I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

However, Hijikata shook his head and smiled mysteriously.

"Regarding this... I'm afraid I have no comment."

"Sōji and Ms. Sanako didn't want you to know what they were going to do, which is why they were vague in their letter."

"Therefore, I decided to respect their wishes."

Hijikata's response naturally aroused great dissatisfaction from Kondo and Chiba Jutaro.

"Hey! Sui, isn't that a bit too unfair of you?"

Kondo looked anxious.

"That's it!"

Chiba Jutaro chimed in.

However, no matter how Kondo and the others spoke, persuaded, or pleaded, Hijikata remained unmoved and resolutely kept silent.

Despite their deep resentment, they were helpless because Hijikata remained tight-lipped about the matter...

……

……

This tug-of-war, with each side sticking to its own principles, lasted for nearly 10 minutes.

In the end—after some persuasion from Hijikata, Kondo and Chiba Jutaro, having gained nothing, sighed with regret and headed home.

The footsteps of the two elder brothers gradually faded into the distance.

However, Tu Fang did not immediately return to the house.

He stood there, gazing into the distance, his mind uneasy.

Then, he looked up at the sky and murmured:

"Souji, Miss Sanako... have you found him...?"

After saying this, Hijikata let out a long sigh of relief.

********

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Today's chapter is nearly 6000 words! And it's a rare, timely update! Please vote with your monthly tickets! (crying leopard head.jpg)

Sanako was a master of medicine—this isn't something Leopard made up. The historical Sanako was indeed skilled in swordsmanship, naginata techniques, and medicine, especially acupuncture.

Jutaro and Sanako's grandfather, Chiba Kōemon, was indeed a "sword and medicine master" who could both kill and heal. Sanako's medical skills were inherited from her grandfather.

Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Sanako made a living by practicing her family's traditional acupuncture.

Chapter 418 Going Alone to the Meeting! Meeting the "Mad Dog Family"! [5000]

The next day, in the morning—

Edo, somewhere—

It was a little past eight in the morning when the sun reluctantly hung above a patch of white clouds, casting beams of soft light that, while not particularly bright, still brought a gentle warmth.

The weather is nice... Qingdeng thought to himself as he looked up at the sky.

The clouds, half-lit and half-dark, drifted by lightly.

Pale yellow beams of light shone between heaven and earth.

The footsteps of pedestrians, the calls of livestock such as horses and cattle, the rolling of wheels of vehicles such as handcarts... everything on the street and everything around us, under the warm sunshine, has a touch of peace and tranquility.

The air was very moist, as if there was melting snow inside.

The fresh morning air washes away the traces of human society.

—This kind of weather is perfect for an outing.

The moment Qing Deng's thought crossed his mind, a voice behind him suddenly echoed with the exact same sentiment:

"The weather is so nice today, perfect for a picnic, woof!"

The sentence ends with a sigh, followed by an "ah-woo" – the sound of eating a konpeito (Japanese candy).

Qing Deng was slightly taken aback, then revealed a look of bewilderment.

He turned his head and glanced at the two women who were following closely behind him, one on his left and one on his right.

"Okita-kun, Sanako-san, are you really going to come with me?"

"Orange-kun, you're so annoying."

Souji pursed his lips as he chewed on a konpeito.

"How many times have I told you? How can I just stand by and watch you put yourself in danger and do nothing?"

Sanako remained silent.

But her calm, unwavering gaze said it all.

Seeing this, Qingdeng sighed, half moved and half helpless.

Ever since Qing Deng reunited with the two women by chance and explained his recent actions to them, the two women have made the same decision: they will act alongside Qing Deng and assist him in investigating the strange drug!

Qing Deng's first reaction was naturally to refuse.

If it were a normal incident, it wouldn't be a big deal.

Qingdeng has never been a "lone wolf" who dislikes teaming up.

Whenever he encounters something he can't solve or something he's not good at, he's happy to ask others for help.

However, this incident is no small matter.

The Qing Shui clan alone is already quite troublesome, not to mention the forces supporting the strange medicine, and a terrorist organization that acts madly: the Fa Zhu Party.

Compared to the powerful and influential Shimizu clan and the unfathomable Fazhu Party, the Exile Group that Qing Deng had previously faced was nothing special.

In fact, when Qing Deng made up his mind to thoroughly investigate the strange drug, he was already mentally prepared for a bloody conflict, or even a full-scale struggle, with the Shimizu clan and the Fazhu Party in the future.

As for Aoto, he certainly didn't want any of his relatives or friends, such as Sanako, Souji, Kinoshita Mai, or Elodie, to get involved in this messy situation where "once you step out, there's no turning back."

However... no matter what Qingdeng said or how he tried to persuade them, the two women had already made up their minds.

“Why don’t you understand? The ‘Strange Drug’ case is extraordinary and extremely dangerous!”—Qing Deng repeated this sentence at least 10 times.

"So what?"—Sanako and Souji repeated this sentence at least 11 times.

Sanako has a strong personality, so Aoto knew early on that the chances of persuading her to change her mind were slim.

But he didn't expect that when the commander became stubborn, he was like an ox, impossible to pull back.

Sanako and Souji are both living, breathing people with hands and feet, capable of movement and thought. Once they've made up their minds and want to do something, Aoto really can't stop them.

Qingdeng couldn't possibly break their arms and legs, could he?

Unable to dissuade them, Qingdeng could only sigh helplessly and acquiesce to the two women's self-determination.

Last night, they each went home, leaving letters to their families informing them that they would be away from home for a while, and changed their clothes.

The commander put on leg wraps to improve the flexibility of his lower limbs.

Although Sanako was still dressed in a white and blue women's kendo uniform, she brought her naginata, as well as medical supplies such as linen, ointment, and her favorite acupuncture tools.

The small items, such as linen, ointment, and acupuncture tools, were all stuffed into a palm-sized leather bag, which Sanako then tied around her right waist.

As for the enormous naginata, it was carried on Sanako's back.

Of course, in order to avoid attracting attention and to prevent causing panic among passersby, Sanako specially wrapped the naginata tightly with a black cloth.

From its appearance, it is impossible to tell that this is a naginata.

To outsiders, all they would see is Sanako carrying a fishing rod.

When he learned that Souji insisted on helping him, Aoto was not surprised.

After all, the two of them had already tried every move and left water stains everywhere inside and outside the testing center.

On the contrary, Sanako insisted on staying close to him... which surprised Aoto quite a bit.

But upon closer reflection, it's not something that's hard to understand.

Sanako, deeply influenced by the samurai culture, has always been loyal and devoted to her friends.

Moreover, Aoto had saved Sanako's life.

That night, if it weren't for Qing Deng's timely rescue, Sanako would probably have died under the sword of the Exile Group long ago.

Although Aoto didn't care whether Sanako repaid his kindness or not, Sanako, who valued propriety and a sense of shame, certainly always remembered Aoto's life-saving grace.

It's understandable that Sanako would go to great lengths for Aoto out of loyalty and gratitude.

Of course, Qing Deng had also wondered if Sanako harbored special feelings for him, which was why she was so dedicated to helping him.

However... this is ultimately just Qing Deng's personal conjecture.

Sanako's attitude towards Aoto has always been lukewarm and indifferent.

Neither too distant nor too close.

The only time Aoto felt that Sanako was really "close" to him was the night he took her to a fireworks festival.

Under the dazzling night sky, Sanako, her eyes sparkling like glass, gently said "thank you" to him—this picturesque scene has always been treasured in Aoto's heart.

Even today, Qing Deng still feels that there is an inexplicable distance between him and Sanako.

This made it difficult for Qing Deng to figure out what his relationship with Sanako was now.

In short, with the help of Sanako and Souji, Aoto is now like a tiger with wings.

Souji goes without saying; he's a genius swordsman who, at only 16 years old, has already reached the level of "freely controlling his momentum."

As for Sanako, she is both literate and skilled in martial arts; she can devise strategies and also take up arms in battle.

At the same time, because of her medical expertise, she was also able to ensure logistical support.

Qing Deng had long known that Sanako was a ruthless character who could "kill and subdue people at the same time".

However, he never had the chance to witness Sanako's miraculous healing skills.