Chapter 120: Kikuko Sakuraya

Just as the bald, burly man was wearing a lecherous expression, seemingly lost in his own enjoyment, the seductive woman’s fingers suddenly hooked into a sharp claw! In an instant, her nails, painted with bright red polish, transformed into glistening, razor-sharp blades.

The next second, with a wet *pfft* sound, her fingers plunged directly into the carotid artery of the bald man’s neck.

*Hiss!*

Blood erupted from the man’s neck, spraying directly onto the woman’s face and chest. The look of enjoyment on his face twisted instantly into one of extreme terror. But it was too late. As he stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes, the woman clamped her hands tightly around his throat, her lithe, sexy body undulating in a bizarre, rhythmic motion.

The scorching blood splashed over her face, neck, and chest, staining the cherry blossom tattoo on her bosom an even deeper, more vibrant crimson. Breathing in the scent of the fresh blood like a cat catching the smell of fish, she let out a series of ecstatic, breathless moans:

"Ah~"
"Ah~"
"Such warm, fresh blood~"
"Spray! Gush! Give it all to me!"

Amidst her frantic cries, the man’s blood finally ran dry. With a heavy thud, he collapsed to the ground, stone dead.

The woman extended her tongue to lick the blood from her fingers, looking even more charming and alluring than before. It was as if the man’s life essence served to nourish her, leaving her complexion glowing and radiant.

Zhou Xiaohu, standing to the side, was paralyzed with terror. Not daring to look down, he could only watch the entire scene unfold, his body trembling uncontrollably.

The woman pulled out a tissue to wipe the cherry blossom on her chest, causing her breasts to quiver slightly as she murmured, "Drag him out and use him as fertilizer for the flowers."

"Yes!" Two men in black bowed deeply and immediately hauled the corpse away.

Only then did the woman glance at Zhou Xiaohu, her voice cool and indifferent: "You should be smarter than him, shouldn't you?"

"The tomb in Peach Blossom Village has already alerted the authorities; it cannot be touched again."

"Next time you find someone for a job, try to find someone with a brain."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Zhou Xiaohu trembled, kowtowing like he was pounding garlic.

***

The woman turned around, showing only her beautiful back and swaying hips to Zhou Xiaohu as she said coldly: "The brat who ruined things this time is named Zeng Xiaofan, right?"

"Are you certain he is a villager from Peach Blossom Village?"

"Yes! It’s him!"

"If it weren't for him, the higher-ups would never have discovered our tomb-raiding activities."

"Understood."

"I will handle this person myself."

"But next time I task you with something, do not alert the authorities again. Remember, your entire family is under our surveillance."

"Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely!"

"Get out." With a wave of her delicate hand, Zhou Xiaohu felt as if he had been granted a reprieve and scurried away in a panic.

As soon as he left, another seductive woman, dressed in a high-slit kimono, emerged. Had Zhou Xiaohu seen this, his jaw would have dropped, for this alluring creature with her long, exposed legs was none other than Wang Yanfen, the County Magistrate's wife—the very woman he had framed as the mastermind behind the tomb raiding.

Yet, this Wang Yanfen no longer possessed the elegance or intellectual grace of the Magistrate's wife. She wore a low-cut kimono that left little to the imagination; every time she took a step, the high slit revealed the very tops of her thighs. Her seductive aura even surpassed that of the woman known as Miss Sakura.

As Wang Yanfen appeared, the haughty Miss Sakura immediately bowed and said respectfully, "Senior Sister!"

Wang Yanfen nodded, her tone flat: "You did well. When dealing with these lackeys of the Dragon Kingdom, one must occasionally tighten the screws and keep them in fear. Otherwise, they start getting clever ideas."

"Yes!" Miss Sakura bowed deeply again, then added with a smile, "Senior Sister, you are truly brilliant! To think of this 'plot within a plot'—now the people of the Dragon Kingdom could never possibly suspect you!"

Wang Yanfen smiled smugly, puffing out her ample chest. "That is the power of the Great Island Empire’s ninjutsu. How could these Dragon Kingdom pigs know that the real Wang Yanfen was killed by me, Sakura Yagiku, long ago?"

"I simply utilized her skin. With ninjutsu, I can permanently alter my appearance to match hers. Even if a doctor were to perform surgery, they would not be able to tell if I am wearing a disguise."

"Because Wang Yanfen’s face is now my own; I am Wang Yanfen, and Wang Yanfen is me! Even her husband and daughter cannot tell the difference..."

"Heh, heh, heh. With the status of the Magistrate's wife, it is much easier to work for the Empire!"

"Indeed! Senior Sister is so clever; you are the brains of our operation!"

"Enough, Hanako, there is no need to flatter me. The Empire’s mission depends on everyone’s efforts. I hope that at the upcoming celebration banquet, both our names—Sakura Yagiku and Sakura Hanako—will be on the honor roll."

"Yes!" Sakura Hanako bowed deeply once more.

"By the way, Senior Sister, there is one thing I still don't understand and would like to ask."

"Speak."

"Since you have already secured the identity of the Magistrate's wife—to the point that even her husband and daughter cannot tell—why didn't you just quietly use that identity to work in the shadows? Why did you make me arrange for Zhou Xiaohu to frame you as the mastermind? Wouldn't that backfire and shift the attention of the Dragon Kingdom onto you?"

"Wang Yanfen" smiled triumphantly. "That was an improvised measure. Initially, I brought the 'Horned Master' evil artifact into the Chen family and claimed the Magistrate's wife had contracted a strange illness, requiring a city-wide search for famous doctors. My true goal was to draw out the hidden masters of Yi-study in the Dragon Kingdom to handle them quietly, so they wouldn't interfere with the Empire’s grand plan."

"You must understand that in traditional Dragon Kingdom medicine, medicine and Yi-study are inseparable. Those skilled in medicine are often masters of Yi-study as well. While we have remained well-hidden from the authorities, there are experts among the common people. To ensure absolute success, we must eliminate these hidden masters."

"That is why I released the news that the Magistrate's wife was ill. I just didn't expect it to actually draw out a master! And this guy is extremely young; his cultivation in both medicine and martial arts far exceeded my expectations."

"I wasn't confident in killing him outright, so I chose to avoid his edge and play along with his scheme. I let him purge the evil spirit of the Horned Master and even let him touch my body... This way, I gained his favor and his trust; it will be easy to kill him later."

"But this plan had a hidden risk: if they investigated the source of the Horned Master, I would be implicated. So, I simply had Zhou Xiaohu point the finger at me, putting on a show for everyone. Now, I have completely cleared myself of suspicion. They believe only that this was the work of some mysterious, seductive woman."