Miss Heber is fighting her way out of the Lostbelt!

At this moment, Kondo Isami no longer had any extra emotions in his heart.

"Do you understand?" Heber said, "Instead of working for the shogunate, you'd better work for me."

Kondo Isami made Suzu Moe nodded excitedly.

"I understand." Heber waved his hand, "Go and do what I asked you to do. Then, contact Sakamoto Ryoma and have him come to see me."

Her tone was firm and unyielding.

......

Saigo Takamori didn't think there was any possibility that the people he sent out would fail.

In the final analysis, Nakamura Hanjiro's Shigenryu is invincible.

Even if the fox demon really has some unconventional methods that can influence other people's thoughts as the rumors say, the sword of Master Saga can solve all problems.

Even if the fox demon really has extraordinary abilities, Hanjiro Nakamura is not the only one present.

Nearly fifty agile men rushed forward, and they were not afraid even of the United States Federation's artillery team.

——Of course, Saigo Takamori was still very clear about the gap between the human slashers and the iron cannon team. He only said that the human slashers were well-trained and would not be afraid, but he did not say that they would not be killed.

"We need to consider a variable," Katsura Kogoro said. "Saigo-kun, do you know the Demon King of Mt. Michiyama?"

The fat man sat up straight.

"Ah... well, I've heard of this even in the far southwest."

"Oga" means fairy tale or myth in the Eastern languages. The literal meaning of "Ogayama" is "Mountain of Mythology" or "Mountain of Fairy Tales".

The story about this ghost king is recorded in "Otogi Shoji", a collection of fairy tales that is familiar to children in the East.

Legend has it that there was a ghost king who lived on the high Mount Goga. He was proficient in drama, gambling, and sumo. His mood was sometimes unpredictable. He even competed with fruit trees when drunk. In one night, he uprooted sixteen apple trees in a row and finally fell asleep in a rice field and lost consciousness.

The Ghost King is a humble person. He loves to compete with human children in chess. Unfortunately, as a bad chess player, he always loses more than he wins and even cheats.

The Ghost King is a ghost raised by humans. After his adoptive father passed away, he returned to the mountains and built a hut to live.

He protected the villagers, helped them fight off wild beasts and robbers, and expelled monsters that strayed into Mount Yuga.

The Demon King's name is Sakata Kintoki.

"Before I came here, I visited Inari Shrine and learned about the demon king of Mount Ogi," Katsura Kogoro said. "Mount Ogi has become the 'border' between the human world and Takama-ga-hara. Providing the right 'influence' will open the gate to Mount Ogi."

"But why did we open Mt. Goga?" asked Saigo Takamori.

"Mount Miga is the border of the Heian period. It must contain miracles that can change the world." Katsura Kogoro said in a very inspiring voice, "Saigo, don't you want to use this power to change this corrupt and foolish country?!"

Without waiting for Saigo Takamori to answer, Katsura Kogoro stood up and said, "You want it, he wants it... and I want it too!"

"Xiang-kun, those who do great things do not hesitate to sacrifice their lives, nor do they care about trivial matters. Do great things, do great things!"

The fat man finally laughed out loud: "No one knows me better than Kogoro!"

"Hahahaha, isn't Saigo-kun also my confidant?" Katsura Kogoro raised his wine glass, "Come on, everyone, drink this glass to the brim!"

Takasugi Shinsaku looked coldly at everything in the small room. As his life passed, his gaze in judging the world became colder and colder.

That is why when the enthusiasm faded, in his eyes, how much power-hungry elements were hidden beneath the ideals of Katsura Kogoro and Saigo Takamori... Haha, who can say for sure?

Takasugi Shinsaku was leaning against the window and drinking alone, when he saw Nakamura Hanjiro coming up from the first floor with a knife.

"This sword doesn't look like Suzumaru Tsuneji's... Where's Kawakami Hikosai?"

Alcohol paralyzed his brain, and he squinted his eyes and watched the people walking towards Saigo Takamori.

"Haha, Nakamura-kun is back. How's the result?" Saigo Takamori raised his glass. "Where's Kawakami-kun?"

"Kawakami Hikosai unfortunately passed away."

Katsura Kogoro was silent for a moment, and the smile on Saigo Takamori's face froze slightly.

"What about the demon fox? Has it been punished by heaven?"

Nakamura Hanjiro stared at the fat man and suddenly smiled.

The long sword at the waist was unsheathed.

Amidst the clanging sounds, Nakamura Hanjiro's roar echoed throughout the small room.

　Qi Lingj Baqia Siliu's father stood up and said, "I'm going to kill you!"

Most of Saigo Takamori's head was cut off by a knife!

Katsura Kogoro's drunkenness was gone, and he quickly reached for the hilt of the sword at his waist, but Nakamura Hanjiro's sword was faster than his!

Cut the wrist first.

Katsura Kogoro's right hand fell to the ground.

Nakamura Hanjiro's roar rang in Katsura Kogoro's ears: "And you, you are helping the evil, you deserve to be killed!"

The next moment, Katsura Kogoro's head also flew into the air.

It was not until then that the samurai and ronin in the room finally reacted. They rushed forward and hacked the laughing Nakamura Hanjiro to death with their swords, chopping him into meat paste.

Eastern Volume: 101 Waves

The bodies of the two reformists had been hastily covered with white cloth.

The mat on the floor was soaked with blood and brain matter, looking extremely horrible.

Deathly silence descended, and the atmosphere in the room almost froze.

No one spoke a word, as if their mouths were mere decorations. Some wanderers even developed the illusion that their mouths were merely closed doors, and now it seemed as if the doors were about to collapse and disappear, leaving only sticky flesh.

I don't know who was the first to turn his gaze to Takasugi Shinsaku.

After the deaths of Saigo Takamori and Katsura Kogoro, the only person with the highest status and seniority among all those present was Takasugi Shinsaku.

The Satsuma and Choshu clans were once sworn enemies.

The reason they can sit together and talk and cooperate is essentially because of the terrible pressure from the outside world that forces them to form an alliance.

In addition, their respective leaders also have a long-term vision, and their ambitious desires make them willing to put aside their hatred.

This alliance will not be easily disbanded until greater benefits are gained.

But the problem now is that Saigo Takamori and Katsura Kogoro are dead, killed by Saigo Takamori's right-hand man, the assassin Nakamura Hanjiro.

If things hadn't happened so bizarrely, the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance would have fallen apart by now.

"Why are you looking at me?" Takasugi Shinsaku poured himself a glass of wine. "Have you forgotten what Saigo-kun and Kogoro said?"

Everyone looked at each other, remembering that they were talking about the "Gogiyama Demon King" Sakata Kintoki.

"That's it, then?" Takasugi Shinsaku said, "Prepare the cannons and muskets, gather the heroes, and attack Mount Oga."

A playful and frivolous expression gradually appeared on Takasugi Shinsaku's face.

"But did the two leaders, Saigo Takamori and Katsura Kogoro, die in vain?" Someone at the Satsuma clan seat spoke angrily.

Takasugi Shinsaku just sneered: "What do you think, Your Excellency?"

"Of course, we must find the murderer and bring him to justice!"

Takasugi Shinsaku had never felt so disgusted with fools.

"What if it's the United Federation and the Albion Legation that's behind Nakamura's move?"

"This..." The person who was shouting just now fell silent.

The man hesitated for a moment: "Even the United Federation and Albion cannot do this... This is the territory of my Eastern Kingdom—"

"So it seems that you are indeed not very cultured." Takasugi Shinsaku laughed angrily.

He slowly left his seat and looked down at these wanderers who only did things based on their courage, with undisguised disappointment in his eyes.

"Nakamura Hanjiro is Saigo-kun's right-hand man and will never betray Saigo-kun under any circumstances."

This is a civilized way of saying it.

The relationship between Saigo Takamori and Nakamura Hanjiro is closer to that of a lord and a samurai in the traditional sense, or to put it more radically, Nakamura Hanjiro is Saigo Takamori's trusted and loyal henchman.

On the contrary, the relationship between Katsura Kogoro and Kawakami Hikosai was not that close, they were just both fighting for the cause of overthrowing the shogunate.

Takasugi Shinsaku would rather believe that Katsura Kogoro would turn against him than believe that Nakamura Hanjiro would be instigated to kill Saigo Takamori in less than half a day.

Combined with the fact that Nakamura Hanjiro and Kawakami Hikosai had previously gone to kill the so-called "demon fox"... Takasugi Shinsaku had every reason to believe that Nakamura Hanjiro's soul was controlled by the "demon fox" and his will was distorted.

But Takasugi Shinsaku couldn't say that. He had to turn the topic to a force rather than a specific person.

Because in Takasugi Shinsaku's heart, the fox demon is more terrifying than Albion or the United Federation, which is far away in the sky.

Therefore, in order to avoid further revenge from the fox demon, Takasugi Shinsaku tried his best to throw dirty water on the two powerful countries and the shogunate.

"So, do you understand? Nakamura Hanjiro became like this because of force majeure."

Takasugi Shinsaku's expression was gloomy: "We are too weak and powerless, so we can't do anything!"

"That's why we must follow the path pointed out to us by our two predecessors..." Takasugi Shinsaku extended his hand, "As long as we keep moving forward along this path, we will be able to grasp the power of miracles, and the flower of hope is just ahead!"

He looked at everyone with a stern gaze and said, "Please report this matter to the higher authorities. I believe that the lords of Satsuma and Choshu will understand."

Takasugi Shinsaku's speech was very infectious, but unfortunately the atmosphere was interrupted by the sudden sound of hurried footsteps downstairs.

The Shinsengumi and the Kenkaigumi were approaching from two directions at the same time, but fortunately they were noticed by the guards of the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance.

"It seems like it's time." Takasugi Shinsaku coughed regretfully, "Everyone, please evacuate."

"Then Saigo Takamori and Katsura Kogoro..."

Takasugi Shinsaku shook his head. "The dead are gone. We who are still alive only need to remember them. Let the two of you help us one last time."

He ordered everyone to remove the white cloth covering Saigo Takamori and Katsura Kogoro, exposing their horrific bodies to the air again. He then messed up the furnishings in the tea room, kicking over the coffee tables and tables to create a false impression of chaos.

They are going to do something really big next, and the deaths of Saigo Takamori and Katsura Kogoro will undoubtedly make the pro-shogunate faction relax their vigilance and develop a numb mentality.

......

A few minutes after the anti-shogunate faction withdrew, Okita Souji took the lead and rushed into the tea room.

She looked around the tea room without changing her expression.

"Shigenryu." Okita Souji recognized the powerful sword wound.

While the young swordsman was still examining the wound on her sword, Hijikata Toshizo, wearing a dark cloak, came up with a sword in hand.

The ghost deputy captain's brows immediately frowned.

Okita Souji didn't know who these two people were, but Hijikata Toshizo knew.

"The leaders of the Satsuma and Choshu anti-shogunate factions, Saigō Takamori and Katsura Kogoro, died a good death, but unfortunately at a bad time!" Hijikata Toshizo frowned. "Among the four most powerful domains, Satsuma, Choshu, and Tosa held the most power. Now that Saigō Takamori and Katsura Kogoro are dead, only Takechi Hanpeita of Tosa remains."

"Of course, the Jianhui Group won't let this credit go. We have to find a way—"

Before Hijikata Toshizo could make the next decision, the members of the Mikai group had already arrived.

The leader of the Jianhui Group stared at the corpses on the ground, his lips curled up in a forced smile. "Well done! I'll ask for a reward from Lord Fengxing on your behalf. Now we, the Jianhui Group, are in charge of this place."

Hijikata Toshizo stared at the corpse on the ground.

"I'm afraid not this time."

The ghost deputy chief replied stiffly, "I've already sent someone to report it."

Silence fell again.

Souji Okita bent down slightly and placed his right hand on the hilt of the sword at his left waist.

At this moment, Kondo Isami hurried over, first greeted the head of the Jianhui group, and then took Hijikata Toshizo and Okita Souji away together.

A conflict that was about to break out was thus averted.

Outside the teahouse, Hijikata Toshizo had a gloomy face.

"Brother Kondo, I need a reasonable explanation."

"What era is it now? You're still competing with the Mikai-gumi for food." Kondo Isami shook his head. "Listen to me, the Shinsengumi don't have to worry about these things."

Hijikata Toshizo said nothing, just stared at Kondo Isami silently.

The intimidating gaze of the Demon Vice Captain did not affect Kondo Isami.

The latter simply conveyed Heber's instructions to Hijikata Toshizo exactly as they were.