"In light of how delicious this roasted pork was, I'll let you keep your life, old man."
Hidan sat cross-legged on the ground in a bold, overbearing manner, using both hands to gnaw on the pork chop.
"I'm glad the guests like it."
Hearing Hidan's arrogant and domineering words, the grandfather forced a face full of smiles. Mori Shiraishi clenched his fists in secret, while Rin Shiraishi peeked timidly at the two men.
One had silver hair swept back; he was rude, had eaten their family pig, and spoke so insolently! By contrast, the other one looked much more pleasant to the eye, wearing black square-rimmed glasses with dark hair, looking refined and being very polite!
Of course, Rin Shiraishi only dared to think these thoughts in her heart. If she spoke them aloud, it might endanger the entire family.
Simu likewise tore into the pork chop in his hand. Although there were no special seasonings or complex cooking techniques, the suckling pig's meat was tender, and the old man had been careful enough during the roasting. Consequently, the pork chop was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the oil on the skin and the lean meat on the ribs pairing exceptionally well.
The slightly golden, crispy skin combined with the delicate, soft pork created a perfect texture. The intense aroma caused the two children, Mori Shiraishi and Rin Shiraishi, to swallow their saliva frantically.
"You two should have some as well."
Simu handed three pork chops to them. Mori Shiraishi glanced at his grandfather, and only after receiving a nod of permission did he cautiously take the meat.
"Thank you, sir."
Simu waved his hand. "This was your property to begin with, there is no need to thank me."
Mori Shiraishi didn't stay to chat; he and his sister grabbed the pork chops and immediately began devouring them. Since the Sakamoto Company arrived and took their parents away, these two children had not eaten meat for a very long time!
Simu wiped his mouth and looked at the elderly man, who hadn't eaten a single bite. "Old man, why are there so few young people in this village?"
Under the reconnaissance of the raven flock, let alone this tiny village, even the nearby waters were under Simu's control. Hearing this, the old man's face showed a trace of bitterness, and he hesitated to speak. After all, who knew if these two members of the Jashin Religion were in league with the Sakamoto Company? A wrong word could bring a lethal disaster!
"Say whatever is on your mind. We have no relationship with the Sakamoto Company," Simu said.
Seeing the old man hesitating, Hidan shouted, "Speak up, or I'll kill you!"
In an instant, a terrifying killing intent filled the room, making the three members of the Shiraishi family feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their bodies stiff and unable to move. This man, Hidan, truly seemed capable of killing them.
"Hmm?"
Simu shot a quick glance at Hidan. The latter curled his lip. "Hmph, how boring."
Simu turned back, a kind smile reappearing on his face. "It's alright, old man. Feel free to speak. If this guy tries to cause trouble, I'll cut his head off."
Hearing Simu talk so casually about beheading, the faces of the Shiraishi family turned even paler. Hidan only gave a "tch" in response. This made the grandfather even more respectful toward Simu. From the behavior of these two, Simu was undoubtedly the one in charge, likely a small leader within the Jashin Religion.
Under the intimidation of Hidan and Simu, the grandfather finally spoke. "Mori, take your sister outside for a moment."
"Yes, Grandfather."
Mori Shiraishi took his sister's small hand and walked out of the house. Once the children had left, the grandfather spoke again. "All of this is because of the Sakamoto Company."
He finished his sentence and scrutinized the expressions of Simu and Hidan, seemingly trying to see if they truly had no connection to the company. Unfortunately, Simu remained smiling, while Hidan was still licking food residue off his fingers with lingering interest. Seeing this, the grandfather sighed softly and continued.
"Originally, our Mizuo Village was just an ordinary fishing village on the border of the Land of Rivers. But after the Sakamoto Company arrived, they said they wanted to establish a floating casino. They claimed our fishing would interfere with their business, so they banned us from fishing at sea."
At this point, the grandfather's already hunched frame seemed to shrink further. "But... but our Mizuo Village has been fishermen for generations. If we don't fish, what can we do? The land around here isn't suitable for farming. If they don't let us fish, we only have the path to death."
"So, Mori's father and mother led the village fishermen to negotiate with the Sakamoto Company. Unexpectedly, they were all detained on the pretext of causing a disturbance. It has been over half a month now, and we don't know if they are dead or alive."
Simu rubbed his chin and nodded slightly. Indeed, his ravens had discovered a massive cruise ship on the nearby waters; that was likely where the Sakamoto Company was located. It was also the client for this Jashin Religion mission.
After listening to the grandfather, Simu silently took a sip of water without making any comment. After sitting for a while longer, he stood up.
"Old man, we won't trouble you any further. Farewell."
The old fisherman stood up quickly and tried to persuade them to stay. "Guests, it's late. Why not stay here for the night?"
He wasn't sincerely trying to keep them; he was simply worried about incurring the dissatisfaction of Simu and Hidan. Offering their only suckling pig was the Shiraishi family's greatest show of sincerity. In fact, to show such sincerity, they would likely face a situation where they had no meat to eat for the next six months.
Simu pushed up his glasses and said calmly, "We won't stay over. We have some business with Mr. Sakamoto."
With that, Simu picked up his suitcase and walked toward the sea. "See ya, old man!" Hidan also waved and followed behind Simu. "Damn it, Simu, wait for me!"
Watching the backs of Simu and Hidan, the old fisherman slumped as if all the tension had left his body. Although he didn't know what business they had with the Sakamoto Company, at least they wouldn't be attacking his family for the time being. He turned back into the house, blew out the candle, and closed the door.
In the middle of the night, Mori Shiraishi got up to use the restroom. While passing the table, he suddenly noticed a crimson necklace lying quietly by the foot of the stool.
"This is..."
Mori Shiraishi looked behind him, and after confirming his grandfather was still asleep, he bent down gently to pick up the necklace. He walked to the latrine and examined the item in his hand.
A circle with a triangle inside!
This is indeed the symbol of the Jashin Religion that Grandfather spoke of. It must have been left behind by mistake by those two guys just now.
If he hadn't misheard, those two cultists were heading to the Sakamoto Company. If he held this Jashin Religion necklace, perhaps he could sneak in and find his parents...
Mori Shiraishi leaned against the wall, his heart thumping wildly.
Brother, when will Mommy and Daddy come back?
His sister's voice suddenly echoed in his ears again. He took a deep breath, gripped the necklace tightly, and left home.