Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

The next day, the weather was clear, with not a cloud in the sky.

For most of the previous night, Li Mo and Kocho Kanae had been busy clearing out the demons in Tokyo. It was an easy task for the two Pillars. Only Upper Ranks could pose a challenge to them. Even Lower Ranks were nothing more than ants in their eyes.

Aside from Daki and Gyutaro, who had been hiding in the Red Light District, none of the other demons they encountered last night left much of an impression on Li Mo. In fact, most of the demons didn't even register in his memory.

Three years ago, he had been able to kill demons with a single strike. Now, it was still the same. Li Mo's strength had increased significantly since then, but the results seemed no different.

A seven- or eight-year-old child could crush an ant, and a twenty-year-old could do the same.

If there was one demon that left any impression, it was probably a Lower Rank. Now, when facing Lower Ranks, Li Mo didn't need to engage in prolonged battles like he had with Rui when he first started. A single swing of his broken blade was enough to end the fight.

That demon had also been killed in one strike. What was interesting, though, was that its Blood Demon Art seemed to be related to firearms. Unfortunately, Li Mo only realized this after he had already severed its neck with his blade.

—By that point, Li Mo had already killed dozens of demons, and his muscle memory had kicked in. The moment he sensed a demon's presence, his body moved instinctively toward the direction of its health bar.

Otherwise, he might have been able to put on a show of cutting bullets with his sword.

It wouldn't have been practical, but it would have been quite a spectacle.

"What a shame."

By the time Li Mo woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. As usual, he went to a ramen shop for a bowl of ramen, then walked out of the store under the strange gaze of the owner.

It seemed that the news of him replacing the original swordsman and going to the Red Light District had already spread on a small scale. In a way, this was like a wealthy young master stealing someone else's courtesan.

Red Light District, courtesan, replacement.

These keywords could easily conjure up images of a rich young man snatching a courtesan from someone else.

Looking at the bustling crowd on the streets, Li Mo didn't know what to say... Fortunately, not many people knew about this.

That was the only consolation.

Although, to be honest, Li Mo didn't really care about the damage to his reputation.

The sunny weather was perfect for an afternoon nap, but since Li Mo had just woken up, it didn't feel right to go back to sleep.

Besides, he had business to attend to.

"It's great that you're willing to take on this mission. I really didn't want to go to the Red Light District, but Miss Kocho specifically chose me for this."

After lunch, Li Mo found the swordsman in question.

He was around fourteen or fifteen years old, young and fresh-faced, the very definition of a pretty boy. No wonder Kocho Shinobu had chosen him.

But the young man wasn't exactly thrilled about being selected.

"Why is that?"

"I have a fiancée."

Through further conversation, Li Mo learned that the young man's fiancée was his childhood sweetheart. They had both survived a demon attack together and joined the Demon Slayer Corps. He had become a swordsman, but his fiancée, lacking the necessary strength, had become a Kakushi instead.

This was the reason Kocho Kanae had chosen him. He wouldn't dare to make any moves on the courtesan. If he did, Shinobu would immediately inform his fiancée.

That was why Kocho Kanae had picked him.

The handover went smoothly. As for the reason for the replacement, it was easy to explain. For the owner of the establishment, as long as the money was right, any excuse would suffice. On the other hand, if the money wasn't right, no amount of perfect excuses would work.

The Red Light District was filled with countless tragic and romantic stories. But behind those stories lay a harsh reality. The reason these stories were passed down was precisely because they were rare. If such things were common, what would be the point of spreading them?

Time passed minute by minute, like flowing water, rushing eastward without return.

As the sun set and the moon rose, the hustle and bustle of the day gave way to the leisurely night. The entire city of Tokyo transformed from a ferocious machine into a lively marketplace. The day belonged to work, and the night belonged to life.

Who could have imagined that in the future, even the first half of the night would become part of work?

This was Li Mo's final moment of sentimentality.

Because he had already arrived at the entrance of the Red Light District. The deaths of Daki and Gyutaro hadn't caused much of a stir. The owner of Kyogoku House had simply announced that the top courtesan, Warabihime, had gone missing.

Disappearances weren't uncommon in Yoshiwara. Even courtesans went missing from time to time.

The only one who might be heartbroken was the owner of Kyogoku House, who had lost her cash cow. For everyone else living in drunken oblivion, Warabihime's disappearance meant nothing.

The Red Light District was never short of courtesans.

The Red Light District remained as it always had.

The Demon Slayer Corps' pursuit of Koinatsu, the top courtesan, was now in its final stage. The courtesan herself would lead her entourage to the street to personally receive the customer.

The expenses for this were covered by the establishment, but the customer had already spent a significant amount of money beforehand.

During the entire process, the courtesan and the customer would stand on a stage, visible to everyone on the street. It was enough to satisfy anyone's vanity.

If Li Mo had to describe it, it was like the moment when the top scholar paraded through the city on horseback after passing the imperial exams, basking in the admiration of the crowd.

Gaining something that others couldn't was one of the sources of human happiness. A courtesan wasn't just a symbol of beauty; she carried other meanings as well.

Li Mo's appearance was above average, but he couldn't compare to the previous swordsman's looks. Yet, the way the young man looked at him was one of relief.

He was probably henpecked.

Li Mo looked at him with a hint of malice.

"The person is here. Sir, I'll leave the rest to you."

The swordsman was here in the role of a servant. But from his tone, it felt more like he was passing the buck.

Li Mo could understand his feelings.

After all, the person sitting on the flower cart now wasn't Koinatsu.

Even with heavy makeup, Li Mo could tell at a glance. The name on the health bar was enough for him to identify who was who.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Li Mo said to the young man beside him. He had already guessed this possibility before coming.

But no matter what had happened before, he was here now.

Closing his eyes for a moment, when he opened them again, Li Mo subtly released a trace of his aura.

The aura of the Hakushin bloodline.

In human perception, foxes were always associated with beauty.

Even without revealing his tails or ears, that faint aura was enough to change his demeanor.

At the invitation of the entourage, Li Mo stepped onto the flower cart.

From a distance, Li Mo had recognized her as Kocho Kanae based on the name above her health bar. But now that he was on the flower cart, he could confirm it through the subtle differences between Kocho Kanae and Koinatsu.

Even though he had mentally prepared himself, Li Mo was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Do I look good, Li-san?" the young woman asked softly, her head slightly bowed.

The hairpin in her bun swayed gently, and a blush spread across her cheeks. The layers of her kimono concealed her figure but added an air of nobility.

Li Mo replied, "You look like a goddess descended to the mortal world."