I formed the strongest swordsman group

Following Qingdeng's stop, all the members of the third team stopped.

Ahead, Keinosuke Yokokura heard the sound of footsteps that were stickier than the stickiest glue in the world and couldn't be shaken off suddenly disappeared, and turned his head to look back in doubt.

Seeing that Qingdeng and the others were not moving, he was startled for a moment, and then exulted like the rest of his life after a catastrophe—he decided that Qingdeng and the others should be... Correction. Definitely tired! I can't catch up anymore!

He thought excitedly:

As long as I can remember, I have been accompanied by flowers, birds, caterpillars and grasses in the mountains, and an old bandit who has lived by the mountains for most of his life. After running for so long in this kind of primitive jungle where wild birds are not close, I feel a little overwhelmed. , I'm so tired that I'm about to die, this group of stinky officers and soldiers who eat and drink hot and play with women in the city every day, can they be better at running mountains than me?

Thinking of this, Yokokura Keinosuke felt a new power surge in his body. He took a deep breath and mustered all his energy, intending to take advantage of this golden opportunity to leave Qingdeng and others far behind in one breath.

But at this moment, Yokokura Keinosuke suddenly felt a tight pain in his chest. Every time he takes a breath, his chest will throb with pain—this is a signal that he is pushing his body too hard and his lungs are almost overwhelmed.

——Hiss...it hurts...! so far so good! Fortunately, my "miracle medicine" never leaves my body!

Yokokura Keinosuke was thinking in this way, while reaching out his hand without thinking, he took out a small porcelain bottle, poured out a pill with a rather strange color - red and purple from the bottle, and swallowed it into his mouth with an "ahoo" , Adam's apple moved up and down due to swallowing.

The next moment, Yokokura Keinosuke's facial features, which were tightly wrinkled together due to the pain in his chest, immediately stretched out, and there was a hint of refreshing rosiness on his complexion.

...

In just a few breaths, the figures of Keinosuke Yokokura and his subordinates disappeared from the field of vision of Qingdeng and others again, and the sound of footsteps quickly moved away.

But Qingdeng completely ignored this, and let the enemy chieftain, whom he found with great difficulty and represented a great contribution, flee far away.

As soon as the young man, who was in the year of the elephant dance, stood still, he showed a look of no sadness or joy.

His calm gaze swept across the faces of his subordinates from left to right.

In the fierce pursuit just now, several people accidentally kicked and stepped on uneven obstacles, bruised their bodies, or lost their ability to run because of physical and leg strength. Team.

Currently, only 27 team members remain within Qingdeng's field of vision.

Being able to survive until now, this group of "survivors" can be called tenacious in terms of perseverance and physical strength.

Among them, there are quite a few faces that are familiar to Qing Deng.

Shirasaki Heijiro, who has profound qualifications and high self-esteem, does not want to be inferior to Qingdeng.

Gosaburo Midorikawa is naughty and frivolous.

Kuroba Shiro, who is eloquent and likes to flatter others.

There is always a lack of self-confidence in his demeanor, and he is a bit of a submissive Lan Jingyang.

And Akabane Koichiro with a full face and a stern look between his brows.

Lan Jingyang is still there, and he didn't fall behind early - this surprised Qingdeng.

After all, to use modern popular words-slim, fair-skinned, not good at martial arts, Lan Jingyang, who is in charge of clerical work in the army, looks completely weak and bullying.

Such a weak scholar with no strength to restrain a chicken was able to overcome many difficulties and closely followed the large army all the way... This made Qingdeng feel a little bit relieved while being surprised.

It's just... Although Lan Jingyang's toughness is commendable, he has paid a lot for it - his current state is not good at all.

It should be said: All the team members who have been gritting their teeth to pursue Keinosuke Yokokura until now, without exception, are in worse physical condition than the other—the eyes are dull, and at first glance, the eyeballs are like pitch-black black holes ; The waterfall of sweat stained everyone's face so that it was shiny and shiny; the rich tiredness lingered on the face.

Swords, bows and guns criss-crossed and hung in disorder, like a dead wood forest with all its branches hanging down and its trunks completely decayed.

Such an appearance, such a spirit... like a remnant army that has just lost a battle.

The "mountain chase"...was exhausting.

Regardless of the uneven road surface or the ubiquitous high rocks and giant trees, it is far from the big city life that the soldiers are used to.

Everything around them makes them feel awkward.

The pride of "capturing the enemy chief alive and making great contributions" collapsed in the face of exhaustion as deep as the sea.

The exhaustion accumulated to the limit brought about the scene before Qingdeng's eyes at this moment—nearly half of the team members blatantly slumped and lay down on the ground, ignoring Qingdeng's "pursuit" command.

They used silent actions to express their position to Qingdeng: We are tired and don't want to chase anymore! That Yokokura Keinosuke, whoever loves to chase after him!

Lan Jingyang, who is full of admiration for Qingdeng, is a member of the "non-disobedience party" who still stands firmly behind Qingdeng.

At this time, I don't know if it was his illusion—he always felt that the mountain wind that was always with him after entering the mountain suddenly stopped.

No.

Not just the mountain breeze.

The chirping of insects, the chirping of birds...these sounds that can be heard everywhere in the mountains and fields, and which I have been used to hearing since a few days ago, seem to have subsided a lot now.

The quiet atmosphere filled the surroundings in an instant.

This completely silent environment added a strange deterrent force to Qingdeng's gaze at the moment.

Qingdeng's sight was like a huge invisible hammer, and many people, headed by Lan Jingyang, couldn't help holding their breath and their heartbeats accelerated.

But there are also a small group of people... Not to mention Qingdeng's sight, even Qingdeng's whole person turned a blind eye - such as Akabane.

At this moment, Akabane was sitting on a big flat rock, with his legs crossed, and his short and fat fingers like meat worms repeatedly kneaded the sore soles of his feet, with an arrogant expression on his face. dick.

It's just that Akabane Koichiro, who has power and official position one level lower than Qingdeng, dares to confront Qingdeng so recklessly and unscrupulously?

In fact, the reason behind it is also simple-although the Akabane family is not a famous and powerful family, it still has a banner of 800 Shijialu.

A family salary of 800 shi... This is not a small number in the banner.

More than 90% of the banners have family incomes below 500 shi.

To put it simply-in the "banner circle" in Edo, the Akabane family is still ranked high.

The energy possessed by the family behind him makes Akabane Koichiro worthy of Qingdeng who is only one level higher than him.

What's more, he Akabane Koichiro also has a deep friendship with an important cadre of the "Shimizu Clan": Namikawa Chishio!

Both black and white have their strengths - this is the reason why Akabane dared to dismantle Qing to the stage in the open and in the dark.

So what about Nioh? So what if you're good at fencing?

In the officialdom of the shogunate, you have to talk about relationships and backgrounds!

Although Akabane looked down on Qingdeng, he felt that Qingdeng should still have the IQ and "sense of smell" that an official should have, knowing what to do and what not to do.

He predicted that even if Qingdeng wanted to move him, he wouldn't dare to make a big fight with great fanfare—this kind of thinking, this kind of judgment made Akabane feel confident when confronting Qingdeng.

——What does this Ju Qingdeng want to do? Why stop? Want to urge us to get up and continue chasing that Yokokura Keinosuke? Ah……! Innocent! How naive! Think we'll ignore him? snort!

The corners of Akabane's lips were slightly curved, showing a disdainful and confident arc. He was as motionless as a mountain, continuing to pinch his feet on his own.

At this time, he suddenly heard a series of footsteps gradually approaching him at an unhurried speed.

Akabane looked up - it was Qingdeng.

I saw Qingdeng engraved on it, showing an elusive appearance.

There was no expression on his face. It is impossible to guess what kind of emotions and thoughts he is having right now.

The eyes are so calm that even using the word "stare" to describe it seems too intense and inappropriate.

Between the swinging of hands and feet, there is a leisurely atmosphere that seems to be about to go for a walk.

At this time, Akabane faintly felt something was wrong.

And at the same time that Akabane noticed something strange... suddenly! Qingdeng suddenly raised his right hand and pressed down on the handle of Dingguishen's saber!

In the next instant, Qingdeng's elbow flicked away like a piano string suddenly snapping, he pulled out the Ding Guishen, and there was a loud "pop" in the air!

Before Akabane could recover, Qingdeng showed a white blade from his left waist!

The separation speed of the blade and the sheath was so fast that even the light of the blade was compressed into a blurred silver light as thin as a silk thread!

In an instant, shock, panic and fear locked all of Akabane's joints like vines.

The strong cold wind blown by the ghosts and gods wiped off the sweat on Akabane's forehead, along with the heat and blood on his face!

too suddenly.

Everything in front of me happened so suddenly.

Suddenly, Akabane wondered for a moment if he was dreaming.

As a swordsman with Katori Shinto tradition, Akabane displayed the qualities that a warrior should have at this moment.

After seeing the silver snake that popped out from Qingdeng's left waist and rushed straight towards him, although his head didn't have time to react, Akabane's body took the first step to move—he instinctively Stretching out his hands and reaching his waist, he prepared to draw his sword to resist.

It has to be said that Akabane's reaction speed is still remarkable.

But it's a pity... all the things he did at this moment were nothing but futile struggles.

As soon as his chubby palm touched the handle of the saber at his waist, the approaching silvery-white light drew a graceful and swift arc, and it had already swallowed his body.

The light of the sword rising from the ground and heading straight into the sky - this is the last scene engraved in the depths of Akabane's eyes.

The icy blade of Dingguishen didn't enter Akabane's right armpit, stayed in Akabane's body for a moment, and flew out from his left shoulder obliquely.

Knife drawing · streamer!

Akabane's plump upper body spurted blood instantly.

A straight line of blood stretched from Akabane's right armpit to his left shoulder.

The blood line turned red and deepened at a speed visible to the naked eye, and finally—the small half of Akabane's body above the shoulders was like a willow branch hanging down in boredom, it fell forward, and then fell to the ground.

The blade cut by the flowing light cut Akabane obliquely in half!

On the face covered with dust due to falling to the ground, there was also a strong shock as if he had seen some incredible scene-this expression, which was enough to make everyone who saw it feel horrified, just bloomed in the puddle gradually. In the spilled blood.

A few drops of blood splashed out of Akabane's body due to inertia, splashed on Qingdeng's right eye corner, left lip corner and other parts, and then followed gravity, flowing down Qingdeng's cheeks, pulling out several horrifying lines. The scars on his face—not to mention blinking, Qingdeng's facial muscles didn't even move.

For a long time, blood continuously spewed out from the section of Akabane's lower body that was sitting on the rock intact.

quiet……!

Silence!

Deathly silence!

Everyone present looked in shock at Akabane who had been chopped into two pieces, and Qingdeng who was still maintaining his sword-stretching posture.

The expression on the face is extremely wonderful.

At this time, Qingdeng straightened up slowly, and released the posture of throwing the saber.

"Should I make it clear? 'I have followed'. My words... the words of the superior are military orders. Those who disobey the military orders—"

Qingdeng raised Ding Guishen above his head, and then swung it down heavily. The blood splashed from the blade turned into a beautiful line of blood at Qingdeng's feet.

"Fa-rectification on the spot!"

As soon as Qingdeng's words fell, the rapid breathing was like a blower, and it sounded around Qingdeng one after another.

It doesn't matter whether it's Aoi and others who respect Qingdeng, or a group of people headed by Shirasaki who hate Qingdeng. All in all—at this moment, the faces of everyone present were filled with shock that penetrated deep into the skin, as if it was almost buried in the bones.

Beheading—the most indecent and dishonorable form of death for a samurai.

In order to give the beheaded a little final decency, neither the Edo shogunate nor the "three hundred princes" will cut off the prisoner's head when he is sentenced to beheading. A beheading method called "holding the head".

When slashing the victim's neck with a knife, the skin and flesh are not completely cut off, leaving a little skin on the head and neck. Because the executioner usually stands behind the victim and draws the knife, a small section of skin at the victim's throat will be preserved in the end. The head, which is connected to the body with only a little flesh, tends to hang down into the arms under the influence of gravity-hence the name "hugging the head".

The same is true when intervening for the seppuku. The body and head of the seppuku should not be completely separated.

This is also why seppuku practitioners often find swordsmanship masters to intervene for themselves, in order to ensure that their own death will not be so miserable, and that they will not end up in a tragic end where their heads fall to the ground.

Therefore, not all cats and dogs are capable of being execution ground executioners and seppuku.

In order to make the prisoners who were ordered to cut seppuku and beheaded die with dignity, the Edo shogunate even raised a sword tester and executioner who has been the shogunate's imperial sword tester and executioner for generations. , A family with many urban legends - the Yamada Asemon family.

At this moment, many people present had the same thought: Does this guy know what he is doing?

Although Akabane Shisai's act of blatant disobedience was indeed an extremely serious violation of law and discipline.

According to military law, Qingdeng is fully qualified to execute Akabane on the spot.

But, but... Akabane is also a banner boy whose family salary is as high as 800 shi!

The banner circles in Edo... especially the banner circles with a rich and well-off family are a huge network of relationships and interest groups woven by blood ties and in-law relationships, and one hair can affect the whole body.

If you offend this family today, you may be retaliated by more than a dozen families tomorrow.

This Juqingdeng... is crazy!

Isn't he afraid of getting into trouble?

Isn't he afraid of being approached to settle accounts afterwards?

He just killed people like this? And beheaded directly?

Does he really think he is the incarnation of King Ni?

It was impossible for him not to know how disgraceful it was for a warrior to be beheaded.

But he still cut off Akabane's entire shoulders without mercy.

This is not to save face at all...!

At this time, Qingdeng, with the knife in his hand, turned his head and looked around his body with calm eyes.

All the people who had followed Akabane in disobedience just now, and were still sitting or lying on the ground, all shivered after meeting Qingdeng's eyes.

The ground under them seemed to have turned into hot magma and harsh ice at this moment.

They seemed to be scalded or iced, and they got up in a panic, not daring to let any part of their bodies touch the ground except for the soles of their feet.

No one dared to disobey anymore.

No one dares to openly say "I'm tired, I want to rest".

In an instant, an atmosphere of panic filled the surroundings.

The non-stop nervous heartbeat of "plop plop plop" has become the main theme of this space.

...

Qingdeng wanted to clean up Akabane a long time ago.

He repeatedly sang against him, opposed him openly and secretly, and regarded his captain's authority as nothing.

Buddha can also get angry.

Although Qingdeng is a good-tempered person who is easy to talk to, but being treated so helplessly by others time and time again, an unknown fire still arose in his heart.

However, from another point of view, Qingdeng has to thank Akabane—thanks to the existence of this beast, Qingdeng has an excellent target who can use his head to stand out!

*****

*****

The author Jun visited many relatives yesterday to pay New Year's greetings. I'm very busy, so today's chapter is a little shorter (Leopard Dead.jpg)

The New Year is really full of all kinds of chicken and dog jumping...

Although today is a bit short, I still ask for a monthly ticket (Leopard head crying.jpg)

Ask for a monthly pass! Ask for a recommendation ticket!