Deep in the Living-Chapter 486 - 472 Scorching Memories

Death,

Luo Di had experienced it many times,

but this time it was different,

not cardiac failure, not decapitation, nor a gradual peeling of flesh in Mr. Question Mark’s game... but a deeper, more direct death.

The moment the flesh touched the dead water,

rot, decay, automatic defleshing, even the bones themselves rapidly deteriorated.

The dead water seeped into the skull through the rotten eyes, covering the brain.

Even Luo Di’s murderer body, even with the gray shelter, even with the newly acquired Blood Bible, were to no avail.

In the face of ultimate death, obliteration is the final answer.

However, these characteristics allowed him to hold on for a little while longer,

to feel this unique death,

to feel what was pulling him downwards.

Moreover, during this rapid death process, Luo Di felt a slight sense of familiarity, as if remembering some hanging past, which strengthened a certain obsession in him.

"I... cannot die."

The dead water swayed between the skull, the entire brain had been eroded, only a pituitary in the shape of the Moon barely floated on the surface, yet to submerge.

Tentacles growing from the Moon Pit provided buoyancy, even though the tentacles would quickly dissipate upon contact with the dead water, new tentacles would immediately regrow.

The Plant Pot continuously provided energy, sustaining the growth of the tentacles barely.

The Blood Bible, only recently acquired, was also reverse-transfusing, offering more nutrients to the Plant Pot.

However, this "Moon in Water" near-death state couldn’t last long.

A few minutes,

perhaps even shorter,

because the Moon itself was disintegrating.

With the fleeting time acquired, Luo Di started to perceive external information. Through the scattered grayness, he sensed the entity dragging him downwards.

However,

the grayness couldn’t cover the opponent’s entire body,

the presence within the dead water wasn’t human-shaped.

The arm gripping Luo Di’s ankle as it sank might only be a thousandth, ten thousandth, hundred thousandth of his body structure...

The arms of the dead, dead fish, dead cockroaches, dead rats, skulls, decaying filth, all the deceased entities here huddled together.

Assembling in absolute chaos, forming a huge entity.

It lay dormant amidst the dead water,

dragging any intruder disturbing this silence into itself.

The fear stemming from death would also erode the soul of the target in sync, never to reincarnate.

This thing seemed unconscious, unable to communicate.

The present situation faced but two paths.

1. Embrace death proactively based on current understanding, becoming part of the other, possibly maintaining consciousness integrity, perhaps extracting oneself upon sufficiently deep understanding of death one day.

2. Resist death, break free from bondage.

Yet Luo Di had only one choice; he could not die.

"Just because my passage disturbed this silence, I must die? Damn it... if you fear heat, let me make you hotter."

Currently, all that remained was a partial skull, and within, the sole madly struggling pituitary.

Making use of still-conscious clarity,

he reconnected with prior memories from running, recalling the nearing, recollected heat.

Amidst the current foul, viscous dead water, Luo Di recalled something.

It seemed there existed a sea utterly polluted in another world, somewhat akin to this current condition. Luo Di had seemingly visited that sea,

the sea held massive remains, a gate, and... a spine.

This heat originated from that world, a world called Hell.

"I remember now..."

In an instant,

tentacles growing from the surface of the pituitary began intertwining, constructing the Hell Symbol that Luo Di remembered.

With the symbol’s formation,

a faint link between worlds was established,

something at the base of the Moon broke through its shell,

like an ancient spine freshly forged from between the forges, bearing immense heat, rapidly forming here, even boiling the surrounding black water.

As the spine appeared,

structures resembling Horns began to grow at the top of Luo Di’s skull.

Yet even so,

death still held absolute dominance,

already deeply submerged in the dead water, Luo Di found escape difficult,

the endless black water had long enveloped him,

no matter how scorching, all the dead water could never be boiled.

Not even the Hell Great Demon could escape being drowned here.

No matter how the spine twisted, it could hardly rise above the water’s surface.

But...

This intense heat traveled down through the black water, penetrating to the bottom layer, gradually awakening a dormant existence amid death.

An eye like a tombstone slowly opened, observing this young man descending.

Feeling the young one, though at only the budding stage, could long reject death.

Furthermore, the young one harbored some insights into death itself,

not defiling death,

but unwilling to die.

Meanwhile, it discovered the youth concealed a bright red book within, seemingly placed not long ago.

Suddenly,

death retreated.

The arm gripping Luo Di and the massive death conglomeration vanished submerged.

The surrounding black water instantly turned into nothing but dirty water, all threats disappeared.

Gurgle, gurgle!

Water splashed,

a spine carrying a skull leapt from the water surface like a swimming snake, landing on the sewer floor.

The ancient Old Spine began emitting potent vitality, regenerating flesh slowly yet surely; the process was fairly slow.

After all, Luo Di had been soaked in the dead water for so long, even though death had retreated, he still remained in a near-death state.

However,

the recently re-fleshed skull seemed to wear a chilling grin.

For Luo Di finally remembered Hell, reclaiming his real power in this mysterious event, hearing as well the voice from the Corner.

≮ Attribute "Undead" achieved temporary enhancement, Victim’s Bud is growing... ≯

No slaughter,

no cinematic play,

the plant surprisingly obtained growth.

...

Deep in an alleyway of Wenslim City,

the manhole cover of the sewer was already opened,

Mia had climbed out, but when she turned, Luo Di was nowhere to be seen, not even a trace of breath sensed, only the deathly silence within the sewer.

She intended to wait at the manhole,

but sharpening sounds reached her ears.

At the street’s entrance, through thick fog, her fear’s form had materialized; an old woman approached, sharpening a knife with her fingernail.

Mia could only slip into a side Iron Gate of the street, corresponding to the back kitchen area of a restaurant.

"Luo Di’s speed isn’t much slower than mine; he shouldn’t still not be here... Did he meet his death? What a pity! But dying in such a real fear-involving incident is inevitable."

Mia was very decisive, her rationality confirmed Luo Di was dead, no need to wait longer.

She prepared to proceed alone, surviving this mysterious event.

However,

the leg she wanted to move forward wouldn’t heed her call, unable to move no matter what, not bound by anything, but wanting deeply within to wait.

Waiting for the one who slaughtered, slept together, was hung at the slaughterhouse with her.

Waiting for the rare companion.

"Wait a bit longer! Or... go see, maybe he’s still alive."

Mia was ready to head back into the sewer,

Squeak!

Just as she pushed open the Iron Gate of the back kitchen,

a figure with a face yet to fully regrow its flesh, akin to a living corpse, stood there.

Mia immediately wrapped her legs around, clinging tight to this living corpse, pressing her freckled face against its neck.

"Just because my passing disturbed this dead silence, must I die? What a goddamn... If you’re afraid of heat, then let me make you even hotter."

Before she finished speaking, Mia again felt the gazing from the iron bucket in the figure’s hand, and immediately released the embrace of this living corpse.

"Luo Di’s speed is not much slower than mine, shouldn’t he be here already... Did he encounter death? Such a pity! But, I’m sure he’s not dead yet! I’ll wait, or... maybe... I’ll just go down and take a look, he might still be alive."

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