Female Swordsman Training Dojo

That's fine then.

With a slight thought, Qingxin's illusory image of the martial arts arena landed on an old wooden house next to the arena. That was the original location of the Qingkong Hall's martial arts arena. However, with the decline of the Qingkong Hall, the place gradually fell into disrepair and eventually became a completely dilapidated building due to lack of maintenance. There were quite a few such dilapidated buildings in the Qingkong Hall.

The construction site has been confirmed, and construction workers are on their way...

"Huh?" Qingxin was stunned for a moment. No, why do I need someone to come and clean up the dust? Shouldn't the system just build one for me?

So your construction time isn't a system countdown, it's actually a time-consuming process? Then why can't renovations reduce time and costs?

The system didn't respond; it's probably hanging up streetlights.

A few minutes later, Qingxin, who was trying to find the system's customer service, received a new notification.

Construction crews have arrived at the construction site, and construction has begun.

[Remaining time: 71:59:59]

"?"

Harunobu smacked his lips in confusion, said to Hirako, "Let's leave for a bit," and headed toward the original site of the Aozorakan training ground.

However, there was no need to get too close. Just a few steps outside the dojo, Harunobu saw a dozen or so burly, tall figures standing in front of the long-abandoned old house. Each of them looked like a hero whose fists could support a person and whose arms could carry a horse—if they weren't wearing women's kimonos.

She even has a very stylish bow tied around her neck.

Qingxin couldn't bear to look at him, but he still forced himself to run over. As Qingxin got closer, the largest of the heroes turned around, revealing a square face that was unyielding to power and unmoved by poverty, with pink blush and fiery red lips.

Kouqu District —

Just a second ago, Harunobu thought he was a very persevering person, but now he realized that there are always people more capable than him, and there is always something beyond his reach.

Or perhaps it's not that retribution won't come, but that the time just hasn't arrived?

Were we so captivated by the beautiful scenery that Buddha sent down these demons to collect a debt?

"Greetings, you must be my employer this time. May I ask what brings you here?"

Surprisingly, the square-faced hero who walked up to Harunobu not only performed a traditional greeting skillfully, but also had a rather pleasant voice. Harunobu had originally thought it would be the Black Whirlwind who called out "Onii-chan" in a high-pitched voice.

Even with such a pleasant voice, Harunobu had only one thought: "Can the construction time be skipped?"

He really didn't want to see these monsters in his own home.

"Ah, you want us to work overtime, is that it?" The square-faced hero smiled slightly, a smile that could probably scare several children to death. "Sure, but... you'll have to pay extra!"

"?" Qingxin glanced at his remaining study points, gritted his teeth, and asked, "How many do you want?"

"This time it's 10 yen per hour, and anything less than a full hour will be charged as a full hour."

"One hour at ten o'clock, 72 hours is... wait, are you talking about Japanese yen?"

"Yes, but if Your Highness wishes to use pounds, dollars, marks, or rubles, that is also acceptable."

Harunobu took a deep breath: "Never mind, I'm not the kind of person who exploits labor. Good luck."

Alright, now besides Hirako, he also needs to consider his source of income... Fortunately, he already had a contingency plan.

Chapter Seven: The Bounty Hunter

The next morning, before dawn, Hirako had already set off for work. She had to be at the textile factory to sign in at six o'clock. However, before leaving, she prepared breakfast for Harunobu, which was why she got up half an hour earlier than usual.

In the past, Hirako would eat rice balls prepared the night before for breakfast to fill her stomach and sleep a little longer. The main reason she rented a place nearby, besides safety, was that it was close to the textile factory, and only a half-hour walk away.

But last night she was busy practicing swordsmanship, and even dinner was croquettes that Harunobu bought from outside. Since she was going to cook, Hirako could not possibly cook only her own portion, even though the price was getting up half an hour earlier and going to work with dark circles under her eyes.

Harunobu certainly remembered this. Although he didn't know Taira Yukiko's usual routine, it wasn't something he should take for granted that someone would cook for him, so he needed to prepare a return gift.

However, as expected, no one except him recognized the demon summoned by the system.

Those monsters didn't leave until 10 pm last night, making quite a commotion, but not only did no neighbors complain about the disturbance, but when she passed by them on her way out, Hirako didn't seem to notice anything unusual, as if these monsters were just ordinary workers.

That's good, at least no one will ask him where he got the money to hire someone to renovate the dojo, and he should go out and get back to work.

—Of course, it wasn't about carrying heavy bags at the docks.

The most direct way for a samurai to make money is to kill monsters. Ordinary monsters cost 100 yen each, and elite monsters cost 500 yen each. Prices are clearly marked, and payment is made upon delivery of the monster.

Even though he has gained Thunder Breathing and become much stronger, Harunobu is not planning to rashly face a demon. He needs to practice a few times first to confirm just how strong he really is.

So Harunobu decided to settle for second best. Since he couldn't make money by killing monsters, he would make money by catching ordinary criminals. The crime rate in bustling Tokyo was not low, and many criminals had considerable skills or backgrounds. Japanese police could not use American-style iaido at will, and could not empty the magazine with one click.

So this is where the samurai with the privilege of carrying knives, who are essentially background figures, come in. Anyway, the samurai just want money, and the police just want credit. It's a win-win situation!

Harunobu put on his two swords, which were covered by the long haori, a style characteristic of the era, over his white-on-top, black-on-bottom kendo uniform. Only the hilts, wrapped in thick white hilt rolls, protruded from under the dark gray fabric, pointing diagonally towards the sky.

After locking the gate, Qingxin nodded to the young lady who was looking over, and walked down the road. Unlike the past few days when he was busy looking for an apprentice and only paid attention to the qualifications displayed above the heads of passersby, Qingxin now finally had the leisure to observe the scenery along the way:

Office workers, dressed in grey wool suits or double-breasted stand-up collar coats, puffed on baseball cigarettes and launched into grand pronouncements at the newspapers, sometimes about the conquest of South Korea, sometimes about their envy of the British, but ultimately all of it came down to the allure of the prostitutes.

The women in kimonos were whispering about the latest wool fabrics, the subtle price differences in various markets, and other gossip. Occasionally, a woman in a Western-style dress would pass by, immediately sparking a mix of envy and jealousy.

Suddenly, a series of bells rang out on the main road. A boy riding a bicycle, wearing a stand-up collar shirt, rang the bell so high that it flew into the air. He quickly crossed the road and stopped in front of a female student wearing bright red trousers and small leather shoes.

But the excited and energetic conversation was barely started when it was drowned out by the sharp horn of a Ford. A blond white man wearing a top hat and a monocle with deep-set eyes gripped the steering wheel with one hand, impatiently pulled out a cigar, knocked on the window, and urged the people in front to make way.

Lively, prosperous, diverse, and culturally rich, Japan seemed to have entered its golden age—the Taisho Romantic era.

With a sense of curiosity, Harunobu walked past the tram stop marked "Aozorakan Station" and walked a few hundred meters further to the intersection on Aozorakan Road (at that time it should still be called a police station, but to avoid censorship and being out of character, it has been renamed to its current name, "Jiaoban").

It's a rather small, one-story building. You can see everything inside at a glance: a few tables covered with things, cluttered with miscellaneous items, and the only living person, an old man sitting behind a table reading a newspaper.

"Good morning, Uncle Tanaka." Harunobu approached Tanaka Yu familiarly and teased, "You're slacking off here again instead of patrolling."

This Mr. Tanaka Yu was the director of the intersection on Aozorakan Road and a friend of Harunobu's adoptive father, so naturally Harunobu was also very familiar with him.

Tanaka Yu put down the newspaper he had brought to his face and snorted, "If I go out, wouldn't that mean the samurai will be turned away?"

"Thank you so much, Chief." Harunobu pulled up a chair and sat down. "Are there any cases with high bounties lately?"

Tanaka looked at Harunobu in surprise: "Did the sun rise in the west today? You're actually thinking about work."

"I'm out of money," Harunobu said frankly. "So, do you have any job recommendations?"

Tanaka Yu casually pulled a few papers from the table and handed them to Harunobu: "How about we try these?"

Qingxin took it, glanced at it, and then put it back: "Finding cats and dogs and catching underwear thieves are too easy, and the bounty is too small... Is there a murderer?"

Upon hearing this, Tanaka Yu shifted his muscular body slightly: "Kid, a murderer won't obediently duel with you, especially since you've never actually fought anyone before."

"Indeed, but I don't think anything will happen." Harunobu said confidently. Being cautious when dealing with unreasonable things like yokai is one thing, but dealing with a murderer who might end up as a wanted criminal is another matter entirely.

Of course, he didn't want to keep arguing with Tanaka Yu, so he drew his katana from his waist and swung it at the newspaper that Tanaka Yu was holding with his left hand.

Tanaka Yu was still trying to dissuade Harunobu from his arrogant behavior when he finished making the move, and then he heard a soft sound coming from the table.

He subconsciously looked down, and with a slight movement of his hand, the newspaper tore evenly, the lower half of which floated directly to the ground.

Tanaka Yu's mouth dropped open in surprise. He looked at Harunobu, then at the newspaper that was only half-finished on the table, and after a long while, he managed to stammer out, "When did you become so amazing?"

Harunobu remained unfazed: "I've always been this strong!"

Tanaka Yu was skeptical, but he didn't pursue the matter further. He just sighed and pulled out another file from the archives: "Then you can try this one. Suzuki Michiichi, former head of the Suzuki Group of the Demon Dragon Society. He murdered a couple on the street in Higashi Asakusa three days ago and then fled. His whereabouts are currently unknown. Although the Demon Dragon Society has announced that he has been expelled, I guess he is probably still hiding in the territory controlled by the Demon Dragon Society."

"Also, this guy has studied the Satsuma Jigen-ryu school and seems to be a disciple of the Central Academy of Drama who has obtained the catalog certificate, so we should be careful."

Harunobu nodded, seemingly taking Tanaka Yu's advice to heart, but his words soon revealed his true thoughts: "250 yen, that's more like it."

Tanaka Yu took a deep breath upon hearing this, causing his middle-aged belly to bulge out a little more: "Also, if you kill him, be careful of the Demon Dragon Society's retaliation. Those guys have been very arrogant lately."

Harunobu scoffed at this: "A bunch of Yakuza. Come on if you want to die."

Although the samurai class is no longer the ruling class of the shogunate era, they are not the kind of cowardly bullies like the Yakuza who can be easily taken advantage of. They just can't be really killed—after all, the power of execution is gone—but cutting off a few limbs is no problem at all.

"This is the one then. Registration will be troublesome, Uncle Tanaka." Harunobu stood up, stuffing the internal file and the wanted poster into his pocket.

"You know how to find that guy, right?" Tanaka asked as he pulled a blank form from another pile of papers.

"Don't worry, the old man always brags to me about his connections."

As they spoke, Harunobu pushed open the door to the koban (official residence), and a somewhat exaggerated voice came from outside: "...and then that samurai just swished and swished, and killed that monster—ouch!"

The policeman, who was talking to someone, bumped into Harunobu. Harunobu, who was maintaining his breathing technique and whose physical strength had been greatly enhanced, knocked him back. The policeman glared angrily at Harunobu.

Long haori are common, and kendo uniforms are not uncommon either.

But when you add the two together, there's also the hilt of the knife extending from the waist...

I am truly sorry!

The young policeman quickly got up and bowed deeply to Qingxin at a ninety-degree angle, beads of sweat streaming down his face. Another policeman behind him also rushed over and bowed to Qingxin, saying, "I'm so sorry!"

The privileges granted to samurai by the government didn't actually put them above the police, but the power the samurai wielded was something the police desperately needed. After all, if the samurai didn't fight the monsters, it would be the police's turn. Therefore, most police officers treated the samurai with considerable obsequiousness and respect.

"Don't worry about it, just be more careful in the future. I'm not the only samurai around here." Harunobu certainly wouldn't get angry over something like this. He quickly stepped aside and waved to Tanaka Yu, who was rushing over.

Next, it's time to find the intelligence merchant.

Chapter 8: The New SR

Intelligence merchant.

It sounds a bit absurd, but the people who have firsthand information about the whereabouts of wanted criminals are not the authorities but so-called intelligence dealers. But that's the truth. In the era before surveillance and satellites, intelligence could only be obtained by sheer numbers. And the number of police officers in Tokyo was never enough. Their numbers were probably less than the number of yakuza members, let alone the intelligence organizations that specialized in this field.

As for why the authorities don't just buy intelligence directly... well, that depends on who pays for it and who's willing to arrest members of the Demon Dragon Society. The Demon Dragon Society, which has basically unified Asakusa and Shitaya Wards, could easily cause trouble for a few police officers.

But you can't cause trouble for samurai.

At most, the police would send them to a detention center, but the samurai were truly daring and could actually cripple or even kill them.

In short, due to the above reasons, this has led to a situation where, in some "unimportant cases," the authorities have less information than intelligence brokers.

Of course, not just any intelligence broker can easily outmaneuver the official ones. There are only a handful in Asakusa Ward, and you have to exclude those under the Demon Dragon Society. So, Harunobu could only choose one in the end, which was also the one the old master used to frequent: the Rumor House located in Yoshiwara.

Even in 1912, Yoshiwara was still the famous pleasure quarter, only the buildings and facilities had changed a bit—perhaps Yoshiwara was the first working-class district to have electric lights.

Standing in front of a seemingly ordinary two-story building, Qingxin couldn't help but complain. Looking through the open door, he could see light bulbs hanging from the ceiling and an old-fashioned dial telephone on a wooden table. No wonder it was an information broker that could compete with the Demon Dragon Society.

Passing through the gate, there was only one man inside who had stood up as soon as he looked at him. He was wearing a double-breasted gray overcoat and a bowler hat. As Harunobu entered, he quickly came forward to greet him: "Lord Harunobu, what do you need?"

Harunobu didn't waste words with him, nor was he surprised that the man recognized him. If he didn't even recognize the owner of one of the few dojos in Asakusa, there was no point in running his information brokerage.

So Harunobu went straight to the point: "Do you know where Suzuki Doichi, the one whose door was recently breached by the Demon Dragon Society, is hiding?"

The man in gray was slightly surprised by Harunobu's bluntness, but quickly continued, "I do know a little about that, but information about the young leader of the Demon Dragon Society's direct lineage is not cheap, Samurai-sama."

"how much is it?"

"If you are sure you want it, please pay a deposit of one yen first."

Qingxin took out his wallet to pay, and the gray-clad man's face showed an even more genuine smile: "Please wait a moment and have some tea and snacks first."

After saying that, the man walked into the house. Qingxin knew what he was going to do: he was going to bring the person who really had the information so that Qingxin could choose who to make a deal with.

That's right, Rumor House is actually an intermediary platform. Anyone who wants to sell information can register with them to see what information they have about something. If someone wants to buy it, Rumor House will contact the person in question and then take a cut and a handling fee.

So Harunobu sat down, but didn't touch the tea and pastries on the table. Instead, he continued practicing Thunder Breathing. He was still a little short of achieving the Perfected Breathing Technique, but he was close.

About ten minutes later, Harunobu heard a series of mixed footsteps. At least a dozen people were walking over. Could it be that the Wind and Sound House had also become part of the Demon Dragon Society?

Harunobu placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to use Thunderclap Flash, but soon, as those people came into his view, he removed his hand from the hilt.

Because following the man in gray was a group of people of mixed backgrounds, but they were definitely not members of the Demon Dragon Society.

They were roughly divided into two groups. One group, though dressed simply, was relatively neat and clean, and included both the elderly and the young. The other group consisted of children wearing patched-up tattered clothes, covered in dust.

Moreover, the two factions were almost completely separated, walking almost at opposite ends of the room. This peculiar situation immediately made Harunobu think of the reason.

"Eta?"

Qingxin looked at the children with a puzzled expression, while the man in gray immediately stopped: "If you are not happy, I can let them leave."

The term "Eta" refers to a class artificially created since the Heian period in Japan. They were considered outcasts, untouchable, and inferior beings who would be tainted by filth and misfortune if they were near them. Even if they were beaten or killed, no one would care. Although in this day and age, the Eta have been renamed the Unliberated Tribe and enjoy human rights under the law, they are still considered outcasts and deeply discriminated against. They can hardly find decent work and can only do some gray-area jobs or lowly occupations such as scavenging.

Therefore, it's quite normal for them to become information brokers.

However, Harunobu's mind was no longer on the intelligence. He was staring intently at one of the Eta children, looking at the two golden letters above her head—SR!

This is a huge profit!

Haruno calmed herself down and said, "No, I'm just a little surprised. You don't seem to discriminate against these children."

“I treat every customer equally.” The man in gray smiled reservedly, then got to the point, “Everyone who has information about Suzuki Michiichi is here. You are free to inquire about prices and make transactions.”

After speaking, the man in gray walked to the side and handed the venue over to the two clients.