"Pop! Crackle!"
Amidst the sound of firecrackers, the Above the Heavens Hot Spring Resort officially opened its doors. Outside the establishment, a bustling crowd of dignitaries and nobles had already gathered.
The main entrance swung open as a celebratory red carpet unfurled, stretching all the way to the end of the street.
Next, forty hostesses emerged—each wearing delicate makeup and form-fitting red cheongsams. They took their positions on either side of the red carpet, their practiced smiles and the graceful curves accentuated by their dresses captivating every guest's attention.
"Gulp~~"
The men swallowed hard.
They weren't showing much skin, yet the allure was undeniable.
And something felt oddly familiar.
Was it just imagination, or did the leading hostess resemble Ayachou, one of the star attractions at Kyoshiro Boss's establishment?
"Thank you all for coming from afar!"
Gurd, acting as the emcee with an Amplifying Conch in hand, delivered a polished three-minute speech from his script.
"I hereby declare the official opening of the Above the Heavens Hot Spring Spa Resort! Now, let us welcome Lady Yamato and our distinguished guest, Komurasaki, for the ribbon-cutting ceremony!"
As Yamato and Komurasaki made their entrance, the crowd erupted in gasps of awe.
"Heavens! Komurasaki is actually here!"
"So beautiful—dazzling!"
"To think they could invite the Courtesan herself!"
"And that's Kaido's daughter? Another stunning beauty!"
Hearts practically leaped from the guests' chests.
Komurasaki, the nation's most celebrated courtesan, was a figure of undisputed prestige—someone countless wealthy men would spend fortunes just to glimpse.
Then there was Kaido's daughter.
Rumors had painted her as an eight-meter-tall, four-armed monster who devoured ten cows daily.
Yet here she stood—
Absolutely radiant!
Yamato too wore light makeup and a cheongsam, her hair styled in twin buns, embodying the perfect poster girl aesthetic.
The choice of cheongsams over kimonos—for both the hostesses and Yamato—was deliberate: differentiation.
In other words, uniqueness!
For any business, quality, service, or ambiance must stand out—otherwise, why would anyone come?
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Fireworks lit up the sky as the ribbon-cutting concluded.
Now came the most crucial part—
Collecting the money!
Gurd signaled with his eyes.
Seated at the entrance, Green Worm and his three companions understood immediately, announcing loudly: "Headliner Ulti of the Beasts Pirates—100 gold coins as tribute, wishing Lady Yamato a prosperous grand opening!"
100 gold coins!
Enough to buy a mansion!
The guests inhaled sharply.
They'd known to prepare gifts or monetary offerings, but no one expected the first tribute to be a staggering 100 gold. Many suddenly felt their own gifts were embarrassingly inadequate.
These were all people of status—no one wanted to lose face. Yet what followed next hammered home the sheer disparity.
"The Daimyo of Kuri presents a pair of white jade lions worth 100 gold, with congratulations—"
"Kyoshiro Boss sends 500 gold, honoring Lady Yamato—"
"All-Star King of the Beasts Pirates—1,000 gold in tribute, with felicitations—"
Daimyos from every region, the Beasts Pirates' Disasters, Kyoshiro Boss himself—
Though these luminaries hadn't appeared in person, they'd all sent lavish tributes, each more extravagant than the last.
Soon, the offerings piled into a small mountain.
"Lord Fukurokuju has arrived!"
The appearance of the Oniwabanshu pushed the gift-giving ceremony to its climax.
"Lord Fukurokuju, representing Orochi Shogun, presents a gift of 10,000 gold coins! Congratulations to our niece Yamato on her grand opening!"
Ten thousand gold!
The crowd erupted in astonishment.
"As expected of Orochi Shogun!"
The guests' eyes turned red with envy.
Merely opening a hot spring inn had earned tens of thousands in gifts, with even the Shogun showing support—such treatment was truly unheard of.
Gurd stood beside the pile of monetary gifts, his eyes turning into dollar signs.
What had blinded his vision?
Oh!
It was money!
"All this money is mine!"
While these gifts appeared to be for Yamato, they were actually meant to curry favor with Kaido. Yet, in the end, every coin would land in his own pockets.
Effectively, he was using Yamato to amass wealth under Kaido's name.
Heh heh heh heh~~
Gurd's smile bloomed like a sunflower as he warmly invited, "Esteemed guests, please come inside!"
"Mhm."
The honored guests entered the establishment.
They too wanted to see what Kaido's daughter had managed to pull off. After spending a fortune to show their support, they might as well enjoy themselves properly.
"Welcome!"
At this point, the remaining hostesses came into play, each assigned to a single guest to explain the services available.
"Sir, would you like to try our signature foot massage?"
"We also offer aromatherapy, cupping therapy, nail care, ear cleaning, and many other services!"
"Grand opening special—50% off all services today!"
"And there are discounted packages to choose from!"
"Additionally, for just 998 silver, you can experience every service we offer!"
"Oh, and sir, we also provide dining, lodging, game rooms, gyms, and concert halls."
The guest was dumbfounded.
Huh?
What was all this?!
Hadn't he come just to soak in the hot springs?
Noticing the guests' reactions, Gurd smirked.
A one-stop service combining bathing, massages, dining, and entertainment, with dedicated hostesses providing emotional comfort.
This was dimensional warfare!
Hah, you backward feudal peasants.
Let me teach you what real luxury is!
With enough money, you could live here for the rest of your life!
Damn, I'm a genius!
Across from the hot spring inn, in a shadowy alleyway.
Ebisu Town, Ximei, Linghou, Tuwan.
The underworld bosses of the four regions gathered together, each silently puffing on their pipes, enveloped in smoke.
Unable to afford gifts, they couldn't bring themselves to face the humiliation outside.
Though they appeared influential on the surface, their lives were far from easy. Because they refused to align with Orochi, they had been constantly suppressed by his faction.
Even their most profitable gambling dens were now on the verge of collapse, as the wealthy patrons had all gone to Orochi's establishments. Their own customers were mostly the poor, leaving many debts unpaid.
To make matters worse, desperate ronin occasionally sought them out for aid, further straining their already difficult circumstances.
They barely had enough money left for drinks.
Gang Wugong glanced down at his patched-up clothes, his heart heavy with sorrow—this was his finest outfit.
Damn it!
How had they fallen so low?!
Suppressing his frustration, Gang Wugong turned to the other bosses.
"What do you all think about this situation?"
"What else can we do? Fight Kaido head-on!"
Dazheng of Tuwan cursed under his breath, his gaze fixed on the luxurious hot spring inn in the distance, his fingers itching to destroy it.
If only they could steal all that money—
"Calm down, Dazheng."
Adie, the leader of Linghou, scolded them harshly.
It wasn't the final step yet—acting impulsively would only lead to a heavy price.
The key issue now wasn't about them, but the Kozuki Samurai from various regions who had fallen into madness. They had already gathered outside the city, and if not stopped, chaos would erupt tonight.
Killing Kaido's daughter—how could it possibly be easy?
(End of Chapter)