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| Original Title | 醤油仏 |
|---|---|
| Author | 吉川 英治 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the rain-soaked slums of Edo, a group of destitute laborers languish in a cramped lodging house, their empty stomachs fueling wild boasts of gluttonous feats. Among them hides Sajirō, a frail young man concealing a samurai’s lineage and a secret quest: to track down his foster mother and her companion, who vanished years ago with a priceless heirloom. As the men obsess over *soy sauce gambling*—a deadly contest of consuming impossible quantities—their target emerges: Dengō, a legendary gambler who drinks soy sauce like water and drains their meager wages. Sajirō’s fragile world unravels as Dengō’s true identity intertwines with his own shadowy past, revealing a web of desperation, betrayal, and twisted ambition. Amidst Edo’s crumbling morals and fleeting pleasures, survival hinges on brutal wagers, where pride and saltwater collide—and every swallow could be a step toward redemption or ruin. |