Finally, Fang Li naturally refused Yomokawa Ayame’s invitation.
The title of “Samurai” may sound impressive, but in this era and in this country, the Samurai have long been decayed.
Not to mention anything else, just take a look at the Samurai in the Aragane Station, and you will understand why Fang Li thinks so.
They lack courage and confidence.
They bully the weak and fear the strong.
They are afraid to take action.
They lack dignity.
This is the interpretation of the Samurai in the present time.
Because of the existence of Kabane, both the physical and mental states of the Samurai have been worn down to a fragmented state.
In the original story, there have been numerous conflicts caused by the Samurai’s fear of Kabane, leading to the defamation and even the death of ordinary people. It is not surprising at all.
Therefore, in this era, although the Samurai seem to help govern the various stations, in the hearts of ordinary citizens, they are almost no different from tyrants.
People do not respect the Samurai; they only fear them.
That is the situation of this era.
Perhaps this is the reason why Konochi Kurusu is so persistent about the dignity of the Samurai.
At least, in Fang Li’s opinion, among the Samurai in the original story, only Konochi Kurusu and Araka Kibito can be considered true Samurai. The rest are just disappointing existences.
Therefore, Fang Li does not want to become one of those people.
Even if it means getting closer to Yomokawa Ayame, protecting her from a close distance, and completing Main Quest 2, Fang Li does not want to do it.
Of course, Fang Li won’t explain the reason, as it would only hurt the harmony between both sides.
Yomokawa Ayame seemed a bit disappointed about this. It seems that she genuinely wanted to help Fang Li and help him escape the identity of a wanderer.
As a future station manager, such kindness is also not a good thing.
However, no one can hate a kind person.
Fang Li is the same.
So, Fang Li chatted with Yomokawa Ayame a little longer, telling her some interesting stories. Not that Fang Li was particularly humorous, but in this era lacking entertainment, as someone who had lived for 18 years in the information-explosive 21st century, some casual anecdotes from Fang Li sparked Yomokawa Ayame’s curiosity and made her laugh.
This led to two results.
One was that Yomokawa Ayame, who hadn’t experienced much entertainment, opened up and showed a hint of the charm of an innocent young girl in her conversation, as she would still maintain proper etiquette at all the other times.
The other was that Konochi Kurusu didn’t say a word from beginning to end and continued to look at Fang Li with a vicious look in his eyes, it was as if he was looking at a bitter enemy he deeply resented.
Rather than wanting to draw his sword and kill Fang Li, it seemed more like he wanted to pounce on him and bite him to death.
In this pleasant conversation, Yomokawa Ayame suddenly seemed to remember something important and called out in alarm.
“Ayame-Sama?” Konochi Kurusu took the opportunity to ask, “What happened?”
“I… I almost forgot,” Yomokawa Ayame said nervously, “I still need to help my father repair his short-barreled Steam Gun today.”
Upon hearing this, Fang Li suddenly raised his head and looked at Yomokawa Ayame.
“————!”
At that moment, Yomokawa Ayame felt a chilling sensation spreading throughout her body.
Because, for a split second, Yomokawa Ayame saw it.
In the ordinary eyes of the Wanderer who was happily talking with her, there was a sudden flash of ice-blue light.
That ice-blue light seemed capable of robbing Yomokawa Ayame of all her body heat, and it was as if it could erase her life within her body, giving Yomokawa Ayame a delusion.
A delusion that she was not facing a person but a god.
A delusion of facing a Death God.
At that moment, Yomokawa Ayame couldn’t help but retreat two steps.
“Ayame-Sama?” Konochi Kurusu asked with a confused look on his face, “What happened?”
“Fang… Fang San?” Yomokawa Ayame ignored Konochi Kurusu and looked at Fang Li with a frightened expression on her face, she trembled as she spoke, “You… you just…”
Seeing Yomokawa Ayame’s terrified appearance, Fang Li inwardly cursed, “Shit!”
“I’m sorry, Ayame-Sama,” Fang Li said apologetically, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No…” Yomokawa Ayame soothed her chest and hesitated for a moment before asking, her voice trembling, “But, just now, your eyes…”
“My eyes?” Fang Li feigned confusion and asked, “What happened to my eyes?”
Seeing Fang Li’s puzzled expression, Yomokawa Ayame composed herself and looked into Fang Li’s eyes again.
There, she saw only a pair of ordinary dark-colored eyes.
Could it be that… I made a mistake just now.
That thought arose in Yomokawa Ayame’s mind.
But before Yomokawa Ayame could come up with a reason, Fang Li reminded her, “Ayame-Sama, didn’t you say you wanted to help your father repair the short-barreled Steam Gun?”
“Yes… that’s right.” Ayame nodded. “I came to find Kurusu because of that. I wanted him to accompany me.”
“Then let’s go quickly.” Although Konochi Kurusu was puzzled as to why Yomokawa Ayame suddenly became so startled, he still spoke, “If we delay the Consul General’s matters, we might face punishment.”
“Yes… you’re right.” Yomokawa Ayame seemed a bit concerned as well. But thinking about the important matter at hand, she had to bid farewell to Fang Li.
Fang Li, just as before, casually talked to Yomokawa Ayame with a relaxed tone, and eventually, he saw Yomokawa Ayame and Konochi Kurusu off.
After Yomokawa Ayame and Konochi Kurusu left, Fang Li’s smile gradually disappeared, and he let out a sigh.
“It looks like I need to find an opportunity to practice controlling the Mystic Eyes.”
Although Fang Li can suppress the activation of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception with his willpower from the beginning, during times when his emotions fluctuate, the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception would involuntarily activate.
Just now, even though the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception only surfaced for a split second, Fang Li clearly saw Yomokawa Ayame’s Death Lines.
The Death Lines that spread all over Yomokawa Ayame’s body seemed to divide her apart, giving Fang Li the feeling that Yomokawa Ayame was falling apart.
However, he never expected that Yomokawa Ayame would be so sensitive to notice something was off.
“But repairing the short-barreled Steam Gun…”
Fang Li only just remembered this matter.
In the original story, on the same day the plot began, Yomokawa Ayame was supposed to take her father’s short-barreled Steam Gun for repairs.
“It seems like the plot has finally started.”
