Forbidden Zone of Deception

Chapter 125 The Witch Xia Yu
The Bloody Team's base villa.

Xia Yu stood in front of the full-length mirror, her slender fingers gently tracing the alluring curves of her waist.

She first changed into a dark red, form-fitting cheongsam, which was exquisitely made and clearly the work of a master.

The cheongsam accentuated her waist and hip curves, comparable to those of a top model, while the high slit revealed glimpses of her long, snow-white legs. Most importantly, what lay below her neck…

The towering summit of Mount Everest.

"Red really suits me best." She smiled at herself in the mirror, her fingertips tracing her slender waist, which looked like a manga character's, feeling the texture of her skin beneath the fabric.

There were more than a dozen sets of the latest seasonal fashion hanging in her wardrobe, all of which were "job gifts" given to her by the Blood Lord.

From a sleek black trench coat to an elegant long jumpsuit, every piece fit her figure perfectly. She casually picked up a backless fishtail dress, compared it to her figure, and then disdainfully tossed it back into the closet.

“Not flashy enough…” she murmured to herself, her gaze falling on the scarlet off-the-shoulder dress in the corner.

"This kind of off-the-shoulder top is clearly a runway staple, only suitable for me!"

In the hallway outside, two members of the Bloody Team, Matsui Nagi and Nishimura Masaki, leaned against the wall and talked in hushed tones.

Bloodlust was founded by Blood Lord after he left the Insect Nest team. He used his initial wealth from fully rule-based dungeons to recruit several foreign stowaways and death row inmates who had become reincarnated individuals. Therefore, besides Blood Lord, many of the higher-ups are foreigners. If Wu Ge's biological father hadn't died, he would definitely be the vice-captain.

"That woman is trying on clothes again?" Matsui Nagi sneered, impatiently tapping the hilt of her katana at her waist. "Those luxury items aren't cheap."

Masaki Nishimura shrugged, but his gaze involuntarily drifted towards the door: "But she certainly has the looks..."

Matsui Nagi suddenly turned her head and glared at him: "Have you lost your mind too?"

“I’m just telling the truth.” Nishimura shrugged. “Do you know how many people in the group are talking about it behind your back? They say that when Xia Yu stands there, even Vice Commander Bernadette pales in comparison.”

The Bloody Clan has two vice-commanders. The other vice-commander besides Long Cang is the Blood Lord's true confidant.

Matsui Nagi disliked Xia Yu, saying, "A surrendered general comes here and acts like he's a veteran team member, without any self-awareness."

Nishimura Masaki said, "The guild leader tolerated her because of her abilities. As you know, Xia Yu is an exceptionally talented shrine maiden. However, because Sima Jin repeatedly advised against Lady Pussy's indiscriminate killing of innocent people and her practice of using a large number of living people to refine Gu in the dungeon, the resources allocated to the Misty Swamp team were scarce. Xia Yu thought Sima Jin was a 'saintly mother,' saying that men should be decisive and ruthless, which dragged her down. Otherwise, she would have become a LV3 shrine maiden long ago."

"In Chinese terms, she's just a gold digger!"

Nishimura continued, "To be honest, this woman is indeed well-endowed. In the past, it was said that Daji bewitched King Zhou, making all the beauties in the palace pale in comparison, and that the king would neglect his morning court duties. That seemed like utter nonsense. But looking at Xia Yu, you have to admit that it's no exaggeration at all."

A hint of disgust flashed in Matsui Nagi's eyes: "No matter how beautiful she is on the outside, she's nothing but a traitor with a heart of stone. She can betray her husband now, and she can betray us in the future."

“But her betrayal was worthwhile.” Nishimura lowered his voice. “The Misty Swamp team is now in disarray, and we’ve destroyed one of the five Insect Nest teams.”

"Hmph, at least Sima Jin has some principles," Matsui Nagi scoffed. "This woman would sell her husband for resources; who knows when she might sell us out?"

Nishimura was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said, "Don't let the regimental commander hear you say that."

Inside the room, Xia Yu wore a ruby ​​earring on her earlobe, with a tiny eavesdropping spell engraved inside the gem—every word of the conversation between the two people outside the door reached her ears.

"Heh..." The woman in the mirror laughed seductively and dangerously.

“Matsui Nagi…” she murmured the name silently, “You’ll soon find out who you really should be wary of.”

She turned around, her scarlet skirt billowing like waves of blood.

“What’s LV3?” Xia Yu whispered to the void. “What I want… is the entire Bloody Team.”

In the corridor, Masaki Nishimura suddenly shivered.

"What's wrong?" Matsui Nagi frowned.

“It’s nothing…” Nishimura rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a cold gaze piercing his back. “It’s probably because the air conditioning is too cold.”

Just as Matsui Nagi was about to mock him for being a coward, Xia Yu's door suddenly opened.

A woman in a red dress leaned against the door, her red lips slightly upturned: "What are you two talking about?"

Her voice was as soft as honey, but her eyes were chillingly cold.

Matsui Nagi's hands clenched instantly, while Nishimura Masaki's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

"It's nothing," Matsui Nagi replied curtly. "The leader wants to see you. He said you should go see him after you've chosen your clothes."

"Really?" Xia Yu chuckled. "That's perfect... I also have something to discuss with him."

She strode forward, her high heels clicking silently on the carpet. Anyone who didn't know better would think she was going to some kind of tycoon's party.

Matsui Nagi stared intently at Xia Yu, feeling as if she were a venomous snake poised to strike.

Inside Blood Lord's office, a map of Muxu City hangs on the wall, marking the various isolated restricted areas and memetic unstable zones within Muxu City.

He sat behind his large desk, tapping his fingertips lightly on the surface. Then he heard the door open, and his gaze fell on Xia Yu as she walked into the office.

"Did the commander need something?" Xia Yu's voice was languid, as if he didn't care about the upcoming mission at all.

Blood Lord slightly raised his eyes, a half-smile curving his lips: "There's a mission that's perfect for you."

Xia Yu is a well-known figure in the entire world of reincarnators in Muxu City. After becoming a reincarnator, she made a name for herself at the LV1 level, possessing both a fearsome and beautiful reputation. The fact that a beautiful female reincarnator can thrive in a male-dominated community that adheres to social norms speaks volumes about her strength.

"Who is the target?" Xia Yu raised an eyebrow.

“Jiang Jin,” Blood Lord said calmly, “he will soon be participating in the patrol mission along the outer ring road of Muxu City.”

Xia Yu's red lips curled up slightly: "Oh? Then?"

Blood Lord nodded: "Test his strength, but—" His eyes suddenly sharpened, "You are not allowed to kill him."

Xia Yu chuckled softly, toying with a silver needle between her fingers: "When did the commander become so merciful?"

"That's the patrol team of the Membrane Contamination Monitoring Department. If someone dies, the consequences will be unimaginable, and even the imperial court in Yanjing might get involved."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the night view of the outskirts of Muxu City.

There was something he didn't say.

If they succeed, they can find out Jiang Jin's background; if they fail... he will make sure they only find Xia Yu's body. Now no one knows about her betrayal, and her actions will be seen as the Insect Nest team provoking the government.

Killing two birds with one stone, making the best use of resources. Xia Yu's smile remained unchanged, as if he had anticipated all of this.

“I understand,” she nodded gently. “If I die, I can frame the insect nest, killing two birds with one stone.”

Blood Lord did not deny it, but simply said, "If you were smart enough, you wouldn't have said that."

How many people will I be able to command?

"Ten people, but they are all peripheral members we secretly developed. No one can find out their relationship with the Bloody Team... Without evidence, no one can touch me."

After all, the Blood Lord had the imperial court protecting him.

"This is also a good thing for you. If you succeed, everyone will respect you and won't think you only got to the top by backstabbing. Do you understand what I mean?"

“Of course.” Xia Yu stood up, a dangerous smile curving her red lips. “But, Commander, there’s something you might have forgotten.”

"what?"

“I, Xia Yu… never do business at a loss.” Her fingertips lightly traced the table, leaving a faint scratch. “For this mission, I want some reward.”

Blood Lord narrowed his eyes: "What do you want?"

"The right to choose any two items from your team's treasure vault."

Blood Lord nodded.

"make a deal."

Then, Xia Yu's figure disappeared outside the door, leaving only a faint fragrance.

Blood Lord was silent for a moment, then suddenly sneered: "She's a dangerous woman."

The air in the basement was damp and rotten, and the dim light bulbs overhead swayed, casting distorted shadows.

In "A Tale of Two Sisters," the protagonist, Xiuwei, is bound to a rusty iron chair with chains around her limbs, each rune slowly writhing.

Xia Yu stood before her, her fingertips gently tracing the surface of her natal spell doll. Three silver needles were inserted into the doll's chest, their tips gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light.

“You hate them, don’t you?” Xia Yu began to use the Puppet Master’s job skill [Bewitchment]. Like a ventriloquist, her lips were tightly closed, but the puppet’s mouth opened and closed: “Your stepmother… your father… they killed your mother and your sister Xiulian, yet they can still live with a clear conscience.”

Xiuwei slowly raised her head, her eyes empty and unfocused.

She managed a hoarse voice through her throat: "...Let me go back..."

"Go back?" the doll chuckled. "Back to that ghost-filled villa? To continue playing your 'protector' role?"

She leaned down, the doll's mouth almost touching Xiuwei's ear, "Don't be silly, your sister died a long time ago, you just won't admit it."

Xiuwei's pupils suddenly contracted as memories flooded back—

The wardrobe collapsed with a dull thud.

Xiulian's faint cries for help.

The stepmother's cold gaze.

The father's indifferent back view.

Her body began to tremble violently, and the chains rattled as if the entire basement was responding to her pain.

“Yes, that’s it.” Xia Yu narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, and the doll’s lips continued to open and close: “Give me all your hatred…”

She suddenly pressed the doll against Xiuwei's chest. The moment the silver needle pierced her skin, a large amount of mist surged out from Xiuwei's body and coiled into the doll like a living snake.

Xiuwei's screams stopped abruptly, her body went limp like a puppet with its strings cut, and her eyes completely lost focus.

Not long after, it turned into a horribly rotten corpse.

Xia Yu held the doll up to her eyes; its face was now a strange dark red, as if soaked in blood. The doll's face even vaguely resembled Xiuwei's features, its lips slightly parted, as if it were still screaming silently.

"Perfect," she murmured in admiration.

"Are you sure this thing can deal with Jiang Jin, who killed Wu Qin?" Matsui Nagi leaned against the door, arms crossed, her eyes wary.

“Of course.” Xia Yu smiled. “This is not an ordinary cursed doll, but a container of resentment. Among the priestesses, almost no one can create such a perfect resentment doll without resentment crystals, just like me.”

She gently stroked the doll's face. "Xiuwei's hatred for her stepmother and father is enough to drive anyone to a mental breakdown."

Matsui Nagi frowned: "Remember, the commander said we must not kill Jiang Jin."

"Don't worry, I won't die." Xia Yu casually played with the doll. "I have a lot of confidence in my memory."

She gently pressed her fingertip against the doll's chest, and the silver needle trembled slightly, as if it had locked onto its target.

"Are you really not going to regret it?" Matsui Nagi suddenly asked. "Your husband, Sima Jin, has been completely devoted to you..."

"Regret?" Xia Yu's laughter was as clear as a silver bell, yet it carried a chilling coldness. "He could have become stronger through killing, but he insisted on playing the saint."

She stroked the doll, her eyes gradually turning cold: "And I... only want to stand at the highest point."

Therefore, it doesn't matter how many people are killed!

Matsui Nagi's lips twitched slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just turned and left in silence.

As Nishimura watched Xia Yu's retreating figure, a chill inexplicably rose in his heart.

"Is this woman's goal really just to advance to LV3?"

Xia Yu placed the doll into a pitch-black wooden box, the surface of which was engraved with ancient runes to ensure that the resentment would not leak out.

"Next, all we need to do is wait for Jiang Jin to leave the Samsara Camp..." she murmured to herself.

"I can show them that my value is not just my looks!"

(End of this chapter)