Fengdu City, Central Plaza.
This place was no longer the ruin piled high with corpses. Under Singularity's planning, it had transformed into a Cyberpunk-style "Underworld Integrated Command Center."
A massive holographic map floated above the plaza. The dense cluster of red dots (demons) that once filled it had been swept clean, leaving only green lights symbolizing safety.
[Region: Underworld Surface Layer.]
[Threat Level: Safe.]
[Clearing Progress: 100%.]
King Yama sat on his newly replaced, ergonomic Dragon Chair, holding an iPad and looking at the delightful strings of data. The corners of his mouth were rising faster than the recoil of an AK47.
"Good! Excellent!" King Yama slapped his thigh in excitement. "In all these thousands of years, We have never felt the Underworld to be this clean! Even the sulfur smell in the air has faded!"
Judge Cui beside him was also beaming, busy writing the case closure report on his tablet:
"Ghost Gate Defense System upgrade complete (Gatling Tower Defense implemented); Bridge of Helplessness traffic efficiency increased by 300% (Maglev High-Speed Rail running stably); Home-Viewing Terrace satisfaction rate 99% (5G Live Stream lag-free)..."
All these changes were thanks to the man silently cleaning his gun in the corner of the plaza.
Slayer sat on his exclusive bone chair, holding a cloth soaked in gun oil, carefully wiping the barrels of his double-barreled shotgun.
Click-clack.
The crisp sound of the loading mechanism sounded out of place amidst the noisy celebration, yet it was incredibly distinct.
The cheering ghosts and Yin Soldiers around him instinctively quieted down.
Slayer stood up.
He didn't look at the ghosts worshipping him, nor did he pay attention to King Yama's eager gaze wanting to give him a bonus (Spirit Money).
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
His gaze cut across the plaza, through Fengdu City, and locked dead onto the massive, bottomless pit behind the main hall that emitted a dark red glow.
Entrance to the Eighteen Layers of Hell.
That was the real battlefield.
From there came the provocative whispers of the Abyss that only he could hear.
Daoist Singularity ran over panting, carrying two exaggeratedly large travel backpacks (stuffed with ammo, batteries, repair materials, and Instant Cardio-Relief Pills).
"Big Hero! Supplies are all ready!" Singularity patted the backpacks. "As per your request, all Armor-Piercing Rounds and High-Explosive Grenades. Also..."
Singularity mysteriously pulled out a golden badge. It was an achievement he had secretly unlocked for Slayer in the system backend just now:
[Achievement Unlocked: Head Strong.]
(Condition: Crush 100 demon skulls with bare hands.)
"This is the... uh... Medal of Honor awarded by King Yama."
Slayer didn't take it.
He just glanced at the badge as if looking at a boring toy.
He reached out and grabbed the helmet resting beside the bone chair.
Hiss—Click.
With the sound of the airtight lock sealing, that cold, hard face was once again hidden beneath the dark green faceplate. Crimson tactical data streams lit up on the visor.
[Target Locked: Eighteen Layers of Hell.]
[Mission: Clean Everything.]
Slayer hoisted the BFG-9000 and strode toward the abyssal entrance.
Wangcai (the one-eyed Corpse Dog), wearing a slightly comical but high-defense little vest, followed majestically behind its master. It barked twice at the surrounding Yin Soldiers, as if saying: "Watch the house, don't embarrass us!"
Watching the retreating figures of one man and one dog, King Yama couldn't help but stand up.
"Warrior!" King Yama shouted. "Down there... down there is true Purgatory! The rules there have long been twisted, and the demons are a hundred times more vicious! Are... are you really going?"
Slayer didn't look back.
He simply raised his right hand and made a fist.
In that instant, a terrifying killing intent swept across the plaza. It wasn't fear; it was Absolute Confidence.
Singularity pushed up his glasses, looking at that back, and answered the question for him:
"Your Majesty, you are mistaken."
Singularity tightened his backpack straps and followed.
"He isn't going to face the Inferno."
"The Inferno is going to face him."
Whoosh—!
Slayer leaped, like a green meteor, carrying the potential energy of destruction, plunging into the endless darkness.
[Current Mission Update: Rip and Tear, until it is done.]
"The current Underworld looks a bit... Sci-Fi."
King Yama muttered to himself, watching the slowly closing entrance.
"I hope those old ghosts down there can handle this kind of... 'Modernization'."
"Next chapter, First Layer: Tongue Ripping Hell. Heard the demons there like to rip out tongues? Slayer says: I just like ripping the heads off guys who like ripping others."
