His subordinates followed suit, each holding a dancer, playing a crude finger-guessing game. The loser was forced to drink a large glass of strong liquor, while the winner kissed the dancer's face, drawing laughter from the whole room.

The entire private room was filled with an atmosphere of indulgent and decadent revelry.

Zhou Huai's entrance caused a brief pause in the clamor.

All eyes turned to him in unison.

Seeing Natsume Masahiro walk in from outside, Takeda Masao was initially startled.

He pushed away the dancer in his arms and squinted his small, bloodshot eyes, red from alcohol.

A mocking smile appeared on his face.

"Oh, who do we have here?"

"Isn't this our Young Master Natsume?"

Takeda Masao's voice was coarse and unpleasant, filled with heavy ridicule.

"You brat, you actually dare to come looking for me?"

"I thought you'd hide in some rat hole forever, afraid to see me."

His subordinates around him also burst into laughter, their eyes full of contempt as they looked at Zhou Huai.

Zhou Huai took a deep breath, giving himself a final pep talk.

"Don't break character, don't break character."

It would be too embarrassing to be exposed on his first infiltration mission.

He forced a smile, which looked even worse than crying.

Slightly bowing, his hands nervously rubbing together in front of him, he perfectly mimicked a low-level thug meeting his boss.

Zhou Huai, with the timidity characteristic of Natsume Masahiro, cautiously spoke.

"Boss Takeda, I... I've been in the dungeon these past few days, so I... I didn't receive your message."

His voice was low, with a subtle tremor.

"What... what exactly happened?"

"Why did you take my... my sister?"

Hearing this, Takeda Masao seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world.

He first sneered, then the smile on his plump face instantly vanished, replaced by a vicious expression.

"Natsume Masahiro!"

He slammed the table, making the cups and plates rattle.

"Are you ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) f*cking messing with me?"

Takeda Masao slowly stood up.

With an intense sense of pressure, he walked step by step to Zhou Huai.

He extended a thick finger, almost poking Zhou Huai's nose.

"Out of town, you brat personally promised to sell your sickly sister to me for 100,000 Sakura coins."

"And what happened? You played hide-and-seek with me?"

"Now you have the nerve to come here pretending you don't know anything?"

Takeda Masao stared at him coldly, his eyes fierce.

"Since you don't keep your word, don't blame me for taking matters into my own hands."

He paused, and that lewd and triumphant smile reappeared on his face.

"But to be honest, your sister is indeed very fresh-looking."

"I just brought her here, and before I even had a chance to try her out, Lord Miyamoto took a fancy to her at first sight."

"Lord Miyamoto is very generous; he spent a full 200,000 Sakura coins and bought her on the spot."

Takeda Masao slapped Zhou Huai's face, not lightly, making a "slap, slap" sound.

"Originally, you could have earned 50,000 coins."

"Now you won't get a single penny."

Zhou Huai showed a look of sudden realization.

So that's how it was.

When Takeda told him earlier, "Don't forget our agreement," he was referring to selling his sister.

Good heavens.

This Natsume Masahiro truly deserved his death.

To even sell his own sister, with whom he depended on each other.

He was simply a beast.

Zhou Huai sighed silently in his heart.

Given the current situation, it was almost an impossible task to take Natsume Rinku away without breaking character.

He had clearly acted very well.

It was truly due to circumstances, and he believed Marshal Zhao would understand his predicament.

Zhou Huai constantly comforted himself in his mind, seeking psychological support for his upcoming actions.

Takeda saw Natsume Masahiro lowering his head and remaining silent, assuming he was scared witless, and completely lost patience.

He pushed Zhou Huai away and impatiently waved his hand.

"You can't blame me for your sister's situation."

"If you must blame someone, blame her for having such a useless brother."

He returned to his seat, re-embraced the dancer, and couldn't even be bothered to look at Zhou Huai again.

"You don't need to follow me anymore."

"A useless person like you, who doesn't keep his word, is no good."

"Get out!"

However, the expected submissive figure turning to leave did not appear.

Only a soft "click" was heard.

The door to the private room was silently closed.

The uproar in the room seemed to be paused by that soft sound.

Takeda Masao's movements stiffened, and he slowly raised his head.

He narrowed his eyes, feeling that Natsume Masahiro at this moment seemed a bit off.

Before Takeda Masao could speak.

The skinny, monkey-like subordinate next to him was the first to stand up.

He wanted to perform well in front of his boss.

He pointed at Zhou Huai's nose and reprimanded him sharply.

"Natsume Masahiro! The boss told you to get out, can't you f*cking hear him?"

"Are you deaf or something?"

The skinny monkey subordinate cursed and excitedly ran towards Zhou Huai.

He raised his fist, a sinister smile on his face, ready to teach this reckless brat a good lesson.

However, just as he rushed in front of Zhou Huai, at the very moment his fist was about to strike.

Zhou Huai looked at him, and only a single thought flashed through his mind.

The next second.

The skinny monkey subordinate's charging body suddenly executed a graceful turn at an extremely bizarre angle.

The entire movement was fluid and lightning-fast!

His powerful fist, without any hesitation, swung back behind him with a whistling sound, landing squarely on Takeda Masao's face.

Takeda Masao was leaning on the sofa, ready to watch a good show.

He had no defenses whatsoever.

Moreover, this punch was both fast and fierce, delivered with the skinny monkey subordinate's full strength to impress.

"Bang!"

A dull thud.

Takeda Masao's fleshy face visibly caved inward.

He was carried by this immense force, flipping off the sofa like a tumbling gourd, and was directly hammered to the ground. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Takeda Masao clutched his burning cheek; the slap was so powerful that a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

He stared in disbelief at the skinny monkey subordinate, who was usually so submissive.

"Are you f*cking crazy? Why did you hit me!"

The skinny monkey subordinate looked bewildered, staring at his own palm as if it were something terrifying.

"It wasn't me... Boss, it really wasn't me!"

He retreated in fear, his voice choked with tears.

"I feel like I'm being controlled!"

"Just like last time in the car! My hand... it moved on its own!"

Hearing these words, Takeda Masao's brain, which was muddled by alcohol, instantly cleared up by half.

Last time in the car?

At that time, they thought it was an evil spirit or some unknown curse.

But now, the same strangeness happened again.

It seemed to always happen when Natsume Masahiro was present.

Takeda Masao abruptly turned his head.

His eyes looked at Natsume Masahiro in disbelief.

At this moment, Natsume Masahiro was still standing there.

His hands were in his pockets, and there was no trace of fear, subservience, or flattery on his face.

On that familiar face hung a completely unfamiliar indifference.

He was like a high and mighty deity, looking down at a group of pigs wallowing in the mud.

He took a deep look at the expressionless Natsume Masahiro by the door.

"So all of this has been your doing all along?"

"The incident in the car, was that you too?"

Zhou Huai stopped pretending and spread his hands.

"I originally intended to get along peacefully with you all as an ordinary Professional."

"But you insisted on seeking death, so I'm also very helpless."