[Ten Days Later, West Rukongai, District 31]
"Captain, following the interrogation method you taught us, we've already conducted a full investigation. The testimonies from those souls really had problems. When you ask them too many times, their sense of time gets all mixed up."
Rangiku stood before Rosse, her expression unpleasant as she reported what she and the others had found.
After ten days of investigation, they thoroughly examined the three affected districts and finally found traces connected to the missing souls.
As long as something had happened, it was bound to be discovered.
Not to mention, this time the perpetrators had been careless, and quite a few people in Rukongai cooperated with the investigation, making it easy for them to find clues.
But all of this came with a price.
In the village before them, a disappearance incident had occurred one month ago.
One night, over a hundred people were killed or went missing, most of them being those with spiritual power talent.
Those without spiritual power talent were all family members of those with talent. They were found murdered at home. And all the spiritually talented souls disappeared without a trace.
Inside the house next to them, the floors were still stained with the dried blood spilled that night.
And villages like this existed in the dozens across the three districts. The number of souls affected by the disappearances was shockingly large.
"I see. Do you know who did it?", Rosse smiled.
"This…"
Rangiku glanced around. Even though no one was nearby, she still leaned close to Rosse and lowered her voice.
A soft milky scent immediately washed over him.
"Captain, this should be related to the nobles. It might even involve the Five Great Noble Houses. Should we keep investigating?"
"What's the crime for killing souls at will?", Rosse asked.
"This… there isn't such a crime. But if it were a Shinigami who did it, they'd receive severe punishment, though each division handles it internally."
At this point, Rangiku's expression turned uneasy.
She herself had once been part of Rukongai, living day to day without enough food, constantly on the edge of survival.
Even though she had left that past behind, she still couldn't let it go.
So she often funded talented souls, not wanting their potential to be buried. At the very least, she wanted them to live a bit longer.
As for those without talent, it wasn't that she didn't want to help, but that she couldn't.
There were too many.
Every day, millions of untalented souls were born, and millions more disappeared.
They were like floating weeds, bending with the slightest breeze.
Even so, Rangiku still hoped all of them could live longer.
Even souls should have the right to live with dignity.
"If you were the captain, how would you handle this?", Rosse asked again.
"Huh? Are you asking for my suggestion, or are you actually giving me the authority to decide?"
From Rosse's words, Rangiku seemed to hear something deeper. But she didn't dare confirm it.
"You're from Rukongai too, right? Don't hold back at all. Say what's truly on your mind. Besides, the ones who disappeared weren't the untalented ones, right? They were all souls with spiritual talent."
Rosse placed his hand on her head, the corners of his mouth lifting into a warm smile.
He wasn't good at playing the gentle type, but he knew exactly what each person needed.
Rangiku, despite her mature appearance, still had a soft heart.
And to touch that heart, you had to start with her past.
"Is it really okay…? That's the Five Great Noble Houses we're talking about!"
Rangiku shrank back slightly. The Five Great Noble Houses had stood above others for so long, their authority even more intimidating than the Captain-Commander. She couldn't help feeling nervous.
"Speak boldly. There are no outsiders here anyway. And whether I accept your idea is my business. Do you really think I'd hand you over?", Rosse smiled.
"Then I'm going to say it!", Rangiku said, a hint of excitement showing.
"Go ahead."
"I hope—"
Rangiku took a deep breath, her expression turning serious.
"I hope that everyone involved in this incident is executed, including the mastermind behind it, even if it's someone from the Five Great Noble Houses!"
"You should've said that earlier."
Rosse smiled warmly and gently patted her orange hair, amusement clear in his eyes.
"I did say it!"
Rangiku turned away with a tsundere pout, but the relaxation on her face said everything.
At last, she had spoken aloud such a rebellious thought.
Still, she assumed Rosse only meant to let her vent, not that he would actually do anything.
After all, those were the unreachable Five Great Noble Houses.
If he triggered their wrath, even the Captain-Commander might intervene.
"Alright, gather everyone. I want to interrogate those culprits myself," Rosse ordered.
"Yes!"
Rangiku's spirits lifted instantly. She used Shunpo and vanished on the spot.
Rosse had let her vent freely, so she would do her part and work properly.
Besides, following Rosse didn't require much hard labor. He handled all the big matters; she just needed to execute simple orders.
Before long, Rangiku returned, dragging along three bound individuals.
Two men and one woman. One man and the woman were middle-aged; the remaining man was elderly.
"Captain, I already told you this has nothing to do with me. I really don't know what happened in West District 42."
The old man Inamoto Enji spoke with a pained face, constantly begging for mercy.
This disappearance incident affected three districts of West Rukongai, and he was the one in charge of one of those districts.
But he had never admitted this matter to Rosse.
He didn't know what method Rosse used, but somehow Rosse pinpointed him immediately.
"Exactly! What happened in West District 35 has nothing to do with me either! I was home that night!"
The middle-aged woman, Mino Mina, quickly cried out, insisting she was being wronged.
"And you?"
Rosse ignored the two and instead looked at the one who had remained silent.
This one was the Tsunayashiro clan's official pawn in Rukongai, and the village chief of this very District 31 village.
"Inaji, Mina, since Captain has found us, there's no point denying it. But Captain, do you dare kill us?"
Ueda Yuta coldly snorted, raising his head without fear.
"How rare. Someone begging me to kill him," Rosse clicked his tongue in amusement.
"We're members of the Tsunayashiro clan. Even beating a dog requires looking at its owner. Be smart and let us go. Then everyone can pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, if you disrupt the lords' plans, you'll be punished too."
Ueda Yuta spoke without the slightest fear, even threatening Rosse.
"Ah! This world… there are always some people who don't want to be human, and instead call themselves dogs."
Rosse let out a mocking laugh as he looked at Ueda Yuta with playful interest.
"If you don't bring someone from the Tsunayashiro clan here, why should I believe you? Anyone could claim to be a Tsunayashiro. Does that mean I have to let them all go?"
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