Where'd that shot come from?
No idea.
Nio!
Hold on. A doctor is on the way.
What's this? He survived?
Who are you?
Episode 9
Okay, enough with the scary face.
We'll take care of this guy.
You can run on home.
The hell, man? That was cutting it close.
Sorry, pal, but that guy's head is gonna bring us a big old oban coin.
And this is a first-come, first-serve gig.
Wait, what?
What are you doing?
I thought you guys were gonna kill him.
Man, shut up. It's complicated, okay?
That wasn't a kill shot. Is this for the best?
He won't last long, and now we know what we're dealing with.
What do you suppose they're trying to do?
Well, I thought they were in the same line of work...
Should I take another shot?
Not today. I think we're done for now.
We haven't even introduced ourselves properly.
Signal that fool Yotaro to come on back.
Yes, sir.
Ugh, this is so damn annoying.
Maybe I'll just kill you!
Dumbass.
Whoa, time out! Hold on a sec.
See? Glad you waited, aren't you?
Catch you later!
Hey!
What's his deal?
Kill me, revenger...
No one has bitten any gold.
What?
Tell me why you want the opium.
Who would want that wretched filth?
Then we are after the same thing, after all.
What?
The opium Satsuma's chief financial officer brought into Nagasaki
must be burnt until no trace of it remains.
Do you agree?
Whose orders are you under?
I have no master. Not anymore.
You're a mere ronin?
What about you?
I was the same way once.
I followed orders and killed innocent people. Including a man who was like a father to me.
Do not make the same mistake. Be certain who your enemies are.
What are you...
The bullet passed through. There's a good chance he'll make it.
It's dangerous here.
Let's head to the clinic.
No one gets away. Under Commissioner Lin's orders, we will eradicate opium from the Qing Empire!
Master Lin, you need to see this...
What is it?
Huh?
What's wrong, brother?
Xue Mei...
How could this happen to you?
Murakami Clinic
Odd Jobs Consultation
Closed
Today
The opium... I must...
Every last trace...
The Qing had tea, silk, and porcelain to sell to the English,
but the English had nothing of their own to trade.
Which is why they started selling India-produced opium instead.
You bust your ass learning a trade just to end up hooked on opium...
That's a screwed-up joke if ever I heard one.
It spread through the country like wildfire, and managing it proved difficult.
Especially considering a ban on opium
would upset the English, who were making massive profits from its sale.
But in spite of that, the Qing Emperor tried to eradicate opium from within his borders,
appointing an administrator known for his pristine reputation
to act as his proxy in pursuit of this task.
Namely, the Imperial Commissioner, Lin Zexu.
So this Liu guy...
In Japanese terms, he's like a vassal who reports directly to the shogun?
But this is all stuff from overseas, right?
What's it got to do with us?
The winds blow, and a barrel-maker ends up making a profit.
You'd be surprised by all the ways things are connected in this world.
Say what now?
Well, if it blew all the way to Nagasaki, that's one hell of a wind.
Wait! You're in no condition to be moving!
Enough! Let go of me!
Good grief.
I've notified Chinatown that you're alive.
Given the shape you're in, there'd be no point in returning.
You're a hired killer. Why are you playing at being a doctor, revenger?
Our line of work involves settling vendettas bitten into gold.
We have no reason to kill an agent working for the Imperial Commissioner of Qing.
If you intend to destroy the opium, as I also do, I suggest we join forces.
Are you out of your mind, assassin?
There's no need to be so brusque.
Kurima here has lost a great deal thanks to the Satsuma financial officer's opium deal.
His father-in-law, his fiancée, and a clan to serve.
Could you at least tell us how you ended up here?
Please.
English merchants try to avoid being investigated for smuggling opium,
so they've been hiding their supply in nearby ports.
Singapore, Calcutta, and here in Nagasaki.
But someone in this town had an eye for the opium that was brought in.
And they saw it as the perfect chance to procure it.
They thought they were being clever, but it was idiocy.
We're talking about an amount too large to manage.
The English will be able to buy it back at a fraction of the price after the fact.
Except that Matsumine was killed by our Kurima-kun here,
and the opium that was floating around Nagasaki was snatched up by someone else.
It could simply be some greedy Japanese group...
Or the English.
I've heard the Imperial Commissioner has many enemies, as well.
Another faction from Qing might be behind it.
This is a matter for my country.
You people have no place... in... this...
Bastard...
What you need most right now is rest.
We'll talk again later.
Damn it.
I was so desperate for that gold, I ended up drawing a busted hand.
I acted like a complete amateur.
What's gotten into you, Soji?
You look even more pitiful than usual.
Stuff it.
Hey, li'l Nio, what exactly is our job?
You don't have one, Soji.
No, I'm talking about being a ribenji-ya.
Then don't ask.
We got a real straightforward setup.
We take the money and kill someone. It's supposed to be simple.
So how in the hell are we on the hook to help some Qing big shot?
What else are we supposed to do? No one wanted to bite the oban coin.
Doesn't mean we gotta help this guy out.
We coulda ditched him any number of ways.
But instead, we're sheltering a guy we were meant to get revenge on.
You know what that means, right? Well?
No big gold coin for us.
It's way worse than even that.
We're basically picking a fight with the Chapel.
All this crap about the Qing and the English... What's it have to do with us?
What the hell are we gonna do?
I don't think you worrying about it is gonna help, Soji.
I'm sure Yuen will think of something.
But the boss is acting like the samurai.
He's set on helping this Chinese guy, which is what I'm worried about.
Aw, man! When'd our revenge business get so messed up?
Well, we know what Liu's after now.
But we don't know who shot him, nor who took Matsumine's opium.
Just more questions to worry about.
Given his identity, there's no shortage of people who'd want him dead.
Let's take things one at a time, then.
Why did the Chapel order revenge on Liu?
And what if they gave that order while knowing who he was?
That'd mean the Chapel is working alongside whoever took the opium.
Or maybe even working for them.
That might mean the oban coin we were offered
was their way of testing if we'd help distribute the opium.
That seems likely.
But what do we do, then?
Have you heard anything from them?
Not so far.
That's actually scarier. Because they're bound to have caught on by now.
To the fact that we're protecting Liu, and that we know who he really is.
I'll be heading to the Chapel on the Sabbath either way.
To do what?
The only thing I can do is confess the truth.
Now that we know who Liu is, we have to return the gold, as well.
If that happens, and I don't return, then...
You need to take charge.
There's still the matter of Kurima-kun.
Be very careful out there.
The doctor will be back with medicine soon.
I don't need it. Just take me to Chinatown.
Don't be ridiculous. If you move too much, you will die.
That's why I need to go tell my men
that the opium Commissioner Lin has staked his life on expelling
must never return to my homeland.
But what about you? If you were to die, you must have family that would suffer.
What difference does that make when I'm doing my duty?!
Have you forgotten a warrior's purpose?!
I cannot guarantee that I can protect you.
Has there been any word from Master Liu since?
With all the blood we saw... Could he have...
Don't be stupid! The master can't possibly be dead.
I've contacted the Nagasaki Trade Union. If he's alive, he will return.
So all we can do is wait here?
Hm? What's that racket?
Hey there, folks!
Hope you don't mind me coming through the back. The Trade Union sent me.
Who are you?!
Oh, I wouldn't worry about our names.
We're just here for a bit of revenge.
Spare me your nonsense!
We've come...
for revenge.
Aw, man. You took 'em all out by yourself.
I shoulda gone down to the port instead.
The doctor told me about you.
You got your revenge. Why continue to pursue the opium?
I am haunted by visions of her.
A woman?
One that I let die.
And the opium caused it all.
And now, asinine sentimentality has you running in circles.
Did that bother you?
No. What you say is the truth.
What is wrong with you?
What is this?
Some Japanese merchant came by. Said you ordered it.
Me? Well, I didn't. What's inside?
Is that... oil?
No...
I will find out what happened. Wait here.
What happened here?!
There's a fire in the port! What's going on?!
Calm down and stand back!
Damn it...
Fine. I'll take you with me.
Begone!
Or I will cut you down!
Liu!
Pathetic... Can't even take one of them with me...
Don't talk. It will aggravate your wound.
Forget about me. How are they?
Even the men in the port?
I don't even know who's responsible...
The commissioner entrusted me with soldiers, a ship, and comrades...
This is all my fault.
This only means your enemy is a wretched one. Live and even the score!
That won't happen.
Forgive me... Xue Mei...
It seems we really are... the same...
Hey!
I hate it so much... The opium... My sister was...
No...
I can't die yet... Not like this...
Then entrust it!
What?
Entrust your vendetta to us!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...
Couldn't even kill a half-dead Chinese man. Makes you worth less than a mangy dog, Sute.
It's pathetic.
I'm sorry!
You're not a parrot, boy. Apologize like you've got a thought in that head.
Priest. Shishido-sama wants you.
Is that right?
Lucky you.
I don't really wanna have to explain to our client why I had to crush your mongrel skull.
So Kurima Raizo and his allies
are total strangers, unaffiliated with you folks. Am I understanding that right?
Yes. The Chapel has nothing to do with these people.
If you had told us sooner,
Sada-san could've gone after Liu properly, instead of erring on the side of caution.
Oh, don't worry about us, sir.
I'd rather discuss today's events in Chinatown.
What Kurima Raizo and his gang did was so dreadful.
Assaulting Chinatown, which is under the Nagasaki Trade Union's protection,
in broad daylight...
Something must be done.
Without a doubt.
Do you mind if I bite some gold regarding this matter, then?
God will surely forgive you.
In that case, I, Shishido, shall humbly leave the mark of my grudge.
May God bless Nagasaki.
It's a shame what happened to Liu.
I'm sorry our stupid brat couldn't finish the job, sir.
But from what I've heard, it's likely he's done for.
Oh, I meant the other way around, actually.
I'm sad that he died without learning the truth.
If he'd known I was responsible for all of it, what kind of face would he have made?
I wish I could've seen it.
Yeah, that is a shame.
I don't blame you, of course.
Our Chinese friend was simply too much of a fool.
I must say, this is a massive supply. Why not simply sell it to the Qing?
Threaten to hand it to the English if they refuse,
and they'll be in no position to try and short you.
I wouldn't dream of it.
Why would I give up such a wonderful prize?
Money can only tempt people in the heat of the moment,
but opium can make them dance until they fall apart.
I take it you intend to turn Nagasaki into the stage for a grand opium dance?
Yes!
Doesn't that sound like fun?
Episode 9
Next time, Episode 10