I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 903 Follow Mr. Ju! That beautiful world will eventually come! [5200]

The Yamata no Orochi's body shook a few times and was about to fall to the ground.

Otakemaru, who was closest to him, seemed to have foreseen that he would have a seizure and quickly supported him.

The officials around Yamata no Orochi were worried about his sudden illness, but they all looked as if they were used to it.

"Really... Lord Orochi, you are too willful. I have already told you that the deck is windy and the sticky sea breeze is bad for your health. You should not stay there for long. Look, am I right?"

While Shuten-doji was speaking harshly, he took out a bamboo tube from his waist, unscrewed the lid, bent down, and skillfully fed water to the Yamata-no-Orochi.

Katsura Kogoro stood quietly by and observed Yamata no Orochi and others silently.

Based on the way they got along, he could roughly tell the closeness of the relationship between Yamata no Orochi and its cadres.

Umibozu, Sukuna, Ushiki and Nune all respected Yamata no Orochi. The four of them were always respectful in front of each other, and it seemed that they were just ordinary superiors and subordinates.

In comparison, Otakemaru, Shuten-doji, and Otakemaru's sister Aling often show their peaceful and casual side when they are with the Yamata-no-Orochi.

Just like just now, Shuten-doji actually complained about the Yamata-no-Orochi in front of everyone.

The others didn't say anything after hearing this, as if they were used to it.

Even Yamata no Orochi himself was not angry about this.

Shuten-doji once told Katsura Kogoro that the Otakemaru siblings were orphans adopted by the Yamata-no-Orochi.

Since it is a relationship of adoption, it is not difficult to understand the extremely intimate way in which this brother and sister get along with the Yamata no Orochi.

On the other hand, Shuten-doji...he himself has never revealed any bond between him and the Yamata-no-Orochi.

When he thought of this, Katsura Kogoro was curious: What is the relationship between Yamata no Orochi and Shuten-doji? What is their past?
After drinking the water fed by Shuten-doji, Yamata-no-Orochi's mood improved a lot and the violent coughing stopped.

"Hehe... It's because I'm a willful person who does what I want that I was able to build up my current great achievements."

After saying this in a half-joking tone, he struggled to stand up straight and turned to look at the group of Westerners not far away.

"Shuten-doji, how long will it take for our 'Slavic Legion' to be fully assembled?"

Shuten-doji answered without hesitation:

"It will probably take another 20 minutes."

Yamata no Orochi nodded slightly, then turned to look at Katsura Kogoro and Takasugi Shinsaku.

"Katsura-kun, Takasugi-kun, how about you? How long will it take for your special forces to be fully assembled?"

Takasugi Shinsaku turned his head and glanced at his companions who were still coming down from the battleship:

"It will take about 20 minutes."

"20 minutes... 20 minutes... It's really frustrating."

The Yamata no Orochi curled up the corners of his mouth, his facial expression became intriguing, his eyes were shining, and he no longer looked weak and sick as if he was dying.

“I really want to march in as soon as possible.”

"We have endured countless years for this day."

"Instead, I felt extremely anxious in the last 20 minutes."

At this time, Shuten-doji suddenly stepped forward and said to Yamata no Orochi:
"Lord Orochi, there is still some time. Please say a few words to boost morale."

"Oh? Morale-boosting? Me?"

Shuten-doji nodded solemnly:

"Yes. Your words have power. You should say something uplifting at a time like this!"

After hearing this, Yamata no Orochi burst into laughter.

Then, he put his hands behind his back, slowly turned around and faced everyone.

Seeing that Yamata no Orochi seemed to be about to give a short speech, Shuten-doji, Umibozu and other cadres all perked up, staring at each other intently, with a hint of fanaticism in their eyes.

The only exception is Otakemaru.

Perhaps because he was born deaf and dumb, he was not good at expressing his emotions. Katsura Kogoro had never seen him show any expression other than "expressionless".

"...Everyone, as I just said, we have endured countless years for this day."

The calm voice of Yamata no Orochi reached everyone's ears clearly.

As he spoke calmly, he slowly moved his eyes, scanning the faces of everyone present - Katsura and Takasugi were among them.

"To be frank, our army is completely pieced together."

“Not only is the source of troops complicated, but the number of troops is also small.”

"The 2000 soldiers of the Choshu Special Forces, and the 2000 mercenaries of the 'Slavic Legion' that we have finally assembled with the dedicated assistance of Mr. Orleans, a total of 4000 soldiers."

"'You think you can overthrow the shogunate with such a small force?' - This was the first thing Takasugi-kun said after hearing the full plan of the 'Amanuma Spear'."

"His question was so sharp that I couldn't refute it."

"Even if I am optimistic, I can't say with a straight face, '4000 men are more than enough to overthrow the Qing Dynasty.'"

"But as crazy and dangerous as it is, this is the limit of what we can do right now."

"From that run-down society that was on the verge of disbanding, with only Tamamonomae and I left as members, to where we are today... the hardships we've gone through, just thinking about it makes me almost cry."

"It is true that we are a patchwork corps, but so what?"

“We have the same goals.”

"We all hate the Edo shogunate."

"We all want to get rid of it as soon as possible."

"That's enough!"

"We are gathered here for common interests and are willing to put aside all differences to 'overthrow the shogunate' - just based on this, we already have great power!"

Having said this, Yamata no Orochi suddenly raised his right hand and spread his five fingers towards the void, as if he wanted to grasp something.

"Everyone, don't worry, just do your best to leave a terrible reputation!"

"Go and wake up those who are still sleeping soundly and don't want to wake up!"

"Tell them: 'The Tokugawa era is over! The days of you lying on the merits of your ancestors and waiting for death are gone forever!'"

"From today on, a new era is created by you and me!"

……

……

A certain place in Choshu Domain, Suo Province——

After taking Zhounan without bloodshed, Qing Deng left part of his troops to guard the place as usual, and then led the rest of the troops to march northwest, preparing to attack Yamaguchi and open the gateway to Changmen State.

As Qing Deng expected, all the villages along the march became "uninhabited villages" without a single villager to be seen.

In order to escape the war, the villagers fled or hid, taking with them all the food and valuables in their homes.

Qing Deng had never thought of robbing the common people, so he not only did not feel regretful about these "uninhabited villages" where there was no "oil and water" to be exploited, but instead felt a little fortunate.

It's better that all the people ran away to avoid accidental injuries.

However...some generals actually suggested to him: Set the village on fire! Burn everything in the village that can be burned, so that the people of Choshu will remember the consequences of offending the shogunate!

It was obvious that these people came here to offer advice just to please Qing Deng and become familiar to him.

Unfortunately, they obviously didn't understand Qingdeng and their flattery backfired.

Qing Deng would definitely not agree to such a beastly act which was completely useless and was purely for venting.

Not only did he refute these suggestions, he also publicly criticized those who made such suggestions.

Faced with Ren Wang's harsh rebuke, these guys were so scared that their faces turned pale, their bodies went limp, they almost collapsed to the ground, and begged for mercy again and again.

time flies……

In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed since the legion broke through Yizhoukou.

After seven days of marching, the army had penetrated deep into the heart of Choshu Domain.

Today, another "uninhabited village" lies across the legion's marching path.

The village is very large, with three or four hundred houses scattered inside and outside the village.

Perhaps because the villagers had all run away long ago, there was a bleak feeling in the air of the village.

Because it happened to be located on the legion's route, the troops had to pass through it.

Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap...

The dense sound of horse hooves broke the silence of the village.

Teams of cavalry cautiously passed the village entrance and entered the village - they were the vanguard led by Hijikata Toshizo, Yamanami Keisuke, Harada Sanosuke and others.

The main responsibilities of the vanguard are to open the way for the subsequent large troops, find supplies, study the terrain, and investigate the enemy situation and track the enemy's whereabouts.

This village is very large and is located in a strategic location, so it is very likely that the Choshu army will set an ambush here.

To be on the safe side, Hijikata Toshizo and Yamanami Keisuke decided to thoroughly inspect the village after a brief discussion.

Generally speaking, these detailed tasks are basically handed over to the meticulous Yamanami Keisuke.

Therefore, after entering the village, Yamanami Keisuke skillfully ordered his subordinates to disperse and thoroughly investigate the village.

This is a time-consuming task.

About half an hour later, a soldier rushed to Shannan Jingzhu on horseback and reported loudly:
"Captain! This village is safe! There are no ambushes!"

Shannan Keisuke nodded:

"Okay, got it. Leave 100 people to guard this village! The rest of you continue marching!"

"Yes!"

As the order was issued, shouts of people and neighing of horses immediately filled the entire village.

The soldiers who set out on the march again were like streams flowing out of the village.

Shannan Jingzhu mounted his saddle and walked slowly through the village surrounded by his guards.

At this moment, his attention seemed to be attracted by something, and he looked around uncontrollably.

Although this village is big, it is really dilapidated.

There is not a single good house, only shabby houses made of wood and straw. There is not a single good road, only potholes and muddy roads that turn into quagmires when it rains.

It is not difficult to imagine that the villagers in this village must be living in poverty and leading a hard life of half-full and half-hungry every day.

"..."

Looking at the dilapidated houses and the muddy roads under his feet, Shannan Jingsuke pursed his lips and his facial expression became complicated.

……

……

That night--

Shannan Jingzhu and his friends were very lucky tonight and managed to find a suitable place to camp before dark.

After a simple dinner, Yamanami Keisuke quietly returned to his tent.

As soon as he lifted the curtain, he took off his disguise and let out a long breath, with a strong look of fatigue on his cheeks.

"It's really embarrassing..."

While mumbling, he floated to the table, sat down casually cross-legged, and stared blankly at the candle on the table. The orange-yellow flame filled his eyes, and he seemed to be thinking about something.

Just as he was in a daze, deep in thought——

"Mr. Shannan! Mr. Shannan! Look! Look!"

Suddenly, the voice of Harada Sanosuke was heard from outside the tent.

Before Yamanami Keisuke could respond, Harada Sanosuke pushed aside the curtain and rushed in.

He did not come empty-handed, but brought a gift in his hand - a big and fat frog in his palm.

"Mr. Shannan, look! What a big frog!"

"This is the first time I've seen such a fat frog!"

"Let's grill it together! It will be delicious!"

Yamanami Keisuke blinked hard, looked at Harada Sanosuke in surprise, and then looked at the big frog in his hand - "Quack! Quack!" - the big frog called twice at the right time.

"Harada-kun, are you... okay?"

After hesitating for a long time, he asked back cautiously.

"He suddenly broke into my tent with a big frog in his hand and said he wanted to roast it and eat it..."

"Honestly, I was a little overwhelmed... For a moment I didn't know if you were serious or if you were trying to joke with me."

"Why, after all, would you suddenly send me a frog to eat?"

The sudden intrusion, the sudden appearance of the frog...this series of inexplicable actions caused Yamanami Keisuke's brain to briefly crash.

Harada Sanosuke chuckled a few times.

"Mr. Shannan, are you worried about something?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Shannan Jingsuke's facial expression changed slightly and his pupils contracted.

Harada Sanosuke continued to speak on his own:

"When we were having dinner just now, I noticed that you were not very active. You just ate two mouthfuls of rice and said, 'I'm full.'"

"This is not okay!"

“There are only two things that are most important in life.”

"One is to eat, the other is to sleep."

"If you don't eat well and don't sleep well, your body will definitely not be healthy."

"If you are not healthy, you can't do anything!"

"Whether it's family affairs or national affairs, you need a healthy body to do the work!"

"So, I went outside the camp and caught this big frog to give you a snack!"

"Don't be fooled by the disgusting appearance of frogs. Their meat is very delicious! Look at the meat on their legs. It's so thick!"

Harada Sanosuke said this while pulling at the frog's legs.

The poor frog seemed to have foreseen its fate and kept making pitiful "quack, quack" sounds.

Yamanami Keisuke was stunned again.

It was not until then that he noticed belatedly that the hem of the other person's clothes was covered in mud and dirt, and even his sleeves were dirty.

It must have been accidentally dirty when he went to catch frogs in the wild.

"...Harada-kun, you can't do this."

The facial lines of Yamanami Keisuke slowly relaxed, revealing a smile that looked both happy and helpless.

"You should use your tenderness on the girl you like."

"Isn't it a waste to use it on me?"

Upon hearing this, Harada Sanosuke shrugged disapprovingly:

"Mr. Shannan, what you said is not true."

"The girl you like is really important."

"But to me, you, Mr. Shannan, are more important!"

"We are good brothers who share weal and woe, aren't we?"

Having said this, Harada Sanosuke paused for a moment.

When he spoke again, his tone became serious and solemn.

"Mr. Shannan, for the sake of our friendship, can you please be frank with me?"

"What on earth could have happened that could make you unable to eat and feel distracted?"

"Although I am a fool with a dull mind, if there is anything I can do to help you, please feel free to ask."

"I will definitely stab you in the lungs!"

After saying that, Harada Sanosuke crossed his legs and sat down calmly.

Judging from his attitude, he would never leave unless Yamanami Keisuke explained the reason.

Seeing this, Shannan Jingsuke couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"...Harada-kun, it's 'stabbing in the ribs', not 'stabbing in the lungs'."

He first pointed out the other party's mistake, then turned his head and looked at the candle on the table.

In the light of the fire, a look of confusion crept up on his cheek.

"I'm sorry, Harada-kun, for making you worry."

"It's not a big deal, actually."

"I'm just... a little confused."

Harada Sanosuke tilted his head:
"'confused'?"

Shannan Keisuke nodded:

"From the 'Black Ship Incident' to the present day, every ten years has passed."

"For the past eleven years, we have been fighting non-stop, fighting among ourselves non-stop, and shedding blood non-stop."

"I always ask myself: How long do we have to fight before the days of peace and stability can come?"

"Not long ago, I asked Ju-kun very bluntly: 'After all the blood shed, I should get something in return, right?'"

"At that time, Ju Jun said to me: 'I dare not pursue 'equal value', but I will do my best to pursue 'worthiness'."

"I understand what Tachibana-kun means."

“But…but…”

"What kind of results do we need to achieve, what kind of content do we need to leave in the history books to make all the blood and tears 'worth it'?"

“The people have suffered enough.”

"Continued fighting will only make their lives more difficult."

“Whenever I think of this, I feel empty inside.”

"I can't help but question this 'Changzhou Expedition'."

“Is this battle really worth so many people suffering for?”

Yamanami Keisuke finished speaking.

As soon as he finished speaking, he smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I seem to have said too many difficult words. Please forget what I just said..."

"I roughly understand!"

Before Yamanami Keisuke could finish his words, Harada Sanosuke interrupted him rudely.

"To put it simply, you just don't know whether the battle you are fighting now still has meaning! And thus you lose the motivation to fight!"

At that moment, Yamanami Keisuke opened his eyes wide and looked at Harada Sanosuke in disbelief.

After a long while, he stammered:
"Yes, yes, that's right, that's roughly what I mean..."

Harada Sanosuke grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

"Mr. Shannan, I understand your troubles!"

"Your question is indeed a very tricky one."

"If a car loses its direction, it will just spin in place, let alone a person?"

"I'm not afraid of you laughing at me, but since I was born, I have never thought about the 'meaning of fighting' or the 'value of fighting'."

"If you insist on asking me why I fight, my answer would probably be 'fighting for Mr. Tachibana'!"

"As long as we follow Mr. Tachibana and unite firmly under the banner of sincerity, a better world will eventually come - I have always believed this!"

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