My wife is an immortal black snake.

Page 42

“I understand,” she smiled. “In short, you plan to clean up a few of the nobles on the mischievous list first, right?”

“Yes, they all have a lot of money, and they just happened to do something I can’t tolerate—most importantly, I’m still worried about how to set up the test for those Gauls on the 11th.” Yang Hao hugged his wife’s slender waist, buried his face in her hair, breathing in the fragrance and the wonderful feeling of her cat ears brushing against his forehead. “As for the rest, we’ll have to wait until the administrative center reforms and the work-for-relief program for people’s livelihood officially begin before we can deal with it. I plan to have the unemployed workers build an administrative spectacle, a lot of schools, and a Four Seasons Gulag Hotel specifically for handling criminals on the list of naughty kids. What do you think?”

"An administrative spectacle? If I understand correctly, you're planning to integrate the administrative structures of all four of our cities into that spectacle?"

"Yes. This will greatly improve our administrative efficiency, and the smaller administrative nodes can also maintain administrative efficiency when our cities have to move apart to avoid natural disasters. The only problem is that it will take several years to build. If you include the schools and the Four Seasons Hotel Gulag, we may need to keep the workers working for more than ten years."

“The economic crisis in Ursus will continue until the next war breaks out, and if the war is lost, the crisis will last even longer—so a construction time of more than ten years is acceptable to us.” Kosiché nodded, approving of her husband’s plan. “The only problem is that we can’t find enough teachers for so many schools.”

"...Even if the school is built, we still have to wait more than ten years to train teachers, and then let those teachers educate students, train more teachers, and so on. But Kosichek... I don't know if I can hold on until then. You know, I can't live that long now. An accident would be enough to destroy my ability to think."

"I will grant you immortality. So until I find the way to immortality for you, my husband, could you please stay home as much as possible for your own safety?"

"I'd like to... but the problem is, I can't do my job without going out to inspect. And there are so many details..."

Afterwards, Yang Hao talked to Kosicche about his upcoming plans.

One is the use of Kazimierz spies—although Kosichä had reservations about Yang Hao's obsessive attention to the Kurantas, she eventually agreed after giving him a sharp jab at his sensitive spot: as for money, Yang Hao would have to figure it out himself, since the Kosichä Duchy's tax revenue and reserves were currently being put into the reform of the administrative center and the upcoming economic and social reforms.

"Military spending is also substantial, and we currently lack an economic structure that can increase income..."

“I do have ways to increase economic income, but we’ll have to wait until after the administrative center reforms… By the way, I asked Monica to find some time to contact a Wendigo scholar in Saint-Junburg. I think he’s capable of helping us. Do you agree?”

"How could I disagree with my husband's suggestion? But could you tell me more about him? If I were a woman, I would definitely be jealous."

When the word "woman" was mentioned, the black snake seemed a little uneasy for some reason. It wrapped its tail around Yang Hao's entire waist and then stuck the tip of its tail into his pants.

His face flushed a comfortable red... but he was also somewhat bewildered: why was his wife, who had previously shown no interest in other women, suddenly feeling jealous and insecure about them? Had something happened without his knowledge?

Hmm... I'm a little curious. With that thought in mind, Yang Hao pinched Koschche's belly hard in protest before explaining what that person—Growitzer? Hmm, the impact Grovazel would have on his abilities.

As he explained, Kosiché didn't let him off the hook. The fluffy tail, unlike human skin, brought him a different kind of wonderful joy...

......

Finally, when he could no longer hold back, Yang Hao explained some of his abilities to Kosiché—the ability of the research slot, the ability of [Decision], the high cost of his [Political Points], and the reason why Mr. Grovazel was worth so many Political Points.

“His arrival can help me unlock a secondary ability called the [Research Slot]. The existence of the [Research Slot] allows us to research emerging technologies ahead of time—researching technologies from 1095 in 1042. But this will come at a great cost, so my understanding is to take it one step at a time.” Sweat beaded on Yang Hao's face as he freed his left hand and pulled out Koschitch's sticky tail. He breathed a sigh of relief. “So I think he's necessary—but considering he's an Imperial scholar who's close to the Infected… well, then our territory also needs to be close to the Infected. But if you treat the Infected equally, my dear, it's not a big problem.”

"I understand. So, that [resolution], and the [national policy] you mentioned, aren't they...?"

"These things are amazing. They can either change the mindset of our people in an instant, or ensure that those who have already benefited from the new technology will not resist its arrival, allowing it to spread to every corner of our territory. Some can even directly spawn an entire army on our land... although I don't understand the principles behind it. Moreover, as long as they are our people or our allies, I can see their whereabouts on a map."

“Oh… well, I think I’ve figured out why my husband knew that Miss Margarita was now staying in some small village in Minos… Darling? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

"what..."

He chuckled dryly, thinking to himself that his wife was indeed showing a possessiveness he'd never seen before...

...And I also need to explain to my wife about my "ascension".

Chapter 99

"...Fly, ascend?"

"Hmm. This should be the safest way to achieve immortality that I can find."

late at night.

After finishing their business discussion, Yang Hao shifted from sitting to lying down, blinking dryly as he watched Koschich slowly enjoying the movements on his waist, while muttering to himself about his "Path to Ascension."

"Then... what should we do? How can I help you?"

"This—this... Koschke? Can we talk about this after we're done...?" Yang Hao chuckled awkwardly. To be honest, this was the first time he'd ever discussed business while things were in progress.

After all, they always talked about it after it was over or before it started. If this continues, he'll probably spit out water from both heads while enduring the pleasure below and racking his brains to think things through.

However, it was clear that Koschke wasn't going to let Yang Hao off the hook. She obviously enjoyed this kind of physical and emotional intimacy with her partner to enhance their relationship, but considering that Yang Hao had hurt her more than once before, she would be very gentle when she came on her own...

It will last longer.

“No. No one says we can't discuss important matters while we're having sex—and if we really do it afterward, I don't think we'll both be able to go to work tomorrow morning.” Koschie squinted, flicking Yang Hao's face with his tail, signaling him to continue. “Then, please have a good talk with me. I'm not the kind of vulgar, selfish person; I'll do everything I can to help you, my husband.”

"Um..."

He suppressed his joy and began to explain to Kosiché the meaning of his "Puppet Master Ascension" and everything he needed.

......

at the same time.

At 1 a.m. on March 6, on the outskirts of a remote village in northern Minos.

Margarita felt as if she were wearing something on her head. Confused, she reached up and touched it, but found nothing except a few green leaves that had probably gotten into her hair during the hunt.

"Phew... I guess that senior will come out now, right?" she murmured to herself, looking at the magnificent scene she had created, and a strange sense of accomplishment welled up in her heart.

...

Just yesterday afternoon and evening, Margarita, along with her pet Sanae, hunted almost all the pests within a ten-kilometer radius, cutting off and storing all their flesh, and also obtaining a large amount of blood.

She placed all the beast blood into a large pit that Sanae had dug in the ground, and then she used a crossbow bolt to cut her wrists, dripping some of her blood into the blood pool.

Her blood carried a strange allure that even vampires couldn't resist. Margarita believed that all she had to do now was wait... just wait, and that senior would appear.

"Phew... Finally, am I ready to learn about the Blood Demon's life... and the suffering I'm about to face?" She sighed, looking up at the night sky and murmuring to herself. "And then... can I go to Ursus? Or should I go around through Victoria, Letania, and Kazdel? Hmm..."

This little girl, who hadn't grown up yet, had already started planning her future. And just as she stood there foolishly making plans, Sanae, who was standing at her feet, suddenly let out a menacing growl.

She snapped out of her daze and quickly spotted the uninvited guest who had come in the middle of the night—a pale-skinned, pointed-eared, cloaked member of the Blood Demon clan, her elder in the village.

"I thought it was a Blood Demon Hunter luring me out, going to such lengths with such tempting blood..." The Blood Demon elder spat out the cigar she was holding. She looked considerably older than Margarita, at least two or three hundred years older. "Turns out it's just a baby who hasn't even been weaned yet? Where are your parents? Sending such a young child out hunting alone? Have your parents lost their minds?"

"...that..."

"Forget about that. For the sake of our clan, where are your parents? I'll take you there. A child who hasn't been weaned should stay at home. Going out with such a terrifying crossbow will only make you a laughingstock if you get lost." Senior Blood Demon waved his hand, took out a new cigar from his pocket, put it in his mouth, and prepared to light it.

This Blood Demon senior seems surprisingly easy to talk to? But thinking about it, it makes sense. Even among the Sarkaz, Blood Demons are a small race... Although they treat others as food, they are quite easy to talk to when dealing with their own kind, as long as there are no major conflicts of interest or ideology.

Um... so, if you're asking me, I think it's okay, right?

Thinking of this, Margarita shook her head.

My parents have passed away...

"...what?"

The Blood Demon senior blinked, and the cigar he hadn't even lit fell out of his mouth.

Then she opened her mouth, put the cigar lighter back in her pocket, and said in an incredulous tone:

"No? Your parents are dead? Then how did you manage to survive until now?"

"..."

"You little brat, are you lying? How did you survive to 26 without parents? You still smell like you were breastfed, and you have that smell of the same old food you used to drink. You're lying to me, aren't you?"

“No…the person who used to make me drink blood was someone I liked…” Margarita muttered softly, “I started taking care of him after my parents passed away…”

"Huh? That's not even blood from the same blood demon clan?! You, a blood demon, are accepting the care of a short-lived ghost? Even if you started at age 6, you'd be over 40 by now, right?"

"that..."

"No? Little baby, don't you understand? Our lives can easily start at several hundred years. You like a short-lived ghost who will only live for 80 years at most? What good will that do besides harm yourself?"

“Um… my parents never taught me any of this…” Margarita muttered softly. She glanced back and saw her parents’ ghosts looking at her with a wry smile.

"Yeah, they really didn't teach me..." she muttered to herself.

"...hiss."

Faced with Margarita's answer, the Blood Demon remained silent for a long while.

She looked at Margarita and the pet at her feet with mixed feelings, and finally sighed heavily:

"Orphan, orphan... How come I can run into an orphan of my own kind in this godforsaken place?"

Senior Blood Demon paced back and forth irritably, finally—

"Never mind. Come with me—it seems you came to me to learn some basic knowledge about Blood Demons, right?"

"...Yes."

"Alright. Since you're still breastfeeding, come with me—by the way, what's your name?"

"Margarita." Margarita stated her name, then had Sanae drink all the blood in the blood pit before she went outside to move around. She then followed the Blood Demon senior's footsteps in small steps.

“You can call me Northrend.” The Blood Demon elder curled his lip. “Ms. Northrend, Miss Northrend, Mr. Northrend—call me whatever you like. I am a Sarkaz Blood Demon from Gaul, and I’m almost 600 years old now.”

"...hiss."

"If nothing unexpected happens, you can live that long. It just requires some health tips—don't drink type O blood, don't drink refrigerated blood, and definitely don't drink putrid blood. Those things have no nutritional value and will only harm your body."

"Type O blood —"

"That's just my personal preference. Type O blood doesn't taste very good, so that's fine."

......

Margarita found a Blood Demon senior willing to teach her—although he was a living fossil who had lived for over 600 years, it was still more practical than figuring it out on her own.

In this way, I can grow up quickly, realize the difference between the Blood Demon and humans, and then face him properly in the future, right?

As Margarita followed Ms. Northumbers to her hiding place... she pondered this, while on the other side...

Yang Hao was too tired to move.

He was genuinely considering whether he should start sleeping on the office sofa for a few days starting tomorrow.

Chapter 100

.....

From March 6th onwards, for a considerable period afterward, the Duchy of Kosiché experienced a period of stable development.

During this period, the reforms at the administrative center stabilized, and the tireless work of the "Iron Father" yielded excellent results: he meticulously allocated the funds he received to every department that needed them, whether they were existing or newly established. Under his strict personal supervision, the department heads, whom he referred to as "young men," were also making good use of the budgets.

Some are recruiting new staff, some are carrying out departmental reforms, some are training underperforming members, and others...

This refers to the people selected for handling the "Naughty Kids List".

The person in charge of checking the list of naughty children was Mr. Joseph.

“Mr. Yang Hao, there are far too many people on this list. We don’t have enough prisons to hold them right now—especially when it comes to secretly executing them.” Mr. Joseph slowly pushed up his glasses, looking at the nobles on the list. He knew those nobles; they were all criminals, enemies of the people. “Besides, we don’t have enough manpower—the army can’t lay a hand on nobles, at least not openly.”

"So, apart from a few I need to deal with first, the others can be put aside for now. We'll send them to dig potatoes after we've resolved the reforms." Lord Yang Hao, who looked somewhat weak for some reason, snapped his fingers and laughed. "Those nobles—I need you to impose a curfew on the neighborhood where their residences are located late on the 11th. At the same time, I need you to prepare people to inherit their estates."

“Tax collectors can act at any time. But a curfew? I don’t recommend a curfew, especially one that only covers a few districts. It’s pointless except to alert them—and it’s a good thing to let the people know about our actions, that we are killing corrupt nobles for their benefit.”

"Really? Are you sure this won't cause other nobles to flee?"

“They can’t escape.” Mr. Joseph gave a mysterious smile. The old man had his own secret. “Their property is in the Duchy of Koschei—and they can’t transfer so much property out without my, Your Excellency Koschei’s, personal signature.”

"Moreover, a nobleman without property is nothing in the outside world."

"Having lost their property, they will become like insects everywhere. They would rather die than give up their life of luxury and wealth—so they can only stay at home in fear, waiting for the day the police come. They have no way to escape, I assure you."

Mr. Joseph was clearly more experienced in handling these matters than Yang Hao, who could only rely on the puppet stage. He knew exactly where the nobles' weaknesses lay, so he dealt with them with ease, making him someone Yang Hao needed to learn from.

But that doesn't mean Yang Hao can't do anything.

[Event: The Gauls' Preparations for the Test]

You've already figured out what kind of test to give the Gauls. You intend for them to execute several nobles on the list on the night of the 11th, literally.

Mr. Joseph will provide you with substantial support. If the Gauls are trustworthy, you will receive a large amount of red gold, a strange reputation, and the fear of some lower-ranking nobles on the 12th.

Friendly reminder—your actions will be observed by the Ursus Emperor's inner guard.

Please be prepared.

'I want to defy the emperor, so can you give me a discount?'

See, Yang Hao isn't entirely useless; he can even foresee who might cause trouble for him!

But... the Emperor of Ursus? Hmm... I hope you won't be ungrateful, Emperor, or else if you anger me, I'll...