The sun blazed overhead beneath a clear, cloudless sky. Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, warming the whole room—but an inexplicable chill crept down Chen Mo's back.
What was going on?
He'd drunk quite a bit the night before and gone through a fierce battle. Once he'd finally relaxed, he'd fallen into a deep sleep.
With his senses as sharp as they were now, even the slightest killing intent would have jolted him awake, so he hadn't needed to worry about being caught off guard.
But he never would have expected to open his eyes to this sight...
How had these two ended up in bed with him?
"Who are you? Who let you in?"
Gu Manzhi's face was frosty as she stared coldly at Li Yuan.
Her identity was special, and she'd taken off her disguise. If anyone recognized her, it would surely bring trouble... At the thought, her fingers formed a spell beneath her sleeve. She'd already decided to kill.
Li Yuan sensed her hostility, and her gaze sharpened. True Essence gathered in her palm as she said coldly,
"I'm just a courtesan. Who I am isn't something I need to tell you."
"Heh. I'm a prostitute, but how are you any better? Sneaking into someone else's bed in the middle of the night—you shameless little tramp!"
"Who are you calling a tramp?!"
"You, of course!"
"You... Chen Mo, are you just going to sit there and not say anything?"
Chen Mo: "..."
He rubbed his brow and said helplessly, "All right, big sis, don't criticize little sis. I was trying to get some sleep. What are you two carrying on about...? Flag Officer Li, what are you doing here?"
"I came looking for a drink last night and accidentally walked into the wrong room."
Li Yuan looked a little uncomfortable and turned her head as she spoke.
Gu Manzhi gave a mocking laugh. "Who'd believe that? You came looking for a drink and ended up in bed? Sneaking into the Music Bureau to steal a man—just how lonely are you? Why not become a courtesan while you're at it?"
"You!"
When it came to arguing, ten Li Yuans couldn't hold a candle to Gu Manzhi.
Li Yuan was already humiliated. That jab sent her temper rocketing to the heavens. Like a tigress, she leaped up and struck at Gu Manzhi!
A fierce gust howled, the powerful pressure making the bed curtains snap and flutter!
Gu Manzhi's pupils contracted. She hadn't expected Li Yuan to be so strong!
But she wasn't a pushover either. A flash of azure light flickered between her brows.
"Eightfold might of the gods, radiance illuminating the primordial heavens!"
Just as the azure light met the force of the palm strike, Chen Mo stepped between them and shoved them both down onto the bed.
"That's enough, you two..."
"Let go of me!"
Li Yuan struggled on relentlessly, flopping about like a fish thrown onto the shore.
Chen Mo frowned, grabbed her by the sash at her waist, lifted her onto his lap, and smacked her pert, full-moon-round bottom.
Smack—
The room fell silent at once.
Li Yuan went rigid as if someone had cast a Body-Fixing Spell. A blush spread across her fair, pretty face, red enough to drip blood.
"Chen Mo, you actually hit me..."
Smack—
"Don't..."
Smack—
Li Yuan bit her lip, her face burning with humiliation. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she said in a trembling voice,
"You lecher, you're bullying me..."
Gu Manzhi stared, utterly dumbfounded.
The woman who'd been charging like a tiger descending the mountain had turned into a tearful little crybaby after just a few smacks?
Was this trick really so miraculous?
Huh?
Before she could react, the world suddenly spun around her. Chen Mo had pinned her over his other leg.
Smack—
A sharp crack rang out. A burning sting spread across her backside, accompanied by a tingling sensation that coursed through her body like an electric current.
Gu Manzhi stared blankly, momentarily dazed.
He actually hit my...
Smack—
"Mmm~"
Gu Manzhi's pretty face flushed crimson. A sound she'd never made before slipped involuntarily from her throat.
Smack! Smack!
In the name of fairness and impartiality, Chen Mo alternated between them, bringing down both hands.
Their full, rounded curves trembled faintly, ripples spreading like waves across the water.
Li Yuan had practiced martial arts since childhood and didn't have a trace of excess flesh. Her body was supple and firm, with plenty of spring to it.
Gu Manzhi's figure, by contrast, was fuller and softer, her skin smooth as snow. It felt as if his palm might sink right into her.
Both felt wonderful to the touch. It was hard to say which was better; each had her own charms—
Chen Mo smacked them as he savored the feel of them.
The two women were face-to-face now, almost touching. After exchanging a glance, they silently lowered their heads.
...They couldn't face anyone.
Once they'd both gone completely still, Chen Mo gave them a few more smacks, then cleared his throat.
"Can you calm down now?"
"..."
Their faces were burning, and neither said a word.
That wasn't the way to calm someone down.
The lecher had clearly done it on purpose, and now he was pretending to be serious...
Just then, Yu'er crept over from the side and leaned on the bed, bottom raised, eager to volunteer.
"My lord, it's my turn!"
"..."
Chen Mo shot Gu Manzhi a sideways glance. The look clearly asked, "Is the ghost you found even remotely respectable?"
Gu Manzhi blinked innocently, her meaning obvious: "Who goes to the Music Bureau to be respectable?"
After tossing Yu'er outside, the room fell quiet.
Li Yuan stared at Gu Manzhi, her teeth clenched ever so slightly, then spoke up.
"Chen Mo, what on earth is going on?"
Gu Manzhi's face was flawless as fine jade, and her sultry, bewitching air could ensnare the soul. Miss Yu'er was already stunning, but beside this woman, she paled by more than a little.
The so-called top courtesan probably couldn't compare to her, could she?
"One Yu'er wasn't enough? You had to get three people involved... How utterly outrageous!"
The thought made Li Yuan's heart grow even more sour.
Chen Mo shook his head. "It's not what you think. She's my informant at the Music Bureau."
"Informant?"
Li Yuan stared at him, taken aback.
Chen Mo reached into his robe and pulled out a bronze oil lamp. "Last night, I sensed someone following me in the shadows, so I deliberately led him here. He was from the Ghost Devouring Sect and had come to avenge Qin Wuxiang..."
"Unfortunately, I still let him get away. He only left this behind."
Li Yuan looked at the bronze oil lamp. It gave off a foul, evil aura and was indeed an object used by ghost cultivators. Her expression turned solemn at once.
She'd seen the bizarre methods of ghost cultivators with her own eyes. Concern filled her voice as she asked,
"Are you hurt?"
Chen Mo shook his head. "No. I'm just a little tired. I slept here last night."
Li Yuan had been too worked up to notice before, but now she saw that both of them were fully clothed. It looked like nothing had happened after all.
The gloom in her heart vanished at once. Remembering how she'd acted just now, she was overcome with shame and wished she could crawl into a crack in the ground.
"I'll summon people to search. We'll turn the place upside down if we have to and drag him out!"
She was about to get up and leave.
Chen Mo hurriedly stopped her. "There's no need. He's had all night to get away, and we don't know where he went. Besides, I wounded him badly. He might not even be alive. Even if he is, he won't be able to cause much trouble."
The corpse was right there in the Sumeru Bag. What was there to search for?
It would be a problem if the search led back to Gu Manzhi...
Li Yuan nodded, finding his reasoning sound.
"Mm. I'll listen to you."
Gu Manzhi glanced between the two of them. Anyone could see there was something going on between them.
What had Chen Mo just called her?
Flag Officer?
He didn't even spare his own colleagues...
Gu Manzhi's gaze turned sour. She couldn't help pinching his waist.
"Ah!"
Chen Mo's expression twitched.
"What's wrong?"
Thinking he might have an internal injury, Li Yuan ran her hands over him, checking for wounds.
Seeing that, Gu Manzhi twisted even harder, rotating the soft flesh at his waist counterclockwise several times.
Chen Mo's face nearly turned green. Grimacing, he said,
"N-no, it's nothing..."
Before you continue