### Chapter 0: Double Trouble (1)
==============================
Lin Nan led the way, while Ao Hongtu and Mu Zhi awkwardly held up the injured Liao Chen, as they slowly trudged towards the entrance of the stronghold.
Surrounding them were mainly those who had placed bets in the gambling fiasco.
The stronghold’s sudden escape with their money had left them high and dry. It wasn’t just the folks who bet and didn’t cash out; many tried to fish in troubled waters, hoping to regain their losses with the help of the “Woman in Red.”
As soon as the “Woman in Red” gave the signal, unless the stronghold folks dared to put up a fight, they would charge in along with the crowd, looking for anything valuable to loot and make up for their shattered spirits.
Lin Nan stopped about four meters away from the rotund stronghold representative.
At this moment, the atmosphere was eerily quiet.
Just like a deep forest at midnight—silent and still.
All eyes were fixated on the splash of red before them, eagerly awaiting how she would dictate the outcome for the stronghold.
If she was smart, she wouldn’t overlook the crowd’s needs.
After all, the deceptive gambling scheme set up by the stronghold had nearly cleaned them out.
Though the Demon-Subduing Alliance was just a piece of the martial world puzzle, it encompassed every faction, big and small.
If she wanted to make a name for herself and secure her place in the martial world, she couldn’t afford to offend them.
What’s more, they had earlier promised the “Woman in Red” that if she could help them recoup their losses or even score some extra compensation, they would ensure her name would echo throughout the martial world.
The fact that the “Woman in Red” had defeated Master Liao Chen from the Shaolin Temple was already enough proof of her prowess.
What she lacked was a bit of publicity and tons of positive praise, and that was the very thing the Demon-Subduing Alliance excelled at—adding frosting to the cake!
As they walked, Liao Chen had managed to shake off the bindings of the Demon-Suppressing Talisman.
He had lost because he’d never expected a demoness to be so adept at Buddhist ghost-suppressing techniques.
Caught off-guard, he fell right into his opponent’s trap.
If there was a next time, he wouldn’t be caught so flat-footed.
But… how could a true-blue demoness possess such Buddhist powers? To him, that was nearly impossible.
So even though Liao Chen could now freely move, he let Ao Hongtu and Mu Zhi hold him up, opting not to take matters into his own hands.
He needed time to calm the questions swirling in his mind; otherwise, if cracks appeared in his beliefs, it would inevitably affect his skills.
For now, hanging out near the “Woman in Red” and observing her closely wasn’t the worst idea.
……
“Now that a champion has been determined, does the stronghold still acknowledge the previous promises?”
Pei Penghai from the Kongtong Sect glared at Fatty, his voice booming with authority.
Fatty managed a half-smile, seemingly oblivious to the savage glares from behind him that suggested they wanted to dice him into little pieces. He waved his hands, “How can we go back on our word? If the champion has any requests for the stronghold, just ask away!”
Pei Penghai stepped back a few paces, opening up space for Lin Nan and Fatty to converse.
He also shoved the curious onlookers back a bit; these guys were all ears, eager to hear what Lin Nan had to say to the stronghold.
“Money, tons of it! Make the stronghold hand over all their gold and treasures!”
“That’s right! The stronghold’s been raking it in for ages, there must be a fortune just waiting to be turned over to the Demon-Subduing Alliance!”
“Heroine, just give the word today, and you’ll set the standard for the entire martial world! Everyone here will forever remember your generosity!”
Amidst the chatter from the crowd, Lin Nan slowly walked forward, her gaze sweeping over Fatty and the tense warriors standing behind him.
To everyone’s surprise, Lin Nan didn’t immediately deliver the much-anticipated words. Instead, she looked down and fiddled with her ponytail holder.
“Whoosh…”
Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and with a gentle breeze, her veil fluttered away, revealing the other striking half of her face.
Gorgeous, simply breathtaking!
It was the first time the crowd got to see the true face of the “Woman in Red.”
They had assumed she would always keep her veil on to maintain her mystery, but surprise, surprise! Here she was, showcasing a beauty so stunning it could cause heart attacks!
The crowd stood frozen for a moment, reveling in a visual feast, but when they finally settled down, they were completely puzzled about her intent.
But the next second, something utterly shocking happened.
All the warriors from the stronghold, who had initially harbored great animosity towards the Demon-Subduing Alliance, suddenly knelt down in unison, chanting, “We greet the Great King!”
Great King? What Great King?
Could it be they were addressing the stronghold’s leader, the demoness?
When did that demoness come out? They hadn’t noticed!
She was the one who single-handedly repelled the many assassins from the bl**d Cloak Building! If she blended into the crowd and struck, it could spell disaster!
Just as the crowd began to stir with unease,
The freshly unveiled “Woman in Red” slowly raised her right hand, saying, “Get up.”
“Yes, Great King!”
The sound rang out in unison, and the stronghold warriors rose, their fury, worry, and indignation instantly melting away into admiration and respect at the sight of Lin Nan.
No wonder Fatty previously seemed so sure, abandoning the stronghold’s solid defense strategy and accepting those ridiculous on-site duel rules!
The root of it all was that the Great King had unwittingly infiltrated the ranks of these martial artists, taking this opportunity to humiliate the Central Plains martial arts community.
From the looks of it, the Great King had already achieved her objectives.
Now, only the Great King stood before everyone, and the bragging martial arts of the Central Plains were mere footnotes before her.
Turns out this was the Great King’s grand strategy! It was simply too satisfying—like rubbing the faces of the Demon-Subduing Alliance in the dirt.
While everyone was amazed, they couldn’t help but feel a wave of heat wash over their faces.
“Holy cow, she’s actually the demoness from the Demon Sect!”
“Ahhhh! I just blinded my dog eyes!”
“Who would have thought? She’s been playing us all like fools!”
Ao Hongtu, “…”
Inviting a wolf into the den? From now on, the Burning Moon Sword Manor might just become the biggest laughing stock in the martial world.
How did he ever get the idea to recruit the “Woman in Red”… and now he was tightly bound to a demoness from the Demon Sect, without a word of defense.
Mu Zhi, “…”
For some reason, he suddenly recalled the first time he met the “Woman in Red” at the tea house; he’d bragged about the witch being awesome, completely oblivious to why she had taken offense, which led to a series of unfortunate events.
Women’s hearts are as deep as the ocean—truly a mystery he couldn’t fathom.
Liao Chen slightly nodded. So she was the legendary demoness everyone had been talking about…
【Ding! Your side quest “Capture the Stronghold” has been completed.】
【You have received a fragment of the treasure map (4-2).】
