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When talking about the notable figures of Wano Kingdom, Ah He solemnly knelt before Weiwei, placing her palms flat on her knees in a perfectly proper posture.
Weiwei, unfamiliar with such formality, didn't bother to imitate it. There was no stool in the room, so she simply sat cross-legged, listening carefully as the middle-aged woman described the current state of Wano Kingdom. Judging by her appearance and the marks time had left on her face, Ah He must have been beautiful in her youth, but now life had worn her down considerably.
Ah He went on to explain the hierarchy: the generals of Wano, the Imperial Court Fans who served them directly, the samurai loyal to the generals, and the ronin and thugs secretly controlled by Kuroshio. She also mentioned the shogunate's officials — generals, judges, and magistrates — as well as the wealthy merchants in the capital, the Flower Capital. Ah He named them all carefully.
This knowledge was far beyond what a simple teahouse proprietress should know.
Weiwei thought for a moment. "What are the names of the profiteers you mentioned?"
Ah He lifted her head. "In the Flower Capital, there are three great merchants: Pinghao, who runs the coffin shop; Fanhe, who owns the lumber business; and Fenye, who leads a group of arsonists. These three are evil, feeding off the blood of the poor and causing suffering like ghosts."
Weiwei repeated their names quietly: "Pinghao, Fanhe, and Fenye... Are their businesses connected?"
Ah He nodded gravely. "They work closely together. You'll find all three in the Flower Capital — it's convenient for their schemes."
Weiwei sized Ah He up, sensing she was no ordinary person. The woman seemed to understand Weiwei's intentions immediately.
Weiwei needed information—and a credible identity to move within the city. In the Flower Capital, money could solve those problems. These three unscrupulous businessmen would be her targets.
"Your Excellency, don't you want to change your clothes? Yours are quite strange for Wano," Ah He suggested.
Weiwei looked at Ah He's kimono, then at her own short-sleeved top and long skirt — the styles were definitely different.
She hesitated. "Your clothes are too inconvenient for fighting. I won't change today. I'll stay until dark, then find Pinghao."
Ah He wanted to warn her that it would be unsafe at night, but Weiwei was determined. Only after dark did she feel confident.
The Flower Capital at night was lively and chaotic.
At the end of the streets, patrols of three men roamed the main roads periodically. Casinos and brothels overflowed with people. Thieves and robbers lurked in shadows, eyeing potential victims. A band of ronin set fire recklessly.
One of the three profiteers controlled these ronin, ordering them to torch houses. If the owner survived, they had to buy lumber from Fanhe to rebuild; if not, so be it.
Through this cruel racket, the three merchants amassed great wealth and power. Their victims were always the middle and lower classes, and no one dared challenge them.
Following Ah He's directions, Weiwei walked along the river, passed the famous Fuji Mountain of Wano, circled it twice, and finally reached the Flower Capital at its base.
She entered quietly and was fortunate. Near the fire, she spotted the ronin's bonfire party.
Half the street was ablaze. The ronin, fierce and merciless, hurled torches onto homes with grim satisfaction.
Owners begged for mercy, only to be kicked down and robbed. The stolen goods were shared without shame.
Though mentally prepared, Weiwei was shocked by their lawlessness. This place was truly sick.
The ronin knew how to destroy houses quickly—businesslike in their cruelty, driven by greed.
A patrol passed by, samurai pointing happily at the burning houses. The ronin saluted respectfully and received purses heavy with gold before continuing their destruction openly.
After five ronin set fire to one house, ignoring the owner's wails, they pocketed the loot and staggered away, drinking.
Suddenly, one ronin blinked, confused by the darkness. His eyes were pitch black—void of light.
He dropped his bottle and drew his long knife with a "swoosh." The others, sensing danger, did the same.
"Yiping! Are you there?"
"Brother Funato! I can't see you!"
"Don't panic! Hold on! Stay calm!"
But the panic grew. From the shadows, a voice spoke. Without thinking, one ronin slashed blindly.
The others joined in, attacking each other in confusion.
As the black mist dispersed, Funato looked down, stunned. A knife had pierced his heart, and the blade in his hand had cut another's throat.
"A bunch of trash," Weiwei said, stepping out of the darkness.
Creating black mist was a basic ability of the vampire fruit. Using hypnosis and suggestion, she had forced the ronin to slaughter each other. All the arsonists were dead.
The stolen property was already packed up. Weiwei didn't care about the small amount.
Remembering the pleading owner, she returned the goods. Kneeling and crying, the owner received the packages silently.
Weiwei didn't know if the owner was good or bad and didn't have time to find out. This small relief wouldn't cover the loss but was better than nothing.
Can a little money change a beggar's life? No.
Weiwei only sought peace of mind.
The division's territory was large, and the whole street belonged to him, so Weiwei wasn't worried about losing her way.
"Which room does the division live in?" Weiwei asked a heavyset servant.
As she swiped a finger across his neck, a deep bite appeared, blood flowing rapidly, staining half his clothes.
"Over there! Over there! There are songs and dances! The room with the red lanterns at the door!" The servant's face went pale, shaking uncontrollably.
Weiwei's blood trickled like a fountain. Was this a dream? What was going on?
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