Chapter 18

The serpent forced a shameless smile as he asked, that hideous look of his truly making it hard not to feel disgust.

But Luo Xing's expression showed nothing out of the ordinary; instead, his tone even came across as somewhat warm.

"Of course it's true. Whatever the General asks for, how could Father-in-law my lord refuse?"

The serpent was overjoyed, and asked impatiently: "Then those Monster Cells…"

Luo Xing raised a hand, cutting off what the serpent was about to say next, and laughed:

"This matter is of great importance. Let's go inside the General's residence to discuss it."

The serpent nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice: "Yes, yes, yes, let's go in and talk, let's go in and talk."

They made their way into the great hall of the General's residence.

The serpent had long since prepared a lavish banquet.

On Luo Xing's side, only he and the Plague Queen took their seats; the rest waited outside.

The serpent also brought no guards, keeping only the guard captain Kanjuro.

Besides that, there was one other person.

That was the courtesan Komachiyo, who was currently dancing gracefully in the center of the great hall, hailed as the number one beauty of Wano.

Komachiyo was dressed in a rainbow-hued gown, her hair styled in golden cloud-like coils, her skin fair as snow, her figure lithe and graceful, holding a lute half-concealing her face — she truly had the air of "one backward glance, a hundred charms bloom."

She truly lived up to the title of top courtesan.

Even Luo Xing, who was used to the peerless beauty of his own wife Yamato, had to admit that this daughter of Kozuki Oden was a genuine great beauty.

The dance ended.

Kurozumi Orochi, sitting in the General's seat, watched enraptured, and the Plague Queen also had hearts in his eyes.

Only Luo Xing kept a faint smile on his face the whole time, showing no loss of composure.

Although Komachiyo kept her eyes lowered and meek, over a decade of performing for a living had given her an ability to read people far beyond the ordinary.

Her intuition told her that this Beasts Imperial Son-in-law she was meeting for the first time seemed rather different from anyone she had encountered before.

At this moment.

The serpent's voice only strengthened her intuition further.

"Komachiyo, hurry and pour wine for Imperial Son-in-law Luo Xing."

Normally, the serpent would certainly be impatient to have her pour wine for himself.

But this time he didn't, instead having her sit beside the Beasts Imperial Son-in-law, clearly currying favor with the latter.

"Imperial Son-in-law, please have some wine."

Komachiyo carefully hid her true inner thoughts, a meek, faint smile on her face, and said softly.

Luo Xing glanced at Komachiyo.

Just one glance, yet it made Komachiyo's heart suddenly skip a beat, giving her an inexplicable feeling of being seen completely through.

"Many thanks."

The man drained the wine in his cup in one gulp, then shifted his gaze away from her.

Komachiyo let out a long sigh of relief.

At some point, the clothes on her back had been soaked through with cold sweat.

"General Kurozumi."

Luo Xing had no intention of exposing Kozuki Hiyori's identity right now, and turned to the serpent to say:

"The Monster Cells are extremely powerful, enough to multiply your guards' strength many times over. This is a perfect opportunity to showcase the General's might to the people of Wano!"

"I propose that we invite prominent figures from the six regions of Kuri, Udon, Ringo, Hakumai, and Bai Wu to the Flower Capital to witness the ceremony, and at the same time broadcast the visual snails to every corner of Wano."

"Under the gaze of all like this, when your guards take the Monster Cells and their strength surges, it will be enough to make every single person in Wano hold you in even greater awe!"

The serpent leaped up with joy upon hearing this.

"Great idea, a great idea! Let everyone see it, let everyone revere me even more — that way no one will dare rebel against me again!"

The serpent was so excited he was dancing about, repeatedly toasting Luo Xing.

Luo Xing gave a faint smile.

To kill a man, first make him mad.

Let you be happy for a few more days, Kurozumi Orochi.

20. Identity Exposed, Komachiyo Loses Color (Begging for flowers, evaluation tickets, monthly tickets)

After the banquet ended.

Kurozumi Orochi had his men prepare lodging for Luo Xing, Queen, and the others, while ordering his subordinates to invite prominent figures from the six regions of Kuri, Udon, Ringo, Hakumai, and Bai Wu.

This "invite" of course needs to be put in quotation marks.

Although the serpent had already held the General's seat for over a decade, he still enjoyed extremely little popular support in Wano.

If not for his great backer Kaido, he would likely have been driven from power by the people of Wano long ago.

The serpent also ordered that a visual snail be placed in every village across Wano.

Two days later, every citizen of Wano would be able to watch the grand spectacle of his subordinates taking the Monster Cells through the visual snails!

The mere thought of such a scene made the serpent so excited he couldn't sleep all night.

And those who couldn't sleep were not only Kurozumi Orochi, but two other people as well.

In a dim, secret room.

The top courtesan Komachiyo, who had been soft and meek during the day, now wore an expression of utter resolve.

Across from her was Denjiro, in his guise as Kanjuro.

Komachiyo said worriedly:

"Denjiro, you heard it during the day too — that Beasts Imperial Son-in-law brought a hundred Monster Cells. If the serpent's subordinates really take them, then the day of our revenge will be even further away!"

Denjiro's face was equally filled with worry as he sighed:

"This matter is my responsibility. I had wanted to sow discord between Kaido and Orochi, to make them turn against each other. I never expected Kaido would actually agree to Orochi's request!"

To tell the truth,

Denjiro truly could not understand. The person he had sent to find Kaido had clearly adopted a commanding, high-and-mighty attitude.

Given the temper of Kaido of the Beasts, how could he not get angry in the slightest, and obediently hand over a hundred Monster Cells?

Komurasaki consoled him:

"At the time, you discussed this matter with me too. If we're talking responsibility, we both share it. The key now is how to stop Orochi and that Beasts Imperial Son-in-Law."

Denjiro thought for a moment, then said slowly: "There is only one way!"

"What?"

"That is to steal them — steal the Monster Cells!"

"Steal the Monster Cells…" Komurasaki murmured. This was indeed the only solution.

"But how do we steal them?"

Denjiro stared intently at Komurasaki: "Then Young Lady Hiyori will have to suffer some grievance."

Komurasaki immediately understood Denjiro's meaning.

It was to have her carry out a honey trap, seducing that Beasts Imperial Son-in-Law, and then seize the chance to steal the Monster Cells.

Komurasaki bit her lower lip.

Honestly, she did not want to go, and was even somewhat afraid to meet that Beasts Imperial Son-in-Law.

Because that one glance from him during the day still left a lingering dread in her heart even now.

But,

Thinking of her parents' blood feud, and the wretched plight of the people of Wano Country today, what did her own personal feelings amount to?

"Fine, I'll go!" Komurasaki said firmly.

……

……

Luo Xing looked at the lavish decorations in the room, the corner of his mouth curving into a mocking arc.

Kurozumi Orochi, in his eagerness to curry favor with him, had probably given him the best room in the General's residence.

"Orochi, Orochi, to repay your kindness, in two days I shall thank you with your own head."

Luo Xing thought leisurely.

Suddenly, his eyelid twitched. His Kenbunshoku Haki sensed someone heading toward his room.

"Kozuki Hiyori — what is she coming to find me for?"

Luo Xing was quite astonished, and a hint of wariness rose in his heart.