Is there really no difference between this place and where one goes after death?
Tang San was well-versed in the underworld.
In fact, he understood it better than most, if not all, of the people in this "underworld."
If the King of Hell decrees that you must die by the third watch, who dares to keep you alive until the fifth?
In Tang San's previous world, terms like the King of Hell, dark and White Impermanence, the Gate of Ghosts, and the Road to the Yellow Springs were not unfamiliar.
So, why was he inexplicably brought to the "Gate of Ghosts," and told that it was no different from being dead?
"Once you enter Slaughter City, trust no one. Everyone is your enemy!"
The words of Tang Hao echoed in his ears, and a glimmer of realization flashed in Tang San's eyes.
This place must be fake, a complete deception!
"How dare you defile the underworld like this? Aren't you afraid of divine retribution?"
Tang San questioned aloud.
Even he wouldn't dare to blaspheme the gods, let alone a place as sacred as the underworld.
"Defile the underworld?"
The two men exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion.
They were public servants of the underworld, and any sins they had committed in life had already been atoned for.
Even if they were to truly descend to the underworld, they had nothing to fear. In fact, they might even be hired as experienced workers!
Thinking of this, the two shared a knowing smile.
"What we're doing is helping those who committed grave sins in life to cleanse their crimes, so they won't be judged too harshly in the underworld."
One of them seemed to recall something and added impatiently, "Why are we wasting time explaining this to a brat? Let's take him to Judge Yan."
"Right."
Tang San was left baffled by their words, unable to grasp their meaning.
Hidden in the shadows, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao were equally confused.
The Slaughter City, once littered with corpses, now seemed even more eerie and terrifying, with no trace of the dead.
This was something Tang Hao found hard to comprehend.
When Tang San heard the term "Judge Yan," he was even more puzzled.
He was certain that in the Douluo Continent, there were no legends of the King of Hell or the underworld.
Yet, before him stood a "mock" underworld, leaving him utterly speechless.
Since they wanted to "play," he decided to go along and see where this would lead.
Silently following the two men, Tang San soon caught sight of a blood-red moat. At a glance, it sent chills down his spine.
The overwhelming stench of blood hit him, and as a seasoned killer, he knew exactly what it was.
Blood... this was a river of blood, a true river of blood!
Even Tang San, who had seen his fair share of horrors, was taken aback. He couldn't help but feel that this underworld was utterly evil and deserved to be destroyed.
"Be careful. Since you've come here willingly, it means you're no saint either. What, are you scared by such a small scene?"
One of the men leading the way remarked nonchalantly.
Hearing this, Tang San's eye twitched.
What did they mean by him coming here willingly? He was here for the Death God Domain!
He hadn't committed any sins, so why were they calling him "no saint"?
Wait, Tang San wasn't a "saint" to begin with!
Tang San: "..."
He wanted to say something, but his lips parted only to close again.
This was a dead end; he couldn't argue his way out of it.
With a cold snort, Tang San remained silent.
Once he figured out what this so-called underworld was all about, he would definitely kill the man who had spoken!
That guy had already earned his death sentence!
"Seems like you really are no saint. My judgment is as sharp as ever. What a waste of a good body."
"..."
Above the blood-red moat was a bridge shrouded in a faint mist, giving off an air of mystery.
Standing on the bridge was a beautiful woman, her enchanting presence alone enough to stir desire.
After all, this wasn't the real underworld, so having a name was already a great honor.
When the two men leading the way saw the woman, they instinctively wanted to salute her, but then remembered something and quickly suppressed the urge.
There was no denying the woman's beauty, and her revealing attire only added to her allure, igniting primal desires.
But given their status and her power...
Some things were better left unthought, let alone acted upon!
"Greetings, Lady Meng Po!"
The two men bowed respectfully to "Meng Po."
This "Meng Po" was no ordinary figure.
She was once the most trusted subordinate and strongest warrior of the Slaughter King.
A titled Douluo in her own right!
The reason she had fallen to the Slaughter City was simply because she enjoyed the feeling of decadence.
She had come to the Slaughter City of her own volition.
"Oh, a newcomer, huh?"
"Meng Po" smirked, a glint of interest in her eyes.
This newcomer wasn't bad-looking, and since he had come to the Slaughter City willingly, he probably wasn't a saint either.
Of course, she herself was no saint.
Some people were born evil, and she was one of them.
Seeing this, Tang San felt a surge of blood rush to his head. When had he ever encountered such a scene?
Even back at the auction house in Heaven Dou City, the girls there had been modest in comparison.
Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that the woman before him was no ordinary person.
To be called "Meng Po," her strength must be formidable. Otherwise, she wouldn't be standing on this Naihe Bridge.
Yes, this bridge was called the Naihe Bridge.
The longer Tang San stayed in this underworld, the more he felt that this place was anything but simple.
The Douluo Continent had no legends of the underworld, yet the Slaughter City was filled with "legends" of the underworld.
Tang San even began to wonder if he had truly arrived in the underworld, especially with the blood-red sun hanging in the sky, casting an eerie glow.
Everything here was strange, sinister, and dripping with evil, yet it also felt unnervingly clean.
"It's been a long time since we've had a newcomer. Sister's soup hasn't been sold for a while."
"Young man, would you like to have a couple more bowls?"
"Meng Po" smirked, her eyes filled with a mix of anticipation, disdain, and indifference.
She found this version of the underworld far more interesting than the Slaughter City of old.
Especially when dealing with newcomers.
If only people came every day, it would be even better.
Unfortunately, perhaps because the outside world was too peaceful, the number of visitors to the Slaughter City had dwindled significantly.
Tang San's eyes twitched. If it weren't for the fact that the woman before him seemed terrifying, he would have already declared her deserving of death.
A couple more bowls of "Meng Po's" soup?
Had he even agreed to drink it?
Since arriving here, he had no idea what was going on, so how could he recklessly drink some soup?
Moreover, this "Meng Po" was far too "mysterious," making it even more impossible for him to...
"Kid, everyone who comes here must drink Meng Po's soup. If you refuse, hehe..."
"You don't want to know what happens next!"
"The last person who tried to refuse, relying on their strength, is now one with the Yellow Springs below."