The Black Tower.
Lin stood at the summit, her eyes closed as she sensed everything within the forbidden zone.
Once she confirmed that everyone had dispersed according to Lord Nether King’s plan, she finally exhaled softly in relief.
*Phew… Good thing I borrowed the throne His Majesty once sat on. Otherwise…*
Lin opened her eyes, a faint trace of embarrassment flickering in her gaze. Otherwise, she might not have been able to conjure such an expansive crimson mist.
That’s right.
The scarlet mist was, in fact, Lin’s innate ability—**[Red Mist]**, a fusion of her spiritual energy and blood.
She could freely manipulate the positions of those within the mist.
However, the more people she controlled and the farther they were, the greater the strain on her power.
Unlike the rest of the Netherkin, Lin’s source of strength was unique.
Her power was fueled by emotional intensity—the stronger her emotions, the greater her strength.
Before the operation began, she had already "replenished her magic" while sitting on the Nether King’s throne.
As for the specifics of this "replenishment"... Lin swore she would never reveal them.
Though such matters were considered casual among the Netherkin, Lin was… different.
Her feelings about it aligned more with those of ordinary humans—she couldn’t help but feel deeply embarrassed.
"Alright, alright…"
Lin lightly patted her cheeks, snapping herself out of her thoughts.
After taking a deep breath, she turned her gaze toward the towering, tightly closed flower bud in the distance.
His Majesty had decreed that this time…
*All humans except those in black uniforms… can be killed.*
*And they can all serve as nourishment for the newborn Netherkin.*
Then…
*Let’s begin.*
---
Meanwhile, in stark contrast to the ominous and eerie atmosphere of other regions…
By a small stream, the scenery was unexpectedly serene and beautiful.
The water was crystal clear, its bed paved with fine golden sand like an artist’s canvas.
Sunlight filtered through the sparse mist, casting dappled reflections on the rippling surface, as if countless tiny stars shimmered gently.
Lush flowers and grass of various hues lined the banks, their faint fragrance soothing the soul.
Tall, sturdy trees surrounded the area, their dense canopies intertwining to form a natural green dome, leaving the place dim even in daylight.
Yet, this dimness didn’t feel oppressive—instead, it carried an indescribable warmth and tranquility.
Occasionally, a few stray beams of sunlight pierced through the gaps in the foliage, descending like divine grace, adding a touch of mystique and tenderness to the scene.
"Oh dear, we got separated."
Gu Yan sat on a rock by the stream, his tone complaining but his expression amused.
Leng Qingqiu had sensed something amiss even before the crimson mist appeared.
But upon realizing the mist’s sole purpose was to isolate Gu Yan from the crowd, she chose not to intervene.
Now, seeing this place, she was glad she hadn’t stopped it. After all…
The scenery was breathtaking, and it was just the two of them here.
*Perfect.*
Yet, the moment she realized they were truly alone, an odd restlessness stirred within her.
*Hmm…*
*Does this count as our first time being alone together outside?*
Before, they’d always been in places with people around. But now… it was just him and her.
Moreover, she noticed that while everywhere else pulsed with unsettling, sinister energy, their little haven remained untouched.
Strangely, this realization sent a thrill of excitement through her.
She walked over to Gu Yan, subtly straightening her posture before stealing a glance at him.
Though all she could see was his life essence, Leng Qingqiu found it fascinating nonetheless. After a moment’s thought, she remarked, "So what if we’re separated? This place is safe enough."
"Once the danger’s passed, I’ll take you out."
Gu Yan chuckled inwardly. *Danger? Hardly.*
This place had been specially arranged by Lin to give him and Leng Qingqiu some alone time.
With that in mind, he looked up at her curiously and asked, "Really, Qingqiu? There’s something I’ve been wondering about."
"Is your ability some kind of technique?"
"Why haven’t you mentioned it before?"
Leng Qingqiu, still oblivious, replied dismissively, "Tsk. Little brother, prying into someone else’s abilities is—is—… *Huh?!*"
Mid-sentence, her expression froze as realization struck.
*Xiao Leng*: *[... Tch. I told you not to do this.*
---
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
Bai Jun had already pieced together the gist of the situation.
First, this crimson mist has the ability to teleport people. Some martial artists were transported here the moment they stepped into the forbidden zone. Others were shifted mid-battle against demonic creatures.
Bai Lian was no exception. Originally a support member, she found herself relocated to this area due to the mist.
He glanced at the surrounding martial artists, their eyes gleaming with ill intent, and felt a chill run down his spine.
If he hadn’t coincidentally been grouped with Bai Lian, the consequences would have been unthinkable!
Bai Lian herself was bewildered by the sudden teleportation, but for someone of her caliber, adapting on the spot was child’s play.
And just her luck...
She hid behind Bai Jun, her eyes darting furtively toward the sect martial artists not clad in black combat attire.
Hehe, what fortune! So many sect martial artists here—if she killed them all, her master would surely reward her!
What a shame her master wasn’t present. Otherwise, he’d see just how hard Lian was working!
Then, suddenly—
**Hummm!!**
A suffocating, oppressive sensation weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts.
At the same time...
A deep, hellish voice echoed throughout the forbidden zone.
**[Welcome to the playground of the Netherworld, humans!]**
**[As punishment for trespassing into our domain, I’ve prepared four little games for you!]**
**[Clear all four, and you’ll earn the right to stand before me. Only with my permission may you leave this place.]**
**[There is no other way out.]**
**[There are 203 intruders in total. Refusal is not an option.]**
**[Now then... let the Netherworld Games begin!!]**
Bai Jun stiffened at the voice, momentarily stunned.
Netherworld... games?
Just what was going on in this forbidden zone?
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"
