Chapter 117: Going Against the Grain

  "You're surprised." Han Yu said with a raised eyebrow while driving, "However, if you know where that Shao Yang is, it's best to tell me. He's in grave danger this time."

  The old boat smiled slightly, with no hint of the gravity or relief of having just been kidnapped and escaped from death on his face. He simply reminded them calmly: "Those people from earlier were all from Sword Gate."

  Han Yu nodded and said, "I know."

  "Do you know that you're still saving me? Don't you know that they are the largest gang in LN, with great power?" The old boat suddenly sighed and said: "You shouldn't have come to save me!"

  Han Yu smiled and glanced at him, saying lightly: "I don't want to offend it either, but I have accepted someone's request and will be loyal to that person. I promised someone else that I would rescue this Shao Yang, so I must do my best. Besides, that Sword Gate may be strong, but it's not necessarily invincible."

  The old boat's eyes flashed and he said in a low voice: "Are you from above?"

  Han Yu shook his head slightly: "Used to be, but now I'm on my own."

  ……

  The old man still didn't say where Shao Yang was, or if he simply didn't know. Han Yu also stopped asking and drove straight to Longtou Street, outside the Yifeng Martial Arts Hall.

  "What's with the Ittō-ryū dojo? A place for Japanese people? What did you bring me here for?" The old man quickly glanced at the still-hanging sign, a flicker of wariness flashing in his eyes that didn't match his merchant nature.

  Han Yu smiled and said, "Didn't you say that Jianmen's power is very strong? Then of course we need to find some extras to help us! Let's hurry up, or else we won't be able to leave later."

  As he spoke, Han Yu led Zhuo Bu Fan and Lao Chuan into the Iaido dojo. The three had just entered when a grey Changhe drove up from one end of the street.

  The black car window rolled down, revealing a face full of puzzled expressions. Who else could it be if not Zhao Gang?

  He had agreed to let Han Yuqiu go far away, but when he saw the fat meat and the cooked duck within his grasp, it fell into someone else's mouth instead, and he couldn't help feeling a little resentful.

  So, after determining Han Yu's identity and residence, I will report this matter. No matter whether the result can find that Shao Yang or not, at least his reward for reporting is secured.

  What he didn't expect was that after following him all the way, Han Yu actually ended up here.

  "Hey, isn't this the territory of the Japanese? Is that person a Japanese?" A young swordsman from the side approached, slightly furrowing his brow.

  "How the hell should I know?!" Zhao Gang exclaimed, grabbing his head and getting a bit angry. The gleaming sign of "One Knife Flow" sparkled in the rising sunlight, as if it was mocking him. Zhao Gang narrowed his eyes and gave the car outside a fierce glare - it was the one that Han Yu had snatched from them, so he could naturally recognize it clearly.

  However, the organization has a clear rule that prohibits easily conflicting with foreigners. So, he is now somewhat uncertain about whether to report this message or not.

  "Hey, Big Brother, shall we go in and take a look?" asked the little brother beside him.

  "Who cares! Aren't you afraid of getting burned? Zhao Gang gave him a cold glance, thought for a moment and said: "Alright, the two of you stay here and keep an eye on things. I'll go back and report this immediately. As for how to handle it, we'll just follow orders."

  ……

  Han Yu didn't actually enter Ichiriki, to be precise, he just brought the two of them through the reception hall and went straight out the back door. Today's Ichiriki was quite desolate, except for the two service staff standing guard at the entrance, there wasn't a single person around.

  All the students, after what happened last night, have almost all withdrawn from school. And even reports about the mysterious Z-country expert who challenged Ichikai-ryū Budōkan have already appeared in the newspapers, and those coaches and Yagyu Shōzaemon are studying countermeasures.

  The two little girls at the door saw Han Yu last night, but what they saw was his slightly adjusted appearance. Now he wears a pair of large sunglasses, and his temperament has changed, so the two didn't recognize him.

  Zhuo Bu Fan was the same. Although he had been sent by Han Yu to be an undercover agent for most of the day, and even more so at night, secretly collaborating with them, but having almost no contact with these two girls made it naturally safer.

  Out of the back door, Han Yu and Zhuo Bu Fan got into a Passat with a local license plate. Inside, the injured Ming Zai was sitting in the driver's seat.

  "I originally wanted you to rest for a while, but things have changed. So, let's go to the city first and find the best hotel to stay in." Han Yu looked at Ming Zai with some apology.

  He originally wanted to take a taxi, but was worried that the people from Jianmen had secretly controlled the taxis here, and there were many mouths, so after thinking about it, he finally decided to let Ming Zai run an errand himself.

  Last night, Mingzi had already prepared a brand new set of license plates, so he didn't have to worry about being tracked down to Beihai County hundreds or even thousands of miles away and having his cover blown.

  "What's the best hotel? Boss, if we avoid Sword Gate's line of sight and find a small, inconspicuous hotel to stay in for a night, wouldn't that be enough? Staying in a big hotel wouldn't make us more likely to be exposed?" Mingzi slowly started the car, asking puzzled.

  Just now when Han Yu called him to come here to pick someone up, he had already briefly told him about what happened, so that's why he would ask this.

  Han Yu said faintly, "Small hotels are often located on bustling yet not prosperous streets, where dragons and snakes mix together. Who knows how many swordsmen's eyes are hidden among them? In comparison, those large hotels are safer."

  The old boat nodded and smiled: "So to speak, you deliberately took us to the One Knife Flow's guild hall, also to let the people of Jianmen mistakenly think that the person who saved me is them?"

  Han Yu squinted and scanned the crowd outside the car, at this time the sun had begun to disperse the thin mist like a light gauze, and there were more pedestrians on the street: "Just passing by."

  The car quickly drove to a big hotel called Blue Ocean. In order not to arouse suspicion that they were together, Zhuo Bufan got off first and booked a room. Then, Han Yu and Lao Chuan made a phone call to book another one. After Zhuo Bufan received the key to the room, Han Yu and Lao Chuan calmly walked in.

  The Blue Ocean is a four-star hotel, where even a standard room costs 888 yuan per day. Of course, you can also choose the decoration style according to your preferences, whether it's luxurious, warm, pastoral or some other style.

  In short, the customer is God and this phrase will be most aptly demonstrated here.

  "What is your relationship with Shao Yang after all? Why did the people from Jianmen find you?" Han Yu sat down and couldn't help but ask in a low voice.