Chapter 31: Let Me Tell You a Secret
The battle between Su Xiao and Komamura Sajin took place in the Rukongai district, not too far from the Seireitei. At the very beginning of the fight, the Shinigami living on the outskirts of the Seireitei sensed something, but they didn't show themselves. The Rukongai was hardly a peaceful place; conflicts were common.
However, after Komamura Sajin used his Bankai, that immense spiritual pressure was detected by the Shinigami, and they rushed straight toward the White Road Gate.
Near the White Road Gate, Su Xiao tossed Komamura Sajin's corpse to the ground and walked over to the headless body of Jidanbo not far away. He grabbed the massive corpse with his bare hands and saw a series of carvings beneath it.
'Zuo Zongwei, resurrection, Yellow Springs, Rukongai.'
From these words, it was clear that Komamura Sajin had been in a hurry earlier, not even having time to leave a complete message.
Su Xiao didn't destroy the carvings on the corpse. This information would be very helpful for his next plans.
"Shadow, stand by here."
As soon as Su Xiao finished speaking, Shadow emerged from the darkness. After his personal consciousness was sealed, his execution ability had improved by leaps and bounds, though his strength had decreased somewhat.
Just as Shadow appeared, chaotic footsteps came from the direction of the Seireitei. Su Xiao took out an alchemy bomb and tossed it near Shadow and Komamura Sajin's corpse.
After doing this, Su Xiao quickly disappeared into the darkness, heading straight for the First Division barracks. With Bubu Wang, who had blended into the environment, clearing the way ahead, Su Xiao soon arrived inside the Seireitei.
Su Xiao didn't return directly to the First Division barracks. Instead, he crouched on top of a civilian house, eyes tightly shut, remotely controlling Shadow's actions.
Near the White Road Gate, Shadow drew the Zanpakuto at his waist and stabbed himself several times in the chest, spilling large amounts of blood on the ground. Given Shadow's strength, if he had fought Komamura Sajin, there was a high chance he would have been injured. This was only logical—details determined success or failure.
After self-inflicting a few wounds, Shadow picked up the alchemy bomb from the ground, crouched in front of Komamura Sajin's corpse, and waited silently.
The footsteps grew clearer. When they reached a certain threshold, the surface of the alchemy bomb turned blazing red.
Boom!
The explosion echoed through the White Road Gate area, the flames dispelling the surrounding darkness and igniting several civilian houses.
Shadow flew out from the center of the explosion. At the same time, a large group of Shinigami rushed to the vicinity.
"What's going on? That spiritual pressure just now really felt like Captain Komamura."
"Look over there!"
A Shinigami pointed forward, and the others followed his gaze. They saw a man covered in sword wounds standing in the flames, with a corpse lying nearby.
"That's..."
Some Shinigami noticed the corpse on the ground. The blazing white haori was something they were very familiar with.
"You grunts over there."
Shadow flicked his sleeve, extinguishing the flames on it.
"Tell Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni that I'm back."
Shadow grabbed the corpse on the ground and threw it toward these lower and mid-level Shinigami of the Seventh Division.
With a thud, the corpse landed. Several Shinigami immediately stepped forward. Few of them had ever seen Komamura Sajin's true face, but they all recognized the captain's haori and the character 'Seven' on its back.
"Captain... Komamura?"
A female Shinigami spoke in a trembling voice, seemingly unable to believe what had just happened.
"Get him."
"That guy is escaping toward the Rukongai! Avenge the captain!"
A few Shinigami with red-rimmed eyes chased after Shadow, but moments later, they let out screams one after another. Even without using his Zanpakuto's abilities, Shadow's physical attributes were still at the captain level, and now Su Xiao was controlling Shadow's body.
Shadow quickly disappeared into the Rukongai. Su Xiao, still in the Seireitei area, opened his eyes and headed straight for the First Division barracks.
After 5 minutes and 12 seconds of full-speed travel, Su Xiao returned to the front door of the First Division barracks. Bubu Wang led the way, and the two entered the wooden building of the First Division.
The interior of the wooden building was very spacious. It served as the face of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and Yamamoto Genryusai's office.
In less than 20 seconds, Su Xiao returned to his room. He took 40 seconds to take a shower, dry his hair, and quickly down a flask of sake.
After doing all this, Su Xiao sat cross-legged at a wooden table. On the table were two simple appetizers and half a flask of sake. Bubu Wang lay down beside the table and fell asleep instantly.
No matter who entered the room, they would never suspect that Su Xiao had gone out earlier.
With a click, Su Xiao turned off a miniature audio player and a holographic projector. The audio player emitted the sound of drinking every 10 to 20 seconds on average, with a sigh about every five minutes. As for the holographic projector, it was used to project Su Xiao's image. As long as no one entered the room and came right up to the image, no one would discover that Su Xiao had been out.
After finishing this, Su Xiao began to meditate. He had just made a move, so it was inevitable that he had some trouble suppressing his bloodlust.
Five minutes later, intermittent shouts began to sound from outside. Ten minutes later, hurried footsteps echoed through the wooden building of the First Division.
Su Xiao continued to drink leisurely. With a bang, the sliding wooden door was yanked open.
"Pant, pant, Lord Bai Ye, something terrible has happened!"
Breathing heavily, Nan Que stood at the doorway, speaking between gasps.
"Captain Komamura Sajin... has been killed!"
Nan Que let out a long breath, quickly walked into the room, picked up the water jug on the table, and gulped down several mouthfuls. It seemed that due to the shock, she couldn't maintain her usual ladylike demeanor.
"Komamura Sajin was killed?"
Su Xiao was taken aback, looking at Nan Que with surprise. Bubu Wang, lying on the ground nearby, secretly opened an eye. Seeing Su Xiao's expression, he let out a long sigh, his look clearly saying: "So exhausting, this dog is just going back to sleep."
Of course, Su Xiao wouldn't show too much shock or bewilderment. He was stunned for only a moment before accepting the current situation. He had no personal relationship with Komamura Sajin. Upon hearing the news of his death, he didn't need to put on any act. Being natural was the best performance.
"Give me the details."
Su Xiao, wearing thin clothes, casually threw on a garment. Nan Que began to recount the information she knew.
A moment later.
"Oh? Captain Komamura Sajin died at the White Road Gate. Coincidentally, I entered the Seireitei through that very gate..."
"Shh~"
Nan Que raised a fair finger to her lips, signaling Su Xiao to stop talking.
"Sir, at such a sensitive time, you can't be associated with the White Road Gate. They say the guards there are dead too, in a gruesome way—their heads were chopped off..."
Nan Que's small face was grim. Because she wasn't highly valued, she had always stayed within the Seireitei and hadn't experienced much turmoil. That was why, upon hearing the news of Komamura Sajin and Jidanbo's deaths, her first reaction was palpitations, and her second was to pray she never met the murderer.
"It's fine. If I could gain the strength to defeat Captain Komamura Sajin, even being suspected would be worth it."
"Shh~"
Barefoot, Nan Que ran to the door, confirmed no one was outside, then returned to the wooden table.
"Lord Bai Ye, let me tell you a secret..."
Nan Que bared her neat little white teeth, leaning mysteriously closer to Su Xiao.