novelHire Chapter 915: The Colosseum
Chapter 915: The Colosseum
...Villa No. 723 was a three-story black stone building.
Once inside, soundproofing materials blocked out all noise.
The interior furnishings were minimalist, exuding an impersonal, cold austerity.
"Rest first." Chen Huaian's figure solidified within the room, his white robes like cold moonlight, suppressing the gloomy atmosphere indoors.
Li Qingran removed her mask, a trace of weariness showing between her brows. "Master, what about the colosseum..."
"We'll go tomorrow." Chen Huaian cut her off. "Demon Tower City has many rules, and the colosseum is the very center of the vortex. Calm your mind and regulate your breathing tonight. Tomorrow, you must enter in peak condition."
"Okay, Master." Li Qingran obediently lay down on the bed, watching as Chen Huaian meticulously arranged various protective formations, her gaze growing increasingly tender.
Truthfully, what she had always wanted was not immense strength.
She just wanted to be with her Master for a lifetime.
Even if it meant living a simple, plain life, to be inseparable like a pair of wild cranes in the mountains would still be a beautiful thing.
But in her heart, she understood that this seemingly simple wish was actually a luxury.
Her Master bore unimaginable responsibilities and a mission on his shoulders.
To be with her Master, she had to keep growing stronger.
Strong enough to stand by his side and share his burdens.
At this thought, the tenderness in her eyes faded, replaced by a sharp, cold edge.
The path to strength was ultimately paved with countless thorns and stumbling blocks, inevitably accompanied by constant slaughter.
She didn't like killing.
But... to be with her Master,
she could also become a female demon who killed without batting an eye.
"What are you looking at?"
After finishing the formations, Chen Huaian turned around to see his little disciple staring at him blankly.
Li Qingran snapped back to attention, the sharpness in her eyes vanishing as a sweet smile curved her lips.
She sat sideways on the edge of the bed, legs together, stretching her arms out towards Chen Huaian. Her tone was soft and coquettish as she whined, "Nothing... It's just, Husband, I just feel like it's been so long since we hugged. I really miss your embrace."
Chen Huaian's fingers stiffened slightly, and he smiled helplessly.
He could fetch stars and pluck the moon for her.
But this embrace was something he couldn't give her for now.
He looked down at his nearly transparent palm—currently, he was only in his Battle Soul form. Although it had solidified considerably, it ultimately lacked the tangible feeling of flesh and blood.
A so-called "hug" was more like an illusion of passing through air for him.
He didn't know about the fleeting resolve that had just flashed through his little disciple's heart.
He simply thought she was tired from the journey, showing a bit of a girlish, dependent side.
"Just wait a little longer..."
He sighed softly, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed, comforting her. "It won't be long. When your Master recovers a bit more strength, perhaps I can be like before again."
"Mhm." Li Qingran responded obediently.
She scooted over to the inner side of the bed, making room, patted the pillow, and blinked mischievously. "Even if we can't really hug, Husband, you have to sleep with me tonight. Lie right here, and don't go anywhere."
Looking at her little expression that brooked no refusal,
Chen Huaian shook his head with a smile and complied, lying down beside her.
Even though an intangible boundary separated them, preventing true physical contact,
as Chen Huaian drew near,
a unique warmth born from soul resonance quietly began to permeate the space.
It was a perception deeper and more direct than physical touch.
Chen Huaian could sense Li Qingran's heartbeat gradually steadying.
And Li Qingran could feel her Master's aura, as tranquil as a deep pool.
She turned on her side, nestling virtually into Chen Huaian's embrace.
The tip of her nose caught that faint, elusive scent of clear coldness,
and the agitation brought by thoughts of slaughter within her heart gradually smoothed away.
Not long after,
she fell into a deep sleep, enveloped in a long-lost sense of security.
Chen Huaian did not sleep.
He lay quietly on his side,
his gaze passing over his little disciple's slender shoulder to look out the window at that blood-red sky.
Deep within the city's core, it seemed something was resonating with his soul.
His intuition told him that if he could obtain the next "Million-Year World Ring," his incomplete Battle Soul body would surely undergo a new transformation.
By then, perhaps he wouldn't need to rely on this moonlit, illusory shadow to protect his little disciple.
"Sleep."
He murmured softly, a wisp of Divine Soul energy gently brushing over Li Qingran's forehead.
...
The next day.
When Li Qingran and Chen Huaian walked out of the black iron fence of the Dark Star District, they immediately spotted Ling crouched in the shadows of a street corner.
She seemed to have arrived very early, slightly hunched, until she saw the two appear. Then her brown eyes lit up, and she trotted over to meet them.
"Your Lordship!" Ling stood still, first giving a somewhat awkward, apologetic bow. "I'm sorry, I don't have the status to enter this area. I could only wait here for you to come out."
Li Qingran gave her a once-over.
Today's Ling had clearly taken care with her appearance. She wore a long robe that was washed nearly white but still tidy, and the tattered mask covering half her face had been carefully cleaned.
Although her complexion still showed the pallor of long-term malnutrition,
the single visible eye was much clearer and brighter, and she seemed to have more energy.
"No matter." Li Qingran's voice, filtered through her silver-white mask, seemed to carry a chill. "Take me to the colosseum."
"Yes, please follow me."
Ling immediately turned and began leading Li Qingran with practiced ease through the labyrinthine streets.
"You've been in Demon Tower City for a while. Tell me about that colosseum."
Hearing Li Qingran's question, Ling fell silent for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts, before speaking in a measured tone:
"Your Lordship, the colosseum is the 'heart' of Demon Tower City, and also the most insane place here.
It was originally built on the ruins of an ancient tower. It's said that back then, the exiled powerhouses relied on killing each other there to amuse the city lord.
Over time, it became the only place where one could legally and quickly earn points."
They arrived at the orderly main road of the inner city, and the number of pedestrians around them gradually increased.
That oppressive, bloody scent in the air also grew stronger.
"The rules of the colosseum are simple, and cruel."
As she walked, Ling cautiously observed their surroundings, trying to lead Li Qingran through less crowded areas.
"Every match defaults to a fight to the death. Once you step onto that circular platform, it's over unless one side breathes their last, or voluntarily surrenders—though, in that atmosphere, surrender often means humiliation worse than death."
At this point, a flicker of fear passed through Ling's eyes, and her voice dropped lower:
"For every match you win, the colosseum accumulates 'Honor Points' for you.
The more matches you win, the higher your status becomes. You can even earn titles like 'Bloody Hand,' 'Butcher,' or even more prestigious ones.
The further you go, the points earned per match increase exponentially, but this also means your opponents become increasingly terrifying, and your survival rate plummets accordingly.
In Demon Tower City, strength is everything.
Those Battle Masters standing at the pinnacle of the colosseum can live a life of wild extravagance and unrestrained indulgence within the inner city just from the points earned in a single match. Even the guards have to bow their heads when they see the great ones."
...
Ling talked as she walked.
Turning a corner, a colossal circular structure resembling the maw of a giant beast suddenly appeared at the end of their line of sight.
It was a fortress built from pitch-black boulders, its enormous shadow cast down, almost blotting out half the street.
Even from this distance, Li Qingran could hear the ear-shattering roars and howls emanating from within the building.
That fanatical, desperate emotion seemed ready to burst through the walls and swallow the entire city.
"This is it, Your Lordship."
Ling stopped at the massive arched entrance of the colosseum.
Her body trembled slightly with fear, but she still pointed resolutely towards a registration area ahead. "Show your number plate there to participate in matchmaking. But... please be extremely careful. The people here... have no humanity."
Li Qingran looked at the structure radiating a thick scent of blood,
her right hand instinctively resting on her sword hilt.
Having no humanity was good...
That way, killing would come without psychological burden.
...