Chapter 105: Utilizing Value

  "It's not with this thing, my wrist won't heal! I'm already a useless person, even ordinary soldiers are talking behind my back. If as a swordsman I'm dead, only leaving a corpse-like body... then as a human being... I should also die. If successful, my wrist will heal, it's not a bad bet." Shannan said, getting more and more agitated, his eyes revealing a madness I've never seen before, his mind has become twisted...

  "Unlock hidden task: Discover the secret of the new selection group, reward 200 points."

  Are you kidding me, Lord God?! You're definitely enjoying this, aren't you?! Getting me into such a troublesome situation is all your doing, isn't it?! Lord God, you're too sinister!

  【What should I do now? Should I stop him?】

  Qaq master... even Shina doesn't know, ah, right! Didn't Sousuke say 'if you encounter something scary, call for help immediately', master please hurry and call him over.

  "Seriously?! Is this the only way?! How am I supposed to do it, someone who has never yelled loudly since birth?!"

  "Alright, alright, I'll shout loudly. If we stop Shannan from taking the medicine, the main god will definitely be unhappy and will definitely find me to settle the score. Shannan-san, it's better for you to put up with it this time. Take a deep breath... exhale... With the strong spirit of the River East Lion's Roar, I open my throat: "General!!! It's terrible!!! Shannan-san is going to take rat poison and commit suicide!!!"

  "…Cough!" Someone who had been drinking and was as tipsy as a mountain south beauty suddenly choked.

  "Huh! Ah ha ah……" Shannan drank the transformed water and fell onto the tatami mat like a sheep with rabies, his hands tearing at his collar as he let out painful moans (making sure not to be possessed by the river crab). His black hair suddenly turned white at an astonishing speed, his face twisted in agony, and his eyes emitted a red glow like a ghost.

  Is this still a historical drama? Why are ghosts and Rakshasas jumping out? Master, you're teasing me again, danger index D level? Isn't the existence of ghosts very dangerous?!

  "Ah-Luo seems to have failed, thanks for your hard work Xiao Qian He." General Zong finally arrived with a smile on his face.

  "Well, as you can see... the experiment failed... Kondou-kun... may I ask a favor of you?" Yamanami seemed to be enduring immense pain and stumbled somewhat as he struggled to get up from the ground.

  His eyes, slightly narrowed, his mouth corners curved and his expression warm as usual, but the smile was slightly cracked. Sousuke spoke softly in a gentle voice, as if soothing a child "Please be at ease... I will see you off properly."

  I blinked to confirm whether the captain in front of me was an illusion. In my impression, Captain General is always a black-bellied person who bullies me, I didn't expect him to have such a gentle side...

  Sōshi drew his sword without hesitation, and I looked at him in surprise. Was he going to kill Sansuke of the South Mountain? "Sōshi, you..."

  "......You." General So threw me a disgusted gaze, cold enough to make me fall into an ice cave. "Let me stop and the like... Outsiders should keep their mouths shut."

  "Foreigner......" I looked down at my toes, yeah, how could I forget... I'm not even from the same world as them, whether it's thoughts, wisdom, or ethnicity, everything is different...

  "What's this? Are you planning on joining the new selection group as well?" General So looked me up and down, his eyes seeming to hold a hint of sarcasm.

  "If you forget, I'll remind you again." General Su withdrew his gaze, his tone cold and detached, as if the happy times he and I had spent together were just a facade. "You're still alive because you have utility value, but that doesn't mean you're our companion."

  "Uggghhh!!!" Shan Nan lost his rationality and leapt from the ground to launch an attack on Zong Si.

  They held up their silver knives in front of them, and they were clearly within arm's reach, but I couldn't touch them, nor did I dare to try again...

  "......Ah!" Shannan was pierced through the chest by General Zong's knife, and a red liquid splashed out like tears. Shannan let out a painful, slow, and drawn-out moan as he fell to the ground.

  I hung my head in self-mockery and laughed, taking two steps back before quickly turning around and heading out the door. How could I have forgotten? In this world, there's no such thing as friendship, only exploitation and being exploited. Friends are just a way to alleviate boredom, nothing more...

  But every time I see the scenes of the new recruits risking their lives, I still can't help but feel envious. But I'm afraid I'll never have something so precious and fragile. I won't be able to protect this delicate treasure... I've never had it before, that's why I feel envious, disappointed, and disillusioned...

  Taking advantage of kindness... Am I not taking advantage too, by completing the tasks set by the main god through new selections, and assisting me in finding Yukimura Sanada. It turns out that even if it's just on the surface, being treated warmly and kindly makes me happy, although I'll forget about it the next day, but I have to admit that I'm deceiving myself...

  They are things in a distant world that I can't capture, and I'm destined to leave and disappear from this world. I shouldn't have feelings for this world that doesn't belong to me, it's cruel to myself and also to them... I just need to complete my tasks like a machine as before... Don't get caught up in fake things again...

  "Umm!" I was walking quickly in the long corridor, it was already late at night and there shouldn't be anyone around, but I bumped into something. The thing that brushed against my nose seemed to be clothes, and I appeared to have bumped into a person.

  "Sorry..." I bowed and continued walking towards the room with my head down.

  "...Yuki-mura." A clear and cold voice came from behind, exceptionally crisp in the deep night filled with moonlight.

  My footsteps paused, and this voice is... Xiaoyi? Why would he be here? Did my loud call to the captain just now wake him up? Although I really want to turn around, I don't want anyone to see my current expression...

  I bit my lip to steady my voice, I couldn't get entangled with anyone in this world, couldn't leave any emotions behind, this wasn't a world that belonged to me. "S-Saito-kun... earlier, sorry for bumping into you, sorry, I'll head back to my room first, excuse me."

  With my back to Xiao Yi, I don't know what expression he has on his face, and similarly, he doesn't know what expression I have on mine. It's better this way. Hurry up and complete the task, leave this world filled with war, politics, and darkness without any lingering attachment.

  "Wait, what just happened in Xue Cun?" Xiao Yi caught up with me after a few steps and grabbed my hand, not allowing me to take another step forward. His tone also became harsher.

  "Saito-san can ask Onda-sensei about it, I'm an outsider so I won't say any more. I'll follow your instructions at any time. I'm tired, I'll go back to my room first." I broke free from your hand and ran towards the direction of the room, without thinking, tomorrow I will certainly be the first suspect, maybe I will continue to be imprisoned in this Shinsengumi's mansion.

  Master…… Kanade gazed anxiously at her own master, who hadn't dared to breathe a word since earlier. If she had, the next second would have been her demise. It was the first time she'd seen her master's face twisted in such a despairing expression: "If the world were to be destroyed, that would be fine; after all, I'm just one person."

  "Shut up, I want some peace and quiet now. Everything will be fine tomorrow." He said coldly, stroking the fluffed-up fur on Sena's back with his hand.