Chapter 143: A Candid Conversation about Gensokyo — Winning Over Hong Meiling

“Is the full-scale war finally about to begin? Leave that Sailu to Hill and me. We must have our revenge,” Main stood up and declared.

“No, wiping them all out at once isn’t realistic. Headquarters’ goal is to eliminate Black Eye and Borus. When the time comes, I’ll devise a plan to separate Esdeath and the others,” came the response.

“Black Eye? That sounds a lot like Red Eye,” Qi said, puzzled.

“That’s my sister. I will deal with her personally,” Red Eye said earnestly.

“Boss, can I have a day? I want to assassinate Bud first. If it succeeds, we can move together,” Qi requested.

“Alright, there’s no rush. Besides, Chelsea and Susanoo also need time to adjust to the new members. We depart in five days. That time is yours to carry out assassinations. Take down as many experts as you can— the more you eliminate, the better our chances,” came the approval.

“No problem. Can I take out the Little Emperor and the Minister first?”

“If you can, be careful. The legendary strongest imperial relic passed down through generations is said to be kept in the royal city,” the warning was given.

“I will. One last thing—what about that girl named Hong Meiling who was on the arena today?”

“She’s indeed strong. What about her? Has Esdeath recruited her?” Najetan asked.

“No, it’s more like... her strength surpasses what you can imagine,” Qi’s voice turned serious.

“Oh? Is she at the level of a Martial Emperor? Or can we recruit her into Night Raid?” Labok inquired.

“I’ve heard about her. To put it simply, if we manage to bring her into Night Raid, whether it’s Esdeath or Bud, in front of her, they’d end up like the thorn from today’s arena—defeated in a single move,” Qi said oddly.

...

Everyone was stunned. That thorn was knocked away with one strike by Hong Meiling, disappearing into the horizon. Could it be that Bud and Esdeath are no match for her as well?

“Are you kidding? How could there be someone so strong in this world? Esdeath is a monster who can freeze an entire city by herself,” Chelsea shook her head in disbelief.

“Exactly, it sounds way too exaggerated. If you said she’s on par with you and Esdeath, maybe we’d believe it. But your description is pure mythology,” Main rolled her eyes in agreement.

“I trust Qi,” Hill declared firmly.

“I’m skeptical too. I didn’t see her being that strong this morning,” Leonai shook his head.

“I can’t read her,” Red Eye said in a low voice.

“Such bragging! Didn’t expect Qi to be so serious when boasting,” Labok laughed.

“Qi, how do you know? Have you fought her or do you know her?” Najetan frowned. She also found it hard to believe someone this strong existed, but Qi’s mysteries, like his immortality, made him unbeatable.

“I don’t know her personally; I just heard stories. Let me tell you about the ‘Fantasy Land.’ It’s a realm sealed off from the outside world, inhabited by powerful beings.”

“A seal? Like the kind I set up? How strong are these beings?” Labok asked.

“No, this seal is like an invisible barrier. Outsiders can’t see or touch it; there’s only one entrance hidden deep in the mountains. These powerful beings are like the myths Main mentioned—there really are gods living there.”

“No way. Gods really exist? Then why don’t they come out and manage this damn empire?” Leonai said in amazement.

“Do gods have to care about humans? There are humans in Fantasy Land too, but they’re the weakest. Even if monsters eat them, there’s nothing they can do. These monsters are dangerous species with intelligence rivaling humans.

Also, gods aren’t the strongest there; the strongest and most numerous are monsters.”

“How strong are the strongest?” Red Eye, captivated by Qi’s story, asked.

“The strongest is a monster sage named Yakumo Yukari. She created Fantasy Land and sustains the great barrier. I was lucky enough to meet her once.”

“You’ve seen such a powerful being? Are you from Fantasy Land? That place sounds incredible,” Chelsea said, sucking on a lollipop.

“No. Once, when I was facing an enemy who could kill me in one strike and was in a crisis, she tore open space and appeared, playfully trapping that enemy in one place. Her power allows her to see every corner of the world and instantly reach anywhere she wishes. If she wanted, the empire could vanish from the world in an instant.”

Qi spoke without exaggeration. Given the boundary between the empire and the world, she could completely erase the empire’s existence.

“Wow... she’s practically an omnipotent god. Is she really a monster species?” Main swallowed hard, clearly frightened.

“There’s only one of her kind in the world. Other monsters aren’t that exaggerated. There aren’t more than a hundred monsters capable of destroying the empire, but how many can defeat Esdeath is unclear. Also, many monsters in Fantasy Land look exactly like humans.”

“So if they blend among humans, how can we tell if they’re dangerous monsters? We wouldn’t even know when we’re attacked?”

“Except for the strongest Yakumo Yukari, most can’t leave Fantasy Land. Though there are exceptions—like Hong Meiling we saw this morning. Her strength is only mid to upper level in Fantasy Land, and she’s a gatekeeper monster.”

“She's a monster—a humanoid dangerous species—but you’d never guess.”

“Yeah, monsters live long. Even ordinary ones can live hundreds of years. Hong Meiling has been guarding the gate for four or five hundred years, and Yakumo Yukari has lived for thousands.”

“Amazing. Listening to Qi is like hearing a myth, totally unreal,” Hill tilted his head, summing up.

“My expression was just like yours when I first heard it. But since Hong Meiling has appeared here, I think the strongest Yakumo Yukari will come to take her back. Before that, if we can recruit her into Night Raid and have her contribute, we won’t have to fear Esdeath anymore.”

“She wouldn’t eat us, right?” Red Eye asked, somewhat dazed.

“Not all monsters eat humans. Some have good relations with humans, even teaching human children how to behave and running shops among them. Just like humans, there’s all kinds.

Hong Meiling’s relationship with humans is neither good nor bad. There’s no record of her attacking humans proactively. And as a gatekeeper, she’s often bullied by the head maid and her master—a real pushover.

She’s scolded for slacking off or sleeping on the job, not paid, and not given food. That’s all the intel we have. You decide what to do.”

“Boss, what’s your view?” Red Eye asked solemnly.

(Of course, I love Fantasy Land. Writing this chapter was so smooth, I just couldn’t stop.)