Kojiro led Haruki and the others through the winding, dim alleyways until they reached the street corner.
A small house stood quietly there, with a wooden sign at its entrance that read "Full Moon Steamed Bun Shop".
Kojiro crossed his arms, hummed softly, and said proudly, "This is the steamed bun shop I've been frequenting for five years while living in Nibi no Utsu. Their steamed buns are incredibly delicious and the prices are quite affordable. If you hadn't met me, you definitely wouldn't have found such a good steamed bun shop. Those black-hearted merchants would trick you out of every last penny."
Kojiro stared at the Full Moon Steamed Bun Shop in front of him, a sweet fragrance wafting through the air.
He gulped and said, "I've put in a lot of effort guiding you here, so I'll take two steamed buns as payment later."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Haruki and the others with a suspicious expression. "You wouldn't be so stingy as to not even give me two steamed buns, would you?"
Yahiko immediately shook his head and said, "Of course not. You can eat five steamed buns, it's fine."
"Good!"
"Then five steamed buns it is."
Kojiro immediately changed his mind.
Yahiko: "…"
He stared resentfully at Kojiro.
Konan chuckled.
Haruki walked towards the steamed bun shop. The shop was not large, a gigantic steamer occupied two-thirds of its area. A young woman was busy working with her back to Haruki.
"Ding-dong!"
Kojiro mimicked a doorbell sound next to Haruki and said to the busy woman, "Madam Suzuki, you have customers."
Suzuki, wearing an apron, turned around, hands on her hips, about to scold Kojiro, when she saw Haruki and the others.
"What would you like to buy?" Suzuki asked softly.
Haruki handed the bulging money bag to Suzuki and said, "I want to buy steamed buns."
Suzuki's eyes widened, holding the heavy money bag in her hand, "Buying steamed buns doesn't cost this much."
"Exchange all this money for your steamed buns." Haruki pointed to the steamer behind Suzuki.
Suzuki was startled and asked curiously, "With this much money, you can buy all the steamed buns I have here. Why do you want to buy so many steamed buns?"
"Oh, these children want to give these steamed buns to the refugees on the road." Kojiro stood beside Haruki and explained for him.
"What?!"
Suzuki looked sternly at Haruki and the others. "No! Do you know how dangerous such an act is in Nibi no Utsu? And you! How could you let these children be so reckless? Such a dangerous thing!"
Suzuki complained, staring at Kojiro.
Kojiro shrugged, his eyes, however, were exceptionally serious. "Trust them. They are not ordinary children."
Haruki nodded and said to Suzuki, "Please trust us. We are not ignorant of Nibi no Utsu. We have made all preparations to come here."
Suzuki pursed her lips. She was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see the refugees suffer, but she couldn't afford to offend the bosses of Nibi no Utsu. She clenched the money bag in her hand, a flicker of determination in her eyes.
"Alright."
She placed the money bag on the table. She turned and picked out the steamed buns from the steamer one by one, placing them into the wicker baskets on a pushcart for transporting goods.
The steamed buns were white and tender, like the full moon in the night sky.
Yahiko poked one and exclaimed, "So soft!"
Suzuki smiled at him. "If you want to eat, you can take as many as you like. I've made a profit by taking so much of your money."
Haruki looked at Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato, nodded to them, and proactively took steamed buns, placing them in their hands.
Soon, Suzuki's steamed bun shop had no steamed buns left. The pushcart for transporting goods was filled with wicker baskets containing steamed buns.
Suzuki looked at Haruki and the others, her eyes complex. "I can only help you this much. You must be careful."
She dared not expose herself to the merchants' eyes, fearing they would target her. She just wanted to live a stable life.
Haruki nodded in understanding.
"Let's go."
He and Yahiko easily pushed the cart and walked towards the street with the largest number of refugees in Nibi no Utsu.
Kojiro stood beside Suzuki, calmly watching their retreating figures.
Haruki and the others once again attracted countless gazes.
Passersby frowned, staring at them.
Haruki stopped and said to Yahiko beside him, "Let's begin."
Yahiko nodded heavily. He glanced at the thinly clothed refugees squatting in the corner and shouted loudly, "Free steamed buns! Just line up!"
Haruki rubbed his ears, his eardrums were almost shattered.
Yahiko's voice echoed throughout the entire street.
Footsteps came from the shops on their right.
The shop owners curiously poked their heads out and looked at them.
Haruki's gaze swept towards these owners. Upon seeing Haruki, the others, and the steamed buns on the cart, the owners' expressions quickly turned grim. Their gazes at Haruki and the others were cold, as if they were looking at dead people.
The refugees stared eagerly at the large white steamed buns on the cart. Their emaciated bodies rose from the ground, and dirty hands reached towards the cart.
"Konan."
Haruki called out, having anticipated this.
"Yes." Konan nodded seriously.
Countless pure white Shikigami separated the refugees from the cart. The Shikigami were as sharp as blades, easily leaving deep scratches on the wood.
The refugees immediately recoiled their hands in terror, their bulging eyes staring helplessly at Haruki and the others.
"Line up, everyone gets one."
Haruki's gaze swept around, repeating once more.
The refugees quickly dispersed from around the cart, scrambling to form a long line in front of it.
Yahiko breathed a sigh of relief. He stood at the front of the cart, handing a steamed bun to the first refugee.
The long line moved quickly. The refugees who received the steamed buns didn't even have time to say a word, desperately stuffing the buns into their mouths.
Seeing them, Yahiko seemed to see his past self.
— — —
"It seems they don't quite understand the rules of Nibi no Utsu."
In a restaurant, the boss sat on a chair, holding a cigarette, and said slowly.
Behind him stood two tall, strong men.
"Since they don't understand the rules, you two go teach them the rules tonight."
The boss tapped his cigarette, sighing helplessly, "When I was their age, I already knew many rules. People nowadays are really out of line."