Chương 140: Evil Thoughts Specialty +1
Bang!
A gunshot echoed, and the pitch-black bullet shot forward, striking Eugene squarely between the eyebrows. He didn't flinch. This gamble wasn't about life or death; even a mortal could withstand such a bullet.
Crash!
The bets materialized before Bai Yi, a mountain of minerals and high-value resources forming a barrier between the two.
Bai Yi didn't rush to claim his winnings. Instead, he asked coolly, "Is this the devil? You have nothing left now. If I raise the stakes, what can you offer in return?"
Eugene's expression was blank. In that moment, he felt the despair and helplessness that his opponents often experienced. It was as if Bai Yi knew his every move, his every card. No matter what he did, defeat seemed inevitable. In that instant, the true devil appeared to be Bai Yi.
Taking a deep breath, Eugene's voice trembled slightly. "I no longer hold enough value to meet your bet. You can either tell me what you want, and we can proceed to the third round, or I'll concede and you can claim victory."
Bai Yi smiled. "You underestimate yourself."
He stood up, collecting the space ring, the blood pool wooden box, and two large soul crystal cores. He re-imprinted his aura onto the space ring before gesturing toward the pile of treasures before him. "These are all yours. If I ask you to place a bet, you'll have a chance to reclaim your possessions. What do you say?"
Eugene paused, bewildered. What was this man up to? Why did his words sound so familiar? Was he dealing with someone who could exploit every last drop of value?
The thought struck him: perhaps Bai Yi was not just a man but a devil archduke in disguise. Could the weight of his soul truly tip the scales of value?
His cold demeanor cracked slightly as he asked cautiously, "What do you want?"
Bai Yi smiled again, his eyes glinting with mischief. "For the third round, let's have the Hell Rules maintain our strength at the lower gold level."
"Same strength, one-on-one, life or death. Fair, isn't it?"
"In other words, you don't have to do anything in the third round except allow Hell to limit your rank. How does that sound?"
Eugene's eyes brightened. No matter if Bai Yi was a devil archduke or a human who was more devilish than a devil, this was an opportunity. With the rules of Hell in his favor, he might actually have a chance to defeat him.
But doubt crept in. The more his adversary wanted something, the more he should resist. Still, this was his only chance; if he let Bai Yi go, his accumulated wealth over the years could vanish in an instant.
Should he take the risk and attempt to kill him, or retreat to Hell, never to emerge again? In that moment, even a devil could hesitate.
After a tense silence, Eugene finally spoke, his voice steady. "I'm sorry, Mr. Human, but I don't set the rules."
Bai Yi interrupted, "What if we do this: you remain at the lower gold rank, and I take the middle rank?"
Eugene stared at him, contemplating. The ten-level gap was significant, but Bai Yi seemed confident. "I only play games within the rules," he replied firmly.
Bai Yi felt a twinge of regret. He had never killed a legend before, and without reducing Eugene's power, victory seemed impossible. Legends were rulers, and there were only two in the vast Dawn Federation. The value of such beings was immense.
"Then let's begin the third round. The four checkpoints outside and the evil ghost jungle you just claimed are all yours."
Eugene fell silent again. He had initiated this game, and it continued until Bai Yi was defeated. He couldn't refuse, so he nodded, accepting Bai Yi's terms.
"But those assets aren't as valuable as this pile of treasures," Bai Yi noted, glancing at Eugene with feigned embarrassment.
Eugene's expression hardened. "It's not enough, but I have no choice. I lost everything to you."
Determined to survive, he resolved to return to Hell and serve the Devil Archduke, never to step foot in this realm again. Bai Yi, however, saw an opportunity. "The properties of your clothing must be quite valuable. And those feathers on your wings—good magic material. While they may not match these treasures, they could suffice."
Eugene felt his blood pressure rise. This was an insult! He was a legendary devil, a renowned figure in Hell! "You—" he started, but the words caught in his throat.
He took a moment to breathe, suppressing his anger. "Let's place our bets and begin the game."
Bai Yi nodded, a smile on his face. "You have two options. First, we can fight, and I can raise your level to 70. After all, I'm only in my 50s now. The gap is nearly 20 levels. Do you dare?"
"Second, we can proceed with the third round by sacrificing some feathers, or you can wait for the rules to decide. You must agree to one of these options—those are the rules."
Eugene closed his eyes, contemplating. Bai Yi's proposal was tempting, but a three-level difference often led to suppression, and a seven-level difference could crush him. A gap of more than fifteen levels was a death sentence.
His instincts urged caution: when something seems too good to be true, it often is. After deliberating, he opened his eyes, resolve in his gaze. "Let's start!"
Thirty minutes later, Bai Yi felt a pang of regret. Perhaps he had overestimated Eugene's arrogance. If he had played more cautiously from the beginning and won in succession, it might have worked out better.
But the devil's games were traps, and winning by luck was impossible. Requiring a duel in the first round was peculiar, and Bai Yi hadn't been adept at manipulating emotions.
Evil thoughts flickered through his mind as he grabbed a small scalpel, eyeing the hellish creatures dragged forth by a special force.
The killing began.
[You killed 5 lower-rank gold warriors, experience +100,000, attribute points +2, additional experience +100,000.]
[You killed 3,782 silver-level hell creatures, experience points +382,150, additional experience points +239,210.]
[You killed 38,647 bronze-level hell creatures, experience points +43,400, additional experience points +35,013.]
[You killed a large number of ordinary hell creatures but gained no experience due to the level gap.]
[Your soul lantern has reached 605% charge.]
[You killed over 100,000 hell creatures at once and earned the five-star title, Hell Hunter.]
[Your dark side has absorbed a significant amount of blood, energy, and negative emotions: Strength +30, Agility +30, Endurance +30, Intelligence +20, Charm -1.]
[Your evil thoughts have been promoted to gold middle level, and you gain optional expertise +1.]
[Your Evil Blade absorbs a large amount of blood, negative emotions, and tainted souls. Your Evil Blade is promoted to silver and gains 2 optional effects.]
Task 1: Journey to Hell (Completed).
Blood surrounded Bai Yi, and the whites of his eyes glowed scarlet. Amidst the corpses and blood on the ground, he resembled a dark entity from the abyss, instilling dread in those who beheld him.
A series of notifications lit up his mind. The sudden promotion of his evil thoughts and the optional expertise brightened his mood. He turned to the hellhound, Xiren, whose legs trembled uncontrollably.
The fearsome creature, a leader of evil, quaked at the sight of him. Bai Yi regarded it with a neutral expression, deciding to take the hellhound as his guard. Its imposing presence could prove useful, especially if it understood the gravity of its situation.
As he contemplated, a contract materialized in his hand. "Sign this, and you won't have to die."
The hellhound's mouth trembled violently as it staggered closer, nudging the contract.
[You have gained your second subordinate: Hellhound Xiren.]
Bai Yi smiled, pleased, and stored the five lower-gold corpses in his space ring. With a flash of spatial energy, he vanished from the blood-soaked world.
Huh~
In the aftermath, Eugene, left only with his undergarments and a pair of flesh wings, exhaled a sigh of relief. What had he just witnessed? He had seen a lower-ranking gold opponent felled with a single punch and then dispatched with a knife.
Five lower-ranking gold warriors had stood no chance against Bai Yi. He had nearly agreed to a duel.
This world was terrifying; he resolved to return to Hell and wait until he reached eighth-level legend before emerging again.
With a decisive thought, he initiated bankruptcy proceedings within the rules of Hell. A special wave passed through him, and his remaining clothing vanished.
Stripped of everything, he began to be teleported back to Hell. As the scene shifted, he found himself in a scarlet landscape.
Two blood moons hung in the sky, coldly observing the earth below. Everything was bathed in a crimson hue, contrasting sharply with the blackened ground and the familiar scent of decay.
Eugene felt a twinge of disappointment. Hell felt more reassuring now.
"Hey~ Isn't this Eugene? Walking the bird?" A sultry voice teased.
Eugene glanced at the woman, dressed provocatively, her appearance igniting primal desires.
"Oh, are you envious? It's a pity you don't have it," he replied flatly, unleashing a surge of legendary power that robbed a passing devil of his clothing. He donned the garments without a hint of emotion, striding toward his home.
This city belonged to the devils, a bastion of order in Hell. Here, laws reigned, and high fees ensured safety under the protection of that order. The primary currency was soul minerals; other resources were secondary.
Now stripped of everything, he had to either leave the city or pledge allegiance to the Devil Archduke to have any chance of continuing his ascent.
He could venture out alone; after all, Hell was not as chaotic as the abyss. But after witnessing Bai Yi's brutality, he knew he had to align himself with a powerful force.
"Tsk, what's there to envy about a toothpick? But who's powerful enough to take all your hair?" Faye approached him, a teasing glint in her eye.
"Get away from me," Eugene growled, quickening his pace.
He felt humiliated, aware of the curious gazes of the city's residents—devil followers who were not worth his ire.
He could only walk faster toward the city lord's mansion, but Faye kept pace effortlessly. She reached out, brushing her fingers across his plucked wings. "Wow, it's been stripped so clean! Not a feather left."
Boom!
Eugene punched, but she caught it effortlessly, her touch lingering on his increasingly grim face.
"Are you angry? If you tell me about your adversary, I might consider avenging you~"
"You wouldn't dare. You're just looking to avoid a trap. You've already paid to go to Xia, right? Why should I tell you anything for free?" He shot back, his irritation palpable.
"Oh, what do I have to fear? You're just a loser. Tell me, and I'll reserve a seat next to you!" Faye replied playfully. "Or do you lack the courage to share the location?"
"Fine, just tell me," Eugene relented, his voice low. "There's a place called the Dawn Federation on the Xia continent. There's a pervert there; I lost three games in a row."
"Alright, alright, sister will go and avenge you right away~" Faye grinned seductively.
With a final glance over her shoulder, she turned and left, determined to seek revenge. But Eugene knew all too well that the likelihood of her finding the truth was slim.
As she walked away, he felt a flicker of hope. Perhaps Faye would return with nothing, her own feathers stripped bare.
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