Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Koizumi Ichiro had not tasted such clean, crisp sake in a long time. Remembering that the New Year was approaching, he finally took out a bottle of sake that had been aged for a year. The aroma was intoxicatingly inviting. At this moment, he was alone in the duty room—the perfect time to savor the fine wine.

But he forgot the rule: a soldier never parts with his weapon.

With a crack, bones snapped. Koizumi Ichiro didn’t even register the attack from behind; he only felt a sharp pain in his neck. His hand desperately reached for the gun on the table, but that short distance became the gulf between life and death. In the end, he collapsed limply, sinking into eternal darkness.

Feng Xia efficiently dispatched the Cherry Blossom soldier. Little Black the snake, drawn by the smell of sake, slithered onto the table and chugged the whole bottle, then gave Feng Xia a pleading look that said, "More please."

But this was no time for drinking. Feng Xia grabbed Little Black, roughly stuffed it into her pocket, and then darted along the wall like a gecko, evading all eyes as she infiltrated deeper into the base.

Lin Feihu touched his still-hot gun barrel. He had to admit, this suppressor was incredibly effective—almost completely silent. Beside him, Yuan Biao and the spearhead team were changing clothes. The Cherry Blossom Country uniform was far too tight on Yuan Biao, leaving his limbs exposed, while in the shadows on the ground, blood painted a red patch on the white snow.

It was like a drop of water hitting hot oil—would the oil consume the water, or would it cause an explosion? The outcome hung in the balance.

The deeper Feng Xia ventured, the more she marveled at how wealthy the Cherry Blossom Country was. Along the way, the soldiers carried brand-new rifles, wore leather boots, and she even caught a glimpse of tank tracks peeking out from behind a corner. Her heart burned with excitement at the thought of those weapons. Below, a squad of soldiers chatted loudly in their native tongue, which Feng Xia understood perfectly.

Soldier A: "The Colonel is leaving for home tomorrow. I wonder when we’ll be reunited with our families?"

Soldier B: "I heard several Colonels are all returning. We should be soon too."

Soldier C: "So we’re giving up this Flower Kingdom colony? What a pity! The women and sake here are excellent!"

Soldier D: "No. Our great Cherry Blossom Empire will surely rise again one day."

Feng Xia rolled her eyes in exasperation. Tch, a bunch of runts dreaming out loud. And at this hour? However, she was very interested in the "several Colonels" they mentioned. Since they said the Colonels would leave tomorrow, that meant they were still in the base now. These big fish—she was determined to catch them.

The chattering soldiers below never noticed a shadow passing overhead, leaving no trace. If one observed the Cherry Blossom Country base from a bird’s-eye view, they would see a line of about thirty people systematically dismantling the vast military installation from the outside. Wherever they passed, it was like Death’s scythe reaping lives. Many Cherry Blossom Country soldiers died silently without even drawing their weapons, while their comrades laughed and talked in the distance, completely unaware that death had already arrived.

About a kilometer from the base, a large contingent of green-uniformed troops stood ready. As soon as their comrades in the distance flashed the signal, they would move in to support.

Like a frog boiled in slowly heating water—the best time to strike is when it's already weak and helpless.

Inside the military base, to the southeast, stood a cluster of wooden buildings. Perhaps the anticipation of returning home kept them awake with excitement—from one building came faint sounds of laughter and the soft, elegant murmurs of Cherry Blossom geishas, occasionally punctuated by a rough male voice laughing heartily. They drank and sang, oblivious that death had already crept to their side.

Watanabe Taichi downed another cup of sake. His face was flushed red, his eyes bloodshot from drink and pleasure. Staggering to his feet, he wanted to step outside to take a leak.

The geisha beside him, quick-witted, helped him out the door, exchanging a few flirtatious remarks along the way, clearly in high spirits. As soon as they stepped outside, the cold air hit them, making Watanabe shiver. The geisha immediately pressed herself against him, using her body warmth to shield him from the chill.

Watanabe groped the woman’s voluptuous figure with satisfaction, his voice slurred: "Mieko, tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll definitely take you with me." The woman in his arms leaned coquettishly against his brawny chest—but then felt the man suddenly stiffen, then go limp and fall. His neck bent at an unnatural angle. It seemed he had stopped breathing!

Mieko wanted to scream, but before she could, she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck, her vision went dark, and she too fell into oblivion. Feng Xia grabbed one in each hand, as if lifting two empty sacks. She didn’t kill the geisha—she always had a bit of pity for women, especially those not in control of their own fate. As for how the military would later handle this geisha, she trusted the fairness of the Flower Kingdom’s legal system.

The party inside went on. A dozen or so Cherry Blossom Country men in uniform were freely groping women, drinking fine sake in lavish abundance. In one corner, a relatively thin man seemed drunk, lying motionless on the tatami. Others kicked him, but he didn’t stir. They laughed, saying that Sakai-kun had a low tolerance and was already drunk.

If anyone had looked closely, they would have seen the man’s face was ashen gray—clearly poisoned to death. On the inside of his ankle, two snake fang marks had turned purple-black.

Time ticked by. These military Colonels had been numbed by the wine. Behind the highest-ranking Colonel hung a Tang sword, its blade gleaming—a treasure he had plundered during his invasions, his trophy and favorite.

No one noticed the Tang sword being taken down. Under the dim lamplight, a flash of steel swept through like a startled egret or a crying plover. The three Colonels sitting at the head tasted blood in their throats, a flash before their eyes, then a searing pain at their necks. Blood gushed out, splattering onto the ceiling. In an instant, the three were sent to meet Amaterasu.

The remaining officers didn’t react until warm blood droplets splashed onto their faces. Only then did they belatedly reach for their guns. The geishas instinctively tried to scream, but their limbs went weak and they cowered, trembling, on the floor. Feng Xia gave them no chance to call for help. Against these debauched vermin, she didn’t even need her gun. A single Tang sword was enough. Within a minute, the remaining Colonels were dead by her blade. As for the geishas, Feng Xia knocked them unconscious and moved them to a corner. She hadn’t held back much—the women would probably not wake until tomorrow.

Suddenly, a soldier’s voice came from outside. They had heard unusual sounds and came to check on their officers. They knew the officers were drinking and having fun, and wouldn’t be so tactless as to disturb them. The soldier had barely finished speaking when he instinctively sensed something wrong. It was too quiet here, and there was a heavy smell of blood in the air.

He hurried forward and pushed open the door. Seeing the room bathed in blood, he was frozen in shock. His instructor had once told him that on the battlefield, no matter what, never lose focus—that was the only way to survive and return home. Unfortunately, he forgot that lesson. The overwhelming smell of blood in his nostrils made him drop his guard. Feng Xia dropped down from above, easily snapping the soldier’s neck.

The senior officers of this base died without ever knowing that the hunter who had reaped their lives was a girl less than twelve years old.

The hunter showed no hesitation. Her figure vanished into the darkness, and with light, nimble steps, she headed toward the area where the gunfire was most intense.

The hunt never ceased.