At the head of the queue, a player draped in a pitch-black cloak stepped forward, arriving before the grand doors of the Soul Exchange with excitement coursing through him.
"Finally, my turn."
Pulling back his black cowl revealed a face so pale it was entirely devoid of color, paired with blood-red pupils and sharp fangs glinting faintly beneath his curled lips.
A closer inspection would reveal an exquisite crest pinned to the player's chest, bearing the emblem of a crossed dagger and violin.
This was none other than the insignia of Nocturne, the feared covert-ops unit composed entirely of vampires within the Cinder Empire.
And the player's identity was practically obvious.
He was the former commander of Nocturne, the Empire's sole high-tier vampire, and a player notorious throughout the community—Langlibaitiao.
Gazing at the slowly parting doors carved with hideous skulls, Langlibaitiao rubbed his hands together impatiently, wearing his trademark shameless grin.
He proclaimed excitedly, "Once I sign this pact, I'll be the first player to combine the powers of a vampire, a devil, and an Arcane Trickster all in one!
"After that, I'll hit up some abandoned temple to do a blood sacrifice for an evil god, then drop by the Abyss to pick up some demon taint—just brewing a toxic cocktail of curses right inside my own body...
"I, Langlibaitiao, am the man destined to become the King of All Evils!"
An eerie crimson light seeped through the gap between the doors, carrying the acrid stench of infernal brimstone, but Langlibaitiao charged inside without the slightest hesitation.
An erinyes sauntered out. Her black gown featured a daring slit running high up her thigh, revealing long, pale legs. A smile blossomed across her strikingly gorgeous face as she purred softly, "Hehe, looks like we have another new guest..."
Just as she moved to press close against him, Langlibaitiao threw up a hand in a firm gesture of rejection and declared with righteous indignation, "Lady, I know you're lusting after my dashing looks, but please keep your distance!"
Even the erinyes froze on the spot. A rare look of utter bewilderment crossed her breathtakingly beautiful face, her red lips parting slightly. "What are you..."
Yet Langlibaitiao only grinned and scoffed, "Heh, so this is the erinyes mentioned in the guides?
"Truly living up to your reputation as Hell's siren. You're gorgeous, sure, but that won't shake my iron will!"
Langlibaitiao lifted directly into the air, his cloak flapping dramatically behind him, his voice ringing with even greater conviction: "Sensual beauty is nothing more than a handful of dust in the end..."
He raised his right fist high. "Only raw power is the ultimate truth of all things!"
"Hehe, dear guest, I am merely your guide..." Eunice cooed, casting a sultry gaze toward Langlibaitiao as she glided forward.
A wave of intoxicating fragrance drifted toward him, while a mesmerizing crimson glow surfaced within her limpid eyes.
The erinyes was supremely confident that no mortal could resist her charms; even the most iron-willed would kneel and succumb beneath her hem.
Yet Langlibaitiao had come prepared. Flashing a brilliant smile, he whipped out and strapped on a gas mask.
The alluring aroma was blocked by the filters, and her bewitching gaze was deflected by an antimagic glass visor. Langlibaitiao's eyes had never looked more resolute.
He drew a hand crossbow and leveled it straight at the erinyes, announcing loudly, "Lady, consider this your warning. Take another step closer, and I'll be forced to act in self-defense."
"Wait..."
*Whoosh!*
The next moment, the vampire player shot forward, flying at breakneck speed through midair and clearing the infernal corridor in mere seconds.
He left the erinyes rooted to the spot in utter confusion, her chestnut hair ruffled by the gust Langlibaitiao had left in his wake.
"Damned mortal! Utterly nonsensical! Incomprehensible!"
Smoothing her hair, Eunice muttered under her breath. As an erinyes, she had never felt so thoroughly thwarted!
Yet she swiftly regained her composure, returning to her sultry smile and quietly awaiting her next "prey."
***
Entering the main hall of the Infernal Exchange, the dizzying array of counters made Langlibaitiao's eyes wander.
The devils displayed all manner of wares. Piles of gold and silver were heaped before some counters, exquisite delicacies and vintage wines adorned others, and beauties of every kind sat lounging behind several more...
"Come have a look over here..."
"Come, guest! Surrender your negligible soul, and all the world's wealth can be yours..."
"My contract is the finest! Do you desire peerless beauties? Even mortal kings pursue them..."
"Yearning for power? I can slaughter any creature you despise!"
Yet Langlibaitiao was completely unmoved, bypassing the gaudy devils without a second glance as he strode deep into the Infernal Exchange.
"Hmph, you think that cheap parlor trick can sway me?"
He was a veteran gamer who had played God in standalone holographic titles; illusory riches and beauties were completely beneath his notice.
—It offered even less sense of accomplishment than killing a chicken in Riverwood.
At the far end of the Infernal Exchange's hall stood a pair of massive bronze doors adorned with grotesque, writhing faces, where surging hellfire spewed from their eyes, mouths, and nostrils.
A sight terrifying enough to strike dread into any mortal only made Langlibaitiao's eyes light up. Comparing it with the projection in his hand, he said eagerly, "This is it—the private chamber of the former Lord of Avernus, the archdevil Bel."
"Enter, traveler from afar."
No terrifying, monstrous voice resonated from within the bronze doors; instead, it was a remarkably magnetic whisper.
With a low rumble, the contorted face on the doors opened its jaws, and the great doors slowly swung inward.
Langlibaitiao strode inside quickly, but the scene greeting him defied his expectations.
The chamber was far more spacious than it appeared from outside, splendidly decorated in glittering gold and regal opulence—save for the occasional cruel, sinister details lurking within its murals.
—For instance, on the banquet platters lay gory human limbs, while the noblewomen attending the feast laughed ceaselessly and gorged themselves.
"To think that a vampire's nature, draconic bloodline, and... the power of certain universal laws could coexist in a single individual.
"I must admit, you have piqued my curiosity."
There was that familiar voice again. Looking in the direction of the sound, Langlibaitiao saw a man in luxurious robes standing at the far end of the hall, his back turned.
When the man turned around, it was not the horrific countenance of a devil one might expect, but a strikingly handsome face as refreshing as a spring breeze.
—This was Bel's avatar left within the Empire.
Without hesitation, Langlibaitiao stepped forward and cheerfully asked, "You must be Lord Bel! Where's the contract? I'm ready to sell my soul."
At that moment, even the worldly devil was caught off guard. Having corrupted countless mortals over thousands of years, he had never seen anyone so eager to surrender their soul, leaving his carefully prepared spiel entirely unused.
"As you wish, mortal."
After a brief hesitation, he extended his hand, and a blood-stained parchment inscribed with infernal runes materialized before Langlibaitiao.
Langlibaitiao stared at his interface, looking pleased yet slightly puzzled. "This seems... a bit different from what the guide said?"
"What is a 'guide'?"
Suddenly, the man's voice came from right behind Langlibaitiao, sending a sudden chill down the player's spine.
"Furthermore, you do not appear to be reading my contract. Might I inquire... what exactly are you looking at?"
Bel pressed closer step by step. Though he appeared to be merely a human noble, the aura he radiated was immensely oppressive.
Turning his head to meet the devil's gaze, Langlibaitiao felt goosebumps prickling his skin. *What are the Elezerg devs doing? Did they hit a rogue AI crisis or something?*
Feigning composure, he casually bluffed, "No, Lord Bel, I think you've misunderstood. Uh, I'm just a simple mortal willing to give up his soul for power."
"Hehe, is that so..."
Bel did not press further, merely smiling with a nod.
Langlibaitiao glanced left and right, and upon confirming the devil wasn't doing anything unusual, he cautiously peered back at his interface.
[You have unlocked the advanced class path: Warlock - Fiend Patron]
[You will forge a pact with an archdevil from Hell. Such entities yearn to corrupt all creation and harvest endless souls.]
[The devil who enters this pact with you will become your patron, bestowing their power upon you.]
"Looks pretty damn overpowered."
Reading the power-packed description, Langlibaitiao hesitated for only a fraction of a second before hitting confirm.
Instantly, the infernal contract flared with brilliant light as hellfire surged, and the whispers of petitioners echoed throughout the chamber.
Langlibaitiao floated into the air like a condemned sinner strung up on the gallows, while torrents of vile, corruptive energy poured into his already tainted body.
***
After Langlibaitiao cheerfully departed having signed away his soul, Bel watched the doors slowly close. His gaze instantly darkened, like a man-eating abyss.
"The same again. A chaotic consciousness, a mental existence built on thin air, and a soul undetectable even by my senses...
"Heh, no wonder that Emperor glossed over those details. It was a deliberate trap. It seems I grew somewhat conceited, subconsciously equating the Cinder Emperor with those brainless red dragons in Hell."
Bel paced back and forth across the hall. A sinister sneer twisted his handsome face, veins bulging on his brow as his devilish nature threatened to break through his disguise.
"According to my intelligence, these unique beings are called 'Starfallen' by the imperial populace, supposedly otherworldly entities brought down by shooting stars. Hah, calling them 'Soulless Ones' fits far better.
"No soul can be sensed within them, nor can they be corrupted or consumed by Hell. I must say, that Emperor has pulled off a masterclass in zero-cost profiteering. Rather than a dragon, he is better suited to be a devil of Hell."
Bel sat down on a sofa, picked up a goblet from the table, and crossed his legs lazily, an intense curiosity rekindling in his dark pupils.
"From what I know, these Soulless Ones are undying and indestructible. Even when slain, they revive almost instantly, completely unchanged. Granting immortality to a population of millions—not even the gods possess such power.
"It does remind me of the demons of the Abyss, though low-tier demons pale in comparison.
"Under such circumstances, these Soulless Ones have virtually no inhibitions or survival pressures. They bear no resemblance to mortals struggling just to survive; rather, it is as if... they are playing a game with zero consequences.
"However, based on my observations, this lot harbors no true loyalty to that Emperor either; they are merely bound by imperial order."
Swirling his goblet, the devil let the blood-red wine coat its sides, upon which the reflection of Langlibaitiao appeared.
Perhaps... this fellow might make a rather fine point of breakthrough.
***
Meanwhile, atop the peak of Dragonblood Mountain, the red dragon—measuring over fifty meters in length—lay coiled on a plateau of flat rock. His undulating spine resembled a mountain range, shrouded in dense coils of white vapor.
With a crisp mechanical chime, a magical communication device activated, and Trump's projection materialized atop the summit.
"Master, over three hundred players have already entered contracts with the devils. We are monitoring them closely and will report any irregularities immediately."
"Very good. But there are certain things... that you alone cannot detect."
"Master, you mean..."
Cassius slowly opened his eyes and shook his massive head, his pale-gold pupils mirroring the reflection of Langlibaitiao as well.
"Tsk, tsk. As expected of the former Lord of Avernus. He caught onto the anomaly so quickly and even seized the chance to plant a covert piece, hoping to influence the players.
"Bel, it seems you too are deeply intrigued by this special demographic."
The red dragon bared his fangs, a ferocious grin spreading across his meters-wide draconic face.
Devils were always arrogant and self-satisfied, perpetually convinced they could run circles around every other creature, and Bel was no exception.
Cassius had anticipated that Bel would uncover his little scheme to get something for nothing, but he had predicted another point as well:
—The devil would develop an immense fascination with the players. Even at the cost of his own power, he would investigate their secrets, an endeavor that was bound to prove entirely fruitless.
Bel's intense curiosity toward the players was quite understandable.
After all, the reason Asmodeus had replaced him was his underwhelming performance in the Blood War, lacking Zariel's fanatical bloodlust. An army of players capable of infinite resurrection was undeniably a force of terrifying potential.
Thus, Cassius chose to play along with the devil's game, using the players as bait to siphon the power of Hell for himself and even manipulate Avernus indirectly through Bel.
"Yet, if not even the future gods could unravel that mystery, what makes you—a mere former Lord of Hell deposed by Asmodeus—think you are worthy to know?"
Cassius's pale-gold pupils flickered, the corners of his mouth curving upward in unmasked draconic mockery.
***
"Today is a good day, everything I wish for comes true—"
Draped in his black cloak, Langlibaitiao strutted through the City of Baator with an exaggerated swagger, humming and singing merrily.
Having secured the premier contract directly from Bel, he was overjoyed and itching to show off in front of his buddies.
He asked everyone he came across, "Hey, how'd you know I got infernal powers? How'd you know I scored a pact with the archdevil Bel himself?"
"Who even asked you?!"
"Piss off! Get out of my face!"
Despite receiving unanimous verbal beatdowns from his friends, Langlibaitiao relished every second of it, never growing tired of boasting.
Yet the strutting, boastful Langlibaitiao had no idea that he was being watched by two unimaginably terrifying entities standing at the pinnacle of the Material Plane, having become a pawn in their grand game of chess.
Chapter 598