Chapter 248: Dekan’s Performance Art (1/2) |
The dome of every layer of the Demon Realm Prison was so high it couldn't be seen.
On this fifth layer, one would often have illusions.
It often felt like a blizzard would drift down from that dim sky at any moment.
But in reality, it didn't snow on this layer; it was just unbearably cold like a freezer, and from time to time, wild winds coming from nowhere would blow, torturing the minds and bodies of the prisoners.
Even though there was a continuous supply of food, the amount of supplies was very subtle, enough to keep people just barely hovering in a critical state of survival.
Over time, even prisoners with Tier 6 combat power couldn't exert their original strength.
Of course, in front of the Warden of this layer, Faceless Igna, being Tier 6 or Tier 7 was meaningless.
Once the Warden locked onto a prisoner via negative emotions like fear or anger and began hunting, there was no precedent of a prisoner surviving.
The wilderness of this layer was divided into several areas by high cold iron walls, and inside each area were even more intricate and complex partitions.
The sturdy walls were enchanted with barrier spells; if one touched them, their skin would be permanently frozen to them.
Even the Warden was unwilling to touch these walls that radiated bone-chilling cold.
...
In the area near the teleportation gate leading to the sixth layer.
In front, it was already the edge of the prison.
Frost knotted on the dead silent walls, connecting to the ground.
Nearby.
From time to time, a low roar could be heard, as if coming from a mad and bloodthirsty troll.
Once caught by the owner of this voice, one would be completely torn into pieces of meat in an instant!
The prisoners on this layer knew this all too well.
He was the killing machine that no prisoner on this layer could stop—
Faceless Igna.
He was nearby, not far away.
They had to avoid him.
Beside a wall.
Three figures slowly probed out, observing the surroundings.
Besides a tall woman, there was a young man and a red-haired girl.
They wore prison uniforms, enduring the cold, and confirmed that Faceless Igna was not ahead.
They quickened their pace without hesitation, white mist drifting from their mouths.
They rushed towards the supply box ahead.
Then the red-haired girl, who was in the best condition, lifted the supplies, and the leading tall woman confirmed the route, starting a rapid evacuation.
"Alright, we successfully got the supplies. The next time supplies appear will be in about five and a half hours."
The leading woman roughly estimated the time and muttered silently.
To find this box, they had spent quite a lot of time.
"Cornelia, you are really amazing, much stronger and tougher than I imagined."
While evacuating, the leading woman looked at the red-haired girl beside her and said.
Although the leading woman couldn't hide the fatigue at the corners of her eyes, her eyes were full of relief.
"It's nothing, Sister Elaine."
After Cornelia arrived on this layer, she soon saw the Warden, Faceless Igna, from a distance.
Just as she was a bit at a loss, someone nearby discovered her.
They shouted to her to pass on intelligence.
Telling her not to be afraid; as long as she didn't generate negative emotions, the Warden couldn't discover her.
Knowing this piece of intelligence, Cornelia quickly calmed down and successfully bypassed the Warden.
Since Cornelia was often by Dekan's side.
She didn't feel that this Tier 8 demon was very terrifying.
Actually, the reason she was slightly at a loss wasn't because of this Tier 8 demon, but because the omnipotent Dekan wasn't by her side.
But it wasn't a big problem.
After returning from the Shadow World [Shadow World: The Secret Tale of the Waning Holy Rite] last time, Dekan had very seriously written a handbook for her.
It contained various situations she might encounter after getting separated from Dekan, and how she should respond.
However.
Cornelia also believed that Dekan would come to find her very soon.
It was like this in the last Shadow World too.
Without anyone waiting for long, Dekan ran over and found her in the enormous city-state.
Seeing Cornelia's calm appearance, the leader named Elaine couldn't help but say:
"I knew your courage was extraordinary the first moment I saw you. Someone like you can survive on this layer."
Beside them, there was also a young warrior who said to Cornelia somewhat ashamedly:
"Originally, gathering this batch of supplies should have been my task; sorry to trouble you."
Cornelia shook her head:
"Consider it repayment to you guys. It's what I should do."
While chatting, they marched rapidly towards the human prisoner camp.
After more than ten minutes.
They bypassed layers of iron walls.
And arrived at an open camp.
There were two people on guard in the camp.
There were also a few people sleeping.
Not counting the newcomer Cornelia.
There were only ten survivors left on this layer.
Currently, a well-functioning group had been formed.
The group was divided into the Scout Team, the Gathering Team, and the Guard Team.
The Scout Team mainly determined the position of the Warden, Faceless Igna, in his vicinity.
Once the Warden came within a certain warning distance of the camp.
One person from the Scout Team needed to quickly return to the camp to report, allowing the camp to relocate immediately.
The Gathering Team needed to collect the periodic supply drops and bring them back to the camp.
Because on this layer, they needed to avoid the wandering, indiscriminately destructive Warden at all times, it was hard for the prisoners to sleep peacefully.
Their sleep was basically fragmented.
Sometimes sleeping soundly for an hour was considered good.
The Guard Team needed to quickly wake up the resting companions when the Scout Team notified them of Faceless Igna's approach.
And be ready at any time to move the remaining supplies to a safe location.
The greatest rule for the survivors on this layer was: no disputes, no getting angry, absolutely no panicking.
Otherwise, it was very easy to attract the Warden.
Many prisoners who were sent to this layer early on had seen too many desperate scenes.
Hundreds of people could die out in a single night.
For example, two people fighting over supplies, triggering a dispute, then both being locked onto by the Warden, and finally being brutally torn to shreds in despair.
Sometimes, even if one did nothing, one might be affected by a person nearby who suddenly succumbed to fear.
Or perhaps, being too cold, too sleepy, or too hungry, one fell into a deep sleep and then got caught in the wandering Warden's indiscriminate attacks.
Every minute and second of survival on this layer was torture.
If people were still like loose sand, it would be even more like hell.
Many people, after enduring for a few days, ultimately chose to commit suicide.
Because suicide was better than being caught by the Warden and torn into pieces of meat alive.
They had no confidence in defeating their own fear, and could simply see no hope.
And now.
The fact that the survivors could coordinate, support, and help each other.
It was simply a miracle.
The one who coordinated all this and stabilized the hearts of all survivors was Elaine.
She formulated rules and plans.
And encouraged people with all her might to live on.
Or rather, what Elaine really did.
Was give hope of survival to this group of people deep in despair.
Because they had faith, had expectations, they could persist for so long.
And they also believed Elaine's words—
No matter the struggle, as long as they lived on expecting tomorrow, one day they would wait until the Demon Race was defeated, and they could leave this Demon Realm Prison.
Unknowingly, Elaine had become the pillar in their hearts.
When Cornelia first came to this layer, she was met by the Gathering Team composed of Elaine and the young warrior.
The noise of Cornelia's appearance was misunderstood by the Gathering Team as supplies appearing, and it just so happened that the Warden was also in that area at the time.
Due to a lack of manpower and severe physical exhaustion, the Gathering Team originally composed of two people was exceptionally tired.
Cornelia's help undoubtedly helped them breathe a huge sigh of relief.
After settling down in the camp.
The middle-aged mage of the Guard Team asked Elaine about Cornelia's situation and nodded quickly.
This red-haired girl who looked weak possessed a toughness inconsistent with her appearance, undoubtedly making people feel extra reassured.
There were quite a few supply boxes in the camp.
Even empty boxes could be used as good materials for floor mats or stools.
Elaine quickly counted the new supplies, pinched the bridge of her nose, seeming to struggle to plan the distribution scheme in her mind.
Soon, after the planning was complete, she began directing the young warrior who came back with them just now to distribute the food.
Then.
Elaine finally sat down on a box.
Looking somewhat haggard.
"Sister Elaine, how long has it been since you rested?"
Cornelia asked beside her.
"Not long. Send the supplies to the Scout Team first; their work is the most important."
Elaine's face was a bit pale, but she still managed to squeeze out a trace of a smile to answer.
"Elaine, no matter who collapses, you cannot collapse. Please don't be foolish."
At this time, the middle-aged mage of the Guard Team urged seriously.
There was no paper or pen here; all the maps and plans were in Elaine's mind.
Once Elaine was lost, the operation of their group would fall into chaos.
"Let me go. Cornelia and Sister Elaine should both rest well."
The young warrior who returned with them just now volunteered to deliver food supplies to the Scout Team.
"Mm, okay."
Elaine looked up at the middle-aged mage, then nodded seriously.
Then Elaine closed her eyes.
She silently recited the estimated time again.
As prisoners on this layer, they had gradually lost the concept of time.
"Are you still keeping track of time?"
The middle-aged mage asked.
He actually couldn't bear to see Elaine consuming more brainpower.
"Yes, Uncle Ryan, this is very important. If one day we can escape, we need to know which year and which day it is."
Elaine said to the middle-aged mage.
The mage named Ryan was one of only two Tier 7 powerhouses among the survivors on this layer.
And the other one was Elaine.
But even with their combined efforts, they were completely no match for the Tier 8 demon Faceless Igna.
They couldn't even hinder him.
"I actually never fantasized about being able to escape one day, but, I believe in you, Elaine."
Mage Ryan said.
Soon, he walked away, returning to his guard post.
Elaine, with a gentle smile but a trace of distress between her brows, looked at Cornelia and asked:
"Cornelia, I'm going to take a nap. If you still have extra energy, could I trouble you to fill in for the guard duty? Uncle Ryan is actually very exhausted too."
"No problem."
"Thank you, Cornelia. When I wake up, you rest well. It's really been hard on you."
After speaking, Elaine lowered her head and fell asleep.
Clearly, she had been working for too long without rest.
Cornelia looked at the people in the camp.
Regardless of age, everyone looked slightly weathered.
Every day on this layer was a torment to the mind.
But they ultimately survived tenaciously like seedlings in winter.
...
Tens of minutes later.
The young warrior finally returned to the camp; his first action was to come to Elaine's side, attempting to wake her up.
Cornelia and Mage Ryan both noticed something wrong with the young warrior.
Because they saw the young warrior's face was somewhat pale, and his hands couldn't stop trembling.
Just as Cornelia was about to stop him.
Elaine seemed to sense the movement too and slowly opened her eyes.
"Sister Elaine, I have something to tell you."
The young warrior seemed to have made some resolve, looking at Elaine.
Elaine nodded, signaling Mage Ryan and Cornelia not to stop the young warrior.
Soon the young warrior walked to Elaine's side and whispered in her ear:
"Philos and Ada are dead."
Elaine suddenly woke up completely, her eyes widening.
Philos and Ada were the names of the Scout Team on rotation today.
"Wake everyone up and move the base immediately!"
Elaine made a decision instantly, as if by instinct.
However, just as she intended to continue asking the young warrior about the detailed situation.
"They weren't killed by the Warden, but poisoned. Purple blood flowed from their seven orifices before they died. Their bodies are at..."
After whispering this sentence in Elaine's ear, the young warrior ran away without looking back, leaving the camp.
"No...!"
Elaine's eyes widened. She wanted to say something, but only reached out her hand, unable to open her mouth to stop this young warrior.
She also understood at this moment why the young warrior only told her the information and why he ran away.
If the two scouts were killed by the Warden, it was just an accidental tragedy.
But if.
They were poisoned by humans.
Then the nature of it was different!
This meant there was a traitor!
Besides the Warden, there were other dangers among the survivors on this layer!
And why the young warrior ran away.
It was because he had lost to fear.
When he suddenly witnessed the tragic death of his companions with his own eyes.
And figured out the true horror of this layer in his heart—there was a traitor.
Originally thinking he could just drag out a feeble existence every day, his heart finally fell into despair, uncontrollably tainted with fear.
On this layer, fear was like a toxin that would intensify.
Apart from attracting the Warden.
It would also sprout uncontrollably in a person's heart, growing wildly.
If one couldn't calm one's heart, one would only panic more and more, a vicious cycle.
Realizing one was locked onto by the Warden, watching the Warden getting closer and closer, almost seeing the future where one would be torn to shreds, the less hope one had of controlling one's inner self.
The young warrior didn't want to bring the Warden to the camp.
So after telling the key intelligence to Elaine, he left without hesitation.
If a traitor appeared in this camp, in the young warrior's view, only Elaine was trustworthy.
He couldn't tell the truth to everyone.
Because that would cause mass panic among the crowd, leading to a team wipe.
In the end, he chose to leave it to Elaine to judge alone.
"Why... what exactly is going on..."
Elaine held her head, feeling somewhat mentally collapsed for a moment.
"No!"
But she gritted her teeth and forced herself to perk up.
PART 2
Elaine hurriedly looked at the middle-aged Mage Ryan and Cornelia beside her.
"Uncle Ryan, Cornelia, go find him and bring him back! Tell him not to be afraid, I'm here! I will lead the camp to evacuate. Then Uncle Ryan, take Cornelia to Area 335; if not there, look in Area 523."
These numbers were names given by Elaine to certain specific areas in this prison layer.
Over a long period, not only was Elaine quite familiar with the terrain of this layer, but she had also roughly found the movement patterns of the Warden.
Although not necessarily accurate, she could ultimately guess the Warden's position to a certain extent.
Among everyone, only Cornelia, who just arrived here today, was in a state of abundant stamina.
In addition, Cornelia had been with Elaine since she appeared.
She wouldn't have had the chance to lay a heavy hand.
Her suspicion could be ruled out.
And Mage Ryan was also an elder she trusted.
Most importantly, the steady Ryan was the pillar of the camp second only to her; he wouldn't easily be tainted by fear.
Soon, they began to split up.
Elaine directed personally, leading the camp people to the new campsite.
...
Elaine didn't wait too long.
Middle-aged Mage Ryan and Cornelia found their way there.
"Did he... not make it?"
Elaine bit her lip tightly and asked with a painful expression.
Ryan looked at Elaine with a gloomy face and shook his head.
"...He still couldn't defeat the fear and was caught and killed by the Warden."
Both Ryan and Cornelia witnessed that terrifying bloody scene with their own eyes.
"Sigh..."
Elaine's voice sounded unsure whether it was more sadness or powerlessness.
Ironically on this layer, even sorrow was not allowed.
Because that would attract the Warden.
Elaine forced her emotions down, pushing the corners of her mouth up with her fingers.
"At times like this, we absolutely cannot lose to our own weakness..."
Elaine said with a choking voice.
Her smile was uglier than crying.
But this appearance made Mage Ryan and Cornelia both feel a pang of heartache.
"What happened?"
Mage Ryan asked in a whisper with a serious expression.
He also realized something was wrong.
"..."
Elaine fell silent for a moment.
She finally decided to tell the truth to these two people with strong mental qualities.
"Philos and Ada were poisoned by someone, not killed by the Warden."
Elaine painfully recited the names of the two sacrificed Scout Team members.
"..."
This time it was the other two's turn to fall into silence.
"I need to find Philos and Ada's bodies; I must find intelligence. The murderer must be hiding among everyone."
Elaine said firmly.
Seeing Mage Ryan and Cornelia return, she could leave with peace of mind.
"Then I'll go with you."
Ryan said.
"No, Uncle Ryan, someone needs to command when I'm away. Cornelia, you come with me."
In a sense, the one Elaine trusted most at this moment was actually this girl who was just sent here today.
Because this girl had been with her since she appeared.
Ryan naturally understood this logic too, didn't say much more, and nodded:
"Go investigate with ease."
So after Elaine quickly assigned new guard work arrangements, she took Cornelia and left the camp.
...
Two figures skimmed through the dim light, their reflections on the grey walls of the cold iron prison not causing a single ripple.
The heavy iron walls with attached spells were like pens for livestock; a heavy oppressive feeling shrouded every corner.
Cornelia followed Elaine, who knew the way, marching at high speed towards the target area.
"Do you know where their bodies are?"
Cornelia asked.
"Yes, and if the intelligence is correct, their bodies will carry poison. The Warden won't eat poisoned corpses, so it's very likely they haven't been destroyed yet."
The young warrior had told Elaine in the end which area the bodies were in.
"Cornelia, their bodies might be very scary later; please don't be frightened in an instant. We don't have Scout Team support now either; if we encounter problems, please listen to my command, don't panic."
"Ah okay, okay."
Cornelia answered.
Hearing Cornelia's reply, Elaine, who was sprinting in front, narrowed her eyes slightly, the corners of her mouth lifting in a faint arc.
The malice in her pupils flickered in and out; it seemed she could hardly suppress her killing intent.
Without a doubt, she was a Jailer who had come to this layer from the fourth layer early on.
She had stayed on the fifth layer for a long time.
Through her long-term planning and exquisite acting, she had finally trapped the hearts of the prisoners on this layer firmly.
Even becoming their faith.
Although the Tier 7 Elaine could toy with and hunt the prisoners on this layer one by one.
But doing so wouldn't bring her pleasure.
What she liked most was seeing their desperate expressions of total collapse after toying with their hearts.
Now, she had found a way on this layer to see the most wonderful expressions.
Even if this layer didn't reward Devil Points.
She would play this game.
That was to become everyone's savior and spiritual pillar.
Then one day, open the curtain by causing the death of one or two people.
Triggering a trembling killing game of mutual suspicion!
Then, she would frame all the guilt on the Tier 7 Mage Ryan.
Guiding everyone to kill Ryan with their own hands, making him die with grievances.
Finally, when everyone thought they had passed the hardest test, the danger was over, hope was seen again, and they trusted Elaine even more.
She would reveal her identity!
Letting everyone understand that everything before was actually her playing this group of humans in the palm of her hand!
And the only Tier 7 Mage Ryan who possibly could have saved them.
Had already been killed by these foolish people's own hands long ago.
Thinking that her perfect masterpiece was about to succeed, and she would be able to see the despairing expressions when the things people believed in deeply were thoroughly trampled and crushed, she felt numb all over, unable to bear it.
But.
This game that was supposed to open today.
An uninvited guest barged in.
All the changes started with the appearance of this red-haired girl.
Originally, Elaine didn't pay much attention to Cornelia's arrival.
Because for this game she had planned long ago to start today, one more object to ravage wasn't bad.
But when the poison Elaine had planted early today killed those two Scout Team members.
She discovered she only obtained 250 Devil Points from each person!
Originally the reward should be 500 Devil Points per person!
This could only mean one thing.
That was—
There was another Jailer on this layer!
Sharing the Devil Points with her.
Obviously, this suddenly appearing red-haired girl was the new Jailer!
It was impossible that this red-haired girl was a prisoner, and just before those two scouts died, another Jailer happened to descend, right?
According to Elaine's judgment.
This red-haired girl's super strong mental quality also fit the identity of a demon very well.
It wasn't hard to determine she was the new Jailer.
Although Elaine discovered the red-haired girl's rank was lower than she imagined.
But the red-haired girl's monster-like strength and stamina.
Presumably, the main body was some kind of extremely high-ranking dragon demon.
Once she fully released her power, Elaine wasn't confident she could beat her for sure.
After all, Elaine wasn't a demon skilled in combat.
But a demon skilled in bewitching and deceiving, prying into enemy minds.
However, this red-haired girl looked very dumb.
She probably couldn't guess Elaine's identity in such a short time.
Even if she guessed it, it didn't matter.
As long as she guided her to the vicinity of the Warden.
She could get her killed!
Because no one knew this layer better than Elaine.
Even other Jailers wouldn't stay on the fifth layer for so long just to enjoy the fun like her.
Not only could she quickly find the Warden, Faceless Igna, but she also had ways to use mental magic to disturb the red-haired girl's mind.
Enraging the red-haired girl, guiding the Warden to lock onto and attack her!
As long as Cornelia was taken out.
Next would be Elaine's solitary paradise.
Elaine had already started celebrating in her heart how to torture this red-haired guy later.
Daring to take away her 500 Devil Points, and coming to delay her good deed.
Gradually.
Along with their march, the roar of the Warden, Faceless Igna, came from ahead.
The two also braked their steps, started to slow down, walking very cautiously and slowly.
"Sister Elaine? The Tier 8 demon is right ahead; should we detour?"
Cornelia asked.
"No need, the road here is hard to detour; delaying too long might let this demon destroy the bodies. Cornelia, are you afraid?"
Elaine answered firmly.
"Not afraid."
"Then let's go."
"Okay."
Elaine glanced back at Cornelia slightly.
Seeing Cornelia following her without turning back, she was already laughing inside.
A few more seconds.
And you will witness true hell.
Hehehehe.
Elaine sneered in her heart.
Just moving forward slowly like this.
When passing the next corner.
The Warden, Faceless Igna, appeared in front of them.
Elaine had also prepared her spell, just waiting for Cornelia to get a bit closer to backstab her!
However.
Elaine, who had originally channeled her magic power, suddenly stopped.
She looked in the direction of the Warden, Faceless Igna, seemingly stupefied.
And her expression also became very strange; her pupils couldn't help but start trembling.
She indeed saw that familiar Tier 8 demon, Faceless Igna.
He had a huge body, covered in blood-stained black gauze; above the ferocious sharp teeth, one could only vaguely see the outlines of eyes that were sunken in; the occasional roar exuded a bloodthirsty and violent aura.
But.
This Tier 8 demon was called Terror.
The thing she saw was called Weirdness.
She saw this Tier 8 demon's movement pattern was exceptionally strange right now.
"This..."
Elaine even suspected a little if there was something wrong with her eyes.
She rubbed her eyes.
Finally confirming she wasn't seeing things!
At this moment, she didn't have any other thoughts, even forgetting she was going to harm Cornelia.
Because she witnessed a bizarre scene she hadn't imagined in her entire life.
She saw on the long corridor ahead.
A gray-haired girl squatting on the ground sobbing.
Faceless Igna smelled her intense helplessness, fear, and despair, and instantly locked onto her position.
Starting to sprint towards her!
But just as Igna was about to get close.
"Yahoo!"
She suddenly stood up, her expression changing from a storm to clear skies, becoming exceptionally happy, laughing and shouting to the opposite side:
"Morion, it's your turn!"
Then.
Far away opposite the gray-haired girl, which was on the other side of Faceless Igna, a youth with pear-wood colored hair began to frown.
"So angry, why on earth do I have to work overtime to fight this Tier 8 demon!"
Faceless Igna smelled the youth's irritability and anger again, jerked his head back, and charged in the youth's direction.
However, just a few steps after Faceless Igna stepped out, the youth's expression suddenly became light as the wind and calm as the clouds.
"Oh my, the heart turns with the road, the heart's road is always wide."
Then he shouted towards the gray-haired girl:
"Your turn!"
So the gray-haired girl clutched her chest again, muttering to herself with an expression of extreme grief:
"Pain! Too much pain!"
Faceless Igna: "???"
Faceless Igna simply couldn't understand why the negative emotions in this vicinity were so abundant.
It was like there was a pile of negative energy groups, constantly appearing suddenly and disappearing suddenly, making him completely confused!
Like ghosts were playing tricks on him!
Moreover.
Faceless Igna didn't notice at all.
At this moment he couldn't feel pain.
Because he was tagged with [Pain Shielding] magic by Dekan.
And on the ground between Dekan and Morion, it was paved with ground spikes and sharp blades carrying deadly poison.
Faceless Igna's behavior of running back and forth was actually equivalent to rolling on blades.
But Igna himself didn't realize in the slightest that his blood had already covered the ground.
If this continued, even if he had powerful self-healing abilities, he would be worn to death sooner or later.
"What... are these two things?"
Elaine was completely dumbfounded on the spot.
She had never thought anyone dared to play with a Tier 8 Warden as a toy like this.
She felt like she was having a nightmare.
Those two guys in the distance cried one moment and laughed the next, like two psychopaths.
That acting skill freely retracting and releasing, and that morbid mental quality, made Elaine not know how to describe them.
So not only were you not afraid of the Warden at all.
You started self-hypnosis, controlling your own emotions to play around, is that it?!
Although Elaine didn't know what exactly those two great gods were.
But right now she instinctively felt a chill on her spine.
She just wanted to turn around and run.
These two things, whether they were humans or demons or other creatures or simply not creatures...
Were too terrifying!!