"Hey, Teppei. Instead of practicing your swordsmanship, what are you doing in our infirmary all day?"
The speaker was a one-eyed soldier, leaning against his bed. He looked at Teppei, who was constantly checking on the wounded, and spoke with some difficulty.
His face was covered in bandages, especially thick around his eye, but fresh blood still seeped through.
It was said that his eye was struck by an arrow in battle. He pulled it out, eyeball and all, and fought on the battlefield until he collapsed, only then was he brought back.
He was relatively lucky; at least he didn't die, and his wound received effective treatment.
But with his eyeball gone, wanting to fully recover... would likely be difficult.
"I've already practiced."
The sword techniques Bai Luo taught him were actually very simple, just the most basic swings and attack motions.
He already had a foundation, so he only needed to set aside some time each day to practice.
The rest of his time... was mostly spent in the infirmary.
The only thing he felt fortunate about was that he hadn't seen Mirai's brother here.
"Seriously, if I were you, I would be practicing the sword arts taught by Lord Battousai every single day. How could I possibly come to this run-down infirmary to look after us half-crippled folk?"
His words seemed to be laced with jealousy, but more so with self-mockery.
In his current state, the possibility of him returning to the battlefield was extremely low. On top of that, he wasn't a native of Watatsumi Island. What kind of fate awaited him in the end... no one knew.
"Because someone has to do it."
After changing the gauze for a comatose patient, Teppei placed the blood-stained old gauze into a basin beside him and said calmly.
After coming here, he finally understood why Bourou Village had only one doctor, Miss Ririko.
Compared to the Shogunate Army, the Resistance's medical capabilities were far too backward.
Some people, who were even less skilled than an amateur like himself, were already starting to perform tasks like suturing wounds.
Because of this, the mortality rate in the Resistance's infirmary was very high.
If the Divine Priestess didn't take the time to come here and use the power of her Vision to heal everyone, the mortality rate in the infirmary would probably be even higher.
But the Divine Priestess was, after all, the leader of Watatsumi Island. It was impossible for her to be in the infirmary at all times, so...
In reality, he didn't know that it wasn't a lack of doctors in the Resistance, but rather that the Shogunate wasn't letting anyone with special skills pass through.
Those with specialized professions like doctors, craftsmen, and scholars were either recruited, driven away, or...
If it weren't for some talented individuals among the miners who fled from Tatarasuna, the Resistance would probably be in an even worse state.
They had even tracked down Yasumoto, who was hiding in Higi Village.
It had to be said that the old fox, Kujou Takayuki, knew very well how to wear down the Resistance on various levels.
To say he didn't know the Fatui were behind the troubles on Yashiori Island was certainly impossible.
While the Fatui were infiltrating the Tenryou Commission and using Kujou Takayuki, that old fox was also using the Fatui.
Unfortunately... he did not understand how terrifying the Fatui were.
In the end, he was only reaping what he had sown.
...
Night fell, and twinkling stars hung in the sky. To many astrologers, this starry sky wrote the destinies of people; some people's entire lives... were predestined.
Perhaps because it had been too long since a starry sky was seen over Yashiori Island, many people in the refugee camp were silently gazing up at it, their thoughts unknown.
Another group of people were huddled in corners, crazily muttering some very bizarre things. These people were likely too heavily influenced by the Tatarigami and were not far from a total breakdown.
Everyone had initially thought that such hopeless cases would be driven away by the Shogunate, but unexpectedly, not only did the Shogunate Army not drive them away, but they also specially arranged separate camps for them to live in.
This also raised the Shogunate Army's reputation in these people's hearts quite a bit.
A little later, a few flatbed carts arrived from the direction of the Kujou Encampment.
On the carts were some wooden barrels. Based on Bai Luo's experience, it should be the congee or rice prepared by the Shogunate for them, the refugees.
To Bai Luo's surprise, it was indeed food prepared by the Shogunate, but it wasn't congee, but a very sumptuous meal.
There was even more meat in the pot than vegetables; a single scoop would be enough to make a cafeteria lady gasp.
The miners who worked at Tatarasuna were fine. Since they did manual labor, the Shogunate provided them with decent food, so it wasn't as if they never saw meat.
But the native refugees from Yashiori Island were a different story.
Due to the special geographical location, many animals and fish on the island could not be eaten casually because of the Tatarigami, so this was the first time they had seen so much meat.
Almost as soon as the food distribution began, everyone crowded around.
"Everyone, don't push! There's enough for everyone! Those who didn't bring their own bowls, please line up on the left side. We will provide you with utensils!"
The officer in charge of the camp had long anticipated this scene, so he had rolled a paper tube into a megaphone and began to maintain order.
However, Bai Luo and Tatyana did not go forward with the crowd. The two of them stood at the entrance of their tent, carefully observing their surroundings.
Bai Luo noticed that although the Shogunate soldiers were drooling at the sight of the food, they showed no desire to touch it.
Most of them hid in unnoticed corners, secretly taking out their own rice balls to sate their hunger. In other words... these soldiers all knew that there was likely a problem with this food.
Not long after Bai Luo's observation, a Shogunate soldier walked over with two portions of food.
The food was in some sort of wooden lunchbox. Judging by the workmanship, it was likely disposable, to be thrown away after use.
That made sense. How could tableware used by people affected by the Tatarigami be given to normal people to use again? In a sense, this thing was no different from a contagious disease.
It would probably all be collected and burned in the end.
"You two, there's no need for you to queue with them. My superior specifically had me bring this to you."
The officer had long guessed that two people like Bai Luo and his companion, who came from Inazuma City, would not be willing to fight for food with the refugees, so he had specially sent a subordinate to deliver two portions separately.
And he had also instructed him that he must watch the couple eat the food.
But Bai Luo looked at Tatyana beside him, then at the soldier, and did not touch the food he had brought.
"What are you looking at me for? Eat up! Eat it while it's hot."
The soldier moved an empty wooden barrel from the side, took a wooden plank, and fashioned a temporary table.
He even specifically opened the lunchboxes for them.
It had to be said, the Shogunate Army's cooks were truly skilled. Just the aroma alone made the soldier delivering the food swallow his saliva.
"This young brother must be hungry too, right? Would you like to stay and eat with us?"
Bai Luo was accommodating. He picked up the lunchbox, picked up a piece of meat, and said to the soldier.
"I'm just a common soldier, how could I eat the food specially prepared for you? Please, eat up. After you're done, I have to take the boxes back for centralized disposal."
The soldier swallowed again, but his face was full of resistance.
Seeing this, Bai Luo already had his answer.
This food was definitely problematic
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