Chapter 84: Turning things around

Saimon Ichirou was a clever man. He deeply valued the bonds with his subordinates, the Ronin, and was an excellent leader. If it were up to Li Mo, he would gladly follow such a leader.

As for Li Mo, someone stronger than Saimon, the latter handled their interactions with great tact, showing Li Mo the respect he deserved.

Regarding Saimon's explanation of the events, the story he told was complete. However, Li Mo was very familiar with the art of selective storytelling—emphasizing certain details while glossing over the critical ones.

Under the flickering light, Li Mo studied Saimon's face, trying to understand his motives.

"Sir, you're truly clever," Saimon admitted. "Indeed, at that time, I acted impulsively because I knew the high value of that item. Looking back now, I don't think I made a mistake. Sir, when I first learned about it, my immediate thought was that if I could get my hands on it and sell it, my brothers and I wouldn't have to live as Ronin anymore."

Saimon's voice grew somber as he continued, "Sir, the life of a Ronin isn't easy. It may seem free, but every day is a struggle for food. During that time, we have to fight Hilichurls, watch out for attacking Slimes, and occasionally clash with Treasure Hoarders."

Memories of the past seemed to weigh heavily on Saimon as he spoke, his tone tinged with emotion. "Sir, I told you before that I've raided merchant caravans. It was out of necessity. If we didn't do it, we might have starved to death."

Li Mo already knew this story; Saimon had told him before. They had attacked a caravan, taken some supplies, and hadn't killed anyone.

Li Mo asked, "If you don't want to be Ronin anymore, what will you do?"

"Probably go home," Saimon replied. "It's been years since any of us have been home..."

"Will it really be that simple?"

"It will be fine," Saimon assured him. "The Tenryou Commission doesn't even know who we are. To the higher-ups in the Tenryou Commission, we're just fleas. They'd rather send their foot soldiers to enforce the Sakoku Decree at sea than send anyone to deal with us in the wild."

Li Mo couldn't judge this situation. He had just arrived in this world, relying only on fragmented knowledge in his mind. But this was a real world. What would happen? What could happen? What might happen? He had no idea.

"Actually, I was just asking," Li Mo said. "Saimon, I don't oppose your intentions. Seeking a better life is the instinct of any living being. I don't need most of the proceeds from the sale. You can keep a portion for yourself. But I want to keep a few pieces of Crystal Marrow."

Crystal Marrow—if Li Mo's memory served him right, this was the raw material for Delusions. Delusions extracted life force in exchange for power. It was worth studying.

Li Mo knew that three of his current attributes were stuck. To improve further, he needed to take the initiative to step beyond the ordinary and into the extraordinary. Even if he couldn't figure anything out now, he might need it in the future.

"Thank you, sir," Saimon said.

"Don't thank me yet," Li Mo replied. "When the time comes, I hope to follow you to Konda Village. You know, I don't have a place to stay in Inazuma."

Li Mo had told Saimon his name, and it clearly didn't sound like a name from Inazuma. Saimon understood this and nodded, saying, "I understand, sir."

Li Mo watched as Saimon left. At this point, the level of trust between them had risen a notch. But Li Mo lowered his head, lost in thought.

It had been two or three years since Li Mo last interacted with sketchy people. It seemed his sensitivity in this area hadn't completely faded. He narrowed his eyes, thinking.

...

...

Saimon Ichirou was a man of his word. Almost the next day, in broad daylight, he carried out the plan. He handed a small portion of the Crystal Marrow to the captured Ronin and told them they could sell it to the Fatui for a high price.

A little kindness goes a long way, but too much can breed resentment. In situations like this, you can't give too much. A little is compassion; too much can lead to unwarranted expectations.

Then, in the afternoon, Saimon organized everyone, and they all left Jinren Island together.

Narukami Island was vast—perhaps much larger than the map in the game. This was Li Mo's thought as he saw the coastline of Narukami Island. There weren't many reefs along the shore, and he could see several beaches. Of course, along with the beaches came Slimes.

They docked, wiped out the Slimes, and collected all the Slime condensate. These could be sold.

Ronin couldn't enter Inazuma City, but in the wild, there were often black-market merchants who traded with the Ronin for necessities like salt. Even the supplies Saimon and his group had stolen before were sold through these merchants. The black market explained everything.

"Saimon, do you know where the Fatui trade?" Li Mo asked.

"Sir, it's in the Araumi area," Saimon replied. "After we hide the boat, we'll follow the coastline."

Li Mo glanced at the nearby cliffs. Climbing up from here would indeed be difficult. But if they walked in the opposite direction for a while, there was a path that would allow them to ascend smoothly.

However, they didn't take that route. Instead, they chose to detour along the damp coastline. Along the way, they passed a structure that resembled a gate.

Saimon whispered to Li Mo, "There are many Ruin Guards here. Even Kairagi can't handle them one-on-one. So, sir, we have to be very careful when passing through here. That's also why we avoid going to the surface of Araumi. There are Ruin Guards patrolling there."

Li Mo nodded in agreement. The number of enemies in Araumi wasn't small. Back when he was exploring, he found it quite annoying. The narrow terrain forced you to deal with the Ruin Guards before you could proceed with the quest.

They followed the coastline, and along the way, they encountered a group of Treasure Hoarders. Both sides were wary of each other, but they passed by without incident.

Li Mo glanced at the short and thin members of the Treasure Hoarders, pondering a question: Why was this organization present across the entire continent, all under the name "Treasure Hoarders"? This world was more interesting than he had imagined.

The trade with the Fatui went smoothly. The Fatui didn't care who brought the Crystal Marrow; they only needed the Crystal Marrow.

After exchanging for Mora, they found a place to divide the money. Then, from the foot of Mt. Yougou, they entered Chinju Forest. Here, everyone transformed from Ronin into ordinary citizens of Inazuma.

Li Mo also changed into similar attire and followed Saimon Ichirou to Konda Village.