Chapter 489 - 246: Red King Leads the Team on an Anti-Vice Raid

Chapter 489: Chapter 246: Red King Leads the Team on an Anti-Vice Raid

Situ Yong looked puzzled, so Zheng Xiu clarified, "We went into the Five Passes Temple."

The Divine Doctor understood. After carefully checking Yin Qingqing’s pulse, he shook his head and let out a sigh of relief. He then couldn’t help but look at the Red King. "Should I check you, too? I believe that thing seems to have a particular fondness for men."

He seemed to be referring to Mo Kuang.

Mo Kuang was already awake, huddled under his blankets. Hearing the Elder Divine Doctor’s words, he recalled his own tragic ordeal and started sobbing, tears streaming down his face.

’Who the fuck did I piss off?’

SOB SOB SOB.

Zheng Xiu shook his head. "That’s impossible now. The temple has lost its ability to impregnate people."

Seeing their confusion, Zheng Xiu gestured for Yin Qingqing to bring the item out.

CLUNK!

When Yin Qingqing placed the bizarrely shaped Five Passes Divine Statue on the table with a heavy thud, the color drained from everyone’s faces. In a flash that perfectly showcased the unique reflexes of Miracle Masters, nearly everyone was plastered against the walls in the blink of an eye.

Xi’er was even clinging to a corner like a spider, staring in shock at the "Five Chicken Sword" statue. "Young Master, why did you bring that thing back?! I... I... I’m tainted now!"

She meant her eyes, of course.

Everyone, in a complete overreaction, drew their weapons.

Ye held a reed leaf between their teeth.

The Divine Doctor held a Great Treasure Saber in each hand.

Jun Buxiao, wearing his "Anger" mask, brandished a pair of scissors.

Snake was nowhere to be seen, but a soft "HISS" from the roof revealed she didn’t dare get any closer.

On the bed, Mo Kuang froze for a second before bursting into a mad fit of laughter and tears. "Hahaha! Hehehe! You’re all pregnant now! You’re all pregnant!"

Jun Buxiao let out a cold laugh. With a flick of his scissors, he snipped off a piece of Mo Kuang’s shadow, sealing the man’s mouth shut.

The room fell completely silent.

Just then, an irritated Xi’er suggested, "How about we just do the ’caesarean delivery’ now? Everyone’s here, anyway."

"Mmph! Mmph!" Mo Kuang, his mouth sealed by the Shadow Puppetry, let out terrified, muffled squeals.

"Settle down," Zheng Xiu said, smiling as he patted the statue of five clashing swords. "This thing is broken." He pointed to a glaring crack on its surface. "If I’m not mistaken, Mo Kuang was the ’last one.’"

Seeing their skepticism, Zheng Xiu smiled and pointed to his own eyes. "Don’t forget, these eyes of mine can see things that ordinary people can’t."

Xi’er knew the young man through and through; she knew that though he appeared as harmless as a colt, he was in fact the Red King, who excelled at everything. Believing him, she retracted her silk threads and leaped down from the corner. Suddenly, she recalled a clue she’d discovered while investigating the young widows earlier that day. A look of realization crossed her face. "No wonder Mo Kuang was the hundredth victim!"

She immediately recounted the story of the "ninety-nine widows," sharing excerpts of her conversations with a few of them.

All the widows’ experiences were remarkably similar. It wasn’t hard to see that someone had to be manipulating events from behind the scenes.

As Zheng Xiu listened, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

Jun Buxiao remained plastered to the corner, his eyes glued to the now-powerless Five Passes Divine Statue, cautiously lying low. He changed his expression, swapping the "Anger" mask for "Shallow Smile," and said, "I’ve managed to gather some information."

"About a year ago, shortly before the first ’death by misadventure’ case occurred, a brothel suddenly opened in Lu Town, a place that had previously lived off its textile trade."

"Initially, the brothel had only a handful of girls. The owner reportedly had no powerful backers; she was an older, retired prostitute who had worked for ten years, saved up a sum of silver, and came to Lu Town to start her own business."

"Business at this ’Yan Chun Building’ was dismal at first, but then the madam managed to recruit a top courtesan from somewhere."

"They say this courtesan was completely unknown, but her beauty was legendary. She appeared just once, played a single song, and completely captured the souls of every man in town. It drove them all mad for her, seeking her out night after night, utterly enchanted."

"That courtesan’s name is ’Fragrant Maiden.’"

Zheng Xiu mulled this over for a moment, then asked, "Are you saying this ’Fragrant *Mushroom*’ is the mastermind?"

Jun Buxiao held up his hands. "I’m only responsible for gathering intelligence."

The implication was that drawing conclusions was not his job.

Unless they paid extra, of course.

Xi’er and Situ Yong exchanged a look. The overlap between Yan Chun Building and the pregnancy case was becoming more and more apparent. Xi’er immediately theorized, "If we can confirm that all the men who died had contact with that ’Fragrant Maiden’..."

Jun Buxiao chuckled. "No need to waste your energy on that. From what I’ve gathered, this Fragrant Maiden is different from an ordinary courtesan. Most women of the brothels sell their talents, not their bodies, unless love is involved. But this Fragrant Maiden sells both, which is precisely why Yan Chun Building is packed to the rafters every night. The legend says this girl is exceptionally diligent, taking a Flower Guest to her room every single night. When she chooses someone, it’s not for their money or their looks—only for a certain ’spark.’ So, as you can imagine..."

Jun Buxiao twirled a lock of his hair with a finger, a knowing smile on his lips. "...almost every man in town has had a brief affair with her."

"Tch! Shameless!"

"Hmph! How indecent!"

"Tsk! Now that’s dedication!"

The three remarks came almost the instant Jun Buxiao finished speaking.

The first two came from Xi’er and Ye, who both scoffed in disgust.

The third was the young man’s admiring sigh.

WHOOSH!

In an instant, several pairs of eyes fell on Zheng Xiu.

’How could he call that dedication?’

’But on second thought... it really is dedication.’

’Dedication?’

"Could she be an ’Orchid’?"

Suddenly, Xi’er’s gaze sharpened, the disdain in her eyes fading. No wonder the young man had called it dedication. If that "Fragrant Maiden" was truly walking the proper Orchid Path, then everything would make perfect sense.