I Return From Hell

Chapter 24: Chapter 22: Blood-Stained Pool, the Long-tongued Monster Appears

Basement Level Four.

There was a massive pool here, with a dozen or so sprinklers on the ceiling. Beside the pool were high-pressure water guns and several large water tanks filled with water snakes. The pool itself teemed with all sorts of fish.

And...

Two bodies, tangled together.

A wild party had been held here last night, but a pot-bellied member of the upper crust hadn’t had his fill of fun. So, bright and early, he dragged the female companion he’d chosen back to this spot.

In the freshly filled pool, he’d been plowing away like an industrious ox.

He was having a grand time until the power suddenly went out, giving him a jolt.

”What a fucking buzzkill.”

He couldn’t help but curse, violently shoving the woman away as he prepared to climb out.

SPLASH.

A sound came from behind him. He turned to look, but where had his companion gone?

Instead, the water was churning with bubbles—GLUG GLUG GLUG—and ripples spread out in circles.

”So you know how to play games, do you?”

The man of high society paused, his interest piqued once more, and moved closer.

And then.

He felt two people. Judging by feel, they were both women. A flash of shock—and pleasant surprise—crossed his eyes.

But the more he felt, the stranger it seemed.

Were these two people fused into one?

”Hmm?”

He was an adventurous man, but he’d never seen a position like this before. Besides, weren’t these two women holding their breath underwater for a bit too long?

A faint sense of unease crept over him, but in his overexcited state, he automatically ignored it and dove under the water, trying to join in.

And then.

He felt himself being enveloped as countless teeth pierced his body. The intense pain made him open his mouth to scream, but only pool water rushed in.

Soon.

His struggles weakened, then ceased.

The sound of chewing echoed from beneath the water.

The lights came back on.

The ’employee’ in charge of the pool was struck speechless by the scene before him:

The pool water, at some point, had been dyed blood-red. A full head of jet-black hair floated on the surface, fanned out like scattered blossoms.

Then, the owner of the hair—a slender figure—emerged from the bloody water like a blood-red hibiscus in bloom.

Her face was breathtakingly beautiful, her figure stunning.

”Wh-who are you?”

The employee’s face was a mask of awe. Gazing at the strange yet intoxicating woman before him, he subconsciously ignored the bizarre circumstances and asked his question.

”My name is Yisuti. I was swimming in a lake while my child played on the shore, but somehow, I ended up here.”

”Can you help me find my child?”

She looked as if she were on the verge of tears, an utterly pitiful sight.

”This...”

The employee immediately thought of Brother Li. Could Brother Li have used her child as leverage to force Yisuti to sell her body?

It was something Brother Li had done countless times before.

Wait, no!

’How did the pool water turn red?’

He snapped back to his senses, realizing he had been completely captivated by her beauty, following her train of thought and ignoring the most bizarre thing right in front of him.

The more the employee thought about it, the stranger it seemed. With a sudden jolt of alarm, he opened the valve on the high-pressure water gun in his hand.

Instantly, a torrent of liquid shot toward Yisuti.

”Ah!”

Blasted by the stream, Yisuti let out a sharp, high-pitched shriek. ”Why are you bullying me? I’m so cute.”

WHOOSH.

A crimson tongue shot out, flying against the stream of water.

The employee’s face was a mask of terror. Before he could react, the tongue wrapped around his neck. He could only let out a choked ”GACK-GACK-GACK.” He struggled desperately, but it was useless. Instead, an immense force dragged him swiftly into the pool.

GLUG GLUG...

Soon, a large amount of blood once again surged from beneath the surface, and the struggles below grew weaker.

Until they stopped.

Yisuti sensed something watching her and instantly whipped her head around to lock onto it.

It was a security camera.

WHOOSH.

The long tongue shot out again, smashing the camera to pieces.

In the security room, Xie Shaokun, who had been staring at the monitor, watched the tongue rapidly approach the camera. He stumbled backward in fright, his words catching in his throat. ”Wh-what the hell is that?”

”How could she... have a tongue in her chest!!!”

His worldview was shattered once again.

”A Long-tongued Monster.”

”That long tongue is its most powerful Weapon. Characteristics: fast, powerful, and tough. Don’t ever let it hit or wrap around you, or you won’t be far from death.”

Xia Yu said calmly, ”Also, their physical constitution is generally not that strong—weaker than a Mutant’s. That’s their weak point. Of course, they’re still much stronger than you and I are right now.”

At that, her topic shifted, and she commanded, ”There’s also a pair of siblings here, a sister and brother. Find them!”

’Three Long-tongued Monsters, exactly the same as in my past life,’ Xia Yu thought. ’Compared to the ’mother,’ these two ’children’ are weaker. I’ll take them out one by one before they can regroup.’

Manager Ma nodded hurriedly. He clutched his mouth, which was bleeding profusely from a missing chunk of his lip, and started searching the surveillance footage.

He didn’t dare to slack off.

He was terrified the woman behind him, an incarnation of the god of death, would throw him out to the monsters.

”Yu... how do you know so much?”

Xie Shaokun finally couldn’t hold back his question.

”Take a guess.”

Xia Yu looked over, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Realizing he’d asked something he shouldn’t have, Xie Shaokun quickly changed the subject. ”What exactly is going on here?”

”The Mist Event...”

Xia Yu didn’t hide anything and proceeded to explain the situation.

She had deliberately brought Xie Shaokun into the third Mist Event. She had three objectives, two of which were:

First, to have him awaken his enhanced superpower ahead of schedule, which would be a great help to her. The ease with which the Mutant was killed just moments ago was the most obvious example of this assistance.

Second, to make him understand and recognize the cruelty of the Mist Event.

”The thing I fed you is called a Servant Spirit Species. It allows me to control your life and death. If I die, you die too.”

As Xie Shaokun was processing this information, Xia Yu’s voice rang out again.

”!!!”

Xie Shaokun’s pupils contracted.

”Don’t worry.”

Xia Yu said calmly, ”Work for me for two years, and then I’ll help you remove the Servant Spirit Species. You’ll be free to go. By the way, only I can remove it.”

”I don’t need to spell out the pros and cons for you, do I?”

Strictly speaking, this was a transaction. And despite her position of absolute power, she had still given him a glimmer of hope.

The choice wasn’t difficult.

Hearing this, a glint flashed in Xie Shaokun’s eyes.

He might be a brawler who enjoyed a good fight, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew the information he’d just learned was priceless. Following Xia Yu would greatly increase his chances of survival.

Besides, he had only awakened his superpower because he had listened to Xia Yu and come here in the first place.

After a moment of contemplation, Xie Shaokun nodded firmly. ”I’m with you!”

Xia Yu wasn’t surprised.

She had told Xie Shaokun about the Servant Spirit Species because she didn’t want him to betray her in an attempt to break free, thereby jeopardizing her own plans.

”Um... I want to be with you, too.”

Manager Ma fell to his knees, forcing himself to speak through the pain in his mouth. ”I will be absolutely loyal! I’m willing to take the Servant Spirit Species, and you’ll never have to take it out!”

Xie Shaokun: ”...”

Xia Yu didn’t even glance at him as she said flatly, ”The Servant Spirit Species is extremely precious. You’re not valuable enough to be worthy of it.”

”I have money! There’s over 800,000 in my bank card... In our line of work, we don’t dare keep too much in the bank. The rest of my money is in a villa in the suburbs. There’s cash there, and gold bars.”

Manager Ma’s face was a mask of desperation. He wished he could tear out his own heart to prove his sincerity, all just to survive.

He wasn’t an idiot.

Xia Yu had revealed such important information right in front of him. That could only mean one thing: ’I’m a dead man.’

So, he fought desperately to save himself.

”Money? A badass like my sis is going to be short on your pocket change?”

Xie Shaokun scoffed, ”Let me tell you something, my sis paid off my 300,000 loan shark debt without even batting an eye.”

Manager Ma’s heart went cold.

”Tell me the exact address and the safe combination.”

Xia Yu’s voice rang out.