58 The blindfolded blind guy

"I decided" she said, and I could feel her anxiousness. She had decided without understanding the situation, so she had no idea of what was going to happen. "We will let a few people leave".

Well, it could be worse. Of the 6 suggestions we made to her, she chose 2nd worst in my opinion. But I need to distract them to reach Watatsumi with the rest of the people.

"I will tell them that" I offered.

"No, you are not working here anymore, that will be a job for the Tenryou Commission" the Kujou Clan's head jumped at his chance.

"I think people will be more receptive if someone who is not the direct culprit of their suffering tells them" I said with a calm expression.

"I agree" the Shogun nodded, I don't know why.

"Then I will leave" I said and prepared to leave, but turned back to add something. "May I know the day the storm will stop?".

"Today" the Shogun succinctly said, to which I nodded.

"Please be ready for riots to happen" with that I leave the room. It would be ideal if they pull the army back, that way I can take the other 1600 to Watatsumi without problems.

I left the Tenshukaku, and this time nobody interrupted me for some stupid reason, so better for me I guess, now I only need to arrive at Watatsumi.

"Kuki" I say to the gentle soul near.

"It's frustrating, no matter how good I hide, you still find me" she said with vexation in her voice.

"You can't hide your soul after all" I muttered with a smile. "We have no time, take me to Chioriya please".

And that she did. 

I told Chiori the Shogun's decision, and to say she was furious was like saying that Morax was 'above average in strength'.

After Kirara calmed her down, I told her my plan to go to Watatsumi, and how they needed to make some noise here so the army retreats from the Kujou encampment.

After she promised to spread the word, I discreetly travelled to Watatsumi with my trusted Kuki Shinobu as a guide.

With my huge range, I could see some people following us, but we went to the Shrine before using an underground tunnel to lose them. Now I was supposed to be in the temple.

After leaving Narukami we arrived at Kannazuka, the frontlines of the war with the Resistance.

We left behind the army, and we stepped on enemy territory, but we didn't have to walk too much, I sensed a few souls approaching us quickly.

"Kuki, they are coming" I said to my aide. She was smart so I didn't have to tell her anything, she would act accordingly.

"Who are you?" one of the guys asked. They didn't seem to have Visions, and their souls were not that strong.

To put it simply, mobs.

"I am from the Shrine, and I want to speak with the one in charge" I shot them a winning smile.

"No". And I lost my smile.

"I'm a blind Visionless guy" hehe, no Vision, blind.

"Kenshin, shut up".

Ops, I said that out loud

"Anyway, why are you scared of?. If your leaders don't want to let us go, they will kill us so I won't be able to relay your position to the army. You don't lose anything" I explained it very simply.

The 3 guys looked at each other and finally nodded.

"Okay, but you will have to wear a blindfold". 

I fucking swear.

"Of course, that way I won't see anything. Nice idea" I shot them a winning smile, and I could feel the guy's pride.

How are we still fighting with these people?

After a long walk where both of us were wearing a blindfold, yes, even me, we finally arrived somewhere. Yes, somewhere. Because I wasn't able to see due to the blindfold.

I felt that we were approaching a big group of souls.

"Who are these 2?" asked what I identified as a half-youkai if that was even possible.

"We found them wandering in Kannazuka, and they told us they wanted to speak with the one in charge" the same guy who blindfolded me said.

"Hmm, I will speak with them. Nice job" he said, and the 3 guys left, proud of a work well done. "You can take your blindfold off now".

Kuki did it, but I didn't care, I just stretched. I felt Kuki sighing in annoyance.

"Why are you not taking your blindfold off?" the guy asked in confusion.

"I'm blind anyway" I said with a yawn. All this walking was exhausting, and I still need to go back.

Oh no, I need to come back here this night, and then leave again for the Shrine. Fuck.

"Then why are you blinded?" he was even more confused now.

"You tell me"

"Kenshin, focus" Kuki is always serious, she needs to have some fun. But she is right, I need to negotiate.

"I am Kenshin, from the Great Narukami Shrine, and I'm here to make a deal with the one in charge" I said in a firm voice taking the blindfold off.

"I'm Gorou, the General of the Watatsumi Army" he introduced himself, but I have no time.

"Charmed. But I said I need to talk with the one in charge, and it's not you. Why don't you come out?". A strong soul, far stronger than Gorou's was listening a few meters away.

"How did you know I wasn't the one in charge?" asked the confused Gorou.

"I don't know how you all remember how to breathe" I sighed in exasperation. "You said you are the General of the Army. That means there is at least another General of another thing, and Generals rally under the leader, no matter its name".

"Indeed" I heard a soft voice approaching us, coming from that soul. "But you also said you were blind, yet you saw me across the wall".

"I'm blind, but that doesn't mean I can't see". Maybe it does, but it sounds cool.

"Looks like it. I'm Sangonomiya Kokomi. The High Priestess of Watatsumi". Her soul was strange, almost as if her own soul was filling a vessel with a predetermined form. Well, it's not important now.

"You already know who I am, so I will skip it. I want to make a deal" 

"Before that, I need to know your position and your opinion of us. I will not make a deal with an unreliable person" she firmly said.

"We are from the Great Narukami Shrine, a neutral party in the war. But I personally think you are a bunch of opportunist and delusional people. Can we get into the important matters now?". We have no time, I need to coordinate everyone in Narukami.

"Well, you are at least honest" said Kokomi with a wry smile. "I will trust you for now, I will hear you".

"I don't know what you know about the Decrees that came out yesterday, but shit is going to hit the fan in Narukami" I went straight to the point.

"It seems so, and it will be good for us" she said, and I wholeheartedly agree.

"Well, yes. A lot of people want to leave Inazuma, but we are going to be in a lockdown, maybe for years. I want to let them escape to Liyue from here". Now I only need to pay them enough, everyone has a price. Except for the Shogun, maybe.

"Why would we let them escape?. The more people there are in Narukami, the faster the food will be spent. We only need to wait and your side will exhaust itself". What is this woman talking about?

"Well, yes, but your side will too. You are getting food from Liyue or the Fatui, and Narukami is fertile, unlike your island. If you wait, your side will lose first. I came here to make a deal, not to play. Now tell me how much I need to pay. Focus woman, focus". I have enough on my plate.

"Uhh, y-yes. *Ehem*. I want food or information". Now we are talking.

"Tell me what you need and I will tell you what can I offer". Now we are negotiating. So much time wasted for nothing.

"As a neutral party, you can give us a lot of information about the Shogunate's movements without arousing suspicion. If yo-"

"I can't do that". Even if Yae told me I could count on the Shuumatsuban, they are the Shrine's forces. The Shrine needs to stay neutral at all times.

"Then the only thing we need from you is food. As you said, we have no way of cultivating here so we need to buy it" she said in a calm voice, but I could feel her exhaustion. She is still trying to appear strong so she can have the upper hand in the conversation. Pity for her, she doesn't.

"I know. Just as I know that you need me more than what I need you" I said, and she grew nervous, even if her face probably didn't change. "But I'm not here to haggle. You give me what I want, I give you what you need. Simple".

"*Sigh*, you are a hard opponent" she tiredly said, and I felt Gorou's surprise. I don't know why though.

"From the start, you were the only one in front of an opponent, I came here to bargain, not to fight. Anyway, I need around 1600 people to leave Inazuma. Can you do it?". If she can't I'm going back.

"We can, but not in one go". Perfect, now we have a way to do this.

"I will send them here tonight, and you send them during the night to Liyue. The storm will resume tomorrow, so you need to be ready" I told her my needs, and now she will tell me what she wants.

"I want food for as long as the storm remains, enough to feed us" she said in a firm voice.

"You expect me to feed around 2000 people for years for a few trips to Liyue, for free?" it was too much, but I knew what she was trying to play here. "I can offer you as much food as you can afford".

"Hmmm" she was thinking about it, and that's good. "How will the transaction be done, and what are the exchange rates?".

"I own a big company in Liyue. I can offer you the food very cheaply. You just cover all the costs, plus....hmm...50 % of the normal price, and we are set to go". This was an extremely good deal for her. If a crate of food costs her 50000 Mora now, I will sell it for 30000 now, the 20% plus the costs.

"I have no problem with that" she happily said. "But can we pay with other goods?".

"Yes, and the price for them will be the normal price, maybe a bit higher, I need to study about it. But how will the ships reach Watatsumi? I think the Shogun will leave a corridor for the Fatui to arrive with food for Narukami, but I don't know about Watatsumi".

"We have a safe area". That was all she said, and I understood that it was a strategic secret for them.

"I have no problem with that, but only if there is no danger to the guys bringing the food". If they are in danger, we will need to hire mercenaries or something like that.

"We will go to Liyue to pick the food up if that's all right". 

"No problem from my side, but I will need a bit of time to write the orders from here. I will send some letters with my people to Liyue, and they will carry out the orders for my company. But I will tell you now, they are an autonomous business, and I will have no role to play in this deal". It was dangerous after all.

"What do you mean?" she said suspiciously. "What guarantee do we have that this 'autonomous business' won't go back in the deal?"

"What I mean is that while they are my company, I won't be there to solve any problems that may happen. If you can't pay, you will have to negotiate with them. If there is trouble with your safe corridor, you will speak with them. If you need more food than what they can sell, you have to deal with it. I won't be receiving letters from the company, so you will deal with them". I'm not risking getting caught.

"How do we know your company won't betray us?" it was Gorou who asked.

"Because they are winning a lot of money of course. That's all a merchant cares about" I said while shrugging.

Yes, I will be getting extremely rich, even if that's not my intention. I will bring a lot of food to Inazuma, and now Watatsumi, so I will earn a lot of money.

But that will only be at the start. I will bring food and sell it cheaper than the Shogunate, but money will soon flow towards Liyue, while Inazuma will not be getting money from the outside.

Money will end up disappearing from Inazuma. And it will be my role to give these people food for free. Even if it's the company I created, it will not last long.

"Wait a minute, there is one last thing we need to clarify" she said with narrowed eyes. "How do we know that you won't bring the army here? Those 1600 people could be from the army, at least 500 of them".

"How can I prove that?" I curiously asked. "I think I can trust you guys because without me you are fucked. Maybe giving you a hostage against me will work?".

"If you can prove to us that this hostage is something that will be useful as a deterrent against your betrayal, yes". Hmm, then the solution is clear.

"Then I will leave Kuki here. She is my precious lover" I said with a nod.

"No, I'm not. I would prefer to die before enduring your weirdness every day" the fact that she telling the truth hurt me.

"Okay, okay. Will my parents be enough?" I can think of another way to do this.

"Are things really that bad?" asked Kokomi curiously.

"Yes. Now do we have a deal or not?. I need to go back to coordinate them, to come back again this night, to return again. And walking as a blind guy is exhausting". I don't think I will be able to wake up tomorrow.