Chapter 43: Shadow Phantom Fox
Chapter 43: Shadow Phantom Fox
"She doesn't have any apparent status in the Star Luo Empire, but secretly, she's the leader of an assassination organization and was the favorite consort of the previous Star Luo Emperor," the Serpent Spear Douluo explained. "After the fall of the previous emperor, she distanced herself from the royal family. One reason Star Luo is unwilling to ransom her is because her existence poses a significant threat to the current Star Luo Emperor. Another reason is the Snow Night Emperor's preference for fuller-figured women."
As he mentioned this, Serpent Spear Douluo gave Wang Si a knowing look.
Wang Si simply smiled in response. She then took a moment to appraise the Douluo before her. Indeed, her figure was quite impressive.
"So, she was sent by the Star Luo Empire as a spy? Do they have something on her?" Wang Si inquired.
It was hard for Wang Si to imagine a Douluo enduring such humiliation to become a plaything for the nobles of Tian Dou City without some sort of leverage.
Serpent Spear Douluo let out a soft snort at the question. "She has a daughter with the previous Star Luo Emperor. However, when her daughter's martial soul awakened, their royal bloodline was exposed. If not for the fact that her daughter is being held by Star Luo, this Douluo wouldn't have endured such shame."
The idea of a Douluo being made to entertain the powerless nobles of Tian Dou was indeed preposterous. Even the Martial Soul Hall wouldn't dare.
Serpent Spear Douluo's expression was one of ridicule as he spoke.
Ultimately, it seemed this woman still had attachments to the previous Star Luo Emperor. Otherwise, she could have directly gone to the Martial Soul City. With the power of a Douluo, she could have easily found a position as an executor or bodyguard within the Martial Soul Hall. Even if her identity was exposed, Star Luo wouldn't dare act against her.
"So, Senior Serpent Spear, are you planning to rescue her daughter?" Wang Si asked cautiously as she glanced at the obedient Douluo standing beside Serpent Spear Douluo.
Serpent Spear Douluo nodded gently and turned to look at the woman, offering a kind reminder. "Take good care of the little one. For now, it's best if you lay low. If the Star Luo Empire finds out that you've fallen into our hands at the Martial Soul Hall, rescuing your daughter will become even more difficult."
The woman shuddered and vigorously nodded her head in response.
Soon after, Serpent Spear Douluo took his leave, leaving Wang Si alone with the Douluo.
"Senior Serpent Spear is gone now, so you can relax," Wang Si said, her expression warm as she looked at the Douluo.
Hearing Wang Si's words, the Douluo slowly straightened her body and then regarded Wang Si with a complex expression.
As the Douluo appraised Wang Si, Wang Si took the opportunity to examine her as well.
"Hello, my name is Wang Si. May I ask for your name, Senior?" Wang Si asked as she poured a cup of tea and offered it to the Douluo.
The woman didn't refuse and, without checking for any signs of tampering, she picked up the cup and drained it in one go.
After finishing the tea, she pushed the cup back towards Wang Si, indicating for a refill, and introduced herself. "I've long forgotten my name. My codename is 'Shadow Fox,' or 'Ming Hu' in our language. You can call me that from now on. My martial soul is the Shadow Phantom Fox, an 82nd-level agility-attack type Douluo."
As she spoke, she summoned her martial soul. A black fox enveloped in dense black mist appeared behind her. The fox's eyes, a calm shade of bluish-green, fixed on Wang Si, but she quickly averted her gaze, as if she couldn't bear to look directly at Wang Si.
"My abilities mainly revolve around enchantment, stealth, and assassination," she continued, her voice soft and alluring, perhaps due to the influence of her martial soul. "So, I hope you won't stare directly at me. I'm afraid you might unintentionally fall under my enchantment."
Wang Si felt a stir of excitement hearing those words.
Eight soul rings—yellow, purple, violet, and black—rose from beneath her feet and circled her body. However, considering Wang Si's young age of nine, Ming Hu retracted her soul rings and martial soul.
Unconsciously, Ming Hu reached for her tea, only to realize that Wang Si had been so engrossed in observing her that he hadn't refilled her cup.
Ming Hu frowned slightly at this, then took the initiative to pick up the teapot and refill her own cup.
Wang Si continued to stare at Ming Hu, his eyes "dazed" as he watched her tilt her head back to drink. His gaze lingered on her white neck and the pair of plump mounds rising and falling with her breath.
As he spotted a mischievous droplet of water sliding down her neck, Wang Si excitedly stood up, intending to help wipe away the moisture.
However, as he rose, he suddenly snapped out of his trance, as if he had just broken free from the effects of her enchantment.
"That was an accident. I'll be more careful next time," Ming Hu apologized with a smile, her eyes shining with mischief. That smile caused Wang Si's breath to quicken, and he had to resist the urge to rush forward.
But a gust of cool wind brought him back to his senses.
Wang Si offered an apologetic smile in return and then straightened himself, no longer daring to look directly at Ming Hu.
Ming Hu, sitting beside Wang Si, continued her tea-drinking routine, ensuring that the water flowed into the areas it was meant to.
Wang Si's eyes would occasionally dart towards her, only to quickly look away.
The two of them sat in silence for two hours, during which Wang Si took the initiative to fetch more hot water for Ming Hu to continue her drinking.
Ming Hu drank pot after pot of tea, her chest now thoroughly soaked. However, she felt a bit frustrated: how could this young boy show no reaction at all?
After downing yet another cup of tea, she was about to pour herself another when she stopped and set the teapot down.
"I need to use the restroom," she said, about to excuse herself.
But Wang Si had other plans. Without hesitation, he took out a piece of bone and placed it on the table.
Sensing the aura of the bone, Ming Hu was taken aback and turned to look at Wang Si, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
What she saw was a look of intense desire in his eyes.
"Senior, I know you're not happy about protecting me, and I can't say anything about that.
I have a four-thousand-year-old soul bone here. It's a token of my appreciation, and I hope you'll accept it."
Wang Si's tone was sincere as he pushed the soul bone towards Ming Hu.
Gently caressing the ancient soul bone, feeling the heat of Wang Si's gaze, a smile tugged at the corners of Ming Hu's mouth.
Picking up the left arm soul bone, Ming Hu flashed a captivating smile at Wang Si.
"Thank you."
Grabbing the soul bone, Ming Hu was about to head off to the restroom when Wang Si spoke up.
"Go ahead and absorb it, Senior. See what kind of soul bone skill it grants you."
Ming Hu, who had been about to get up, paused at Wang Si's words and looked at the soul bone in her hand, then at Wang Si, who was eagerly awaiting her response.
Ming Hu shot him a coquettish glance.
"Alright, then. I'll absorb this soul bone right now."
Ming Hu sat down cross-legged, her martial soul emerging as her soul rings appeared.
Placing the soul bone by her left hand, she began to refine it.
Although Ming Hu was focused on refining the soul bone, she remained vigilant, especially of Wang Si's movements. She could sense that he was growing restless, as if anticipating something but not daring to act.
After about ten minutes, Ming Hu finally sensed Wang Si stir.
According to her perception, Wang Si first moved behind her, reaching out to touch her back.
Ming Hu shuddered, unable to suppress a startled cry.
"Don't mess around! I'm absorbing the soul bone right now!"
But her words only seemed to encourage the little brat, as his hands boldly moved from her back to her front.
"Don't fidget... um... I'm in the middle of absorbing the soul bone. Don't touch and pinch randomly..."
Throughout all this, Ming Hu never truly began absorbing the soul bone, distracted by the mischievous hands roaming her body.
During this time, Ming Hu quietly released her sixth soul skill.
As Wang Si's wandering hands traveled further south, Ming Hu finally let out a soft moan, as if the soul bone absorption had failed and backfired. She lay on the ground, motionless.
......
Opening her eyes, Ming Hu glared at the shameless little brat sprawled on top of her, a murderous intent flashing in her eyes.
If it weren't for the fact that she sensed the Title Douluo hadn't gone far, she wouldn't have played this childish game with him.
Looking at the wet stain on her clothes, Ming Hu clenched her fists, her knuckles popping.
She couldn't believe she had let a nine-year-old brat push her to this point. Although it was mostly due to the excessive amount of tea she had consumed and his teasing, she still blamed Wang Si for the whole ordeal.
Grabbing Wang Si by the collar, she breathed a sigh of relief upon spotting a black, tattoo-like mark on his neck.
"If I had known it would be this easy, I wouldn't have bothered playing along."
Ming Hu stood up and straightened her clothes, shooting a glance at the peanut gallery, who had witnessed the whole thing.
"Not even fully grown, yet quite the player."
Dragging the dirty Wang Si along, Ming Hu began to explore the estate, soon discovering the hot spring. After tossing him into the water, she jumped in herself.
Soaking in the hot spring, Ming Hu stretched luxuriously.
"Although I wasn't able to control some of the nobles or the Snow Night Emperor, this little brat seems to have a strong background.
With him under my control, I should be able to live worry-free for a while. At least, the Star Luo Empire won't be able to find me anytime soon."
Ming Hu pulled the unconscious Wang Si into her embrace.
Pinching his little face and playing with his hair, she couldn't help but sigh.
"You're so cute. If it weren't for the fact that you're one of the targets of this mission, I would have considered adopting you as my godson."
Ming Hu teased, then snuggled Wang Si in her arms.
"Come now, little one. Aren't you hungry? Open up, mama will feed you."
Ming Hu pried open Wang Si's mouth, indulging in a game of role-play while also releasing the pent-up frustration caused by the little brat's teasing.
"He may not be fully developed yet, but his skills are impressive. He'll definitely be a heartbreaker when he grows up."
Holding Wang Si's head in her hands, Ming Hu delivered her verdict.
(End of Chapter)
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