In the end, the tieflings managed to scrape together nearly seven hundred million gold coins for Anbaixiu.
This was all the liquid cash they could muster; everything else had to be made up with physical assets.
Naturally, the least valuable among these were their lands. Anbaixiu did not even bother appraising them properly, tossing out an arbitrary offer of ten thousand soul coins to bundle the entire lot.
Such a price was flagrantly unreasonable. Combined, the territories of these high nobles made up nearly a third of the kingdom. Converted to gold, their value would easily be counted in the tens of billions.
Yet Anbaixiu's reasoning was simple: "Once you're down in Hell, if I want these lands, I can just take them."
It sounded insolent, and the tiefling nobles were ready to question Anbaixiu's capability—until Anbaixiu took a trip to the Underdark and recorded a projection.
It showed an undead army stretching beyond the horizon, complete with every variety of high-tier undead imaginable.
Upon seeing the footage, every single tiefling shut their mouth. A host of undead of such magnitude was sufficient to wage open war against Ryan; the Kingdom of the Unholy Hymn, already mired in chaos, stood no chance of withstanding them.
Though bitter at being fleeced, the tieflings had no choice but to accept it. They could not take these lands with them anyway; if they did not sell them for scraps, the territories would be worth nothing at all.
Thus, in just a few short days, Anbaixiu became the largest landowner in the Unholy Hymn.
Beyond territories, he acquired a vast multitude of slaves as well as every structure and facility across those domains.
Anbaixiu had now pocketed the most valuable assets belonging to all thirteen Unholy families.
Even though he had relentlessly driven down the prices until these assets seemed negligible, he still delivered the full 1.5 million soul coins to the Unholy Ones in the end. He had even tossed in an additional hundred thousand later, claiming he was giving it out of pity.
Those tieflings actually thought Anbaixiu had suffered a sudden pang of conscience or that they had misjudged his character, and one by one, they overflowed with gratitude toward him.
Only Domino Lawley sensed something was wrong. She had heard of his reputation; nearly everyone who knew him spoke of greed and cunning. She refused to believe a man like that would show mercy and hand over such precious soul coins.
Those coins could be traded with any hell lord at any time to obtain boundless favors. How could he possibly bear to part with them for free?
Domino Lawley knew something was amiss, but she did not halt the transactions. Instead, while the others were running about scrambling for gold, she sequestered herself in her manor to summon Zariel.
After all, as the mastermind behind the kingdom's damnation, Domino Lawley had earned the standing to call upon Zariel.
When the orb of hellfire ignited before her, Domino Lawley began to tremble violently even before the flames reached her. That agony was seared into the depths of her soul; merely imagining it was excruciating.
Domino Lawley hastily lowered her head, prostrating herself on the floor, not daring to gaze upon Zariel's flame-wreathed form.
After offering a few humble words of adoration, Domino Lawley could not resist asking, "If I can provide You with a vast sum of soul coins, would You spare me? As long as I no longer have to suffer the torment, I will do anything."
The sole reason she had betrayed the entire kingdom was to escape the agonizing burns of hellfire, yet after going full circle, she was still slated to be tortured in Hell. Soul coins were now her last beacon of hope, and she had to clutch onto it.
Looking down upon Domino Lawley's cowering, terrified display, Zariel's fractured visage twisted into a mocking smirk.
Feigning ignorance, Zariel said, "Soul coins? Where would you get soul coins? Do you even know what sort of souls can become currency in Hell? Do you know the method for minting them?"
Hearing Zariel say this, Domino Lawley felt an immediate surge of excitement. It seemed these coins were indeed remarkably enticing to a hell lord.
She hurriedly produced two soul coins and presented them with both hands.
With a crook of Zariel's finger, the two coins drifted into her grasp.
Zariel examined them with pretense, then asked, "Not bad. Top quality. How many of these do you have?"
Domino Lawley felt as though light had suddenly pierced her darkness, and she quickly replied, "Many! Tens of thousands! Can I use these soul coins to purchase Your forgiveness?"
Zariel seemed to hesitate briefly before answering, "You may. However, if it is only a few tens of thousands, that is hardly enough."
Domino Lawley pressed frantically, "Please tell me, how many will it take to absolve my sins?"
Zariel smiled and said, "At least one million. Then I may give serious consideration to absolving your transgressions. Naturally, the greater the quantity, the higher the likelihood of my pardon."
"One million..." Domino Lawley shuddered violently. The thirteen Unholy Ones had liquidated their entire family fortunes just to secure 1.6 million soul coins. Divided evenly, each would receive barely over a hundred thousand. Zariel was demanding a million straight away—how could she possibly procure that much?
"What, you cannot produce it? Then there is nothing to be done. Still, you have been burned by hellfire plenty of times; you ought to be accustomed to it by now. Rest assured, once you arrive in Hell, I will surely treat you to some novel variations, hahaha! When you betrayed me back then, you should have foreseen this end."
At the mere mention of hellfire, Domino Lawley trembled even harder, as if her bones had turned to cinder and could no longer support her frame.
Overcome with desperation, Domino Lawley cried out, "No, I can! I can definitely get those soul coins! Please rest assured, I will get them!"
"Very well. I look forward to your tribute. However, if you disappoint me... you know the consequences."
Leaving behind that threat, Zariel vanished.
Domino Lawley had not even had time to request a formal pact; Zariel's abrupt departure left her feeling deeply uneasy.
Yet on second thought, it hardly mattered. She could not read the infernal script of devils anyway, so whatever was penned on a contract would have been dictated by Zariel regardless.
Based on Domino Lawley's knowledge of Zariel, the Archduke of Hell disdained lying. Since she had given her verbal word, she likely would not break it. The question now was: with the total sum being only 1.6 million soul coins, how was she to claim one million for herself?
For the past two days, the Council of Iniquity had been locked in relentless bickering over the division of the soul coins.
Primarily, this was because the counterparty had demanded gold, resulting in massive disparities in what each family had contributed. Some demanded an equal split, while others felt robbed.
Sadio Luce was particularly obstinate. Having put forward three hundred million gold coins—the largest share by far—he adamantly refused to divide the coins equally. Furthermore, he was exceedingly shrewd; during the transaction, he had secretly dispatched his own agents to deal privately with Master Ultraman, quietly siphoning off a massive portion of soul coins behind the others' backs.
How to divide the remaining soul coins was now a truly thorny problem.
Domino Lawley pondered in silence for a long time, then stepped into her alchemy laboratory.
Ever since abandoning her path as a Hellrider, Domino Lawley had devoted herself wholeheartedly to alchemy. Her achievements in magical potions were distinguished enough to earn her a place on the City of Alchemy's roster of renowned scholars.
Domino Lawley remained inside her laboratory for a full day and night. When she finally emerged looking thoroughly exhausted, she held a slender glass vial containing an alchemical brew that resembled a swirling cloud of vapor.
A new council was convened shortly thereafter, and the thirteen Unholy Ones gathered once more. Yet the agenda of their meeting was still not how to confront Ryan's invasion, but how to divide those soul coins.
They had liquidated their entire estates and even forcibly requisitioned vast sums of gold from commoners in the name of the war effort, all to purchase those 1.6 million soul coins.
The moment the session opened, Sadio Luce was already howling that the coins should be distributed proportional to each member's financial contribution.
Someone immediately fired back, arguing that he had already bought a large amount in secret and had thus taken unfair advantage, so the remainder ought to be divided equally.
Other Unholy Ones who had contributed larger shares also began to push back, and the council once again devolved into a naked brawl of words.
Even as rulers of a realm, they stripped away every pretense of gentlemanly decorum in such moments, leaving only raw, shameless greed.
Domino Lawley watched them squabble in silence without uttering a word. She quietly retrieved the vial of alchemical brew and eased out the stopper.
A faint, elusive fragrance seeped from the bottle, swiftly drifting through the entire council chamber.
The other Unholy Ones took no notice, lost in their furious dispute. Red-faced and panting heavily, they inhaled a considerable dose of the vapor without realizing it.
As time slipped by, the volume of their arguing began to dwindle. One after another, the Unholy Ones sank back into their chairs, an uncontrollable drowsiness washing over their faces.
Suddenly, magical radiance flared around one of them—defensive enchantments springing to life. Jolted with alarm, the noble realized he had been poisoned, but the moment he struggled to his feet, vertigo struck him again.
Domino Lawley watched this "old friend" whom she had known for years until he collapsed back into his seat.
It was true that certain magical items could dispel the effects of alchemical brews, but most defensive spells merely purged abnormal conditions in a single instant rather than granting ongoing immunity.
With the vapor having diffused for so long, the chamber was completely saturated with it.
Purging the condition was futile, for the very next breath drew the alchemical mist right back into their lungs.
Of course, not everyone was subdued so easily.
Sadio Luce, who had been shouting the loudest just moments before, sensed that something was amiss. Not only did he activate magic items to dispel adverse conditions, but he also clamped a hand over his nose and mouth.
"Domino! You wretched bitch, what are you doing?!" Sadio Luce demanded through muffled gasps.
Domino Lawley let out a soft sigh. "Nothing. I just want to live."
A vial of alchemical brew flew straight toward Sadio Luce. The wealthiest noble in the Unholy Hymn scrambled to dodge, but upon shattering, the flask erupted into a dense shroud of smoke that engulfed him.
The very next second, he collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud.
Only then did Domino Lawley rise to her feet and make a circuit around the chamber.
Confirming that everyone had slipped into a half-conscious stupor, she spoke in a low, resonant voice: "Listen to me. When you awaken, you will cast aside all disputes and entrust every soul coin to my unified management..."
Everything Domino Lawley did unfolded before the watching eyes of Zariel and Tiamat down in Hell.
"I do love watching villains turn on each other," Tiamat remarked.
Zariel smiled with satisfaction. No devil could dislike such drama. Yet she could not help observing with a sigh, "That lich calculated all of this long ago. He even predicted Domino Lawley's treachery. Had he not alerted me in advance, I wouldn't have been able to play along with this performance."
"A pity," Tiamat said. "That lich stands resolutely opposed to us. He isn't working for us in earnest; he must be scheming against us even now."
Zariel found it regrettable as well. While she favored valiant warriors, she did not dismiss sharp minds. If anything, what her ranks lacked most was precisely someone who used their head. If only that lich could serve under her command—how splendid that would be.
Nevertheless, Zariel turned to Tiamat and said, "Do not fret. They have no inkling of our true design. Let us simply watch and see how far this lich can go."
Chapter 342