Chapter 404: Return

Life on Yashiori Island was fulfilling and rhythmic, even more structured than the days spent in Fuyuki City.

Setting aside the research on the Gnosis, which had already made some progress, Li Mo also had to act as a bodyguard while the shrine maidens repaired the wards. Over the past few days, he had lost count of how many Hilichurls he had killed. To him, those monsters were no different from weeds—cut down one day, only to grow back the next.

As for the theory that Hilichurls were cursed ancient people... that had nothing to do with Li Mo. He would simply raise his blade and strike, raise it again and strike again. Perhaps death was a release for those suffering under the curse?

Besides, no matter how decisive Li Mo was in his killing, it was still better than Alice's insane idea of using Hilichurls as capitalists or even turning elderly Hilichurls into feed to raise younger ones. That was downright deranged.

"Have you all packed your things? Double-check to make sure nothing's left behind. If there is, go back and get it now. Otherwise, there won't be another chance."

Li Mo, in his role as the priest, addressed the shrine maidens who had come to Yashiori Island.

No one stepped forward. That meant nothing had been left behind.

He acted quickly. Using "Dragon's Remnant Shadows," he summoned shadowy dragon-like figures to violently dismantle the temporary shelters the shrine maidens had been living in. The wood from the structures could be reused, ensuring that Kujou Village wouldn't run out of firewood for a while.

Aside from the walls, the furniture inside was also dealt with. Most of it had been hastily made by Li Mo for emergency use. Of course, there were exceptions—some of the furniture in Yae Miko's room had been "borrowed" from the Fatui's supply shipments.

As she put it, she had endured half a month of ascetic living. She couldn't keep that up for the second half...

However, once they returned to the Grand Narukami Shrine, she could resume her leisurely lifestyle. Life on Yashiori Island wasn't exactly comfortable—it was downright arduous.

Everything that needed to be dismantled was taken apart. The camp was located south of Kujou Village, and reaching the village required crossing a bridge. Near the camp stood a Statue of the Omnipresent God. In the game, Li Mo often teleported to the statue, then flew over the broken bridge to farm for materials in Kujou Village.

In reality, the bridge wasn't broken yet.

After dismantling what needed to be taken apart, the usable items were moved to Kujou Village. The furniture could be reused or burned as firewood. Firewood, rice, oil, and salt were all indispensable. Li Mo had saved the village a lot of manpower this time.

"The barrier around Kujou Village has been removed, and the Tatarigami energy on the island has thinned out. There shouldn't be any issues now."

Helping the shrine maidens move their belongings to the dock, Li Mo used "Dragon's Remnant Shadows," a power meant for dragons to wield in battle, for menial labor. It was like the Shadow Army had been reemployed for odd jobs.

At the dock, the Fatui were openly present. Over the past few days, the supplies for Kujou Village and their group had been entirely provided by the Fatui. At first, they only handled transportation, but later they took care of both purchasing and shipping.

The Fatui didn't refuse the freeloading, likely due to orders from Scaramouche. It was easy to deduce that the Gnosis was their top priority, and spending some money and manpower was a small price to pay.

In Liyue, the Fatui had sent teams deep into the Chasm, suffering significant losses.

Moreover, the details of the ward destruction on Yashiori Island had been leaked to the Fatui. They knew they had been caught red-handed and had no choice but to pay the price. Even the resistance army had managed to extract some benefits from them.

Once everything was packed, it was time to board the ship and leave Yashiori Island. Regarding the wards, Li Mo had asked the village chief of Kujou Village to keep an eye on them. He didn't expect them to be perfectly protected, but he wanted the Grand Narukami Shrine to be informed immediately if anything happened.

Li Mo didn't think such an incident would happen again. The defenses around the wards had been strengthened, and the Fatui had no reason to destroy them again. If they did, the consequences wouldn't be as lightly brushed off as before.

The ship back to Narukami Island wasn't one of the Fatui's vessels but one provided by the Tenryou Commission.

Once aboard, Li Mo found Yae Miko standing on the deck, enjoying the night breeze.

"Yae, when Kokomi visited us before leaving Yashiori Island, what did you discuss about the Delusions?"

As soon as the question left his lips, Yae Miko tilted her head and said, "Oh, little guy, are you getting senile? Or are you running a fever? Hmm, no fever."

She placed her hand on Li Mo's forehead, like a caring older sister checking for a temperature.

Of course, there was no fever.

At Li Mo's level, how could he fall ill from mere bacteria?

Most diseases couldn't affect him, and the vast majority of viruses deadly to humans were harmless to him.

Li Mo said, "Well, I was deep in thought that day."

Kokomi hadn't stayed at the resistance army's main camp in Fujitou Fortress the entire time. She not only had to handle internal issues within the resistance but also return to Watatsumi Island to deal with logistics and civilian affairs.

Before leaving, she had made a point to visit Li Mo and the others to express her gratitude.

At the very least, regarding the Nathan incident, she had gained some leverage over the Fatui.

At the time, Li Mo had been physically present, but his mind was clearly elsewhere.

Yae Miko sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you. Kokomi said she was aware of the Delusion situation and would take steps to stop it."

"But she can't completely stop it," Li Mo said.

During war, watching people you know turn into cold corpses can inflame the desire for power to unprecedented levels. Even if the price for that power is one's life, it wouldn't matter.

—Humans never lack individuals willing to make deals with the devil.

Yae Miko glanced at Li Mo. "You seem to understand that quite well."

"I was just making an offhand remark. After all, no matter the world, humans' strengths and weaknesses are pretty much the same."

People from different worlds share similarities.

That was the phenomenon Li Mo had observed.

As for the reasons, he wasn't a scientist. Why bother with so many questions?

Yae Miko: "On the Shogunate's side, I heard Kujou Sara will be arriving in a few days. The war between the resistance and the Shogunate has reached a stalemate."

"Kujou Sara... Is she the only talent the Shogunate can field at this point?"

"There are plenty of capable people at the lower levels, but high-tier combatants aren't so easily cultivated. Kujou Sara... well, let's just say she has potential," Yae Miko said calmly.

Currently, in Inazuma, the only one who could be considered a divine familiar was Yae Miko herself. The Raiden Shogun was essentially a lone figure.

Now, with Li Mo added to the mix, there was one more.

"Little guy, when are you planning to ascend to Tenshukaku?"

"Not yet. There are still some key points I need to figure out. I need to see the Statue of the Omnipresent God in person. Oh, by the way, Yae. If the Vision Hunt Decree were to be fully enforced, would your Vision be confiscated?" Li Mo asked.

Yae Miko let out a bell-like laugh. "Little guy, that's a question you can ask the Shogun herself."