Chapter 179: Kind Words Can't Persuade Anyone
"Stop right there! This is a frontline outpost of the Tenryou Commission—unauthorized personnel must leave immediately!"
Before Bai Luo and Sveta even set foot into Tatarasuna, they were halted at a checkpoint by a squad of Shogunate soldiers.
Their eyes were full of disgust, especially at the glaring red robe Bai Luo wore. Had it not been for the official order he carried—and the fact that he was only armed with a battered paper umbrella—they would've already taught this wannabe Battousai a lesson.
"I came here after seeing this," Bai Luo said calmly.
Carefully reaching into his chest pocket, he pulled out a flyer and handed it over with a polite smile.
The soldier took the flyer and froze for a moment.
There was a command seal on it—a direct mark from higher-ups. That meant… they had no choice but to treat this guy with "special consideration."
He glanced at the girl standing behind Bai Luo—a sickly-looking girl whose eyes seemed to suffer from some serious condition. Without saying much more, he simply waved his hand and allowed them through.
Bai Luo had braced himself for a thorough search and was even prepared for Sveta to sneak in using her illusions if needed. But to his surprise, they were let through without so much as a second glance.
They didn't even ask him to remove his mask.
Beyond the checkpoint, a designated contact was already waiting.
Seeing the two of them, the man looked visibly surprised. It wasn't every day that someone made it here from Nazuchi Beach alive.
Though Bai Luo was dressed like a wandering swordsman, he didn't carry any visible weapon—just that old, worn-out oil-paper umbrella at his waist.
Guess they got lucky and didn't run into the pirates along the coast.
"Where are you two from?" the officer asked, pulling out a pen and a stack of forms.
"Hanamizaka, near Inazuma City," Bai Luo answered politely, giving a fake address with a smile.
"Hanamizaka? What're you doing all the way out here?" the officer asked, lifting his head, obviously suspicious.
Judging by their clothes... the fine fabric really didn't match the usual miner or refugee garb found in Tatarasuna or Yashiori Island. Maybe he wasn't lying after all.
"My lady Hina is a fan of writing light novels. We came to Yashiori Island to do some research for her story. Never expected to get caught up in all this chaos," Bai Luo explained smoothly, pulling out the pouch General Gorou had given him and discreetly slipping a generous handful of Mora into the man's hands.
The officer quickly looked around.
After making sure no one was watching, he slipped the coins away in a flash.
"Hanamizaka, huh? In that case, no need to get on the big ship. I'll arrange for a small boat to take you back directly."
Apparently, he knew something about the big ship... and it wasn't good.
"My lady Hina has an eye condition. The sea breeze would make it worse. I hope you understand."
That evasive attitude only made Bai Luo more certain—something was definitely wrong with that big ship.
So, he took the entire pouch of Gorou's money and handed it over without hesitation.
Not his own funds anyway, so he didn't feel a thing.
Though, honestly, it would've felt way more satisfying if he could've just said, "Put it on General Gorou's tab."
"All right, I'll make sure you're assigned the best spot," the officer muttered, clearly tempted to say more.
But military protocol had its limits—even for someone with this much Mora.
After completing their paperwork, the officer tore up the original form and replaced it with a new slip of paper.
"Hand this note to the man who takes you to the camp. He'll know what to do."
"Many thanks for your understanding."
"You two... sigh. Forget it."
Judging by Bai Luo's tone and demeanor, the man could tell this wasn't just some random traveler. Even if they weren't from a noble family, they were definitely someone.
Since the two of them insisted on boarding the ship, there was nothing more the officer could do. He just hoped his fellow comrades could offer some help—at the very least, he couldn't take their Mora for nothing.
With the form in hand, Bai Luo followed another soldier who led them around the heart of Tatarasuna, carefully bypassing the Mikage Furnace that was now protected under a containment barrier. They headed in the direction of the Kujou Encampment.
Bai Luo had assumed they'd be taken to the main military camp. However, halfway there, the soldier took a sudden turn and led them on a detour—eventually arriving at a beach between the Kujou Encampment and central Tatarasuna.
There, tucked against the waves, was a small dock.
It was already swarming with refugees and miners—people who had made their way here from Yashiori Island after seeing the flyers.
Judging by the tents and makeshift flags, this place had once been a Treasure Hoarder outpost. But once war broke out between the Shogunate and the resistance, those rat-like bandits had sensed danger and fled without a trace.
The Shogunate had since repurposed the area as a temporary camp—an ideal place to contain those affected by the Tatarigami's corruption.
The horrors of the Tatarigami were no secret. The Shogunate had seen it firsthand, and there was no way they'd risk letting the afflicted anywhere near a proper military base.
"Newcomers?"
A gruff voice rang out.
The officer in charge of the beach camp eyed Bai Luo's outfit and instantly frowned.
No soldier of the Shogunate would ever wear something that looked like that. And no one liked the Battousai—not here.
Especially considering the Battousai had even managed to injure the god they worshipped.
But the man quickly buried the scowl behind a forced smile.
He hadn't forgotten his duties.
"This is from the officer at the checkpoint," Bai Luo said, handing over the registration form and the small folded note.
He also made sure to mention who gave it to him and where it came from.
"Oh? Let me take a look."
The officer opened the note, glanced at it briefly, and immediately crumpled it into a ball before tossing it into the sea nearby.
Bai Luo had already taken a look earlier. The note seemed to be written in some kind of cipher. He made a mental note to have his intelligence team decrypt it later.
"So, you're from Hanamizaka, huh? Fine. Come with me. I'll arrange a decent tent for you."
Well, at least the Mora hadn't gone to waste.
The officer's expression visibly softened, and the forced grin on his face gained a hint of genuine hospitality.
But underneath that warmth... was something else. Something like pity.
He could tell these two hadn't been tainted by the Tatarigami. They probably only came here because of some coincidence involving the flyer.
Still... now that they knew what was going on, there was no turning back. They'd be getting on that ship too.
Weaving past the refugees sprawled on the ground—some lying down, others sitting and waiting—the officer led them to a tent that was cleaner than most.
"You and your wife can stay here for now. Once it's time to board, we'll come and get you," he instructed, voice stern but not unfriendly. "Don't wander around. If anyone sees you lurking, you might be mistaken for a resistance spy. And we don't take that lightly."
With that, the officer gave them a final nod and left.
More refugees were arriving by the hour, and he had plenty of work to do. There was no time to entertain Bai Luo and his companion any longer.
And so—just like that—Bai Luo and Sveta had successfully infiltrated the camp.
. . . . .
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