The teams were formed. Muramasa, Kojiro, and Genra each stood in a line with their ten team members.
"What are we doing next?" Genra, with his baby face, asked.
"We're going to buy steamed buns." Haruki looked at them and said.
"Buy steamed buns?"
The ninja and samurai looked at Haruki in confusion.
Haruki nodded affirmatively. "That's right, we need to gather the refugees using steamed buns."
Haruki's tone shifted. "First, we need to choose the largest hotel in Nibi no Utsu."
"The largest hotel in Nibi no Utsu..."
"That must be the Okura Hotel to the east."
An answer immediately came from the crowd.
Muramasa frowned slightly, his eyes filled with deep worry. "Okura Hotel is indeed the largest hotel in Nibi no Utsu. To save on labor costs, the owner forces refugees to sell themselves into labor for him. Their daily wage is only one or two steamed buns. To survive, the refugees have no choice but to depend on him. Even for such work, many refugees are scrambling for it, at least it's better than dying. To oversee these refugees and prevent them from slacking off or rioting, the owner employs two ninjas of decent strength."
Genra nodded in agreement. He said to Haruki, "Ninjas like us are used by merchants to eliminate their enemies. Only powerful ninjas will stay close to merchants, performing only protection duties."
Haruki nodded.
He could roughly guess the situation Muramasa and Genra described.
He had, after all, studied history. He knew what kind of lives refugees lived during wartime.
"Precisely because Okura Hotel has considerable influence, I chose to get steamed buns from Okura Hotel."
A hint of a smile appeared on Haruki's face.
Genra's eyes darted around, and he tilted his head. "But the steamed buns at Okura Hotel are very expensive. Even a cup of water at Okura Hotel is very expensive. We can't afford the steamed buns from Okura Hotel, that would cost a lot of money."
Haruki's gaze fixed on Genra, and he asked in confusion, "Who said we were going to buy them?"
Genra: "..."
He strangely understood the deeper meaning in Haruki's words.
"All the food at Okura Hotel is made by refugees. This is inherently the fruit of the refugees' labor. How could their hard work be replaced by a mere handout of a steamed bun?"
"We will return all the steamed buns, pastries... all the food from Okura Hotel to the refugees."
Haruki looked at everyone, speaking each word distinctly. His voice clearly resonated on the ground.
A smile flashed in Kojiro's eyes, and he nodded. "This is a good method. Firstly, it can demonstrate our strength and give a warning to those who are secretly stirring. Secondly, it can make more oppressed people in Nibi no Utsu believe that we have the power to change Nibi no Utsu, and more people will be willing to join us."
Haruki glanced at Kojiro. The captains chosen by the ninja and samurai each had their own strengths.
Muramasa was steady and thoughtful in his actions. Kojiro was quick-witted and intelligent. Although Genra was not as good as Muramasa in terms of thinking, he had a strong ability to mobilize the team, and his amiability and leadership were good.
It could be said that the captains chosen by the ninja and samurai themselves were much more suitable than the captains chosen by Haruki, who didn't understand them.
"All of this is just the beginning."
"Please rest assured."
"We are companions fighting side by side, and I will protect everyone with my life."
Haruki looked sincerely at the ninja and samurai before him.
[Ding!]
[System detected Yahiko's Faith Value +3000]
[Ding!]
[System detected Nagato's Faith Value +3000]
[Ding!]
[System detected Konan's Faith Value +3000]
[Ding!]
[System detected Kojiro's Faith Value +1000]
...
[Currently, a total of 16000 Faith Value has been collected. Your Cursed Spirit Suguru Geto's rank has risen to 39%]
"Alright. Let's go."
Haruki waved his hand.
They filed out of the room and walked downstairs.
Hearing footsteps, the inn owner hunched himself in the corner, desperately trying to reduce his presence. Fortunately, Haruki's gaze merely swept over him indifferently, with no extra actions.
Watching their retreating figures, the inn owner breathed a sigh of relief. He gradually realized that Nibi no Utsu might be on the cusp of a great change.
— — —
Okura Hotel.
Sato was sitting on a wooden rocking chair, holding a long pipe. He squinted his eyes in the white smoke, and his already small eyes instantly disappeared into the folds of his fleshy face. If it weren't for the two sharp glints in his eyes, there would be no trace of his eyes ever existing on his plump face.
"Get up, no slacking off." Sato frowned.
The ninja standing at the kitchen entrance whipped his long whip.
Crack—
A fresh red whip mark crawled up the refugee's back like a centipede. The already dizzy refugee immediately fell to the ground.
The other refugees' hands trembled, but no one dared to step forward to help.
"What's wrong? Is he dying?"
Sato waved his hand dismissively at the ninja and said, "Throw him onto the street and go recruit a new one."
The ninja nodded and turned to leave.
Sato took another puff of smoke. He looked at the refugees bustling in the kitchen, and spoke earnestly, "You should learn to be grateful. If it weren't for me, where would you get such a good job opportunity? If I didn't provide you with work so you could fill your stomachs, you would have starved to death long ago. In all of Nibi no Utsu, who is as benevolent as I am? Countless people outside are scrambling for this job. All of you, work hard, or I can replace you at any time."
Sato couldn't help but chuckle, revealing two gold teeth.
The refugees in the kitchen were like numb machines.
Footsteps sounded from behind him. Sato didn't turn around, exhaling a puff of white smoke. "You're back so soon?"
Before the ninja behind him could answer, he looked at the refugees in front of him and said, "See? I told you, I can find people like you in Nibi no Utsu by the handful."
Sato turned around, wanting to see what kind of refugee the ninja had brought back this time.
Thump—
A dark figure was hurled towards Sato. Before Sato could see clearly, he and his chair were knocked over.
The remaining ninjas in the back kitchen glanced in Sato's direction, as if they hadn't noticed anything, and continued to stand calmly in place.
"Wuwuwuwu..."
Sato, as fat as a pig, was dizzy from the fall. When he struggled to sit up, he finally saw who had hit him.
Wasn't it the ninja he had sent out?