Chapter 19: The Perverted Sword Immortal

According to the company’s Astronomy Division, the Xifa star system would witness a once-in-a-century event at exactly 12:35 a.m. tonight: the Delta Sandcastle meteor storm.

The meteors were said to originate from the remnants of a stellar-scale catastrophe—the Whirlpool of Orion Uγ—that the Celestial Sword Immortal Irina had destroyed sixteen years ago. As those shattered bodies drifted through the Xifa system, they scattered debris that now blazed across the skies.

“They say if you make a wish upon this meteor storm, there’s a real chance it’ll come true!”

The lovely host Miss Popa’s sweet yet fiery voice drew cheers from every patron of the Dream Tavern.

“She’s my wife!”
“Bullshit—Popa’s the national wife of Xifa! How could she belong to the likes of you?”

Two bespectacled sleazeballs instantly started brawling in the tavern, one flipping a table, the other brandishing a chair. Both looked ready to smash each other senseless.

“Enough already! Stop screeching like crazed hags!”

A tall woman in a fur coat, with a cruel, sharp face, snarled at them. “Didn’t White River teach you any discipline? Do I need to, personally?”

At those words, the sleazeballs immediately dropped their makeshift weapons and grinned nervously, apologizing to each other like old friends.

“Uh, customers, our chairs cost fifty credits apiece… maybe you could—”

The timid part-time waiter stammered, but before he could finish, the woman slammed her half-empty beer bottle on the table. The crack echoed, and heads turned.

“In White River’s operating budget,” she said coldly, wiping her hands with a silk scarf, “compensation isn’t included.”

The words dripped with disdain. People hastily looked away—this was clearly no woman to trifle with.

“But… the boss told us—”
“Get lost.”

The silk scarf lashed across the waiter’s face. Talking to trash like him was beneath her.

White River—the largest underground syndicate on Xifa. On the surface, brokers for corporate deals and dealings with Bailu Street’s tycoons. In truth, smugglers of information, their business feeding into the largest criminal empire in the Keha Universe: the Reactionary Brotherhood.

On Xifa, running into one of them meant stepping aside—or getting crushed.

“Oh, oh…” The waiter, face stinging, listened to an old drunk explain, then sighed. He’d have to cover the damage out of his own wages.

“Our boss lady’s brilliance knows no bounds!” one of the sleazeballs gushed, pouring her a fresh beer with both hands.

“Holy shit…”
“What’re you swearing about, punk? … Damn, check out those white-haired girls. Gorgeous! I just wanna grab them and—”

Two pairs of lustful eyes locked on Lingling Lan and Xinghui, who happened to be passing the tavern door.

“Boss lady, those two little maids are way too cute. I bet they’d taste divine. One for each of us, what do you say?”

Instead of approval, a heavy fist cracked down.

“Shut it, perverts. Don’t you know? Every pretty girl on Xifa belongs to me.”

Her gaze turned predatory. Those innocent little girls, cluelessly walking by—soon they’d be hers, like the countless others who’d screamed, clawed, and wept dry on her bed.

At that moment, Xinghui shivered.
“Ugh. Feels like someone’s talking behind my back… Whatever. Even if we didn’t get inside, just hearing Luna-chan’s live tour from outside is good enough!”

“If you hadn’t dragged your feet changing clothes, we wouldn’t be stuck on a bench eating pancakes in the cold wind,” Lingling Lan huffed, biting into her jianbing. “All your fault.”

“C’mon, I bought that pancake to make it up to you. With an extra egg, even!”

Xinghui grinned at her sulky yet satisfied expression, her eyes narrowing as light practically radiated from her smile.

“…Fine. Since you know my tastes so well, I’ll forgive you.”

“Then give me a bite. I’m starving too.”

“Why didn’t you buy your own? Honestly, how’re you gonna be a Sword Immortal if you can’t even feed yourself?”

Her words were harsh, but her hands betrayed her—she shoved the half-eaten pancake into Xinghui’s hands, deliberately avoiding her eyes, putting on a haughty act.

“Filthy Sword Immortal, I pity you. Take it.”

“I bought it, you know. Five whole credits.” Xinghui teased, barely holding back a laugh.

“So what if I freeload a little? You tied me up in your house, remember! I thought you were gonna nibble my ears, throw me on your crystal bed, and… and—like here, in this dark alley, where no one would hear me scream for help! Hmph!”

Lingling Lan’s anger seemed misplaced, but Xinghui found the feisty act ridiculously endearing.

“Alright, alright. Xiaofu’s probably waiting. Let’s head to the plaza and watch the meteor shower.”

“I don’t want to walk with you! Perverted Sword Immortal!”

With that, she stormed off down a side alley. Xinghui quickly lost sight of her in the maze of streets.

Sigh. What a tsundere.
But the more she bristled, the cuter she was…
I like her more every second.

***

Meanwhile, deeper in the alley, Lingling Lan angrily kicked a stone down the street.

That fake Sword Immortal! Because of her, I missed the concert, froze outside for an hour, and had to wear this skimpy maid outfit just for her to ogle!

Shameless, indecent! Who does she think she is—an actual Sword Immortal? Why did I even agree to travel with her? A few sweet words and I just… Argh! Hate, hate, hate! I’ll stomp her flat!

She stamped the ground furiously, unaware of three shadowy beasts closing in.

“W-who’s there?!”

Her eldritch instincts screamed danger. The leader lunged like a starving wolf, tossing a compact photon snare that wrapped around her in a blink.

“Ah! It hurts!”

Her magic flow locked down—this was no ordinary rope. It was a net made for capturing monsters.

“Be good, little sister. Come with big sis… My bed’s so soft and spacious, and I’ve got sweet candy just for you~”