I am NOT a Demon Queen!

Suzuka Gozen stepped lightly from the water’s surface onto the sand. The CEO smiled, a polite, professional expression that barely reach her eyes. “Mizukume-san,” she said, nodding slightly toward Su Yao. “I must express my gratitude. You have done me a great service by luring the dragon here. It had been evading my attempts to engage it, causing quite a headache for our risk assessment team.”

Su Yao, still reeling from the display of power, forced her expression into one of mild curiosity. “It was unintentional,” she replied, keeping her voice steady. “But I am glad to have been of, assistance.”

“Nevertheless, you have saved me considerable time and resources,” Suzuka said. Her gaze flickered briefly to Li Xue, who was staring open-mouthed at the pinned dragon. “As a token of my appreciation, I insist on rewarding you. I am staying at the Orchid Pavilion Hotel downtown, Suite 1204. Come by this evening, and we shall discuss your compensation.”

Su Yao’s mind raced. The Orchid Pavilion Hotel was one of the most luxurious in the city. Suzuka’s choice of accommodation fit her corporate image perfectly. This was an opportunity, to gather more information, to see what Suzuka really wanted, and perhaps to leverage this for her own goals.

“Very well,” Su Yao said, dipping her head in a semblance of gratitude. “I will be there.”

Suzuka’s smile widened slightly. “Excellent. I look forward to it.” With that, she turned and walked away. Her figure blurred and then vanished as she teleported, leaving behind only the massive, immobilized dragon.

Li Xue finally found his voice. “What just happened? Who was that? And what does she want with you?”

Su Yao pocketed the gold pearl necklace. Her thoughts were already on the meeting ahead. “That,” she said, “was the CEO of the Hundred Demons. It seems I have an appointment.”

Just as Su Yao was processing the invitation, a familiar voice called out from the path above. “Li Xue! There you are!”

Li Xiu hurried down the cliffside. Her expression was a mix of relief and irritation. She was dressed in a simple but elegant dress. Her hair was slightly windswept. “Why aren't you at the family gathering? Everyone’s waiting for you. Uncle is furious you skipped out again.”

Li Xue rubbed the back of his neck, looking guilty. “I, uh, got sidetracked. There was a dragon, and, well, it’s a long story.”

Li Xiu’s eyes widened as she took in the scene featuring the massive Jiao Long pinned to the coast by golden swords, the churned-up beach, and Su Yao standing there with a grim expression. “By Nuwa, what happened here?” She then noticed Su Yao and nodded in recognition. “Xiao Ling? What are you doing with my cousin?”

Su Yao tucked the necklace into her pocket. Her face was unreadable. “He decided to go treasure hunting in a dragon’s lair. I was merely preventing him from becoming a snack.”

“I told you, it was important!” Li Xue sighed. “And I found something—” He cut himself off, glancing at Su Yao.

Li Xiu crossed her arms. “Important or not, you can't just miss the ancestral rites. The family is discussing the curse and the recent attacks. Your input is needed.” She turned to Su Yao. “Thank you for keeping him safe, but we really need to go.”

Su Yao gave a slight shrug. “He’s all yours. I have my own appointment to keep.” She glanced at the pinned dragon one last time, then turned and walked away from the beach. Li Xiu was already dragging a protesting Li Xue toward a waiting car, but Su Yao paid them no mind. She needed to get to the Orchid Pavilion Hotel.

Pulling out her phone, she called Zhang Wei. “I need a ride, now.”

“Where to?” Zhang Wei’s voice was tense, likely from monitoring the dragon situation.

“The Orchid Pavilion Hotel, Suite 1204. Suzuka Gozen wants to meet.”

A brief pause followed. “You're going alone? That’s a trap.”

“Obviously. But it’s one I need to spring. Just get me there.”

Within minutes, a black government sedan pulled up beside her. Su Yao slid into the back seat without a word. The driver, one of Zhang Wei’s agents, nodded and sped off through the chaotic streets. The city was still reeling from the dragon’s attack, but emergency crews were already diverting traffic.

Suzuka had mentioned a reward, but Su Yao knew it was more about information and leverage.

The car arrived at the Orchid Pavilion Hotel, a sleek skyscraper in the financial district. Su Yao got out and entered the lobby, which was opulent but eerily quiet. She went straight to the elevators and pressed for the 12th floor.

When the doors opened, she found herself in a private hallway leading to Suite 1204. The door was slightly ajar. Su Yao pushed it open and stepped inside.

Suzuka Gozen sat on a plush sofa, sipping tea. The suite was spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a view of the city. She smiled as Su Yao entered.

“Mizukume-san, punctual as expected. Please, have a seat. We have much to discuss.”

Su Yao took the offered seat. Her posture was relaxed, but her senses were sharp. She said nothing, waiting for Suzuka to make the first move.

“I trust your journey was uneventful,” Suzuka began, setting her teacup down with precise elegance. “The city is so chaotic these days.”

“It has its charms,” Su Yao replied neutrally.

“Indeed.” Suzuka’s smile was a razor blade wrapped in silk. “Now, to business. The Jiao Long had become a significant liability. Your assistance in drawing it out was invaluable. As promised, a reward.” She slid a slim, black card across the glass table. “An unrestricted line of credit, linked to a numbered offshore account. Consider it a consulting fee.”

Su Yao ignored the card. “Generous. But unnecessary. I didn't do it for money.”

“Of course not. A being of your stature has little use for mortal currency.” Suzuka’s eyes glinted. “Which brings me to the real purpose of this meeting. That necklace you took from the Li boy.”

Su Yao’s expression remained unchanged. “What about it?”

“It’s a fascinating artifact. I believe its spiritual signature is unique. It resonates with you, doesn't it, Mizukume-san?”

The air in the room grew still. Su Yao left it unaddressed. She simply asked, “Your point?”

“My point is that we have a common interest in historical accuracy. And in powerful artifacts. The Li family has been careless custodians. Yamato, on the other hand, has the resources to properly, appreciate such things. I propose an exchange. The necklace for information.”

“What information?”

Suzuka’s smile remained, but her eyes sharpened. “The information concerns the disciple who betrayed you and imprisoned you on the moon, Madam Li.”

Madam Li? Su Yao kept her expression neutral, but internally, the pieces snapped together. Suzuka was mistaking her for the woman who had assumed the Jade Purity Maiden identity after Su Yao’s death.

This ‘Madam Li’ must have been the one who truly married into the Li family and was later betrayed by a disciple, leading to her lunar imprisonment. That explained the moon conspiracy Kayo had mentioned and why the Li family’s curse was tied to it.

“You seem well-informed,” Su Yao replied. Her voice was even. “But why would Yamato have such information?”

“Yamato has long been interested in celestial affairs,” Suzuka said, leaning forward slightly. “We believe this disciple still operates and his actions have implications for the current balance of power. The necklace is a key to verifying certain truths. In exchange for it, I will provide you with his name and last known whereabouts.”

Su Yao leaned back. Her fingers tapped lightly on the armrest. “Why are you so certain that I am this Jade Purity Maiden you speak of? You seem to be making a rather large assumption.”

Suzuka’s smile unwaver. “Because I checked, Mizukume-san. The moon is empty. The seals that once held Madam Li are no longer there. It stands to reason that she has been freed and has returned. And you carry her signature, especially with that necklace.

“The spiritual resonance is unmistakable. So, either you are her, or you are intimately connected to her. Given your power and the timing, I believe you are Madam Li herself, back from her celestial imprisonment.”

So the impostor really was sealed on the moon, Su Yao thought, and now she’s free? That complicates things. Outwardly, she merely raised an eyebrow. “The moon is empty? You've confirmed this yourself?”

“Through our assets, yes,” Suzuka said smoothly. “Yamato has certain methods for monitoring such things. The prison is vacant. So, shall we discuss the exchange? The necklace for the disciple’s name.”

Su Yao’s eyes narrowed slightly. “The disciple, he used to run an orphanage in modern times, didn't he? The Azure Dragon Orphanage.”

Suzuka’s polished smile remained, but a glint of appreciation shone in her eyes. “It seems the exchange is no longer possible. You are correct. You've already connected the dots.”

She leaned back, sipping her tea. “So, Madam Li, you understand the situation. The disciple has been operating under the guise of charity, breeding and testing children for spiritual potential. But knowing his identity is one thing. Confronting him is another.”

Su Yao kept her expression neutral. “Then what do you propose now?”

Suzuka set down her cup. “The necklace is still of value. But perhaps we can discuss a different arrangement. After all, we both have interests in containing this, individual.”

I just said the first thing that came to mind. Su Yao’s mind raced. I didn't actually expect it to be right. The Azure Dragon Orphanage had been a front for the Luo family’s operations, but she'd never solidly connected it to a single, overarching ‘disciple’ figure. Suzuka had just confirmed her wild guess.

Outwardly, she gave a slight, knowing nod. “Of course. The pieces were always there.” She leaned forward, her gaze intent. “This individual, he’s an upper-management figure in the Wild Hunt now, isn't he? Is that why you need my help? Yamato’s corporate structure can't move directly against a rival faction’s leadership without causing an open war.”

Suzuka’s smile was thin, acknowledging the point. “An internal conflict would be costly and inefficient. However, an external consultant, one with a personal grievance, that is a much more deniable asset. And you seem to have a talent for creating chaos in their operations.”

“So you want to use me as a scalpel,” Su Yao stated.

“I prefer to think of it as a strategic partnership,” Suzuka corrected smoothly. “You get your vengeance on the man who betrayed you. I get a troublesome competitor neutralized. The necklace remains with you as a sign of good faith. All I ask is that you keep me informed of your progress.”

The CEO smiled and reached for a small, elegantly packaged box on the table. “As a token of our new partnership, I'd like to offer you a free sample of our company’s latest product.”

She slid the box toward Su Yao. “It’s an instant ramen with low sodium content. We're targeting health-conscious consumers who still crave convenience.”

Su Yao looked at the box, then back at Suzuka. Her expression was deadpan. “Instant ramen. You're giving me instant ramen after discussing celestial betrayals and corporate espionage.”

“Even ancient beings need to eat, Mizukume-san.” Suzuka’s smile remained. “And it’s infused with subtle spiritual enhancements to promote vitality. Think of it as a practical application of our resources.”

Examining it with a critical eye, Su Yao picked up the box. “Low sodium? How revolutionary.” Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, but she tucked the ramen under her arm. “I'll consider it a down payment.”

Suzuka gestured to the ramen box. “I developed this product because I believe people should be able to enjoy ramen daily without succumbing to preservatives and additives. Instant ramen was invented by Momofuku Ando on 1958 to alleviate hunger in Japan.”

The plastic crinkled softly as she lifted the box into the light. “It saved countless lives then. Now, with global food prices soaring, this improved version will sustain Japan and the entire world. It’s affordable, nutritious, and spiritually fortified.”

Su Yao raised an eyebrow. “And the other members of your, faction agreed? Saving the world isn't typically a demon’s priority.”

Suzuka chuckled. “The thing about demons is that we do what we please. Since I'm the strongest, who among them would complain? Even demons don't desire the world’s end. Where would we go? Chaos is one thing. Oblivion is another.”

Her expression turned wry. “In fact, it’s often the humans who seem intent on ending the world. They breed chaos, hoard resources, and wage wars over trifles. Demons merely exploit the openings they create.”

Su Yao snorted softly, tucking the ramen under her arm. “A fair point. I've seen enough mortal foolishness to last several eternities. If your ramen can delay the inevitable collapse, I suppose it’s worth a try.”

She stood up, ready to leave. “I'll be in touch about the ‘disciple’. Don't expect daily updates.”

“Of course,” Suzuka said, rising gracefully. “I trust your methods. Just remember, we have a shared interest in stability.”

“One more thing,” Su Yao said, pausing at the door. “This ‘disciple’, he’s the one writing the script for the false Seimei, isn't he? The one staging this entire theatrical production.”

Suzuka gave a slow nod. “He is. The same mind that orchestrated the Azure Dragon Orphanage now directs our impostor’s every move. The man is insane. Prolonging his life through numerous shi jie rituals has left him utterly detached from reality. He sees the world as a storyboard and people as props.”

Su Yao’s eyes narrowed. “Shi jie, the ‘corpse release’ rituals. No wonder he’s unstable.”

“Precisely,” Suzuka confirmed. “But you will know him if you are in the same room. His spiritual presence is, void, like a page that’s been erased too many times. He smells of something long dead.”

Su Yao left the Orchid Pavilion Hotel. The low-sodium ramen felt absurdly light in her hand. Her mind, however, was heavy with calculation.

The former orphanage director, she thought, recalling the puppet that had disintegrated in front of her. He called me ‘Great Fox’, knowing exactly who I was.

The pieces clashed. Suzuka’s intel pointed to a disciple who had betrayed the impostor Maiden. But the orphanage director had recognized her, the original.

Two possibilities emerged, both troubling.

Either Suzuka was feeding her false information to manipulate her into attacking a rival. Or, more likely, Yamato’s intelligence was genuinely flawed, built on the same historical inaccuracies that plagued the mortal world. They had connected the orphanage to the ‘Madam Li’ narrative but missed the connection to the true Nine-Tailed Fox.

The outcome is the same for her, Su Yao concluded, stepping out into the city’s evening bustle. She gets a rival faction’s upper management removed, using me as the weapon. My reasons are irrelevant to her bottom line.

She would let the Yamato believe they were manipulating a vengeful spirit. It gave her cover. Whether the target was the disciple of a fake or a lieutenant of the Puppeteer, he was clearly a node in the conspiracy against her. She would hunt him regardless.

Now she knew Suzuka’s information was unreliable. She was truly on her own.

Still, I'll hunt this scriptwriter disciple just to see if the false Seimei collapses without his lines. It would be amusing to watch that impostor flounder.

Speaking of the false Seimei, Doman sure was taking a long time to deal with him. Is her status as a college student causing the delay? Su Yao wondered. Irritation bubbled up. Do I have to wait until the semester is over for her to finish some essay before she gets around to overthrowing a fraudulent exorcist?

Her phone buzzed with a message from Zhang Wei.

Zhang Wei: The false Seimei is holding a press conference right now. He’s taking full credit for ‘pacifying’ the Jiao Long and is announcing a new city-wide purification campaign.

Purification campaign? He’s probably reading from that disciple’s script right now. Su Yao’s lip curled. The audacity of the false Seimei was galling. Maybe I should crash this little show. It’s about time the actual Jade Purity Maiden made an appearance.

But she needed to look the part: ethereal, virtuous, and utterly convincing. First, I need to dress up.

She ducked into a nearby alley, out of sight from the bustling street. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a wisp of spiritual energy. Her modern clothing shimmered and dissolved, reforming into a flowing white hanfu with silver embroidery that glimmered like starlight.

Adjusting the gold pearl necklace around her neck, she let it rest prominently against the fabric. A light veil attached to a hairpin obscured half her face, adding an air of mystery.

Perfect. Now, let’s see how he handles a real legend.

The maiden stepped out of the alley. Her new attire drew curious glances from passersby. Ignoring them, she focused on the location Zhang Wei had sent, the city square where the press conference was being held. It was time to ruin the false Seimei’s day.