I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"..."

Qingdeng, as if gazing at some distant world, stared straight ahead without uttering a word.

A moment later, he turned around abruptly and ran straight towards the outskirts of Edo without any hesitation or delay.

……

……

The talent I copied from Yamanami Keisuke: "photographic memory"—though I rarely use it actively, it always comes in handy unconsciously.

Thanks to the powerful memory granted by "photographic memory", Sei had a clear record of the way to Sanako's "secret treasure land".

Following his memories, Aoto walked through Edo city and arrived at the suburbs full of natural scenery.

As I walked along familiar country lanes, the familiar "tinkling" sound of flowing water echoed in my ears once again.

Besides the sound of flowing water, Qingdeng also faintly heard a strange "splashing" sound, like oars splashing water.

As he parted the dense bushes, the light that shifted from darkness to light caused Qingdeng to unconsciously squint.

The good weather continued tonight.

A slender new moon, its solitary light shining brightly.

The clear, bright moonlight illuminated the riverbank in front of Qingdeng... and also illuminated a beautiful figure sitting by the river with her back to Qingdeng.

A familiar figure.

A round, adorable back of the head, a high ponytail, a white top and blue bottom kendo uniform... such a classic outfit that you don't even need to see the front. Just by looking at the back, you can tell who this person is.

Finally, they found Sanako... The lines on Aoto's face softened instantly.

Sanako, sitting by the river, had pulled the hem of her hakama up to the middle of her thighs, and her two slender yet fleshy straight legs dipped into the river. Her cloth stockings and blue buttoned flat wooden clogs were neatly folded beside her.

The sound of oars splashing water that Qing Deng had just heard was the sound of Sanako's two little feet gently stirring the river water.

Hearing the strange noise behind her, Sanako quickly turned around to look.

"Tachibana-kun...?"

Under the moonlight, the two, who had been apart for less than 10 hours, gazed at each other with different emotions.

*******

*******

If you don't vote for this book with monthly tickets for today's chapter, that would be going too far! (Like a leopard crying.jpg) I need enough monthly ticket rewards so that I have enough motivation to write more erotic content! (Repeatedly hitting the leopard's belly.jpg)

I hate this damn censorship... I could have written at least 2000 more words about the scene where Sanako gets soaking wet... (Leopard dead.jpg)

Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets!

It's been a while since I promoted my book club, so here's a long-awaited promotion!

The author has started a book club on Tencent!

Group number: 1162513690. Simply answer one question that anyone who has carefully read this book will know the answer to to join the book club.

The author occasionally appears in the group chat.

Chapter 235 Qing Deng's Frenzied Attempt to Stake Two Ships [7600]

"Miss Sanako, I've finally found you..."

With a helpless smile, Qing Deng slowly walked towards Sanako.

"Tachibana-kun?" Sanako looked surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Perhaps feeling it was impolite to expose her thighs in front of strangers, Sanako lifted her straight, white thighs, which shone with a bluish-white light under the moonlight, out of the river. She took out a piece of paper, wiped the water droplets off her feet and calves, then put on white socks, tightened her wooden clogs, straightened the hem of her hakama with one hand, and stood up by supporting herself on the ground with the other.

"I just met Mr. Jutaro and Mr. Chiba Takashiro at Ryogoku Bridge. I learned from Mr. Jutaro that you have been missing since this afternoon."

"Although you left a letter to let us know you were safe, Mr. Jutaro... as well as Mr. Chiba Tamon Shiro and I, were very worried about you, so we couldn't bother with any swordplay demonstrations."

“We split up and went to the places you often went to look for you.”

“This morning, you told me that this riverbank was your ‘secret treasure trove,’ so I was wondering if you might be here… I’m so lucky, I actually found you here.”

Just as he finished speaking, Qing Deng walked up to Sanako.

"You met your elder brother and fourth cousin at the Ryogoku Bridge? And they were doing a swordplay demonstration?" Sanako raised her chin slightly and gave Aoto a questioning look.

"Hmm?" Qing Deng noticed the change in Sanako's eyes and tilted his head. "Miss Sanako, didn't Mr. Jutaro tell you that I'll be participating in the swordplay competition at Ryogoku Bridge tonight?"

Sanako really didn't know.

Chiba Jutaro had planned to tell Sanako this afternoon that "Aoto will also be performing swordsmanship tonight."

However, apart from the moment she woke up and briefly returning home at noon, Sanako did not see Chiba Jutaro all day, so Chiba Jutaro was unable to tell Sanako about this matter.

"?!" A look of surprise flashed in Sanako's beautiful eyes.

Then, as if she had figured something out, her lowered eyelids revealed a faint, helpless curve.

"Brother...so that's how it is..."

After whispering this in a voice as soft as a breath, Sanako closed her eyes, tilted her head back, took a deep breath, and then turned around to face the river where countless silvery moonlight danced, her back to Aoto.

"...Tachibana-kun, I'm so sorry to have troubled you to come looking for me. I'm truly ashamed."

"It's rude of me to say this... but could you please leave for the time being?"

"Right now... I want to sit here alone and watch the moon for a while."

"Please go back and tell your elder brother and four cousins: don't worry about me, and don't go looking for me anywhere. I will be home before the moon reaches its highest point in the sky."

Qingdeng: "..."

As soon as Sanako finished speaking, Aoto's facial features, which had just relaxed after successfully finding Sanako, tensed up again.

Is it a problem with the lighting? Or is it a problem with the viewing angle...?

Aoto felt that Sanako's figure at that moment... seemed much more frail than usual...

He opened his mouth, instinctively wanting to say something to Sanako, but couldn't utter a single word.

Speechless... My mind is completely blank... Despite racking my brains, I can't think of a single word that fits the current situation.

The problems that Sanako is facing are far more severe and cruel than those that Souji is currently facing.

No, what Sanako is facing cannot be simply described as a "difficult problem"... it would be more accurate to describe it as a "desperate situation".

Souji was simply forbidden from practicing martial arts by her older sister, while Sanako's future martial arts achievements were effectively condemned...

Aoto was well aware of Sanako's feelings towards martial arts.

To be abandoned by the very thing she had fought for most of her life... To be honest, it's hard for Qing Deng to say that he can truly empathize with Sanako's current situation.

After all, he didn't have the same intense passion for martial arts as Sanako.

"Martial arts achievements have come to an end"... This kind of thing will not happen to Qing Deng for a long time to come.

If you can't put yourself in someone else's shoes to understand their feelings, then any words of comfort you offer will lose their power.

Telling someone who values ​​"results" "Don't take results so seriously, cheer up"... this casual kindness is often more hurtful than pure malice.

In particular, Qing Deng still remembered that a few days ago... when he challenged the heroes of the Little Chiba Sword Hall, he had said to Sanako, "With your skills, one day you will also achieve something in martial arts that will impress and be recognized by everyone."

Looking back on those words now, I only feel a deep sense of irony...

Time seemed to stand still in this space.

Sanako gazed silently at the river, saying nothing.

Qingdeng, unsure of what to say or what he could say, tried repeatedly to utter something, but so far he has not been able to come up with a single coherent sentence.

Strangely enough... looking at Sanako's soft and frail back, which seemed as if it would break in two with the slightest touch, Aoto felt something rising up from the depths of his heart—a strong emotion.

Qingdeng knew what this feeling was called.

Any normal human being should know the name of this emotion.

This is an emotion called "sadness".

Why did he feel sad at this moment, seeing Sanako's delicate back? Qing Deng had no time to think about this question.

Anything is fine, I want to do something for Sanako—driven by this strong impulse surging from his mind, Qing Deng had no energy left to pay attention to anything else, whether it was himself or anything else in the outside world.

Just then, a series of noisy sounds were carried by the night wind.

The sound was very faint, almost imperceptible... but Qingdeng, who possessed the "sense of the wind," still keenly caught it—it was the unique clamor of shouting and laughing that arose after a crowd gathered.

Sanako's "secret treasure land" happens to be located on a small hill overlooking Edo.

Following the commotion, Qingdeng turned his head and saw a dense cluster of lights in the distance.

That's the direction of the Two Nations Bridge... the location of the fireworks display.

"..."

Qingdeng's eyes widened slightly, and he pursed his lips as if he had realized something.

“...Miss Sanako.”

Then, he turned his attention back to Sanako.

"Please come with me. I'll show you something good."

Sanako silently turned her face and met Aoto's gaze with a bewildered look in her eyes.

Before she could say anything, she felt her left wrist being clamped by an iron clamp—Qing Deng raised his hand without hesitation, grabbed Sanako's left wrist, and then, without saying a word, pulled her directly towards Edo.

"Hey? Wait, wait a minute!"

Aoto's sudden, strange behavior caused a flicker of panic to cross Sanako's cheeks.

Where are you taking me?

Sanako instinctively leaned back, trying to resist Aoto's pull.

But when it comes to strength, how could she be a match for Qing Deng, who is both male and muscular?

After struggling for a while, all I achieved was a lot of pain in my wrist.

"Where to go... that's a secret for now."