Volume One: The Nature of the Devil Never Changes
Arc: The Great Guerrilla War
Scarlet King looked at the mission clerk with dead eyes as the man said:
"Gu Yue, correct? I am Man Si, the general manager of the Mission Hall."
Scarlet King laughed, clear mockery in his voice.
"Man Si? Hah."
Man Si had pale white skin, a thin body, light green clothes beneath a white robe, calm features, and closed eyes.
He continued:
"Very well, Gu Yue. What kind of missions do you want?"
Scarlet King replied without expression:
"I was punished by the court and ordered to complete either ten ninth-rank missions or three first-rank missions. I do not have the time to complete ten missions. Give me three first-rank missions."
Man Si laughed in a calm, polite manner.
"Very well, as you wish. I will give you three first-rank missions, but first-rank missions…"
Man Si paused slightly.
"…rarely does anyone return from them."
Scarlet King showed no reaction. He only looked at Man Si and said:
"Really? How boring."
Man Si laughed and replied:
"Expected of the sect's troublemaker."
He moved to take out three blue-violet papers, all written in blood-red ink. Scarlet King's eyes fell on the missions.
Written on them were:
First first-rank mission: capture, dead or alive, the Heavens Gang hiding in the eastern section of the Forest of Death surrounding the sect.
Second first-rank mission: collect blue-violet primal stones from the sect's abandoned mine, deserted because of the incidents that occurred there, as well as the deadly gas.
Third first-rank mission: collect pink honey.
Scarlet King looked at the missions and thought:
(Annihilating the gang and absorbing their blood will not be difficult. My body is half human and half primordial existential source, so poisons do not harm me much. They may cause some damage, but my body possesses adaptability, as well as the ability to regenerate from injuries quickly.)
(And… pink honey? I have heard of it before, but I have never seen or tasted it because of its extreme rarity. However, it seems to be common in the First Dimension.)
Scarlet King took the papers, stacked them neatly behind one another, then turned around, ignoring Man Si's farewell wave.
Scarlet King left the disciples' hall, one hand behind his back, walking with clear confidence in his cold stride.
After stopping in an isolated place, Scarlet King leaped, returning to his adult form. His body stretched, his appearance changed, and his hair grew longer.
Then his entire body was covered in black, and his black clothes materialized around him.
The jetpack opened behind his back, and after leaping, he flew far away from the sect, heading east.
[After some time flying east]
He arrived at the eastern region, which was covered in trees, making it impossible to see what lay beneath.
Scarlet King stood in the sky and thought:
(Hah… finding the Heavens Gang will be difficult. These trees block the view. But I have a problem solver.)
Suddenly, mist appeared around Scarlet King.
The mist expanded massively—
five or six full kilometers.
Then the mist faded, and Titan King appeared, falling from the sky and crashing into the ground with overwhelming force.
Several trees were crushed beneath Titan King's feet, and he spoke in his reversed voice:
".noitarepo hcraes eht rof emit s'tI"
Then he thought:
(I won't be alone… for long.)
Titan King began walking, trampling trees beneath him as he looked around with intense focus, searching for any member of the gang, since they controlled the eastern region.
[Elsewhere — the Laboratory]
The laboratory was bustling with movement, unlike the silent forest.
Slaves were moving, transporting, and building.
The Yin and Yang Guards were discussing matters with the System Engineer, while Wei Xia Mo sat in his soundproof prison with obvious boredom.
The laboratory was white, with blue lights moving across the walls and ceiling. A giant machine and iron arms moved constantly, transporting objects and building underground rooms in a more organized manner.
The bears were sleeping, while some drank water from the still lake that reflected the laboratory ceiling.
Suddenly, the intangible system screen appeared before the Yin and Yang Guards.
Written on it was:
"Translating…"
Then the blue screen displayed:
"It's time for the search operation."
Yang Guard shook Yin Guard and said:
"It seems Master is searching for something. Should we interfere…?"
"Or should we wait… until he dies, and we die right after him?"
Yin Guard looked at Yang Guard and replied calmly, with some confusion:
"But perhaps Master does not want help?"
Yang Guard moved his hand away and replied with a shrug:
"Let's check where he is first, so we know whether he is in danger or not."
The system screen appeared again, circling around the Yin and Yang Guards. On its display appeared:
"Master's movement has been detected… inside the eastern region."
Yang Guard shook Yin Guard again, this time forcefully, and said with slight shock:
"Wait, he's in the eastern region?! That place is dangerous. We have to go protect him secretly."
Yin Guard looked at him with calm surprise.
"And how do you know the eastern region is dangerous?"
He grabbed her hand and pulled her forcefully. The two of them exited through the laboratory gate, while the other slaves and the System Engineer watched them in confusion as they hurried out so suddenly.
Once they were outside, the two flew quickly toward the eastern region. Yang Guard spoke to Yin Guard as they moved:
"No time to explain. Let's go protect him secretly. If something happens to him, we'll die too because of the Rebirth Cycle."
Yin Guard pulled her hand back and rubbed it.
"Fine, you brute… let's go."