RNP Page 71
Page 71
[Is the kendo dojo safe? Can I speak freely?] Zhou Ye confirmed this information in his mind.
It seems she knew this place wasn't safe. The Demon Slayer Corps' visit to Raccoon City wasn't for sightseeing. Could it be that another Lower Rank demon has appeared?
Hmm~ considering how the original author, Mr. Xie, views Lei's situation, it's quite possible.
"Then excuse me."
Zhou Ye nodded in agreement.
"Nami, get ready, we're going to meet Busujima."
"Okay, boss."
Nami responded and quietly put away the hidden gem.
Saeko Busujima was quite surprised; why was the way she was addressed differently?
[Boss? Wasn't he the captain before?]
Shinobu Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri remained standing behind Saeko Busujima, not uttering a single word, quietly observing everything around them.
"The house is a bit messy; I haven't had time to tidy it up yet."
Zhou Ye said casually.
Saeko Busujima smiled and said, "Don't worry about such trivial matters."
Shinobu Kocho suddenly spoke, her voice clear and crisp:
"Saeko said you're quite skilled, and she hopes to see you perform well at the dojo."
"is it?"
The five people stood outside. Saeko Busujima pointed to a black SUV not far away. The SUV had "Bukushima Dojo" written on it.
"Let's drive there."
The SUV was parked quietly on the side of the street, its streamlined silhouette gleaming coldly in the sunlight. Zhou Ye didn't get in immediately. Instead, as Saeko Busujima opened the car door, he quietly activated his [Fragment of the Herrscher of the Void] ability. His senses, like an invisible net, instantly covered the entire vehicle, inside and out.
Every seat gap, the headliner, the area under the dashboard—Zhou Ye's awareness permeated every corner where a bug might be hidden. He even checked the trunk and the undercarriage.
"what happened?"
Saeko Busujima stood by the car door, raising her eyebrows slightly.
"Just checking."
After Zhou Ye finished speaking, he nodded in satisfaction.
"it's OK now."
There were no listening devices, no hidden cameras. This SUV was unusually clean, just like its owners, who were very cautious.
Kanao Tsuyuri got into the driver's seat, while Zhou Ye naturally took the passenger seat. Nami, Saeko Busujima, and Shinobu Kocho sat in the back.
The engine started, and the SUV steadily drove away from Zhou Ye's temporary residence.
The car was silent except for the sound of tires rubbing against the pavement. Zhou Ye observed the three people in the back seat through the rearview mirror. Saeko Busujima remained calm, her sword sheath resting quietly on her lap. Shinobu Kocho looked out the window, her gaze sweeping across the streets of Raccoon City.
Zhou Ye suddenly broke the silence:
"Bukushima-kun, is the Demon Slayer Corps so eager for quick success and instant benefits that they want to investigate my secrets, even going so far as to send your Pillars here in person?"
His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable sharpness. The acting was over.
The atmosphere inside the car instantly tensed. Kurihana Kanao's fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel, but she still managed to keep the vehicle moving steadily.
Butterfly turned her head, seemingly unsurprised by Zhou Ye's direct question. She removed the butterfly hair ornament from her hair and gently placed it in her palm.
"After learning from Busujima that Mr. Zhou was strong enough to easily eliminate the Lower Crescent Moon Demon, I volunteered to make contact with him through my lord," Shinobu Kocho's voice was gentle yet firm.
"With Mr. Zhou's strength, the Demon Slayer Corps is too small a place for you."
Zhou Ye turned his head to the side, his expression unchanged:
"so?"
"I hope to hire you."
Shinobu Kocho said it bluntly.
"Killing ghosts?"
Zhou Ye asked, his tone tinged with amusement.
"Yes, I want to avenge my sister, Kanae Kocho!"
Upon mentioning her older sister, Shinobu Kocho's forced smile vanished instantly, her gentle mask detached. A fierce rage ignited in her eyes, and her face was filled with raw hatred.
"During a battle with Upper Moon demon Doma, my sister committed suicide by exploding her body, which was covered in hydrangea poison, causing serious injury to him and leaving no trace of her body."
Her voice trembled slightly with excitement.
"Now that my enemy is still alive, I naturally don't want to give up. He has already come to Raccoon City, so I followed him."
Zhou Ye listened to the conversation expressionlessly, then looked away from Shinobu Kocho's face and turned to the window. The car was driving through the commercial district of downtown Raccoon City, and people were hurrying by, completely unaware of the impending crisis.
He remembered clearly that the system had indeed issued a mission to kill the Twelve Demon Moons. But that didn't mean he would become anyone's free henchman just for the sake of the mission.
"So what's the price?"
Zhou Ye turned around and looked directly into Shinobu Kocho's eyes.
"What price are you going to pay to get me to do this? Don't tell me you want to get something for free just because Doma might be there because of me!"
Nami was completely confused when she heard the word "price," but her eyes lit up immediately. She silently gave her boss a thumbs up in her heart.
Silence fell again in the car. Kanao Tsuyuri turned the car onto a more secluded road, and the hustle and bustle of Raccoon City gradually faded away.
“I can provide intelligence.”
Shinobu Kocho began, her voice regaining its composure, "Regarding the secrets beneath Raccoon City, the Umbrella Corporation, and—"
She paused.
"Virus."
Zhou Ye raised an eyebrow: "I'm not interested in this kind of low-level virus. If it's just this, there's no need for us to talk."
Shinobu Kocho gave Zhou Ye a deep look. Sure enough, when Zhou Ye hacked into Umbrella's network in Raccoon City, he had already obtained those classified virus research and related biotechnology.
Shinobu Kocho said to Zhou Ye:
"If Mr. Zhou isn't interested in the virus, then all I have to offer is the Demon Slayer Corps' breathing techniques."
Zhou Ye sighed. A breathing technique? Although it looks like it has some special effects, it's not the Garou breathing technique from One-Punch Man. It's completely useless.
"Give me gems, high-quality gems, high-quality sapphires and rubies, 50 pieces the size of a thumb, is that alright?"
Shinobu Kocho frowned slightly upon hearing this, clearly surprised by Zhou Ye's proposed conditions. Her voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable firmness:
“Mr. Zhou, while gemstones are precious, the Demon Slayer Corps’ Breathing Techniques are the culmination of centuries of swordsmanship passed down in Japan, and their value far surpasses that of worldly possessions. Are you sure you want to measure this legacy by material things?”
Zhou Ye shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips, his eyes gleaming with the shrewdness typical of a businessman:
“Miss Butterfly, I have no intention of belittling the value of the Demon Slayer Corps’ Breathing Techniques, but the Jewel is more cost-effective for me and Nami.”
Shinobu Kocho remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. The Demon Slayer Corps wasn't short of money; what they lacked was fighting power. Finally, she sighed softly and made her decision:
“Alright, Mr. Zhou, I accept your proposal.”
The car drove into an area hidden by trees, and a traditional Japanese building could be vaguely seen in the distance. That must be the Busujima family's kendo dojo.
Shinobu Kocho walked ahead and pushed open the door to the kendo dojo:
"Please come in, Mr. Zhou. We also need to verify our capabilities."
Zhou Ye shrugged. It's normal for business collaborations to showcase each other's strengths.
Upon entering the Poison Island Dojo, Shinobu Kocho led Zhou Ye and Nami directly into the dojo, which was filled with many students, including white, yellow, and black people.
While it's true that guns are rampant in America, that doesn't mean that melee combat with traditional weapons is unpopular.
The trainees focused their attention on Zhou Ye and Nami, because this was the first time Teacher Butterfly had brought in newcomers.
Saeko Busujima's father came to...
"Mr. Zhou, if you don't mind, would you like to have a friendly spar with Busujima? Please rest assured."
Saeko Busujima smiled at Zhou Yewei and said:
"Don't worry, Teacher Zhou, you're new here, I'll go easy on you."
Zhou Ye looked at Saeko Busujima, who had a smiling face but a sharp glint in her eyes.
"Since Mr. Busujima is so kind, I shall accept his invitation."
Zhou Ye responded, his tone carrying an undeniable firmness. The atmosphere in the training hall instantly became tense and solemn, and the apprentices stepped back to make room for the upcoming duel.
Shinobu Kocho and the others stood aside, their gazes shifting back and forth between the two, a testament to both their trust in Zhou Ye and their recognition of Saeko Busujima's strength.
Saeko Busujima slowly drew the wooden sword from her waist, while Zhou Ye used whatever was available, picking up a wooden sword used by students. Although it had no sharp edge, it seemed to come alive in his hands.
"Please advise!"
Saeko Busujima let out a low shout, her figure instantly leaping up like a cheetah hunting its prey. Her wooden sword, carrying a sharp, cold wind, aimed straight for Zhou Ye's vitals.
Zhou Ye shifted slightly, easily dodging the attack with his keen intuition and exceptional skills.
[Talking Tom Fragment Ability Passive Ability, Weapon Mastery (Weak) activated]
The wooden sword danced in his hand, colliding with the wooden knife to produce a crisp sound, and each clash stirred up visible shockwaves.
The students watched intently as Zhou Ye and Saeko Busujima's figures intertwined amidst the flashing swords, creating a series of moving scenes that made them marvel at the charm and power of martial arts.
As the battle intensified, their movements became increasingly swift, each attack and defense perfectly timed, as if rehearsed beforehand. However, this was their first encounter, and their teamwork and skill astonished everyone present.
Chapter 53 Childhood
Zhou Ye's stance with the wooden sword was clearly clumsy, but every move he made against Saeko Busujima was fluid and natural, like that of a martial artist who had practiced swordsmanship for many years. The wooden sword danced in his hands, leaving afterimages, perfectly clashing with Saeko Busujima's attacks.
Shinobu Kocho, standing on the sidelines, widened her eyes and turned to look at Kanao Tsuyuri.
"This is the newbie Busujima was talking about?"
Butterfly asked in a low voice.