Chapter 70

Chapter 70 is the seventieth chapter of the Dead Mount Death Play manga.

Official Blurb
Xiaoyu opens up to the Corpse God about his loyalty to Rozan and his thoughts on the real Polka.

Short Summary
Bao and Majiri Agakura's fight escalates when Bao introduces two single-handed batons, at least one of which has a hidden blade. The blade draws blood seconds after its introduction; whose blood was drawn, however, is not shown.

Corpse God and Xiaoyu Lei discuss the magical properties of jewels, and means of affording jewels, while browsing jewelry in a pawn shop. Corpse God rules out Rozan Shinoyama as such a means for multiple reasons—those implied including Polka Shinoyama's kidnapping and Rozan's hospital visit—which inadvertantly causes Xiaoyu to become upset with himself for his jealous, selfish feelings in the matter.

During the two's ensuing conversation in a park, Xiaoyu admits his desire to be Rozan's real son, and his resentment toward Rozan's real, biological son (Polka) for taking his situation for granted. Corpse God says their bond does not need to one of blood to make it familial, divulging that his own biological father sold and stabbed him, and advises Xiaoyu to treasure the connection he has. Privately, Corpse God reaffirms his desire to "this time" build a peaceful world.

Three days later, Civil A. Sabaramond douses Shinjuku in lightning and invites Corpse God to join him in turning the world inside out, for the Corpse God has already done so once before. As he alludes to the how—in calling Corpse God "Emperor Killer"—he utters Corpse God's true name.

Synopsis
After the visit to Xiaoyu Lei's sickbed in Chapter 22, the Lei family patriarch leaves with Bao—aka Yenmei Lei—to discuss Rozan Shinoyama's offer of purchasing Xiaoyu with three Lei family members: a suited man, a woman, a man in black. Each seated family member has a guard or attendant standing behind them; Bao likewise takes her place behind her father as he asks for the family members' opinions, saying that he would regret losing a potential t'ing-fu.
 * Flashback

The suited man questions if they cannot simply acquire the "raw materials" for a t'ing-fu elsewhere, to which the woman says "consider the era we live in." The black-clad man adds that any of this coming to light would reflect poorly on their Shinoyama allies—which is why, the Lei patriarch responds, that they "must keep it" a family secret. Here, the suited man laughs that they "might as well" sell Xiaoyu at a high price, considering his uselessness; Agakura blood aside, it was a "little girl" to whom he lost and who put him in his current state. He goes so far as to accuse the patriarch of indulgence—for Xiaoyu is the patriarch's biological son—before saying that, if the patriarch truly wants a t'ing-fu, he should lie to Rozan that Xiaoyu has died.

Bao severs the lower half of the man's jaw halfway through his offer to personally dispose of Xiaoyu, excoriating his insolence toward the Lei family head. The man swings his left hand back, gripping a small blade, but Bao severs the offending arm above its elbow with one slash—for the man has also insulted Xiaoyu. None of the attendants, including the man's own and a young Taipei standing behind the black-clad man, intervene. As the man falls to the floor, the Lei patriarch muses over the earlier implication that 'to be useless' is 'to be bested by a little girl'. His own daughter is so fierce, he says, that she tried to kill him when he previously mentioned fashioning Xiaoyu into a t'ing-fu.

Near the Abandoned Building, Majiri Agakura, her neck and right wrist caught in Bao's chain, surmises that Bao is taking revenge for that "cute little kidsassin-kun." Bao says that she is not entirely correct, aside from Xiaoyu's cuteness, and flips over Majiri's head; mid-air, she expresses concurrent hate and thanks for Majiri's maiming of her younger brother; it was via losing his limbs that he was able to escape their "accursed home." As she lands on her feet behind Majiri, back to back, she yanks on the chain—which Majiri's left wrist catches.
 * Present

Majiri swishes her long hair back as a distraction while she frees herself from the chain and tosses it to the ground, remarking afterward on Bao's apparent lack of the Heilei's reputed family loyalty. Such antiquated value systems hold no interest for Bao, who, wielding a side-handle baton in either hand, is far more interested in Majiri's death. With the baton in her right hand, she strikes at Majiri. Majiri catches the baton's tip between her palms, dodging Bao's southpaw swing of the other baton—and, as Majiri moves, the right baton's tip slides off with her to reveal a hidden blade. A subsequent slash spatters blood across the air.

Xiaoyu, browsing jewelry in a pawn shop with Corpse God, asks if their gems truly are a source of magical power. Corpse God asserts that they are, and that they should moreover "replenish the strength" of Xiaoyu's arms. Whatever high price he must pay for jewels on Earth, he says, is a small price compared to some spell's casting requirements—such as one's body part, one's memory, or one's life. That said, the more transparent and larger a jewel is, the more magic it can exponentially hold—i.e. doubling a jewel's weight increases its magic power tenfold—so jewels are better than raw ore. As Corpse God returns to the issue of money, he muses out loud that he cannot turn to Rozan for numerous reasons—a remark that sparks one of Xiaoyu's memories.

In a flashback to the group discussion of Polka Shinoyama's sharknapping, Misaki Sakimiya wonders about Polka's safety. Corpse God admits that any damage to Polka's vessel—the shark plush—would likely affect Polka's soul. Morosely, Xiaoyu says the fault is his as the person responsible for guarding Sayo Shinoyama and Polka, especially as he is the only guard who knows that the real Polka is the stuffed animal.

Corpse God says they ought to report what has happened to Rozan, though Takumi Kuruya questions just how matter-of-factly Corpse God will deliver the news. Sayo interjects that, for the time being, telling Rozan is "impossible"; depending on the results of Rozan's upcoming afternoon check-up at the hospital, his doctors might want to have him undergo a laparoscopy. As Rozan will in such an event be put under anesthesia, he will not be available for conversation. Takumi points out that no one else in the family is available by dint of the extraordinary circumstances; telling anyone else that "Polka's been put in a stuffed shark that got kidnapped," he quips, would likely lead to one's own hospitalization.

In the present, Xiaoyu buries his face in his hands and concludes he is the worst. He confesses that he was momentarily almost relieved at the reminder of Rozan's hospital visit, overtaken by the possibility of rescuing Polka before Rozan learned of his 'blunder'. That he used Rozan's visit as an out, even just a routine check-up, is reprehensible. Corpse God replies that, on the contrary, Xiaoyu's feelings of guilt indicate he is, at minimum, a decent person—certainly he is compared to those who saturated their reports with lies in the Byandy Empire. As Xiaoyu weakly says that he does not deserve such praise, Corpse God asks if he resents having to protect the real Polka. Xiaoyu twists as if stung, protesting the question as invasive, but Corpse God gently affirms that it is his business. He suggests they have a proper talk.

The two leave the shop and head to a park, where they resume their conversation on a park bench. Xiaoyu admits that he has never liked Polka, but that he only realized he hates Polka "deep down" when Corpse God revealed the shark was the real Polka. At the time, Rozan had said Polka apparently wants a robot body instead of his original body, a want to which Xiaoyu took great offense. How could Polka have said such a thing without considering Rozan's feelings? Moreover, how could Polka have no attachment to his own body? Xiaoyu continues that he has always wanted to be Rozan's child, that he wishes to support Rozan like a real son even though their lack of biological connection makes being Rozan's real son impossible. Meanwhile, Rozan's real son—Polka—takes what he has for granted.

Frustrated, Xiaoyu leans back and dismisses everything he just said as 'excuses', for, ultimately, he is nothing more than jealous. He is—so pathetic. Faced with a rare moment of vulnerability, Corpse God reciprocates with a story of his own father: although blood relations were valued in Corpse God's country of origin, his biological father sold him for money and later stabbed him out of greed. Like Xiaoyu, Corpse God envies the bonds of blood-related families; however, he knows Xiaoyu feels "just as bonded...as if Rozan-san were family," and he believes the feeling is mutual. He believes their souls are bound. With the memory of his own found family and their slaughter at Geldwood's hands on his mind, he advises Xiaoyu to treasure such a connection well—for the pain of its severing would cut just as deeply. Privately, Corpse God reaffirms his desire to "this time" build a world where everyone can live together in peace.

Three days later, Shinjuku finds itself engulfed in lightning and the 'stench of death'. The electric symphony's maestro, Civil A. Sabaramond, conducts it all atop a traffic light under a shower of sparks, gusting wind with the sweep of his arms—which he spreads in welcome of Corpse God, who stands before him on the street below. Civil proposes the two of them turn the world "inside out" as the "Corpse God" did once before—or, should he say, "Emperor Killer" Rizdilusia Redrazalf.

Trivia

 * In previous instances where Corpse God's true name came up in conversation, it was indicated that the name would be either hard to pronounce or unpronounceable altogether in Japanese—allowing the name to remain a mystery. However, nothing indicates that Civil is speaking in another language in this chapter; if he were, precedent from Chapter 52 would have his dialogue framed in single guillemets.

Referbacks

 * To Rozan's visit to Xiaoyu's sickbed in Chapter 22.
 * To Corpse God's fatal stabbing at his father's hands in Chapter 56.
 * To Corpse God's found family, first depicted in Chapter 2.