Mang Hou

Chapter 298 "Chrysanthemum Crest Shrine Defense, Part 1"

Chapter 1 Suren's Decision

Suren wasn't sure whether to call the kimono-clad woman who led him in a "madam" or a "mama-san," but he followed her anyway.

Though there were only a few cherry trees, they were arranged so cleverly that they gave the impression of a forest of blossoms.

After crossing an exquisitely carved corridor bridge, the view suddenly opened up, and the main building came into sight.

This wasn't just a simple wooden building, but rather a floating ship-house. The entire structure was half-suspended in the air. It had airship-like bladders on top and what looked like boiler-room-like levitation devices at the bottom. The overall architectural style was unique, with Dougong brackets and flying eaves, green tiles and white walls, and paper-covered wooden lattice doors and windows. Red lanterns with the words "Nagano House" (Chang Ye Wu) hung under the eaves of the corridors, all exuding the customs and style of the Mountain Hidden Kingdom.

Suren found it quite pleasant to look at; every stone, tree, flower, and blade of grass in this geisha house gave off a sense of just the right beauty.

But he never expected to run into a familiar person so coincidentally, just as he entered.

That woman with an imposing aura, wearing a large floral kimono and walking with a domineering gait, who else could it be but Qiandiao?

.......

"What is she doing here?"

Suren was also greatly surprised.

If he had run into this gambling-addicted young woman at a gambling den, he wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest. But what was going on here?

Qiandiao was followed by that little girl with a sword and a timid expression, naturally Lolita.

And what surprised Suren even more was that Qiandiao was actually holding a handsome, white-faced young man in samurai attire, whose beauty made even the blooming cherry blossoms shy away.

They even seemed very intimate?

A male geisha?

(Spoiler: It's a woman.)

"Eh...?"

Suren knew very well that Qiandiao had only a few hobbies, but visiting geisha houses was definitely not one of them. She wasn't interested in men, nor was she interested in women. For her, it would be more pleasant to gamble a few times if she had the leisure.

So, seeing this unusual scene, Suren didn't have any gossip ideas pop up in his mind. Instead, he immediately realized something: Qiandiao was here to stir up trouble?

Obviously, it was this glance that made Qiandiao see him too.

Even though Suren was disguised, they were too familiar with each other, and a single glance was enough to recognize him.

Qiandiao's gaze swept over him, without the slightest intention of greeting him. She put her arm around the white-faced young man, chatting and laughing as she walked straight into the building.

Their eyes met and separated.

Even without speaking, Suren, who was so familiar with her, could feel that playful look in her eyes, as if saying: Oh, you're really enjoying yourself, aren't you, visiting a brothel?

"She didn't tell me anything when I asked her before, so there must be some trouble to deal with... I didn't expect to run into her."

Suren felt a little dumbfounded.

At this moment, the mama-san on the side suddenly said something, interrupting his thoughts, "Sir, please watch your step."

"Okay."

Suren responded and then collected his thoughts.

Now that he had come to the door, he naturally had to go in and take a look.

Moreover, if there was really too much trouble, Qiandiao would send him a message to notify him.

Suren was also very curious about what exactly happened that Qiandiao didn't want him to get involved in.

Just in case, he changed his clothes quietly as he walked, and the black umbrella with cloth strips tied into a long stick was already in his hand.

.......

As soon as he entered, the elegant decoration inside the building made Suren feel none of the noise of any other pleasure venues.

Although the ship-house was not big, thanks to the clever design, the interior space did not give people a sense of cramped oppression at all.

Quiet and elegant, as soon as you enter, you immediately feel a little peace in your heart.

Suren scanned the surrounding environment and immediately felt that it was indeed worth the price.

The geisha house was already a high consumption for ordinary pirates, and there were not many guests here.

Moreover, there were screens and partitions, and after going upstairs, you could hardly see other guests, which also ensured privacy very well.

Suren was led to a room on the second floor. The location of this "Nagano House Geisha House" was halfway up the city, and from the window, you could see most of the night view of the pirate city.

He looked at the price list and ordered the lowest-priced geisha to accompany him for 5,300 Leso/hour.

After a short while, a young woman in a blue Koi carp kimono, hiding her face with a golden fan, walked in gracefully.

Suren glanced at her.

Her makeup was very heavy. But in fact, without makeup, her facial features should be excellent. She was sixteen or seventeen years old, just at the time when she was pure and lovely. Behind this geisha, there were also two attendants who looked like maids. After the three of them came in, the last one gently closed the door.

The leading woman walked in front of Suren, bowed and smiled, "Hello, sir, my name is Koike Teppei, and I am a geisha from Nagano House."

"Okay."

Suren nodded and didn't show too much emotion.

The environment here was very comfortable, and he felt good staying here.

In his perception, Qiandiao was in a room diagonally opposite.

Wait slowly, no hurry.

.......

When a geisha enters the room, there are some service procedures, tea ceremony, dancing, musical instrument playing, swordplay performance... all of which are very characteristic performances.

Suren himself was proficient in some music theory, so it wasn't like feeding a cow peony blossoms (a waste of talent).

He listened to the little songs and watched the dance, and it did give him a feeling of pleasing the eyes and mind.

This geisha named "Koike" had indeed worked hard on these literary and artistic aspects, and her attainments were very deep.

Her talent was visible to the naked eye.

What was even more rare was that, when getting along in the same room, the feeling she gave Suren was not like a performer, but more like a friendly and easy-going person. Her eyes were also full of emotion, rather than the straightforward vulgarity of a brothel girl who said, "Hurry up, I have to go up and down for another hour."

Even without physical pleasure, getting along with her gave people a kind of spiritual pleasure.

This was a very clever way to get along.

Just talking about the price, it was indeed worth it.

After finishing a dance, Koike gathered the hem of her kimono, stepped on small steps, walked to Suren's side, and leaned closer to help him pour tea.

The two attendants in the corner of the room were playing the shamisen, and the rhythm was light and slow.

Because she was very close, Suren smelled a faint fragrance on her body, so he casually asked, "The dance just now was very interesting, but it looks a bit like a sacrificial dance?"

In addition to performing, conversation was also one of the most important service contents of a geisha house.

Suren wasn't just here to watch the dance. He had heard that these geishas had a lot of important information.

Holding the teapot high, not a drop of tea was spilled, which was a kind of skilled practice like an "Oil Pouring Old Man".

Koike poured tea for Suren, handed it over with a gentle smile, and responded at the same time: "Sir, you have a good eye. This dance is the Kaze-no-kami Kagura dance, which was once a sacrificial dance performed by the witches in our clan to worship the gods."

"Oh? This is the Kagura dance?"

Suren knew something about the situation in the Mountain Hidden Kingdom, and the two began to chat.

"Why do you have to wear heavy makeup? You are obviously very beautiful."

"Because in our Mountain Hidden Kingdom, every household uses candles. The light will be very dim at night. Therefore, in order to make the customer's sensory experience better, the geishas will apply some white powder. I hope you don't laugh at me, sir."

"What interesting customs and specialties are there in the Mountain Hidden Kingdom?"

"Swordsmanship, tea ceremony, literature, volcanic hot springs, and monster legends... There are demon swords, hundreds of ghosts, and gods..."

"Are there really monsters in the Mountain Hidden Kingdom?"

"Naturally, there are. Gods and hundreds of ghosts are the most important existences in our Mountain Hidden Kingdom. If you are interested in going there in person, you may encounter monsters. Kappa, Shuten Doji, Nine-tailed Fox Tamamo-no-Mae, Aonyobo, Jorogumo...."

"Legend has it that 'The Most Beautiful Princess in the World' has the ultimate beauty in the world. Is she really that beautiful?"

"Yes, even Koike has never seen anyone more beautiful than Lady Mikote. Unfortunately, Lady Mikote will not leave the Mountain Hidden Kingdom..."

"..."

Suren and this Koike gradually started chatting.

The geisha has mastered very clever conversation skills, as expected of her reputation.

The feeling she gave Suren was really like a casual chat between friends, and she was knowledgeable. Almost everything he asked, she could say something about. Current events, history, literature, music... there was never a dull moment.

In other places, just this knowledge alone was probably not something that many young ladies from noble families could match.

Suren cleverly inquired about a lot of customs in the Mountain Hidden Kingdom, and also learned some information about the intricate forces in the Pirate City.

This information was also considered an added value of the high service fee.

But strangely, when talking about information related to the "Rune Old Man," Koike would cleverly avoid the topic, as if it was a taboo.

Suren wasn't worried; the night was still long.

.......

A geisha house is not like a brothel, where the technicians and customers are going for that kind of thing. Geishas will do everything patiently, even pouring tea is a pleasing process.

Although the geishas didn't show any signs of lewdness, every frown and smile gave people a very charming feeling.

Suren felt very relaxed.

After only chatting for an hour, this Koike gave him the feeling of being as familiar as an old friend.

He didn't forget his pirate persona, and while extracting information, he didn't forget to make a few jokes. As they chatted, he also asked a question that he was very curious about, "Miss Koike, this is, after all, a Pirate City. Do you usually encounter very rude guests?"

Pirates are all rough men. No matter how clever the response is, can these geishas resist when they encounter those guys who are horny?

Hearing this, Koike naturally knew what he was asking. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and that charming shyness seemed extremely natural. She nodded slightly and said, "Naturally, we will encounter them. However, the hall also has special people to handle it."

Suren then said, "What if there are very strong guests?"

Koike smiled implicitly, her beautiful eyes sparkled, as if hinting at something, "If we encounter guests we like, it's naturally fine."

After a pause, her tone suddenly became fierce, and she added, "If we don't like them, then we are not destined. Although we geishas are humble, we will not cherish our lives and will not make things difficult for the hall."

Suren heard the joking tone in her words, as if they were familiar friends. He raised his eyebrows and casually said, "What if I want to stay overnight?"

Koike looked at him, and a hint of charm flowed out of her eyes and eyebrows, "Sir certainly won't."

This was really a very clever response, using retreat as an advance, giving people a feeling of love and reluctance to destroy it even if they had that intention.

Suren was a little curious about how far her speaking skills could go, and he asked with a smile, "Why do you think so?"

Koike said with a very serious face, "Because sir, you have a kind of extraordinary temperament. Koike knows that you are different from other guests."

"Oh...?"

Hearing this, Suren narrowed his eyes slightly.

The skill of answering this question was really impeccable.

This was a routine, but it didn't seem like it.

In brothels, if a girl praises you for being good at sex and having a big tool, it's probably not because you're really good, but because it's professional jargon. Saying human words to humans and ghost words to ghosts is their forte. In that kind of physical entanglement, even if the guests know it's fake, they will feel very happy, doubling the pleasure.

But this was a geisha house, it was pure.

Koike's response made Suren unable to tell whether she had seen through his disguise or whether it was her professional training that made her say this.

This was the true brilliance of a geisha's conversation skills.

It was also the most important reason why a geisha house could exist in this Pirate City, where brothels were everywhere.

Don't look at pirates as vicious, the more rude they are, the more empty and easier to figure out their inner thoughts.

.......

Suren stayed at the post station for two or three hours, and he had a very pleasant exchange with Koike.

A den of gold, it really lived up to its name.

If it weren't for his disguised identity, he probably wouldn't have been stingy with tips.

But his persona was a small pirate, and the tens of thousands of dollars in his pocket would definitely not last the night.

Suren had another purpose in staying here, and that was to see what Qiandiao was doing here.

Now it seemed that this money might not last until midnight.

It was a coincidence that the big show started before he had to wait long.

At about ten o'clock, the screens and lattice doors in the rooms on the second floor were opened, allowing people in the rooms to see the public stage on the first floor.

This was a special program of the "Nagano House Geisha House", the geisha sword dance in the evening.

However, before the sword dance started, a dispute broke out in the opposite room.

The angry quarrel resounded throughout the geisha house.

"Hey, hey, hey, how do you prove that I killed 'One-Eyed' Sork? Catch the thief and take the loot, at least find a witness to say that I, the Dawn Group, did it, right? Besides, even if I killed him, so what? He came to cause me trouble, am I not allowed to fight back? There's no such rule in the world, right?"

This was Qiandiao's voice, and Suren pricked up his ears as soon as he heard it.

It sounded like the after-effects of killing "One-Eyed" Sork before.

However, that time, he was very careful. Everyone was killed, and no handle was left for others. Even if there was a ship, it could be fooled.

Besides, just like Qiandiao said, so what if he was killed?

"Sister Qiandiao is deliberately looking for trouble..."

Suren guessed something.

The reason why she pretended not to know him before was probably waiting for now.

Just as he was guessing who was arguing with Qiandiao.

Suddenly, there was a "bang" sound of wood breaking.

Looking again, a person smashed the railing and fell into the hall.

Looking at the swordsman whose runes were faintly overflowing all over his body, Suren knew that this person was related to the Rune Old Man.

In the next moment, Qiandiao also fell down with murderous intent, looking like she was about to draw her sword and fight.

.......

Suren curiously asked, "Who is that man?"

Koike's face was slightly abnormal, "That is our hall's... boss, Mr. Axi Aurora."

" 'Ghost Sword' Axi?"

Hearing this, Suren immediately knew who this guy was.

Another son of the Rune Old Man, and the most successful one, "Ghost Sword" Axi, a well-known mixed-blood swordsman in Pirate City.

The runes lit up on this guy's body were much stronger than his brother he had met before. Moreover, the black knife in his hand, which was bloody and faintly had chrysanthemum patterns, was not simple, and it didn't look like an ordinary product.

Suren then asked, "That seems to be a famous sword?"

Koike's eyes were a little unnatural, and she responded, "That is one of the twelve good swords of our Mountain Hidden Kingdom, the 'Chrysanthemum Mon Shrine Guardian'." (Juwon Shingu Ichi Mamoru)

"It really is a famous sword..."

Suren took another look.

Although the Mountain Hidden Kingdom was poor, it also passed down the world's top sword forging skills. The swords that flowed out of here were top-level collectibles and combat weapons even in the upper class of Luying.

This "Twelve Good Swords" was probably equivalent to a high-level cursed object, or even a [Sealed Object] in alchemical objects.

Legend has it that these good quick swords were not only sharp and tough, but each one was injected with the craftsman's painstaking efforts and had some magical special effects, such as those that caused people to bleed non-stop, those that slashed the soul with sword energy, those that cut off the karma of past and present lives, those that had demon-sealing special effects, those that summoned monsters... and so on.

But as time went by, only three or four of the "Twelve Good Swords" were still passed down.

For a small country like Mountain Hidden, the "Chrysanthemum Mon Shrine Guardian" in front of them was definitely a national treasure.

.......

The two suddenly fought, sword energy overflowed, and the geisha house was cut with gaps everywhere...

Suren's eyebrows moved, and he wasn't worried.

Qiandiao dared to do it, and she had planned it in advance, so she naturally had a certain degree of certainty.

But where did the opportunity come from?

This was their home field!

That "Ghost Sword" Axi was rumored to be a fifth-order swordsman, and he also had a famous sword in his hand.

In this full view of the public, could Qiandiao take advantage without exposing her second-stage [Rakshasa Woman]? (Luosha Nu)

Just as Suren was thinking about how she would deal with it, suddenly, without any warning, several ninjas popped up in the four corners of the hall!

"It's not space displacement, nor is it stealth..."

Suren's pupils suddenly shrank, and he guessed something: "The 'Virtual Flash Shadow Killing Technique' in the Mountain Hidden Ninjutsu? This movement is a bit powerful..." (Xushan Ying Sha Zhi Shu)

Just now, he clearly sensed the soul fire of those four ninjas, and they suddenly condensed out. But he didn't sense any spatial fluctuations.

This was a movement method that could not be explained on a physical level.

He had heard about it before, and now seeing it with his own eyes, he felt that his horizons had been broadened.

Sure enough, the four countries in the North Continent, these believers, inherited many strange abilities.

.......

"However, this [Virtual Flash] is not something that ordinary people can come into contact with. It seems to be a secret tradition of ninjutsu in the Mountain Hidden Kingdom. Just what kind of people does Qiandiao know?"

Suren's thoughts were racing, and his eyes were slightly dignified.

Because just as Qiandiao restrained that Axi, the four masked ninjas who suddenly appeared suddenly formed a seal, and then a purple square light curtain appeared, creating a spatial barrier.

With this block, outsiders could no longer see what was happening inside.

Suren knew very well that this was not a temporary conflict, but a premeditated ambush!

He hesitated, considering whether to help, and when to strike...

But then he thought again, if there was really a need, Qiandiao would definitely say so.

The goblin communicator of the Mirror Organization can transmit without obstacles even if the space is shielded.

The guests in the geisha house had become a little flustered.

However, the battle came quickly and ended very quickly.

Like a magic trick, the purple light spatial barrier disappeared from sight as soon as it was propped up.

Suren frowned and thought, "The battlefield space has been transferred to another place..."

Seeing this, he also understood the ins and outs of tonight.

Qiandiao came here to ambush that "Ghost Sword" Axi. Moreover, a certain force in the Mountain Hidden Kingdom was also involved.

But... why?

Suren's mind was racing.

.......

Just as Suren was staying in the geisha house.

Pirate City was as lively as ever.

The tallest building in the city was the "Emperor Entertainment City".

At the top of the entertainment city, there was a secret palace overlooking the entire city.

This was the territory of "King of the North Sea" Oleg, and outsiders were not qualified to enter.

After entering, it was a scene of splendor. The decoration was extremely luxurious, and the golden light was dazzling. Golden pillars, door handles, and fences could be seen everywhere... as if everything made of metal was cast in gold. The carpets on the ground were the most top-level Asgard cashmere, and the oil paintings hanging on the walls were all masterpieces, and the vases with illustrations were also priceless antiques...

This palace was more luxurious than even some top nobles.

At this moment, Oleg, wearing a crown, was sitting on the golden throne in the center of the palace.

This top-level powerhouse, with a reward amount of 8.477 billion, had a powerful and awe-inspiring pressure.

In the shadows on his left and right sides sat twenty-three people with different expressions. These were all the fleet captains of the North Sea Fleet. These people were all powerful, and even if they were sitting there, the entire golden hall had a suffocating heaviness.

But in this, in the hall, stood an aloof middle-aged man. His washed and faded white suit was meticulous, and his expression was calm. Even though he was being watched by a group of great pirates with fierce eyes, there was not the slightest fear in his eyes.

On the throne, Oleg's domineering and majestic voice sounded: "Zoras, I have heard of your talent. Those pedantic nobles in Luying don't know how to appreciate it. From now on, you will work for me."

Zoras said neither humble nor arrogant: "Okay! But I want absolute management rights. Start reforming from the four countries in the North Continent. Give me twenty years, and I will make this barren sea a prosperous place that is not inferior to any territory in Luying."

Hearing this, a fleet captain immediately questioned, "Twenty years? Hehe, who knows if we will still be here in twenty years."

Zoras did not hide his contempt for that short-sightedness and said, "Since Mr. Oleg has already become king, please don't consider the future of this sea area with the thinking of pirates in the past. You are a lord, a king, and you should have a sense of responsibility for the territory and the people. The reason why I chose to agree to stay here is not for power, but to allow more people in this world to live with dignity!"

As soon as these words came out, the huge hall fell silent.

Even if these pirates didn't understand his plan, they could clearly feel the "righteousness" in these powerful words.

"Then Mr. Zoras, what do you think we should do in the first step?"

"Start with the tax revenue of the four countries in the North Continent."

"Hehe, how much tax revenue can those poor mountains and rivers have? A year's tax revenue is not as good as us robbing a few merchant ships."

"Mr. Oleg, do you think you can mobilize the people of the four countries now? If you can't, then what is the meaning of this King of the North Sea?"

"Not everyone wants to be a pirate for the rest of their lives. If there is a stable life, who wants to risk their lives? You can, but have you ever thought about your family, your descendants? Now that Marfa and Luying are at war, this is the best opportunity for the rise of the North Sea. Plan for the present, and plan for the future!"

"Tax revenue is not a means of collecting wealth, it is just to make the four countries in the North Continent slowly begin to have a sense of belonging, to let them know who their king is. This process may be very difficult and very long, but it must be done! And I guarantee that in a few years, when the four countries become rich, this tax revenue will be ten or a hundred times your robbery income!"

"..."

Zoras's words were loud and clear, making a group of great pirates who could cause a tsunami in the North Sea with a stomp of their feet silent.

No one could refute.

After a long time, a loud and powerful shout rang out from the throne that had been pondering for a long time: "Okay! As you said!"