Chapter 372: The Demoness of the Four Seas

Chapter 372: The Demoness of the Four Seas

What they were asking for went without saying.

Without hesitation, Su Mo motioned for the group to follow Ding Luo into the inner hall.

They wound through doors and courtyards before reaching a secluded garden.

Wang Chaosheng and Wang Chengying were pacing like ants on a hot griddle, circling restlessly.

Before they got close, Wang Chengying jabbed a finger at Wang Chaosheng and snapped:

"If you hadn’t taken that concubine, if you hadn’t brought this disgrace upon us, how could Wan’er have gone missing?

"Now look—your concubine’s vanished, and my sister’s been kidnapped!

"What are we supposed to do?"

"Bullshit! That’s bullshit!"

Wang Chaosheng wheezed—he was getting on in years, all appetite but no stamina.

A full day of entertaining had left him drained.

Now, furious but spent, his retort came out weak and gasping.

He sputtered:

"What’s my concubine got to do with any of this?

"I took her in because we had an understanding!

"As the saying goes, 'A fair maiden delights a gentleman’s heart.'

"I was willing, she was willing—what’s the harm?

"Hell, you already barred me from her bed!

"And the crap you said—so cruel!

"Saying once I croak, she’d still land a decent man and live happily.

"You itching to bury me?

"But did I raise hell over it?

"You’re my boy—I’ll let your words slide, but damn!

"You think I wanted this for Wan’er?

"This is goddamn ridiculous!!"

Wang Chengying opened his mouth to fire back—then Su Mo and the others stepped in.

He bit back his words.

Su Mo scanned the room. Aside from the father and son ready to claw each other’s eyes out, three strangers loitered off to the side.

At the center stood a black-clad man with rough-hewn features, his hands tucked into black gloves—like they held secrets.

Here’s the refined translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

At this moment, the man was watching the father and son bicker with a helpless expression, trying several times to interject but couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

On the right stood a woman, around thirty years old, dressed practically, her hair tied back with a hemp rope, a thick braid trailing down.

She wore fitted white martial attire that accentuated her toned frame.

Currently, she was studying the room’s layout, completely ignoring the heated spat between the father and son.

On the left, however, was an elderly man.

His frame was gaunt and wiry, somewhat disheveled and grubby.

He held a copper tobacco pipe, taking slow drags, occasionally eyeing the quarreling pair, a glint of amusement in his eyes. Yet, when he lowered his head, his brows would furrow slightly, just as clearly vexed.

When Su Mo and his group arrived, they immediately snagged everyone’s attention.

Every head swiveled their way.

Wang Chengying quickly clasped his fists:

"Chief Escort Su."

Wang Chaosheng broke off his squabble, briefly sizing up Su Mo before nodding and saying:

"Chief Escort Su, please come in and take a seat. You’ve had quite the show today."

Apart from those three, the elderly man had hosted guests from all over today, and naturally shared a drink with Su Mo as well.

So they’d at least crossed paths.

He just didn’t understand why his son had dragged this kid here now of all times.

But this wasn’t something to ask in front of guests.

Having been in business all his life, he knew how to keep up appearances.

Behind closed doors, he could argue with his son all he wanted.

But once the doors were open and facing outsiders, he had to save his son face.

If his son invited guests over, he wasn’t about to slight them.

If only for his boy’s pride, he had to treat them as honored guests.

Thus, he was very courteous.

Su Mo answered with a cupped-fist salute:

"Not at all, President Wang, you’re too kind.

"I wonder what urgent matter has prompted you to call Su Mo over?"

He was playing dumb though he knew the score.

He’d overheard every scrap of the servants’ report to the father and son, knowing someone in the family had gone missing and they wanted his help.

But he couldn’t say that—he had eavesdropped, and revealing it now would be downright uncanny.

From such a distance, with the servants trying to stay unnoticed, yet he still managed to hear everything...

How can anyone dare to talk privately after this?

Seeing Su Mo's inquiry, Wang Chengying sighed:

"Chief Escort Su, to be frank, this old rascal in our family—"

*Cough, cough, cough.*

Wang Chaosheng hurriedly coughed loudly.

Wang Chengying nodded vehemently. "My father!"

He gritted his teeth and uttered the two words with extra emphasis:

"...My father took a concubine, but the unfortunate girl who got dragged into this mess has vanished.

"Now, even my sister has disappeared without a trace.

"We’re completely lost on what to do.

"Chief Escort Su, your martial arts are peerless—a true legend among men. At this moment, we wouldn’t dream of bothering you with anything else—just to ask for your guidance.

"Wang Chengying bows deeply in thanks!"

As he spoke, he dropped into a deep bow.

Wang Chaosheng gave his son a one-eyed glare, suspicious that something was off.

Here's the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

No matter how impressive this young man was, it didn't explain why his son would treat him this way.

He knew his son well.

Great with people, sharp in business, and clever in mind—he wasn't some naive kid who could be easily fooled.

His courteous treatment of Su Mo showed that Su Mo must have something special about him.

But with how crazy busy today had been, he hadn't had the chance to ask where this friend his son brought back came from.

Wang Chaosheng wasn't the only one surprised. The three standing nearby couldn't help but stare at Su Mo, looking doubtful.

They'd served the Wang family for years.

Nobody knew the father and son better. Even their best fighter—the man in black—had never gotten such a formal bow from the Young Master.

What made this kid so special?

There was one detail nobody knew about.

When Bohai Trading Company got robbed by the sea snake Ceng Chou and Ziyang Escort came out of nowhere, Ding Luo and the others had thought the name rang a bell.

But at the time, they couldn't place where they'd heard it.

Later, when Su Mo invited them aboard for dinner, Ding Luo saw the "Ziyang Escort" sign, connected it with Su Mo's name, and put it together with the Eastern Wastes.

Here is the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Only then did they recall a rumor they had once heard.

It was said that a top martial artist had emerged in the Donghuang.

Moreover, his family ran an escort agency.

This man was named Su Mo, and his martial arts were exceptional.

Several notorious villains who had long plagued the Donghuang were all defeated by Chief Escort Su with a single punch or palm.

His martial prowess was such that nearly the entire Donghuang acknowledged his superiority.

It was widely recognized that his skills could truly be called the Donghuang's Champion.

When Ding Luo suddenly remembered this, he was so startled he almost gasped aloud.

With great effort, he suppressed the urge to speak of it then.

But after the banquet, he quietly told Wang Chengying of the matter.

He feared that in future interactions, Wang Chengying might offend this Donghuang's Champion.

Though they weren't entirely convinced by the title of "Champion,"

just the fact that such rumors existed already spoke volumes about this man's extraordinary abilities.

From any perspective, offending such a person would be utterly unwise.

Upon hearing this, Wang Chengying was equally shocked.

The Donghuang's Champion—had he really just met him at sea like this?

After some discussion among them, they decided not to draw attention or investigate further.

Since Su Mo had clearly shown goodwill, it was best to maintain good relations with him—it might well bring great benefits to the Bo Hai Association in the future.

They never expected those benefits to arrive so soon.

With his sister and his father's concubine both missing, Wang Chengying immediately thought of Su Mo.

He wanted to see if the Donghuang's top martial artist might have any solutions.

Su Mo was briefly surprised by Wang Chengying's gesture. Shaking his head, he reached out to help him up:

"Young Lord Wang, you're too kind. Su Mo is just a stranger here, knowing little of local affairs.

"Has Chairman Wang offended anyone in recent times?

"Or have there been any unusual rumors lately?"

Though puzzled by Wang Chengying's excessive courtesy toward Su Mo, Wang Chaosheng replied honestly:

"In our trade, we're bound to make enemies.

"But generally speaking, no one would resort to such measures against me.

"As for rumors… I've heard none. "It's been quiet recently."

At this point, he shot Wang Chengying a glare and snapped:

"Was it you who put your sister up to this?"

"......"

Wang Chengying kept his eyes fixed on Su Mo, ignoring him.

Su Mo gave a slight smile:

"Since President Wang hasn’t offended anyone, clues should turn up soon."

"Hmm?"

The black-clad man in the room suddenly spoke:

"What makes you say that?"

Su Mo glanced at him, smiled, and instead of answering directly, turned to Wang Chaosheng:

"President Wang, your son and I met because of an incident.

"And in that incident, it supposedly involved something very important."

After these words, Wang Chaosheng remained in the dark, but Wang Chengying’s face fell:

"Chief Escort Su, what do you mean?"

Su Mo shook his head lightly:

"Either way, we’ll need to wait and see.

"If they’re really after *that thing*, there’ll be more to this.

"But if..."

Here, his brows furrowed slightly:

"If this was just a ‘flower thief’ (kidnapper of women), then waiting here won’t help.

"We should divide our efforts.

"Young Master Wang, send your men to track any leads and try to find them.

"The rest should stay put at the manor. If they’ve got another move planned, we’ll hear something."

No sooner had he finished speaking than hurried footsteps rushed in from outside.

The messenger froze upon seeing the crowd, clamming up.

Wang Chaosheng shot him a look and said sharply:

"Don’t hold back. Speak."

"Yes."

The man bowed his head and stepped forward:

"A moment ago, someone handed off a letter outside—marked for the President’s eyes only."

Wang Chaosheng immediately nodded and reached out to take it.

"Wait."

Su Mo and the man in black spoke almost simultaneously.

The man in black glanced at Su Mo and nodded slightly.

Su Mo also smiled.

But this only confused Wang Chaosheng more:

"What's the matter?"

"My lord, it's best not to carelessly open items delivered by strangers."

The man in black stepped forward and took hold of the letter.

After a brief inspection, he frowned slightly.

"Is there something wrong with this envelope?"

Wang Chengying asked.

"Held up to the light, aside from the letter, there seems to be what looks like powder."

As he spoke, he suddenly called out:

"Guards!"

Several guards from the Bo Hai Association hurried in.

The man in black pointed at the servant who had delivered the letter:

"Take him away and put him in a room for now. If nothing happens by tomorrow, you can let him go."

The servant panicked:

"B-but I'm innocent... President, it has nothing to do with me! I'm innocent!"

Seeing this, Wang Chaosheng looked at the man in black, hoping for an explanation.

The man then said:

"There is something wrong inside the envelope, but the outside is also suspect.

"I have these *Xuan* silk gloves to ward off all poisons, so I'll be fine.

"But he's unprotected...

"If anything truly happens, let him die quietly in the room, rather than dying out here and causing a panic, leading to rumors."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chaosheng suddenly understood and nodded:

"You've thought of everything. But we cannot simply let him die—get a doctor to examine him.

"If nothing is wrong, so much the better."

After speaking, he glanced at the terrified servant, now pale with fear, and let out a soft sigh.

Here's the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

"Don't worry too much—you might not be poisoned."

"I'll have someone treat you. But if the worst happens, your death for the Wang family won't be in vain. I'll make sure your family is well cared for and never left wanting."

Hearing this, the servant dropped to his knees with a loud thud.

"Thank you, President! Thank you!"

"The President's mercy is great."

Everyone except Su Mo's group and Wang Chengying saluted in respect.

Wang Chaosheng waved them off.

"Get him out of here..."

Then he turned to the man in black.

"What about this letter?"

"Just a moment, President."

The man in black had everyone step back before carefully opening the letter. Holding it gingerly, he unfolded it while holding his breath, handling it with extreme caution.

Finally, he read aloud:

"If you want your daughter back unharmed, bring the Poison Dragon Scripture to the Autumn Mountain Shrine at midnight tonight. Comply, and she won't be harmed."

His face fell, pausing briefly before continuing.

"Otherwise...she'll be taken from Pingyang Island and sold to Tianxiang Pavilion."

"- Yin Xiaoyu."

"Yin Xiaoyu!?"

"The Four Seas Demoness!"

"Why her?"

At those words, everyone went pale.

Su Mo looked completely lost, unfamiliar with Yin Xiaoyu and why her name caused such a reaction.

Noticing this, Ding Luo hurriedly whispered:

"Escort Chief Su, you may not know, but though Yin Xiaoyu sounds harmless, she's a genuine monster."

"They say she came from Tianxiang Pavilion."

"And Tianxiang Pavilion is actually a huge ship on the South Sea."

"Everyone aboard that ship is a woman."

"Wherever they go, they show off their allure. As long as one offers a handful of silver, even the master of Tianxiang Pavilion would come to your bed.

"It’s said Yin Xiaoyu was sold to Tianxiang Pavilion as a girl. With her stunning looks, her reputation traveled far.

"Countless men were willing to spend fortunes just for one night with her.

"Yet who knew she’d end up falling for an ordinary fisherman?

"No one knows how they met, but to be together, they decided to elope by jumping ship.

"During their escape, though, the fisherman was killed by Tianxiang Pavilion’s enforcers.

"Yin Xiaoyu was also badly hurt, barely escaped alive, and vanished without a trace.

"When she reappeared, she’d not only become a martial arts master but went straight for revenge against Tianxiang Pavilion.

"She almost burned the place down.

"The full story remains unknown to outsiders.

"All we know is after that fight, the mere mention of Yin Xiaoyu’s name made Tianxiang Pavilion run scared.

"Afterward, she got herself a ship, dubbed herself the 'Pirate Queen of the Four Seas,' and started raiding and leaving carnage across the ocean.

"Since her return, she’s been a different person.

"Merchant ships, pirates, island villages—wherever she went, hardly anyone made it out alive.

"Rumors say she masters forbidden pleasure techniques, though no one knows if it’s true.

"But with skills like hers, our Bo Hai Association wouldn’t stand a chance."

He explained all this, clearly hoping Su Mo would help—though he didn’t have the guts to ask.

Su Mo gave a knowing nod, then glanced at Wei Ziyi.

Wei Ziyi blinked. "What?"

"...Nothing."

Su Mo shook his head and turned to Ding Luo.

"Seen the other girls traveling with me?"

"What?"

Ding Luo froze, then sent someone to check. Soon, word came back—the girls never came back to the hall for the feast.

Hearing this, Su Mo’s face darkened.

Before he could figure it out, someone else approached and whispered,

"A letter for you, Master Su."

Su Mo grabbed it right away.

After a quick look, he scanned it in seconds. He cracked a smile, then glanced at Wang Chaosheng and the others.

They were all stuck between a rock and a hard place right now.

Wang Chengying couldn't help but stomp his feet and shout:

"That damn Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture—always with that damn scripture! That sea snake bastard Ceng Chou came after our Bohai Trading Company because of it.

"We almost got ourselves killed at sea over this.

"And now they've snatched my sister for the same cursed thing...

"But—where in God's name are we supposed to get a copy of the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture to give them?"

After saying this, he wore a path in the floor with his frantic pacing.

Then Wang Chaosheng spoke haltingly:

"Now listen... son, if—I mean if...

"If we really had the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture, what then?

"How can we be sure they'll let Wan'er go if we hand it over?"

……

……