Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Yi Xue Lian
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After putting the Black Society crew back in their seats, I climbed up to the ceiling again and kept popping off shots—pop, pop, pop.
"Tree Tree, good work."
Before I knew it, the auction house lights had gone out, leaving just Camellia Flower and me alone on the backstage.
I must have totally lost track of time firing away nonstop, because honestly? It wasn't half bad.
"Urghhh... It's over?"
I stretched out luxuriously and asked Camellia Flower if the auction had ended.
"Of course."
Camellia Flower flashed a bright, sweet smile in reply.
"It's over, huh."
"Yes, all done. So, Tree Tree?"
Camellia Flower suddenly trailed off with an anxious lilt, clinging to me.
Oh god, what now?
"So, you're planning to head back up to Seoul now?"
"What time is it?"
"The time is... 2:39 a.m."
At 2:39 a.m., there'd be no buses or subways running.
I was exhausted anyway; might as well crash at a motel nearby and head back in the morning.
"It's late. I'll sleep here and go up tomorrow morning."
"Oho, so that means you're totally free right now?"
"Yeah?"
I had nothing else to do—the auction had just wrapped up.
"Well, someone just reached out wanting to meet Tree Tree in person, so that's why I'm asking."
"Me? Who?"
Who the hell wants to see me? Had Buer come down already?
Nah, if it was her, she wouldn't bother asking—she'd just barrel in like an idiot and smother me in a hug.
"I'm beat right now. Do I have to meet them now?"
Been shooting guns all damn day; I was exhausted.
I just wanted to dive headfirst into a bed, but at this hour?
"Who's asking to meet? Spit it out."
"The Black Society boss wants to meet Tree Tree personally."
"Fuck my life."
"?"
Oh no no no no no—don't do it, that's bullshit, total bullshit.
Hey, Camellia Flower, cut that shit out. Stop.
"Black Society boss Yi Xue Lian has personally invited Tree Tree."
"Yi Xue Lian, huh?"
"Her real name is Li Xuelian."
Pretty name. Real pretty... but sigh.
This must be that bottom-barrel knowledge or whatever.
"...Let's go."
What choice did I have? Now that Camellia Flower had spilled it, fate had decreed I meet the Black Society boss.
Refuse a personal summons from the boss herself?
Life would turn into pure hell after that.
Suddenly people around you vanishing, or waking up to some strange ceiling staring back.
Or hell, your hymen getting busted out of nowhere.
'Hmm...'
Fucking terrifying, for real.
"So, where do I go?"
"Follow me."
With that, Camellia Flower took the lead.
I followed behind, slowly making my way along.
From the dark backstage of the unlit stage, through a pitch-black corridor, pressing onward until a peculiar door came into view.
"What's this?"
"This is the VIP lounge."
"Lounge?"
"Kinda like a bar where VIPs can grab light snacks, or get smokes, booze, recreational drugs prescribed on the spot."
"Got it."
I pushed open the door and stepped into the world beyond, listening to Camellia Flower's explanation.
Another den of entertainment sprawled out, utterly separate from the outside stage.
Soundproofing must've been top-notch—no noise leaked out there at all. But in here? Glaring music, flashing lights, and nonstop moans poured out endlessly.
We walked down a hallway like some karaoke joint until we reached an iron door festooned with dangling Chinese lanterns.
"The Black Society boss is waiting inside."
With those words, Camellia Flower quietly slipped away.
Hey, wait—you're not leaving me, right?
"Where you going?"
"The boss summoned Tree Tree, not me. Best I make myself scarce."
Come on, you know damn well what kinda bitch is in there.
As Hadal's operator, he couldn't not know. No way—he had to.
That's why he was giving me that pitiful look. Fucking hell.
"...Okay, then. I'll... head in?"
Deep breath. You got this. No need to tense up.
Just seeing one person. One person.
Regulate my breathing like lining up a shot. Slow inhale. Exhale.
Alright.
Time to go.
Creeeak—
I gripped the handle, opened the door, and stepped in.
"Haaaang♥"
"Boss's guest has arrived."
"Huh? Our Tree's here?♥"
"Yes, so maybe you should—"
"Wait just a sec♥ Right now, just a little more, moreeee...♥"
...
Should I just back out now?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Heh, nice to meet ya—you Tree?"
"..."
What should I even say? Start polite, maybe?
"Speak casual. So, you Tree?"
Casual's fine, huh. Nicer than I thought.
"Yeah."
"Oh my? Did you just say 'yeah'?"
"Too casual?"
Was that too blunt right off the bat? Kinda insincere?
But weren't we just giggling and messing around a second ago?
"No, aren't you way too casual? I'm kinda a big shot in China, y'know."
Yeah, figures. You don't fuck with the Black Society's rep.
In mainland China, they're seen as equals—or superiors—to the party chairman.
At least in the underworld, for sure.
"..."
I glanced aside, and there on the crazy bitch's right lay Sword Princess's corpse.
I killed her, sure. But seeing her like this? Kinda pitiful.
Should've just cleanly burst her torso open. Sorry.
"Hehe~? Anyway, nice to meet you, Tree Tree. I'm—"
Crazy bitch...
No, not anymore.
She'd been radiating full-on brothel whore vibes just moments ago.
But her eyes shifted, morphing her into a massive coiled python ready to strike.
"Yi Xue Lian, 9th Supreme Dragon Head of the Black Society. Nice to meet you, our little Tree?"
Yi Xue Lian was objectively a stunner.
The room was packed with what—bodyguards? Anyway, hulking brutes everywhere, and she was a touch smaller than them. Still, easily over 170 cm tall.
Deep purple eyes, long draping jet-black hair framing an elegant figure.
Violently voluptuous bust and thighs to match. If a woman like that set her mind to seducing someone? Every guy would fall hard.
How someone that gorgeous ended up with a corpse-fucking fetish was beyond me, but I kept my mouth shut.
I wanna live long and skinny.
"..."
"I introduced myself, so you should too, right Tree?"
The room was maybe 15 pyeong or so. I stood smack in the center while Yi Xue Lian lounged on the sofa, raking her seductive gaze over me.
And ringed around us: vicious-faced Chinese thugs.
Say something stupid here, and I'd get diced on the spot.
"I'm..."
Polite speech for this crowd?
"Yeon Mu. I mostly do hit jobs on Hadal."
"Hehe~? Yeon Mu? Cute name—one syllable."
"Yup."
"Ahaha, you're adorable. Tree Tree... I already knew the name. Last year, when I heard the one who took down Gumiho in Beijing was just some hitman? I was floored."
Gumiho—the moniker of that former S-rank hunter I killed.
And from there, Black Society started flooding into Hadal.
"That's why I had my guys hunt you down and found this awesome spot called Hadal. Hehe."
That was the spark.
"So, why'd you call me here?"
Get to the point already. I'm tired.
"Didn't I say? Wanted to see your face up close."
"...?"
"But damn! Never dreamed it'd be such a cute, adorable little thing. Knew you were a girl, but holy shit..."
Hearts bloomed in Yi Xue Lian's pupils.
Uh...
This looks really, really dangerous.
"Um... I should probably head out now..."
"Where you going?"
I tried to bolt desperately, but the hulks caught on and snatched me up.
Part of me wanted to slaughter them all right then, but they had zero killing intent. So I went limp in their grip...
"Oh my my! Too perfect!"
Next thing I knew, I was a doll perched on the crazy bitch's lap.
"..."
"God, you're so firm and taut! Tree, I wanna stuff you and add you to my collection."
Seems our Supreme Dragon Head had a real talent for wrapping bullshit in silk.
Siiiigh.
"So, Tree."
Yi Xue Lian raised a hand and gestured vaguely.
The Chinese surrounding the room all cleared out.
I was getting dizzy from the perfume wafting off her black cheongsam—when
"Tree. You take commissions, right?"
Finally, Yi Xue Lian got to the main topic.
"Of course."
Money-making gigs. Killing hunters. Taking out VIPs.
Murder, kidnapping, torture, gate clears, dungeon raids—whatever.
"Puhe, nice. I like you, Tree."
Her hand fiddled with my cheek, then slid lower, now blatantly kneading my belly.
"No tits, huh."
"...Can we get to the point?"
Why the fuck does this psycho keep groping my flat chest?
You into boards?
Pedo?
I'm a full legal adult, sure!
Just feels gross anyway.
Who gropes tits that brazenly? Nasty.
"Go to Japan. Bust into the Japanese yakuza—Ryuuseikai—and kill their oyabun."
"Pay?"
Ryuuseikai—one of Japan's big three yakuza syndicates.
Their boss was rumored to chew up even S-rank hunters.
And? That meant fat hazard pay.
So what're you putting up, Black Society boss?
"Hmm... Our little friendship gets even tighter?"
"..."
"Haha, kidding. How about a whole building in Beijing?"
"Outskirts?"
"Nah, got a villa vacant near SCO HQ. Sound good? Pretty sweet deal, right?"
"Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?"
"Near the SCO secretariat exactly, but anyway—Tree Tree, you're on Interpol's most-wanted list. We can squash that too."
Not bad at all.
I nodded quietly, signaling acceptance of the job.
Yi Xue Lian flashed a sly grin and summoned her people back.
The hulking men returned.
Carrying all sorts of food and booze in their hands.
"Ooh."
As expected of the Middle Kingdom.
They sure know how to party.
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