Chapter 135: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [135]
From a distance, Luo Qing spotted the Shogunate reinforcements led by Kujou Sara. He then glanced back at the neatly arranged line of resistance soldiers still dancing on Nazuchi Beach. With a casual wave, he turned off the phonograph.
As soon as the music stopped, the resistance fighters halted their dance. But their bodies, still adjusting, instinctively turned to look at Luo Qing, as if asking: Is it early dismissal today?
"Congratulations, you're free to go,"
Luo Qing said with a light smile. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled out the resistance fighters' clothes from his system inventory and tossed them onto the ground.
To prevent them from escaping, Luo Qing had confiscated all of their gear from the second day onward, leaving them with nothing but their underwear.
"Free to go?"
Gorou blinked in disbelief, wondering if Luo Qing was joking.
"What's the matter? Have you developed feelings for me and don't want to leave?"
Luo Qing teased, walking over and handing Gorou a pair of binoculars.
"Here, take a look."
Gorou raised the binoculars and followed Luo Qing's direction. In the distance, he saw a battalion of Shogunate soldiers approaching, carrying banners, with Kujou Sara at the head of the force.
"If you don't leave now, once they arrive, you really won't be able to leave~"
Luo Qing smirked.
"You're really... just going to let us go?"
Gorou was still in shock.
Like the rest of the resistance fighters, he had half-expected Luo Qing to sell them off as male entertainers. He was stunned to realize Luo Qing was actually keeping his word from a few days prior.
"Don't want to leave?"
"..."
Gorou hurriedly grabbed his clothes and put them on, then shouted to the others:
"Everyone, we're heading back to camp!"
Gorou knew very well the extent of Luo Qing's power. There was no reason for Luo Qing to play games with them. But if Kujou Sara arrived, there'd be no chance of them leaving.
The men scrambled to find their gear and dressed quickly before following Gorou, marching back toward the resistance camp. Luo Qing made no move to stop them, remaining relaxed in his chair, soaking in the sun.
After all, he had already accumulated 3,028 points of frustration value.
Humans have a threshold for frustration. Even the most irritating actions become numbing after a while, as the mind protects itself by becoming desensitized. By now, Gorou and his men had reached that threshold, so there wasn't much more frustration value to milk from them.
Letting them go would also help him score points with Lumine.
Not long after, Kujou Sara's reinforcements arrived. She spotted Luo Qing still lounging in his chair, sunbathing, and couldn't help but feel exasperated.
"I've already been briefed by the soldiers."
Kujou Sara said in a measured tone, "You do realize releasing prisoners without authorization can be considered treason under Shogunate law?"
"Oh? So, are you planning to arrest me for treason, Lady Kujou Sara~?"
Luo Qing teased, still basking in the sun without a care.
"..."
"I'm more curious—why do you always make them dance like that?"
Sara asked, recalling how Luo Qing had once made the trainees at the Tenryou Commission perform those strange dances. Now, even on the frontlines, he had captured prisoners and forced them to dance. Did he have an obsession with watching people dance?
"What, do you want to dance too?"
Luo Qing raised his head, eyeing Sara as a new idea popped into his mind.
Technically, he was in charge of the Shogunate forces on the frontlines. If that was the case, why not get the Shogunate soldiers to join in on the dancing?
"How about we have the Shogunate soldiers do two sessions of dance every day? I'll have Theresa teach them for free."
"..."
[Frustration Value +1 from Kujou Sara]
[Frustration Value +1 from Theresa]
"No, thanks. The Shogunate army isn't here for your amusement."
"Tsk, if you didn't want to, you could've just said so."
Luo Qing dismissed it with a shrug.
He knew he didn't hold any real power—Kujou Sara was the one truly in command of the Shogunate forces. Still, the thought of getting hundreds of soldiers to generate frustration points was tempting.
Suddenly, Luo Qing's gaze shifted toward the distant resistance camp, and an idea began to form.
How about becoming a double agent?
"Alright, keep up the good work. I'm off to go fishing~"
With a glance toward Theresa, Luo Qing signaled for her to follow him, heading toward the shore.
...
Meanwhile, at the resistance camp—
The safe return of Gorou and his men brought joy to the camp. No one had expected that Luo Qing would actually keep his promise and release Gorou without further harm. Apart from a few minor injuries from the rock pillars, most of them were in surprisingly good condition.
Lumine and Paimon had spent the past few days on the frontlines, anxious about whether Luo Qing would honor his word. Seeing Gorou return safely, they were relieved—not having to be stuck in the middle anymore.
After exchanging information with Gorou about Luo Qing, Lumine and Paimon left the camp, intending to assist with logistics.
Just as they stepped outside, a hooded figure appeared, blocking their path.
"Who...?"
Lumine instinctively tightened her grip on her sword, wary.
"No need to be so hostile, it's just me."
Luo Qing pulled down his hood, grinning.
"So, where are you two headed?"
"We... Luo Qing, why are you here all of a sudden? Are you planning to attack the resistance camp?!"
Paimon asked nervously.
"Relax, I'm not here to cause trouble."
Luo Qing chuckled. "You two support the resistance, right?"
"Obviously! What are you up to this time?"
Paimon demanded, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Nothing much. I was just thinking about a little... cooperation. How do you two feel about that?"
"Cooperation?"
Lumine frowned.
"You're the Shogunate's General of Surveillance. What kind of cooperation are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about helping you capture the Shogunate soldiers and teaching them how to dance. What do you think? With my help, your resistance force's power would increase dramatically~"
Luo Qing rubbed his hands together, looking excited.
"..."
Lumine was at a loss for words.
As expected, she knew all too well that the Fatui were always up to no good.
And why was Luo Qing so obsessed with making people dance? Did he have some strange hobby?
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
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Chapter 136: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [136] [DDD!]
December Double Drop!
---
Paimon asked, puzzled. "Shouldn't you be speaking to Gorou? He's the leader of the resistance, after all."
"Ahem... well, there were just a tiny few unpleasant moments between us last time, so I thought you two could help introduce me."
Luo Qing smiled and added, "As a thank you, I could arrange an introduction with the Shogun for you. How about it? Deal?"
"Another introduction..."
Lumine hesitated. Ayaka had also promised to arrange an introduction before, but that only led to her becoming a fugitive, forced to flee to Watatsumi Island.
"Relax, my relationship with the Shogun is solid! With me around, there's no way she'd harm you~"
"..."
Lumine stayed silent, looking at Luo Qing's overly persuasive smile. She couldn't help but think, If your relationship is so great, then why did the Raiden Shogun chase you with her sword back at the Blood Moon?
"Alright, I'll take your silence as agreement."
Luo Qing quickly grabbed Lumine's hand, shaking it up and down vigorously.
"Here's to a successful partnership~"
"?"
"Wh-who said I agreed!"
Paimon stomped her foot angrily.
"I haven't even had a chance to say anything yet!"
"How about I treat you to a super deluxe meal at Uyuu Restaurant later?"
Luo Qing suggested with a sly smile.
"Uh... there's... a deluxe meal involved?"
As soon as food was mentioned, Paimon's demeanor changed. Her eyes lit up, and she nearly drooled at the thought.
She tugged at Lumine's sleeve, whispering,
"Maybe... we should agree. After all, Luo Qing isn't a bad guy..."
"..."
Lumine put her hands on her hips, utterly exasperated.
Why does my travel companion always fall for food? Was she a rice bucket in her past life?
With a resigned shake of her head, Lumine said,
"I'll take you to see Gorou, but whether he agrees to work with you is up to him."
"No problem! Let's not waste any time—off we go!"
Luo Qing said cheerfully, hooking an arm around Lumine's shoulders as they walked toward the resistance camp.
It wasn't long before they arrived at the camp.
At that moment, Gorou was in the middle of a serious strategy meeting with his top officers, discussing ways to counter Luo Qing.
Just then, one of his subordinates caught sight of Lumine leading Luo Qing into the camp.
"Luo Qing is extremely dangerous,"
Gorou was saying, "We need to inform Lady Kokomi as soon as possible, and until we know his weakness, we shouldn't take any risks—"
"Uh, Lord Gorou... behind you..."
One of the soldiers interrupted nervously, his eyes wide.
"Behind me?"
Gorou looked up, confused. Then, he turned around and saw Lumine casually leading Luo Qing into the camp.
He shuddered as a cold chill ran down his spine.
"Well, well, long time no see, Lord Gorou~"
Luo Qing said with a playful smile, strolling up to Gorou. Then he added,
"Have you kept up with your dance practice while I was away?"
"..."
[Frustration Value +1 from Gorou]
"Why are you here..."
Gorou's eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger hidden behind his back.
"No need to be so tense. I'm here to discuss cooperation, not to make enemies."
Luo Qing grinned, then turned to Lumine.
She hesitated for a moment, then awkwardly explained,
"Luo Qing says he can help you capture Shogunate soldiers, but in return, he wants those captured to... dance the same dance you did before."
"Hmph, aren't you the Shogunate's General of Surveillance? Why are you suddenly interested in helping us? Why should we believe you?"
Gorou shot back coldly, the recent memories of Luo Qing's "training" still fresh and painful.
"Oh? Lumine, didn't you tell them about my true identity?"
Luo Qing asked, feigning surprise.
"Well..."
Lumine hesitated, then looked at Gorou. She explained quietly,
"Aside from being the Shogunate's General of Surveillance, Luo Qing... is actually a trainee Harbinger of the Fatui..."
Before she could finish, Luo Qing cut her off,
"Let's just go with 'Harbinger,' I'm practically about to be promoted. No need to bring up the 'trainee' part."
"..."
[Frustration Value +1 from Lumine]
"Fatui Harbinger..."
Gorou repeated, his gaze on Luo Qing becoming more complicated.
A significant portion of the resistance's supplies had come from Snezhnaya, and cooperation with the Fatui wasn't uncommon behind the scenes.
Moreover, he had heard rumors that the Fatui were manipulating events behind the Vision Hunt Decree.
"What do you say, Lord Gorou? Shall we cooperate? I remember that quite a bit of your military equipment and supplies were provided by us Fatui. Why not strengthen Watatsumi's ties with Snezhnaya even more?"
Luo Qing's eyes gleamed as he spoke,
"Who knows? With my help, you might even have a shot at storming Narukami Island one day~"
"..."
Gorou fell silent.
His role was to lead the frontlines, while decisions involving external parties had always been up to Lady Kokomi.
Now, with her absent, no matter how tempting Luo Qing's words were, he couldn't make such a decision.
"Sorry, but I can't decide something like that. You'd better give up on—"
Before Gorou could finish, a shout echoed from a nearby guard.
"Lady Kokomi has returned!"
"..."
Everyone turned to look.
There she was—a pink-haired girl dressed in a deep blue ceremonial outfit, flanked by her attendants. Her twin-tails fluttered as she approached gracefully.
With her delicate features, gradient stockings, blue ribbons adorning her chest and ankles, and the sky-blue gem nestled below her navel—Kokomi embodied beauty itself.
Those slender legs, those gentle curves... Luo Qing's thoughts strayed for a moment.
Forget eating; even a single whiff or touch could extend one's lifespan... he thought, catching himself.
"A lot of new faces, I see."
Kokomi's soft voice brought him back to reality as she addressed Gorou.
"Gorou, aren't you going to introduce your new friends? Oh? You look a bit pale, are you feeling unwell?"
Kokomi's tone was gentle, but there was concern in her eyes.
"I... Lady Kokomi..."
Gorou cast a nervous glance at Luo Qing. If Luo Qing made a sudden move against her, no one here could stop him.
Before he could come up with an answer, Luo Qing stepped forward, his expression sincere.
"I've long heard about the brilliant Lady Sangonomiya Kokomi, the living deity of Watatsumi Island—renowned for her wisdom and strategic brilliance. Seeing you today, it's all true. My name is Luo Qing. This is Lumine, and the little floating one here is Paimon. We're here to... join forces with Watatsumi Island."
Paimon: ?
---
T/N: Another victim...
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
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