105: Tsukuyomi, you're so reliable!

The underground tunnels of Yoshiwara were like a complex network of blood vessels, extending secretly deep within the texture of this subterranean city. Dust floated in the damp air, with only scattered searchlights providing dim illumination.

Tsukuyo leaned against the mottled brick wall, slowly exhaling a puff of pale blue smoke. At her feet, several scattered Kunai were driven deep into the ground—a warning she had thrown without hesitation just moments ago when Lin Luo tried to probe other parts of the tunnel.

"You can't even clearly state the target's specific characteristics or range of activity," she stubbed out her pipe, her voice carrying obvious frustration, "and yet you want my assistance? Do you expect the Hyakka to mobilize in full and turn every single room in Yoshiwara upside down?"

Lin Luo smiled awkwardly and raised his hands in a gesture of goodwill. "That's on me. The demon's aura is hidden very deeply; I can only be certain it has been active in this area recently." His gaze swept over the Kunai on the ground. "However, if you can find my companion, the target might become a bit clearer."

Tsukuyo's eyes suddenly sharpened. "Someone else has actually infiltrated Yoshiwara?" She cold snorted. "It seems the Hyakka have indeed become lax lately."

"At a time like this, let's not be in such a hurry to blame your own team members," Lin Luo advised timely.

Tsukuyo fell silent for a moment, then reached out her hand. "Give me his portrait. As long as he is still in Yoshiwara, I can find him."

A brief silence fell over the underground tunnel, broken only by the faint sound of machinery operating in the distance. Tsukuyo turned to leave, her sleeves stirring a slight breeze.

Lin Luo quickly reached out to stop her. "Wait a moment." His tone carried a rare gravity. "Give me one more chance."

Tsukuyo stopped and looked back, the dim light casting shifting shadows across her face. She crossed her arms, waiting for him to continue.

"He has silver hair," Lin Luo said quickly. "Such a feature should be quite conspicuous in Yoshiwara. Knowing him, he's likely disguised as a customer, investigating various brothels."

"Silver hair..." Tsukuyo mused for a moment, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the hilt of a Kunai. "That is indeed rare. If it's as you say, it would be a Breakthrough."

She looked up at Lin Luo, her tone brook no argument. "You, change your clothes and come with me."

"?"

Before Lin Luo could react, a neatly folded Hyakka uniform was tossed his way—it was the exact style of black Yukata worn by Tsukuyo's subordinates, even complete with the iconic mask.

By the time he came to his senses, he had somehow put on the outfit. The black mask covered the lower half of his face, and the Yukata's sash outlined his slightly lean figure.

"Wait... why make me dress up as a member of the Hyakka?" Lin Luo tugged at the somewhat tight collar. "Your members will definitely recognize me as an impostor at a single glance."

Tsukuyo crossed her arms and looked him over, a trace of imperceptible satisfaction flickering in her eyes. "They won't. From now on, you are a new member of our Hyakka, code-named 'Kobayashi'."

"Has the threshold for the Hyakka become this low?" Lin Luo couldn't help but retort.

"The Hyakka," Tsukuyo turned and walked forward, her voice carrying an undeniable certainty, "is under my command."

Sure enough, after changing into the Hyakka uniform, Lin Luo followed Tsukuyo through the tunnels and encountered several patrolling squads of Hyakka members; surprisingly, no one saw through him.

However, these women who lived in Yoshiwara year-round were all sharp-eyed and bold. As a female ninja with a high bun passed by, she suddenly gave his chest a light squeeze and teased with a laugh, "A newcomer? Being this scrawny won't do."

Hearing this, another short-haired woman also leaned in and casually pinched his shoulder. "Eat more after joining the Hyakka. With the workload here, you'll bulk up in no time."

Several female ninjas let out good-natured chuckles, and someone patted him on the back. "Don't worry, your big sisters will take good care of you."

Lin Luo froze in place, his face under the mask turning terrifyingly dark. Tsukuyo stood to the side with her arms crossed, saying flatly, "Stop teasing him and get back to your patrol."

After the female members dispersed with giggles and laughter, Tsukuyo glanced at the still-dazed Lin Luo. "Believe me now? I have the final say in the Hyakka."

"As expected of the women of Yoshiwara, they're really..." Before Lin Luo could finish, a cold light flashed past his ear—Tsukuyo's Kunai was precisely embedded in the wall behind him.

"Next time," Tsukuyo withdrew her hand, "I'll aim for your tongue."

"Don't be so serious," Lin Luo raised his hands in surrender.

The two of them walked through the brightly lit brothels. The benefits of wearing the Hyakka uniform were immediate—wherever they went, whether it was drunken customers or diligent shop staff, everyone automatically made way. Whenever someone recognized Tsukuyo, they would immediately bow and show great respect.

"It seems Lady Tsukuyo holds quite a bit of prestige here," Lin Luo said in a lowered voice.

Tsukuyo looked straight ahead. "Remember your identity, 'Kobayashi'. Talk less, observe more."

Lin Luo curled his lips; she had stepped into her role remarkably fast. He submissively lowered his head, following closely behind Tsukuyo like a true attendant. That slender waist traced a flexible curve in the dimness, like the only guide in the darkness.

"In Yoshiwara, people die every day." Tsukuyo's voice was as calm as if she were stating today's weather. "Whether from starvation, illness, or vendettas, this land is never short of corpses. If we are to start our investigation where the dead are, we should go to the back alleys."

Lin Luo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Demons often transform from twisted humans. They aren't very interested in the dead; they prefer devouring the pain of the living. But as for a hiding place..." His voice stopped abruptly, his footsteps halting as his gaze locked onto a figure under the eaves of a tall building not far away. "Who is that?"

Tsukuyo looked in the direction of his gaze. In the night, a graceful figure stood leaning against a railing, her luxurious robes shimmering with fragmented light in the lamp glow. "That is the Sun of Yoshiwara," her voice carried an unquestionable warning, "an existence you must not touch."

"Hinowa? The woman rumored to be the most beautiful in Yoshiwara?" Lin Luo narrowed his eyes, trying to see the hazy figure clearly.

Tsukuyo exhaled a ring of blue-gray smoke, obscuring their vision. "Lady Hinowa hasn't seen customers for many years. Give it up."

Lin Luo let out a low laugh, but his eyes still followed that distant figure. "Do I look like such a shallow person?" He turned to look at Tsukuyo's profile, mostly hidden by her mask. "I actually think the one who should be called the Sun is you. Your Hyakka mostly takes in abandoned Courtesans, right? You gave them a place to stay and continue living."

Tsukuyo's footsteps faltered imperceptibly, the light of her pipe flickering in the gloom. She didn't look back, but there was a rare tremor in her voice. "The Hyakka is merely giving them a chance to grab onto a piece of driftwood in this mire."

She turned to look at Lin Luo, her amber eyes appearing and disappearing behind the smoke. "But you're wrong. Lady Hinowa is the true bright light that illuminates Yoshiwara. She makes these women understand that even in the deepest darkness, they can still live with dignity."

Lin Luo watched the fleeting softness in Tsukuyo's eyes and suddenly asked, "Are you also one of the people illuminated by her?"

Tsukuyo didn't answer, only taking a deep drag of her pipe. The moment she turned to continue leading the way, Lin Luo clearly saw a faint blush on the tips of her ears.

Lin Luo lightly pulled on Tsukuyo's sleeve, his gaze still locked on a figure atop the distant pavilion. "Wait, I was asking about someone else. On the other side of the pavilion where Hinowa is, that woman with the glamorous makeup and seductive posture. The crowd gathered below her is even more bustling than Hinowa's side."

Tsukuyo glanced in the direction he indicated, a trace of faint mockery flitting across her lips. "That is Warabihime, the newly appointed Oiran of Yoshiwara. As you can see, the customers wishing to win her favor are lined up from her door to the street corner." She tapped her pipe, ashes falling. "However, this Oiran's standards for choosing customers are even more demanding than those of previous Oirans."

Lin Luo narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. Between the sleeves of Warabihime's gorgeous kimono, he caught a glimpse of an unnatural dark red pattern, moving under the fabric like a living thing. "Interesting," he whispered to himself. "This Oiran seems to hide a secret even more intriguing than her beauty."

Tsukuyo's expression stiffened slightly upon hearing this, and she subconsciously pressed her hand against the Kunai at her waist. "You suspect her?"

Lin Luo nodded without concealment, his gaze still fixed on the distant figure. "Can you get me into her residence?"

Tsukuyo fell silent for a moment, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the patterns on her Kunai. The lanterns under the eaves cast flickering shadows on her face, and finally, she gave a slight nod. "I can arrange it."

"Tsukuyo," Lin Luo turned back, a genuine smile spreading in his eyes, "you really are reliable."

As the newly appointed Oiran of Yoshiwara, Warabihime's residence was naturally on the Hyakka's daily patrol list. Using a "routine security check" as an excuse, Tsukuyo brought the new member "Kobayashi" into the room openly. It was a fairly ordinary Japanese-style room; aside from the wide array of cosmetics on the dressing table, it was no different from a typical Courtesan's room.

"Hurry up with the inspection," Tsukuyo intentionally raised her voice, giving Lin Luo a look while she slowly moved toward the door. She appeared to be standing guard, but was actually concentrating on listening to the movement outside. "We have other places to go."

Lin Luo took the hint and paced around the room, pretending to look around. When he reached the center of the room, he suddenly exerted force with his feet.

"Boom—"

A muffled explosion erupted beneath the floorboards.

"You idiot..." Tsukuyo's scolding blurted out, then she immediately lowered her voice, her eyes nearly spitting fire. "I told you to inspect it, not tear the house down!"

She stepped forward quickly, only to find that Lin Luo had disappeared from the spot. All that remained on the floor was a deep, dark hole violently broken open, with cold wind rushing out from it.

"Leader, what happened inside?" A Hyakka member outside was clearly startled by the noise and called out to inquire.

Tsukuyo took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm as she responded to the person outside. "It's nothing! It's the newcomer, Kobayashi... he's clumsy and accidentally stepped through a piece of the floor while checking!"

Her gaze was fixed tightly on that bottomless hole, her right hand already quietly gripping a Kunai.

Lin Luo landed steadily and found himself standing in a man-made underground cavern. Countless silk ribbons wove through the surroundings like living things, forming a giant spiderweb. These ribbons seemed to possess a will of their own, each segment tightly wrapping a comatose human body, hanging from the cave walls like cocoons.

And in the dark corners of the cavern, dozens of remains that had been devoured were piled up, their pale white bones emitting a dismal luster in the gloom.