Chapter 176

The Abyss Realm, the quiet and gloomy Shadowlands.

This was an underground cave sleeping in the deepest layer of the Abyss.

Though called a cave, the deep and thick darkness had no visible end.

No one knew how deep the Shadowlands truly was, nor what kind of place lay connected at the other end of the cave.

Diamonds wrapped in azure light were the only visible light in the cave.

The diamonds were not natural creations, but remnants left behind after Dian Huo burned them.

Apart from the howling wind, there was only the swaying of plants in the cave—the azure weeds growing in rock crevices had, over countless billions of years, evolved the ability to coexist with Dian Huo.

Apart from those weeds, there were no natives in this cave.

And today, this cave welcomed a batch of new guests.

They numbered over two hundred, wearing tattered prison uniforms, following behind guards in heat-resistant suits, their hands bound by iron chains, walking unsteadily.

Big Boss was also mixed among these prisoners.

"I never expected the way to approach Dian Huo would be disguising as prisoners." Lilith floated behind Big Boss, muttering discontentedly: "These half-demons are doing pretty badly!"

Big Boss glanced at her and said in his heart: "Enough, stop complaining. The forces that know Dian Huo exists are few and far between across the entire Abyss. Vivian arranging an infiltration identity for me already shows that the Sword of the Unknown has done well over these ten thousand years."

Indeed, although Dian Huo was imprisoned at the very bottom of the Shadowlands, its strength rivaling a demigod, and its trait that made all demigods fear it, still made the demigods dare not take it lightly.

At the very least, basic servants and guards still had to be equipped.

However, because the death rate of servants serving Dian Huo was too high, and those burned to death by Dian Huo could not return to the Abyss, these servants were thus taken by prisoners from various forces.

Of course, these prisoners did not know how dangerous a profession serving Dian Huo was.

They were only told they were to serve a person of high status, and if they did well, they could be absolved of their crimes and regain their freedom.

For the Abyss Demon Race, these immortal long-lived species, imprisonment was more painful than losing their lives.

The temperature of the cave where Dian Huo lived was predictable; the scorching breath hitting their faces burned the prisoners' skin, eroded the moisture in their bodies, making them frown involuntarily and constantly wipe the sweat from their foreheads.

Those with poorer physical constitutions directly collapsed to the ground, eyes rolling back.

But the guards and the Dian Huo guards leading them naturally would not give the prisoners any good looks; picking up long whips burning with flames, they whipped those who had fallen.

Miserable screams rose and fell within the cave; the excruciating pain brought by the soul-burning fire was excruciating pain no one was willing to endure.

"Damn it, it's really fucking hot, where the hell is this place, I've never heard of such a place in the Abyss..."

A prisoner standing beside Big Boss had completely overheated, constantly wiping the sweat from his face, his lips turning pale.

Big Boss glanced at him and did not speak.

The scorching air had almost no effect on Big Boss, after all he wore the Fire Spirit Holy Ring refined by his late goddaughter Jerryzi.

This ring could resist Dian Huo, so isolating these residual flames was naturally no problem.

"Brother, aren't you hot?"

The prisoner looked at Big Boss again, showing a doubtful expression.

"I'm naturally cold-natured, so I'm not hot."

Big Boss casually made up nonsense.

"Cold-natured? What does that mean?" The prisoner was baffled, but still cast an envious gaze: "Hey, brother, I'm Luo Tian, from the Plague Goddess Domain. You?"

Big Boss glanced at him, accustomed to it: "Xiu Si Da Er, Wrath Father God Domain."

He was now using Xiu Si Da Er's disguise, becoming more and more proficient.

To prevent exposure, every three days he had Vivian go to the ward to cast a great sleep spell on Xiu Si—a spell used to help ninth-rank strong ones sleep, guaranteeing he wouldn't wake up.

Presumably in his dreams, Xiu Si Da Er knew he had done so many things, and surely would show a happy smile.

"Then Brother Shisi, what crime did you commit?" Luo Tian came over familiarly.

"What crime did you commit?"

"Me, last time when the Plague Legion invaded Tianming Continent." Luo Tian spread his hands: "I read the command flag backwards and threw the Plague Source into the Abyss Allied Forces."

"Originally the Mother Goddess wanted the Allied Forces of Tianming Continent to mutate, but unexpectedly it was our Demon Race that mutated into various tumors."

"Come to think of it, I still found it strange—why throw the Plague Source into our own people's army?"

"Hey, then I was caught and sentenced to life imprisonment."

"The officer said if I performed well here, I'd be reinstated and return to the Vanguard Force. To be honest, Brother Shisi, this time is my only chance in this life to escape."

Big Boss: "..."

Good fellow, this top-tier traitor is truly a crouching dragon among crouching dragons, a phoenix chick among phoenix chicks.

He solemnly patted Luo Tian's shoulder: "You must escape, you must be reinstated, I believe in you."

"Brother Shisi, with your encouragement, I feel much better." Luo Tian was deeply moved.

But another prisoner standing beside the two of them coldly snorted and sneered: "Still want to be reinstated, kid? When your officer sent you here, did he tell you where this place is?"

Luo Tian's gaze trembled: "Big Brother Wu Likun, your family is Plague nobility, do you know something?"

"Don't call me Big Brother, I can't bear it." Wu Likun smiled unfathomably: "I don't know where this place is or which important person lives here, but I know that among every batch of prisoners brought here, fewer than one in ten can return alive."

"You know nothing and still dream of reinstatement—purely a fool's dream."

"Big Brother Wu, that's not right. Since one in ten can return alive, why can't it be me?" Luo Tian frowned.

"Why? Heh heh." Wu Likun sized Luo Tian up and down: "Just because you don't even know the survival rules of this place."

"What are you making noise for!" Just then, the Dian Huo guard walking in front coldly snorted, holding a whip as he walked over: "You few jinxes, after coming here you still aren't honest—do you want to eat whip?"

Saying this, he waved his hand, wanting the guards to come and take the few of them down.

"Hey, Officer, Officer." Wu Likun immediately nodded and bowed, pulling his sleeve, taking out a bag of gold coins: "We few are just chatting, just chatting, please calm your anger."

"Oh?" The Guard Captain took the bag and weighed it: "Hmph, you know your place. Hmm, you are?"

"Wu Likun, Officer."

"Oh, I remember you. Your family has already made arrangements. Rest assured."

"Ah, then thank you, sir."

Wu Likun revealed a relieved smile.

After waiting for that guard captain to walk away, he turned his head to look at Big Boss and Luo Tian, straightened his waist, and gave a cold snort: "Understand? This is the law of survival here."

"You think that one-tenth is surviving and returning by luck, by strength? Actually, it's by family background, by connections, by gold coins."

"Understand?"

"This... this... Brother Kun, how much did you give that guard?" Luo Tian's throat was somewhat dry.

"Not much. That bag had gold coins, and also rings for storage, adding up to over four hundred thousand gold coins." Wu Likun waved his hand: "Hah, that bit of money can only count as stuffing between teeth. The real money to buy my life, the family has already put up."

"Only counts as stuffing between teeth..."

Luo Tian seemed to have suffered a huge blow, covering his chest, extremely uncomfortable.

He was just an ordinary demon race member; that bag of gold coins just now, he would have to struggle for over a hundred years to save up.

Not to mention, compared to the money Wu Likun's family spent on bribes, it was just a drop in the bucket.

At this moment, he felt the disparity of the world.

"Hah, understand? Just with you, still want to get out alive? That's absolutely impossible." Wu Likun very much enjoyed Luo Tian's expression, his back straightening more and more.

"Brother Kun, hah." Luo Tian gave a cold laugh: "Really did not expect, this small little guard actually dares to embezzle so much money, one person several million, a batch of people over ten million, very good, very good indeed."

"So corrupt, so dirty, what a regaining of freedom, what a narrow escape from death, so good, so good."

The more he spoke, the more imposing his manner became, and his back straightened up.

This instead scared Wu Likun: "You, what do you want to do?"

"What do I want to do? What else can I do?" Luo Tian's laughter became more and more gloomy: "I naturally want to..."

"Ask Brother Kun to lend me some money!"

After saying this sentence, Luo Tian instantly changed his face, pitifully saying: "Brother Kun, seeing as we are fellow townsmen, please lend me some funds. I want to survive, I want to be reinstated to my original post!"

"Roll roll roll!" Wu Likun breathed a sigh of relief. He had really just thought this guy was some hidden big shot, about to start a massacre.

"Lend you money, that's impossible, kid. But we are fellow townsmen, and have stayed in the same prison before. If you have money to buy your life, then hurry up and take it out. I can help you deliver it to that guard."

"I, I'm just a lowly soldier, where am I supposed to get so much money..." Luo Tian lowered his eyes. "Then there's no way, kid." Wu Likun smacked his lips twice: "Then I can affirm, you will taste despair within despair here. Heh heh."

"I..." Luo Tian's body trembled, then looked at Big Boss: "Brother Shisi, what about you, do you have money prepared to buy your life?"

"No." Big Boss shook his head.

Actually, he was lying. Back in the City of Deception, he had extorted who knows how many Abyss Coins.

Although due to different eras, the style of minting coins had changed, the rare metals inside had not changed.

Before coming here, he had Vivian melt that portion of Abyss Coins into rare metals.

Roughly estimated, the money he carried on his person, no matter how you said it, was several hundred to over a thousand million.

But he did not plan to bribe now; he wanted to observe the situation a bit more.

"Heh heh, look at you two poor wretches, tsk tsk tsk." Wu Likun laughed: "Don't worry, seeing as we are fellow townsmen, you two write your last letters well. When I go out, I will help you take them back. Hahahaha."

"I..." The sorrow on Luo Tian's face grew even greater.

Just then, the main force stopped.

The guard captain who had just collected the gold coins walked in front of the prisoners, hands behind his back.

That guard captain sized up the prisoners, his face full of disdain and mockery:

"Those whose names I call, come out now."

"Wu Likun, Zhang Wei, Katelos, Rolte..."

"Heh heh, you two, take good care of yourselves. Remember to write your last letters."

Wu Likun revealed a schadenfreude smile, following the main force to the platform.

The guards waiting there early removed the handcuffs from their hands.

The guard captain patted one prisoner's shoulder: "Alright, take them to the outer wall, treat them well. After their sentence ends, send them back to their respective homes. Don't let anything go wrong."

"Also, don't have any crooked thoughts. Remember, in business the most important thing is credibility. We must focus on sustainable development. This batch sent back, there will be the next batch. Every batch will earn us money. Don't forget the big profit for small gain. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Several guards nodded, then led the prisoners onto the carriage heading to the outer wall.

When Wu Likun left, he still did not forget to mockingly glance at Big Boss and Luo Tian.

He too felt the disparity of the world.

Sorry, no money, can only stay in this place like a gloomy sewer, like a humble rat, waiting for death to descend.

The carriage started. The guard captain turned to look at the remaining prisoners, laughing mockingly:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe you can also feel how high the temperature is here. I won't hide it from you. The adult living here is temperamental and cannot be judged by common sense. You must be careful, careful, and careful again when serving him."

"Most importantly, if you die here, you won't even have the chance for your soul to return to the Abyss. What awaits you is complete death."

Hearing this, the prisoners instantly chattered and whispered: "This, this how is this possible? Besides suicide, I've never heard of death being unable to return to the Abyss..."

"Yeah, this guy is lying to us."

"Right, this place is at most just a hotter prison..."

"Heh heh, whether I lied to you or not, you will naturally understand when you die." The guard captain's smile did not diminish: "I have no obligation to explain to you. But you can think about it. If dying here could return to the Abyss, why would those nobles spend such a high price to ransom their children back?"

Upon hearing this, the prisoners were finally moved, their faces showing terror and shock.

"Kie kie kie."

The guard captain pointed to the cave behind him: "You all, hand over the valuable things hidden on your bodies. Those who pay more, I will assign you to the outskirts of this cave, farther from that big shot. Maybe you can still survive."

"Those who pay less, sorry, you all will have to be that adult's personal servants. Believe me, that is absolutely a thing of utter despair."

"Hateful... after all, it's still about money..."

"Damn it, if I had money, I would have left with those noble gentlemen long ago. Why would I still stay here?"

"Damn it, damn it!"

The prisoners whispered among themselves.

And the Guard Captain quietly watched their struggles.

He had done this many times before.

He made money from the nobles, and he made money from the poor.

Actually, if it had been before, after entering Dian Huo Adult's cave, with some operation, he could still save a few lives.

But recently, Dian Huo Adult's temper had become especially irritable for some reason.

He roared every day, shouting things like "lifespan" and "another one less," words he didn't understand.

Then, everyone who went in died.

Anyway, it didn't matter; dead people couldn't use those valuable things anyway, and him using them counted as a great deed.

"Adult, I, I have treasures!"

"I have some too!"

While chatting and laughing, these prisoners pulled out various relics and gold coins from corners, undergarments, shoe insoles, and their bellies, handing them to the guards.

Luo Tian watched from behind, nearly crying from anxiety.

"Brother Shisi, do you have anything valuable on you? Damn it, I have nothing! Brother Shisi, Brother Shisi!"

Luo Tian talked for half a day without waiting for Li Cheng's answer; turning around, he found him thinking while staring at where the carriage had left.

"Brother Shisi, you're not thinking of escaping prison, are you? We can't get away!"

"How could that be, I'm a good person." Li Cheng shook his head.

He was just calculating how many nobles had just left and what their ranks were.

Different ranks of the Demon Race could convert different amounts of Bu Qi Zhi Ren.

After he settled Dian Huo Lao Ye with questioning, he would have her draw a magic array for him to refine all these Demon Race members.

Nobles, prisoners, attendants—not one would escape.

He needed to calculate how much profit he could get in total.

"Hehe, interesting." Just then, the Guard Captain smiled and walked in front of the two: "I've worked here for so many years, and this is the first time I've seen prisoners unwilling to spend a single coin."

"A-Adult." Luo Tian's throat moved, and he explained hoarsely: "I, we really have nothing valuable... not that we mean to look down on you."

"What?" The Guard Captain furrowed his brow.

"No, no, that's not what I mean." Luo Tian explained hurriedly: "I mean, I think giving you money is useless, no, it's that giving you money won't help me either, no, oh my, anyway, anyway we have no money."

"Hehe, no money, no money is good." The Guard Captain sneered: "Fine, you two, go be the Adult's personal servants."

"What!" Luo Tian was shocked.

"Is there such a good thing?" Li Cheng also raised his eyebrows.

"Good thing? Hahaha, kid, believe me, the time ahead will definitely be the most painful and despairing days of your demon life." The Guard Captain narrowed his eyes: "I can't wait to watch your soul being burned, in agony, yet afraid of death."

"That look of yours must be very interesting."

"Guess how long you can last, kid. I guess you can hold out at most half a day."

"By then, I'll write your will for you and send it to your lover, friends, and family, so they can bury you and join you too, hahaha."

He said while revealing a gloomy smile, his gaze toward Li Cheng also like looking at a dead man.

"Someone, open the cave entrance and take these two guys to the Adult's side."

"No, don't, Adult, no, we, we still have value!" Luo Tian struggled desperately.

But on Li Cheng's face appeared a sunny and warm smile.

He had originally been thinking about how to sneak in to find Dian Huo,

but didn't expect that when sleepy, someone would bring a pillow.

Dian Huo Niang Niang, don't turn around, I'll be the furious Father God right away~ As for the guard NPC in front...

Hehe, he Li Cheng Master is kind-hearted; as a reward, let him become part of Bu Qi Zhi Ren.

(Chapter Complete)