22: Kanae Butterfly

The deathly silence in the alley was broken by the young man's uncontrollable sobbing. He stared blankly at the pile of charred ashes on the ground, as if pouring out all the fear, sorrow, and hatred he had held for this time through his hollow gaze.

Finally, he could no longer hold himself up. He slid down against the mottled wall, buried his face in his arms, and his shoulders shook violently, emitting whimpers like an injured young beast.

Lin Luo stood quietly to the side, not disturbing him. Faced with such pure and overwhelming grief from the young man, he chose silent respect. This crying was a memorial from the living to the dead, and also the fragility of a warrior after laying down a burden.

After a long while, the young man's crying gradually ceased. He wiped his face hard, raised his head, revealing a face that was disheveled but delicate and firm. He bowed deeply to Lin Luo with an extremely solemn posture: "I am Ogata Ichirō, a Rank Ding member of the 'Demon Slayer Corps'. Thank you for saving my life, Your Excellency. This kindness will never be forgotten!"

" 'Demon Slayer Corps'?" Lin Luo repeated this unfamiliar name, his tone flat and waveless. Clearing away evil spirits that harm the human world—such organizations were not rare in the long river of history.

"Yes!" Ogata Ichirō straightened his body a bit. Although moving his wounds made the corners of his mouth twitch, his eyes brightened. "It is an organization led by the head of the Ubuyashiki family, Ubuyashiki Kagaya. For hundreds of years, we have fought to the death against 'Demons' to protect humanity!"

He briefly introduced the structure of the Demon Slayer Corps, mentioning the highest Rank of "Hashira", and the Kasugai Crows that could speak human language used for communication.

"My Kasugai Crow had already flown to seek reinforcements from the nearest 'Hashira' when I encountered the lower rank six... that is, the demon from just a moment ago." He added, his tone carrying a trace of expectation for strong reinforcements, and also a trace of self-reproach for failing to complete the mission alone.

Lin Luo listened quietly, his expression initially unchanged. However, as Ogata Ichirō narrated, subtle ripples appeared deep within his seemingly calm eyes.

Demon Slayer Corps? An organization with a Legacy spanning hundreds of years, possessing a strict Rank system and communication network? Why have I never heard of it?

He considered himself well-read. Regarding all the factions circulating in this land, whether floating on the surface or hidden in the undercurrents, even if he didn't know their core secrets, he had mostly heard their names or knew of their existence.

By common logic, an organization capable of fighting against so-called "Demons" for hundreds of years, no matter how secretive, should have left some traces in history or been mentioned in other records. But the names "Demon Slayer Corps" and "Ubuyashiki" were completely unfamiliar to him, as if they had appeared out of thin air.

Moreover, such organizations were either long since absorbed by official special agencies and brought under management, or completely wiped out in some tragic historical conflict.

But listening to this young man, the Demon Slayer Corps was still operating independently, active in the shadows, and seemed... to have no concept of existences like the "Special Affairs Management Department"?

This was highly unusual.

"... Our squad was ordered to track this lower rank six. We didn't expect its strength to be so terrifying. The captain and Seniors, in order to cover for me... all..." Ogata Ichirō's voice lowered again, his tightly clenched knuckles turning white.

Lin Luo looked at the young man immersed in grief and hatred, and doubts quietly grew in his heart like vines. He calmly probed: "Where is the headquarters of your Demon Slayer Corps located? Do you have any dealings with the 'Special Affairs Management Department' that handles supernatural events nowadays?"

Ogata Ichirō raised his head, his face showing pure confusion: "Special Affairs Management Department? Never heard of it. The location of the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters is top secret, held by the leader and the 'Hashira'. A Rank Ding member like me is not qualified to know." He lowered his head with some shame, embarrassed by his insufficient Rank.

A trace of imperceptible regret flashed in Lin Luo's eyes. It seemed unlikely to learn more core secrets about the "Demon Slayer Corps" from this young man.

But he did not reveal anything. He just calmly edited the events that occurred here—including the appearance, characteristics, and purification process of "lower rank six · Kamanue", as well as the brief profile of the "Demon Slayer Corps" member named "Ogata Ichirō" and his organization—into a message via an encrypted channel and sent it to Mr. Long.

It was better to leave events involving unknown secret organizations and inhuman existences for the agency specialized in handling troublesome matters to worry about.

He put away his communicator and looked at Ogata Ichirō, who was struggling to treat his wounds, and asked in a calm tone: "Since your Kasugai Crow went to find your 'Hashira' for help, they should be arriving soon, right?"

As soon as the words fell, Lin Luo's brows rose slightly. His keen Spiritual Perception caught an aura approaching from afar at an astonishing speed! The speed was extremely fast, even exceeding the limit of his normal visual capture. He could only see a blurred shadow flashing between the buildings under the moonlight, closing the distance as if teleporting.

The next moment, as if his vision had just blurred, a figure had silently appeared at the alley entrance, standing exactly in front of the spot where Kamanue had been burned to ashes.

It was a woman with a tall, upright stature and a gentle yet dignified temperament. She had long, silky black hair, mostly draped behind her back, with only a lock of hair left on each side of her face, elegantly hanging in front of her chest. Most striking were her clear and bright eyes, like amethysts, which were now scanning the scene with concern and vigilance.

She was quite tall, wearing the standard black stand-collar uniform of the Demon Slayer Corps, with a haori patterned with exquisite butterfly wings draped over it, the hem of which fluttered slightly in the night wind. On both sides of her pitch-black hair, she wore an exquisite butterfly hair ornament; the main body of the ornament was emerald green, with a delicate pink circle outlined on the edge, adding a touch of gentleness to her.

Her gaze first fell on Ogata Ichirō, who was covered in wounds and struggling to stand up. Her eyes narrowed, and she quickly confirmed his condition and identity. Then, those purple eyes turned to Lin Luo, the only person standing in the field with an unfamiliar aura. Her eyes held scrutiny, but no direct hostility, more of an inquiry and a trace of imperceptible gravity. She could feel the traces of the strong demon aura that had dissipated here, as well as an aura that was righteous, peaceful, yet contained powerful strength (from Lin Luo). Clearly, the stranger before her was not an enemy, and perhaps even...

"Member Ogata," her voice was gentle and clear, carrying the power to soothe people's hearts, but her gaze remained on Lin Luo. "Are you alright? What happened here?" At the same time, she took a small step forward, naturally shielding Ogata Ichirō within the range covered by her aura; this was a posture that combined care and protection.

Lin Luo calmly looked back at this suddenly appeared powerhouse, known as a "Hashira", and understood in his heart: This was one of the high-end combat powers of the Demon Slayer Corps.

The turn of events made Ogata Ichirō's heart tighten. He endured his pain, hurriedly stepped forward, blocking between the purple-eyed woman and Lin Luo, and explained urgently: "Flower Hashira! Please wait! This gentleman saved me! The lower rank six · Kamanue was also killed by him alone! He is not an enemy!"

The woman known as the "Flower Hashira"—Kochou Kanae—felt a trace of undisguised surprise in her amethyst-like eyes when she heard that a "Lower Moon" had been killed. She quickly scanned the pile of charred ashes on the ground and the lingering, slowly dissipating aftermath of the purification power around it. The vigilance in her heart instantly dissipated by more than half, replaced by deep shock and gratitude.

Lin Luo spoke at the right moment, his voice steady, revealing not much emotion: "Lin Luo. Hello."

Upon hearing this, Kanae's wrist moved slightly, and her hand, which had originally been quietly resting on the hilt of her sword, slowly relaxed, completely withdrawing the last trace of caution. She bowed elegantly, her voice gentle but carrying a solemn meaning: "Excuse my rudeness. I am Kochou Kanae, a 'Flower Hashira' in the Demon Slayer Corps, and also the leader of the squad to which Member Ogata belongs." She glanced at Ogata Ichirō, her eyes filled with comfort, then looked back at Lin Luo with a solemn expression.

"Lord Lin Luo," she bowed deeply again, her tone full of sincere gratitude, "Thank you very much for your righteous action! You not only saved the life of our precious member but also killed a lower rank six of the Twelve Kizuki alone. This is a huge help to the Demon Slayer Corps and even all of humanity! The entire Demon Slayer Corps extends its highest respects to you!"

She straightened up, her beautiful purple eyes looking directly at Lin Luo, her attitude sincere and solemn: "If you have any requests, as long as it does not violate human ethics and the Righteous Path, and is within our capabilities, the Demon Slayer Corps is willing to do its best to satisfy them to repay your kindness."

The sudden change in the other party's attitude from vigilance to gratitude made the atmosphere in the alley relax. Lin Luo naturally put down that layer of invisible, indifferent barrier, and a warm smile appeared on his face, like a spring breeze blowing over a frozen lake.

"Young Miss Kochou need not be so polite," he said in a gentle tone, carrying a sense of righteous integrity that put people at ease. "Eliminating evil and protecting the living is the duty of a Righteous Path Cultivator; it is not worth mentioning as something requiring repayment."

His words were not hypocritical politeness, but a principle from his heart. Whether out of his own nature or following some ancient precept, facing evil spirits like "Demons" that fed on humans, taking action to eliminate them was a matter of course in his view.

He asked naturally, "By the way, you should know about the 'Special Affairs Management Department', right?"

Upon hearing this, a trace of genuine admiration flashed in Kanae's purple eyes. She could feel the sincerity in Lin Luo's words. This kind of pure Righteous Path heart was especially precious in this world today.

"Mr. Lin Luo is righteous; Kanae admires you." She bowed slightly again to express her respect. Then she nodded in response to the 'Special Affairs Management Department', "I can't really explain the specific details, but the department has already reached a cooperation agreement with us. The meaning from above is probably that since we live here, we must follow the rules here. Everyone is a legal resident, so they naturally provide us with some convenience and help."

This sounded like the feeling of having just acquired citizenship, Lin Luo thought with some surprise. Just then, the night at the alley entrance was broken by several swift figures. A squad of people in dark blue uniforms arrived upon hearing the sound and began to handle the scene efficiently. Two people carefully lifted Ogata Ichirō onto a stretcher, while another member opened a medical kit and skillfully cleaned and bandaged his wounds.

Just at this moment, Lin Luo's phone vibrated again. He looked down and saw a new message from Mr. Long: "Situation known, talk about details in person. See you at the old place."

He was about to reply when he heard Kanae's soft voice: "Mr. Lin Luo."