Deep in the Living
Chapter 292 - 280: Pilgrimage Experience

Chapter 292: Chapter 280: Pilgrimage Experience

[Sin & Karma Bridge]

Given that this bridge leads directly to the territory of the Sequence group, Luo Di imagined it early on as a majestic bridge with a huge metal structure.

However, when he arrived at the so-called great bridge, there was nothing to be seen at first glance.

All that lay before him was a cliff brimming with a metallic luster, and the opposite side shrouded in white fog, unclear how far one had to cross to reach the other side.

Only by standing at the edge and observing carefully could one slowly discern the so-called "great bridge".

The entire bridge was made of extremely thin iron wires spaced 0.5m apart, totaling 166 strands.

The "thinness" of each iron wire was extreme, making it almost invisible to the naked eye, ensuring that anyone of a normal weight stepping on it would inevitably be cut open by the sharp wires.

Moreover, these were not ordinary cuts. These iron wires were products of the Sequence group, and once they cut through flesh, the pain felt would be magnified several times, affecting the spiritual level as well.

It was not easy to cross the bridge.

At present, quite a few demons were completing this step, which is also the most difficult part of the torture pilgrimage.

These demons were entirely different from those called Spine; even humans were superior to their small and frail bodies.

They were also the kind of frailty that came with severe malnutrition, with each probably weighing less than 50 kilograms.

They pressed their bodies against the iron wires and crossed the bridge in a wriggling manner.

Even though they were very light, and they dispersed their weight as much as possible, their bodies would still be cut open, and agony would seep into their bodies through the wounds, affecting their nerves.

If the pain caused their bodies to tremble, the iron wires would slice open more flesh, deepening their suffering.

Layer upon layer, this would eventually lead to individuals being consumed by agony, cut into pieces of flesh, and falling from the bridge.

The bridge-crossers were almost required to avoid any superfluous movement and maintain a straight line.

Luo Di and Agatha were already standing at the edge of the cliff, where Crow Colt and the iron rod were fully retracted.

"So these are the pilgrims from before?"

"Yes, the pain pilgrims~ To gain recognition from the Sequence group, to be bestowed a Hell Item, one must embark on the journey to the Great Monastery on foot.

To do so, they need to cross the Pain Mountain Range, trek through the Pain Sensation Plain, and traverse the Sin & Karma Bridge.

The pilgrims themselves must have the physical constitution to endure suffering, and try to lose weight as much as possible during their journey, to have a chance at crossing this bridge.

When I crossed the Sin & Karma Bridge more than two years ago, I only weighed a tenth of what I weigh now."

"Do we also need to step on the iron wires to cross?"

"That’s not necessary. We have already received recognition from the Sequence group; there is no mandatory requirement to cross the bridge. Any method of crossing will do.

Of course, if you, Luo Di, would like to try it out, it’s also fine. After all, you are a specially chosen disciple of Lord Hook, and you haven’t gone through such a routine process.

Don’t underestimate this as just an assessment process,

Any demon that relies on their perseverance to complete the torturous pilgrimage inherently forms a basic insight into suffering, which is far greater than when they first started their journey."

"Hmm, I’ll go over and try it in a bit."

Luo Di took a step forward, looking into the abyss below the cliff that seemed to have no end.

"Is this the Hell Rift Valley?"

"Yes, most of the huge rifts you see in True Hell lead directly to the depths of Hell. Throwing that rat’s head down there will fulfill the bounty requirement."

"Shall the two of us throw it together?"

Agatha waved her hand, "No need, the kill was realized by you mainly, I just helped a bit.

Plus, this is your first visit to True Hell, the contribution is more important to you... As long as you, Luo Di, can find some time to come to the Monastery to find me, telling me more stories will be sufficient.

I am very curious to hear what happened to the ’squad leader’ later on, to see if it’s as I imagined."

"Understood."

Luo Di indeed needed what was called contribution; he also wanted to buy some Hell products, preferably ones that could be taken back to Earth.

He removed the pitch-black skull hanging from the saddle and tossed it into the rift.

At that moment, a hint of molten lava’s brilliance seemed to flicker deep within the dark rift.

Immediately after, a special kind of ashes floated upwards, as if possessed by consciousness, autonomously drifting toward Luo Di, the individual who had thrown the wanted criminal’s head.

Luo Di did not reject it and maintained normal breathing, inhaling the ashes.

Suddenly, the voice of Hell echoed in his mind.

≮Scylla. The Black Rat Tail has been confirmed dead, Hell contribution has been inhaled≯

Luo Di could vividly feel the ashes being carried by the blood throughout his body after they entered his lungs and passed through the alveoli.

If he needed, he could simply cut his finger to release the contribution as blood crystals from his body, for trade with the merchants.

"Interesting..."

Catching the glint of light in Luo Di’s eyes, Agatha quickly said:

"If you, Luo Di, are interested in contributions, you can come to the Great Monastery for a detailed discussion later. We might be able to form a squad, like the Simulation Practice you talked about, and work together to earn contributions."

"Okay."

"Then let’s get ready to cross the bridge. Are you really going to experience walking across? It may take some time."

"Just experiencing it once; roughly how long would it take?"

"It generally takes pilgrims a full thirty hours of climbing to cross it, but thankfully, ash storms do not occur in the bridge area, so one only needs to persist in crawling across."

"Got it, I understand."

"Then I’ll wait for you on the opposite side of the bridge."

Agatha once again gathered all her strength and threw the iron rod, flying across the bridge in the same fashion, and soon disappeared into the mist.

Luo Di looked at the fine iron wires in front of him, indistinguishable to the naked eye, and observed the pilgrims who weighed much less than himself yet were crawling slowly.

Exhale...

Luo Di could think of many methods to traverse the iron wires.

For example, constructing torture device metal with the same hardness under his feet, or wrapping the steel wires with tentacle structures, and so on.

"Since this is a path every monk must traverse, I need to walk it seriously too, to experience this so-called pilgrimage... The Great Monastery arranges this highly difficult pilgrimage of suffering for a reason.

There’s no need for abilities, I need to walk across in the simplest manner possible, just like the pilgrims."

Without using any abilities.

Luo Di even put away his shoes in his backpack and stepped barefoot onto the [bridge] in front of him.

The moment his foot soles touched the steel wires, a faint sound emanated from beneath, quieter than the rustling of grass.

Blood filled Luo Di’s eyes,

the moment he stepped on the steel wire with his right leg, it was sliced in half up to the bone at his knee before it finally stopped.

This pain inflicted by the iron wires was vastly different from that of the Punishment Room, as though each fine wire was plucking at every nerve and wedged between each blood vessel.

"No, with my current weight, it’s simply impossible for me to step properly on the iron wires, and even if I could bear the pain, I wouldn’t be able to cross this bridge.

All the pilgrims who come here have reduced their weight in advance.

Reducing weight is a must,

or rather, the pilgrims accepted by the Great Monastery are skinny bodies devoid of almost any nutrition, used as prototypes to rebuild the monk’s physique.

There’s definitely not enough time for a conventional weight reduction... Let’s do this."

Grayness hovered within his brain.

The special ability gifted by his squad leader activated - [Disguise].

Luo Di imagined himself as a being without a skeletal frame, where tentacles immediately adhered to all parts of his body, softening his bones.

Gradually, the fundamental characteristics of his body changed,

and Luo Di’s robust frame as a Spine began to soften – even the primary metal spine became flexible like a strip of dark soft tissue.

(Some physical excretion and peeling are indispensable)

Weight plummeted.

Stepping on the iron wires again, swish! This time the cutting only opened a gash about 5-10 cm deep in his foot, not affecting normal movement.

Just like this.

Savoring the adequately intense suffering,

and walking on the steel wires invisible to the naked eye,

Luo Di traversed the Bridge of Sin and Misdeed on foot,

the disguise effect provided by the pituitary intertwined with suffering deepened the connection to the Hell System and the Corner.

From the initial trial walk, to walking normally, to jogging after one hour.

Luo Di’s thoughts gradually strayed from the bridge,

returning to the high school campus, to the long run trainings during physical education class... His feet had fully adapted to the pain, turning it into the sensation of stepping on a running track.

As Agatha said.

Luo Di physically crossed the Bridge of Sin and Misdeed, experiencing the monk’s unique pilgrimage journey, gaining new insights on the level of suffering.

Moreover,

the tranquility from the pilgrimage integrated all of Luo Di’s previous assessment killings in Nest City, with the experience of battling wanted criminals, into special nourishment absorbed by the spine.

The metal spine slowly changed and grew in this process.

As Luo Di’s mind immersed in the schoolyard run, he noticed fewer and fewer people on the track,

his classmates were completely falling behind and disappearing due to his speed.

By the time the track was left with only him,

the finish line appeared.

But the finish line here wasn’t a white line, it was a [door] hidden within the thick fog.

Luo Di could only vaguely see its outline, incomplete though it was.

"This is... my door!"

The moment Luo Di realized this and wished to see this so-called door more clearly, snap! He was already stepping on the metallic-feeling ground surface, having crossed the Bridge of Sin and Misdeed.

The [door] that was shrouded in the fog in his mind had vanished,

leaving only faint and fragmented memories deep within his brain.