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墨書 Inktalez
I closed my eyes and lay on the bed. Stunning had already left, and I actually wanted to thank her. From Picturesque onward, she had been helping me all along. After all, she was quite pitiful herself.
The man she loved in life did not believe her, which directly led to her death.
After death, she became an Earthbound Spirit for so long. Just when she finally managed to leave that place, she had to go to another dangerous person. One wrong move could lead to disaster.
So before Stunning left, I asked her, "Do you regret doing this? You really don't have to push yourself so hard."
"There are very few people in this world who treat me well, and coincidentally, you and the Lord are two of them. You both gave me a new life; what is there to regret? Besides, who knows? I might really become the Queen of the Underworld! Have a little faith in me!"
The more she spoke with that cheerful tone, the more uncomfortable I felt inside.
Everyone knows how to put on a brave face, and everyone can do it.
So, Stunning, thank you.
In a daze, I fell into sleep. Not long after, I heard that sharp sound from the last time in the room—a piercing noise like nails scraping harshly against glass.
I suddenly opened my eyes but quickly found myself unable to move. My left Middle Finger throbbed painfully, and then I distinctly felt something burrowing into my body, racing through my organs until it finally settled in my womb.
"Ah, so you are the Lord of the Ghost Fetus. Why didn't Stunning tell me? Hahaha... If I eat your child, wouldn't that mean I could escape this form? Who knows, I might even become a tyrant in the underworld."
"No, don't harm my child!"
I screamed but couldn't hear my own voice. This feeling of being unable to move or speak was all too familiar. All I could do was close my eyes and shout loudly in my heart.
"Don't touch me, you filthy bug!"
A soft child's voice echoed in my mind, and suddenly, I was greeted by a burst of light. Before me stood a massive green tree, its branches swaying and rustling. Delicate yet sturdy willow twigs tightly bound a large, ugly Giant Bug, the sharp sound emanating from its body.
"Ouch, little ancestor, don't treat me like this! I was wrong, can't you let me go? I still need to take your mother away from here! If we wait too long, your mother and father will be angry."
From the tree, the baby's voice was sweet and tender. Though its eyes remained closed, the voice was clear. "Let me tell you, if you dare to bully my mom and dad, I won't let you off."
"Baby?" I was overjoyed to hear the child's voice. "What did you say about your dad?"
"Mommy." The baby called out to me brightly. "Next time, come with Daddy to see me! I'm going to be born soon! Very soon, I'll be held and loved by Mommy and Daddy."
Tears flowed easily down my cheeks. The woman named Jun truly hadn't lied to me; this child's memory had been wiped clean. They didn't remember anything from before and held no hatred towards Jun Chong.
For me, that was enough.
"Mommy, I know I can't talk right now, so I'll keep sleeping! You have to do your best!"
"Yes, baby, you too."
"Ouch!"
The Giant Bug fell to the ground, wriggling its body and moving its tail as if it were touching a sore spot. It looked both ridiculous and funny, making me laugh.
It twisted its large body closer to me. I noticed it was covered in slime, leaving charred black marks wherever it had walked. I asked, "Why is it like this?"
"We are the Soul Devouring Insects. As the name suggests, we are creatures that consume souls, representing the complete annihilation of a spirit. Long ago, we were nobles sustained by the Underworld. Any Vengeful Spirit that defied the decrees of the Underworld would face our total extermination."
"Then why are you imprisoned in the Underworld?"
"Because of a coup."
The Giant Bug uttered those four words, followed by an uncontrollable sigh.
"The Underworld is easy to enter but difficult to escape. The heavier the Malice, the harder it is to leave. But for us Soul Devouring Insects, it is a place we must return to; no matter how far we flee, we will die there."
I pressed my lips together and said nothing more. Some things were beyond my influence, so it was best not to ask.
"What should I do now?"
"Close your eyes and sleep for a while. When you wake up, you'll be in the Underworld. Just wait for them then. Don't worry; I won't harm you. Your Demon Fetus is too powerful; I don't want to die yet."
"Okay." I nodded lightly. "By the way, even though I don’t know your name, thank you."
It paused for a moment, then flicked its tail and swam away to another spot.
I closed my eyes and fell asleep quickly, free from worry, until a cacophony jolted me awake and a foul stench invaded my nostrils.
As I opened my eyes, I found myself in a dimly lit place, gloomier than anywhere else I had been. The gray sky loomed low above me, just out of reach.
Strange-shaped rocks stood everywhere, uneven in height, while magma flowed like rivers through the grooves. Even a small stone dropping would release a puff of hot air and make a hissing sound as it turned to dust and settled into the ground.
The temperature around me felt extremely hot, the vegetation sparse, resembling the dryness of a desert, making my skin uncomfortable.
I leaned against a rocky outcrop; the uneven stones pressed painfully against my back. Every movement sent a jolt through my joints, making it feel as if they might fall apart. Gritting my teeth, I caught sight of a Giant Bug crawling nearby.
"You're awake?" it asked.
I looked around and then inquired, "Where is this place?"
"Underworld."
I was taken aback. This place felt nothing like any realm of the underworld I had imagined. Even though I didn't know what the essence of death was, I could sense an inescapable aura of mortality here.
The air was thick with gloom, devoid of any joy; it was filled with slaughter and bloodshed, reminiscent of an ancient battlefield shrouded in smoke. Only the strong survived, while the weak perished.
"Survival of the fittest."
"Yes, that's how it is here," the Giant Bug explained. "Don’t be fooled by its appearance; this place has its own rulers. But unlike the outside world, where status and identity matter, here it's all about strength. The strongest rules; if they die, someone stronger will take their place. That's why there’s constant fighting here. Those who can’t escape and don’t want to get involved can only hide."
I turned to see it sighing heavily. "So your kind lives like this every day?"
"What else can we do? Even if we manage to leave, we’ll eventually return to this place, waiting for death to come." It scratched its large head and looked at me with its tiny eyes. "This is our curse."
"A curse is always something that leaves one feeling resentful."
"But we don’t believe that. There must be a way to break the curse."
As I gazed into the distance, the Giant Bug suddenly said, "Stay here until the Grim Reaper arrives! This is my resting place, and it's relatively safe. I'll go check the situation outside, but you mustn't wander off. It's chaotic here, and it's easy to get lost. If other spirits discover your presence, you'll be in danger."
I nodded. "Thank you for your hard work. I'll wait for you to come back."
I was indeed waiting, as I felt a deep sense of fear even in my breathing; it was truly chilling, let alone actually going outside.
Curling my legs up, I stared into the dimness ahead and sighed heavily.
In the past, I often lamented that my life was too calm and dull, but from the moment I encountered Jun Chong, all of that vanished. What awaited me were crises after crises and greater challenges.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would one day enter the underworld. Yet here I was, unable to leave, and if things went wrong, I might truly die.
"Even if I'm really going to die, I want to wait until the day of success arrives."
The Giant Bug had been gone for a long time. I couldn't tell whether it was dawn or dusk outside; the air here had shifted from sweltering heat to bone-chilling cold.
I hugged my shoulders tightly, curling my body up and rubbing my hands together. The breath I exhaled was pure white vapor, indicating that the temperature here was at least below freezing.
"Are you cold?" The Giant Bug wriggled back into view and glanced at me. "This environment is hot during the day and cool at night. Unless you have spiritual power to protect yourself, it's hard to endure the nighttime temperatures. But I don't approve of you being like this."
Not to mention that I didn't have any spiritual power; even if I did, it wouldn't help!
"Are you afraid that my presence will be detected by others?"
The Giant Bug nodded. "How about this? You can come into my cave to rest for a while; we can go out tomorrow. It's cold in there too, but at least it will be a bit warmer."
I glanced at a dark cave not far away and turned to ask, "What did you find out?"
"The King of the Underworld discovered that you were taken by the Soul Devouring Insect. He has already dispatched Qin Ling and Lianchi, two reapers, leading two teams into the Underworld. By the time I returned, they had already entered the Underworld entrance. If nothing unexpected happens, there will be a massacre there tonight. Sigh, many souls will die again."
"They just barged in like that?"
I was surprised. At a time like this, it would be better to act more discreetly; it would yield better results. Qin Ling and Lianchi are not fools, especially Lianchi with that kind of personality; he would definitely use an unexpected approach to infiltrate.
But now they were being so direct—why?
"I also find it quite abrupt. However, Lord Qin Ling is bloodthirsty; he usually acts straightforwardly without beating around the bush. Moreover, he is exceptionally powerful, able to take on hundreds alone. Many say that although he hasn't been out for long, he has already earned the title of the first Rakshasa General Rong Zhi from back in the day. Everyone says he is highly valued by the King of the Underworld and could very well become the second Rong Zhi, inheriting the reputation of the first Rakshasa."
As Giant Bug spoke, it twisted its body and led me into its cave. Upon entering, I was hit by a foul, rotting smell. Giant Bug awkwardly explained, "I've lived here for a long time; this smell won't go away. Just bear with it! It's better than freezing to death!"
"Okay." I found a spot to sit down when suddenly my stomach growled loudly. Giant Bug flicked its tail and asked, "Are you hungry?"
"Yes, do you have anything to eat?"
"I do have something, but I'm afraid you won't like it." Giant Bug turned around and said, "I'll go find something; wait for me here and don't go outside. It's chaotic out there right now; innocent people could get caught up in it."
I wanted to tell it not to go, but it moved quickly and disappeared with a swift motion.
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