With help from the resistance fighters, the group finally managed to extract themselves from the enthusiastic villagers.
After leaving Suigetsu Village, they crossed several wooden bridges and ascended a staircase made of pink seashells, eventually arriving at Sangonomiya Shrine.
The shrine looked like a pearl nestled within a shell, radiating a captivating glow.
It fully embodied Watatsumi Island's unique aesthetic, leaving a lasting impression.
Passing under the torii gate bearing the shrine's crest, the group finally reached the shrine entrance.
At that moment, a middle-aged man with graying hair was anxiously pacing in front of the doors.
When he saw Kokomi return, tears welled up in his eyes as he rushed forward. "Lady Sangonomiya, thank the heavens you're back!"
Kokomi looked at him, puzzled. "Uncle Todoroki, what's going on? You look pale."
Shao Yun blinked. Uncle Todoroki?
If memory served, Uncle Todoroki appeared in Heizou's invitation quest—wasn't he the one who smuggled goods for Watatsumi Island? And if he remembered correctly, both of Uncle Todoroki's sons had died—one in battle, the other from untreated injuries.
Seeing the unfamiliar faces of Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon, Uncle Todoroki fell silent and forced a stiff smile. "It's nothing serious, just..."
Kokomi, sensing his caution, quickly reassured him, "Uncle Todoroki, these three are allies—you can speak freely."
Upon hearing that, Uncle Todoroki relaxed visibly and continued, "Ah, I see. Well, to put it plainly, it's the supply issue."
With a heavy sigh, he began explaining what had happened.
"We sent out twenty smuggling boats to Ritou, but they were spotted by the Shogunate forces under Kujou Sara on the return trip. Only two boats made it back."
The news stunned Kokomi.
Now she understood why Ookubo Daisuke had insisted the matter was urgent—it was devastating. Only two out of twenty fully loaded smuggling boats returned. That could spell doom for Watatsumi.
Frowning deeply, Uncle Todoroki added, "I've done the math. With what we have in storage and what's left at the Yashiori camp, we only have enough supplies to last the frontlines one week."
"If we don't get more soon, our soldiers will run out of food and medicine."
Kokomi took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. Then she replied, "I see. This is indeed a serious crisis, but I already have a few ideas."
She was considering the radishes soon to be harvested in Suigetsu Village. If they could be gathered quickly, it might buy them a little time to ease the food shortage.
As for medicine—if Shao Yun helped, that might be manageable too.
But then Uncle Todoroki dropped another bombshell.
"There's also something... less urgent, maybe. Villagers reported an increase in elemental specters along the southern coastline. They're worried the specters might damage the nearly ripe radish fields."
To Kokomi, this wasn't a minor problem at all—it was a burning emergency.
She had hoped the radish harvest would serve as a stopgap. If the fields were destroyed, it would all fall apart.
She rubbed her temples and sighed, then steadied herself and told Uncle Todoroki, "I understand. Once I finish hosting our guests, I'll handle it immediately. Don't worry—I already have a plan."
Hearing this, Uncle Todoroki seemed relieved and smiled gratefully.
"That's great to hear. Then I'll head out to deliver the remaining supplies to the front."
"Oh, and Lady Sangonomiya—should I gather a crew to try smuggling another batch through Ritou or Narukami?"
Kokomi quickly shook her head. "Don't rush. Focus on the current delivery. Once it's done, I'll know what needs to be done next."
Uncle Todoroki nodded, finally at ease. "Alright then—I'll head out now."
He turned and left to deliver the supplies to the frontline troops.
Watching him go, Paimon curiously asked Kokomi, "Kokomi, who is that man?"
Kokomi smiled warmly. "Uncle Todoroki used to work in our finance department when he was younger. After retiring, he returned to Suigetsu Village to enjoy rural life and grow radishes."
"But after war broke out, he volunteered to return and help us. He's truly admirable."
Paimon nodded thoughtfully. "I see…"
…
Kokomi then led Shao Yun and the others into the shrine and into a beautifully decorated banquet hall.
The moment they entered, Paimon was instantly captivated by the feast laid out before her.
The long table was piled high with every kind of dish imaginable.
From refined cold platters to piping hot entrées with mouthwatering aromas, each dish was a visual and olfactory delight.
Colorful salads offered a crisp, refreshing charm, while skewers of grilled meat sizzled with juices and were dusted with rare spices—hard to find on Watatsumi these days.
But the highlight of the feast was, as promised, the seafood—shrimp, crab, and glistening slices of fresh fish dominated the table.
After sitting down gracefully, Kokomi smiled and said, "Please, everyone—don't be shy. Enjoy."
…
During the banquet, Paimon and Lumine feasted happily, thoroughly enjoying the meal. But Kokomi only ate a few skewers before stopping.
She sat quietly, resting her head on her hand, her expression tinged with worry.
Shao Yun saw the moment had come. He leaned forward and asked gently, "Miss Kokomi, since there's no one else here, may I ask—do you have a plan for those two issues?"
Kokomi blinked, returning from her thoughts. Her gaze softened with a hint of sorrow.
"These two issues… are really just one problem."
She began explaining the resource crisis to Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon.
"Because of the Sakoku Decree—and our rebellion against the Vision Hunt Decree—Watatsumi Island has become increasingly isolated. Supplies are running low."
"Without Uncle Todoroki's smuggling routes—and a few other friends—our resistance might not have lasted this long."
Shao Yun immediately guessed who those "friends" were.
They had to be the Yashiro Commission and Narukami Shrine.
Kokomi continued, "I had hoped this smuggled batch would reach us. And that we could rely on the radish harvest in Suigetsu Village. But now…"
She trailed off, rubbing her temples in frustration.
Shao Yun understood. As Uncle Todoroki said, the supplies would only last one more week.
After that, even without a Shogunate attack, Watatsumi Island would collapse on its own.
In the original story, this would be when the Fatui stepped in—offering supplies and delusions.
But with Shao Yun here, anything the Fatui brought would be "re-gifted" by him under his own name.
Though, that part of the story hadn't arrived yet—no need to rush.
Shao Yun saw this as the perfect chance to earn more trust from Watatsumi.
He spoke up, "I understand. Once the meal is over, I'll go deal with the Specters myself."
Kokomi was taken aback. "Ah? But they're difficult to handle! You alone…"
Shao Yun responded with confidence, "Trust me—I'm a resistance member too. Rather than distracting the troops, let me take care of this."
It was just like shooting birds, after all.
Kokomi gave him a grateful nod. "Thank you so much."
Lumine, cracking open a crab beside him, had no objections. Dealing with specters was far safer than sending Shao Yun to the frontlines.
Besides, she felt staying on Watatsumi would help Shao Yun put the trauma of Narukami Island behind him.
…
After the meal, Lumine and Paimon stayed behind to rest at the shrine, while Shao Yun made his way alone to the southern beach of Suigetsu Village.
Sure enough, the villagers had been right—there were many specters along the coast, mostly Hydro ones.
Shao Yun pulled out the hunting rifle he had obtained a few days ago from his system inventory. It was a pump-action, top-eject, small-caliber rifle (.22 caliber, in the Earth Online universe).
This type of weapon was barely enough to take down a fox—usually used for birds or rodents. Whether it could hurt the specters was anyone's guess.
He raised the gun and locked onto a drifting Hydro Specter.
Taking a deep breath, he gently pulled the trigger. With a sharp bang, the bullet shot through the air.
The shot landed perfectly—striking the specter dead center.
It exploded like a balloon, shattering into fragments.
Shao Yun nodded with satisfaction and examined the rifle in his hands. He murmured, "Hey, not bad. The recoil's low too. Might be a good fit for Lumine—she's only got that old revolver. A bit shabby, really."