I formed the strongest swordsman group

Qingdeng held back the stench, stepped forward, and stepped into the soil.

"Mr. Kikuchi! Mr. Kikuchi!"

He called in two or three more times.

After a while, a weak coughing sound came from the depths of the room.

"Ahem...what are you shouting...it's so noisy...if you want to come in, come in quickly..."

I got permission from Kikuchi Chisui to enter the house... Even so, Qingdeng is not polite anymore.

Although this dilapidated house does not look like a "home", but anyway, this place is also someone else's residence.

Therefore, Qingdeng still took off the snow boots on his feet in an orderly manner, and held the Echizen residence from the left waist with his right hand.

The room was very dark, without any light, and it was quiet.

The floor was covered with random piles of clothes and all kinds of garbage, and there was basically no place to step down.

At this time, for some reason, Qing Deng suddenly recalled every scene and every scene he saw when he walked all the way from Haramachi.

Although Haramachi is a very dilapidated and old slum, there is still a human atmosphere in the air of its streets and alleys.

The crying of babies, the talking of young people, the coughing of old people... These noises can be seen everywhere in Haramachi.

From time to time, several children can be seen running around in the narrow alleys.

From time to time, you can still smell a very nice smell of cooking.

From time to time, happy laughter can be heard.

Only here... Only this crumbling thatched cottage is lifeless, out of tune with the surroundings and everything in Haramachi, as if it is the only place cut off from the world.

The environment without a trace of life, coupled with this horrible stench... For a moment, Qingdeng had the illusion that he was not entering a thatched hut, but heading for the Demon Realm.

"Be careful, don't step on something and fall."

Qingdeng turned his head around, reminded Sae and Yae behind him in a low voice, and then stepped forward in person, walking cautiously into the depths of the house with a cautious movement as if walking in an undeveloped virgin forest.

"This house...the more I look at it, the more powerful it becomes... How can I live in such a good house with such virtue..."

Yae shrunk her neck and murmured softly.

It seemed that she was also intimidated by this living environment that did not seem like a normal human would have.

"It's not easy."

As soon as Yae's words fell, Sazhong at the side spoke slowly in a tone neither sad nor happy.

"When you have no intention of living, your home will naturally lose the breath of 'humanity'."

When talking about the two groups of words "unintentionally alive" and "losing the 'human' breath", Sazhong specially emphasized the tone.

After a series of arduous "traveling through mountains and rivers", the group of three finally passed through the entrance and came to the hall inside the house.

Although they had already made psychological preparations, Qingdeng and others couldn't help being surprised by the "tragic" scene inside the house.

First, the light is dimmer. It can almost be said that you can't see your fingers.

Second, it smells even worse. Neither Qingdeng nor the second sister dared to take a big breath, for fear that they would faint from the smell.

At this time, suddenly, a hoarse middle-aged male voice suddenly sounded.

"Who are you guys...? Do you have anything to do with me...? Cough cough! Cough cough!"

Qingdeng raised his eyes and followed the prestige.

With the blessing of the talent "cat's eye", the dimness of the environment has no effect on Qingdeng's vision at all.

The owner of the voice was naturally Juchi Qianshui who hurriedly sneaked back into the house after Cyclops and his party were beaten away by Qingdeng.

He was leaning against the wall with his legs crossed, holding a bottle of wine in his hand.

Judging from the body of the bottle, the wine that Kikuchi Chisui drank was the cheapest sake in the Edo market, and it had no merits other than a large amount of sake.

"I'm sorry... because I was in a hurry to come back to drink just now... so I forgot to thank you... Thank you... Thanks to you, I don't have to go mining for the time being..."

Before he finished speaking, Juchi Qianshui picked up the wine bottle in his hand and took a sip.

Qingdeng, who didn't know how to start a conversation for a while, silently turned his gaze away and looked around.

In the corner of the living room stood a messy quilt covered with dirt.

Even in such a dim environment, the quilt still looks shiny.

Qingdeng felt that scraping off the oil stains on the quilt would be enough to cook a dish.

Centering on the place where Kikuchi Chisui was sitting cross-legged, the surrounding floor was filled with empty wine bottles.

These empty wine bottles were scattered on the floor in piles here and there, almost flooding the ankles of Qing Deng and the others.

As far as the eye can see, there is basically no decent furniture, and the only thing that catches the eye is garbage.

However, after taking a closer look, Qing Deng was surprised to find that beside the extremely dirty quilt, there was a small bookcase.

In the bookcase, there are four books and five classics, "Historical Records", "Zizhi Tongjian", "Poetry and Words", "Children's Learning Handbook" and other books neatly and neatly listed.

["Poetry and Language" and "Children's Learning Notes": Both are introductory textbooks for Japanese Chinese poetry]

In this filthy and chaotic broken house, only this bookcase is still neat and clean.

Kikuchi Chisui used to be a private school teacher—Qingdeng suddenly recalled the information that Arima confided last night.

"Okay, let's talk..."

Kikuchi Chisui's voice brought Qingdeng's consciousness back to reality.

"You didn't hesitate to get into a fight with the 'Mad Dog Family', why?"

While speaking, Kikuchi Chisui let out a big belch.

He raised his face, and cast a look at Qingdeng as if he was staring at a certain point, but also as if he was not looking at anything.

In short, Kikuchi Chisui's eyes were lifeless, like the eyes of a dead person.

Since the other party got straight to the point, Qingdeng was also willing to save time and get straight to the point.

"Mr. Kikuchi."

Qingdeng knelt down and sat down in front of Juchi Qianshui in a relatively clean area that had not been covered by rubbish.

"I'm going to take the liberty of visiting today, just to ask you to confirm something—do you still remember Tongxin: Tachibana Longzhi?"

Tachibana Takayuki... the next moment when he heard this name, it was really an instant, Kikuchi Chisui's eyes suddenly widened.

As the eyelids lifted, some light and life came back to his empty eyes—however, it was only for a moment.

The light in his eyes came suddenly and went away quickly.

After a while, his eyelids lowered again, his eyes were deeply buried, and his whole body returned to the appearance of a "living dead".

"...What are you asking this for?"

Qingdeng didn't know if it was his own illusion, he always felt that Kikuchi Chisui's voice had become hoarse.

"I do not know anything."

Kikuchi Chisui took a sip of wine.

"Please leave!"

Faced with Juchi Qianshui's sudden eviction order, Qingdeng turned a deaf ear to it.

"Mr. Kikuchi, as far as I know, you reported a murder case to the enforcement office three years ago, and the person in charge of investigating the case was Takayuki Tachibana..."

"Didn't I say that I don't know anything!!"

roar.

Hysterical roar.

Kikuchi Chisui's roar interrupted Qingdeng's voice.

At the same time, he threw the wine bottle in his hand at Qingdeng.

The wine that slid out of the bottle splashed in all directions.

At the very moment when the bottle body hit his head, Qingdeng turned his head to avoid the flying wine bottle in time.

bang bang!

The wine bottle hit the wall behind Qing Deng.

The crisp crackling sound instantly raised the atmosphere around to a tense situation.

The double sisters separated on the left and right of Qingdeng, as if they had been rehearsed in advance, stepped forward at the same time to protect Qingdeng's body, forming a human wall separating Qingdeng and Juchi Qianshui.

"Hey! You bastard! Why are you going crazy all of a sudden!"

Yae took the lead in attacking.

"Mr. Kikuchi, please calm down."

Yarn followed closely behind.

"Ho...! Ho...! Ho...! Ho...! Kekeke! Keke! Ho...! Ho...!"

Kikuchi Qianshui tried to get up, but just as he raised his neck, he lowered his back in pain, covered his chest with his hands, panting, and spit out an unpleasant coughing sound from his throat.

"I've said it all... I don't know anything... As you can see, I'm an alcoholic...!"

"Leave now! I don't want to talk to you anymore!"

"If you don't like me, just kill me with one knife!"

"Anyway... I have nothing but this bad life...!"

After shouting, Juchi Qianshui leaned back and lay back in place.

Regardless of Sae, Yae is a hot-tempered girl.

Kikuchi Chisui's harsh attitude directly ignited Yae's anger.

"Hey you……"

However, just as Yae had time to lightly part her vermilion lips, Qing Deng took the lead first:

"Yae, please be safe and don't be impatient."

Qingdeng waved his hand, signaling Sazhong and Yazhong to back down.

After hesitating for a while, the two sisters retreated to the left and right sides of Qingdeng respectively.

"Mr. Kikuchi, although I don't know your past, let alone what happened between you and Takayuki Tachibana, but I am eager to know everything related to Tachibana Takayuki. So, please help me."

After the outburst just now, Kikuchi Chisui was like a deflated ball at this time, her mood regained her composure.

"Ju Longzhi...Ju Longzhi...a mouthful of 'Ju Longzhi'...heh!"

Kikuchi Qianshui sneered, then raised his gaze, and looked Qingdeng up and down with scrutiny.

"Who are you? Why do you want to know about this man?"

"...I am Takayuki Tachibana's old friend."

"Ah!"

There was another sneer.

"Old friend... Your answer like this will only make me feel suspicious."

At this time, both Sazhong and Yae's eyes fell on Qingdeng.

Even if he didn't need to confirm it with his eyes, Qingdeng knew what the two sisters were staring at right now.

Qingdeng frowned slightly, and a thoughtful look appeared in his pupils.

"……I see."

After a while, as if he had made up his mind, Qing Deng nodded vigorously.

"I'm not lying. I'm indeed an old friend of Tachibana Takayuki—and a special kind of old friend."

After finishing speaking, Qingdeng raised his hand, and slowly took off the low-rimmed bamboo hat on his head...

At first, Kikuchi Chisui just casually cast his eyes away.

And soon, his originally indifferent expression dissipated at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Instead, there was an unparalleled feeling of shock.

Qingdeng's face was clearly reflected in his pupils.

"Mr. Orange...Mr. Orange...?!"

Juchi Qianshui stared at Qingdeng's face absent-mindedly, muttering to himself, repeating Takayuki Tachibana's name softly.

What kind of whisper is this?

It seems to be missing...

It seems to be sentimental...

It seems to be mourning...

Qingdeng raised his eyebrows in surprise, but he didn't speak, quietly waiting for Kikuchi Chisui's emotional waves to subside.

After a while, Kikuchi Qianshui suddenly smiled.

Serene smile.

"So that's how it is...you are...Mr. Ju's only son...Ju Qingdeng..."

"You and your father... really look alike..."

After hearing this, Qingdeng unconsciously raised his hand to touch his face.

Kubei, the old servant of their Tachibana family, as well as Arima, Inotani, Ushiyama and others, have all mentioned that Aoto and Takayuki Tachibana look very similar.

Although everyone who knew Takayuki Tachibana said so, Takayuki Tachibana had already passed away when he traveled to this world, and Qing Deng could only search for Takayuki Tachibana's appearance in the memory of "Original Ju Qingdeng". Unfortunately, the memory of "Original Ju Qingdeng" has faded a lot due to the passage of time, so Qing Deng has no real sense of how much he looks like Takashi Tachibana.

"Yes. I am the son of Tachibana Takashi, Tachibana Qingdeng."

"...Heh. Since it's Mr. Tachibana's son, I can't be too rude..."

Kikuchi Qianshui struggled to straighten her waist, sat up straight, her legs were no longer crossed, and instead she sat kneeling in a well-regulated manner.

Obviously it was just a change of a serious sitting posture, but the temperament of the whole person suddenly became different.

If the Juchi Qianshui just now exuded a slumped and down-and-out atmosphere, like a lost dog, then he is a little more human now.

"In Xiajuchi Qianshui, she used to be a teacher who taught Sinology in a private school, but now...as you can see, she is a worthless alcoholic."

Not only has his temperament changed, but his attitude towards Qingdeng has also softened a lot, at least there is no more stinging in his words.

"Mr. Kikuchi, I've been frank and honest."

As Qingdeng said, he placed the bamboo hat in his hand by his legs.

"Therefore, please give me a hug. You just need to tell everything you know about Takashi Tachibana. Other than that, I have nothing else to ask for."

"...I am older than you, can I have the audacity to call you 'Mr. Orange'?"

Kikuchi Qianshui asked.

"Please."

Qing Deng nodded.

"Then... Mr. Ju, please let me take the liberty to ask: Why do you want to know about my father's past?"

Kikuchi Qianshui stared straight at Qingdeng with sharp eyes, as if he would never give up until he got a definite answer to this question.

Qing Deng was silent for a moment thoughtfully——

"...I'll make a long story short."

"I am currently pursuing an extremely urgent case."

"After investigation, this case has a very close relationship with my father."

"Therefore, in order to gather information, I am here to bother you."

Kikuchi Qianshui listened quietly.

After Qingdeng finished speaking, he showed a meaningful smile.

"Mr. Ju, the case you are following...doesn't it involve a kind of red and purple pill?"

After speaking, he stretched out the thumb and index finger of his right hand, comparing the shape of the pill.

In an instant, Qingdeng and the second sister's hearts set off a turbulent sea.

Sae and Yae are well-trained female ninjas, so although they were very upset, they still maintained their calm appearance.

The same goes for Qingdeng.

For Qingdeng, who is endowed with the talent of "Emperor Art", it has never been difficult to control his facial expressions.

Juchi Qianshui actually knew about the existence of "strange medicine"...

And after mentioning the case related to Takashi Tachibana, he immediately thought of "strange medicine"...

This self-willed and depraved "former private school teacher" really knows something!

At this thought, Qingdeng nodded vigorously with a solemn expression.

"Yes, as you have said—the case that you are currently pursuing does involve a red and purple pill."

After getting an affirmative answer from Qingdeng, Kikuchi Qianshui lowered his head and let out self-deprecating laughter one after another with "hehehe".

"Hehehe... Could it be that this is the so-called 'Nie Yuan'..."

"Father and son... both have something to do with that broken medicine... This is really..."

Speaking of this, Juchi Qianshui raised his head and sighed.

"Okay...it's over...I'll tell you everything I know..."

Kikuchi Chisui made a "please" gesture to Sazhong and Yae who were standing on the left and right of Qingdeng.

"Girls, please sit down wherever you want. My story is going to be very long, and you will be tired if you stand all the time."

Yarn shook her head.

"Thank you for your concern, but we just need to stand. We won't feel tired even if we stand for a whole day."

"That's it...then it's up to you."

Kikuchi Chisui twirled her messy beard as a memory.

"Well... where should I start..."

"Heh... Sure enough, we have to start with Aqi... from my dead wife..."

"The tragic death of my wife is the beginning of all stories..."

"As I said just now, I used to be a teacher of Sinology in a private school."

"The place where I teach is not a famous university, but a little-known private school that can be seen everywhere on the streets of Edo. There are only about 30 apprentices in the register."

"Although I don't earn much, I still have enough food and clothing."

"Ten years ago, on the recommendation of a friend, I met a wonderful woman."

"Her name is Aqi. She comes from a farming family. She is not only beautiful, but also very hardworking."

"It's a shame to say that I fell in love with her the first time I saw her."

"Fortunately, Aqi also has a good impression of me."

"So, we got married not long after we met."

"Aqi is a perfect wife."

"Whenever I come home every night, whenever I see Ah Qi's smiling face, I feel the exhaustion all over my body disappear."

"Although the days after marrying Aqi were not rich, I felt really happy from the bottom of my heart."

"However... this happiness only lasted until 3 years ago... that damned broken medicine appeared...!"