I knew that woman didn't wet her pants for no reason, Natasha must have done something when she patted her shoulder. But in the car, Natasha didn't mention a word about it, so I didn't dare ask.
Natasha sped down the road, and as I gazed out the window, I noticed the sky turning gloomy. Just moments ago, it was bright and sunny, but now dark clouds loomed. I muttered to myself, "This summer weather sure changes fast!"
*Boom!* A deafening thunderclap roared, followed by a bolt of lightning as thick as a man's arm. After the strike, the sky began to clear again.
Natasha's face paled with fright. She glanced at the sky, her right hand quickly forming strange gestures, her expression tense. Suddenly, she said, "Buckle your seatbelt!" I realized she'd just performed a divination. I'd only known my master could read the stars for omens, but it seems Natasha had her own methods, distinct from his.
I hurriedly fastened my seatbelt, unsure why she was so nervous. Once I was secure, Natasha floored the accelerator, the force pushing me back into the seat as the speedometer shot up to 140 miles per hour.
Natasha's driving skills were impressive, weaving past car after car as we raced toward Fengyue Street.
Twenty minutes later, we arrived at Fengyue Street. From a distance, I saw thick black smoke billowing above a shop at the street's end. A fire? I wondered.
Natasha drove straight to the street's end, where a mid-sized shop stood, home to over a dozen women. As we approached, a crowd had gathered around the burning shop, and fire trucks were on the scene.
After parking, Natasha said to me, "Stay in the car and don't get out. I'm going to check it out!" Before leaving, she slipped a talisman paper into a hidden corner of the car door.
Her actions sparked my suspicion, this wasn't a simple fire.
From the car, about ten meters from the shop, I could see it wasn't just burning, it had collapsed entirely. The neighboring shops were untouched.
Natasha walked straight toward the ruined shop. The onlookers, mostly women from other shops on Fengyue Street, parted to let her through, their eyes red and teary. Fengyue Street was unique unlike other places where businesses competed ruthlessly, the women here were like sisters, a tight-knit family.
Natasha's eyes welled up as she surveyed the wreckage. She scolded the crowd sharply, "When did this happen? Why wasn't I told beforehand? You've got some nerve keeping something this important from me!"
I rarely saw Natasha angry, let alone speak so harshly. Watching her heaving chest from the car, I knew she was furious, but I had no idea what was going on.
An older woman, looking in her forties but remarkably well-preserved with smooth, fair skin and no visible wrinkles, stepped forward timidly. Choking back tears, she said, "Natasha, this was my miscalculation. Please punish me, but don't blame the others!" Her speech was oddly formal, almost ancient.
Natasha, too angry to respond, sighed deeply and said, "We'll settle this later! Were their true forms retrieved?"
The older woman shook her head. "They're trapped under the rubble, and with outsiders on the street, we couldn't use our powers. By the time we tried to dig them out the human way, the fire trucks arrived. I feared drawing attention, so I ordered everyone to stand back and watch."
"Serpent Lady, what am I going to do with you?" Natasha said, hands on her hips, glaring at the firefighters clearing the debris. "I've told you countless times their true forms must never be exposed. Do you think those sanctimonious hypocrites would spare us? Not just those wretched Taoist priests, but if the Charm Clan finds out we're here, we're doomed!"
Twenty years ago, Natasha had led her demon clan to settle here in secret, partly to hide from enemies and partly to absorb male essence for cultivation. She didn't want to harm anyone, so she established the businesses on Fengyue Street. It allowed them to earn money, grow their influence, and meet the demon women's cultivation needs a perfect solution.
Once the less-experienced demons absorbed enough male essence to fully transform into human form, they could blend into human society undetected, even by Taoist priests.
"I deserve death!" Serpent Lady said, her head bowed in deep remorse.
The human prostitutes nearby, hired as a front to avoid suspicion, kept their distance. The hierarchy here was strict only core members of the demon clan could interact closely with Natasha.
Natasha beckoned, and over a dozen demon women approached.
"This must not leak out, especially to the humans. Make sure they keep their mouths shut!" As the leader of the demon clan in the human world, Natasha commanded absolute obedience, and they all nodded. She continued, "Don't let it spread that this was caused by a lightning strike. That'll attract unwanted attention. Say the building had structural issues and was hit by a car!"
"Yes!" Serpent Lady replied respectfully.
Natasha nodded. "Immediately arrange for a car with a smashed front to be dumped in the river ahead. Tell the firefighters exactly what I said!"
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