I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

It was obvious... his life was nearing its end.

He struggled to open his eyes, trying to catch a few more glimpses of the sunset and the world.

But just then, a blinding white light shone into his eyes.

The beam of white light came suddenly and went quickly.

When the white light dissipated, the scene he saw had changed dramatically.

No longer is it an unfamiliar ceiling, nor is it the glow of sunset filling the room, but a bustling market!

He recognized it at a glance: this was the same market he had visited as a child!

He couldn't tell if it was his soul traveling through time or if past memories were resurfacing... and he was too lazy to investigate these things anymore.

Xilika stared blankly at the bustling crowds and the scattered stalls... After a while, he showed an expression that was both like crying and laughing.

For a moment, he forgot that he was a dying man, and quietly watched every scene before him, trying to remember it in his heart, until eternity.

It all started because of this... Because of this market, he longed for life with people; because of this market, he went astray; because of this market, he degenerated into the pathetic "Uenkamyi".

After a long sigh, he softly uttered the first words he had uttered upon first seeing the market in the countryside:

"The world... is so big..."

……

……

Cialis stopped breathing.

Ogata pried open his eyelids, glanced at his pupils, and then shook his head at Aoto.

Qing Deng did not have any particular feelings about Xilika's death.

Throughout history, the victors have always had nothing to say to the losers.

When Xilika raised an army to rebel, he should have been mentally prepared to die in battle. Only those who are prepared to die are qualified to draw their swords.

However, he was somewhat curious about Cilica's last words.

"Mr. Ogata, what did he say at the end?"

Ogata shook his head:

"I don't know, and I didn't hear it clearly."

They all saw that Cilica's lips moved slightly, as if she were saying something.

Unfortunately, the volume was too low, barely even a mosquito's hum, and neither of them could hear it clearly.

After a moment's thought, Ogata slowly said:

"The last words uttered by humans on their deathbed are either 'pain,' 'resentment,' or... 'relief.'"

For some inexplicable reason, Qingdeng pressed for an answer:

"So, which category do you think Rhino Card belongs to?"

Ogata smiled slightly:

"Who knows?"

……

……

That night--

The "Three-Leaf Sunflower Banner" representing the shogunate and the "Sincere Banner" representing the Shinsengumi were hung high on the taiko drum tower, which was about 16.5 meters high.

This is the highest point of Wuling Village, and everyone inside can clearly see these two large flags fluttering in the wind.

"We've retaken Wulingguo!"

"Long live Niou! Long live the Shinsengumi!"

"Hey—! Hey—! Ohhhhh—!"

Cheers and shouts rose and fell like a mountain.

With the fall of the southern city wall, the complete recapture of Wulingguo was now in its final countdown.

The Shogunate forces had a significant numerical advantage, and also had the elite Shinsengumi.

The fact that the Ainu Allied Forces were able to hold out for so long against the overwhelming onslaught of the Tokugawa army is already a remarkable achievement.

The latter fought and retreated, but ultimately could not overcome the vast difference in their fighting strength.

The first to break down were the "volunteers" who were inspired by the charismatic Cialis and volunteered to fight.

In their imagination, war is like hunting: set up your bow and arrow, shoot down your opponent, and then return with a full load of honor.

The largest-scale war they had ever witnessed was a conflict between tribes over hunting grounds.

Unexpectedly, the real war far exceeded their imagination.

A battle involving nearly ten thousand people raging around a fortress... Had they ever witnessed a war of this magnitude before?

They were all dumbfounded when they saw people rushing towards them and heard the incessant gunfire.

Those who were paralyzed with fear, those who were at a loss for what to do, and those who turned and ran away in terror... were too numerous to count.

It's not a mistake for Xilika to recruit "volunteers"; it's a brilliant move to expand its military strength.

His only mistake was failing to train these scattered soldiers into true warriors before the Mu army arrived.

Thus, the defenses of the "Ainu Allied Forces" gradually collapsed, and they were eventually driven out of Wulingguo without a single survivor. The remnants fled north, not daring to look south.

When Nagakura Shinpachi and others asked whether they should pursue the remaining troops, Aoto waved his hand in refusal.

Firstly, they lacked cavalry and therefore the ability to pursue.

Secondly, the soldiers were exhausted after fighting for most of the day.

Thirdly, there is no need to pursue them anymore. Xilika is dead, and the main force has been wiped out. This group of Ainu people can no longer cause any trouble.

We set sail this morning and recaptured Wulingguo by this evening—such speed is something our soldiers can be very proud of!

Excluding the time spent on pre-battle preparations and traveling by boat, they defeated the "Ainu coalition" in just half a day! They achieved their established goal of "recapturing Wulingguo"!

Such an impressive record is sure to leave a lasting mark on history!

To celebrate the victory and reward the soldiers, Qingdeng ordered the warehouses of Wulingguo to be opened and all the good rice and meat to be brought out so that the soldiers could eat to their hearts' content.

A slender crescent moon rose, its soft light illuminating the jubilant Wulingguo.

Bonfires, like stars, dotted the area.

The soldiers gathered around the bonfires and celebrated with great joy.

There was a great deal of eating and drinking, singing and dancing... it was quite a lively scene.

The jubilant atmosphere diluted the fatigue of the fierce battle and the sorrow of losing comrades.

The usually very serious team leaders and vice-leaders are now showing a relaxed side.

"Captain Todo, I've heard that your mentor is the very famous Ito Kashitaro. Is that true?"

Todo Heisuke smiled:

"Yes, it's true."

"Is it true that Ito Kashitaro was also a member of the Shinsengumi?"

"Yes, that's true."

When talking about his master, Todo Heisuke revealed a proud expression.

“During the first large-scale conscription, my master enlisted in the army.”

"Mr. Tachibana greatly appreciated his mentor's talent, so he specially promoted him to assistant in the General Affairs Department."

"My mentor is a very low-key person who rarely shows his face, so everyone always forgets that there is an assistant in the general affairs department."

[Note: Assistant: Deputy in the Metropolitan Police Department, General Affairs Office, and Finance Office of the Shinsengumi.]

At this moment, someone suddenly pressed on with a question:

"Captain Toudou, between you and Ito Kashitaro, whose swordsmanship is stronger?"

Todo Heisuke was taken aback for a moment, then smiled modestly.

"My master is the grandmaster of the Hokushin Ittō-ryū style. He can even exchange a few blows with Mr. Tachibana. Compared to my master, I am still far behind."

At the same time, not far away, Nagakura Shinpachi, who was having a great time, started chatting enthusiastically:

"Do you know what? I have a good brother named Harada Sanosuke, that's right, the 'immortal' Harada Sanosuke! Back in the day, before he became a ronin and was still working as an official in the Matsuyama Domain of Iyo, some annoying guy slandered him as a 'small clerk who didn't even know how to commit seppuku.' He's the kind of person who loves to argue, so when that guy said he didn't even know how to commit seppuku, he immediately pulled out his wakizashi, stabbed himself in the stomach, and committed seppuku right there and then for that guy to see!"

……

……

For the vast majority of soldiers, this Northern Expedition has come to a successful conclusion.

But for Aoto and Ogata, this battle is not over yet!

Before finding Mael, Qingdeng couldn't find peace of mind no matter what.

Who knows what other trouble this ambitious and powerful arms dealer might cause in the future?

The only known information so far is the crucial message revealed by Cyrilka before his death.

The "moonstone" east of Hilippo Shire... it's probably only the Ainu people from Hilippo Shire who know what this "moonstone" is.

Fortunately, by the end of the battle, the Shogunate had captured many prisoners.

At this stage, Qingdeng can only pin his hopes on the fact that some of these prisoners are from Shiribomo Yudachi.

Aoto entrusted the important task of "finding the Ainu people from the Shiribomo Shidachi" to Katsura Rintaro.

For Aoto, Katsu Rintaro was like a "jack-of-all-trades," useful wherever needed!

For this reason, he specifically lent him Ogata, who was fluent in Ainu.

Upon seeing the sudden return of "Kazuma Majima," Katsura Rintaro's expression became extremely strange.

Aoto didn't elaborate on Majima Kazuma's achievements, and Katsura Rintaro wisely refrained from asking further questions.