I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

He spoke slowly and deliberately, in an unquestionable tone:

"Tonight, no one is to be absent!"

"And... everyone, prepare for battle tonight!"

……

……

That evening—

Whenever a major mission or operation requiring real combat with the enemy occurred, the magistrate would distribute protective gear such as chainmail and gauntlets to those involved.

The Northern Frontier Office was designated as the main base for tonight's major operation.

At this moment, the "three-times" from the South and North Garrisons gathered in a room in the North Garrison, each receiving their own protective gear.

The noise rose and fell.

……

"The armor is here! Everyone come and get your armor!"

"Don't push! Don't push! Everyone line up!"

"Hey, my chainmail looks rusty. Get me a new set."

"There's no replacement, so we'll just have to make do."

"How can you make do with something as basic as protective gear?! Get me a new set right now!"

……

"Oh, so this is chainmail? Tsk tsk tsk, mine is still brand new..." Harada looked at the protective gear that had just been handed to him with a curious gaze.

Harada tossed his chainmail up and caught it again: "Tsk, it's pretty heavy."

"Alright, stop playing around." Standing next to Harada, Aoto urged him helplessly to stop messing with the precious armor, then turned to look at Saito, Nagakura, and the others beside him, "Have you all gotten your armor yet?"

"Yes!" Toudou nodded vigorously. "We got them all!"

"Check your protective gear for any damage. If there is any damage, replace it immediately."

Qing Deng said solemnly.

"These are life-saving items, so we can't be careless."

"Hmm..." Harada raised his hand and scratched his head, chuckling sheepishly, "Mr. Tachibana, this is the first time I've ever seen chainmail. What kind of chainmail is considered intact?"

“Mr. Tachibana…this is also the first time I’ve ever seen chainmail…” Todo chuckled awkwardly.

It's normal not to recognize chainmail, since only government agencies usually keep this type of protective gear on hand.

After beckoning Harada and Todo, who didn't know how to distinguish good from bad chainmail, and signaling them to come closer, Aoto patiently explained to the two how to check if the chainmail was damaged, and taught them how to wear the protective gear step by step.

With Aoto's help, Harada put on a series of armor, including chainmail, gauntlets, and leg guards, and then patted his now hard chest.

"Tsk tsk... Now I understand why all those great generals of the Warring States period could charge around the battlefield and take on a thousand men single-handedly." Harada chuckled sheepishly. "Wearing such tough protective gear, ordinary swords simply can't penetrate its defenses. If I were in their shoes, I could take on a thousand men too!"

Harada stretched his shoulders vigorously, making sure his protective gear wasn't too tight or too loose, then turned to Aoto expectantly and asked:

"Mr. Ju, what is our mission tonight?"

"Tonight we're going to monitor the anti-barbarian group in our assigned area..."

As soon as Qing Deng began his explanation, Harada frowned and raised his hand to his head, saying, "Never mind, Mr. Tachibana, please stop."

"I'm not a person who likes to use my brain. These complicated tasks just give me a headache."

"I'll just follow you and do whatever you say!"

Having said that, Harada raised his spear, his face full of excitement and anticipation.

"Haha! I didn't expect to have such a big mission to participate in so soon after joining your ranks!"

"Mr. Tachibana, when are we going to officially begin the mission? I can't wait any longer!"

*******

*******

Happy birthday to me!

Today is the author's 23rd birthday! *clap clap clap clap clap clap* (applause)

In the blink of an eye, I'm already 23 years old. Time flies!

On this once-a-year birthday, I, the author, ask for nothing more than that everyone vote for this book with more monthly tickets today, and allow me to take a day off tomorrow (crying face).

Yesterday, I was celebrating my birthday with my friends, which is why there were fewer updates today. I probably won't have much time to write today, so there will likely be no updates tomorrow.

Please allow me to take a day off tomorrow and celebrate my birthday properly today! (Like a leopard crying.JPG)

Chapter 119 The Calm Before the Storm

Standing next to Harada, Nagakura grinned and echoed his sentiment:

"Me too, I can't wait either."

Yongcang had made it quite clear during lunch today that the reason he joined Qingdeng's ranks was because he was attracted by the high salary offered by Qingdeng, and he wanted to save enough money as soon as possible to continue traveling around and honing his skills.

Therefore, for Nagakura, who is currently undergoing martial arts training, the most favored task is one that allows his swordsmanship to shine and provides excellent opportunities to hone his skills.

Tonight's task, which involves confronting the radical anti-foreign faction, is exactly what Nagakura wants.

Saito maintained his usual aloof demeanor, as if to say, "What does it matter to me if the world is destroyed?"

Saito, who is Aoto's bodyguard, was also allowed to accompany Aoto on tonight's operation.

Compared to Nagakura, Saito, and Harada, Todo's reaction was more normal—he was pale and kept pursing his lips, showing that he was quite nervous.

"Nagakura, Harada, calm down," Seito said helplessly. "Whether we'll run into the Extermination Group tonight is still uncertain."

"Harada, put down your spear. There are too many people here, don't swing it around."

"Oh, right, I almost forgot. Here, take this."

After saying that, Qing Deng pulled out three Jitsubo swords from his lower back.

"Nagakura, Harada, Todo, these three jittes, one for each of you. Take them carefully, don't lose them."

"Oh!" Harada took the Jitte that Aoto handed him with a curious look. "Is this the Jitte that every Okabiki has? It's a pity I don't know how to use the Jitte..."

“It’s okay if you don’t know how to use the Jigokujutsu,” Qing Deng said calmly. “After all, the main function of the Jigokujutsu is just to prove your identity as a member of the Gang.”

"If your jitsu gets damaged or lost, remember to report it to me immediately."

Each member of the Gangyin clan receives a jitsu (a type of scepter) issued by the government as a symbol of their status.

As long as you wear this official scepter at your waist, others will know that you are a member of the same clan.

After Harada examined his new weapon with great interest, he suddenly noticed that their jittes were slightly different from Aoto's jittes.

The ten-handed sword was worn by Qing Deng on his right waist, with a red tassel tied to the bottom of the handle.

Harada, Nagakura, and the other two had completely bare jittes, without any decorations.

"Mr. Tachibana, why don't our jittes have red tassels tied to the bottom of their handles?" Harada asked.

"To make it easier to distinguish between Tongxin and Gangyin, only Tongxin's 10-handle bottom will have a red tassel," Qingdeng replied. "You must not put a red tassel on the bottom of your 10-handle just for fun. If you do that, you will be suspected of 'impersonating Tongxin,' which is a serious matter."

“Oh, I see…” Harada nodded, and then, along with Nagakura and Todo beside him, they imitated Aoto’s method of wearing the Jitte and put their own Jitte on their right waist.

After distributing ten hands to his new subordinates and telling them to behave themselves, Qing Deng turned his gaze and scanned his surroundings.

The two seniors, Pig Valley and Ushiyama, are currently not far from him.

The two of them were speaking to their respective subordinates with serious expressions.

Arima is nowhere to be found; we don't know where he is now.

Officials from the Southern and Northern Garrison Offices gathered together to jointly carry out a mission... Such a grand occasion was something that had been long forgotten.

In Qing Deng's memory, the last time the South and North Bans worked together on a mission... his father, Tachibana Takayuki, was still alive.

At this very moment, all the "three-fold" combat forces of the Southern and Northern Garrison are gathered in this large room, where a strong, unpleasant smell of sweat and a heavy atmosphere permeate the air.

Not everyone has the fighting spirit to "fight the enemy to the death and face death without fear."

The Extermination Group was notorious for its large-scale terrorist organization, which dared to gather more than two hundred people to attack and kill foreign merchants.

They were numerous, organized, and daring to fight and kill.

In terms of danger, the "anti-foreign patriots" who usually acted as bullies and only dared to do despicable things like robbing shops and abducting women were completely incomparable to the anti-foreign group...

It's easy to imagine which exerts greater psychological pressure: a massive terrorist group or a rabble that only dares to loot and plunder.

Fighting against the Expeditionary Force... could very well result in some serious casualties.

Qingdeng clearly saw that many people... including some of Tongxin, now had a look of alarm and worry on their faces.

He guessed: Right now, many people must be praying in secret... praying that Edo will be peaceful tonight, and at least that they can get through the night safely.

"Tachibana-kun!"

At that moment, Qing Deng suddenly heard a horse calling to him.

"Lord Arima." Aoto turned his head and greeted Arima, who had suddenly appeared and was walking quickly toward him.

Arima was now fully armed, dressed in his full gear—a helmet, a chainmail and a breastplate on his upper body, and a pair of hakama (traditional Chinese trousers) around his lower body.

Only officers of the same rank as Li were allowed to wear breastplates; Qing Deng and his comrades could only wear chainmail along with Gang Yin.

Japan's most prominent political culture is its extremely rigid hierarchical system, which is integrated into every aspect of the daily lives of its citizens.

Arima strode up to Aoto and asked, "Tachibana-kun, how are the preparations going on your side?"

Qingdeng smiled and raised his hand, patting the chainmail hidden inside the kimono: "Everything that needs to be worn is on."

"Okay. That's good." Arima nodded, then looked at Saito and the others standing behind Aoto.

He probably wanted to check on the current status of Qing Deng's new subordinates.

Nagakura, Saito, and Harada all seemed to be in pretty good shape, either smiling or looking calm, so Arima only glanced at them before looking away.

Arima's gaze lingered only on Todo, whose face was still pale and who looked very nervous.