Deep in the Living
Chapter 303 - 291: The Call

Chapter 303: Chapter 291: The Call

≮Hell’s Warrant - Kuleon≯

[Introduction]: While lurking in the shadows, Kuleon killed his fellow comrades on the battlefield to save his own life, and sucked their spinal marrow. After being discovered, he was permanently exiled with his spine stained grey.

There had been no news of him for the next three years.

Until last year, some trade insects that came over from Hell’s Dark Side by boat were killed shortly after leaving Navel Port, their goods stolen, and their heads and skin completely stripped.

For severely violating the rules of Hell, a warrant was issued in the Sin Room of the Great Monastery.

[Hell Rank]: On the eve of Demon Ascension (suspected gate construction in progress)

[Spine Type and Quality]: Fluid Dragon Spine, S-Rank.

[Main Activity Area]: Coastal areas (aboveboard), mainly targeting the Evil Play individuals - insects leaving Navel Port.

[Warrant Restrictions]: Only Demons between maturity and Demon Ascension are allowed to take the warrant, limited to no more than three individuals. Those exceeding the rank may not interfere in this matter, or else a multiple of Hell contributions will be deducted and a severe warning issued.

[Reward Requirements]: Kill Kuleon and throw part of his corpse into any Hell Rift Valley to receive a moderate Hell contribution.

...

The innkeeper rubbed his greasy chin as he looked at the warrant before him.

"Kuleon! If I had known any information, I would have sold it for money long ago.

Now the port is full of notices about this guy, even if you guys from the Order didn’t show an official warrant, we already had a bounty on this guy here.

When you think about it, this guy is quite formidable.

Spine types are usually good at frontal combat, but this guy is sneakier than those insects, able to hide in unseen places and strike passing insects, and always kills quickly without ever being exposed.

Sorry, but I have no ability to take the Monastery’s coin.

Do you still want to stay at the inn? Even if Monks come to Navel Port, they need to pay the normal fee. I also hope you can find this Wanted Criminal soon."

"Your cleanest suite available, how long can I stay with this silver coin?"

"Seven days."

"Deal."

The innkeeper deftly pocketed the silver coin with a slide of his hand.

He then squeezed his belly hard, and visibly something was surging up his throat.

Gurgle! A pus-covered, ball-shaped calculus vomited into his palm, then wiped clean with a moldy tablecloth from the counter.

This was the key.

You just need to feed this mass to the "door", and the guest room will open.

The living door will also suck the pheromones from the person who deposits it and will continue to remember and open automatically before check-out.

This one-bedroom suite was considered luxurious at Navel Port.

Of course, while it looked like a human world bed and breakfast suite, it was actually quite different.

Particular care should be taken with the water-related equipment, as it was impossible to know what the liquid flowing from the tap would contain, and it might not even be water at all.

"Not bad... Not too dirty."

Agatha had already placed her steed in the inn’s own mount room, and now she sat down on the soft big bed.

What appeared to be a normal sprung mattress,

was actually made up of highly flexible tumors, much softer and more comfortable than a sprung mattress, as long as one could psychologically accept it, the sleep quality would certainly be high.

As for the bedding, it was a specially treated proliferative skin, soft and warm.

However, Luo Di’s thoughts lingered on the warrant that was just displayed, questioning the content of the warrant:

"Agatha, why do I feel that this warrant is a bit odd... This so-called Hell’s Warrant seems to not want to directly kill the criminal, and to some extent, is even assisting him in his Demon Ascension.

If he really is an unforgivable guy, why not just have a stronger one wipe him out?"

"You’re right—True Hell, or the will of Hell, operates exactly like that.

The rules set by the world are fundamentally in place to ensure the stable growth of Hell.

Wanted Criminals are those who threaten the ecosystem of Hell, but if their inherent value is greater than the threat they pose, Hell will also give them a chance.

The Warrant is two-way.

If we manage to hunt them down, we’d receive a substantial reward.

If the Wanted Criminal is able to kill the Demon of the same rank who’s come to hunt them, thus completing their special Demon Ascension, the Warrant will be canceled.

Spine would also receive news of this and might even arrange for personnel to come and welcome the return of the Great Demon; his banishment will be completely revoked."

"So, in maintaining relative stability in the world, everything serves the purpose of cultivating the strong?"

"Precisely, and that is the fundamental reason why True Hell can continue to grow and invade other worlds.

Even if billions, tens of billions of Demons die, it doesn’t matter as long as a supreme Demon King is created."

Luo Di nodded and continued to discuss the Warrant: "Mmm, speaking of which, how should we usually conduct our investigation? Apart from providing personal information and a general area of activity, does the Warrant have any other uses?"

"That’s all the information we can get; next, we’ll have to investigate on our own.

In a while, I’ll directly approach the manager of Navel Port under the guise of a Monk to get the most direct information; just follow me, as the identity of a Monk is quite useful."

"Hmm..." Luo Di went to the guest room balcony, gazing at the lighthouse that soared into the clouds at the edge of the port.

"I’d like to take a look at the lighthouse... The topmost lantern room seems to have certain connections to Spine; there might be clues there."

"Fine, we’ll split up and take action tomorrow morning; let’s meet back here if there’s news. Let’s leave it at that for today; traveling really is exhausting, and once I lie down, I don’t want to move anymore."

The two had cut back on rest for one station to arrive at Navel Port a day early, having ridden continuously for a full twenty hours.

Agatha lay back on the lumpy-native-made bed, her body not heeding her commands at all, quickly falling asleep with loud snores continuously escaping between the metal tubes of her neck.

Of course, she had intentionally laid on one side of the bed, leaving about a third of the space empty.

As for Luo Di, he did not disturb the other party and prepared to sleep on the sofa in the living room.

Caw! The crow perched on the back of the sofa immediately transformed into a pitch-black pillow stuffed with feathers, soft and sleep-inducing.

He was indeed very sleepy,

Just as Luo Di lay down and was about to sleep,

Because the curtains were not drawn, and the position where he slept allowed him to see the lighthouse outside the window,

The huge Eye at the lantern room was emitting intense heat as it rotated, seemingly guiding ships across the sea on a safe course.

Perhaps it was his concern for the lighthouse, but with his eyes closed, he always felt that a beam of light would shine through.

With no other choice, he had to get up to close the curtains.

As Luo Di moved toward the window to pull the skin-like-feeling curtains, Whirr! The light that should have been guiding ships suddenly shifted over.

Through the window, it beamed upon Luo Di.

The scorching light seemed to pierce through his skull, with the brightness filling his vision, unable to see anything else, his Eyes feeling like they begin to boil, to evaporate under such illumination.

Whirr!

After a burst of intense ringing in the ears, the strong light vanished.

Under the cover of night,

The rolling waves caressed the rocks like tentacles.

Luo Di was no longer in the suite or the noisy city. Instead, he stood at the base of the lighthouse at the edge of the city where no one approached.

The rotten, large door at the base of the lighthouse was completely open for him.

From deep within, there seemed to be a calling, a voice,

And his Spine began to heat up in response.