Chapter 555: Agitation!
In the Koizumi Family.
Upon hearing the news delivered by the person sent from Kyuyama Naoya, Koizumi Yudai was immediately dumbfounded.
It took quite a while before he reacted, "Bullshit, how could such a thing happen? Someone dares to kill a person from my Koizumi Family, and it's a Huaxia person? Moreover, he has come to Snow Country?"
After the shock, Koizumi Yudai fired off a series of questions, filled with disbelief.
Then, the person who came from the Kyuyama Family immediately presented the cremains of Koizumi Yusuke.
The faint hope that Koizumi Yudai had been clinging to almost caused him to collapse as he shakily received the urn handed over.
"Lord Koizumi, I convey the Kyuyama Family's condolences to Yousuke-kun. Many people witnessed the incident on the ship in person, including Kamikawa Goro from the Martial Alliance, who also lost his life. Kyuyama Taiga was even close to being killed!" the messenger said.
"Damn it, I will avenge my son. Tell me, where is this yellow-skinned pig now?" Koizumi Yudai's lips turned blue, and his face darkened.
"Lord Koizumi, our people have lost his trail. The person disappeared in Hokaido!" the messenger replied.
Following that, he took out a photo and handed it to Koizumi Yudai.
"This is a photograph of that Huaxia person!" said the messenger considerately.
Koizumi Yudai took the photograph, which showed just a profile—it was clearly taken in secret.
"Convey my regards to Lord Kyuyama and thank him for the news, and thank Kyuyama Taiga for bringing back my son's ashes!" Koizumi Yudai quickly expressed his thanks.
"Don't mention it. Our three great families are one at heart. When it comes to external affairs, we should share our hatred for the enemy and put aside our daily prejudices and competition!" the messenger spoke.
After exchanging pleasantries, the person from the Kyuyama Family said their goodbyes and left!
Grasping the photograph, Koizumi Yudai's face twisted with ferocity, "Damn it, Ling Fan, I, Koizumi Yudai, will chop you up and feed you to the dogs!"
Subsequently, the Koizumi Family was in an uproar. Koizumi Yudai sent out hundreds of private guards from the family, all rushing toward Hokaido, where Ling Fan had disappeared, to conduct a search operation.
The actions of the Koizumi Family immediately caught the attention of other powerful families. At the same time, tourists who had spread the word and people from the Snow Country who had witnessed the incident on the ship began spreading the news even further.
As the largest criminal organization in Jiang Liu County, 'Sakura Association,' naturally, had informants spread all over Snow Country.
Back at the Sakura Association's headquarters in Jiang Liu County, Yukieko had returned to her territory.
"Boss, we just got word that the Koizumi Family is suddenly making large-scale moves. According to our estimates, all the private guards from the family have mobilized, and the target location seems to be Hokaido!" Immediately, a well-trained and delicate woman with a scorpion tattooed on her arm approached Yukieko to report.
This person was Yukieko's trusted aide, her right-hand woman named Murakami Akemi.
Yukieko nodded. As soon as she had returned, she had arranged for people to closely monitor the movements of the Koizumi and Kyuyama Families!
"By the way, when you came back, you were followed by people sent by the Kyuyama Family, and our people discovered them in secret!" Murakami Akemi reported again.
"Hmm, I know. Has the Kyuyama Family made any moves?" Yukieko replied, exuding shrewd intelligence.
When one can't rely on strength to survive, one must rely on wisdom and intellect. Over the years, for the sake of survival, she had no choice but to fight hard based on cunning under the dark laws.
"Kyuyama Taiga and his son are en route to the Martial Alliance!" Murakami Akemi responded.
"Alright, you may go. Keep me informed of any new developments!" Yukieko ordered.
After her subordinate had left, she immediately picked up the phone and dialed Ling Fan.
At that moment, Ling Fan was also on his way to the Martial Alliance. Seeing the incoming call was from Yukieko, he answered right away.
"Master, are you near Hokaido? The Koizumi Family's private guards have all mobilized and are heading for Hokaido. They're probably searching for you.
My people discovered that the Koizumi Family is leaving from their household. Moreover, Kyuyama Taiga, the one you spared, is on his way to the Martial Alliance!" Yukieko promptly briefed Ling Fan on the situation.
Ling Fan paused for a moment, slightly surprised. He hadn't expected Yukieko to have such influence. Although he wasn't concerned about those insignificant opponents, having Yukieko act as his eyes felt quite comfortable, sparing him from being in the dark.
"Hmm, I understand, thank you!" Ling Fan said dismissively.
Upon hearing Ling Fan thank her, Yukieko's eyes brightened immediately, and a surge of excitement filled her heart. "Master, where are you now?"
"Oh, I'm on my way to the Martial Alliance, do you need something?" Ling Fan asked without concealment.
"Nothing, just asking. What are you going to the Martial Alliance for? It's too dangerous there. You shouldn't go. I know I shouldn't interfere with Master's actions, please forgive me!" Yukieko spoke respectfully on the phone.
Ling Fan couldn't help but chuckle. This woman was quite interesting, primarily because of the Snow Country's culture, where subordinates absolutely obey their superiors and the hierarchy is very rigid.
"Don't worry, I have an idea. If anything comes up, you can let me know!" Ling Fan said lightly.
"Yes, Master!" Yukieko responded respectfully.
After hanging up the phone, Yukieko's gaze became contemplative, and worry was written all over her face.
Although she knew Ling Fan's cultivation was remarkable, going to the Martial Alliance alone was certainly a very dangerous undertaking.
Even her 'Sakura Association' was insignificant in the eyes of the Martial Alliance.
After hesitating for a moment, she made up her mind and instructed to someone outside, "Akemi, take a few reliable people and come with me to the Martial Alliance!"
...
At this moment, the Beishan Shrine Chief Priest was hurrying toward the Aragaki Shrine in the Shennai District in a flustered rush.
In Snow Country, there are, in total, two great Shrines, each governing three major shrines, and the shrines hold an exceptionally sublime status in the Snow Country.
Many people pray and make vows within the shrines, and as for the Shrines, they were not places an ordinary person could easily enter, explaining the Shrines' and shrines' immense popularity in Snow Country.
This was mainly because the two great Shrines housed two Great Spirits and the people's wishes were usually very effective.
However, the common folk of Snow Country were unaware that aside from collecting the energy from the worshippers' offerings, the shrines had another purpose: to discover and seek out those with a pure Yin Soul.
And it was after her return from the Beishan Shrine that Yukieko was possessed by a Yin Soul, contracting a terminal illness.
After the Beishan Chief Priest arrived at the Shrine, he reported to the Shrine Abbot, "Divine Being, Yukieko's whereabouts are still unknown. I have made inquiries with the people from the 'Sakura Association', and it seems she recently went out on her own to travel.
It appears she went to Huaxia, without taking anyone with her, and she has not returned yet. I have notified the 'Sakura Association' people, and if there's news of Yukieko's return, they will inform me immediately!"
"Fool!" the Shrine Abbot snapped angrily.
"Right now, the Divine Being is extremely angry. That Yukieko has already broken the seal the Divine Being left on her, she must have figured out something!
You personally send people to lie in wait near the 'Sakura Association', and if you find out anything about Yukieko's whereabouts, capture her for me immediately. The Divine Being wants to interrogate her personally!"
Sweating profusely, the Shrine Priest bowed hastily in obedience, "Yes, yes, yes, I'll take care of it right away!"
The guy indeed hadn't managed things properly and was still unaware that Yukieko had already returned.
"Get out, if you can't find Yukieko and the Divine Being gets angry, you better be prepared to sacrifice your life to appease the Divine Being's wrath. A decade's worth of nurture gone to waste, you should know how furious the Divine Being would be!" the Shrine Abbot huffed coldly.
In fact, he was even more jittery than the Shrine Priest, serving day to day at the 'Divine Being's' side was truly akin to walking on a tightrope next to a tiger.
The Shrine Priest left, scolded thoroughly and feeling like a soulless corpse, fleeing in utter disgrace.
At that time, Yukieko was in a car, accompanied by several capable subordinates, hurrying toward the Martial Alliance.
Suddenly, the woman, Murakami Akemi, seated in the passenger seat, turned her head and said, "By the way, boss, before you came back, the Beishan Shrine's Chief Priest came looking for you. He seemed very anxious, and he said to notify him when you returned."
Upon hearing this, Yukieko's expression turned icy. Recalling the scene where Ling Fan helped her kill the Yin Soul, she had already harbored suspicions.
Now, learning that the Beishan Chief Priest had come looking for her not long ago, she immediately understood something. The ghostly presence in her must have been contracted during her childhood visit to the Beishan Shrine, and this matter was undoubtedly related to that Chief Priest!
"Akemi, next time that Beishan Chief Priest comes over, detain him for me!" Yukieko commanded coldly.