Chapter 147: The Sisters of Onsen-en

  The blood spouting from the ghost's neck splattered all over Hu San, who stood up, wiped his face with his left hand, and spat on the dead ghost: "Let this wild dog roll back to its old home!" Apparently still unsatisfied, he added another kick to the ghost's corpse.

  The three of them were covered in stinking bloodstains and ran quickly towards the street where Onsen-yokan was located, with a few barks from dogs coming from the roadside.

  The dark night was so quiet that it made people's hearts feel uneasy. The three men's urgent footsteps shattered the pitch-black darkness.

  The business of the hot spring resort is not as good as it used to be. The bustling scene that was once like a brocade has long since withered away with the arrival of the Japanese devils in Tengchong City. However, the two large red lanterns at the entrance with the words "Spring Color" still hang high above the door frame. The two vermilion-painted doors are still wide open at night, casting a warm, flesh-colored glow from the reception hall that makes men hesitant to step forward. Unfortunately, not only are there no men on the street, but even the stray dogs that usually come here looking for food are nowhere to be seen.

  In the lobby, two girls wearing red and green makeup sat listlessly on bamboo chairs painting their nails, as if they had lost customers. Usually lively, they suddenly became quiet and seemed a bit lost.

  Dong Li Mao took Hu San and Gou Hao, ran to the door, hesitated for a moment, did not go in, but instead ran towards the direction of the side alley.

  The kitchen maid at the hot spring resort was in the kitchen adjacent to the small alley, making a late-night snack for the girls. This was her daily task every evening. Tonight, she had prepared "pa rou jian si" (a Yunnan specialty, similar to rice noodles, made from rice paste but cut into square strips) and was simmering pork leg bones in a large clay pot. The kitchen maid sat on a bamboo chair by the stove, dozing off, when suddenly she heard a loud banging at the side door, which startled her. She shouted coarsely: "Who's being so cruel in the middle of the night? Trying to scare me to death!"

  Dong Li Mao didn't know that the door led to the kitchen, he guessed that this should be the door to enter the backyard of Wēn Quán Yuàn. From the gap under the door, a faint light shone through, indicating that there was someone inside. He raised his hand and knocked twice on the lock, hearing a woman's scolding from inside, and quickly replied in Yunnan dialect: "I am Cuì Jiě's distant cousin!"

  The kitchen maid muttered to herself: "When did Cuījiě have a cousin, why haven't I heard of it before?" But she still didn't dare to slack off, stood up, rubbed her sore eyes and loudly said towards the outside of the door: "I'm coming! Stop knocking! Be careful not to attract those Japanese devils patrolling around here!"

  The wooden door creaked open, and the kitchen maid caught a whiff of blood: "So smelly..." She quickly covered her nose and mouth with her hand.

  Dong Li Mao let Hu San and Gou Hao enter first after the kitchen maid opened the door. He looked around to confirm no one was there, then stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

  "You...my mother..." The kitchen maid saw Hu San's face covered in blood and was so frightened that she opened her mouth to exclaim, but Gu Hao quickly covered her mouth with his hand.

  "Shh... don't make a sound..." Gu Hao whispered in the kitchen maid's ear.

  Although the kitchen girl had a loud voice and rough hands, she was still quite attractive, slightly plump, and in her youth, she also worked in the sex trade. However, as she got older, she lost customers and automatically retreated to the second line. Without a man wanting her or anywhere else to go, Cui sister kept her at Wēnquán Yuàn to cook and do laundry. Perhaps it had been a long time since a man last touched her body, but being embraced by Gǒu Hào, this big fellow, suddenly reignited the flame of spring in her heart that was about to go out. Her eyes stared blankly at Gǒu Hào's stubbly face.

  "As long as you don't shout, I'll let you go, understand?" Gou Hao said to the kitchen maid.

  The kitchen girl blinked twice, meaning she understood.

  Gao Hao slowly released his hand covering the kitchen maid's mouth.

  "Isn't Sister Cui asleep yet? Can you take us to see her?" asked Dong Li Mao.

  The kitchen maid was still staring blankly at Gu Hao, nodding her head, indicating that she would take them to see Cui Jie in response to Dong Li Mao's question.

  "You are bandits..." The kitchen maid blurted out what she was thinking in her heart, and suddenly felt that she shouldn't have asked such a thing, so she immediately shut her mouth.

  "Don't ask so many questions, hurry up and take us to see Cui Jie," Dong Li Mao urged.

  The kitchen maid walked towards another door, just then a woman's voice came over: "Gui Jie, is the midnight snack ready? I didn't eat much for dinner and now I'm a bit..."

  Dong Li Mao heard that the person who came was Cui Jie. As soon as she saw Dong Li Mao and the other two, she immediately closed her mouth and hurriedly walked forward: "Dong Lian... how did you end up here?" She almost called out to Dong Li Mao's older brother, and looked at the kitchen maid before asking Dong Li Mao.

  "First find a place, let's take a bath and then talk." Dong Li Mao replied.

  "Gui sister, this matter mustn't be leaked out! No matter who asks, you all pretend to be mute! Remember?" Cui sister reminded the kitchen maid.

  The kitchen maid nodded silently.

  "Guī jiě, xièxiè nǐ." Dong Li Mao smiled and called out to the kitchen maid Guī jiě before leaving.

  Kuiniang Guizi may have never heard a man say thank you to her before, she was so happy that her mouth couldn't close, and she secretly glanced at Gou Hao.

  At a glance.

  Gao Hao was also looking at Kuai Jie's wife, Gui Jie. He thought this woman was lovely and a rare smile appeared on his face.

  Following Cui's sister, they walked through several rooms, turned two corners, and came to a room with a pool of water, the water in the pool was emitting hot air.

  "You all wash up here, I'll go find some clean clothes for you, and have Little Red bring them over. I'll keep an eye on the kitchen, that Gui sister has a big mouth, I'm worried she won't be able to keep her mouth shut, so I'll also get her to cook some noodles for you." Cui sister lit a candle, her eyes gleaming with an unusual light, looked at Dong Li Mao, finished speaking, and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

  Three men didn't take off their clothes, and directly jumped into the pool. The water temperature was a bit hot, but it was just right to relieve fatigue. The three sat in the pool, Dong Li Mao closed his eyes, thinking about whether there were any omissions before entering the hot spring garden.

  Gou Hao and Hu San took off their clothes and soaked in the water pool naked.

  "Little Huzi, the little red girl that Cui Jie just mentioned, is she the prostitute who gave you a big silver dollar, as told by the military officer?" Gu Hao asked Hu San with a chuckle.

  "She's not a prostitute!" Hu San replied, cupping his hands to scoop up water and pour it over his head and face.

  "Commander, listen, Xiao Hu is still shy, hehe..." Gou Hao splashed water at Hu San and said: "Soon Little Red will arrive, and when she sees us with our bare butts, who knows what she'll think?" Gou Hao said with some fantasy, also imitating Dong Li Mao's manner, leaning against the edge of the pool, closing his eyes. Suddenly remembering something, he opened his eyes again and stared at Dong Li Mao:

  "Company Commander, what are we doing here? Isn't this a kiln?"

  Dong Li Mao opened his eyes, rubbed his face with his hand and replied: "This is a public place for men, a carefree nest. In the entire city of Tengchong, is there anywhere safer than this?"

  "But didn't Cui Jie deduct money from you last time and ask you to pay for it?" Gu Hao asked with a puzzled expression.

  Dong Li Mao didn't want to discuss this with Gou Hao and dove headfirst into the water.

  Little Red Riding Hood has fallen asleep, rarely so leisurely, and is meeting with Hu San in her dreams. Suddenly, Okazaki Toshio, grasping a samurai sword in both hands, rushes forward with a loud yell to slash at Hu San.

  "Xiao Hong... wake up..." Cui Jie sat on the edge of the bed shaking her.

  Little Red opened her blurry eyes and asked, "Sister Cui, are there any guests?" This was a habitual thought of hers, thinking that Sister Cui had come to call her because there were visitors at the door.

  "It's a guest who has come, but it's your little brother who has arrived." Cui sister smiled and pinched Little Red Girl's cheek.

  Little Red Girl believed it, pouting her small mouth, wearing a red bellyband, coming out from the thin quilt to get dressed: "Sister Cui is teasing people again, that little boy, who knows where he went..."

  "They are in the bathroom where the sisters are taking a bath, you take these clothes over to them." Cui sister said, handing Little Red Girl several clean clothes.

  "Has he really come?" Little Red Girl only believed that Cuī Jiě said the truth, and was so happy that she picked up her clothes and wanted to run out of the door.

  "Wait a minute..." Cuī Jiě called out to Little Red, "Look at you, you're not even dressed yet. And there are three men! Do you want to serve all three of them together? Besides, this matter can't be known by a third person. Otherwise, your little brother will probably be killed by that little devil ōsaki!"

  "Don't worry, Cui Jie, I'm already a member of the organization, how could I not follow discipline?" Little Red said while dressing: "What are they doing here this time?"

  "Look, you're talking about discipline, don't ask what shouldn't be asked." Cui Jie patted Xiaohong's chest: "Little girl, look at your cute appearance, I, sister, can't help but want to take a bite of you."

  Little Red said with a smile: "Did Dong Lianchang, the one Cui Jie likes, come too? Cui Jie, you should go bite him, biting me is tasteless, hehe..."

  "Little girl, what nonsense are you talking about! I don't like him at all, just watch me tear your mouth apart..." Cui sister's face turned red with embarrassment, and she laughed as she really stretched out her hands to tear Little Red's mouth.

  Little Red Girl quickly dodged and laughed, saying: "Still say you don't like me? That night, who was it that was touching herself in bed and humming 'Jia Cheng... Jia Cheng...' with her mouth? Hehe... If Yanyan sister finds out about this, she'll tear your mouth apart..."

  "You... ah... how did you eavesdrop on us..." Cui sister became even more flustered, stamping her foot and wanting to chase and hit Little Red.

  Little Red Girl hastily hugged the clothes she was going to give to Dong Li Mao and his two companions in her arms, laughing as she ran out of the room.

  Li Yuanyuan was sleeping in the room that led to the backyard garden, and in a daze, she heard the sound of footsteps coming from the front yard. As a highly trained special agent, her instincts made it impossible for her to sleep peacefully, so she got out of bed, wearing only thin pajamas and slippers on her feet. She took out a gun from under her pillow, listened at the door for a while, and confirmed that there was no movement outside before quietly opening the door and stepping out of the room.