Undercurrents Surge, Schemes and Strife (Bonus Chapter! 3K Fourth Update)

"Boss Tiger, are you determined to drag everyone down with you?!"

"Can’t you see it? Crimson Lotus Mage has been caught up in the conflict between those two great figures. Sooner or later, she’ll fall. There’s no way she can keep playing both sides forever!"

At this moment, Flower Immortal finally abandoned her outwardly calm and composed demeanor and began hysterically berating Rose Tiger.

But the man merely darkened his expression and refused to look at her. Instead, he said to Bai Cangshu,

"Mercenary Tao, you should understand what these two abilities represent when combined. It’s a smooth martial path straight to Fierce-tier!"

"I’ll trade these two items for all ten tubes of your Compound V, but at the same time, you’ll have to pay an additional price…"

Although one could not use Transparent World to observe other Reincarnators within the Space, he instinctively sensed that something was off about these two.

Especially this woman in the glamorous qipao. She had been extremely calm and restrained before, yet after the bidding began, her emotions suddenly erupted. First, she threw out an outrageously inflated bid to provoke her own captain, Rose Tiger. Then, after Rose Tiger made an even more inflated offer, she hysterically accused him.

Her attitude had changed far too quickly. Such behavior might be understandable for an ordinary person, but a renowned Reincarnator who had entered the Second Tier had likely experienced death dozens, if not hundreds, of times.

This woman… was deliberately provoking Rose Tiger!

Bai Cangshu’s gaze shifted as he roughly understood her intentions. However, what she was doing was entirely creating an opportunity for him to profit while weakening her own team, so he did not expose her.

He could never have imagined that the team atmosphere in Fatal Fury had already collapsed. Mo Jiang, whom he had killed, had been the team’s primary defender and had always stood behind Rose Tiger. Now that Rose Tiger had lost a major supporter, he could no longer control the pack.

These "wolves" could not wait to tear apart the tiger that had been restraining them.

"What price? Let’s hear it."

Having understood the thoughts of the remaining bidders, Bai Cangshu sat back down, looking utterly composed and secure.

Coincidence or Strong Luck, either way, the advantage was mine today.

"I want at least two B-rank Anomaly Points from you, and… a contract. At some point in the future, I’ll need you to do something for me. It may be participating in a mission, or it may be killing someone. Of course, the target of this contract will not threaten your life or safety."

Flower Immortal looked angry on the surface, but her eyes remained calm. As she watched Rose Tiger lay out his conditions, she realized that the man had not completely lost his mind.

The fact that he had produced the hidden Satsui no Hado Legacy Crystal was perhaps not merely because she and the other members had pressured him.

She tilted her head slightly, carefully judging her captain’s thoughts.

He had failed twice in forcibly initiating Advanced Trial missions, and his mentality had already become unbalanced. For a time, he had even wanted to abandon the path of pursuing Great Cosmic Power and turn to Satsui no Hado.

But judging from the terms he had proposed today, Tiger had clearly reflected on himself in secret. He wanted to use this opportunity to rid himself of the temptation Akuma’s path held over him, while also bringing the dangerous Mercenary Tao into his fold to some extent.

If someone like Mercenary Tao became another hidden piece in Rose Tiger’s hand, no one knew what Rose Tiger might one day send him to do…

And by then, Mercenary Tao would most likely be in a crazed state, corroded by Satsui no Hado and ruled by power.

Tch…

Flower Immortal frowned as well and began secretly contacting the others through Space messages.

Bai Cangshu considered Rose Tiger’s offer.

To be honest, even with Rose Tiger’s added conditions, Bai Cangshu would still be profiting considerably more from this deal.

Satsui no Hado had an extremely high ceiling, and the Shun Goku Satsu Ability Scroll clearly stated that this ability also contained the mysteries of both Shun Goku Satsu and True Shun Goku Satsu: One Instant Thousand Strikes. It was an extraordinarily terrifying ability. Combined with his increasingly refined Death Intent Senluo, it would, in a sense, become a truly frightening killing move.

At the same time, however, Satsui no Hado was an energy system marked by the Space as extremely dangerous, an immensely unstable factor.

Moreover, based on the information that the woman codenamed Flower Immortal had deliberately revealed to him under the guise of venting her emotions, Rose Tiger had clearly become entangled in matters involving certain High-tier Reincarnators.

Signing a contract with him might drag Bai Cangshu into it as well, further increasing the uncertainty.

Thoughts flashed rapidly through Bai Cangshu’s mind. His gaze swept over the Reincarnators as he quickly considered each person’s motives.

Clearly, today’s bids had long ceased to be merely bids for Compound V. Everyone had their own agenda. Well, Show, the man carrying the black-and-white twin swords, was an exception. He probably really did just want to buy a tube of the drug.

Reincarnator LT44344564 (Conspiracy) has requested entry to your Private Space through the stall. Accept?

Reincarnator EV77432211 (Flame Demon) has requested entry to your Private Space through the stall. Accept?

Reincarnator MA10030033 (Luoxi) has requested entry to your Private Space through the stall. Accept?

At that moment, new Space prompts suddenly appeared before Bai Cangshu. Someone was attempting to enter his Private Space through the stall outside.

He glanced at those present. Clearly, someone was in contact with the outside world.

"Interesting."

The corner of Bai Cangshu’s mouth curled up as he accepted every request.

The next moment, three beams of light lit up. Conspiracy, wearing a raven mask; Flame Demon, whose bright red hair rose like flames; and a woman in a red-and-yellow low-cut outfit, whose clothing seemed to flutter like ribbons on its own, appeared in his Private Space at the same time.

The others all reacted upon seeing the newcomers.

Rose Tiger abruptly rose to his feet. Black Butler merely adjusted his glasses, while Flower Immortal instinctively looked toward Bai Cangshu. Only Show, carrying twin swords on his back, still had no idea what was going on. He only wanted a quick result so he could leave.

"Miss Luoxi, you…"

Rose Tiger had never expected the person he intended to follow in the future to appear before him in person.

Crimson Lotus Mage · Luo Xi was also a Title-level Reincarnator who possessed a unique title granted by the Space, and her strength was formidable. Therefore, even the arrogant and overbearing Flame Demon did not speak first.

The skirt around this woman was clearly some kind of special equipment, flowing with crimson flames and radiant light. Her neckline plunged low, exposing a generous expanse of skin. Her pupils were scarlet, and her chestnut short hair fell loosely around her shoulders.

"Mercenary Tao?"

She looked at Bai Cangshu, her tone questioning.

Bai Cangshu nodded.

"Crimson Lotus Mage has honored my humble abode with her presence. I wonder if you have some special offer?"

He smiled falsely, but because of the Avatar’s Visage of an Ancient God, the smile did not look very pleasant, causing the woman to frown.

Luoxi glanced at Rose Tiger and Flower Immortal, then roughly understood the direction things had taken today. She floated forward until she stood before Bai Cangshu.

"You should complete the deal with Tiger. I assume you won’t lose out, will you?"

Bai Cangshu raised an eyebrow. He had not expected her to be here as a mediator?!

Flame Demon coughed at that moment. His eyes lifted as he brazenly assessed Mercenary Tao, his gaze carrying many implications, but in the end, he only said,

"My apologies, Miss Luoxi, but I’d also like to join this round of bidding."

"You know, I cannot defy that great figure’s will."

Flame Demon’s tone carried a smile, and Luoxi’s expression immediately darkened.

She frowned at Flame Demon. The temperature in the air seemed to begin rising sharply, but Bai Cangshu clapped his hands, and his Private Space swiftly erased the change.

"Bids are good. Today is an open auction. As long as you have an offer, I welcome it all!"

Luoxi realized that this Mercenary Tao seemed to be sarcastically needling her as well, but this was his Private Space after all, so she did not act out.

A flash of light appeared in Flame Demon’s hand, and an item similarly shimmering with purple radiance emerged.

Unidentified Gourmet Cell

Quality: Extremely Rare

Description: Special cells originating from Toriko and its Derivative Worlds. They can be absorbed by the human body to grant supernatural abilities.

Usage Requirement: None

Effect: Unknown

Flame Demon looked at Mercenary Tao, his tone frivolous.

"This is a rare treasure. If that great figure hadn’t spoken, I wouldn’t have brought it out for trade."

His words were half true and half false, but he added,

"On top of that, I’ll give you two conditions you can’t refuse."

Flower Immortal’s expression changed slightly, but she had no way to stop Flame Demon.

"First, if you complete this transaction with me, I can let go of our previous unpleasantness. And I won’t tell anyone certain secrets of yours."

"Second, Moon Demon has been tracking you all this time. Heh… I can deal with that trouble for you too."

Flame Demon had remained standing ever since entering. Now, he looked down at Bai Cangshu from above, his eyes filled with the unrestrained attitude of I’ve got you cornered.

He was completely different from the others.

Flame Demon himself still had doubts as to whether Mercenary Tao was the Special Reincarnator who had caused Demon Mountain’s death in the Dragon Ball World. But once he noticed that Moon Demon had been continuously tracking this Mercenary Tao’s trail, he became certain.

Heh, who would have thought that a newcomer who had only completed a few missions could cause so many crazy incidents?

Destroying Fifth Element, thwarting White Face, killing Kalpa… and, of course, causing his and Moon Demon’s squad to collapse during their very first mission.

Bai Cangshu raised his head. Seeing Flame Demon’s undisguised gaze, the corner of his mouth suddenly curled up.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

He burst into laughter, then even stood up, clutching his stomach as he continued laughing.

"Flame Demon… seeing you like this now almost makes me forget how miserably Mercenary Tao beat you back then…"

He straightened and walked up to Flame Demon until they were standing extremely close together.

"You’ll deal with Moon Demon for me?"

"Don’t you know that if you hadn’t all been so weak, nearly getting yourselves killed by Mercenary Tao, I wouldn’t have needed to step in and draw out the hidden Moon Demon."

His gaze shifted, his tone disdainful.

"This appearance and this codename of mine have never been hidden."

Flower Immortal sighed. She knew that the person that great figure had sent had completely destroyed her hope of closing this deal. At this moment, she agreed with the rumors in the Space: Flame Demon was an idiot who had nothing but strength.

Bai Cangshu then looked at Conspiracy and asked,

"What price is the person who sent you here prepared to offer?"

Conspiracy chuckled as he looked at the furious Flame Demon and said,

"Now, I don’t think I need to make an offer anymore. That great figure said I only need to ensure that Flame Demon cannot complete a transaction with you."

Smack!

Bai Cangshu suddenly clapped his hands, the sound seeming to shatter all the air in the room of over two hundred square meters.

"I’ve decided on the target of this transaction!"

He raised his left hand and pointed at Rose Tiger. The pink-haired man rose with a sneer and glanced at Flower Immortal. But then Bai Cangshu extended his right hand and pointed at the silent Show.