Playing a Sword, Setting a Trap

[I’ve opened up a collection for the second book of Baiting the Guilty into a Trap. The sequel is a crossover story, so check it out if you’re interested!] Because the Temporal Affairs Bureau failed to properly supervise its jurisdiction, cases of corruption and disappearances became increasingly common. To keep the offending Saniwa who hadn’t yet been discovered from slipping through the cracks, the Bureau decided to set a trap! A human would play the part of a sword spirit. This wouldn’t put the swords on their guard or make the Saniwa suspicious, and it would put the Bureau at ease. The enforcer codenamed Bai Niao was assigned to carry out this “experiment.” Dungeon One: “Tsurumaru,” shackled at the ankles and robbed of his freedom. Dungeon Two: “Genji heirloom,” blind and accompanied by his little brother. Dungeon Three: “Mikazuki,” just forged in a dark citadel. Dungeon Four: “Yagen,” with horns of his own and a history of killing his master. Dungeon Five: “Black Crane,” investigating a wandering fallen citadel. Dungeon Six: “Akashi,” suffering from severe insomnia. Dungeon Seven: “Hotarumaru” at an auction. Dungeon Eight: “Izuminokami,” looking back on the past. P.S. No one’s secret identity is revealed. Theme: There’s more than one path to finding the truth.