Bleach: From Rugum to Thousand-Year Captain

Kyoichiro Miyasaka smiled and explained, "Actually, once the foundation is laid, you can just pick up a few stones and build up the surrounding area to block it up when you have nothing else to do in the next day or the day after. There are many fan blades behind the hill. You can learn to make them yourself by following the example of the villagers. It's not difficult at all."

"I understand, it's alright, old man, I can accept all of this."

"Also, there's something I'm concerned about and want to tell you. This afternoon, I came from the riverbank not far away, and I heard a lot of rustling sounds coming from the bushes. Are there many wild animals roaming around here?"

"What? You said a rustling sound? You didn't hear me wrong, did you?"

Kyoichiro Miyasaka exclaimed in alarm, “That’s not the sound of animals moving around. The wild animals around the village have been hunted down to the last bit; there shouldn’t be a large number of animals moving around. I bet it’s the Untaxed Gang setting a trap. They do this all the time. It seems those bastards from those gangs are about to start causing trouble again!”

"Setting a trap? For whom?"

“There are many gangs gathered in our Mirror District 93, and they often clash with each other over territory. The Untaxed Gang is the gang in this area, and several villages within their territory have to pay tribute to them. The Untaxed Gang's traps are probably used to deal with members of neighboring gangs, but I don't know what they're called.”

Upon hearing this, Tianyue Quezhai gained a general understanding of the surrounding situation. It seems that no matter where you go, life is still the hardest for ordinary people.

But then again, a thought flashed through his mind: Aren't the long-lived refugees, who only need water, the best cattle and horses?

What a sin! I shouldn't have thought that way.

However, many other thoughts popped into his mind: "Aren't we wandering souls? The villagers only need water, and they can get by by paying some offerings. Are the gangs making insatiable demands? Or do they have their eyes on your thatched huts?"

"If only we were to pay tribute, that would be great. In reality, besides drinking water, we have to work in our daily lives and can't be idle at all. We weave grass rings, make cloth crafts, farm, and cut down trees. After all this work, a small amount of the harvest is used to supply the needs of our own villagers, and the rest is all given to the tax-exempt guild."

"The most terrifying thing is that gangs conscript refugees to fight each other. Every village is bound to have its villagers conscripted, whether it's the Untaxed Gang or any other gang. I've heard that those who are conscripted suffer terrible fates; I've never seen any of them come back."

Tianyue Quezhai was stunned for a moment. Wasn't that just conscripting men?

"Is this a common situation, I mean, when applying for a job?"

"Of course! Countless new souls are born every day. After arriving, they know nothing. If they are unlucky, they will either be killed by accident or dragged into a gang to fight.

"It's a stroke of luck that a wandering soul like you was born right on the edge of a village, but you should still be careful to avoid running into gangs. If too many gang refugees die in gang wars, they will forcibly conscript villagers, so pray that you don't get targeted by the gangs."

Kyoichiro Miyasaka was very worried. If the number of newly born wandering souls each day was enough to sustain the gang warfare, then the village would be safe. He was afraid that the Untaxed Gang would overextend themselves and capture all the villagers to be used as cannon fodder.

They had no power to resist, and the only outcome of resistance would be being hacked to death.

Tianyue Quezhai frowned slightly; the situation seemed quite dire. However, he wasn't one to remain passive, and he decided to investigate firsthand to see if the situation in District 93 was as the old man had described.

If so, then we need to change our plans.

As evening approached, Tianyue Quezhai did not choose to rest in the simple thatched hut.

Instead, he returned to the spot where he had first woken up, moving nimbly yet slowly through the bushes to observe. After all, getting too close to the trap zone could easily result in injury and death.

Although I have never actually conducted any actual reconnaissance or counter-reconnaissance, I have read books on the subject.

Moreover, it was clear that the Untaxed Gang had a large number of members involved; even after cleaning up the traces, Tianyue Quezhai still discovered numerous signs of traps. It's hard to believe anyone would fall for such obvious and crude traps.

Those so-called traps were actually spikes made by sharpening one end of bamboo and placing them in a pit, or bamboo arrows made by using the springiness of bamboo.

Once the bending threshold is broken, it will be launched, but other than that, there's nothing new or exciting to be made.

Tianyue Quezhai quietly and cautiously returned to the same route he took to leave the trap area. He then climbed the tallest tree near the village, whose dense foliage could completely conceal his figure, and leaned against the trunk to observe the trap area.

Tianyue Quezhai didn't like being caught off guard by such a far-reaching conflict right from the start. They needed to at least understand the strength and situation of the forces here before making any plans.

If someone had actually fallen into the trap, Tianyue Quezhai was thinking of cleaning up the mess and maybe even taking a weapon. Right now, he was empty-handed and had nothing, which made him feel incredibly insecure.

On the other hand, the high-level Rukongai area is indeed free and chaotic.

"If the Untaxed Gang isn't stupid, then they must have received intelligence that the other gang is going to pass through there. If the Untaxed Gang ambushes and kills the other gang members, it could become the fuse for a major battle. I wonder if it will affect the village. The battlefields are too close."

If the battlefield is too large, he will prepare to climb down from the tree and leave the location in advance, and find a place to hide quietly.

Tengetsu Susaki thought that Miyasaka Kyoichiro was a pretty good old man, and it would be a shame if he died. That's true, but he wouldn't rashly step forward. If you don't have the strength, don't be reckless; ensuring your own safety is the first priority.

Tengetsu Sukusai was resting in a tree, sleeping very lightly. He could sense even the slightest bird flying by, and his mind was extremely tense. Even with his eyes open, he could see some white smoke, and he thought he was about to awaken his Observation Haki.

When did this tense feeling begin? Was it during the first battle with Flying Fish Void? No, it began the moment I traveled through time.

Moreover, Tengetsu Quezhai had a hunch that all of this would never end, except for death.

When the sky began to lighten the next day, nothing had happened in the jungle within the trap zone; not a single person could be seen.

Although he hadn't seen anyone yet, he still wanted to wait a little longer. He forgave Tengetsu Sussai for leaving without saying goodbye to the old man Miyasaka; he didn't plan to return to the village.

Returning to the village to live in such a comfortable environment is meaningless to him as a spiritual practitioner. Doing something big would affect the villagers, so there's no need for that.

Tianyue Quezhai vaguely felt a strange anticipation for the potential gang conflict that was about to unfold, his body trembling with excitement. Was this emotion fear? Was it joy? Was it just adrenaline? Was it anticipation? Or was it simply instinct?

Tianyue Quezhai neither knew nor cared.

"Omosiroy!!!"

Tianyue Quezhai slept soundly for several rounds until the afternoon when he heard a dense rustling sound coming from the bushes not far away. He realized that someone was passing through the forest!

Tianyue Quezhai adjusted his posture and concealed himself to avoid being discovered.

The tree he was on was very tall and far from the trap area. From his vantage point, he could only vaguely see the movement of the opposing gang members, and could not make out their complete figures.

Vision is mutual; you can only see me if I can see you, so I'm not worried about being discovered by the other person.

When the gang arrived at the center of the trap zone, and the first member stepped into the pit, Tianyue Quezhai muttered to himself.

"They're here!!!"

......

Chapter 4, 93: The Daily Battles in the Mirror Zone

"Iwabuchi Ichiki, Matsushita Takumi, you two go back and tell the boss about our current direction and route!"

Yes! Yes!

A group of people dressed in coarse linen clothes moved quickly through the forest. The people leading the way carried large machetes and were completely unaware of the traps that had been prepared for them ahead.

When the five or six members of the vanguard of the refugees came into contact with the trap area, they directly triggered the bamboo arrow mechanism under their feet.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!! In an instant, arrows shot out, turning into several black shadows that flashed past the group, piercing the stomachs of the men in front of them and causing them to fall to the ground.

"It hurts! It hurts so much!!!" The men who had been pierced didn't die immediately; they clutched their stomachs, convulsing and howling in agony. Blood slowly seeped onto the ground, and they struggled, their limbs flailing like demons from hell, desperately seeking help.

However, it was all in vain; no one cared about them. If they were seriously injured, death was inevitable.

Matsumura Asato, the leader of the Darkwater Gang's advance team, was completely shocked by what he saw. He had no idea that a trap awaited them ahead. After a moment of stunned silence, he quickly ordered his men to move out of the way.

Matsumura Asato had some experience and knew that an ambush in this kind of terrain would inevitably involve a sinkhole; "There's...there's an ambush! Everyone retreat! Retreat to your original positions, quickly!!!"

"Kill! Don't let them retreat!!!" Suddenly, a group of people appeared from behind Matsumura Asato and the others, rushing out to block their path. Their retreat was cut off!

These people were the vanguard squad of the Untaxed Gang, who were digging the traps.

"Damn it! Draw your weapons and fight them!" Matsumura Asato drew his katana from his waist and commanded his men to engage the enemy, while he oversaw the battle from the rear.

"Kill!! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!" "Die!!" "Redeem yourself!"

In an instant, shouts of battle filled the dense forest.

As a free bystander, Tianyue Quezhai watched with great interest from the tree. Tsk tsk tsk, the two sides fighting each other numbered at least a hundred people, all wearing messy clothes. How did they identify each other in this dense forest?

Even if everyone in the gang knows each other perfectly, it's easy to accidentally kill your own people when you're in the heat of the moment. Furthermore, the limited space and visibility in dense forests further complicate the identification of enemies.

Tengetsu Chōzhai observed that, apart from the leaders and guards of both sides who each carried samurai swords at their waists, most of the gang members were armed with wooden swords, machetes, or even just wooden sticks.

Tianyue Quezhai thought they were all noobs, but how could there be a master among the fighters in the two gangs? Their fighting spirit and attacking techniques were completely chaotic, and they couldn't even be considered village fighters.

It's at most a brawl between thugs, a contest of who's braver. Whoever isn't afraid to die and dares to fight will survive.

In less than a minute, thanks to the dense forest environment, the fighting gang members reached their lowest point, intimidated by the opposing gang's imposing presence. Everyone went their separate ways to find opponents. The refugees in the front ranks either knocked out their opponents or were knocked unconscious themselves. Those who suffered minor wounds from machetes quickly lost their fighting ability and continued to search for the next opponent.

The leaders of both sides, wielding katanas, seemed more like overseers. They moved steadily and slowly along the edge of the battlefield, easily reaping the fallen enemy soldiers with their katanas, their movements perfectly synchronized and coordinated.

"What a boring and dirty fight. The samurai have no sense of martial ethics at all. These refugees have become cannon fodder. Without exception, all the refugees with wooden sticks have been sold off."

Tianyue Quezhai watched the battle for half an hour. The hundred-person battle gradually dwindled until only a dozen or so people remained, facing off against each other.

These people were naturally the elites of the gang, each carrying a samurai sword or a large cleaver.

Matsumura Asato, a bald man covered in bandages, drew his katana and roared at the people in front of him, "You...the Untaxed Gang, why are you attacking our Darkwater Gang? Are you trying to start a gang war? Can you take responsibility for that?"

Hamano Tsunayoshi drew his katana and held it at an angle, while his men drew their swords as well. "You little brats from the Darkwater Gang, you've gotten too arrogant lately. Don't you know you've crossed the line? Look where you're standing. What stupid things you're saying about starting a gang war? Isn't it because your Darkwater Gang was the first to act unethically? This trap is set up on our Untaxed Gang's territory. If you don't come to Untaxed Gang's territory, you won't step into the trap, understand?"

"Damn it!!! Let's fight them! Kill them!" Matsumura Asato knew that there was no point in saying more at this point. Since everyone was invading each other, no one was any good, so there was no point in talking about morality.

Whoever has the bigger fist will survive in the end, and that's the only way to know the truth.

"Commendable courage, but we have a slight advantage. Ten katana against five katana, can each of you block two swords at the same time? Kill! Charge all at once!!!"

Without further ado, Tianyue Quezhai saw the two sides charge into battle. There were no fancy tactics; it was simply a matter of you attacking me and me attacking you. If you knocked someone down, you won; if you didn't, you lost.

There is no such thing as swordsmanship; a single slash from a katana cannot cut through an arm or neck. Each strike from each person can only leave a large gash on the opponent.

The sheer number of people in the Untaxed Gang meant that the Dark Water Gang was simply no match for them; the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Untaxed Gang led to their utter defeat.

puff! ! !

The Dark Water Gang, including its leader Hamano Tsunayoshi, was wiped out at the cost of one member of the Untaxed Gang dying and the rest of the samurai suffering minor injuries.

The untaxed gang member who died was destined to die from massive bleeding after being slashed in the neck artery. Otherwise, a normally seriously wounded samurai could have been saved if taken back for treatment.

But probably, it will be abandoned.

Hamano Tsunayoshi surveyed the surroundings; "Clean up the battlefield and go back to report to the boss immediately. Be quick and efficient. Although this is our Untaxed Gang's territory, it's the border between gang territories. Don't let the other side notice us."

"Yes!" "Yes!" Two confidants of the untaxed gang leader Hamano Tsunayoshi began to patrol the battlefield, looking for survivors to finish off.

"I can't see it, I can't see the samurai sword at my feet."

Amatsuki Sussai watched as Hamano Tsunayoshi and the others cleaned up the battlefield, secretly praying that they wouldn't confiscate all the katanas from the Untaxed Gang, lest he have nothing left to steal. However, the Untaxed Gang did manage to collect the katanas from the five men, and he lost his chance to steal peaches.

After Hamano Tsunayoshi left, Tengetsu Sussai observed his surroundings.

There were no other gangs around, and he estimated that if he went to clean up the battlefield again within 5 minutes, no one would be able to get back here quickly.

He climbed down the tree and tiptoed to the battlefield. A strong smell of rust hit him, making him want to vomit. Corpses lay scattered among the bushes; some were missing limbs, some were mangled and bloodied, and some were decapitated.

The corpse, its abdomen ripped open, had its intestines spilling out and hanging on the tree branches, somewhat resembling undried sausages.

Despite the disgusting sight of the corpse, Tengetsu Chosai quickly searched for weapons and adjusted to his surroundings.

You must adapt to the rhythm of the battle and the battlefield in order to survive the same situations in the future. As for nausea and stuff, don't be so dramatic! Whether you feel nauseous or not, it's completely unnecessary to worry about it.

The smell of blood is truly intoxicating; just a single sniff gives one the illusion of dizziness and a throbbing headache. Tianyue Quezhai couldn't tell if it smelled of iron or sweetness, or perhaps it was the salty, damp smell that drifted by when standing on the seashore.

Ignoring the broken and tattered wooden sticks, Tengetsu Sukusai picked up a whole wooden sword, a machete with many nicks on the blade, and a samurai sword with broken sections.