The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

"To become a god of the underworld?"

After hearing the words of a goddess from hell, Shi Bai raised an eyebrow with a hint of curiosity.

"If I promise to become a god of the underworld, will you agree to that condition?"

“That’s right. The underworld is newly opened, and it needs more people to manage it.”

Heca nodded quite seriously.

"This position won't restrict you in any way. You can still travel quite freely between the living and the dead. You just need to lend a hand when necessary. How about that? Pretty good deal, right?"

"Yes, that's right, the terms are indeed very generous."

Shi Bai nodded in agreement, then changed the subject at the end of his sentence.

"But, I refuse."

"Very well, so in this way... wait, you refuse!?"

Heca stood up abruptly from the chair, supporting himself on the table with both hands, and looked at the leisurely-looking man in front of him with a hint of disbelief.

"You yourself said these terms are generous, so why are you refusing such generous terms?!"

"Because one of the things I like to do most is to say no to people who think they're absolutely sure about things."

Shi Bai raised his hand in front of him, his face serious.

"Besides, I hate being tied down. After I agree to become a god of the underworld, you won't have to pay a price if you ask me for help in the future, right? Don't even think about it!! At worst, I'll give you a 30% discount on my service fee, which is already a 20% reduction. I'm being very sincere."

"...Has anyone ever told you that you actually deserve a beating?"

After a moment of silence, Heca spoke without saying a word.

"No, but many people have told me that I am really handsome."

Shi Bai pointed to his eyes, his face full of sincerity.

"If you don't believe me, look into my sincere eyes; they're brimming with sincerity."

"...Enma's rebirth time is 100 years. If you want to see her, come back after 100 years. But remember, she can only go to the world of the living for three days a year."

Heca sat back down in her chair, looking quite exhausted.

"Since you don't want to become a god in the underworld, then forget it. But I ask that you try your best not to cause me any trouble... Can you promise me that?"

"no problem."

Seeing that the other party had backed down, Shi Bai was happy to stop while he was ahead. After nodding quite readily, he turned to look at Ibaraki Kasen, who hadn't said a word from beginning to end, and asked her in the tone of a salesman trying to persuade someone to sign up for a membership card.

"Hmm... your problems are actually quite easy to solve. You just need to purify your distracting thoughts... Would you like to consider it, Immortal?"

"Fairy?"

After glancing at the man in front of her, Ibaraki Kasen's tone was rather indifferent.

What is an immortal?

"I will teach you these things about immortals slowly later. But for now, you should always remember to carry this with you to suppress your inner demons. After all, dealing with your problems will not be something that can be done overnight."

Shi Bai rummaged through his storage ring and pulled out a pendant that looked like a lucky star, tossing it to the other person with a nonchalant shrug.

"This lucky star pendant is one of my most treasured possessions. After all, it's the only one I've ever summoned... Remember not to lose it. You'll have to return it to me once your problem is solved."

"........."

Looking at the pendant on her desk, after a brief silence, Ibaraki Kasen grasped the lucky star pendant in her hand.

"...Then I'll leave the matter of the flower fan to you."

Turning her head to look at Ibaraki Kasen, who had been silent with her head down ever since receiving the pendant, Kinkara solemnly thanked the man in front of her.

"Don't worry, it's nothing."

With a casual wave of his hand, Shi Bai stood up from the table.

"Since there's nothing more for me to do here, I'll head back now. I'll come find you in the Oni territory later... Wait, where am I supposed to find you?"

"Currently, only the group of demons who follow me have decided to move into Hell. Until Yuugi makes up her mind, the others will probably continue to live on the Youkai Mountain as usual."

Similarly, Jin Jieluo also stood up from the table and answered on behalf of Ibaraki Kasen.

"Let Huashan go back with you. I need to stay here in Hell to begin the first step in the construction of Hell, which is expected to be a very long project."

"It's so dark here... Can you even see clearly?"

Turning his head to look at the pitch-black darkness beside the pavilion, Shi Bai asked Jin Jieluo in front of him with some curiosity.

"For illumination, the lava in the Lava Hell should be able to provide light, and some luminescent ores should still be available..."

After pondering for a moment, Jin Jieluo nodded, showing no intention of hiding anything.

"I plan to build a capital city in hell first."

"In that case, how about we make a deal?"

With a snap of his fingers, Shi Bai took out a box from his storage ring and placed it on the stone table.

"Worried about lighting? No problem! I have an ever-burning, plug-and-play torch, a streetlamp flower that can dispel fog and illuminate an area, a whole bunch of fluorescent stones, and this super-powerful flashlight..."

Instantly transforming into a top-notch salesman, Shi Bai explained his products while taking them out of the box to display them.

So in no time, the pavilion, which had been rather dim, was filled with all sorts of light sources.

"Uh……"

To be honest, looking at the dazzling array of various "goods" on the table in front of them, even Heca, the goddess of hell, was somewhat dumbfounded.

"These are stable items that can emit a permanent light source. And these are essential items for rapidly building cities."

Getting excited, Shi Bai pushed the box he had taken out earlier to the side slightly, and then took out another box.

"Wooden pickaxe, stone pickaxe, iron pickaxe, diamond pickaxe, wooden axe, stone axe, iron axe, diamond axe... all sorts of amazing tools are available!! Worried about not having enough materials? I'll teach you how to use the 'stone brush' made of lava and water!!"

Picking up a diamond pickaxe, he casually knocked a piece off the stone table. Holding the broken stone in his hand, Shi Bai's voice suddenly became deep, with a hint of seduction in his words.

"Don't just think about it, act now! Don't miss out! Today is our grand opening special – a massive clearance sale with everything at a loss! All items are 9.5% off or more!!"

"What are you waiting for?"

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P.S.: Three updates tomorrow as usual, tickets...

Chapter Seventy: The Future of the Demon Clan

In a peaceful and friendly atmosphere, Shi Bai and Jin Jieluo discussed a series of issues concerning the future development of Hell City and reached a relevant agreement.

As the most powerful demon race, the Oni clan possesses a vast collection of treasures. For Shi Bai, using some of his most treasured possessions to complete this transaction is a sure-fire way to make a profit.

After all, the value of the items he traded away as commodities was shockingly low in Shi Bai's eyes. For example, the tools that could be continuously crafted using the [Workbench] were practically free. It wasn't that he intentionally wanted to rip people off, but unfortunately, there was only one [Workbench], and no way to build a new one. Otherwise, simply trading the [Workbench] to the other party would have been a good option…

However, the demon race obtained resources that would allow them to rapidly develop Hell, while he obtained the secret treasures he desired from the demon race's collection. Win-win situation.

Jin Jieluo bought a huge amount of lighting equipment such as torches and streetlights, not to mention other magical tools like pickaxes and boxes.

Shi Bai was very much looking forward to seeing how this hellish city would be built in the future.

"The [Malusite Hammer]..."

As Shi Bai weighed the small hammer in his hand, the appraisal data displayed by the [Appraisal] skill slowly flowed before his eyes.

The [Treasure Hammer] is one of the secret treasures collected by the Ghost Clan. It can grant any wish of the user, but a corresponding price must be paid.

This secret treasure of the demon race was collected by Jin Jieluo. Due to the uncertainty and extreme danger of using such an item, and the fact that the demon race has never valued external objects that much, Jin Jieluo used the [Treasure Hammer] as a commodity in this transaction.

After all, the price to pay for using the [Treasure Hammer] is random. Although it follows the principle of equivalent exchange to a certain extent, it is completely uncertain what it will take from you. You might lose your life or even more for a small wish.

These are all examples of lessons learned from the past.

According to Jin Jieluo, when she first discovered the "Treasure Hammer," a demon race had already been completely erased by its magic, and afterwards, all human beings in the world lost all memories of that race.

...No one knows what wish that demon race, whose existence has been completely erased, made using this [Mega Hammer].

After realizing the danger of this item, Jin Jieluo kept it sealed away and even tried to destroy it. However, after so long, the results were minimal. At present, he only managed to seal away a part of its essence using the vast magic power of the Oni race.

"This feels like it could totally be used as a new SCP containment project..."

After finally reading through the lengthy introduction, Shi Bai shrugged indifferently and casually tossed it into the [box], intending to keep it as a storage item.

Under the effect of the [Appraisal] skill, which he had upgraded to its highest level, the truth hidden deep within the [Treasure Hammer] was revealed to him without reservation.

Although the [Molten Hammer] is nominally described as being able to grant any wish, if you examine its true nature, it's actually quite similar to the corrupted Holy Grail...

"Alright, I'll come visit again when I have time. I just hope you won't refuse to see me then."

After all the transactions were completed, Shi Bai smiled and nodded at Jin Jieluo.

"It is my honor that you can visit Hell. Thank you very much."

A rare smile appeared on his face as Jin Jieluo replied.

"I really hope this big trouble doesn't come again..."

A certain goddess of hell, still slumped over the table, muttered something under her breath.

"Don't worry, I'll try my best not to cause you any trouble, you lazy goddess with terrible fashion sense."

Shi Bai glanced at the goddess lying on the table and curled his lip.

"The matter has been resolved. Please take us back now."

"...Can't you even show a little respect for me, your goddess?"

Looking up from the table, Heca muttered something resentfully to himself.

"I am the first god born in the Underworld, and I represent the will of the Underworld. If anyone else dared to be so dismissive of me, I would have already cast them into the eighteenth level of hell for eternal punishment!!"

"Because you can't do anything to me, can you? Being immortal and eternally alive is just how willful you are."

Shrugging, Shi Bai turned around first.

"Since you care so much, I'll just wait a bit and give you some things to keep you entertained as a consolation."

As his figure stepped into the darkness first, the remaining words he uttered seemed unable to penetrate the thick fog of darkness, becoming somewhat ethereal and indistinct.

"After all, a place like the underworld is quite a nice summer retreat..."

Someone's voice gradually faded into the distance until it was barely audible.

"That troublesome guy..."

After giving a soft hum to himself, Heca stood up from his chair.

"Kingkara, I'm entrusting the entire Hell region to you. As for your subordinates, I'll send them to Hell later. Regarding the issue of access permissions..."

After thinking for a moment, Heca waved his hand, turned around, and walked in the direction someone had left in.

“I won’t restrict you in any way, as long as your ghost race can ensure that Hell doesn’t cause me any trouble… then you don’t really need to stay in this sunless place all the time.”

"........."

After Heca left, Kinkara turned around and looked at Ibaraki Kasen, who had been sitting in the chair the whole time.

"What, you're not planning to leave?"

"...Will a new Demon King be chosen after I return?"

After a moment of silence, Ibaraki Kasen gripped the lucky star pendant in her hand and spoke softly.

"I don't want to see her."

"What, are you still feeling lost?"

Opening the box, Jin Jieluo took out several torches and placed them on the pillars of the pavilion, answering indifferently.

"Things change, everything shifts. Our era is nearing its end. If the gods don't find a way out soon, they will face destruction. And to prevent our demon race from perishing in the tides of time, Hell is actually the most suitable place for us. If you will continue to feel lost because of that new, strange demon king..."

"Then you might as well leave the demon clan."

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P.S.: Two more updates to come.