My personal opinion on Gensokyo

"Our goal is the big ghost's head. Of course, if there are rare treasures, that would be even better."

"A rare treasure?"

Hearing this, the serious middle-aged man smiled, lowered his head, and answered calmly.

"If I really want to talk about it, it's these kids..."

While speaking, the middle-aged man with a kind face suddenly raised his head, and a red ferocious ghost mask was already on his face.

“Aa ...

Gintoki and Shimura Shinpachi were startled and took several steps back in panic, sticking to the wall.

Seeing this scene, Shang Yang nodded slightly.

At the same time, the commotion here also attracted the attention of Ai and Kagura who were playing with the children in the house next door. Kagura couldn't help but look at the middle-aged man wearing a strange ghost mask in surprise.

As for love, she just turned her pretty face to the side and glanced calmly at the middle-aged man wearing a ghost mask, then turned back and started playing with the little girl sitting in front of her.

"Fuck, bastard!"

Gintoki asked loudly, stuttering a little in panic.

"What on earth do you want to do?!"

"That's why I want to ask you what you are going to do."

The middle-aged man wearing a ghost mask looked strangely at the still calm young man with gray hair, then turned to question Gintoki and Shinpachi.

"You followed me all the way from the fighting arena, right?"

Volume 4 Edo Chronicles: Chapter 188 Ghost, Father

Hearing this, Shimura Shinpachi subconsciously asked in disbelief.

"Then, then Master, you really are..."

The middle-aged man wearing a red ghost mask took off the mask, revealing his tolerant and upright face, and spoke calmly.

"I am Kidomaru, the fighter from Purgatory Pass. 'Doshin' is my real name."

Upon hearing Gui Daowan, also known as Daoxin, admit his identity, Shang Yang, who had been calm and silent just now, shook his head helplessly and smiled.

"...Really? I thought you, the ghost master, were guarding some rare and precious treasure. If it's these children, I really don't have anything suitable to exchange with you, Your Excellency."

On the wooden steps outside the house.

"……oh?"

Dao Xin, a middle-aged man who took a sip of tea and sat cross-legged on the wooden steps, asked thoughtfully.

"So, you all didn't come here for the same purpose..."

"Of course. My wife and I simply wanted to see if you would like to exchange the rare treasures you guard for goods you otherwise need."

Blowing away the hot steam rising from the surface of the tea, Shang Yang answered indifferently.

"However, it seems that I don't have anything suitable for you to exchange for your rare treasure."

"Haha, thank you both for your trouble."

Hearing Shang Yang's words, Dao Xin smiled freely.

"If there's something I really want, I already have it."

"Hey, let's not talk about this big businessman for now."

Hearing this, Gintoki, who was also sitting cross-legged, half-opened his eyes and asked in his usual unmotivated tone.

"Is this really okay? You're even pouring tea for us... We might be here to slay the demon, Momotaro."

"Haha, but you guys are alright?"

Hearing this, Dao Xin asked with a nonchalant smile.

"Drink the tea poured by a devil like me with bloody hands."

Hearing Dao Xin's words, Ai, who had been sitting next to Shang Yang and drinking tea quietly, put down the teacup, turned sideways and looked at Dao Xin, then shook her head slightly, and a hint of warmth flashed across her clear dark red eyes.

"Evil ghost? I didn't see that kind of ghost."

"The person sitting here is just a father."

Dao Xin fell silent after hearing the soft words whispered by the girl with long black hair.

Hearing this, the owner of Tianranjuan Yorozuya also smiled, looked up at the children in the distance who were having fun playing with Kagura, and spoke slowly.

"That's right. I wouldn't think a guy like that, surrounded by so many happy kids, is a ghost."

"……That."

Shinpachi Shimura, who was standing by, couldn't help but ask in confusion.

"Who are these children?"

Hearing Shinpachi's doubts, Daoxin smiled and answered proudly.

“You are all my children.”

“…Oh?”

Hearing this, Gintoki raised his eyebrows, glanced at the handsome young man with gray hair who shrugged next to him, and teased.

"It seems that when you were young, you were even more philandering than this young and wealthy businessman next to you."

"It does seem so, Mr. Sakata."

Shang Yang joked after taking a sip of tea.

"It really taught me a lesson. Looks like I need to work harder... ahem?!"

Before Shang Yang could finish his words, Ai, with an expression unchanged, quietly raised her slender, white, soft jade hand, touched the soft spot on her beloved's waist, and pinched it hard.

Feeling the soft touch on his waist and the terrible pain transmitted to his brain, the young man with gray hair and shaggy hair was sweating profusely. He had to endure the pain and cough twice to cover it up.

"Haha, that's not the case."

Hearing this, Dao Xin still laughed and explained.

“Everyone is abandoned…”

"……orphan?"

Gintoki was stunned and asked in surprise.

"Could it be that you are in the underground fighting arena just to raise these little brats..."

"Do I look that great?"

The kind and peaceful middle-aged man answered calmly.

"This bloody me."

Hearing what Daoxin said, Gintoki's expression suddenly became serious and he seemed to be thinking about something.

"then you……"

"I am and have always been a murderer."

The kind and peaceful middle-aged man held up a two or three-year-old child with a calm expression.

"My only strength is my immense strength. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already being called a 'man-slayer.'"

"In the end, he was thrown into prison, just waiting to be beheaded."

"However, a group of guys took a fancy to my fighting skills and redeemed me from prison. Those guys are the ones in charge of Purgatory Pass."

Having said that, Doshin turned his gaze towards Gintoki and Shinpachi, his expression becoming more serious.

"You three seem to want to destroy Purgatory Gate... However, I advise you, for your own lives, not to get involved with it."

Hearing this, Gintoki smiled nonchalantly, picked up the teacup and said with a smile.

"Will we offer the evil spirits' internal organs? That sounds interesting."

"As long as you don't set your sights on the 'rare treasures', the ghost won't make a move."

After Dao Xin finished speaking calmly, he turned his attention to Shang Yang and Ai beside him.

"Of course, although it may be a bit rude to say so, it is the same for both of you."

"I admire you. Although you are a demon master, you not only possess unparalleled strength, but also outstanding wisdom."

Hearing the hidden advice from the kind and peaceful middle-aged man, Shang Yang shrugged nonchalantly and smiled.

"If Momotaro had faced a demon like you, even the brave Momotaro wouldn't have been able to take the demon's 'rare treasure' away."

"Ah, in that case, I am indeed overthinking it. Please forgive me."

Hearing Shang Yang's words, Dao Xin nodded with a calm expression.

"But I'm willing to do anything to protect these children."

"Haha, would a ghost talk like that?"

Gintoki couldn't help but smile, picking up the child who had crawled to his legs and said with a smile.

"Just like the girl next to this big businessman said, you are already an excellent father."

"Haha, a father who raises his children with such dirty money."

Hearing this, Dao Xin smiled somewhat self-deprecatingly.

"Can I still be called an excellent father?"

"Even money obtained in this way can be used to atone for sins."

Shang Yang also shrugged and said casually.

"Aren't you also regretting it now, Your Excellency?"

“When I first found my first child.”

Dao Xin shook his head.

"I'm just trying to make up for the guilt I feel."

"Is this the only reason you've adopted so many children? Raising children is no easy task."

As he spoke, Gintoki lifted up the child and asked the child who was laughing happily.

"Don't you think so, kid?"

Seeing the owner of the Wanshiwu shop's actions, Shang Yang shrugged his shoulders, raised his hand, and drank the tea in the cup.

After hearing Gintoki's words, the kind and peaceful middle-aged man also fell silent.

"Teacher, teacher!"

Suddenly, a boy took off Shimura Shinpachi's glasses, and while dodging Shinpachi's pursuit, he ran to Daoxin and asked happily as if he was presenting a treasure.

"Do you think this looks good on me?"

When the boy noticed Dao Xin's silent and gloomy expression, he was stunned and asked anxiously.

"Teacher? Teacher, what's wrong with you?"

As he finished speaking, the boy glared angrily at Gintoki and Shangyang who were standing beside Daoxin with a deliberately vicious look, and questioned them without giving in.

"Hey! What did you say to the teacher?! If you bully the teacher, I won't let you go!"

Volume 4, Edo Chronicles: Chapter 189: Behind the Purgatory Gate

"Then I'm really sorry."

Seeing the boy's vicious look, Gintoki couldn't help but smile gently. He stood up, apologized, and put the child in the boy's arms. Then he put a postcard of "Yorushiya Gintoki" on the boy's forehead.

"Whenever you need anything, come find me in Kabukicho. I'll give you a discount."

Seeing Gintoki's actions, Shang Yang also smiled and stood up.

Then, Shang Yang turned sideways and waved to Dao Xin, who was still silent.

"Then, Master Daoxin, I bid you farewell. Please take care of yourself."