The Degenerate Ritual Named Hot Pot

Night fell, and Nolent Castle was shrouded in a thin layer of mist.

Although it was already late at night, the Rose Courtyard on the east side remained brightly lit.

Lynch was sitting in the study, staring blankly at the system interface that had just popped up on his retina.

Just five minutes ago, the system, which had been silent for a few days, suddenly issued a new quest in a bright red, oppressive font.

[Main Quest Updated: Demon Lair Expansion - Mental Chapter]

[Quest Description: A truly perfect rule over a demon lair does not rely solely on sturdy walls and terrifying military might. For those strong-willed humans (especially nobles), a comprehensive corruption from the mental level must be carried out.]

[Quest Objective: Use "sinful material enjoyment" to disintegrate the willpower of the main figures in the castle, making them indulge in the desire for food, thereby generating a dependence on the Host (and your faction).]

[Recommended Method: Host a late-night gourmet gathering. The food must be highly addictive, stimulating, and hallucinogenic (on a gustatory level).]

[Quest Reward: Unlock the facility blueprint [Magic Energy Cold Storage]; Obtain Special Ingredient Pack x1.]

"Mental corruption? Sinful enjoyment?"

Lynch stroked his chin, the corners of his mouth gradually rising. "The system makes it sound so scary, but translated into human terms, doesn't it just mean... let me make a late-night snack?"

He was very familiar with this!

When it came to addictiveness and stimulation, what could compare to that ultimate weapon that left people unable to stop in the cold late nights of the North—

Sichuan-style spicy hot pot!

Coincidentally, when he was grinding monsters a few days ago, a bunch of fat and offal from high-tier magical beasts dropped, plus those ghost peppers and numb peppers he redeemed from the system shop...

"It's simply the will of heaven."

Lynch closed the system panel, his eyes flashing with the light of a "God of Cooking".

"Wife! Stop sleeping! Get up and party!"

...

Half an hour later, in the first-floor hall of the Rose Courtyard.

The style of the place had suddenly changed.

The elegant round table originally used for drinking black tea and discussing literature was now replaced by a giant black iron round table. A hole had been hollowed out in the center of the table, with magic flames set up underneath, and a large half-meter-diameter split copper pot sitting on top.

On the red soup side, beef tallow rolled under the high temperature, and premium Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies danced in the red oil, emitting an extremely overbearing spicy aroma.

That smell, as if it had hooks, slipped through the cracks in the doors and windows, and even passed through the thick stone walls, raging toward the entire castle.

"This is way too fragrant..."

As the first "victim" to be woken up, Aria was wearing her pajamas, crouching ungracefully on a chair with chopsticks in her hand, staring intently at the rolling red oil in the pot, her drool almost dripping into it.

"Teacher Lynch, what exactly is this? It smells so pungent, but... I really want to eat it!"

"This is called hot pot."

Lynch introduced while slicing the paper-thin [Snow-Patterned Beef], "It's a mysterious dish from the distant East. It specializes in curing all kinds of unhappiness, loss of appetite, and homesickness."

"Hmph, it's this weird stuff again."

Felsy sat to the side, elegantly taking a sip of the spicy-relieving sour plum drink. She had long been accustomed to the new tricks Lynch came up with from time to time. Although she complained with her mouth, the chopsticks in her hand honestly picked up a piece of tripe and swished it up and down in the red soup.

"However... since you made it, this seat will reluctantly give it a try."

Just then.

"Thump thump thump!"

The front door was knocked on roughly.

"Lynch! What are you boiling in there?!"

Count Gael's booming voice rang out from outside the door, "I was reviewing official documents in the study, and that smell drifted over so much that I couldn't even read a single word! Are you doing some alchemy experiment again? This smell is a bit like... like the most potent combustion potion?"

The door opened.

This burly Mad Lion of the North, his nose twitching constantly, barged in like a brown bear searching for a scent.

And behind him followed a figure wrapped in a torn cloak, who was currently trying hard to maintain a reserved expression—

Our theology teacher, Lokina.

"Oh my, Lord Count is not asleep yet?"

Lynch greeted with a smile, "Perfect timing, it just went into the pot. Teacher Lokina is here too? Please come in, let's add two pairs of chopsticks!"

"Um... I don't want to eat."

Lokina swallowed hard, but her eyes couldn't leave the plate of beef. "I just... I just heard strange noises over here. As a teacher, I have a responsibility to see if Aria is still staying up late."

"Right! I'm here to supervise my student!"

"Alright, alright, supervise."

Felsy looked at her with a half-smile and pointed to the empty seat next to her, "Then sit down and supervise while eating. Or could it be... Teacher Lokina is afraid of spicy food?"

The goading technique.

For someone like Lokina who cared desperately about saving face, this trick worked every time.

"Who, who is afraid of spicy food?"

Lokina bit the bullet and sat down. "The willpower of the clergy is like steel! A mere bit of chili... is nothing at all!"

...

The feast began.

This was a war of the taste buds, and also a scene of willpower collapsing.

"Hiss—Hah—! So hot! So spicy!"

As the first person to take the plunge, Count Gael picked up a large piece of beef covered in red oil and stuffed it into his mouth.

At that moment, the power of the ghost pepper detonated in his mouth.

This tough guy, who wouldn't even frown if he were slashed with a sword on the battlefield, instantly had his entire face flush the color of pig liver, and beads of sweat poured down his forehead like a waterfall.

"Is... is this... phew... the taste of hell?"

Count Gael gasped for air, his tongue tying in knots.

"How is it? If you can't handle it, eat from the clear soup side." Lynch pointed to the white bone broth pot next to him.

"No! This flavor... is too exhilarating!"

Gael slammed the table, a fanatical fire burning in his eyes. "This pain! This stimulation rushing straight to the brain! It's just like the feeling when I fought my way out of a pile of corpses back in the day! This is the food a real man should eat!"

"Bring another plate! No! Bring ten more plates of meat!"

Seeing her own father looking delirious from the spice but still trying to tough it out, Aria couldn't hold back anymore either.

She tentatively picked up a piece of duck blood.

It was smooth and tender in the mouth, fresh, spicy, and refreshing.

"Mmm!"

Aria's eyes widened. "Delicious! It's even better than I imagined! Although my tongue is a bit numb, but... I just can't stop!"

"Brother Lynch! What are those round things? I want some too!"

Watching this family completely fall, Lynch nodded in satisfaction.

The system truly didn't deceive me; hot pot really is a divine artifact for corrupting human willpower.

Then, he looked at Lokina sitting in the corner.

This former Saintess was currently facing a massive trial.

She picked up a piece of meat, looking at the bright red chili oil on it, her hands trembling slightly.

She was afraid of spicy food. Truly afraid.

But... that meat was simply too fragrant. That rich, oily aroma, for someone who had been eating dry bread for several days, was practically a temptation from the abyss.

"Just one bite... just one bite..." "I am the Saint, I have the protection of the Holy Light, I am not afraid..."

Lokina closed her eyes and stuffed the meat into her mouth with the resolve of facing death.

Boom!!!

It was as if a fireball spell had exploded in her mouth.

Lokina's tears immediately fell.

It wasn't a figure of speech; they really fell. Two lines of clear tears rolled down her cheeks, and those golden eyes instantly became watery, looking pitiful to the extreme.

"Wu..."

She covered her mouth, letting out a whimper.

"Oh my, why is Teacher Lokina crying?"

Felsy, who had been observing from the side, finally revealed a devilish smile. She asked with feigned concern, "Is it too delicious? Or are you homesick?"

"It's... it's too delicious..."

Lokina said stubbornly while crying, "This taste... reminds me of... reminds me of the Radiant Moon's blessing... woo woo woo..."

Even as she spoke of being moved, the chopsticks in her hand didn't stop at all. She picked up another piece of meat and stuffed it into her mouth, crying even harder.

This was the definition of pain and pleasure.

"Since you like it, eat some more."

A hint of teasing flashed in Felsy's eyes.

She picked up the serving chopsticks, fished around in the deepest part of the red soup base, and accurately pulled out a piece of old ginger that was disguised as beef and soaked full of chili oil.

"Here, Teacher Lokina."

Felsy gently placed that piece of beef into Lokina's bowl. "This piece is the essence, especially flavorful. I see how hard you work teaching every day, so I saved it just for you."

Lynch watched from the side, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Wife, that's too wicked... Even I sweat just looking at that piece of ginger.

But he didn't dare speak up, only silently lowering his head to eat his own food.

Lokina looked at the essence in her bowl, completely oblivious to the sinister intentions. She thought Felsy was demonstrating her dominance, or engaging in some kind of hypocritical politeness.

Hmph, the weasel paying respects to the hen. But since it's in my bowl, it's my meat!

Lokina picked up the ginger and took a bite.

Crunch.

A crisp texture.

Immediately after, a taste ten times spicier and more stimulating than ghost peppers stabbed straight into the top of her skull like a sharp knife.

"Pfft!!!"

Lokina almost breathed fire on the spot.

That was ginger! And an old ginger that had been boiling in red chili oil for half an hour!

"Cough, cough, cough, cough!"

Lokina coughed violently, her whole face turning as red as a boiled shrimp. Tears and snot flowed together, completely ruining her image as the Saint.

"Water... water..."

She frantically grabbed the cup next to her and gulped it down.

However, what was in the cup wasn't water, but Lynch's specially brewed high-proof liquor.

"Ah!!!"

A tragic scream.

Lokina felt like her throat had been burned through. She slumped in her chair, her eyes unfocused, feeling as if she could see her long-deceased great-grandmother waving at her.

"Oh my, Teacher Lokina's alcohol tolerance isn't very good."

Felsy elegantly wiped the corners of her mouth, smiling like a fox that had successfully stolen a fish. "Lynch, aren't you going to pour the teacher a glass of milk to soothe the spice?"

"Coming, coming."

Lynch held back his laughter and hurried to save the day. If he didn't intervene soon, this Saint would probably become the first clergyman in history to be spiced to death by hot pot.

...

Meanwhile, in the dark corner of the dining room.

The loyal old butler, Sebas, was watching all of this through the crack in the door, his face full of horror.

He still held that notebook in his hands, trembling so much it looked like he was playing a guitar.

[Observation Log: Devil's Den Expansion Plan - Core Phase]

[Tonight, a terrifying abyssal ritual is being held in the Rose Pavilion.]

[That large pot boiling with red magma... that is definitely the legendary Cauldron of Gluttony! It can only be ignited by the karmic hellfire from the deepest depths of the underworld!]

[Look at Count Gael! He has gone completely mad! He is screaming 'so hot, so spicy' while still eating frantically! He has clearly been mind-controlled by the Curse of Gluttony!]

[And look at the theology teacher, Lokina... Good heavens, she is already crying! Her soul is being corrupted by that red broth! She tried to resist (coughing), but Lady Witch just smiled faintly and handed her a Magic Core (ginger) filled with dark energy, and she completely collapsed!]

[Is this the method of Lady Witch?]

[Without costing a single soldier, just using a single meal, she has turned two human powerhouses above the fourth tier, and even a suspected Saint, entirely into slaves of desire!]

[Too terrifying... too brutal...]

Sebas sniffed.

The spicy, numbing, and savory aroma in the air drilled through his nasal cavity and into his lungs.

"Gulp."

The old butler couldn't hold back and swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"Is... is this the taste of depravity?"

"Although it is terrifying... it... really smells so good..."

"If given the chance... could this old servant also... indulge in a little depravity?"

...

That night.

The Rose Pavilion of Nolent Castle became a true city that never sleeps.

Count Gael drank too much and dragged Lynch around, wanting to become sworn brothers, even trying to gift him his treasured sword, but was desperately stopped by Aria.

Aria overate and lay on the sofa groaning, muttering "I definitely have to diet tomorrow" while still clutching the last piece of duck intestine in her hand.

Lokina... Lokina was already delirious. After drinking two glasses of liquor, she completely let herself go and began singing hymns to the chandelier, except she changed the lyrics to "Praise the hot pot, praise the beef, praise everything edible."

As for the instigators of all this—Lynch and Felsy.

They were standing on the balcony, enjoying the night breeze and watching this scene of wild chaos.

"How is it, are you satisfied?"

Felsy leaned on Lynch's shoulder and asked softly.

"Yeah, satisfied."

Lynch glanced at the 100% progress bar on his system panel, as well as the newly arrived rewards in his inventory, and smiled.

"It seems that human willpower is truly fragile in the face of hot pot."

"Hmph, of course."

Felsy's eyes flashed with a hint of smugness, but she quickly softened. "Though... it was indeed quite delicious. Next time... put a little less ginger."

"What? Are you afraid of the spice too?"

"Not afraid of the spice."

Felsy glanced at Lokina, who was still drunkenly acting crazy inside the room. "I'm just afraid that idiot might actually die in our house next time, and dealing with the corpse would be troublesome."

Lynch laughed out loud and pulled her into his arms.

"Alright, whatever you say."

Under the moonlight, their shadows stretched long.

Behind them, the still-boiling hot pot seemed to symbolize that this originally cold castle was slowly being imbued with the warmth of a home... even if it was a spicy and numbing one.

Of course, in Sebas's diary, this was still the sinful beginning of the Demon King's rule over the world.