Chapter 22

**Chapter 22** is the twenty-second chapter of the *Dead Mount Death Play* manga.

## Official Blurb

Hoping to find any kind of flaw, Xiaoyu spies on "Polka." After all, when it comes to Rozan-sama's affection, he could never lose to an imposter!

## Summary

The chapter opens with a flashback to Xiaoyu Lei's past: with Xiaoyu in a hospital bed, an oxygen mask over his mouth and all four limbs missing. Scared, and tired of being able to do nothing but stare at the ceiling, Xiaoyu simultaneously curses his current situation and reaffirms that his heart is still beating.

Two silhouetted figures stand by his bedside, one his father and the other a youth with braided hair. His father says that Xiaoyu recovering is impossible, and that although it was pure bad luck that Xiaoyu ran into "Agakura" on his first job, it is still a "silver lining" that he "only" lost his limbs. Xiaoyu, he says, will be made into a "t'ing-fu."

Xiaoyu silently accusing his father of lying—as surely he would not say such a thing otherwise—and protests that he is alive, that he can still do "so much." His disbelief and his fearful, hurt pleas gradually turn into hate and murderous rage, but his malicious thought process is interrupted by a new visitor: Rozan Shinoyama—a stranger as far as Xiaoyu is concerned—who asks his father what he meant by "t'ing-fu."

Addressing Rozan as "Rozan-sama," Xiaoyu's father explains that a "t'ing-fu" is the sum of its characters: a "garden pot." It is a vessel the clan employs when cultivating a poisonous bacteria, one that can only grow in the bowels of a living child. Rozan points out that this is the man's son, but the man says his family views its members as "objects" rather than "humans," and they cannot do such a thing as mourn a 'broken tool'.

Rozan replies that, in that case, there should be no problem with him buying the boy from the family. He is not cowed by the implied high price a valuable "t'ing-fu" would fetch, announcing his intention to equip Xiaoyu with the Shinoyamas' latest technology. This way, the clan can put food on the table without having to manufacture the poison.

To Xiaoyu, he clarifies that he is no 'generous benefactor'—he just wants a test subject to serve as the latest cyborg. Still, once Xiaoyu can move on his own, Roan hopes he can be a good companion to the family. He smiles; Xiaoyu cannot remember the last time someone smiled at him.

In the present, a scantily-clad Lisa Kuraki lounges by the side of a hot tub and browses information on the Shinoyama's cyborg research on her phone. She remarks that the Shinoyama Clan has connections to multiple legitimate and illegitimate organizations, supposedly including assassination guilds similar to her own.

Her two subordinates, as they skinny-dip in a hot tub, offer commentary: the blonde wonders if the client who requested the hit on Polka Shinoyama was not a Shinoyama family member after all; while the brunette says it would make sense to use one of their own assassins if said assassins are actually that powerful. Clarissa says she personally would have used an outsider to take out an insider of her organization—pointing out that Polka is at least treasured by the Shinoyama patriarch, as opposed to the entire family ostracizing him.

The brunette immediately pulls her in for a kiss when she reaches the hot tub. While the two have sex, Clarissa answers the blonde's question about the Shinoyamas' ties to contract killers by remarking that the Xiaoyu Family is the one she hears about most: known as the "Heilei" ("Black Lightning") the clan was forced to switch from their traditional methods to the latest Shinoyama technology. The two families' relationship, she says, is unique.

In the Abandoned Building, Xiaoyu continues listening in on Corpse God's—conversation. As he wonders what the impostor's goal is, he recalls his earlier meeting wherein Rozan asked him to accompany Sayo Shinoyama to Shinjuku. After a moment's gloom, Xiaoyu had brightened upon thinking Rozan might want him to dispatch the fake Polka—but Rozan declared there was no need for Xiaoyu to do such "dirty work" anymore, and that he believed the impostor to be no enemy. After confirming that the real Polka is "safe"—not necessarily confirming whether or not he is alive—Rozan had requested Xiaoyu protect *both* Sayo and the fake Polka. Xiaoyu, though unhappy, had agreed.

Now that he has made contact with the impostor, Xiaoyu is determined to eradicate him. As for the real Polka, he will never accept someone that weak as the master's son. Remembering how he used to watch the real Polka and Rozan from afar, Xiaoyu reaffirms that *he* is Rozan's "truly useful" son.

Meanwhile, Takumi Kuruya asks the Corpse God what other dragons exist in his home world. The Corpse God obligingly rattles off a few names, with Misaki Sakimiya listing in rapt attention—and Xiaoyu eavesdropping in frustrated confusion, assuming the three are talking about something juvenile like a video game or fictional story. In wondering what the rattling sound in the background is, he likens the sound to a "bunch of dancing skeletons"—having no way of knowing that he is, in fact, correct (specifically, the skeletons are dancing the can-can with Misaki).

Still in the "is it a game?" mindset, Xiaoyu guesses from the sound of Hosorogi writing that perhaps the group is playing a tabletop RPG. Then, the Corpse God remarks on how dedicated Xiaoyu is to his job, even now guarding Sayo instead of sleeping. At Takumi's inquiry, he explains that Xiaoyu is currently standing guard in front of Sayo's room.

Recalling how "Polka" had also identified the hidden guards in Rozan's parlor, Xiaoyu re-confirms the lack of security guards and wonders how "Polka" is doing. Lacking any other clues, he concludes that "Polka" is predicting his movements. This only further solidifies his attention to expose the impostor's true identity.

Over at VRZone—a virtual reality entertainment building—Tena Sorimura exits the establishment and remarks on how far VR has come during his short prison stint. This pleases him, as advances in civilization (technology) beget innovations in magic.

A couple women recognize him, prompting a flash gathering of bystanders taking his photograph and making video recordings. Sorimura poses for a little while before leaving to resume work on the "program for [his upcoming] show," commenting that he looks forward to whatever the police cook up in the meantime.

Privately, he adds that the police's actions could potentially show him the path to an illusion. In the next moment, he and a police officer make eye contact, and he hastily sprints away. As his voice rings out, the Fire-breathing Bug surveys the cityscape elsewhere.

The next day finds the Corpse God and Misaki dressing up in their fortunetelling clothing, more than ready to make up for all the days they took off. Sayo compliments their attire as flattering, with a baggy-eyed Xiaoyu chirping his agreement at her side. Inwardly, he sneers that the impostor must be a good trickster after all as a fortuneteller, all too ready to see what tricks "Polka" has up his sleeves.

At the sound of someone at the door, the Corpse God halts with his headwear in his hands and calls out that the business is not open until the afternoon. The door opens anyway, and Tsubaki Iwanome—accompanied by Kōzaburō Arase—greets "Polka" for the first time since they last saw each other at Youtoukorou.

"Polka" manages to return the greeting. Takumi, who bolted under his desk at the first whiff of Arase, remains speechless.

## Trivia

* This chapter marks the first mention of 'Agakura' in the series.