Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The funeral custom in Japan was different from that in China, although they shared certain practices in common. For instance, today was the 35th day after Kirihara Yousuke’s parents’ death. On the 7th, 35th, 49th and 100th day, memorial services were held for the deceased.
Lu Shu could not pay tribute during lesson time, but he had to at least pretend after school.
No matter how much his temperament had changed, Kirihara Yousuke ought not to forget about his parents. On his way home with Bunndai, Lu Shu was wary about his surroundings. He had a few targets in the vicinity, but no action should be taken on memorial days.
Recently, he noticed a middle-class Collection of Gods member had made a conscious effort at reducing his social contacts. Just the night before, Lu Shu had failed to ambush another key member, who did not even appear at the place he used to frequent.
As a matter of fact, much attention had been focused on Nogiwa Hakushun’s death in the Collection of Gods. Despite being an easy target, few could take his life so quickly when the attack had been anticipated by the victim.
In addition, they were well aware of the vacancy in the Heavenly Network’s ninth position of Heavenly Kings, for their attempt at rolling in Li Xianyi had never succeeded.
Now, the sudden emergence of an earth-type Class B Metahuman probably signaled the recent appointment of the ninth Heavenly King! The Collection of Gods speculated so.
However, they had overlooked many inconsistencies, for example, Lu Shu was neither a Class B nor some earth-type Metahuman. But their caution was still stern.
Moreover, there was one more thing they found hard to understand, that the Heavenly Network person had taken Nogiwa’s weapon after the murder. In fact, his long sword was similar to the standard one distributed to every Class D member of the Network. Maybe it would be seen as a powerful weapon for low-level Practitioners, it should be useless for Class B’s.
Could it be a Class B who… despised wastage?!
Nonetheless, unlike Collection of Gods key members who were on alert, Lu Shu noticed that those in the lower tiers of the organization did not seem to be concerned. It was because they thought small fries like them would not pique a Class B pro’s interest. During Nie Ting’s killing spree last time, he only directed his blade at key personnel.
“I need to know the internal changes in the Collection of Gods following Nogiwa Hakushun’s death,” Lu Shu whispered to Bunndai on the metro.
Bunndai gave a nod of acknowledgment. “Okay. I will try to get them in two days. But I suggest a cease fire for this period, for the Collection of Gods is as clever as they are crazy.”
“Okay. I will be extra careful,” Lu Shu said. He would never take other people’s seriousness lightly.
Lu Shu did not see Sakurai when he reached home that night. In fact, his message was meant to inform Sakurai of their late return that day and he hoped he would not make her wait for too long.
In the meantime, Sakurai was on her way back to her apartment. Suddenly, a man blocked her way. He was in a black suit with a plain glass spectacles on his nose, framed with golden wires. The Collection of Gods badge in front of his chest made Sakurai alert at once, but she showed no expression on her face.
The young man smiled gently and said, “Hello. I am Kitamura Hirono. I reckon you may know me.”
Astonishment emerged on Sakurai’s face. “Based on your badge, I believe you are from the Collection of Gods. Could I guess if you are recruiting me due to my cultivation aptitudes?”
There was no change in Kitamura’s smiled. “You appeared beside Kirihara Yousuke right after his parents’ death, and your interest in him is apparent. A trained swordswoman, though I’m not sure where you got your skills from, yet you declared Kirihara Yousuke as your teacher. You would be insulting our intelligence if you deny your identity as a key persona concealed by the Conservatives.”
Sakurai’s blood went cold. Unarmed, she was defenseless in front of Kitamura Hirono, a famous, powerful Class C from the Collection of Gods.
Unexpectedly, no one noticed anything suspicious about Lu Shu despite the inconsistency between his character and Kirihara’s, all thanks to his flawless mask.
However, Sakurai’s identity was exposed before Lu Shu’s, for the Conservatives were too hasty!
“No worries, Miss Sakurai. I’m not going to hurt you. Instead, I’ve come for a negotiation.” Kitamura leaned against an electricity pole, his face was calm. “That old man, Oda Tokuma, has extraordinary martial arts skills but pathetic brains. What a waste. He once proclaimed himself to be able to replace Kirihara Kuraki with his schemes and intelligence, but we think he is much worse than Kirihara. Otherwise, why do we spare Oda a life when we insist that Kirihara Kuraki must be exterminated?”
His words clearly showed Oda Tokuma’s value in the Jingoists’ eyes. If a Class C dared to challenge him openly like this, it truly seemed that the Jingoists took Oda lightly.
In their opinion, Oda was a man of conspiracies and schemes. He chose not to inform Kirihara Kuraki of the Jingoists’ ambush plan while he could, after obtaining the information from the intelligence agency of the Conservatives.
At the end of the day, Kirihara Kuraki’s greatest mistake was to place his trust in the wrong person.
But even Oda himself did not foresee the depressing situation the Conservatives would land in. The conflict started off by targeting Kirihara Kuraki only, yet it soon swept across the entire organization. Without a leader, the Conservatives were at a clear disadvantage.
At first, Oda planned to remedy the situation on his own, but it soon turned out to be an overestimation of his abilities. One after another the hidden clans retreated back to their own lands in avoidance of the battle, because they had no confidence in Oda Tokuma at all.
Only then did Oda finally understand what Kirihara Kuraki meant to the entirety of the Conservatives. He was not competent enough even as a substitute.
Precisely due to the same reason, Oda turned back in the hope of using Kirihara Yousuke as his puppet, and to obtain the authentic inherited trade of the Kirihara’s.
Sakurai smiled. “My apologies. But I really don’t understand what you are saying.”
“It’s fine. I’ll give you three days to consider. Think about what’s left in the Conservatives and the current situation, and I believe you will understand in the end.” Kitamura smiled calmly. “I, however, am personally interested in you, Miss Sakurai. On a side note, I’m still single.”
Was Sakurai pretty? Very. So pretty that Kitamura could not find a second girl in the entire Collection of Gods comparable to her.
Maybe there were a few commoners who were equally attractive, but at present the Collection of Gods actively advocated for the bloodline theory of Practitioners, which prohibited the combination between Practitioners and commoners, so as to ensure the pure blood of their next generation.
Lu Shu had heard about it too, but his only comment was that the Collection of Gods had too small a population. They dreaded their offspring would have no cultivation aptitude should they marry commoners.
On the other hand, the Heavenly Network had never had to worry about that. Marry whoever you want because we have a surplus of people…
