Chương 89: Chapter XXIII Verse III — The Sharing of Intel & the Rut of Vengeance — Final Part

As Galan walked, he contacted Zensuke.

"Lord Odagawa, is that you?" the fox asked.

"The one and only, Puff—Teacher Zensuke." Galan projected. Zensuke's mind-voice turned serious.

"What did you call me?"

"Teacher Zensuke." Galan sent back with a flat tone. An awkward pause passed between them.

"Nevermind that. How did you link our minds without a direct line of sight? Not even I am capable of such a feat."

"Yeah. I'm just more powerful, I guess." There was another pause.

"I see," Zensuke replied.

"Do you wish to ask what information I have obtained regarding Lady Asaka?"

"Nah, I actually wish to send you a mass of knowledge I gained regarding her and the ghosts. Can you accept it? It's in the form of raw souls." The line was instantly disconnected, his mindcast telling him that the other party had lost the ability to continue the connection.

"Wow, did the ghost got him or something?" But the connection resumed a few seconds later.

"Apologies for the disruption, Lord Odagawa." Zensuke sent.

"Could you explain in more detail as to how you managed to obtain such information?"

"Does it matter?"

"Even if you are more powerful than me, I am still your teacher. Thus, you must do what I ask of you."

"Fine," Galan sighed.

"So… it all started on a cold, lonely night—""Please, Lord Odagawa. Only the important parts. I wish to return to my slumber."

"Huh, thought you were the patient one."

"I am severing the link."

"No, wait!" Galan relented.

"I'll keep it short."

"One more insolence and you will be speaking exclusively with my intermediaries. Understand?"

"My apologies, Teacher Zensuke. I promise to be serious."

"Now, tell me what happened."

"Okay, so after I left, I found a yookai village with the help of a raccoon dog. I met him because he was pretending to be one of the living armors. Afterwards, we reached the village and, I uh… crashed a funeral."

"You disturbed their sacred ceremony?"

"Yeah, sorry. But it allowed me to do something that might finally close this case."

"I do not approve of your methods," Zensuke said sternly.

"Next time, inform me of any plan that might disturb the peace, understand?" Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Ugh, why's he slowing me down?" Of course, Teacher Zensuke."

"Continue."

"As it turns out, Asaka was the village elder's sister, Umiginu. I convinced her to let me summon Asaka's soul before they burned her body."

"You desecrated a soul?"

"Can you just let me finish?" There was another pause.

"Very well."

"After I summoned her, she confirmed everything we talked about. She could also access the ghosts' memories of the hunts. Once she was done, I sent her back to the ghosts with a piece of my soul embedded in hers to act as my sleeper agent. She agreed to it."

"And the mass of knowledge?"

"With her there, I copied large chunks of the ghost's soul through our connection."

"Hmm… let me think of this first."

"Sure, take your time." A minute of silence passed. Zensuke returned, a third mind now present in the call.

"Send the soul you obtained into the mind-ball. Do not hold back."

"The puffy one or the round one?"

"What did I tell you of the consequence for jesting with me?" Such a strict puffball. No wonder he's bad with kids. Galan judged.

"Okay, okay. I'll send it to the puffball."" Did I receive that correctly?" Ooh, not again, Galan thought with a grimace.

"Yes, I will send it to the mind-ball now." He sent the information in just a few seconds.

"Very impressive, Lord Odagawa," Zensuke said after a few more seconds.

"My agents will review this. Anything else?"

"One more thing. If we get rid of the ghosts, will the country actually get better? I mean, if the 'country sickness' theory is true, won't they just appear again after the next big war?"

"What are you proposing?"

"Work on getting the humans and yookai to cooperate. Harmony is a great deterrent, after all."

"Any peace treaty starts and ends with the daimyoo," Zensuke countered.

"If any disagree, it means months of delay at a minimum."

"What if you just remove the guy in charge and put in someone who's pro-peace?" There was a long pause.

"Is that how you maintained peace in your land?"

"Yeah," Galan said, reaching the road and turning left.

"Why bother negotiating with those scumbags? Just uproot them and their supporters until all that's left is an empty throne for your candidate."

"Although tempting, such an action will only lead to more bloodshed," Zensuke replied.

"I suggest you do not try anything that might jeopardize the balance in Tsushima." Sorry, but my whole existence is defined by disrupting the balance. Galan thought.

"Understood. I promise not to cause any unnecessary wars."

"Good. Now promise me you will not start a necessary one without my permission." How is he catching on to me? Guess he ain't a spymaster for nothing.

"Yes. I promise."

"If that is all, then I shall sever the connection."

"Oh yeah, can you warn your contacts to put everyone on Asaka's list behind bars? I promised her."

"I will do all I can to keep them safe. Is that all?"

"Yep. Night, Teacher Zensuke." The connection was severed.

"Now to call my fifth most beloved wife," Galan said to himself. Meredith answered immediately.

"What is it, Bloodsucker?"

"Wha'chu doin'?"

"Reading a book in bed. A documentary about the boy who took over Rome."

"Sounds interesting," Galan smirked.

"But instead of raising the empire, he went around causing trouble and constantly swooning the women."

"What a great guy."

"On the contrary, he's a horrible person."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, feels like I just want to grab him, squeeze him, and just beat the life out of the little demon until—" The rest of her thought was a garbled mess. Satanvujoang, she still really loves me, Galan thought.

"How nice." Meredith sighed dramatically.

"Anyway, why are ye calling?"

"I'm wondering if you can pick me up. The day's gone long enough."

"Not unless you're planning on staying here in the Deliverer with me."

"Deal."

"And try to make another heir together once you're here."

"How about tomorrow?"

"Swear to me then."

"I swear to my beloved queen that I will make an heir with her tomorrow."

"That's more like it." Galan sent over the exact location of the pick-up.

"Alright." Meredith confirmed.

"Pick-up in twenty minutes. See ye there."

"See ya." He continued walking, the ambiance of the forest filling his senses until he was plunged back into the memory of the runaway family.