some words that are not pleasant to hear, and probably not what you want to hear'...'The majestic Shinsengumi will not fall to the point where you can't even afford a man's life'... ...And what about 'everything about the Shinsengumi will not be carried out without going through the deputy director'--do you put Kondo-san and me in your eyes for those words you said!......"

After being yelled at like this, Liu Quan looked even more astonished.

"What is it... not paying attention to Mr. Kondo and you?" She asked blankly, as if she really didn't understand where Hijikata was upset.

"Of course I respect Director Kondo and Deputy Chief... Without you, there would be no place for me in the current Shinsengumi... Isn't it?" She continued to ask with a stupid expression It seemed that the sharp articulation that had concealed the needle in the smile in front of Koki Kirishima just now had all disappeared.

"I'm telling the truth... Although the deputy chief always speaks very harsh words, if you don't worry about that girl just now, you can come up and silence her, right? Okita-kun said it too. ...I should have an advantage against that girl...The deputy chief will probably be able to win against that 'beheaded to hide'."

Tufang was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't expect her to argue seriously with a dumbfounded face.It was nothing short of a challenge to his authority.But she didn't seem to have thought of that at all.

"...As for the last sentence, hasn't Mr. Kondo always trusted Mr. Hijikata and handed over all affairs of the Shinsengumi to Mr. Hijikata?" She naturally changed her address to him suddenly, raising her eyebrows. Started looking up at his face seriously.Although half of her face was almost hidden in the shadow of the roadside huts, her exposed eyes shone with trust and admiration, which was absolutely unmistakable.

"...I just want to let Kirishima-kun understand that even if he takes a different stand, Hichikata-san is an upright samurai, just like the Shinsengumi, with a respectable spirit."

Hijikata showed obvious shock on his face, as if he didn't know how to respond to her straightforward comment for a moment, he opened his mouth, but no sound came out; where it goes.

... oh oh oh.This is really a rare scene.With a little joy, Liu Quan thought quietly in his heart.

...It turns out that the bitterness of the deputy chief of Oni unexpectedly came from sincere, frank and bold praise...? !

Thinking of this, her eyebrows and eyes could not help but slowly curved under the reflection of the night, and a crescent-shaped smile slowly appeared on the corners of her lips.

The appearance of this smile mark seemed to remind the deputy head of the ghost.Tufang coughed vigorously, and gave her a hard look as if in embarrassment.

"Say...what are you talking about, you are..." He stuttered unexpectedly, and had to cough hard again before he resumed his normal speaking speed.

"... Cough, anyway, this matter is over. That Kirishima Sasuke probably doesn't need to worry anymore - it is indeed a good result to be able to solve this matter without killing her." He said seriously. Said, trying to immediately ignore the gaffe caused by her words just now.

"I don't care how much you heard in Shimabara tonight, but you have to remember—as a member of the Shinsengumi, what you can do for the Shinsengumi is to forget all of them immediately, and don't say a word. Don't mention it to others." His face and voice became cold, and he warned her mercilessly.

"If you want to protect the Shinsengumi, follow my advice and do it."

Liu Quan didn't even frowned, and the smile on his face didn't move at all.

"Of course. I've already promised it, Deputy Commander?"

In the dark night, under the shadow of the house, the girl dressed as a young man showed a rare relaxed and candid expression.

"I will faithfully carry out the orders of the Deputy Chief."

……

The climate in the first year of Yuanzhi was a bit strange. In June, the weather was already unbearably hot.

Therefore, due to the hot weather recently, the number of team members with heat stroke and diarrhea is increasing every day, and the shortage of manpower is difficult to alleviate.The total number of members of the Shinsengumi has exceeded 30, and now there are only [-] people who can attend work normally.

After being locked up for an unknown number of days, Liu Quan finally got the first chance to go on a mission with the deputy chief.And her convincing performance of loyalty finally changed the status quo of her being under house arrest.

On the second night, she was finally called to the lobby.

The lit candle was swaying due to the wind blowing from Liu Quan's opening the door. She looked at it and found the director of the Shinsengumi, Isamu Kondo, the chief, Keisuke Yamanan, the deputy chief, Toshizo Hijikata, and some important officials, including Ichiba Team leader Okita Souji, second team leader Nagakura Shinhachi, third team leader Saito Kazu, sixth team leader Genzaburo Inoue, eighth team leader Todo Heisuke, tenth team leader Harada Saanosuke , are impressively present.

When she walked in and knelt down in front of everyone according to the position indicated by Hijikata's eyes, most of the people present had a bit of embarrassment and bewilderment on their faces.

Among them, only Hijikata, Shannan, Okita and Saito were exceptions.Hijikata had a serious expression, and sat there with his arms folded, unable to tell what he was thinking.

Shannan still had the usual gentle expression on his face, as if that expression was firmly covering his face like an iron mask, isolating all his real thoughts.

Saito was expressionless as usual, his eyes slightly lowered to look at the tatami, like a lonely and silent swordsman as always.

And Okita, who was the first to discover the secret that Liu Quan was a woman, had a usual joking smile on his face, but when his eyes fell on her, it was quite cold, which was in sharp contrast to the joking smile on his face. Compared.

There was a moment of silence in the room, and finally, Tufang spoke first.

"Letting you come is to announce to you the punishment opinion on you."

Liu Quan silently nodded, paused for a moment, and answered "Yes".

Hijikata turned his attention to Kondo.

Isamu Kondo, director of the Shinsengumi, who has always been known for his bold and good-natured character, seems to be particularly cramped now. He seems to be even more nervous when he receives Hijikata's silent gaze. expression.

"Uh, that... Let me tell you, Ah Sui... the law in the game... There is no regulation that women will be punished for dressing up as men...?" He asked tentatively, with a cautious tone in his tone, as if he was afraid of making a mistake If he uttered a single word, he would accidentally offend someone, and then implicate Liu Quan and receive a heavy punishment.

"Although there are no similar regulations, this is also a kind of lie. If there is something to hide...is it a manifestation of Shidou's lack of awareness?" Hijikata replied coldly.

"Shi... Shidou is not enlightened?!" Kondo seemed to be taken aback, repeating Hijikata's last definition of Liu Quan's behavior, with an expression as if he had been greatly frightened.

"Hey... Let me say, Ah Sui, it's not that serious, is it? She... Her explanation, didn't you relay it to me? I, I think... Her narration is very real and touching..." Kondo bravely Khan, as if trying to stop Tufang from going berserk, immediately stood by Liu Quan and spoke good words for her.

"She came to join us because she had a sworn feud with those guys from Changzhou. It's a very legitimate reason to say it." Kondo continued, his eyes gliding over everyone in the room one by one, for some reason , As he spoke, his voice sank slightly, as if he had gained some confidence from recalling Tu's report to him.

...Ah, according to the original work, the reason why Kiyohara Yukiha came to join the Shinsengumi was because "as the second daughter of a merchant family in the countryside of Kumamoto Domain", her mother died early, and her father was arrested when he was out on a business trip. After being murdered by a wanderer from Changzhou, he went to his uncle's house with his sister, but the two sisters were raised separately. As the younger sister, Xue Ye was forced to learn a lot of strange skills and knowledge until a few years later. Only then did I realize that my uncle also had some relationship with the Changzhou Fan, and wanted to train the two sisters who lost their parents to be the spies of the Changzhou Fan.

Yukiha, who resisted for the first time with a mortal heart, was indeed punished—her sister was said to have been sold and her whereabouts were unknown; Pai's Changzhou domain is a deadly enemy, so she disguised herself as a man and joined the Shinsengumi, because "as long as I stay here, one day I can personally avenge those people in Changzhou."

"I am very impressed that a woman can have such courage and conviction to do this." Kondo said calmly, and there was a hint of approval in the eyes projected on Liu Quan.

"And since she joined the Shinsengumi, she has never made a mistake in her work, and she has performed exceptionally well in several incidents... Based on this alone, I also think that she has reached the standard of a qualified team player. I found out... that the cause was also because she was eager to rescue Yukimura-kun who fell into the water, right? This kind of extraordinary bravery, I think, can offset her previous fault of not telling the truth because of her concerns..."

Kondo talked eloquently, but Hijikata's face became more and more ugly.When Hijikata's face was gloomy to the highest point, Shannan, who was sitting on the other side of Kondo, suddenly let out a chuckle.

"Ah, that's right." His tone was still gentle and gentle.

"Kiyohara-kun was also very brave in the battle of Iwaki Masuya in Osaka... I witnessed this with my own eyes."

For some reason, as soon as he uttered these words, Liu Quan's body, who was sitting there with his head down and his back straight, waited for the verdict, trembled slightly.

The Battle of Iwagi Masuya in Osaka... This is the only battle where Kiyohara Yukiha, the cannon fodder female supporting role, shines in the original novel.

Liu Quan reflexively thought of the specific content of that battle.

In short, Hijikata and Shannan, together with Kiyohara Yukiha, whose female identity had not been revealed at the time, and a few other team members, went to Osaka on a business trip, saying that they were ordered to go there to ban the ronin.

Because of his good skills, his calm and assertive personality, and his unhesitating obedience to the orders of his superiors, who were ranked among the top in the Shinsengumi, the combination of these advantages made Kiyohara Yukiha stand out in the Shinsengumi at that time. , obtained the accompanying qualification.

Shannan led Xue Ye and another ordinary soldier, Tamura, and another group of troops led by Hijikata, patrolled the area of ​​Osaka separately, and banned the ronin.At that time, the Shannan side suddenly received news that several ronin broke into the Wu clothing store "Yancheng Shengya" next to the Gaoli Bridge and forcibly extorted money from the boss.So Shannan immediately took Xue Ye and Tian Cun to "Yancheng Shengya" and started a deadly battle with Ronin.

The opponent used the crowd tactics to gain the upper hand. Because the Shinsengumi arrived in a hurry, they were originally at a disadvantage in terms of contingencies.

In short, during the fierce battle, Shannan's saber "Chixin Chongguang" suddenly broke, causing his left wrist to be injured by a ronin.

That team member, Tamura, is average in skill and is not someone who can be counted on to save the field.Although Xue Ye, who was there at the time, tried her best to fight against the unsuccessful rogue, the tragedy that had already happened could not be reversed.

Those vagrant rogues who rushed into Yancheng to raise their house and forcibly extorted money from their bosses were eventually killed by two people, four were wounded and fled, and one was captured. They were dealt with by the three of Shannan and the earthworker who finally arrived at the last moment Lost.

...But Shannan's left wrist seems to be disabled.Can no longer raise the knife to kill the enemy.

The wound was so deep that they had seen famous doctors in Osaka, but they couldn't find a way to completely heal it.In short, from then until now, Shannan, as the chief of the Shinsengumi, has never been on the battlefield, nor has he gone out to perform a mission—not even an ordinary patrol.

The faces of the other people in the room didn't look too good either.

Hijikata's facial features twisted, as if he didn't want to hear this topic, he let out a "tss", turned his face away, and looked elsewhere.

"...What do you all think?"

He seemed to be asking the cadres present.

After a moment of silence, Okita let out a chuckle that sounded a little out of place.

"Are you asking me, deputy chief?" He pointed at his face jokingly, "Didn't I tell you my opinion that day?"

【Ah, this is the first time I have been deceived so badly by someone I trust... You should feel very proud that you have deceived everyone for so long without being noticed.But your luck is now at an end... Kiyohara.Just wait to be cut off by me. 】

Okita's laughing voice full of anger and killing intent that day echoed in Liu Quan's mind.

Although this is only the setting in the original work and she did not hear it with her own ears, when this line appeared in her mind, it still made her feel a deep feeling of hurting this young man who once trusted and cared for her. Apologetic and guilty; her eye sockets were slightly wet.

"...I'm very sorry!" She blurted out, bowed deeply, and touched her forehead to the ground.

Okita still smiled and didn't answer her.

Hijikata frowned, instead of continuing to ask Okita, he turned to the other people.

"New eight?"

The muscular Nagakura wrinkled his face in embarrassment.

"Ah... I don't know how to answer... Of course it's abominable to deceive everyone! But, but... Kiyohara-kun is a girl after all... How could he order a girl to do seppuku..." He stammered, and finally felt that it was too much to continue, and turned angrily to Harada who was sitting beside him.

"Hey! Zuozhi! Do you think so?"

The author has something to say:

February 2:

I received my dear Muyang Feimi’s hand grenade today, thank you so much~~(づ￣3￣)づ╭～