Chapter Thirty-One
As the last flickering candlelight in the basement dwindled to the size of a bean, struggling to burn out its last bit of warmth, Chinatsu opened her eyes.
The murmurs, tinged with grievance, that had lingered in my ears vanished completely, as did the howling of the biting wind and snow. All that remained was a heavy, deathly silence, so oppressive that the air itself felt stifling.
Chika's eyes slowly moved from the top of her head to the side, and then she raised her hand.
The five fingers up close are slender and distinct, and even the black dirt in the crevices of the nails can be clearly seen.
The patterns on the tables and chairs in the distance were clearly visible, as were the uneven pits and dents on them.
I felt completely relaxed; the thick darkness couldn't block my vision. So this is what it feels like to be a ghost.
"Wow," she whistled silently in her mind, "Is this what a ghost's eyesight is like? If I had become a ghost earlier, I wouldn't have needed to light so many candles to study, which would have saved me so much money."
After getting out of bed, Chika stood in front of the fence and reached out her hand.
"Hiss~"
A familiar, searing pain, like touching a red-hot iron, shot up her fingertips, making her instinctively pull her hand back.
Looking down, he saw that a small piece of skin had been burned off his palm, and the dark wound looked exactly like the mark left by the Nichirin Blade when it slashed at a demon.
"Gorilla Crimson Iron Sand..."
She stared at her palm, watching the wound scab over and fade at a visible speed, eventually leaving only a faint red mark.
"So this is what it feels like to be injured by a Nichirin Blade."
The fence is made of a mixture of scarlet iron and ordinary iron, with a higher concentration of scarlet iron at the edges to create the burning effect.
Her gaze then shifted to the door lock, her fingertips lightly touching it, feeling its cold touch—
It's ordinary iron.
She gripped the iron lock and applied a little force.
With a crisp "crack," the iron lock was broken.
=—=
So, this is only for keeping out ghosts, not for keeping out gentlemen.
She walked unimpeded to the basement exit.
The door was overhead, and a sparse ray of light leaked through the cracks, carrying an alluring yet dangerous atmosphere.
She tentatively reached out and touched the light.
Unsurprisingly, a small burn was quickly created on the fingertip.
If I were to push open the door now, I'm afraid I'd be scorched to death by the sun before I could even stand still.
"Hmm—"
Chika rested her chin on her hand, her restored fingertips unconsciously brushing against her cheek as she pondered a solution.
Just then, my stomach let out a rumbling sound, as if it couldn't bear the pressure any longer.
Hunger surged up like a tide, and a faint dryness lingered in his throat. This was the first time his body had sent out a signal that he needed to eat since becoming a ghost.
But where is she supposed to find food?
What should we eat next?
Chika glanced around and her gaze fell on a ventilation duct overhead.
She tentatively peered into the basement ventilation opening, and a faint aroma of food wafted in.
......
The Demon Slayer Corps' Fujikasane Mountain branch is located in a secluded valley at the foot of Fujikasane Mountain. It is surrounded by mountains and water, and is filled with large swaths of wisteria flowers, with pale purple petals scattered all over the ground.
Branch manager Ah Shui used to confidently assure people, "Besides headquarters, this is the safest place. Protected by wisteria, even evil spirits will avoid it if they smell it!"
But this very place, which she had praised to the skies, recently experienced a truly enormous incident—
Their branch "raised" a ghost.
"Hey, is it true that there's a team member who was bitten by a ghost locked up in our basement?"
Behind the artificial hill on one side, several familiar voices rang out. Ah Shui could guess with his toes that it was a few young girls gossiping.
Ah Shui instinctively wanted to stop them, but when she heard what was being said, she stopped herself and shrank back to hide.
"I heard that this demon is Lord Wind Pillar's stepson. Is that true?"
"It seems to be true. I heard she's incredibly skilled. During the final selection, she killed all the evil spirits with a single arrow."
"My God, that's terrifying! She's so powerful, how could she turn into a ghost?"
"What else could it be? People voluntarily become ghosts simply to pursue fame and fortune, and to seek immortality."
"No, no, I heard from my uncle's son's friend's brother that she was turned into an evil ghost because she shot all the ghosts with an arrow and was punished by the Crescent Moon Ghost."
"The younger brother of my uncle's son's friend"
"Yes, yes, yes. He was there at the time, he saw it with his own eyes! That ghost, he ambushed her, grabbed her, and then bit her. Oh my, you have no idea, the little girl's eyes immediately turned red and she cried."
"Tsk tsk tsk, poor child."
"Alright, alright, stop pitying her. Let's pity ourselves! All the pillars are at headquarters for a meeting today. What if that girl suddenly appears and eats us alive?"
"Is everything alright? Aren't all the new team members resting here?"
"Those new team members are all inexperienced rookies, what good are they!"
The chirping around her was like a flock of sparrows, making Ah Shui's head buzz. She knew that some of her teammates had become ghosts, but she never expected the rumors to spread so wildly.
The news of the Wind Pillar's stepson and the Crescent Moon Ghost's revenge made her panic.
But in the end, these things have nothing to do with her. All she needs to do is fulfill her duties and sort out the miscellaneous affairs of the branch.
Thinking this, Ah Shui cleared her throat and strode over. "What are you all doing gathered here? Don't you have any work to do?"
The crowd scattered instantly. Ah Shui shook his head, turned and went into the kitchen to urge them to have lunch.
But as soon as I opened the kitchen door, a cacophony of noise from the whole house rushed in.
People were running around in the kitchen, some flipping through rice bins, others lifting steamers, all with panicked expressions on their faces. No one even picked up the spatula that had fallen on the floor.
"What are you doing! Are you rebelling!" Ah Shui raised his voice.
Kitchen manager Chu Fang rushed over with a mournful face: "Master A Shui! It's gone! All the special meals are gone!"
"Huh?" Ah Shui was stunned and quickly went to look at the food.
The serving counter, which should have been overflowing with miso soup, seaweed rice balls, and tempura, was now completely empty.
"Hiss!" Ah Shui felt a sudden darkness before her eyes.
"Lord A-Shui!!" Chu Fang's cries still lingered in his ears as A-Shui quickly snapped back to reality.
"What's the use of crying!" Her voice was half an octave higher than usual, but without anger, only panic. "If you can't find it now, just redo it! What's the point of crying?"
The people in the kitchen were stunned for a moment, and their previously chaotic footsteps gradually came to a stop.
The kitchen instantly came alive again, the sizzling sound of frying shrimp and the pattering sound of kneading rice balls mingling together, but with a more organized feel than before.
As Ah Shui stirred the batter, she caught a glimpse of Chu Fang's still-red eyes out of the corner of her eye. Her heart softened. "Don't panic, let's hurry up and finish. We'll make it in time."
Taiyuan sniffed and nodded, saying, "Lord Ashui, I'm scared..."
"Don't be afraid," Ah Shui interrupted him, her voice slightly weak, "If they ask, just say..."
"A mouse has gotten into the kitchen..."
"Uh~?" Chufang was stunned.
"Stop 'uh-uh-ah-ah' and hurry up!"
Ah Shui shoved her and started to speed up.
In an instant, the kitchen was in complete chaos.
Finally, just as the bustling sounds of the crowd in the main hall were heard, the food was served as usual.
Everyone in the kitchen rushed off to deliver the food as if they had escaped a disaster, while Ah Shui leaned against the stove alone and let out a long sigh of relief.
The world finally fell silent. Only the faint "popping" of the fire in the stove remained, and...
"Chew, chew, chew... chew, chew..."
Ah Shui froze, his ears perking up.
"Chewing...smack smack..."
Ah Shui's hand gripping her apron tightened suddenly; the frantic activity in the kitchen hadn't completely subsided. She noticed that amidst the aroma of rice balls filling the air, there was a faint, almost imperceptible, meaty scent, glistening with oil.
It didn't drift from the stove, but from the corner where the firewood was piled up.
There was a pile of firewood half a person's height, covered with an old cloth, the corner of which drooped down, revealing a narrow gap.
Ah Shui walked over quietly, holding her breath, and tiptoed over to gently lift a corner of the curtain.
A huddled figure was facing away from her, chewing sounds that sent shivers down her spine.
A ghost? It's a ghost? Is it eating people?
Fear gripped Ah Shui's heart instantly, making her tremble all over.
Seemingly noticing her, the figure paused, then slowly... turned around.
Her bright, scarlet eyes shone, and on her lap lay a half-eaten, dark brown pork knuckle. Oil dripped from her fingertips, making her knuckles glisten, and a ring of light brown sauce clung to the corner of her mouth.
She gnawed very carefully, even meticulously removing the fascia from the bones, as if afraid of wasting a single bit. Her pupils still held a faint red hue characteristic of demons, but there was no aggression in them.
She was startled when she met Ah Shui's gaze, and subconsciously hid the braised pork knuckle behind her back. The oil from her fingertips rubbed onto the dark fabric, leaving a small mark.
"Uh..." She opened her mouth, "I will pay it back. Really, I will pay it back as soon as I receive my allowance."
Ah Shui: "......"
It was a ghost, but its eyes didn't have the ferocity of someone who would eat people as rumored, nor the scheming to pursue fame and fortune. There was only an almost instinctive, cautious hunger.
This ghost... isn't something wrong with it?
Meanwhile, in the restaurant.
Tanjiro stared at the pitifully small rice ball on his plate, lost in thought. "Miss Hatsufumi, are you sure... it's a rat that got into the kitchen?"
Tanjiro stared at the pitifully small rice ball in his hand, remaining silent for a long while. "Is this rat particularly picky about food? Does it only eat tempura and braised pork knuckle?"
Zenitsu Agatsuma stood trembling beside him, exclaiming, "What kind of rat would steal rice balls and tempura?! It's clearly a demon! A demon!"
Chu Fang, without batting an eye, repeated the same story given to her by Lord A Shui: "...It's a rat. A...particularly large and particularly picky eater rat. But it's not a big problem, Lord A Shui will handle it."
Chewing away, Inosuke thought, "I could actually help catch it..."
Chufang: "Eat your food and shut up!"
Tanjiro/Zenitsu/Inosuke: "...?"
......
Time flies, and half a month has passed since the final selection ended.
The team members who passed the trials have already donned their Nichirin Blades and are heading to the battlefield to slay demons.
The most dazzling new star in this selection, Chinatsu, was left alone in the basement of the Fujikasayama branch for fifteen days and nights.
The Demon Slayer Corps's considerations were very thorough.
The branch is surrounded by the fragrance of wisteria all year round, and the basement is built on an open space behind the mountain, with walls made of the same material as the Nichirin Blade.
They were convinced that such an environment was sufficient to ensure absolute safety.
This two-week observation period is for both safety and to find out more about her background.
Today is the day to verify the results.
Having been restless for days, Shinazugawa Sanemi, along with his equally worried younger brother Genya, arrived at Fujikasane Mountain at the crack of dawn.
Before they were assigned to a department, they happened to run into Shinobu Kocho, who had come to check on the situation.
"Chika's blood is very special."
When Shinobu Kocho saw Sanemi, she smiled and spoke, but her tone carried a hint of surprise.
"Her blood is mixed with countless toxins, as chaotic as a poison shop... Even Muzan's demon blood pales in comparison."
This is not an exaggeration. She extracted multiple vials of Chika's blood for research, and under the microscope, Muzan's blood was almost instantly swallowed up, neutralized, and transformed into a completely new substance.
She had never seen anything like this before.
"What will happen to Chika?" Genmi asked anxiously.
“I don’t know.” Shinobu Kocho shook her head gently. “I’ve never seen blood like this before. Maybe she’ll turn back into an ordinary person, or maybe… she’ll become an existence more terrifying than Muzan.”
Everyone present immediately became solemn, and Xuanmi's face turned pale.
Just as Sanemi was about to ask something else, he caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye.
The girls on duty at the branch office would turn around and try to run away as soon as they saw them, just like mice seeing a cat.
"Stop! Why are you running?" Sanemi frowned and reached out to stop him.
The person stopped was a young girl who stammered for a long time without being able to utter a complete sentence, "I need to pee..."
This behavior made everyone even more displeased.
Sanemi said sternly, "We'll go later. Now, take us to the basement."
The girl stumbled a few steps with a cry of "Ouch!" and after finally regaining her balance, she gave everyone a disgruntled look. Then, with an expression that said, "What's coming will come," she reluctantly led everyone towards the basement.
Soon, they realized what the girl, and the entire branch, were hiding.
As you descend the underground corridor, before you see anyone, you hear a familiar, cheerful voice.
"Aha! A royal flush! You didn't expect that, did you? I won again! Pay up! Or braised pork knuckle will do."
The group paused, exchanging bewildered glances.
It seems to be Chika.
However, what shocked them was only just beginning.
The dimly lit basement was now brightly lit. Qianxia sat cross-legged on the floor, her face covered with white paper strips, making it almost impossible to see her true appearance.
"You wouldn't believe it, would you! I'm a disciple of the Thousand-Year Ghost Hand!"
His scarlet eyes gleamed, showing no trace of the gloom that came from being imprisoned for half a month.
Her teammate opposite her had a long face, looking like he was about to die, and asked, "Did you cheat using Blood Demon Art?"
Qianxia grinned, revealing two small, sharp teeth. "No way! I've only been a ghost for fifteen days. I don't know anything about Blood Demon Arts. This is called innate talent, something I was born with. You disagree? Let's have another round!"
The group of people who came down the stairs were all frozen in place.
Xuanmi rubbed his eyes hard, wondering if he was hallucinating.
He had imagined Qianxia looking haggard, broken, or even ferocious, but he never imagined... that she would actually run a casino?!
Is this... reasonable?
When Chika looked up, she saw Sanemi and the others staring in disbelief, and immediately waved the cards in her hand happily.
"Sanya, Genya, Kocho-chan! You're here! Come on over, we just finished this round, and I won so many pork knuckles!"
The playing card between her fingers swayed gently, and a few pieces of paper slipped from her face with the movement. Her playful appearance made her look like a mischievous child, with no trace of the cannibalistic demon she once was.
Shinazugawa Sanemi stared at this surreal scene, veins bulging on his forehead, and squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth.
"...What the hell is going on?!"
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