Chapter 577: The Card
Chapter 577: The Card
Prince Andre couldn’t help but be stunned when he heard Lyon’s words, his emerald eyes filled with suspicion.
After all, on the path of “courting death,” Lyon had already tricked him once. Before pulling his soul out, Lyon had been full of assurances like “I have connections,” “I know a lot of people,” and “Don’t worry.”
But once Prince Andre gave up his resistance, those promises immediately changed. They turned into “Don’t say you know me,” “Just say I killed you,” and “Tell others we are sworn enemies.” It was clear which version was more credible without even thinking.
And now, in the Realm of the Dead, where enemies were everywhere and even mentioning his name could bring trouble, Lyon was saying he had the confidence to help him reach the City of Regret even under the White Serpent’s revenge? Was he joking?
"Relax, I’m not fooling you this time."
Feeling a bit embarrassed under Andre’s skeptical gaze, Lyon cleared his throat and explained:
"Besides, I do have connections in the Realm of the Dead. I know quite a few people, though they might not be the kind of acquaintances you think they are… never mind. Anyway, if you’re really determined to go to the City of Regret, even if it means certain death, I do have a way that might help you get through… just don’t move, okay?"
With Prince Andre's bewildered look, Lyon’s “red” soul quickly detached from his body. He then dipped his hands in the still uncoagulated blood on his body and started smearing it all over himself.
"Y-You… ugh… what are you doing?!"
"Don’t move, it’s a bit dirty, but it will ensure you can pass through the Gate of the Dead."
After dipping his hands in the Three-Headed Dog God’s blood that never coagulates, and smearing Andre’s body to make him look like a “little red person,” Lyon nodded in satisfaction and then explained to Andre, who looked thoroughly confused:
"Once we reach the entrance to the Realm of the dead, if the Death Messenger guarding the Gate of the Dead tries to take advantage of your weakness and eat you, just tell it that a person named Lyon sent you down.
If it dares to eat even a strand of your hair, I will find time after finishing my current tasks to sneak into the realm of the dead and eat it alive, along with all its descendants and anything that moves in its territory. I’ll eat every last one of them."
"???"
"Is… you sure this will work?"
"Don’t worry, most of the Death Messengers have seen me… uh… seen me during my meals. Just do as II taught you, and it will definitely work!"
"…"
So, what do you look like when you eat? To the point where even the messengers of the Lord of the Dead fear you?
"Also, apart from the Death Messenger guarding the gate, the most troublesome for you will be the Carnivorous Doe, one of the Lords of the Dead."
Ignoring Andre’s confusion, Lyon continued:
"It's the ruler of the Cloak Mirror Lake, Corpse Soil black forest, and Bone palace. It’s also a member of the Butcher King guild. As a traitor of the Butcher King guild, it will definitely not let you through, but instead will try to destroy your soul in the places it controls."
"What level are the Lords of the Dead roughly?"
"The gap between the Lords of the Dead can be quite large."
After thinking for a moment, Lyon replied:
"The Realm of the Dead has many special locations like the City of Regret, the Nest of the Death Crows, and the Bone Palace. The True Gods who rule these special locations are called the Lords of the Dead. The weakest among them are about the same level as the Three-Headed Dog god, who used to guard the Gate of the dead, ranking at the bottom among the True Gods.
The strongest among them are almost at the level of the Pillar gods and are almost impossible to kill while in their controlled special locations. The Carnivorous Doe controls three special locations, making it the strongest among the ‘non-Pillar gods’."
In other words… the peak of the True gods?
Hearing this, Prince Andre couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh, a trace of despair flashing in his eyes.
At my peak, with the empowerment of the world fragments, I could barely cross the threshold of a True God. Now, with my soul decomposed by seventy to eighty percent, I doubt I could even handle a Second-Level Cleaner, let alone cause trouble for a top-tier True God.
"Don't worry, you probably won't need to fight it."
Dipping his hand in the dog's blood on his body, Leon signed his name on Prince Andre's chest. Then, he unbuttoned the prince's outer coat and began writing vigorously on the moon-white undershirt. After writing two lines, he unbuttoned the undershirt and started smearing dog's blood on the deep blue inner garment.
Andre felt extremely awkward by Leon's strange actions but forced himself to endure it without moving away. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice strained.
"Writing a message."
Leon continued to scribble as he spoke, "Once you reach the Carnivorous Doe's territory, if it gives you trouble, just unbutton your coat and show it your undershirt. Tell it that if it kills you, the Director of the Virgin Bureau will get drunk and, like last time, use that drunkenness to go on a rampage against it."
"If it's some other Lord of the Dead who comes looking for trouble, attracted by your scent, then do as I said before. Tell them I killed you and that we have a deep-seated blood feud. If that doesn't work, show them your innermost garment."
"..."
Show my inner garment to others if they don't let me pass? That sounds... really perverted.
Andre nodded awkwardly, then asked curiously, "What did you write on my... inner garment?"
"A little threat."
Leon smiled, "If they don't let you pass, I'll commit suicide before the Dog God's resurrection and take its place as the gatekeeper of the Realm of the Dead. Then, I'll feast on its territory every day, eating whatever I find."
"Huh?"
"It's an ultimate insurance, but I'm not planning to actually go through with it, and I can't guarantee the threat will work. So, unless it's a critical moment, try not to undress."
After adjusting Andre's blood-stained clothes, Leon pulled him up and, amidst the misty gray fog filled with deathly energy, pushed him forcefully towards the distant Gate of the Dead.
"Go! Safe travels!"
"Wait! How do you know... Hey!"
Just as Prince Andre, full of doubts, was about to ask another question, Leon gave him a shove, causing him to stumble. By the time he straightened up, he found himself outside the open the open gate, joining a crowd of wailing dead.
Outside the tall gate, covered in bloodstains, stood an enormous fish tank. Inside, over a dozen hideous fish with single large eyes in their mouths and mouths where their eyes should be, were swimming in murky yellow water. They shouted through the glass, "Hurry up and pass through! Don't loiter outside!"
"Yes, yes!"
"Ugh, it's so annoying! Why do we have to be on duty with so many Death Messengers?"
"Yeah, yeah!"
"You don't think we'll run into that stupid horse and the Eater God like the last time, do you?"
"Shut up, shut up!"
"Wait, wait! A powerful soul is approaching!"
"So fragrant, so fragrant!"
Here they come!
Stared at by over a dozen single eyes in the fish's mouths, Prince Andre, with his extremely weak soul, felt an immense pressure. He immediately began praying silently that Leon's method would work.
However, before he could even speak, the fish, having recognized the bloodstains on him, shrieked in unison. Then, they smashed against the fish tank, breaking it. With human-like movements, they fled on their two sturdy fins, rolling and crawling.
"Run! The Eater God is hungry again!!!"
"Help! Help!"
(End of Chapter)
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