The Villain Princess survived the Imperial Riot

"Then why are you staring at my feet?" Hestia played with the cup lid in her palm and shook her head regretfully. "I thought only dogs liked to lick people's toes... Unfortunately, I already have a puppy at home. If I add a few more, I'm afraid you guys won't gang up on me and bully me."

"That's just..."

Lingmeng V Yiqi Ba Xia 〒 Neighboring Instrument Six Arts

"Consider the safety of my sisters," Hestia said jokingly, "I will allow you to kiss my feet, or I will cut them off."

Chloe's chest rose and fell more violently, like a tabby cat with its fur standing on end. She said as calmly as possible, "Even a high knight would inevitably break a few teeth if they wanted to attack the Cocoon Sisters..."

"That's okay. I'll have my men set up cannons and raze this place to the ground." Hestia yawned and said with a bit of boredom, "Don't even think about escaping. The Inquisitor will block the sky over Yunling. Even if you turn into real moths, you won't be able to fly away."

Chloe's expression grew increasingly bitter. "Your Highness, weren't we discussing a partnership? How could it have progressed to that point?"

"Of course not," Hestia laughed, "I was just kidding."

"This is not funny, Your Highness!"

"At least it's just a joke now," Hestia's expression turned serious again. She stood up and approached Chloe. Thinking that the future newcomer, the lawnmower, was also a young and innocent bird in his youth, the princess was filled with the desire to tease her. "Your secret is dispensable. Do you know what is more important to me?"

"What?"

"Honestly, my dull Miss Rousseau," Hestia bent her middle finger and thumb and tapped Chloe's forehead with a crisp sound. "You can think about my feet, you can think about my body, you can think about it, but you have to promise one thing - you won't hide anything from me."

"The kind where you take off all your clothes... is that honest?"

Chloe asked in a daze, staring at the princess's tightly covered skirt.

"You want to beat the snake with a stick?" Hestia raised her eyebrows.

If she were still an electronic moth cultivator, she certainly wouldn't mind having in-depth exchanges with her sisters, but now, she doesn't want to touch any of the women in the Cocoon Sisterhood.

The secret techniques of these little bitches are all practiced on rolling carpets. If the victims are not careful, their souls will be captured and they will become their devoted slaves.

Of course, if there was a woman like Clara who was taller than a troll standing on the carpet, I'm afraid even her sister and mother might not be able to control her.

"Alas," Chloe sighed, no longer harboring any desire for bargaining. She said helplessly, "Since Her Royal Highness is so familiar with our organizational structure, then worms like the Fungus Skeleton Cultists must have heard of it as well."

Fungus believers?

Hestia was confused.

She doesn't know wow!

"Is this your mission as the 'Moth Heir'?" Hestia calmly asked Chloe.

Chloe spoke in a deep voice, "The Fungus Followers are the Cocoon Sisterhood's sworn enemy. Seven years ago, we destroyed their last stronghold on Mount Grammer, but allowed the worm they bred, the 'Wild Fungus Daughter,' to escape. If we don't eradicate this scourge soon, it will return sooner or later and become a major threat to the Sisterhood."

Hidden copy?

Hestia spent two nights to guarantee that after she had read through the unpublished manuscripts of the copywriter, she had absolutely never found any mention of the "Daughter of the Wild Mushroom"!

"so……"

"We've been tracking the remains for several years, but our lack of manpower has greatly limited our scope of activities," Chloe said, taking a deep breath. "That's why the Cocoon Sisterhood needs a place to survive in the sun."

"That's why you can't wait to see me." Hestia nodded, agreeing with Chloe.

According to official history, the Iron-Blooded Princess's murderous nature meant she had little interaction with the Cocoon Sisterhood. Furthermore, with the subsequent free-will uprising, war raged across the empire, and the Tower's constraints became minimal, allowing the Cocoon Sisterhood to expand freely and focus on finding the so-called "Daughter of the Wild Mushroom."

"It's not a small matter, but if you can do something for me, I can consider it." Hestia nodded. "So what is the connection between the Fungus Cultists and the Cloudtop City case?"

Chloe explained:

"Your Highness also mentioned 'Flesh Alchemy'? I came to Yunling because it is here that a forbidden healing potion originated and is widely popular among adventurers.

"Although the potion eliminated most of the worm toxins, our elders still extracted bacterial factors from it. These factors are the medium through which the worms spread their bewitching power. While granting the user additional vitality, they also subtly implant thoughts, thus influencing the user's behavior and causing them to distort from body to soul, transforming them into worms."

Hestia pondered for a moment, then whispered, "The secret practitioner I met clearly belonged to the 'Eternal Path.' She wields the power of blood and continuity, and the fungus skeleton you mentioned..."

"The power of the fungus mother is assimilation and parasitism. Born from the very roots of the moth, it causes the individual to develop a new self and fall into a frenzy of passion," Chloe replied. "The fungus skeleton is a tool that anyone can exploit, but anyone who wishes to exploit the worm is inevitably captivated by it. This is the terrifying aspect of the worm. I once followed a smuggler's lead and lurked for several days in the villa where Her Highness the Princess resided. The Princess then discovered traces of the worm. The two are clearly connected."

At this time, Hestia already believed what Chloe said and could roughly guess what she wanted from her.

She said, "You actually already have an idea, but you can't do anything about it under the Empire's nose."

"Not entirely. I have some clues, but encountered some obstacles along the way." Chloe smiled shyly, her shy face, which was neither ashamed of the moon nor the flowers, looked like a weasel wishing a happy new year to a chicken.

"speak."

"The Black Hand Guild is handling this business," Chloe said. "The Cocoon Sisterhood is not suitable to provoke such a behemoth at the moment."

Volume 21: The Dreamer: . The Black Hand Guild

It was a deep and still snowy night. The platinum light cast by the violet moon sparkled on the snow. Stone lampposts illuminated by oil lamps stood along the street, like twinkling stars in the night sky.

Most of the houses in Genting Harbour are asleep, only Coral Pier is still brightly lit. Even during the days when Genting City was under martial law, it did not have much impact here.

As a specially licensed commercial zone, Coral Wharf was the primary gathering place for adventurers from the seven seas. Adventurers from all nations and races exchanged information here, and merchants from all corners of the seas conducted immeasurable trade. The Empire would not truly renounce these people, as doing so would cut off its overseas interests and further strain its already fragile finances.

Thorny Pig Wine Alley.

The sailors, mercenaries, and adventurers who had braved life and death on the sea finally reached the shore again after drifting for months. It was now the time when the wine alley was crowded.

Located at the foot of a remote hillside, hidden between winding houses, it is one of the main black markets in Genting Harbor. Contraband alchemical tools, arcane scrolls and potions can be found here. It is also a favorite place for grave robbers and robbers to sell stolen goods.

In the tavern, glasses clinked, laughter was heard, and a little Yilan dancer was performing on a high platform to add to the fun.

Tobacco and sugar vendors peddled their wares to customers, their coats pulled outwards to reveal a dazzling array of goods on the inside, like small shelves. Besides these, they also sold informal potions that came out of various potion workshops. These potions had various effects and potential side effects, but they were cheap.

Compared with the enjoyment of the desperadoes, a worthless life is not worth taking seriously.

In the corner, thugs from the Black Hand Guild kept an eye on every customer. They weren't afraid of the police, just to prevent drunks from causing trouble. With the protection of Yunling's bigwigs, the shady business at Coral Wharf thrived.

With a creak, the door of the tavern opened. The cold wind of March made the candles sway. The drinker leaning against the door suddenly woke up. The hairs on his body stood up in the alternation of cold and heat. He slammed his wine glass on the table and turned to curse, but his eyes stopped on the face of the visitor and could no longer move away.

A young woman with silver hair whiter than snow walked on the snow like an elf, the moonlight shrouding her behind her like a sacred veil. Her face was beautiful, her posture was straight, and her expression, as indifferent as a glacier, gave her an air of arrogance not possessed by ordinary young ladies. This unique and intimidating aura was precisely the source of her alluring charm.

The girl was cold and sharp, wearing a bearskin cloak, and it was obvious that she was not from an ordinary family.

She was accompanied by a woman dressed in a hunting jacket and beret. She was older but full of youthful energy, like a female adventurer who had been to sea, with a hint of weathering in her eyes.

"Is this the place?" Hestia rested a glass-clear purple butterfly on her finger and glanced at the tavern with some displeasure.

The air was turbid and the atmosphere was noisy, with flat-headed lizards, dirty-haired rats, human mercenaries with malicious eyes, and female dwarves with braided beards.

Although the place became much quieter the moment she entered, there were still drunkards bragging about their glorious experiences of defeating the bone dragon in the ruins.

"Well, let me do it." Chloe gave the princess a confident smile.

She sat down at the bar, dropped a few ten-shilling coins into her beer mug, and said casually, "I heard the purity of your 'Siren's Blessing' is quite good. I'll give it a try."

"Do I know you?" The bartender looked like a burly butcher. The backs of his hands were covered with thick hair when he rolled up his sleeves, and his words carried a fermented smell of blood.

"I don't know him, why?"

"Sorry, only regular customers can enjoy the special treatment at the Porcupine Bar," the bartender said in a muffled voice. "As for the 'Siren's Blessing' you mentioned, is it a new cocktail category? I haven't heard of it."

A knowledgeable adventurer started to jeer, "Little adventurer, you're enjoying the pleasures of addiction before you've even grown out your hair? Take my advice, senior! I'm much more comfortable in bed than being a drug addict!"

"Boss, why don't you just give in to her? I think this little adventurer just wants to try something new. Take her to the Heifang to broaden her horizons!" another haggard adventurer followed.

Chloe smiled faintly and ignored him.

"What is a black shop?" Hestia asked a table of drinkers curiously.

"She dared to come to Coral Wharf to buy goods without even knowing about the black market. The eldest daughter of a wealthy family is really courageous, hahahaha——"

"Tell me, and I'll know," Hestia said softly.

"The black market is right under your feet. It's an expansion of the black market in the sewers of Thornfish Alley. A glamorous lady like you can't enter." The drinker pointed to the floor. "How about coming over and having a couple of drinks with us brothers? I'll show you the joy of the 'Siren's Blessing'."

Under the wine alley...

Hestia pondered, kissed the crystal butterfly on her fingertips, let it fly away without a trace, ignored the drinkers at the table, walked to the bar, and threw out a few golden shields.

"Look, everyone's sold you out completely. That's not the right way to do business," Hestia said coldly. "I have plenty of money. I want to see if that 'Siren's Blessing' is really as magical as the rumors say."

The bartender exchanged glances with the thug in the corner. A sinister glint flashed across his eyes. He immediately took the golden shield in his hand and said with a smile, "Who can resist money? I'll treat the young lady to a taste of it."

As he spoke, he mixed a cocktail, and finally took out a small bottle the size of a thumb and poured the crystal powder inside into it.

"what is this?"

"Miss, don't you want the 'Siren's Blessing'? This is the 'blessing'." The bartender raised a dangerous smile, and even the guests in the entire tavern showed strange smiles.

Hestia looked at Chloe.

The latter said calmly: "Drink it."

The bartender frowned: "Ma'am, you ordered this yourself..."

"But now I want to watch you drink," Chloe smiled.

"Not satisfied? Fine, I'll make another one."

The bartender already understood that the woman dressed as an adventurer was not just playing house. She was quite familiar with the adventurers' dark business.

In this case, there is no need to use anesthetic powder as a method of teaching idiots a lesson.

"I'll let you drink it!"

Seeing that the bartender wanted to pour out the drink, Chloe half-leaved over the bar, suddenly pressed the bartender's wrist, and suddenly unsheathed the hunting knife on her thigh and nailed it between the bartender's fingers.

"Are you here to cause trouble?"

Chloe smiled and replied, "Just consider it my treat for you to try something new, okay?"

A few beads of sweat dripped down the bartender's forehead. He had no time to react to the thunderous force just now. In other words, at the same speed, this woman could have cut his neck on the spot.

But he didn't show any fear. Instead, he threatened, "I admit that you have some skills, adventurer, silver level, or even gold level? Haha, don't you know that this is the territory of the Black Hand Guild? For lone wolves like you who rely on their strength, we usually castrate the men and sell them to foreign countries as slaves. As for the women..."

The situation was tense. None of the drinkers had any intention of leaving. They all looked like they were enjoying the show, waiting for the two ignorant women to burst into tears.

The pub's thugs surrounded him, which gave the bartender more confidence.