Chapter 99: A Letter from Hearing Zhu Shi

Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

Butterfly Mansion meeting.

After the incident at Yoshiwara red-light district ended, Ubuyashiki Kagaya convened a Hashira meeting for the first time.

All twelve Hashira, including the former Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojururo, had gathered here.

Tengen Uzui recounted the matter of Upper Moon Six from beginning to end in careful detail.

Everyone also got a general understanding of what had happened.

"That's how it is. I crossed blades with Upper Moon Six once—he was incredibly strong! If not for Yu Yu Lingzi's help, I very well might have died!"

"Yu Yu Lingzi? Who's that?"

"Hahaha, Yu Yu Lingzi is of course Zero, his gorgeous female outfit…"

Fwoosh!

Thud!

Everyone:!!!

Before Tengen Uzui could finish speaking, two springs he didn't know when had appeared beneath the cushion he was kneeling on launched him into the air.

His head got stuck in the ceiling, his body just hanging there from the ceiling, swaying freely.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya and his wife Ubuyashiki Ubuyashiki Tianyin were also startled.

Everyone's gaze snapped to Zero in unison.

He held a cup of hot tea—nobody knew where he'd gotten it—and sat quietly with his legs folded, slowly enjoying it.

The atmosphere around them grew somewhat still.

"Where were we just now?" Zero silently tucked the spring cushion back into his 【Nano Space】, looking perfectly nonchalant.

As if what had just happened had nothing whatsoever to do with him.

"Sis… Brother-in-law, Mr. Tengen just said you were wearing women's clothes…"

"What women's clothes? You misheard."

"But we all heard…"

"You misheard."

"But just now…"

"Xiao Ren, you don't know anything about what just happened, and there was no women's clothes. Do you understand?"

Zero's face was shrouded in darkness as he kept up a harmless-looking smile, slowly drawing closer to Hu Die Ren.

Gul~

Looking at her brother-in-law right before her eyes, Hu Die Ren couldn't help but swallow.

She felt her brother-in-law had become somewhat of a stranger.

As if he'd become especially scheming.

She also didn't know who he'd learned it from…

A moment later.

Tengen Uzui was pulled down from the ceiling and made to report some matters again.

But in between, not a single word was mentioned about Yu Yu Lingzi's empress business.

He secretly muttered to himself: How is this guy Zero just as scheming as Miss Ren…

The meeting lasted all the way until evening.

Zero pretended to leave the Butterfly Mansion normally, returned to his own estate, and then shut himself in his room.

"Oh my goodness… I almost got done in by Tengen Uzui~ Phew… phew…"

Meow~

A cat's meow came, and a calico cat with a talisman stuck to its head appeared at the window,

"Cha Cha Wan, how did you get here? I didn't expect you could even find this place."

Cha Cha Wan came to Zero's feet, pawed at his trench coat, and pointed at the small bundle on her back.

Upon opening it, there were two vials of medicine and a handwritten letter from Hearing Zhu Shi.

"Good work, Cha Cha Wan."

After taking the items, he gave Cha Cha Wan another pet.

Meow~

Cha Cha Wan enjoyed Zero's stroking for a moment, then turned and left the Demon Slayer Corps to go report back.

He carefully set the vials of medicine aside and opened the handwritten letter to read it.

【Zero, it's been a long time.】

【Thanks to the blood samples you sent, my research has achieved a tremendous breakthrough.】

【After spending several years, I've finally developed a medicine that can turn demons back into humans! As per our agreement from back then, once the medicine research was successful, I'd give you a portion.】

【But I haven't actually used these medicines on a demon yet, so I'm not entirely sure whether they'll work?】

【So, if you could, would you mind helping out with this? If you have any requests, as long as it's something I can do, I'll agree to it.】

【Hearing Zhu Shi — personally written】

He picked up the vials of medicine set aside and examined them for a moment.

"So this is the medicine that can turn demons back into humans?"

So he activated his 【Analysis Glasses】 to analyze them.

【Analyzing… analysis successful】

【Item: Human Medicine】

【Brief Introduction: A medicine personally developed by "Hearing Zhu Shi." When a demon takes it, they can revert back into a human.】

Although the analysis data on the 【Analysis Glasses】 clearly stated that demons could revert to humans after taking it,

to be cautious, Zero decided that tonight he would go to his jurisdiction and capture an evil demon to test it on.

If it worked, then consider that lucky fellow to have stepped in dog shit luck…

It's just a pity to waste one dose of the medicine.

But at least it proves that Nezuko can revert to a human, and when the time comes she can truly stand under the sunlight and reunite with her family.

That can also be considered a wonderful thing.

After making his decision, Zero immediately set out, heading toward his jurisdiction.

On the other side, Tengen Uzui was sprinting around the Demon Slayer Corps, seemingly to burn off his excess energy.

Normally, he could have asked his three wives to help him deal with this.

But he had already promised Zero to let his three wives go to Zero's residence to help Aunt Kui Zhi with housework.

Therefore, he could only resolve it in this way.

The one who caused this situation was naturally Hu Die Ren.

After the Hashira Coordination Meeting ended, Tengen Uzui was about to head back when he was intercepted by the Butterfly sisters and Xiao Xiao Mili.

"Mr. Uzui, please wait a moment." Xiang Nai Hui called out.

"Young Lady Xiang Nai Hui, what is it?"

"Will you come with me for a moment? I have something I want to ask you."

Then, without caring whether Tengen Uzui agreed or not, she led him straight into the parlor.

"Young Lady Xiang Nai Hui, what business do you have with me?"

"Actually, it's about Yu Yu Lingzi… my husband. Can you tell me what that's all about?"

Xiao Xiao Mili, who was beside her, also nodded, indicating she was very curious as well.

"That won't do! I am the God of Flashy Festivals, and I promised Zero I absolutely wouldn't tell!"

"Is that so? What a shame."

While they were talking, Kanzaki Aoi brought over four cups of hot tea and placed one before each of them.

This was something Hu Die Ren had instructed Kanzaki Aoi to do after entering the Butterfly Estate.

Tengen Uzui picked up his tea and drank it down without any hesitation.

Then he continued, "Sorry, Young Lady Xiang Nai Hui. If you really want to know, you can ask Zero directly. After all, he is your and Xiao Xiao Mili's husband."

Finally, he rose and left the Butterfly Estate.

Xiang Nai Hui did not give up because of this. She remembered that the three of them who had gone on the mission together also included Tanjiro and two others.

Surely those three must know about Yu Yu Lingzi's situation, so wouldn't it work to just go ask them directly?

Moreover, Xiang Nai Hui was very concerned about the matter of Zero cross-dressing.

Hu Die Ren watched Tengen Uzui leave, smiled darkly, and muttered inwardly: "Wishing you a pleasant evening."

In the tea Kanzaki Aoi had brought, Hu Die Ren had beforehand handed her a specially prepared potion.

And instructed Kanzaki Aoi to add the potion into it as well.

Kanzaki Aoi didn't quite understand what this was for, but she didn't ask further and simply did as she was told.

That potion was actually a concentrated sleep aid mixed with an energy-restoring tonic strengthened tenfold.

Just imagine—when a person wants to sleep, yet their whole body inexplicably breaks out in a feverish heat, unable to sleep no matter how hard they try.

When something like this happens, what can you do?

Therefore, Tengen Uzui originally intended to soak in a hot spring to resolve it.

Not only did it have no effect, it actually stimulated the drug's potency even more.

Then he thought about going to find his three wives to help him deal with it.

Only then did he remember that all three of them had gone to Zero's residence to help Aunt Kui Zhi with housework.

So none of them were home.

With no choice, Tengen Uzui could only change his clothes and then use training as a way to release his excess energy.

"Hoo—hoo—What's going on? Why is it so hot? This is not flashy at all!"

Helplessly, Tengen Uzui could only quicken his running pace.

Achoo!

"Strange, who's talking about me? Why do I have a bad feeling?"

Zero, who was heading toward his jurisdiction to capture demons, suddenly sneezed out of nowhere.

A chill ran down his spine, as if something unpleasant was about to happen.

And indeed, the fact was exactly as he had thought.

At this moment, the three little ones—Tanjiro and the others—were called together by Xiang Nai Hui, who questioned them about Yu Yu Lingzi's matter at the Yoshiwara Entertainment District.

The honest Tanjiro basically told the truth about everything, laying it all out in full.

After learning the general situation, Xiang Nai Hui was satisfied and let them go.

"Ara, my dear husband, I wonder if you'd be willing to put on women's clothes and perform for me? Hehe~"

Just thinking about Zero's looks, and then him wearing women's clothes, made Xiang Nai Hui get very excited.

Although Xiao Xiao Mili was a little puzzled and didn't understand what had gotten into Xiang Nai Hui,

she was likewise very curious about what Zero would look like in women's clothes.

The scene shifted, back to Zero's side.

At this point, after several hours of travel, he had arrived at his jurisdiction.

He had been searching here for evil demons this whole time.

However, after searching for half a day, let alone an evil demon—

He couldn't even find the shadow of one.

Could it be that Muzan Kibutsuji has anemia?

So he can't create evil demons anymore?

If that's really the case, then his current profession as a Demon Slayer is basically the equivalent of being unemployed?!

Thinking of all this, Zero wished he could find the Infinity Castle again and storm Muzan Kibutsuji's headquarters.

Grab Muzan Kibutsuji by the neck and interrogate him: "Where are the evil demons?!"!

As the Demon King, to disrespect himself like this—he wanted to ask him, does he look down on the profession of Demon Slayer?!

Inside the Infinity Castle.

Muzan Kibutsuji, who was in the middle of an experiment, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

He habitually turned his head to look behind him.

"What's going on? Why do I feel like I'm being watched?" Muzan Kibutsuji thought.

After searching for so long, there were only a few hours left until dawn.

Zero decided to search a little longer. If he still couldn't find an evil demon, then he could only go to the area under another Hashira's jurisdiction to look.

Suddenly, Zero noticed a sneaky, furtive figure in a village not far ahead.

From the look of it, it was a female ghost.

"Thank heavens, finally found an evil demon."

He quietly snuck over, coming up behind the evil demon.

Taking her off guard, he grabbed her and dragged her into a secluded grove.

However, this evil demon didn't show the fearful eyes he had imagined, but instead told Zero to stay away from her quickly.

"Go! Hurry and leave! I don't want to hurt you!"

She seemed afraid of losing control, constantly restraining herself.

This scene made Zero a little curious.

So he didn't rush to act, but instead leaned quietly against a tree trunk and asked: "Can you tell me why?"

"I…"

The female ghost hesitated for a long time, and finally told Zero what had happened to her.

It turned out that a few days earlier, she had gone to a distant town to sell vegetables and earn money to support her family.

Later, on the way back, she encountered a strange man.

That man said nothing, directly thrust his finger into her body, injected his blood, and caused her to become like this.

After becoming a demon, she had an incomparably intense craving for flesh and blood.

She also personally killed two innocent villagers and ate them!

Afterward, the female ghost deeply regretted it.

At the same time, she was also very worried about her only daughter at home.

Relying on sheer willpower, she barely managed to restrain her desire to continue eating people.

She didn't dare come out during the day, and could only find a place to hide, then take advantage of the dark to return to her village.

But the female ghost was afraid that her appearance would scare her daughter, and also afraid of hurting her daughter.

Therefore, she could only silently stand guard not far away every night, quietly watching her daughter.

When hungry, she would eat her own hand to fill her stomach, or go into the forest to hunt some wild rabbits, wild chickens, and the like.

These past few nights, she often saw her daughter standing at the door, waiting for when her mother would be able to return…

When the words reached this point, the female ghost could no longer hold back her tears, and they flowed down.

"Sigh…" Zero silently let out a breath.

This made him think of so-called "motherly love"—even after becoming a demon, she still worried about her child every single moment.

"If I say I have a way to turn you back into a human, so you can reunite with your daughter?"

"R-really…?"

"It's true, but… it's only a possibility, it might also fail!"

The female ghost thought for a moment, and replied: "If it fails, may I ask you to promise me one thing?"

"Go ahead and say it. If I can do it, I'll help you get it done."

Seeing Zero agree, the female ghost took out a small pouch of money from her bosom.

"I hope you can give this money to my daughter for me, and tell her to live well."

"Aren't you afraid I'm a bad person who'll just take the money and leave?"

"I believe in you. I can feel that you seem to be quite extraordinary!"

"Is that so…"

Afterward, Zero took out that potion and handed it to the female ghost.

"Drink it down."

Zero also knew that Muzan Kibutsuji might be able to see him through the evil demon's vision, but he didn't care.

If Muzan Kibutsuji could come find him, that would be for the best!

In a little while, the female ghost had already drunk the potion down.

However, she didn't feel any great change.

"Strange, could this potion have no effect?" Zero thought.

The sky gradually turned the pale white of a fish's belly.

Though somewhat disappointed, the female ghost still accepted this fact willingly.

Only that she could no longer continue living together with her daughter.

"Mr., thank you…"

A faint smile appeared on the female ghost's face, and a single tear fell.

Gazing at the sunlight not far away, she slowly walked toward it.

Zero had wanted to stop her, yet held himself back.

This was her choice.

The blazing morning sun shone upon the female ghost's body, igniting flames that sought to reduce her to ashes.

In her eyes, there still seemed to be a trace of relief and a certain unwillingness to part…

However, something strange happened.

The searing pain on the female ghost's body stopped, and her burned skin also began to gradually heal.

Clearly, the potion was not without effect.

"I… am I…" The woman, who had turned back into a human, touched her own face, then raised her head to look at the sky.

As if all of this were just a dream!

Zero was also happy for her.

He casually returned that small pouch of money to her.

"This thing, you'd better hand it to your daughter yourself."

In the end, under the woman's thanks, he watched her return to her own home.

Seeing her own daughter, the woman could no longer hold back her tears and broke down sobbing as she held her daughter.

During these days, she had truly been living in fear.

Watching the reunited mother and daughter before him, Zero also felt an indescribable joy in his heart.

He could feel that, compared to before, he now possessed far more emotions.

Rather than being like before, always cold and icy.

In the end, amid the mother and daughter's endless words of thanks, he left the place.

Since the potion was effective, he had better hurry back and let Nezuko take it too, to turn back into a human.