Chapter 118
"This is it."
If everyone hides in the house to avoid the snow when it snows, and as time goes by the white snow paints the sky and the earth into a pure white, then when the snow stops and the people hiding in the house come outside, or when the cold winter is over and spring comes and the temperature warms up, the white snow becomes the dirtiest.
The girl stomped on her shoes, and the black snow, which was covered with mud and small stones, rolled back onto the frozen and hard ground along with the shoe surface.
Looking at the gate in front of him, Qingxi asked uncertainly.
"If you're not sure, why not just knock on the door and see for yourself?" Tsurumaru Kuninaga said as he stretched out his hand and knocked on the closed wooden door.
"If I don't know the person who opens the door, Tsurumaru, you go." Qingxi said tremblingly, raising his hands to his mouth and blowing out a breath.
The temperature in early spring is still very cold when the winter snow has not melted completely. If you choose to travel far away in such weather, you would be a fool unless it is something very important.
Of course, she was not included here...that's what she insisted.
After a while, the sound of people walking was heard, and as the wooden door opened, the person inside was revealed.
Seeing the old woman with her gray hair neatly combed up, Tsurumaru Kuninaga was just about to speak when he felt a force from his waist that pushed him to the side.
He let out an exaggerated "ouch" and when he got closer again, his face still had an expression of looking at a scumbag woman, "Master, just throw it away after you use it."
"Don't be naughty." Pushing the person aside again, Qingxi walked forward to greet the old woman. "Happy New Year, Grandma Su."
"You're really late in celebrating the New Year."
I didn't hear Grandma Su's voice, but I heard an old man's voice.
Seeing the surprise on the girl's face, Grandma Su chuckled and opened the half-open wooden door, revealing the full view inside. At this time, Qingxi saw Grandpa Qin who was blocked by the wooden door.
"It's hard for you to come here at this time. Please go into the house and warm up first." Grandma Su's eyes passed Qingxi and fell on Tsurumaru Kuninaga and Daikurigara. After they looked at each other, she turned her body to make way.
The three of them walked through the door and followed the two old men into the room. After a brief introduction of Daijurikara and the old man, Qingxi held a bowl full of red bean rice cake in both hands to warm himself up. He took a sip of the red bean sweet soup from time to time. Gradually, his cold body became warm and his frozen face became more expressive.
Seeing that the little girl had recovered, Granny Su and Grandpa Qin exchanged a glance. Then, Grandpa Qin said, "If it's almost done, I'll get down to business."
Qingxi nodded and focused his attention.
In fact, if Grandpa Qin hadn't been considerate of an "ordinary person" like him, he could have said it as soon as they entered the house.
After all, among the three people who came, Tsurumaru and Okutari were the ones who could wear thin clothes in the middle of winter.
"It all started last October," Grandpa Qin said slowly. "With our place as the center, the frequency of funerals in the surrounding towns and villages has increased quite a bit.
There were about twenty-three cases, but because of the wide range, two or three people suddenly died in the village or town. It might become a new thing in the small village at the beginning, but after a while, no one would think about it anymore.
It’s just that my old wife is a gossipy person. Every day when she goes out to visit friends and chats with people of her age, she talks about these things.
Afterwards, she came home and told me about it, and I had some free time so I thought about it, and then I came to this conclusion.”
Having said that, Grandpa Qin unfolded a folded piece of paper hidden inside his sleeve and handed it to them to read.
Tsurumaru Kuninaga took the paper and looked at it with Daikurigara's head down.
Qingxi, who was not in turn, couldn't help but blush. She stood up, holding the bowl, and stood behind the two people who were sitting. She used their shoulders as a support and pressed down to get a closer look.
It was a rough hand-drawn map.
How simplified is it? It is so simplified that every village and town on the map is indicated by circles of different sizes, with two lines of small characters next to them. The first line is the names of those villages and towns, and the second line is the number of deaths in that place from October last year to now.
If we connect these villages and towns with this place as the center, it will form a fan-shaped map.
"Although this might be a coincidence, considering that there's also the possibility that the ghost story you're talking about is true, I discussed it with my wife and decided to write this down in a letter to let you know." Grandpa Qin's gaze fell on the three people who were all looking at the map, and finally fixed on the youngest among them. He looked disgusted. "But, old man, I didn't expect you, a little girl, to come here in such a freezing weather. Isn't it cold outside? Aren't you suffering?"
"The management of the Demon Slayer Corps is extremely busy every day, and things here are uncertain. I happen to be free here, so why don't we come together?" Qingxi said confidently.
She reached out a hand and patted Tsurumaru Kuninaga and Daikurigara on the shoulders, "They go investigate, I'll be in charge and come over to play."
"In that case, let me teach Ah Xi during this period of time." Grandma Su suddenly said.
Qingxi was stunned. Facing the other person's kind smile, her brain froze for a moment, but she immediately realized what the other person meant.
The blue pupils widened in disbelief.
No, it wasn't what she thought.
"Yeah! That's right!" Grandpa Qin slapped his thigh, and a malicious smile flashed across Qingxi's face. "Before, we were far apart, and even if I wrote you some things several times in letters, you would still ignore them. But now, you've come to me on your own initiative. For the time being, you should stay and learn embroidery and dressmaking from your Grandma Su."
You don’t know, but when I received the two sets of clothes you asked me to make two years ago, I was too embarrassed to give them away.
Shame on you!
Qingxi felt like she wanted to defend herself. "What's wrong with the clothes I made? They're wearable and sturdy. Why is that embarrassing?"
"That's not as good as what my old lady makes." Grandpa Qin snorted. "No, I should say that any clothes my old lady makes are far better than those made by a little girl like you."
"You are a lover who sees beauty in everything! Please don't drag me into praising Grandma Su." Qingxi retorted.
The retirement home that Grandpa Qin and Grandma Su bought is located near the police station, so it is good in terms of public security, but relatively speaking, the price they paid for the house was also very touching.
Granny Su took the three of them to their guest room and said, "I'm sorry for the poor hospitality. We only have two guest rooms at home, so I'll have to let you two make do with what you have."
"It's okay, this is fine." Tsurumaru Kuninaga glanced inside the open shoji door. He saw that the furniture inside was simple, but very neatly arranged. There were two large boxes against the wall. A little thought would tell him that they contained mattresses and quilts. "When we were at, um, home, we brothers also lived in the same room. We shouldn't be uncomfortable sleeping together."
"In that case, I feel relieved." Grandma Su breathed a sigh of relief.
She lowered her head and looked at Qingxi, "Your house is next door, Axi. Do you want to go and take a look?"
Qingxi really wanted to say no, she wanted to stay in Tsurumaru and Okutari's house for a while, because the expression on Grandma Su's face was always smiling, but she had a bad feeling.
However, the expectation in the other person's eyes made her unable to refuse, and finally she nodded and followed Grandma Su.
"The room is a little small. After I put in place the desk where I used to practice calligraphy, the space in the whole room became cramped. If you feel it is small when you rest at night, just put it away and take it out when you want to use it during the day." Granny Su became very excited when she talked about her expertise. However, Qingxi, who was listening and was about to enter the "training" period for a while, felt a little depressed.
Maybe Grandpa Qin also knew that his wife couldn't stop talking to others, so after half an hour, when Qingxi was almost in a state of vomiting souls, Grandpa Qin called his wife away.
Finally, left.
Qingxi, whose soul and body were reunited, patted his chest and thought.
Her eyes fell on Jiro who was walking back and forth in the yard like a big boss, and an idea gradually emerged in her mind.
It was too late for her to ask Jiro to take her back now.
In the end, Qingxi didn't do that.
Because she was afraid that she would receive a letter of criticism from Grandpa Qin when she returned.
After simply putting the daily necessities brought from Qingxi into the house and tidying up, Tsurumaru Kuninaga prepared to go to the nearby small villages and towns with Daikurigala according to the map drawn by Grandpa Qin.
As for Qingxi, she had no fighting power at all, so they naturally wouldn't let her go with them.
"Are you guys really okay?" Kiyokisi asked worriedly, holding onto a haori with one hand.
"At least have a little confidence in us, Master." Tsurumaru Kuninaga turned around, thought for a moment, and then squatted down. "Besides, it's not easy for a sword tsukumogami to get into trouble. Even if we encounter ghosts, we can easily deal with them."
"Is that what I'm worried about?" Qingxi complained, "I mean, it was already late when we came here. By the time you get to the nearby village, I guess it won't be dark yet, but it will be almost dark. What if you can't see by then? Or is it because you, Tsurumaru, are so white that you glow in the dark night, so you can still light yourself up?"
Tsurumaru Kuninaga was at a loss for words. "Although the Shinsengumi have always said that the Tachi's vision darkens when it gets dark, my master, the Tachi is not blind. We just can't detect as well at night as we can during the day."
However, even if our reconnaissance capabilities are not as good as during the day, our military strength is still there. If we really encounter a ghost, we will not sit and wait for death. We will fight back bravely."
"Really?" Qingxi asked again worriedly.
"Really, really." Tsurumaru Kuninaga nodded repeatedly, and after nodding, his face was filled with a depressed expression, "Ah, next time I find a chance, I'll find a chance for Xiao Jialuo and I to put our hands together for you to see. We've been together for so long, and you always think of us as weak, innocent, and helpless vulnerable groups.
Master, Xiao Jialuo and I both have polarized blades, and we are very powerful."
"I understand." Qingxi looked at Tsurumaru Kuninaga for a long time before nodding.
"But, do you have this wisteria sachet with you? Do you also have your amulet with you? Do you have enough money? If you forget, you won't be able to buy something to eat even if you're hungry."
Tsurumaru Kuninaga took the wisteria sachets, kept one for himself, and gave the other to Daikurigala, mumbling, "What? Master, you really are worried about us. I've brought the amulet and the money, don't worry, I won't starve to death."
He stood up and said, "Okay, then Xiao Jialuo and I will set off."
Qingxi: "Be careful, if you encounter a ghost that you can't deal with, I don't mind you finding a place to hide first."
Tsurumaru Kuninaga and Daikurigara walked out while complaining, "How did you say that so smoothly? Master, have you ever done this before?"
Qingxi raised his head slightly and gave a mysterious smile.
"I still have some tips on Gou. Do you need them? If you do, let's find some time to talk."
"Sure." As the sword god, Tsurumaru Kuninaga was not annoyed at all by the girl's words. On the contrary, he smiled and accepted Qingxi's suggestion.
"Oh, that's right." As if he thought of something, the white-haired young man who had already taken a few steps turned around and turned back.
"Master," he said. "Little Jialuo and I are gone, so you have no one to protect you. So try summoning the sword men later. One is okay, two is safe, and three would be perfect.
If the summoned sword men had a short sword, then Xiao Jialuo and I would feel more at ease."
When Qingxi heard about summoning the sword man, she remembered Tsurumaru Kuninaga's statement last year that he would take "the whole family" to climb over the wall of the Time Government.
Worried that he would be stubborn, she said sternly, "Tsurumaru, there are too many of you. I really can't afford to support you."
So, she doesn't want to summon any now.
Tsurumaru Kuninaga was startled, but immediately waved his hand and said, "That can be put aside for now, the most important thing is your safety, Master.
Although ghosts are afraid of wisteria and wisteria incense is lit here at night, we still need to be prepared for the worst, right?
This is not the Beiming Island residence, nor is it the Butterfly House or the headquarters. I feel uneasy if no one is with you at night.
Besides, Master, your luck has always been mediocre. Who can guarantee that you won't encounter a ghost this time? And the other party doesn't have pica, right? "
It's rare to see Tsurumaru Kuninaga being so patient and calm when talking to me. He has already said all the big truths, and Qingxi really can't make any guarantees about what he said.
Finally, she looked resistant, then nodded rationally, "I will, but if the summoning fails, there's nothing I can do."
"Then try a few more times. If you feel your energy is running out, take a break. Then try again," he said. "There should always be someone watching over you."
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