I'm really not the number one slacker in Soul Society.

Mizhen glanced at her reflection in the mirror, then at Liuyue's face, and silently nodded.

"really……"

..........................................

Gazing at the red glow gradually appearing on the distant horizon, Mi Zhen couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion or reflection).

What a long day...

There is little air pollution in Soul Society, and the sunrise is extremely beautiful. In the past, during those all-night fishing sessions, even Yama, who was spoiled by the fast pace of modern life, developed the habit of watching the sunrise.

But he doesn't have that free time today.

There is still a lot to do – the conspiracies of Shihōin Hyakugetsu, the Dark Azure Mighty Hand, and even the Shihōin and Tsunayashiro families behind them, are like mountains pressing down on his head. He won't be able to get a good night's sleep until he clears these mountains.

Mima wasn't exactly a good person full of enthusiasm, otherwise he would never have considered cooperating with Aizen. Only he himself probably knew the exact number of the "experiments" who died at the hands of this ambitious man. Although the 46 Chambers were a bunch of inflexible good-for-nothings, that didn't mean that Aizen, who intended to oppose them, was some kind of benefactor.

He bears some responsibility for this incident.

If he hadn't interfered with the defection of the Masked Army, such a huge blunder wouldn't have occurred on the Mugen side, and Shihouin Hyakugetsu wouldn't have had the chance to escape.

He may be lazy, but he's definitely not someone who's unwilling to take responsibility.

—Of course, there is another reason.

The moment he stepped into the 42nd ward of South Rukongai, a light screen suddenly popped up in front of him.

[Limited-time task has been released]

[Mission Objective: Investigate the truth behind Shihōin Hyōgetsu's acceptance of the "Spirit King's Torrent Power"]

[Quest Reward: Rabbit Talisman]

[Task deadline: Within seven days]

When Mima saw the reward details, she almost thought she was hallucinating.

Is it really that rabbit talisman that makes you move as fast as teleporting when you hold it, and can even travel through time and space after being charged?

When did this system become so generous?

Although the Rabbit Talisman is slightly less functional than the Horse or Dog Talismans in the same series, it is undoubtedly the most suitable for Mijin.

After all, Death rarely gets sick and hardly has to worry about dying of old age. His survival abilities are already more than enough, so he doesn't really need the latter two things. However, the Rabbit Talisman can genuinely increase his combat abilities.

I have no choice but to work hard now.

In an instant, Mima was full of energy and quickly began exploring the 42 districts of South Rukongai.

With a general location indicated, Mima discovered the anomaly deep in a forest with almost no effort.

It was a circular area with a radius of about fifty meters. There was nothing unusual about it visually or even in terms of spiritual pressure, but for Mi Zhen, a master of the Ghost Path, it exuded a sense of unease from head to toe.

"Is this... a barrier?"

Barrier Techniques, a rather unorthodox form of demonic arts.

It possesses characteristics such as "wide range", "long duration" and "stability", and is usually used in auxiliary fields such as sealing, defense and healing. However, due to its high learning difficulty, even among the Kido sect, only a small number of people are proficient in this art.

As the saying goes, even if you haven't eaten pork, you've seen pigs run. If Mi Zhen were to release the barrier himself, he could only manage two basic defensive barriers. But if you asked him to appreciate and identify them, he could talk on and on.

For example, this thing right in front of you.

“The light is deflected, the spiritual pressure is blocked… Hmm, it should also weaken the presence.”

Mi Zhen chuckled: "But it can only bully newbies who don't know anything about it."

Obviously, no group of people would be so bored as to set up such a complicated barrier in this desolate, godforsaken place.

If I'm not mistaken, Shihouin Hyakugetsu should be hiding inside.

Now that the destination has been confirmed, the next step should be...

Suddenly, Mi Zhen frowned.

—Something's happened at Seireitei!

Chapter 100: Salary-Obsessed Workers

When you're at work, there will always be one or two moments when you're not in control of your own life.

It could be unexpected overtime, unpaid wages, or a random accusation thrown at you – that's life. To make a living, there are always some hurdles you can't avoid. You either overcome them or you stumble and fall.

And the hurdle that belonged to the forty-two-year-old finally came before him.

Born in the 57th district of West Rukongai, Forty-two had no name. Even as a toddler, he was noticed by the Shihouin family for his talent and brought to Seireitei to be trained as a reserve member of the Secret Service "Execution Army". Because he was number forty-two among his peers, everyone called him that.

To be fair, Forty-Two is a very talented person. In less than fifty years, he has become a capable person who can handle things on his own. He has completed all the tasks he has handled with a high degree of success. Since his debut, he has almost never made a mistake. If it weren't for the sudden appearance of the Bee family's girl, he should have become one of Yoruichi Shihouin's personal bodyguards.

Even so, he still received the most generous treatment among his fellow trainees.

Although the privately-run Execution Army can't eat and drink like regular Gotei 13 members with their salaries, their equipment, supplies, medical services, and combat guidance are top-notch. They are always provided to the highest standards, and there is never any delay in payment.

However, all of this comes at a price.

Being highly capable means being able to take on more dangerous tasks.

Such as this time.

The order is to knock out Watanabe Yama, the fifth seat of the 8th Division, and take him to the 42nd ward of the South Rukongai. The specific methods are to be used by the executor on the spot. The only requirement is that even if he dies, his identity must not be exposed.

Watanabe Yama.

He was known as a helpful person in the Gotei 13.

Because of his special ability to help others avoid danger, many team members owe him a favor and are waiting for an opportunity to repay it.

In addition, because he had recently experienced some terrible things, even the unreliable captain of the 8th Division, Kyoraku Shunsui, was paying close attention to him and repeatedly asked other captains to take care of him during high-level meetings.

In this situation, Forty-Two had to lead his men to knock him unconscious and kidnap him.

It wasn't an assassination attempt, but rather knocking someone unconscious and taking them away.

It is said that Watanabe Yama, who is currently active outside, is a "clone," and only by knocking him out cleanly can the information be prevented from being leaked.

Well, the instant he finished reading the mission briefing, Forty-Two had already decided what font to use for his will.

Considering that he had no relatives or friends, he figured writing a will would be pointless, so he discarded it.

Running away is out of the question. If carrying out a mission is a matter of life and death, then running away offers no chance of survival whatsoever, and it would be a very creative way to die—the covert interrogators would be happy to send the traitor to the Technology Development Bureau as experimental material.

But how should it be implemented?

Since that incident four days ago, Watanabe Yama has never stepped out of Seireitei again, and he almost never goes alone.

Moreover, even a fool could see that Kyoraku Shunsui must have arranged a lot of protective measures around that guy.

There might be a captain-level figure lurking in the shadows.

With wolves in front and tigers behind, it seems like no matter which way you go, it's a dead end.

Forty-two is a very realistic person. Although he is grateful to the Shihōin family for raising him, he would never risk his life for them.

Why risk your life for a salary of a few hundred dollars a month? He's not one of those colleagues brainwashed by the so-called righteousness of the Four Winds, nor is he like the girls from the Bee family who worship the former captain as a god. Ultimately, he just wants to live a normal life. So how is he supposed to survive now?

After much deliberation, Forty-Two came up with a brilliant idea.

"So, has Watanabe Yama come out of the barracks yet?"

"The target left the 8th Division barracks two minutes ago and is now heading towards the central avenue." A subordinate knelt in front of Forty-Two and reported, "There are no guards around the target, and it is currently the time for the search team to change shifts, so the level of vigilance will be slightly lower. If we don't act now, it may be difficult to find another opportunity."

"you're right……"

Forty-two pondered for a moment, then patted his subordinate on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Here's what we'll do. Tell the brothers to retreat a bit further away and lie low for now. I'll handle Watanabe Yama's situation. You just need to observe the situation from a distance. If I don't send a signal within three minutes, or if the spiritual pressure disappears, then you should lead the brothers to retreat directly. It'll be good to report back to the head of the family."

His subordinate hesitated, "This...?"

"No need to say anything more," Forty-Two asserted. "It's impossible for Watanabe Yama to be without any defense forces right now, but we know nothing about him. Rather than letting you risk your lives to test him, it's better for me to go first. If I don't come back, you'll have an excuse to have the higher-ups cancel the mission or send someone stronger. It's better than all sixteen of us being wiped out."

After hearing these righteous and awe-inspiring words, even Forty-Two himself almost believed them.

"Team leader...we...will certainly not fail in our mission!"

With tears in his eyes, the subordinate kowtowed to Forty-Two, then left, turning back every few steps.

And Forty-Two also began his own actions.

Using the shadows of the buildings, he slowly crept up behind Watanabe Yama, who was strolling leisurely down the street.

Then I heard a subtle sound coming from behind me.

"My friend," a deep, middle-aged male voice suddenly rang out from behind Forty-Two, "what are you planning to do?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a flamboyant floral overcoat, and cold sweat immediately poured down his forehead like rain.

It's Kyoraku Shunsui!

Forty-two felt their heart and lungs suddenly stop!

"Captain Kyoraku, you predicted it. Sure enough, someone came to attack Watanabe, the fifth seat."

Another aged male voice rang out from behind and to the left of Forty-Two.

Forty-two degrees of cardiac arrest!

He recognized that voice!

He is Kuchiki Ginrei, the current head of the Kuchiki family and one of the veteran captains!

No wonder Watanabe Yama had no guards around him; it turns out his two captains were hiding in the shadows!

Desperate situation, utterly desperate situation!

If we don't use that move now, we might never have another chance to use it...

So Forty-Two swallowed hard, and after confirming that there was no one else around, he used all his strength to perform a tiger-landing-style earth-stomping squat!

"I surrender!"

He shouted in a very sincere voice, "Don't kill me!"

Mima: "?"

Spring Water: "?"

Kuchiki Ginryo: "?"