Versatile Mage

Translated by XephiZ

Edited by Aelryinth

Uesugi Kotoko was in her swimsuit, lying on a couch beside the window in her cabin. She was staring at the sea in boredom.

The sea was not so fascinating to her since she could see it everywhere in Japan. She thought she might stumble into one or two interesting people on this cruise, but it seemed she was going to be disappointed.

There were a few knocks on the door, which brought some excitement into Uesugi Kotoko’s eyes. However, she immediately realized it might be a waiter. However, if the waiter was good-looking, she might tease him a little. If he was just ordinary-looking, she would not bother wasting her time.

“The door isn’t locked. Come in,” Uesugi Kotoko said.

“You sure about this?” said a man with a gentle and charming voice.

Even so, the man still pushed the door open. The couch was right on the other side of the room, thus he could see the exposed Uesugi Kotoko, as she was only wearing a swimsuit.

“It’s you!” Uesugi Kotoko blurted out in surprise. She looked at the blond man passionately.

Normally, only Europeans were good-looking with blond hair, perhaps because of their distinctive facial features that set off a natural noble aura, but this man was an Asian. However, the blond hair suited him perfectly. His handsome face could easily set any woman on fire. He was definitely the type that Uesugi Kotoko liked.

“I found your purse at the swimming pool; the card in it had your room number. I thought you might be worried after you lost it, so I came to bring it back,” the blond man said gently.

“What if I told you I purposely left it behind?” Uesugi Kotoko said with squinted eyes.

“I would tell you that I purposely came to give it back, too,” the man answered easily.

The two exchanged glances with a smile. Uesugi Kotoko slowly rose to her feet and went up to the man in a catwalk. She went around him in a circle, like she was admiring a piece of art. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder while closing the door behind them.

“I don’t really like the cabins here. Should we go somewhere more exciting?” The man sounded very experienced. He could easily tell what kind of women he could tackle without a disguise, as it would entice them more.

“Enlighten me,” Uesugi Kotoko said agreeably.

“I like it dark, messy, and a little dirty. An underground chamber, the fire escape stairs, or the water tank on a roof…” the man hinted broadly.

“I like it dark too,” Uesugi Kotoko agreed.

“How about the cargo bay? I’m pretty sure no one is there,” the man suggested.

“It won’t matter if someone is there,” Uesugi Kotoko said.

The two exchanged smiles again.

—

The cargo bay normally had a few crew members watching it. The ship might be a luxurious cruise liner, but it was also transporting some valuable resources. The hold also contained the luggage of the passengers.

The cargo bay was huge, located a few levels below the deck. The crew members were dozing off, as it was late at night.

“I saw a man in a uniform having a long conversation with you at the pool. Is he your husband?” the man asked.

“Of course not,” Uesugi Kotoko rolled her eyes. She added seductively as if she realized how to stimulate the man, “My husband is in Japan. He’s most likely indulging in his AVs (adult videos).”

“I see, I thought that sailor was close with you. Why were you two talking for so long?” the man asked.

Uesugi Kotoko was a little unhappy. She could not stand it any longer, as she wanted to vent her desires immediately. However, she could not rush it, either. Otherwise, she might look too impatient.

“They were checking my identification. I brought something they aren’t comfortable with onto the cruise. I’m planning to bring it back to Japan,” Uesugi Kotoko said.

“Drugs?” the man asked.

“Something more exciting,” Uesugi Kotoko said.

“Really? I’m curious about it now,” the man said.

“You wouldn’t say that if you know what it is,” Uesugi Kotoko said.

“I really want to try it now. I’m experienced with my stuff. It might serve as the entree before the main course,” the man said.

Uesugi Kotoko’s eyes glittered with excitement. She was not excited because of the dark environment, but at the mention of her job!

“I know where my luggage is. I wouldn’t mind if you’re interested, but I hope you are still hard after seeing it,” Uesugi Kotoko said.

“I told you I’m experienced. Normal stuff won’t excite me at all.”

—

They went past the shelves. Uesugi Kotoko was actually going to show Zhao Manyan her brilliant masterpiece.

“The cold storage?” Zhao Manyan was surprised.

“Didn’t you say you are experienced? Take a guess,” Uesugi Kotoko smiled.

Zhao Manyan did not answer. He followed Uesugi Kotoko into the cold storage.

A box with silver lines was placed on a shelf. It had the shape of a coffin, with simple decorations on the outside.

“What about now?” Uesugi Kotoko asked.

“Ugh… I can’t guess it still. Can we open it?” Zhao Manyan asked.

“Of course not, it took me a lot of effort to seal it up. Once it’s opened, the air inside will be corrupted. I believe you know how many microorganisms there are floating in the air. It’s going to make my precious rot,” Uesugi Kotoko said.

“Rot? Don’t tell me there’s a body inside this box that looks like a coffin,” Zhao Manyan said.

“You guessed it right…”

They heard some knocks from inside the box before Uesugi Kotoko could finish her sentence.

Zhao Manyan was startled. He immediately fixed his eyes on Uesugi Kotoko.

Uesugi Kotoko did not look surprised. She explained with a smile, “A dead body will eventually rot. Even the best preservation method won’t be able to preserve it perfectly. The fresher the dead body, the more valuable it is, so we are a little lenient when we are collecting specimens.”

“What do you mean?” Zhao Manyan’s expression began to shift.

“It means sealing up someone who’s dying when he’s still alive,” Uesugi Kotoko said.

“You sealed up a living person inside to be used as a specimen?” Zhao Manyan exclaimed.

“Don’t worry, I’m not a murderer. I only find people who are dying and preserve their bodies to maximize their contributions to mankind. Even the greatest Healer in the world won’t be able to save this person’s life. I found him in Xiamen and Sealed him up!” Uesugi Kotoko was extremely excited when she was talking about her work.