# 696
Chapter 697: Lady Wu's Punishment
Didn't you say it was just an arm wrestling match?
Why does it look like you're about to tear the house down?!
Lin Qiye frowned as he looked at the fox woman before him, his eyes filled with grave solemnity.
At this moment, under the state bonus of 【Starry Dancer】, his own strength had far exceeded those at the same realm. Yet even so, when using his full power, he still couldn't move the fox woman's wrist even slightly.
Across from him, the fox woman's golden eyes narrowed slightly. The doting affection and smile she'd worn when facing Hoshimi Shota had completely vanished, replaced by a cold, authoritative bearing.
The "demon woman" that Hoshimi Shota had mentioned had now shed her playful facade, revealing the pride and domineering nature buried in her bones!
She was Lady Wu!
Seeing that pure strength couldn't defeat Lady Wu, Lin Qiye raised his left hand and gripped the blade at his waist!
Clang—!!
The blade unsheathed.
Five of the Nine Magatsu Blades, 【Black Rope】.
In the void, a massive black blade projection materialized, tilting downward. The blade back swept down like a mountain crashing toward the seated Lady Wu. The outer wall of the house was instantly torn apart, howling winds pouring into the room, debris scattering.
Lady Wu's light vermillion-red haori fluttered in the wind. She'd long seen the 【Black Rope】 projection flying toward her from the side, yet she showed no particular surprise. Her left hand nonchalantly rose and actually pressed against the projection's blade back with her bare hand!
Boom—!!!
The 【Black Rope】 projection halted the instant it touched her palm, forcibly stopped by that slender jade hand which easily blocked a blade projection many times its size. Then she closed her palm into a fist and slammed it into the blade projection.
With a muffled rumble, invisible shockwaves erupted from her fist, sending Hoshimi Shota, who had been hiding in the distance, tumbling. Simultaneously, the 【Black Rope】 projection shattered into pieces!
Lady Wu's golden vertical pupils fixed on Lin Qiye as she smiled,眯眼含笑开口: "Any other tricks? If not, I believe I'm about to win~"
Lin Qiye's brow furrowed tightly.
Lady Wu's strength far exceeded his imagination. He'd thought that with the 【Black Rope】, he could reverse the disadvantage, never expecting her to shatter the 【Black Rope】 projection with a single hand. Admittedly, he hadn't used his full power in this strike, but if he had truly gone all out, an entire street would have been affected, and he still might not have defeated Lady Wu.
He did have other means at his disposal, but summoning Mu Mu for a missile bombardment洗礼 on Lady Wu wasn't really necessary—this was just a game, after all.
After a moment of contemplation, Lin Qiye helplessly closed his eyes. "This round, I concede."
With those words, the aura around Lady Wu gradually subsided. She released Lin Qiye's hand, and both her commanding presence and oppressive air faded simultaneously. She sat back on the prayer mat and smiled as she spoke:
"Then you'll need to accept my punishment~"
Lin Qiye nodded. "A bet is a bet."
Witnessing this, Hoshimi Shota, who had been watching from the side, suddenly jumped up from the ground and rushed over to the two of them. Somewhat incoherently, he said to Lin Qiye:
"You... you... how did you lose?!"
"I genuinely couldn't beat her." Lin Qiye sighed.
"Then... what about us..."
Hoshimi Shota turned to look at the smirking Lady Wu on the other side, who said nothing but wore a knowing smile. His ears began to flush red, and for some unknown reason, an inexplicable emotion rose in his heart.
He clenched his teeth tightly, said nothing, didn't even grab his 【Lady Wu】, and stormed out of the room, running somewhere unknown.
Lin Qiye looked at Lady Wu in bewilderment.
"What's going on?"
"It's nothing." Lady Wu watched Hoshimi Shota storm off in a huff, her lips curving upward uncontrollably, as if she was in an excellent mood. "Now then, I shall announce your punishment..."
"Go ahead."
"Your punishment is..."
...
Outside the house.
Amemiya Haruki stared at the already hole-riddled house, lost in thought.
This house was the one he'd rented!
How did a game end up like this?
How much money would repairs for this level of damage cost? He wondered how much of the money he'd earned辛苦 working as a host would be left after fixing the house.
Amemiya Haruki suddenly realized that ever since he'd met Lin Qiye, the money in his wallet always seemed to mysteriously disappear...
Just as Amemiya Haruki was lost in contemplation, Hoshimi Shota suddenly burst out of the house and ran off into the distance without looking back, startling Amemiya Haruki.
"Shota..."
Amemiya Haruki called out to him, but the other had no intention of acknowledging him.
Within moments, Hoshimi Shota had vanished from his sight.
Hoshimi Shota ran along this small path, head down, passing through three consecutive streets until he arrived at a "T"-shaped intersection by the coast, where he finally slowed to a stop.
On the other side of the deserted road lay a beach, and beyond that, the endless azure sea. White waves surged layer upon layer onto the shore, producing a soft rustling sound.
He paused for a moment, then stepped onto the beach and sat down.
He gazed at the sea before him, utterly dazed.
He didn't understand what was happening to him, didn't know why he'd done all these things. Losing a game and accepting punishment—there was nothing wrong with that. But when he imagined what Lin Qiye and Lady Wu's "punishment" might look like, an indescribable anguish welled up in his chest.
Rage? Bitterness? Sorrow?
This complex, chaotic emotion was something he'd never experienced before.
He disliked that demon woman so much—the one who was always teasing him, who never took anything seriously, who constantly tapped his forehead with her pipe and made him call her "sister." But why...
Once he was no longer her only one, why did his heart ache so?
Hoshimi Shota hugged his knees, sitting right at the water's edge, watching the tide come and go. He didn't know what Lin Qiye and Lady Wu were doing, and didn't want to know. He just wanted to flee this world, to get as far away from that demon woman as possible.
Just then, a figure slowly approached from behind.
Hoshimi Shota looked up, saw Lin Qiye, and froze. "You're...这么快?"
"?" Lin Qiye looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about? I've come to complete my punishment."
"Punishment?"
"My punishment is... to tie you up, strip you naked, and throw you onto Lady Wu's bed." Lin Qiye's expression was somewhat微妙. He grabbed the stunned Hoshimi Shota and sighed. "I know this is sudden, but this is my punishment task. You... just cooperate, alright!"
With that, he hoisted Hoshimi Shota onto his shoulder and sprinted back toward the house!
One minute later.
Hoshimi Shota was tossed into a bedroom. Lin Qiye locked the door behind him and stumbled outside.
The naked Hoshimi Shota stood茫然 inside, slowly turning around. Lady Wu had somehow put on the costume she'd bought this morning at the adult goods store—its design was enough to make anyone's blood boil. Smiling warmly, she walked up to him, lifted his chin with a fingertip, leaned close to his ear, and softly spoke:
"Shota was jealous today, wasn't he~?"
"Je... je... jealous about what?" Hoshimi Shota caught the scent of Lady Wu's body, his cheeks flushing crimson as he jerked his head to one side, his heart pounding wildly. "I wasn't!"
"So dishonest~" Lady Wu smiled, slowly wrapping her arms around Hoshimi Shota. "Remember, Shota... sister will always be yours alone~"