Among the courtesans of the House of Cherry Blossoms, there was one woman I had yet to meet.

  And that alone was enough to seal my suspicion.

  If a spider demon were hiding anywhere, it would probably be her by process of elimination. I prepared myself with that assumption firmly in mind. This would not be another performance. If I was right, the moment I crossed that threshold, it could turn into a fight.

  Yan Jin led the way through the quieter corridors, her steps noticeably slower than before.

  “Tell me about her,” I said. “The one I didn’t meet.”

  Yan Jin hesitated, then answered softly. “Her name is Chai Yue. She came from a distant province. A farmer’s daughter.” She paused. “She was… promising. Beautiful, quick-witted, disciplined. One of the girls we had high hopes for.”

  “And now?”

  “She fell ill a week ago.” Yan Jin’s fingers tightened around her sleeves. “At first, it was nothing serious. Dizziness. Restlessness. Then it worsened.”

  “What kind of sickness?” I asked.

  “Hallucinations,” she replied. “Difficulty speaking. She sleeps longer every day. Sometimes she doesn’t wake until nightfall. The physicians couldn’t determine the cause.”

  I glanced at Tao Fang. “Have you heard of anything like this?”

  He shook his head slowly. “No. Not among common illnesses, nor martial afflictions.”

  Yan Jin sighed. “We… we’ve resigned ourselves to it. The madam decided to compensate Chai Yue’s family and let her rest here until…” She trailed off. “Until the end.”

  I frowned. “Isn’t that a bit cruel?”

  Yan Jin stopped walking and looked at me seriously. “The madam has been under great pressure. Merchant groups have been demanding our top courtesans. Aggressively.” Her voice lowered. “They forget that despite our reputation, this is not a filthy place. The madam fears what they might do if she yields.”

  She took a breath, steadying herself. “She is a righteous woman. She always stands with us.”

  Then she looked at me and asked quietly, “Do you know the difference between a courtesan and a brothel’s prostitute?”

  I shook my head.

  “Self-respect,” she said without hesitation. “That is the line we protect. That is why we cannot afford to be careless.”

  We arrived at a smaller residence detached from the main building. It was quieter here.

  “This is where the courtesans rest,” Yan Jin explained. “Those who are ill or exhausted.”

  I stopped at the entrance. “You stay here. Both of you.”

  Yan Jin’s eyes widened. “Young Master, she is very sick. You might catch whatever she has.”

  “I’ll be fine,” I replied. “Just tell me where her room is.”

  She hesitated, then pointed down the corridor. “Straight ahead. Turn left. Second room.”

  I turned to Tao Fang. “Stay on guard. If anyone suspicious tries to flee, stop them.”

  Tao Fang’s expression sharpened. “Understood.”

  Yan Jin looked between us, confused. “What is this about?”

  “Calm down,” I said evenly. “Leave everything to me.”

  This was still working hours for the courtesans, so the inner residence was unusually quiet. Only a handful of women lingered about, resting or moving between duties. A few recognized me the moment I passed through the corridor.

  Some waved shyly.

  Some smiled a little too boldly.

  One even leaned against a pillar and said, “Young Master, are you lost?”

  I forced a polite smile, muttered an excuse, and extricated myself before questions followed. The longer I lingered, the more attention I would draw and attention was the last thing I wanted.

  I followed Yan Jin’s directions precisely.

  Straight ahead. Turn left. Second room.

  I stopped before the door.

  I knocked once. “My name is Yakuza Man. I’m coming in.”

  No response.

  I slid the door open and stepped inside.

  The room was modest, clean, and faintly scented with herbs. Curtains filtered the light into a dim, muted glow. On the bed lay a woman, her breathing slow and steady, as though she were sleeping peacefully.

  I closed the door behind me and let the latch settle with a soft click.

  Carefully, I circled the bed, each step measured. If she were pretending to sleep, this was the moment she would strike. Spider demons were probably patient hunters, given there namesake.

  I checked her information.

  [Chai Yue][Level 7]

  “What…?”

  I froze.

  My hand was already hovering over my [Inventory], ready to pull out my bat and swing first, ask questions later. But that level? There was no way a spider demon capable of slaughtering three of the Thunder Hooves would be this weak.

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  Doubt crept in.

  Had I been wrong?

  Again?

  I stared at her more closely, forcing myself to calm down. Her face was pale, her brows faintly knitted even in sleep, sweat clinging to her temples.

  Then I saw it.

  [Status: Cold]

  [Status: Fever]

  [Status: Weakness]

  [Status: Charmed]

  “…Charmed?”

  That didn’t belong.

  No ordinary illness left behind that kind of mark. This woman hadn’t been the spider demon, but she had clearly encountered it. The realization settled heavily in my chest.

  I hesitated only a moment before opening my [Inventory] again and spending another twenty-five spirit coins.

  All-Mendthos.

  It hurt a little, watching my balance drop, but this wasn’t the time to be stingy. I leaned closer, gently lifting her head and helping her chew the menthos. Slowly, one by one, the status abnormalities faded from my vision.

  Her lashes fluttered.

  Chai Yue’s eyes opened, unfocused at first, then slowly settling on my face. They widened, glassy with lingering tears.

  “So… handsome…” she murmured.

  I stiffened.

  “…Thank you,” I said after a beat. “But I have questions.”

  I helped her sit up, supporting her back with a pillow. She looked fragile now, like a porcelain doll that might crack if touched too roughly.

  “Who did this to you?” I asked gently. “Your sickness… it wasn’t natural.”

  She frowned, confusion clouding her expression. “Did… what?”

  “Something happened to you,” I said. “Someone caused this. I need you to tell me who.”

  Her hands tightened in the blanket.

  “I… I don’t remember,” she whispered. “I know something happened, but…” Her breathing grew uneven. “I can’t see their face.”

  “That’s fine,” I said, firmer now. “Tell me what you remember.”

  Her lips trembled and then her composure shattered.

  Chai Yue covered her face and broke down, sobs wracking her thin frame.

  “I… I was almost raped!” she cried. “That’s what happened!”

  Maybe I should have brought Yan Jin or Tao Fang with me.

  But if I had, they would have stopped me out of kindness, propriety, and concern for her feelings. And as cruel as it sounded, I couldn’t afford to be gentle to the point of ignorance. A spider demon loose in Xincheng was too dangerous. If I failed to understand what had happened here, more people would die.

  I took a slow breath and steadied my voice.

  “Chai Yue,” I said, “I need to be honest with you.”

  She looked up at me, eyes still red, her hands clenched in the blanket.

  “I came here because I’m hunting something,” I continued. “A spider demon. It killed three martial artists and nearly killed a fourth. Whatever happened to you… it might be connected.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “A demon…?” she whispered.

  I nodded. “That’s why I need you to remember. Anything. Even something you think is unimportant.”

  She stared at me for a long moment, then her expression shifted as if something buried deep inside her had finally surfaced.

  “I… I remember,” she said suddenly.

  She pulled the blanket aside and, with trembling hands, lowered the edge of her robe.

  My gaze snapped downward.

  On her thigh, dangerously close to her crotch, were two small puncture marks. They were faint, already healing, but unmistakable. They were the same wounds I had seen on the bodies of the Thunder Hooves.

  My stomach sank.

  “So it really was here…” I muttered.

  But confusion followed immediately.

  Spider demons preyed on men. Tao Fang had been clear about that. They hunted lust, drained life force, and nested their eggs in male bodies.

  Then why her?

  Had I misunderstood? Or was this demon different?

  Before I could think further, Chai Yue began to cry again, harder this time. “My value is gone,” she sobbed. “Who would want me now? There’s a blemish on my body. If a man takes me as his wife and sees it, he’ll abandon me. I’ll be worthless.”

  I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly. I didn’t have time for this, not really, but that didn’t matter. Right now, she wasn’t a clue or a witness. She was a person who had been hurt and terrified and left alone with her fear.

  I met her gaze again.

  “That’s nonsense,” I said firmly. “You’re beautiful. A small scar won’t change that. And those wounds? They’ll fade. I’ve seen worse disappear completely.”

  She looked at me, startled, as if she hadn’t expected reassurance.

  Her emotions were fragile, like glass stretched too thin.

  “I need you to tell me everything,” I continued, my voice low but resolute. “Not just for yourself, but so I can bring the one responsible to justice. He’ll be punished for what he did.”

  I paused, then added flatly, “And if the law fails, I’ll castrate him myself.”

  That got her attention.

  She flinched, then swallowed, conflict flickering across her face. At last, she nodded.

  “It… it was a man from an influential merchant group,” she said quietly. “He caught my fancy at first. I thought he was refined.”

  Her hands trembled as she spoke.

  “I was in the courtyard, viewing the flowers. He approached me, too close. When I refused to entertain him, he became angry. He grabbed me, called me a whore, said that was all I was good for…”

  Her breathing grew uneven.

  “He forced himself on me.”

  I took a step back, raising my hands slightly not wanting to crowd her or feel cornered again.

  “It’s over,” I said. “You’re safe now.”

  She nodded weakly.

  “If the madam hadn’t passed by…” Chai Yue whispered. “If she hadn’t intervened…” Her voice broke. “It would’ve been worse. I would’ve been ruined forever.”

  I said nothing for a moment.

  Inside, something cold and sharp settled into place. A spider demon. An influential merchant. A courtesan marked, charmed, and left to rot. This was getting more complicated than I liked. Ugh. Shouldn’t I have come and looked for the Thunder Hooves back then? No, I was just doing the right thing and there was nothing wrong with that.

  “Rest,” I said finally. “You’ll recover. The medicine I gave you will help.”

  I left Chai Yue to rest and quietly closed the door behind me. Whatever else this turned out to be, at least she would live. At least she would wake up tomorrow without fever dreams and trembling limbs. That much, I could give her.

  Yan Jin and Tao Fang were waiting just outside the building.

  Their expressions told me they had been standing there in silence for far too long.

  Tao Fang was the first to speak. “How did it go?”

  I shook my head. “She’s perfectly fine.”

  Yan Jin let out a breath she had clearly been holding. “Then… did you find what you were looking for?”

  “Not exactly,” I replied. “But she won’t be sick anymore.”

  Yan Jin stiffened. “What do you mean?”

  I met her gaze. “I gave her one of my medicines. She’s healed. All she needs now is rest, proper food, and light exercise. Help her recover slowly.”

  Yan Jin didn’t move. Then her eyes filled, and she suddenly clasped my hands in both of hers.

  “Thank you,” she said, her voice breaking. “Thank you, thank you…”

  I shifted awkwardly. “It’s fine. Really.”

  She bowed deeply, far deeper than necessary. “You don’t understand. The House of Cherry Blossoms is not just a business. It’s a sisterhood. What you did… it means everything to us.”

  I wasn’t particularly fond of good deeds, but I had to admit. Hearing her words stirred something unfamiliar in my chest.

  I cleared my throat. “I do have one last favor to ask.”

  Yan Jin straightened immediately. “Anything.”

  “I’d like to meet the madam.”

  Her expression brightened. “That will be easy. She’ll want to meet you herself once she hears what you’ve done.”

  Moments later, Yan Jin led the way toward the main building, up the stairs, higher than the rooms meant for guests. Tao Fang followed silently behind me, his hand never straying far from his sword.

  The top floor felt different. It was quieter and much more elegant, showing off the wealth of the House of Cherry Blossoms.

  We stopped before a set of double doors. Yan Jin announced us softly, then slid them open.

  Inside, seated comfortably on a red couch, was a mature woman with sharp eyes and an elegant posture. She held a long pipe in one hand, smoke curling lazily around her fingers. Her beauty wasn’t youthful, but refined in a way someone couldn’t help but stare.

  She smiled as we entered.

  Yan Jin bowed. “Madam, this is Young Master Yakuza Man, an important guest and someone who wishes to talk to you.” She gestured toward the woman as she introduced her. “Young Master, this is the hidden flower of Xincheng, and madam owner of the House of Cherry Blossoms, Weng Xia.”

  I took a step forward and my vision betrayed her.

  [Min Chow]

  [Spider Demon]

  [Level 160]

  My blood ran cold.

  Motherfucker.

  That was a lot of levels.

  I kept my face neutral, my heartbeat thundering in my ears as she regarded me with interest, smoke drifting from her lips.

  “Well,” she said smoothly, her voice like silk stretched over steel, “so you’re the man causing such a stir in my house. A talent show, really? It’s amusing…”

  The spider demon smiled at me.

  And I realized, far too late, that I had walked straight into her parlor.