The days of exhaustion and numbness repeated endlessly.
After living through another day, clad in tattered and soiled robes, they would sleep in street corners, by the roadside, or in some dark, insecure nook.
The blood moon, perpetually shrouded, cast an unbroken darkness. Within this gloom, a petite figure materialized silently atop the towering structures of the outer city.
Drawing power from demonic energy, her spiritual power expanded, allowing her to perceive the entirety of the outer city with clarity.
Tang Sui raised her hand, and a net of black and red demonic energy sprang from her fingertips, ascending into the inky night sky. It merged seamlessly with the light of the blood moon, silently enveloping the densely populated outer city.
A peculiar drowsiness descended. Even those with exceptionally sharp nerves couldn't resist closing their eyes under its influence, sinking into a deeper slumber.
Little bats, chirping, flew down behind Tang Sui. From their small forms, they transformed into graceful young maidens.
"Little Princess."
The arrival was that of the envoy.
Tang Sui did not turn her head, merely responding with a "Mm."
She harbored no need for caution towards the envoy, not only due to the envoy's absolute loyalty to Tang Chen but also because of a sworn contract.
The master-servant contract, particularly dominant within the demon race, was exceptionally binding. The servant was utterly incapable of disobeying the master's commands or acting in any manner detrimental to the master.
Thus, the envoy served as Tang Chen's other pair of trustworthy "eyes." Tang Sui was aware of certain matters; though Tang Chen could not be present, he could still gain knowledge through the envoy. This knowledge was derived from the soul of the great demon she knew, not from the human shell that was under divine scrutiny.
"What is your intention in doing this?" The envoy's gaze, devoid of any warmth, fell upon the slumbering populace.
By Tang Sui's decree, there were no black-armored knights of the law enforcement team patrolling the outer city today.
Everyone, including the King of Slaughter, knew that their Little Princess was finally preparing to take action.
"They are all beyond saving, their will to live worn down to nothing. They are nothing but a pile of mud." As she spoke, the envoy looked towards the perpetually dark, unchanging night sky.
The entire outer city was now under the Little Princess's control.
If any soul master from the inner city were to venture into the outer city today to hunt unfortunate souls, upon entering the area under the Little Princess's sway, they would themselves become unfortunate souls like those of the outer city, falling into slumber.
This was why there were no law enforcement knights patrolling today; they had all been reassigned.
"Even if you weave them a beautiful dream, dreams are ultimately illusions. Upon waking, reality will remain cruel and numbing. They will see no hope."
"What has already occurred may be unchangeable, but what if there were an experience of forgetting everything and starting anew?"
Tang Sui's gaze upon the sleeping figures was equally cold.
"Those who originally came to the Slaughter City for training have long since died en route, or been assimilated by this place, or are now in the inner city. They would never be found in the outer city, which resembles a foul-smelling garbage dump."
"Those here now are either desperate or have no tomorrow to speak of."
The black and red demonic energy surged within Tang Sui's shadow, and it stirred restlessly in the shadows of everyone enveloped by the demonic energy.
"If there is no hope, then create hope. If there are no bonds, then create bonds."
"Humans have always united against external threats when stronger enemies appear. Therefore, when faced with monsters and hardships stronger than themselves, they will inevitably choose temporary cooperation. Bonds can be created in this manner."
Forgetting everything, experiencing a beautiful life, and then returning to this hell would surely shatter their minds... But, when they once again plunged into despair, it would be the moment for her "created" "god" to appear, leading these bewildered believers forward, and harvesting their faith.
...
Consciousness plunged endlessly.
This feeling of lightness, of being like a walking corpse, was the state of the people in the outer city every day.
And then?
Then they heard an encouraging voice.
She (he) seemed to be... being dragged out by the heels?
"Whoa—!"
The baby's cry was sharp and piercing, but a greater sound was one of joy.
"She's born! She's born!"
"Congratulations, congratulations! It's a healthy child!"
Who was born?
No... it was him (her) that was born?
...
Countless new lives were enacted within this grand world.
Children who "reincarnated" with memories were immersed in the fertile ground of this異world, slowly growing up under the care of their families or the influence of others.
This was a world similar to, yet entirely different from, the Douluo Continent of their memories.
The people here had no soul power, but there were believers and deities, as well as beasts driven mad by the influence of darkness, and beast tides.
The Church was the propagator of faith in the divine. Those who believed more in the divine could possess certain peculiar abilities, akin to the different innate talents presented by various spirit spirits.
At first, some were dismissive, unwilling to believe in the existence of any gods, nor wishing to have faith.
But when those close to them were truly in danger, when their loved ones or they themselves were in dire straits, the miracles they encountered made them unable to resist being moved.
—Who could refuse the salvation received in such desperate circumstances?
Tang Sui, who fabricated this entire grand dreamscape, was like a god. Within her own dark spiritual space, she observed each dream developing freely, extending a hand to intervene when appropriate.
At the very least, she herself could not refuse such salvation.
— — — Author's Notes — — —
When we discussed this last time, my friend's comment was: In a hot-blooded adventure novel like Douluo, to engage in (multi-level) marketing and building, you are probably the first person in history.
Mo Li: Wuhu~