Chapter 61: Defending the Library

Wang Hai and Wu Cai saw that Zhang Cheng had been gone for a long time, and seeing the frequent thunderous strikes and artillery explosions over on the battlefield, they ran over in worry, just in time to see Zhang Cheng in conversation with a monster.

Wu Cai hurriedly stepped forward and shouted: "Junior Brother, why is there still a monster? It's so ugly, I don't even recognize it."

Wang Hai also ran over and looked toward Zhang Cheng.

Zhang Cheng smiled and said: "This is a Kappa, a Shikigami of an Onmyoji. I killed that Onmyoji, and now it has defected to me."

Wang Hai asked in confusion: "Junior Brother, what is a Shikigami? I see it uses a monster; can that also be called a 'god'?"

Zhang Cheng explained: "The 'Shi' in Shikigami means 'to serve.' Shikigami can be understood as 'serving gods,' meaning spirits or monsters that serve their master."

Wu Cai shook his head and said: "I thought it was something else; it's just heterodox ways. Junior Brother, how is the situation now?"

Zhang Cheng looked left and right, discovered some changes on the battlefield, and said: "It's not safe here; let's go back and talk."

He took out the Thousand Miles of Mountains and Rivers Map, took the Kappa inside directly, and returned to their villa with his two senior brothers.

Inside the Marine Corps Headquarters in Hongkou, the Commander was berating Abe Yukimasa and Fukada Mitsuko, shouting: "There was a major error and omission in Zhabei; the Second Left Route Command Post was wiped out, and the war situation is deteriorating rapidly. How do you explain this?"

Abe Yukimasa had nothing to say; he had originally thought that two Onmyoji plus over a dozen people from the Nine Chrysanthemums Sect would be enough, never expecting such a massive oversight.

He immediately asked: "Commander, I would like to ask, is there any intelligence on the enemy who attacked us?"

The Commander snorted coldly and said: "According to reports from survivors, it was a young man, about twenty-four or twenty-five, a Daoist of the Chinese."

Fukada Mitsuko asked in shock: "Such a young Daoist? According to existing intelligence..."

The Commander said directly: "The judgment given by the South City Agency is that it is either Que Qingzi from Wudang Mountain, who rose to fame last year, or Zhang Cheng, a disciple of the Maoshan Southern Sect who arrived during the first lunar month."

"Regardless of which one it is, you are to take men and kill them immediately!"

Abe Yukimasa hesitated for a moment and asked: "Commander, I also know the intelligence on these two. That Que Qingzi is easy to deal with, but that Zhang Cheng is in the Americans' territory; this is somewhat difficult to handle."

The Commander roared angrily: "Baka! I am not bargaining with you; this is an order!"

Abe Yukimasa's expression turned ugly, and he said coldly: "Our Onmyo Bureau is directly under His Majesty the Emperor; please mind your attitude, Commander."

Seeing that Abe Yukimasa had angered the Commander, Fukada Mitsuko hurriedly said: "Commander, our Nine Chrysanthemums School is willing to go and assassinate Zhang Cheng."

The Commander snorted coldly at Abe Yukimasa, then smiled at Fukada Mitsuko: "Good, I will leave this matter to you. Once this is accomplished, I will record your merits for the Nine Chrysanthemums School."

Fukada Mitsuko did not hesitate and immediately summoned her most valued disciple, Takanashi Anko. Takanashi was the surname of court nobles; for a woman of such noble status to practice the Nine Chrysanthemums School would be looked down upon in their circles.

But Takanashi Anko did not care about this, and her temper was very strange; in modern terms, she was a masochist and a yandere.

A woman with such a deranged personality was naturally suited for the Nine Chrysanthemums School.

Seeing Takanashi Anko, Fukada Mitsuko said with great satisfaction: "Anko, you have made great progress."

The beautiful-faced Takanashi Anko carried herself with elegance; she sat properly opposite Fukada, lowered her head slightly, and said softly: "This is all thanks to your guidance, Master. I wonder what business you have with your disciple?"

Fukada Mitsuko said: "Your two junior sisters are dead, dead in an unclear manner. This time, I am sending you to kill someone, and at the same time, to investigate how your junior sisters died."

Takanashi Anko smiled indifferently: "Oh? Those two pieces of trash are dead? Master, why be so cautious?"

Fukada Mitsuko frowned slightly,

and said: "I intervened in this matter, but I gained nothing. Anko, you must help your master."

"Hai," Takanashi Anko smiled, "Then Master, who is my target?"

Fukada Mitsuko took out a file folder and handed it to Anko, saying: "It is this person."

Takanashi Anko quickly finished reading Zhang Cheng's file, licked her lips, and said: "Not bad, very challenging."

The next day, at eight in the morning, someone from the Revival Society found Zhang Cheng and said to him: "Daoist Zhang, we have received news that the Japanese invaders' bombers will bomb the Commercial Press General Factory and the Oriental Library."

"This is not their true goal; they intend to take advantage of the chaos after the bombing to move all the books inside away and send them back to their country. We hope Daoist Zhang can help and see if there is any way to protect these books."

Ximen Lang, who was to the side, explained: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, the Japanese invaders are wolf-hearted. All these years, to prove they are the orthodox successors of Tang culture, they have been smearing us; things like claiming Emperor Taizong of Tang was a Xianbei are things they made up."

"These Japanese invaders believe that as long as they destroy our history, they can brainwash us, and then strengthen the concept that their Japanese culture is the orthodox Chinese culture, thereby reducing our resistance. Fellow Daoist Zhang, this matter concerns the survival of our nation!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cheng did not expect the Japanese invaders to be so insidious, and immediately said: "You all need not say more; I will definitely help with this matter. However, with aerial bombing, even if we set up an array, I fear it will not last long. I will do my best."

Wang Hai immediately said: "Junior Brother, we will also come to lend you a hand!"

They arrived at the Oriental Library, where over a dozen Daoists had already gathered, including several female Daoists.

One old man frowned and said: "Fellow Daoist Ximen, why bring a young man here? This matter is extremely dangerous; a slight carelessness will lead to death or injury."

Ximen Lang hurriedly explained: "Daoist Xu, you need not worry. Daoist Zhang and his companions are Maoshan disciples; the Maoshan arrays are the most powerful. This time, we must rely on Daoist Zhang."

Old Daoist Xu was startled and hurriedly bowed: "Do not take offense, Fellow Daoist. This poor Daoist was merely worried for your safety, hence why I spoke up."

Zhang Cheng did not take it to heart; after all, this concerned everyone's lives. He nodded and said: "There is no time to lose; I will set up the array now."

With the assistance of Wang Hai and Wu Cai, Zhang Cheng immediately set up the Golden Gang Array. This was a defensive array, perfect for defending against aerial bombing.

To strengthen the Golden Gang Array, Zhang Cheng spent five hundred merit points to exchange for the best array base and array eye, handing them to Wang Hai and Wu Cai to control.

Ximen Lang asked: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, how long can this array defend?"

Zhang Cheng shook his head and said: "I do not know either; it depends on how long the Japanese invaders' planes bomb."

Ximen Lang said worriedly: "If it cannot hold, then what will happen to the rare books treasured in this library!"