I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

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Are there any readers preparing for the college entrance exam in this book? Anyway, I wish all college entrance exam takers the best of luck and hope they achieve excellent results!

Leopard regrets not being able to get into Peking University's history department for the rest of his life...

Chapter 750 Annihilation of the Tosa Loyalists! A Grand Trap! [4800]

As soon as the noisy footsteps began, everyone in the room trembled violently like startled birds, their faces drained of color, their cheeks filled with terror.

Upon hearing the words, "We are the Shinsengumi! We are conducting a lawful search," they could no longer remain calm.

"Shinsengumi! Damn it! The Shinsengumi are here!"

"How did the Shinsengumi know about this place?!"

"This is our Tosa Loyalist Party's secret stronghold! No outsider could possibly know about this place!"

"Damn it! What are you all standing there for! Draw your swords! Prepare for battle!"

Screams, wails, roars... complete chaos.

After Yamanouchi Yodo labeled the Tosa Loyalists as traitors, these people, like Choshu, became universally reviled and despised.

They definitely couldn't stay at the Tosa Domain residence... which is also known as the "Tosa Liaison Office in Kyoto".

The Tosa loyalists fled the domain overnight, scattering and hiding in their previously established secret strongholds, awaiting Takechi Hanpeita's next orders.

There are two main reasons why I don't leave Kyoto.

Firstly, they had nowhere to go.

The Tosa Domain must have deployed heavy troops at every checkpoint by now, just waiting to capture them.

I can never go back to my hometown.

Secondly... like Kusaka Genzui, they were reluctant to let go of "sunk costs".

They expended countless efforts and paid a heavy price before finally managing to enter Kyoto under the banner of "loyal and righteous army."

Takeshi Hanpeita's long-cherished wish of "one domain serving the emperor" is finally beginning to show signs of success.

So... they just retreated like that?

Did they just leave Kyoto without saying a word?

This can no longer be described as going back to square one overnight; it's like falling into the deepest abyss!

How are they supposed to choose?

They officially learned of Yamanouchi Yodo's betrayal of them last night.

From last night until now, the entire Tosa Loyalist Party has been in a state of semi-paralysis.

From the highest-ranking officials in Wushi to the most ordinary grassroots staff, everyone was stunned by this sudden and enormous change, and completely lost their composure.

A similar situation happened recently.

After the success of the "August 18th Coup", Changzhou was expelled, and the Zunrong Movement suffered a major setback.

The Tosa Kinno Party, which also belonged to the Zunpu camp, was instantly thrown into great chaos.

In fact, Choshu's relationship with the Tosa Loyalist Party was not particularly harmonious.

While they cannot be said to share both honor and disgrace, they can certainly be described as outwardly harmonious but inwardly estranged.

There is a saying that "heresy is more hateful than heresy".

It turns out that partisan strife is fucking ubiquitous!

Although both are members of the same pro-respect camp, their core demands are completely different, and can even be said to be conflicting.

Choshu's proposition was that "Choshu must be the leader of the reverence movement."

As for the Tosa Loyalist Party... Takeichi Hanpeita's political proposition was "one domain serving the emperor," which, in other words, was the same as Choshu's, only with a different subject.

Both sides want to be the leader.

After the Choshu forces were driven out of Kyoto, the Tosa loyalist party erupted into a fierce argument.

Some people believe: This is a matter for the people of Choshu, what does it have to do with us Tosa people?

Clever monkeys will sit in trees and watch two tigers fight. Once they are both badly injured, they will seize the opportunity to fish in troubled waters!

On the other hand, a considerable number of people believe that Changzhou should be supported immediately!

Even with its conflicts with Changju, its power cannot be denied!

Choshu is the core force of the pro-imperial faction! If Choshu falls, Tosa will also suffer!

The two sides were arguing so fiercely that they were practically beating each other senseless.

Ultimately, the former prevailed.

The ideas put forward by the "pro-war faction" are understandable to everyone.

No matter how naive a person is, they would not believe that the Tosa Loyalist Party would be safe and sound after the fall of Choshu.

The reason why the "pro-war faction" was suppressed was mainly because... the Tosa Loyalist Party was too weak and had no ability to support Choshu!

The Tosa Loyalist Party was not a military organization in which everyone was skilled in martial arts.

Its main members were local samurai from the Tosa Domain.

Due to the limitations imposed by social class, the quality of the Tosa villagers varied considerably.

There are countless illiterate people who can't read a single character and guys who can't even hold a knife properly.

After piecing things together, the entire organization had only about a hundred combat-ready soldiers.

With such a small force, whether they were deployed to the Kyoto battlefield or the Yamato battlefield, they would dissolve instantly, like instant milk powder dissolved in boiling water.

Ultimately, Takeshi Hanpeita personally made the decision: everyone should stand by and wait for the situation to develop.

On the other hand, Takeichi Hanpeita's order was nothing more than a disguised form of evasion.

They dared neither fight nor flee, thus failing to solve the problem at all; they were merely burying their heads in the sand, trying to postpone the issue.

However, even if Takechi Hanpeita tried to do something, it wouldn't significantly change the situation.

Their strength is too weak, and they have no better options than to bury their heads in the sand.

And so they waited and waited...

In the end, he was betrayed by Yamanouchi Yodo.

Finally, today, at this very moment, the Shinsengumi have come knocking on our door!

Since they have become officially designated traitors, in other words, both the officers of the magistrate's office and the members of the Shinsengumi have the righteous right to wipe them out!

The possibility that the Tosa government requested the shogunate's assistance in arresting the Tosa loyalists is not entirely out of the question!

In short, even someone with a modicum of common sense would know that the sudden visit of the Shinsengumi was definitely not a friendly visit!

Instantly, the sounds of swords being drawn rang out.

At the same time, a loud crash came from the other side of the gate—soldiers dressed in light blue haori broke down the gate and filed in.

The Shinsengumi already possessed the power to "act first and report later, and grant special authority," but they didn't have anything like a "search warrant."

The Tosa loyalists who were trying to escape met the Shinsengumi who barged in, in the narrow corridor.

A fierce battle is about to break out!

Surrender and you'll be spared!

"We would rather die than surrender!"

"kill!"

"Look at the knife!"

"go to hell!"

The shouts of battle shook the heavens, and blood splattered everywhere.

The outcome of this encounter was predetermined from the very beginning.

As expected—the Tosa loyalists were completely suppressed as soon as the war began! They were routed in the blink of an eye!

In terms of numbers, equipment, and training level, the Shinsengumi had an overwhelming advantage.

There's no need to elaborate on the number of people and equipment.

The Shinsengumi surrounded the area with overwhelming force.

Besides the attack team that broke into the house, there were still a large number of troops waiting outside.

The "three-piece set" of chainmail, arm armor, and leg armor has become the standard equipment of the Shinsengumi, with each member receiving a set.

In melee combat, unless one encounters a top-tier expert, it is perfectly normal for a fully armed "armored soldier" to take on five unarmored "unarmored soldiers" at the same time.

Of course, what made the Tosa loyalists feel most desperate was the training level of the Shinsengumi.

Since the founding of the army, the "Mandarin Duck Formation" has been one of the daily training exercises for the Shinsengumi.

In large-scale battles, the "Mandarin Duck Formation" is completely useless.

Qi Jiguang, who invented the "Mandarin Duck Formation," never used it again after being transferred to defend against the Mongols beyond the Great Wall.

In large-scale battles in the field, forming large formations and establishing strongholds is the key to success.

The true power of the "Mandarin Duck Formation" can only be unleashed in places with narrow terrain, especially in areas with dense hills and scarce plains, or in confined spaces such as corridors and rooms!

The reason why Qingdeng made the "Mandarin Duck Formation" one of the mandatory training items for the Shinsengumi was to prepare for urban warfare.

Looking across all of Japan, there are very few places that are truly habitable.

Tens of millions of people are crammed into places the size of sesame seeds and beans, resulting in extremely high population density in major cities and towns.

Those layered, maze-like houses could drive anyone with trypophobia crazy.

Kyoto is an ancient city with a long history.

Over thousands of years, a huge amount of "shit mountain code" has accumulated.

Everywhere there are winding paths and secluded alleys that seem to lead nowhere, much like the capillaries in the human body.