Chapter 572 - Tonight, Your Opponent is Me (1/2)
Chapter 572 Tonight, Your Opponent is Me
As Zhang Heng observed the whereabouts of s.h.i.+nsaku Takasugi on the roof, Okita Soki didn’t have a long time to rest because the remaining of the samurai from the tea house were going after them. Okita Soki’s back was against the wall, and he only had seconds to catch his breath. With determination, he turned around and engaged the samurai again. The Tachi in his hand howled in the air, orchestrating another brutal baptism of blood.
Zhang Heng jumped down from the roof, swiftly slashed to the left and right, and killed two enemies in one breath. Having managed to help Okita Soki clear the enemy wave, he told him what he saw earlier.
“What should we do, shall we separate to go after them?” Okita Soki asked.
“No, I already know which team s.h.i.+nsaku Takasugi is in!”
The fact that Zhang Heng was far away from, and it was night, there was no way to get a clear look at them. No matter what happened, Kirino Tos.h.i.+aki, the bodyguard, would definitely not leave s.h.i.+nsaku Takasugi’s side. Besides, he was taller than most people, making him easy to spot in a group. That was how Zhang Heng found out the whereabouts of s.h.i.+nsaku Takasugi.
“Great, let’s rush over!” Okita Soki’s eyes were irritated by sweat, and it seemed something was stuck in his throat as well. He looked uncomfortable, and he coughed twice. On a night engulfed with blood and flames, Okita Soki did not notice the taste of blood in his mouth.
…
s.h.i.+nsaku Takasugi had to admit that he underestimated the s.h.i.+nsengumi this time. It wasn’t just their mighty combat power-the most important thing was that he misunderstood Zhang Heng’s ident.i.ty, thinking he was a secret agent of s.h.i.+nsengumi. Otherwise, it was hard to explain where he learned martial arts. And why did the s.h.i.+nsengumi aid him the moment the samurai in the tea house attacked?
Gabriel was also on the escape team. Although he exchanged clothes with a samurai from the Choshu Domain, the samurai’s haori looked funny on him, especially how it didn’t seem to fit him at all. Gabriel could only put the haori on his body instead of wearing it. Running and panting, he wiped the sweat off his brow, looking very, very helpless. He was the one that hired Zhang Heng as a translator. His original translator fell ill, and he had to stay in Osaka. It was an emergency, Logically speaking, the s.h.i.+nsengumi couldn’t have planted someone by his side in advance. Besides, Gabriel was cautious. Before hiring Zhang Heng, he’d been observing him for some time, and after seeing Zhang Heng talking with other Western businessmen about work, he finally hired him as his translator. Initially, he just wanted Zhang Heng as an expandable tool. He did not expect him to cause such disastrous consequences. In short, whether s.h.i.+nsaku Takasugi or Gabriel, both now believed that Zhang Heng was a member of the s.h.i.+nsengumi or at least a shogunate member. Even in their wildest dreams, they would never have thought Zhang Heng was here tonight for a katana.
s.h.i.+nsaku Takasugi was first to flee because of his special status. When Okita Soki told his enemies about his intention to come here, he was already to flee the tea house whether the s.h.i.+nsengumi’s reinforcements would come here. Unfortunately, his health would pose a big problem. When he first entered the tea house and chatted with Gabriel, he seemed fine. Now, he could not hide it anymore. After running for a few steps, he started to pant.
However, s.h.i.+nsaku Takasugi refused the offer of help from others. He gritted his teeth and insisted on continuing to run. After running for a while, he tripped and fell to the ground. His arms and palms were bleeding. And he was embarra.s.sed by it. No one thought that the legendary commander who fought against the shogunate would become weak after a year.
Everyone who witnessed this scene could not help but think that this was the end of a legendary hero. Kirino Tos.h.i.+aki had a rare look of worry on his face. He then said to the Choshu Domain’s warrior next to him, “Go and look for a litter.”