The dark city gate exuded an oppressive atmosphere.
Above the massive gate hung the four characters "City of Slaughter" in crimson, as if painted with blood, radiating an unsettling chill and a strong scent of gore.
Two rows of black-armored knights stood at attention, their long spears held steady. Their gazes swept over the newcomer, merely glancing at the black token in Tang San's hand. Just as Tang San was about to step into the City of Slaughter, their spears, forged from a special metal, crossed to form a barrier before him.
"Please complete the final procedure before entering the City of Slaughter," a muffled voice emanated from the helmet of a black-armored knight.
Tang San frowned, about to speak, when a pleasant female voice called out from within the gate.
"Welcome to the City of Slaughter."
A messenger, her face veiled by black lace, emerged from the left side of the gate, her smiling voice devoid of any killing intent, seemingly friendly.
Tang San halted, his gaze shifting to the messenger.
Out of caution, he remained silent.
The messenger, unfazed, broke the stiff silence. "Hello newcomer, I am your guide. You can ask me anything you don't understand. For twelve hours, I will answer all your questions. After twelve hours, this will be your new home. But before that, please accompany me to complete the final verification procedure."
"What procedure?" Tang San finally spoke.
The messenger's smile remained unchanged. "You simply need to fill out a truthful and valid form. Please follow me."
With that, she led the way out of the gate, turning right, exposing her vulnerable back to Tang San.
Tang San pondered for two seconds before stepping forward to follow the messenger, maintaining a two-meter safety distance, his caution at its peak.
A black tent was pitched beneath the oppressive black city walls, its dark color seeming to blend in, making it hard to spot unless one looked closely.
However, ordinary people wouldn't consider scaling the walls when they had a token to enter through the gate.
Tang San's curiosity about the City of Slaughter deepened, but maintaining his aloof persona out of caution, he followed until the messenger stopped and gestured to the side with a "please" motion. "Just fill out the questions on the form truthfully. If you encounter any difficult or inconvenient questions, you can answer only what you can, but please remember, all this must be true information, no falsifications."
"This concerns your future survival in the City of Slaughter, so please do not provide false information."
Tang San looked at the one person and one table inside the open tent. He stood a few steps away, not moving, and said coldly, "Those who come here are not good people. How do you know I'm filling out true information? And... if this is for registration, wouldn't the Soul Master's handbook be enough to prove my identity?"
"That depends on how you write it," the messenger replied impassively, her face practically screaming "it's up to you." "I've already said what I needed to say."
Tang San's heart sank as he saw her unconcerned demeanor. He asked again, "Will this document be submitted to your superiors?"
"In a way," the messenger answered, half-truthfully.
The documents wouldn't be submitted manually; they would self-combust and fly away. Even she didn't know what the Young Princess intended to do with this information, only speculating it was related to those who had entered deep slumber.
"Will it be seen by your higher-ups?"
The messenger shook her head. "No. All the information filled out by those entering the City of Slaughter will only reach one person. That is the examining official who set up this additional verification procedure. Even the ruler of the City of Slaughter, the King of Slaughter, has no right to view it, let alone us subordinates. Do you have any other questions?" If not, could you please fill it out?
So only one person would see this document?
Tang San made a mental calculation, but the specific reason for the examining official setting up this extra hurdle remained a question.
However, now was clearly not the time to ask.
With this thought, Tang San stepped forward and walked into the tent under the watchful eyes of the messenger and the black-armored knights within.
The items on the table were clear. Tang San considered releasing his mental energy, but looking at the items on the table, he found it unnecessary.
These items were common, and with only two or three of them, there was unlikely to be any hidden mechanism.
With this in mind, Tang San held the quill, his gaze fixed on the blank paper, and began to write swiftly.
Accustomed to seeing newcomers and messengers depart, the black-armored knight picked up the seal that had been set aside after their figures had faded and stamped the freshly completed form.
The paper spontaneously combusted, turning to black ash in the air.
In a luxuriously decorated side hall, the form Tang San had filled out lay quietly on a rosewood table, awaiting its owner's return.
Meanwhile, Tang Sui, having finished inquiring about the situation of new Soul Masters in the enforcement team, began her journey back.
Her appearance in the outer city today was not spontaneous. Tang Chen had suddenly called her to the city's outskirts, saying he had sensed something and asked her to investigate.
Aside from the usual minor injuries sustained by the enforcement knights during the assessment of new Soul Masters, allowing the newcomers to pass, there were no other anomalies.
After inquiring with the enforcement team, Tang Sui didn't rest. She loitered around the spatial areas connecting different entry points but found nothing unusual.
The City of Slaughter now had more than one entrance, but they all led in the same direction, like a tree with several branches originating from the same root.
This method was unique to this continent, a technique belonging to another world, a teleportation array.
Having patrolled outside the city with no significant findings, Tang Sui changed direction and flew directly back to the highest building towering within the city – Hell Palace.
— Author's notes —
Today's Gu King: Ape-Face.
Offline Ape-Face (muttering curses): Little brat, you think you can scheme against me? Lower your intelligence for me!