Detective Agency of the Bizarre-Chapter 1344 - 184: Yuglas

It’s not just Mayor Burb who misses the past.

The mode of accepting commissions, completing them, and receiving rewards reminded Lu Li of the old days. Back then, things weren’t irretrievably changed; he and Anna ran a small Detective Agency, seeking commissions everywhere to earn some Shilling. The respect of the neighbors, the curiosity of the children, Anna’s cooking, Oliver’s visits.

Lu Li’s consciousness seemed to split into two parts, with one side maintaining unchanged rationality and calmness, carefully checking every flourish in this contract with Beauty Lake Town to find potential loopholes, while the other side reminisced about those nostalgic tranquil moments of the past.

The yellow sand blew against his face as Lu Li followed the Blue Blood Chief in silence, leaving the mayor’s mansion to a nearby obsidian tower at the edge of Beauty Lake Town.

Bang.

The Blue Blood Chief closed the iron-clad bronze door, hammering it to fit snugly with the door frame.

"Hand over the map."

Lu Li placed three maps in the outstretched paw of the Blue Blood Chief, who only wanted the map of Old Beautiful Lake Town, grabbing an iron rod, dipping it into a basin of lava, then marking it on the map.

The unknown leather smoked and curled a burnt ring. As a Law Enforcer of Beauty Lake Town, the Blue Blood Chief dutifully marked the positions of seven Hell Creatures around the town from memory.

"If you want to try your hand, the fire ant colony upstream of Lava Lake is a suitable target."

Casually discarding the iron rod, the Blue Blood Chief returned the translucent new map to Lu Li, reminding this helper of the town.

"What are fire ants?"

"...You don’t know?" The Blue Blood Chief paused.

"I’ve just come to Hell."

Even though Lu Li came here once, over twenty years ago.

Realizing that this human soul who wanted to clear the town of threats had just recently asked what an Inferior Demon was, knowing nothing about Hell, the Blue Blood Chief had to explain, for free. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Demons, devils, and Hell Creatures outline the contours of Hell.

Just as evil spirits, Evil Spirits, Evil Gods, oddities, and Spirits and Monsters correspond to their respective meanings on the surface, demons, devils, and Hell Creatures likewise represent their respective camps: Hell Creatures are foundational, generally referring to creatures without wisdom, but just as all oddities can be collectively termed, all demons and devils are also collectively called Hell Creatures. Demons evolve from souls and Hell Creatures, retaining chaos, and usually possess self-awareness; devils, on the other hand, transform solely from souls, observing order with greater wisdom.

As a demon, the Blue-Blooded Devil naturally had disdain and disgust for devils, even though the respected mayor had devil bloodline.

Fire ants are pure Hell Creatures, like fire demons, the communities gather and utilize lava.

"Their waists can be bitten by Inferior Demons, but be wary of their lava spits."

Hell Creatures usually don’t fear heat, provided it is within bearable limits.

And a mere soul like Lu Li should be even more cautious.

"There’s still 5 hours until night, the lava dims, they become drowsy, you can set off then."

"Night?"

Clatter, clatter—

The Blue Blood Chief’s paw made a rubbing sound.

Thus, Lu Li learned what night was: Hell, known in the Old Era as Yuglas, phonetically translated from the sound.

Hell Creatures call themselves Children of Yuglas.

Because Hell is alive.

Hell doesn’t have the human concept of day and night, they prefer to call it waking and sleeping.

When Yuglas is awake, volcanoes erupt, lava surges, its blood boils like lava, boundless energy is granted to Hell Creatures; when Yuglas sleeps, volcanoes become peaceful, lava restores tranquility, Hell Creatures become drowsy, lazy, and sluggish.

Yuglas went through a long wakefulness, and five hours later, will drift into sleep.

Lu Li could not tell if this was wishful thinking of Hell Creatures or if it was true. In theory, as one of the main world’s projections, Hell couldn’t possibly be a living entity, but in the Weird Times, nothing was impossible.

However, Lu Li rejected the Blue Blood Chief’s suggestion, he didn’t have much time to waste, even if it was just five hours.

The fire ant nests are located southwest of the canyon, about a dozen miles from Beauty Lake Town. Realizing that traversing between these nests would cost much more time than clearing them, Lu Li asked the Blue Blood Chief if Beauty Lake Town had mounts, receiving an affirmative answer.

Jingle—jingle—

Lu Li followed the Blue Blood Chief back to the tavern, his heavy footsteps stopping before the Yong Demon, who glanced over in panic.

"Will it work?"

Lu Li, gazing at the flustered, astonished Yong Demon, nodded—looking like a shrunken, more grotesque version of Amber.

"Yong Demon, you are now requisitioned by Beauty Lake Town," the Blue Blood Chief solemnly announced in the silent tavern.

The Yong Demon’s eyes darted around frantically: "Can it refuse?"

"You won’t be in any danger, just serve as a mount to take me to the destination."

Before the Blue Blood Chief could issue threats, Lu Li said to the Yong Demon: "This is for the sake of Beauty Lake Town. Once completed, you’ll have the opportunity to become a town resident."

Being a Mid-Level Demon wandering homeless in the wilds, many aspired to become town dwellers, and the Yong Demon happened to be one such creature.

"I can vouch for the validity of his words," the Blue Blood Chief concurred.

Thus, as Lu Li and the Blue Blood Chief left the tavern, the Yong Demon followed behind.

"You manipulate people like a devil," the softly spoken Blue Blood Chief couldn’t understand how Lu Li did it—he found a mount for himself, a resident for Beauty Lake Town, and a new home for the Yong Demon.

He used everyone but let everyone benefit.

"It’s just that none of you thought to do it this way."

If Beauty Lake Town opened its doors to absorb residents, it wouldn’t have been reduced to only over fifty residents.

But it also wouldn’t ensure order in every corner.

The Blue Blood Chief stopped at the edge of Beauty Lake Town, watching Lu Li and the Yong Demon gradually disappear in the wind and sand beneath the canyon walls.

The Yong Demon moved hundreds of limbs, carrying Lu Li, clinging as it scuttled along the canyon.

The soul’s fragrant taste on its back couldn’t tempt it—because three Mid-Level Demons had gone out before and never returned, and because of the Devil’s Mark.

The Devil’s Mark was a threat but also a protection.

Even though demons liked to mock and ridicule devils for their treachery and cunning, they were superior beings, equal with demon monarchs, and no demon wanted to offend them.

The scorching wind blew head-on, the Inferior Demons along the way panicked at the Yong Demon’s arrival, lingering when they caught Lu Li’s scent.

"How do you make Inferior Demons avoid you?"

The wind bore the Yong Demon’s answer: "Release an aura."

"Can I do that?"

"You’re just food... you’re not a demon."

Lu Li knew what it wanted to say—a soul is merely nourishment for Hell Creatures. Only a few souls can evolve into Hell Creatures, transforming from sheep into wolves, but most souls become part of "Yuglas" and "Children of Yuglas."

About ten minutes later, the Yong Demon, following along the canyon, came to a stop.

Before Lu Li lay a dark red swamp made of lava.

The fire ant nests lay deep within this swamp.