Chapter 316

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Chapter 316: The World Twenty Years Later

Shikoku Town, the Shimura Family.

Rokuro Shimura pushed open the door to the room, placed the purchased items in the hallway, and then went upstairs and knocked on the door.

"Please come in."

In the room, Hitomi Shimura and Igarashi Shimizu were playing a card game. The two girls, one older and one younger, had their faces covered in sticky notes, showing that they both lost the game.

"Mr. Shimura."

"I’ve bought all the daily necessities," Rokuro Shimura said happily upon seeing his daughter. He also smiled with contentment.

"I’m sorry to trouble you," Yoshine Ise said, sitting in a wheelchair.

"I couldn’t possibly trouble you," Rokuro Shimura waved his hand. "Mr. Bai introduced me here, and these small tasks are what I should be doing." "It’s just a brief stay, there’s really no trouble at all. I’ve also accepted the money, my only concern is whether the accommodation meets your expectations."

"It’s enough to have a safe place to stay," Igarashi Shimizu said. "I don’t dare to ask for too much. But it would be best if Mr. Shimura could also refrain from going out lately and just stay at home."

"I have the same plan," Rokuro Shimura nodded. "I bought a lot of supplies and kept them at home. Now I can stay there peacefully and spend more time with my daughter."

Hitomi Shimura’s face lit up with an innocent smile.

"But Miss Kokonohana has already left, she…"

"Don’t worry about Lady Kokonohana, she knows what she’s doing, and she went to find Mr. Bai Wei." Yoshine Ise replied, "There’s nothing to worry about."

"That’s good," Rokuro Shimura scratched his head. "By the way, you must be hungry too. I’ll go make dinner. I’m quite skilled in cooking. It was with this skill that I managed to marry my wife."

Igarashi Shimizu, feeling like she was about to lose to Hitomi Shimura, immediately put down the cards in her hand and said, "Let me help you."

Rokuro Shimura declined, but Igarashi still followed along. She seemed to have a somewhat defeated look, as if she had scurried away after losing a battle.

Yoshine Ise took over the task of taking care of the children and began telling them stories she had heard before at the shrine.

In the kitchen, Rokuro Shimura was busy handling the ingredients, and he exclaimed, "Mr. Bai is such a kind person. He came and left in a hurry, without even having a simple meal here. I can’t think of a proper way to thank him."

Igarashi nodded and expressed her regret, "Unfortunately, that’s too good."

Rokuro Shimura asked, "I am a bit curious, what is the relationship between all of you and Mr. Bai?"

"It’s nothing much, just friends. He has taken care of me a lot," said Igarashi Shimizu as she put the ingredients into the pot, sprinkled in seasonings and spices, covered the pot, and spoke with a cheerful tone, "He came to Shikoku Town to find someone too. I hope he has found that person already and returns soon."

Her words were heartfelt because Igarashi Shimizu was not feeling completely at ease. She was the only one here with actual combat ability, and she had also been injured. If her hiding place was exposed, she alone would not be able to withstand the pressure here. If it were Bai Wei here instead, she wouldn’t have to bear this kind of burden. That person would be invincible, even against hundreds or thousands of people.

The scent of fireworks filled the room, creating a temporary atmosphere of tranquility and harmony.

…

Kamitsumi Shrine.

"I am not here…"

"He might have gone to Sengoku Shrine, let’s go there and take a look."

Kokonohana Nori paused for a moment, making sure there was no sign of Bai Wei. She glanced at the sky and noticed that evening was approaching. Now, she had to decide whether to go back or continue searching for him.

Without much hesitation, she chose to continue searching for him. Going back now would only mean waiting fruitlessly all night, with no progress made, and the rituals wouldn’t pause either.

She believed that Bai Wei’s absence must mean he had discovered something significant. It was necessary to break free from this ritual as soon as possible, while also disrupting the banquet of a hundred demons.

No matter how imaginative the funeral attendant may be, she would never know that Bai Wei had already gotten lost twenty years later.

…

The sky had already grown dark, with a crimson moon hanging overhead.

The lively night market caught the attention of most people, but only a few townsfolk noticed a row of flashlights and torches gathering in a distant outskirts of Shikoku Town.

A team made up of dozens of people held high torches and flashlights, carrying shoulder poles and ropes, as they approached in a dense, intimidating mass.

At the forefront of the procession stood a small figure, the mayor of Shikoku Town and respected elder of the village.

They called it a town, but in reality, it was just a larger gathering of villages. Even in this place, the village elder still held enormous influence.

The village elder spoke in a deep voice, "As you all know, the situation is dire. We must choose a young girl to meet the Sengoku God."

A middle-aged man asked, "Why must we do this? That Sengoku Shrine is said to be extremely mysterious. Going there could cost us our lives, you know."

"No matter the cost, the ritual must be completed. If we provoke the Sengoku God, you all know the consequences."

"Then what shall we do?," a young man asked hesitantly.

"Run? Will it help?" the village elder sneered coldly. "Several families moved out half a year ago, and you all know what happened to them. Their bodies were found in the mountains, devoured by wild beasts, with only their heads remaining. Some bodies were recovered from the water. If any of you dare to run, it’s as good as seeking death. I won’t stop you. Who among you isn’t afraid of death? Who dares to go?"

Nobody made a sound.

The village elder spoke in a low voice, "Now, every household refuses and nobody wants to draw lots. After careful consideration, the only option remaining, considering the age, is to choose Shimura’s family."

One person said, "Rokuro Shimura won’t agree."

"He didn’t want to agree, but he had no choice." The village elder raised his hand, and a few people from the crowd carried out a stretcher. On top of it lay a man wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

The man couldn’t speak, he just looked at the crowd, tears streaming down his face, desperately trying to say something sorrowful.

"This is Hachiro Shimura, the younger brother of Rokuro Shimura. He has been taking care of Rokuro’s daughter for several years. But when he returned, Rokuro beat him so severely that he is now disabled. He is still alive, but his life has been ruined. His wife has also been mentally disturbed from the abuse and is locked up at home. Their son, who is only ten years old, has also been brutally beaten and left with deep psychological scars for the rest of his life." The village elder sneered, "Not many people know about this yet. Let me make it clear to everyone: Rokuro Shimura has completely lost his mind. Even if this had happened earlier, I would have expelled him from the village. Now, we are going to capture his daughter to hold her accountable for his crimes. Any objections?"

A group of young men in the town silently prepared themselves, while a few individuals in the crowd unexpectedly shouted slogans of support.

The crowd was mostly silent, not entirely evil but not entirely kind either. They simply, numbly, chose to stay silent.

It’s not that no one knew Hachiro Shimura’s addiction to gambling, relying on the financial support sent by Rokuro Shimura to get by. It’s also not that no one knew the terrible life Hitomi Shimura lived in Hachiro Shimura’s home. There were people who had tried to teach Hachiro Shimura a lesson or considered telling Rokuro Shimura about it, or even secretly bringing Hitomi Shimura to their own homes. But their kindness had limitations.

They knew, yet remained silent. They wanted to help, but hesitated, and now, lingering in procrastination, they have all become silent bystanders.

In the past, they remained silent, and now they will continue to stay silent. Moreover, no one dares to oppose because opposing means another child will be targeted to take the blame. Who could bear such a consequence? It’s better to pretend not to know… Everyone shares the blame, so it’s as if no one is to blame. The only possible person who is wrong is Rokuro Shimura.

"No one objected, so let’s go catch someone!" The village elder declared fiercely. "Knock on the door!"

…

Rokuro Shimura, who was finishing his meal, heard a knocking at the door. He also saw the flickering torches outside. Quickly, he exclaimed, "Everyone, hide!"

He thought they had come to capture the two witches, but he had a hidden basement in his house where he hid the two of them. He instructed, "If you hear any noise, don’t come out, I’ll go with them if necessary!"

He opened the door and saw the village elder. He spoke, "You…"

Without finishing his words, Rokuro Shimura was struck in the abdomen with a stick, causing him to fall to the ground and vomit stomach fluids.

A group of thugs from the village rushed in and bound Hitomi Shimura before picking her up.

"Daddy, Daddy!" cried Hitomi Shimura in a panicked voice, and then a plastic bag was placed over her mouth, silencing her.

"What are you doing?" Rokuro Shimura roared as he stood up, rushing forward to push people away. He was just an ordinary person and was struck twice, causing his vision to darken, but he made his way up and tightly held onto his daughter.

The village elder temporarily stopped the thugs and said, "Your daughter has been chosen to participate in the ceremony. Will you not let go?"

"Daydreaming," Rokuro Shimura spat out in defiance, "I won’t let go even if you beat me to death."

The village elder said coldly, "Tie him up first and bring him back with us! To prevent any further trouble from arising."

A large group of torches drifted away, gradually fading into silence.

In the Shimura family’s underground basement, two sword witches looked at each other, puzzled. "It seems like… there isn’t much activity?"

They were in a solid underground basement, which was built to withstand earthquakes. The structure was extremely sturdy, and the sound insulation was excellent. Even if one’s ear was pressed against the ceiling, only sporadic noises could be heard.

"I’m a little worried," Yoshine Ise hesitated, wanting to push open the seal of the basement.

"Let’s wait a little longer," Igarashi Shimizu shook her head, looking at her friend. "I know you’re worried, but I must ensure your safety. The Shimura family are all villagers, and those outside are just people, not demons. I don’t think there will be any trouble."

Ise hesitated to speak, but finally let out a soft sigh. "Okay, but I don’t want to be a burden," she whispered.

…

Kamitsumi Shrine.

Bai Wei asked, "So, is this really the future twenty years from now?"

Kuya said, "I’m not sure if the time discrepancy is exactly twenty years, and whether you come from twenty years ago, only you know for sure. The time difference introduces a certain degree of misinformation in our communication."

Bai Wei said, "She can prove it."

Kuya nodded and said, "After seeing her, I choose to believe you, for now."

Hokusinn Kichyō interrupted, saying, "So, what exactly happened twenty years ago? And who exactly are you?"

Kuya turned around and said, "Instead of me telling you directly, why don’t you go and see for yourselves in the village? Go and take a look. When you come back, you will naturally have an answer in your hearts."

"What will we see?" Hokusinn Kichyō couldn’t help but feel that it wouldn’t be something good.

In Kuya’s voice, there was a hint of happiness as she said, "Some things that I consider to be beautiful, for example…"

"Digging my own grave?"