dmims Chapter 177 I personally witnessed those old guys being buried!
Chapter 177 I personally witnessed those old guys being buried!
However, Genji's cold and aloof expression only lasted for a brief moment, as if it were just an unintentional revelation of her true nature.
When he turned around and faced Lu Mingfei, his face regained its previous gentle and polite demeanor, even carrying a hint of sickly nobleman's air.
“Lu Jun,” he said calmly.
“If you’ve made up your mind, feel free to contact me anytime. Also, here’s a piece of advice—you can’t stay here any longer. My brother has already put a 1 billion yen reward on the head for finding the Uesugi family’s young lady. The yakuza are practically insane when it comes to this money.”
After saying that, he stopped looking at Erii, took out a ten-thousand-yen banknote from his pocket, gently placed it on the greasy small table, and prepared to get up and leave.
But as soon as he took a step, he seemed to remember something, turned slightly to look back at Lu Mingfei, and added a sentence, his tone casual but carrying an undeniable warning:
“If even I have found you… then my brother’s men, who are truly skilled in tracking and combat, are probably not far away.”
Lu Mingfei felt a chill run down his spine.
Indeed, their actions today were not particularly covert.
They swaggered through the city center; although they had changed Erii's clothes today, her hairstyle hadn't changed much.
Moreover, when Gu Nan and Xia Mi found Erii yesterday, it was in a relatively bustling area.
Erii's character model is also incredibly eye-catching.
It's understandable that local strongmen like the Snake Clan would find clues about them.
at this time--
"Guest, your noodles are ready."
The old chef, who had been silently cooking noodles, spoke in a deep, steady voice and placed a steaming bowl of ramen in front of the spot where Genji had just been sitting.
Yuan Zhinv paused, but without turning around, she simply waved her hand and said, "Give it to this gentleman; I have other matters to attend to."
He was referring to Lu Mingfei.
However, the old master's next words made him freeze in place, his steps faltering.
"Ho..."
The old master let out a soft, enigmatic chuckle, his hands continuing to wipe the stove. But his originally cloudy, aged eyes suddenly became sharp and bright under the dim light, like charcoal that had been ignited in an instant.
"The three inner families... have long been extinct, so what's the point of arguing about legitimate or illegitimate lineage?"
"Oh?"
Genji slowly turned around, her gaze sharp as lightning, locking onto the unassuming ramen stall owner.
He had completely disregarded the old man, who had been very sensible, simply cooking noodles in silence and showing no reaction even when they discussed the secrets of the Snake Clan.
In Tokyo, especially in yakuza-related circles, knowing too much or speaking carelessly often means trouble or even death.
But this seemingly ordinary old man actually dared to take the initiative to talk to someone, and what he said was so earth-shattering!
"What do you mean?"
Yuan Zhinü's voice turned cold, and the gentle facade on her face was almost crumbling.
"More than sixty years ago,"
As the master chef meticulously tidied up the odds and ends on the ramen cart, he unveiled a long-forgotten history in a tone as calm as if he were discussing the day's weather.
"When the last emperor left the Snake-Headed Eight Families and went far away, the inner three families... Uesugi, Minamoto, and Tachibana had already effectively died out. Their bloodline had long been severed."
He raised his eyelids, his gaze sweeping over Genji and Erii with a sharp, all-knowing intensity:
"Whether it's the Uesugi family, the Minamoto family, or the Tachibana family, they're all long gone. You... and that little girl, which branch family, or even which outsider's descendant, were you adopted into one of the three inner families?"
These words undoubtedly question the purity and legitimacy of the bloodline of Genjiro and Erii!
"Oh?"
Instead of being angry, Yuan Zhinu smiled, but the smile had lost its warmth, leaving only a cold inquiry. "Judging from your tone, sir, you seem to know the secrets of the three inner families like the back of your hand? May I ask which family's senior you are?"
"I'm just a retired old man waiting to die." The old master craftsman lowered his eyes and continued wiping the stove.
"It just so happens that... I've lived long enough to know some old stories that others don't know or pretend not to know."
"Senior is a member of the Snake-Headed Eight Family?"
As Yuan Zhinü pressed on with her question, she leaned forward slightly, and an invisible pressure began to permeate the air.
"No."
The experienced craftsman answered bluntly, "I retired a long time ago, or rather, I was fired."
“But,” Genji pointed to herself, then to the bewildered Erii, her tone sharp and deliberately provocative, “aren’t there a genuine emperor currently in charge of the Snake Clan? And this one in front of you—Tsukuyomi of the Uesugi Clan.”
"Tsukiyomi Ming?!"
Uesugi Kotsushi, who was tidying up, suddenly stopped, nearly dropping the rag in his hand into the soup pot.
He suddenly looked up, his cloudy eyes fixed on Erii, his gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce through her skin and see the source of her bloodline.
He certainly knew what Tsukuyomi meant; if he wasn't a true emperor, how could he possibly have earned the title of Tsukuyomi?
Previously, he had only felt a vague sense of familiarity about the girl's features, which made him uneasy.
Now that Genji has revealed Tsukuyomi's true identity, and upon closer inspection... her features, and the inhuman ethereal quality that occasionally flickers in the depths of her eyes...
It's so similar, so very similar... It's exactly like that figure deep in his memory, a figure that has long been blurred but can never be forgotten.
But he dared not confirm it, or rather, he was unwilling to believe it.
"impossible!"
Uesugi Etsu's voice suddenly rose, filled with an almost panicked panic and an unequivocal denial, "Sixty years ago, the imperial bloodline was completely extinguished! I saw it with my own eyes... how could Tsukuyomi still be alive?! The younger generation these days is getting more and more absurd and unreliable!"
He seemed to be convincing himself, or perhaps refuting an absurd lie.
"She's a genuine Tsukuyomi-destined being,"
Genji seemed quite pleased with Uesugi Kozuki's reaction. He had originally intended to leave, but now he sat back down with great interest, watching the mysterious old man with a leisurely air, hoping to extract more secrets from him.
"Powerful enough... to destroy a third-generation ancient dragon in an instant."
When Erii heard herself mentioned, she blinked blankly, looked at Genji, and then at the ramen chef who had suddenly become excited.
Uesugi Kotsushi's breathing became heavy. He stared intently at Erii, as if grasping at the last straw. His voice carried an undeniable tone of command, yet it also contained a tremor and hope that even he himself was unaware of:
"Little girl! Tell me, who is your father...?"
Erii was taken aback by his sudden serious tone. She instinctively raised her writing board, but after thinking for a moment, she put it down, gently shook her head, and then wrote on the board:
I don't have a father?
Why is it a question mark, girl?
Does the question of whether or not someone has a father even need a question?!
Lu Mingfei was enjoying the gossip on the sidelines, but when he saw this scene, he almost facepalmed and mentally complained.
Seeing that Erii was only shaking her head and writing, Uesugi became anxious and stepped forward, almost grabbing her shoulder:
"Tell me! Who is your father?!"
Erii was startled by him, shrank back, and looked at Lu Mingfei for help before quickly writing on the small board:
Only Tachibana Masamune-sama takes care of me; my brother calls him "Dad."
I see... Tachibana Masamune.
The current head of the Snake-Headed Eight Families and the nominal head of the Tachibana family.
"impossible!!!"
Uesugi seemed stung by the answer, abruptly taking a step back, his voice hoarse yet resolute.
“The last few old men of the Tachibana and Minamoto families… I saw them die with my own eyes! I was there when they were buried! How could they possibly have any direct descendants left behind?! Tachibana Masamune… he could never be a true member of the Tachibana family!”
His words were tantamount to directly denying the legitimacy of the current patriarch, Tachibana Masamune's, bloodline!
Yuan Zhinü's eyes shone brightly, as if she had heard some incredibly good news, and a smile that was almost one of delight curved her lips.
"The current patriarch, Tachibana Masamune, could not possibly be a true member of the Tachibana family, could he?"
He paused, then his smile deepened.
"Of course... those are KGB elite agents, even the higher-ups of the Snake Clan know them."
Surprisingly, he seemed completely unconcerned about the fact that he might not be of pure Genji blood, and even seemed somewhat pleased about it.
At this moment, Uesugi Kotsu's attention was no longer on Genji.
All his gaze was focused on Erii, his eyes filled with an extremely complex mix of shock, doubt, realization, and an indescribable, almost tragic, excitement.
His lips trembled as he spoke, his voice dry and hoarse:
“My name… is Uesugi Kotsu… I am from the former Uesugi family…”
boom--! ! !
His words were abruptly interrupted by a sudden, violent roar that tore through the night sky!
It wasn't a single sound, but countless blinding beams of light, like sharp swords, suddenly shone from both ends of the street, from adjacent buildings, and from all directions, instantly illuminating this originally dark and quiet street as if it were daytime!
The deafening roar of engines swept in like a tsunami. It wasn't just a few cars, but a convoy of countless heavy motorcycles, a steel torrent!
They surged out from every alleyway, their headlights converging into a breathtakingly dazzling sea of light, instantly enveloping the ramen stall and the few people in front of it!
The tires screeched as they sped across the ground, emitting a sharp screech and filling the air with the pungent smell of burning rubber.
The motorcyclists were all dressed in black special forces uniforms, wearing menacing masks or helmets, and holding metal bats, chains, and even blades that reflected a cold light!
It wasn't the Sheqi Hachike's official enforcement bureau, but rather a more chaotic, more violent group of low-level yakuza thugs from all corners of Tokyo, their eyes bloodshot from the lure of a 1 billion yen bounty!
They arrived first!