https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1087-Prelude-to-the-Thousand-Year-Blood-War/13463635/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1089-A-Battle-That-Will-Claim-Many-Lives/13463640/
Chapter 1088: Yecheng: Another Mission to the World of the Living?
Chapter 1088: Yecheng: Another Mission to the World of the Living?
As a lieutenant in the Gotei 13, it was originally Yecheng's responsibility to assist the captain in handling various divisional duties and miscellaneous tasks.
However, most of the current captains in the Gotei 13 were slackers, with the notable exceptions of Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the Twelfth Division, who was a workaholic, and Captain Soifon of the Second Division, who held multiple key positions. For the other divisions, the lieutenants generally handled the day-to-day operations.
There were, of course, exceptions, such as the Tenth Division where Rangiku worked.
The young captain had been a Shinigami for too short a time, and Rangiku often used the excuse that he wasn't mature enough to shove a lot of her work onto him, while she herself went out to enjoy herself.
Returning to the Tenth Division wasn't impossible, but if she showed up reeking of alcohol and was caught by Toushirou, it would be much harder to find an excuse to go out drinking next time.
And the Fifth Division was so much better. Hinomori was sensible and obedient; she would even take good care of them when they got drunk.
By the time they sobered up, the Gotei 13's workday would be nearly over, and they could start all over again.
"Hey, Yecheng, when did your division get such an old Seat Officer?"
Among the Gotei 13, Rangiku was most familiar with the Tenth, Thirteenth, and Fifth Divisions, besides her own.
In these divisions, she knew not only the Seat Officers but even some of the regular squad members by name.
She was familiar with the Thirteenth Division because it was where Yecheng used to serve, and she knew the Fifth Division well because Yecheng was now its captain.
When Yecheng was just the Third Seat in the Thirteenth Division, Rangiku would still show some restraint when drinking with him, given that Captain Fuyuki and Lieutenant Shihoin were both very serious.
But ever since Yecheng became the captain of the Fifth Division, Rangiku let her guard down completely whenever she visited.
Her best drinking buddy—oh, no, her best friend—was now the head of the Fifth Division. What was the difference between coming to the Fifth Division and coming home?
"Lieutenant Matsumoto, I am not a Seat Officer in the Fifth Division. I am the Third Seat of the First Division, Gengyū Shūsui. I am here on a mission from the Sōtaichō."
Rangiku, who had been in a drunken daze, instantly sobered up when she heard that the Seat Officer in front of her was from the First Division.
She then pushed away the white-haired man who had been clinging to her, even though he was already passed out but still instinctively leaning on her.
She put on a stern expression and said, "Ah, you're the Third Seat of the First Division. I was patrolling the Seireitei just now and happened to see Captain Yecheng passed out in front of an izakaya.
To prevent Captain Yecheng from being picked up by someone else, I, out of humanitarian concern, helped him back to the Fifth Division.
As for the alcohol on me... well, it's actually all Captain Yecheng's.
Oh dear, how disgraceful. As a captain of the Gotei 13, with the responsibility of protecting the Seireitei, and as a Shinigami captain, drinking during work hours is truly unacceptable. As a good friend, I will definitely have a serious talk with him."
Yecheng, Rangiku, and Shunsui Kyōraku were the three notorious drunks of the Gotei 13, and their reputation was well-known throughout the Soul Society.
Rangiku's story was undoubtedly a lie, but without any evidence, Gengyū Shūsui was momentarily at a loss for words.
For a captain or lieutenant of the Gotei 13 to leave their post during work hours and go drinking was a matter that could be considered either minor or major.
In most cases, as long as nothing goes wrong and no one finds out, everything is fine. After all, Kyōraku Shunsui, that loafer, uses work as an excuse to take his secretary out for drinking and reveling every day.
The problem is, this time they not only left their posts to get drunk and were caught, but the person who caught them was from the First Division.
There was no choice; it was better for one person to be punished by the Commander-in-Chief than for both of them to face the consequences. After all, Yecheng’s alcohol tolerance wasn’t as good as hers.
“Ran Kiku, you damn it, if it weren’t for you calling me—”
Yecheng was drunk, but not to the point of passing out. The reason he acted so drunk just now was that only by being completely drunk could he take advantage of the situation and get close to Ran Kiku.
Seeing her friend about to throw her under the bus to save herself, Yecheng couldn’t sit still anymore.
No way, if this got reported to the Commander-in-Chief, even a reprimand or suspension would be minor compared to losing his pay!
Yecheng had worked his ass off for the Fifth Division for so long, coaxing Hinomori to help with the paperwork every day. It was exhausting.
Realizing that Yecheng had been faking his drunkenness and was now trying to drag her into the mess, Ran Kiku didn’t give him a chance to speak. She grabbed his head and pressed it into her chest.
Yecheng, who was about to argue, suddenly found his head buried in the Grand Canyon of the East, a true face wash followed by a suffocating impact. This time, he really did pass out...
“Captain Yecheng, due to the sudden detection of a large number of Hollows disappearing in the World of the Living, the Commander-in-Chief has requested that you investigate the situation.
Considering the potential threat of this investigation, the Commander-in-Chief has also allowed you to select any members from the Gotei 13 to form a team of no more than five people.
You will serve as the leader of this investigation team, with Captain Soi Fon of the Second Division as your deputy. You are to depart for the World of the Living immediately and report back to the Seireitei regularly.”
After delivering the message, Ōmaeda Mashiro turned and left.
His job was just to relay the orders; he didn’t want to get involved in anything else.
It was one thing for Vice-Captain Matsumoto, but Captain Yecheng, despite being from the Rukongai, was well-known among the Gotei 13’s higher-ups for his impressive background and strength.
The Kuchiki and Shihōin families, two of the Five Great Noble Houses, considered him a benefactor, and Yecheng could visit these families as if they were his own.
During the battle with the Hueco Mundo, Yecheng had anticipated the enemy’s moves, not only turning one of the Espada but also providing the Seireitei with crucial intelligence. In the end, he played a pivotal role in defeating Aizen Sosuke.
As the Third Seat of the First Division, Ōmaeda Mashiro knew even more.
The seemingly carefree Captain Yecheng had once been favored by the legendary Zero Division and even received an invitation, which he declined.
As one of the Commander-in-Chief’s right-hand men, Ōmaeda Mashiro also knew that both Yecheng and Kyōraku Shunsui were seen as potential successors by the Commander-in-Chief.
With his intelligence, strength, and significant contributions to the Seireitei, even if he occasionally acted mischievously or neglected his duties, the Commander-in-Chief would likely turn a blind eye.
The fact that the Commander-in-Chief thought of Captain Yecheng first for such an important mission was a clear sign of his trust and recognition of Yecheng’s abilities.
(End of Chapter)
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