Chapter 158: He Decided to Register With Me The "Voluntary" Follower
The moment they crossed the threshold, the group felt an immediate weight pressing down on them, as if something was suppressing them from above. However, after a brief moment, everything returned to normal.
The only difference was that their spirit rings had vanished. They could no longer summon them and were now restricted to using only their martial souls in their most basic forms, along with their soul bones.
So this is the unique nature of the City of Slaughter that Xiao Li mentioned.
No wonder he spent all these years honing his combat skills and developing self created techniques.
"You… have broken… the rules."
A broken, halting voice suddenly rang out from the area Han Li had just bombarded with his Icefire Lotus.
Turning toward the sound, they saw a man clad in black heavy armor.
His armor was in shambles, barely holding together, but a soul power barrier still flickered faintly around him. Blood gushed from his wounds, pooling onto the ground only to either freeze from the cold or be consumed by the flames.
"Rules? Since when did the City of Slaughter have rules? Isn't it just about killing everyone in front of you to survive?"
Han Li asked knowingly, feigning ignorance.
"Absurd! We are the Terror Knights, servants of the great King of Slaughter! We uphold his will and maintain order in the City of Slaughter!"
The Terror Knight, Scott, glared at Han Li and roared in anger.
"Oh? Funny, the server outside didn't mention that. He only told us that the only way to survive in the City of Slaughter is to kill."
"Perhaps you should go ask him about it." Han Li put on an expression of sincere concern.
"He's already dead! How am I supposed to question him? You must be punished."
Scott's aura fluctuated even more violently.
"Well, that's your problem, not mine. Internal matters are none of my concern."
"As for punishment, sure. I'm a reasonable person tell me, what's our violation, and what's the consequence?"
Han Li smirked playfully at him.
"To pass our trial… you must defeat "
Scott instinctively began his response, but then he froze.
The original 101 knights in his squad…
Now, only he remained alive.
And that was only because his armor was specially crafted.
"So… it looks like we've already completed the trial, haven't we?"
Han Li stepped forward and casually ripped a pouch from Scott's waist.
He opened it, pulled out a black token engraved with a skull numbered 7777.
"Oh, nice. I like this number."
Han Li tucked the token into his robes, tossed the pouch to the others, and let them pick numbers they liked. Then, he turned back to Scott.
"Go on, you had more lines, didn't you?"
At this point, Scott knew without a doubt that this man had serious backing.
There was no other explanation.
"The token is proof of entry into the City of Slaughter. Upon arrival, you will register according to your numbers, and someone will guide you inside."
Scott answered obediently, cursing the envoy who sent him to test this group while also praying that they wouldn't make it out alive.
Because at this moment, his right arm was still burning with that terrifying flame…
But he didn't dare move.
"Good. Hopefully, we'll have the chance to meet again."
Han Li clapped him hard on the shoulder, took the extra pouches the others tossed back, and stuffed them into Scott's arms before turning and walking toward the distant city gates.
Only after the group had walked 300 meters away did Scott finally dare to move.
But the moment he tried
Despair filled his heart.
The left side of his body, where Han Li had patted him, was completely frozen.
Meanwhile, the flames on his right arm flared even stronger.
His eyes remained wide open as he collapsed.
"Tsk. We haven't even entered the city yet."
Dugu Bo glanced back at Scott's lifeless body, then turned to Han Li.
"They sent someone to test us even after we announced our presence. Naturally, we had to respond. Otherwise, they'd think we were easy prey."
Han Li didn't even bother looking back.
"Ah, so having the right connections really does let you do whatever you want."
Dugu Bo sighed in admiration.
Fortunately, he wasn't just someone else's background anymore he also had a powerful background of his own.
What a great feeling.
Even though having his soul skills sealed off made him a bit uncomfortable, the thought cheered him up.
Before long, they reached the towering black city gates. Above them, four massive, blood red characters loomed:
City of Slaughter.
Two guards in the same black armor as the previous knights stood silently at either side of the gate, staring straight ahead as if oblivious to their arrival.
Han Li didn't bother taking out his token.
Instead, he turned his attention to the veiled woman standing beside the black armored guards.
"Honored guests, welcome to the City of Slaughter. His Majesty, the King of Slaughter, has instructed me to extend his greetings to the five of you."
The veiled woman stepped forward, stopping three meters away from them.
She bowed gracefully, intentionally showcasing her curvaceous figure.
"Oh, no need for such formalities. I only hope the King of Slaughter won't view us as unwelcome guests."
Han Li didn't return the bow but smiled as he looked at her.
"As long as you follow the rules of the City of Slaughter, you will always be an honored guest."
The veiled woman replied with an ever present smile.
"Of course. We will abide by the rules."
Han Li heard the underlying meaning in her words.
It was an acknowledgment. A silent agreement had already been reached between both parties.
"Then, please enter."
The veiled woman's attitude became even warmer upon hearing Han Li's words. She turned gracefully and gestured for them to follow.
Trailing behind her, the five of them stepped into the city.
The moment they passed through the gates, it was as if they had entered an entirely different world. The atmosphere here was even darker than outside. The streets were lined with dim blue violet lanterns, casting an oppressive glow that only deepened the suffocating tension.
"I will be your guide. For the next twelve hours, I will accompany you. Feel free to ask me any questions."
The veiled woman swayed as she walked, her voice carrying a seductive yet eerie tone.
"No need for explanations about the rules. Take us directly to the inner city, to the Hell Slaughter Arena."
Han Li cut her off mid sentence, issuing his command without hesitation.
"Understood. Please follow me."
The veiled woman showed no surprise. She had been dispatched directly by the King of Slaughter himself, fully aware of who these individuals were. Her previous words had simply been a formality.
As they moved quickly through the outer city, many of the residents who initially showed signs of wanting to provoke them instantly withdrew upon spotting the veiled woman at the front of their group. One by one, they retreated into nearby buildings as if they had encountered something terrifying.
Han Li observed this scene thoughtfully but chose not to ask any questions.
Behind him, the other four also remained vigilant, their eyes scanning their surroundings with curiosity and caution. However, when they saw the people of the outer city, their expressions darkened slightly in disgust.
They walked for more than half an hour before arriving at a wall.
Compared to the outer city wall, this one was noticeably lower only about ten meters high. The gate stood wide open, with no guards in sight, yet none of the outer city dwellers dared approach.
Noticing the confusion in the eyes of the women behind Han Li, the veiled woman provided an explanation.
"There are no restrictions preventing people from the outer city from entering. The only requirement… is that they can survive inside."
A single sentence was enough to reveal the brutality of this place.
"You are about to enter the true City of Slaughter. If you do not wish to engage in combat immediately, stay within five meters of me. However, should any of you attack someone first, your newcomer protection will be nullified, and the trial period will end immediately."
She calmly delivered her warning. Some things had to be said, after all.
The group nodded, showing they understood, and stepped into the inner city without hesitation.
It only took a few steps past the wall for them to truly grasp what the veiled woman had meant by "the real City of Slaughter."
Not far from the wall, two men were locked in a vicious battle, their bodies covered in blood. Surrounding them were four or five others, eyes gleaming with hunger. The moment either of the two showed a weakness, these onlookers would undoubtedly pounce, finishing them off and stripping them of whatever they possessed.
Further down the street, a man and a woman clung to each other, their discarded clothes strewn carelessly on the ground as they engaged in their depraved act in broad daylight, completely indifferent to the public setting.
In another direction, a man had just reached his home and was about to open the door when before he could even react a blade flashed, and his head rolled onto the ground.
Unlike the outside world, chaos and madness were the defining order here.
The sheer brutality of it all made some of them slightly uncomfortable.
"This place is a hell where animal instincts reign. Mercy to others is cruelty to yourself. Be ready to fight at any moment."
Han Li glanced at the three women behind him. To his surprise, Xiu'er was the most composed of the three. Her gaze held only cold, unfiltered killing intent as she scanned her surroundings.
Dugu Yan and Shui Bing'er, despite having been warned in advance, still looked somewhat pale. However, both tightened their grip on their weapons and nodded firmly.
The veiled woman acted as if she hadn't heard Han Li's words and continued leading them through the main streets toward the Hell Slaughter Arena.
The sight of bloodshed never ceased.
At one point, a fight broke out barely ten meters away from them.
Yet, just as she had mentioned, no one approached them.
Unlike the rabid chaos of the outer city, the people here were more calculating, observing them from the shadows, silently assessing the strength of the new arrivals.
As they neared the Hell Slaughter Arena, the number of people trailing behind them grew.
Five newcomers arriving at once was a rare sight. To the seasoned residents of the inner city, this was an opportunity. Perhaps, if they were lucky, they could take advantage of the situation and gain something from it.
Standing at the entrance of the massive, conical Hell Slaughter Arena, Han Li could hear the deafening roars of the bloodthirsty crowd from within.
The veiled woman finally came to a halt.
"To watch a match, each spectator must purchase a Bloody Mary."
"What if we register instead? How many more participants are needed for the next match?"
Han Li ignored her first statement and went straight to the point.
The veiled woman closed her eyes, as if communing with something unseen. After a moment, she reopened them.
"The next match requires two more contestants."
Han Li nodded.
In a blur, he appeared beside one of the men who had been tailing them.
Before the man could react, Han Li had already grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air, then carried him back to stand beside the veiled woman.
"There. We have enough now. He has volunteered to sign up with me for the next match."
The man struggled, trying to resist, his mouth opening to protest.
But the moment Han Li tightened his grip, the words died in his throat.
He could barely breathe.
Helpless, he could only nod albeit with great difficulty.
The veiled woman remained indifferent to the entire scene.
She merely gave a small nod.
"You may enter now. Your match will begin shortly. However, we will still need four Bloody Marys to allow the others to spectate."
"No problem."
Han Li flipped his left hand, and four cups appeared taken earlier from the tavern in the outer town.
Meanwhile, the man in his right hand had a fresh wound on his arm, blood steadily dripping into the glasses, filling them drop by drop.
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