Chapter 692: Boldly Entering the Bronze Fortress
This fortress was forged from bronze smelted in the deeper layers of Hell. Its surface was covered in spikes, demonic reliefs, and burning runes, glowing a dark green beneath Avernus's blood-red sky.
The towering walls pierced the clouds. Atop them stood hundreds of arrow towers, hellfire cannons, and sentry cages imprisoning low-tier devils. Countless imps and gargoyles flapped their wings in the air.
Even the walls themselves were imbued with a powerful anti-magic field. Not even a legendary mage could breach it by force.
Outside the wall flowed a massive river—not of water, but of molten lava. White sulfurous smoke filled the air above, warping the very atmosphere.
The suspension bridges spanning this lava river were the only way into the Bronze Fortress. Devils swarmed across them, cursing and shoving. From time to time, a misstep would send a lemure plummeting into the lava, their screams echoing as magma splashed.
The gates were guarded by fully armed Chain Devils. They were hideous, hulking figures wrapped in clinking chains.
Clank, clank—
One Chain Devil yanked a cowering imp from a cart and roared, "You damned wretch! Who let you sneak in?! Trying to defy Lord Zariel's orders? You dare skip the toll?!"
The imp trembled but still smiled obsequiously. "My lord, I... the caravan master already paid a silver coin for me!"
The Chain Devil snapped, "It's charged per head!"
The imp sobbed, "My lord, I'm broke. Please let me go. I lost everything at the Modin Casino—every last thing I had!"
Hearing he was penniless, the Chain Devil's face grew colder. "That's not an excuse!"
The imp clung to the devil's thick arm, begging, "Just give me three days! I'll raise not one, but ten silver coins inside the city!"
The Chain Devil suddenly swung the imp over the lava river and barked, "Ten? You? A worthless, debt-ridden gambling addict imp? Where would you get that kind of money?!"
The imp flapped desperately. "No! Don't throw me! I've got lots of friends in the outer city! I know everyone! They'll lend me the money!"
The Chain Devil sneered, about to snap the imp's neck. "Do I look that gullible to you?
And who in the Nine Hells would believe an imp? Who would pay ten silver coins for a lowly piece of trash like you? What a joke!"
"Yeah, it's just an imp! What a joke!"
"Hurry up and toss him! Don't waste our time!"
"Hahaha, how loud do you think he'll scream when he falls?"
Devils crowded the bridge, hurling curses, itching to see the imp die.
"Let him go. I'll pay for him."
A sultry female voice rang out from the bridge.
"Someone actually paid a ransom? For an imp?"
"Unbelievable!"
"Lucky bastard. Hope he falls in next time!"
All heads turned. A voluptuous woman stepped forward, her face stunning and eyes seductive. Two massive black feathered wings extended from her back.
—A Succubus, a greater devil, a fallen celestial being.
To lower devils like Chain Devils or Bearded Devils, a Succubus was an untouchable bigshot.
Clink—
Ten silver coins clattered at the Chain Devil's feet.
Seeing this, the Chain Devil quickly let go, picked up the coins, and said with forced politeness, "Lady Succubus, this imp has a long history of offenses and dared defy Lord Zariel's decree. He's not worth your mercy."
The Succubus twirled her slender fingers, glancing at him disdainfully. "Do I need you to tell me what I can and can't do?"
"My apologies, my lady." The Chain Devil bowed deeply, his earlier arrogance vanished.
This was Hell—a strictly hierarchical world. Every devil clung to its place in the complex order.
Greater devils lived in constant fear of demotion, venting that fear on subordinates. Those subordinates, in turn, bullied the weaker, perpetuating the cycle.
Seeing her act, the imp fluttered up, dropped to his knees, and cried, "My lady, you've finally come to save me!"
The Chain Devil lowered his head further, whispering carefully, "Lady Succubus, I didn't know this was your servant. Please forgive my offense.
Still, Lord Zariel has ordered strict checks on entrants. I hope you understand."
The Chain Devil then noticed a nearly four-meter-tall stone golem behind the Succubus. The golem held a cage containing two giant vampire bats.
The Succubus frowned, annoyed. "I can't bring a golem servant and a few pet bats into the city now?"
The Chain Devil waved frantically. "Of course you can! A high-profile greater devil like you couldn't possibly be an intruder!"
"That's more like it."
The Succubus smiled and casually tossed a few more silver coins before leading her "servants and pets" into the city.
The imp followed proudly, flapping his wings and making faces at the devils behind him, enraging them.
Inside, the city bustled with residents of Hell, mostly low-tier devils like imps, spined devils, and bearded devils—though greater devils were present too.
Spined devils patrolled the skies. On the ground, armies of barbed and bearded devils marched toward teleporters, headed for the Blood War.
Streets were lined with taverns, shops, pawnbrokers—even brothels. It resembled cities in the Material Plane, but here, only one currency held true value—mortal souls.
Amid the chaos, the Succubus and her entourage didn't stand out too much.
The imp followed her into a dark alley, rubbing his hands together. "Lady Succubus, my name's Dick. Thank you for saving me from that brute."
"I heard—you're familiar with this district?"
"Of course! I've lived in the outer city for years. Ask me anything—I'll tell you everything, just please help me pay my—"
The Succubus didn't answer. Instead, she took a second cage from the golem and smiled dazzlingly.
"Wait..."
"W-what are you doing?"
The imp sensed danger and tried to flee, but the cage opened, pulling him inside with strong suction.
Clang!
The gate shut. The imp grabbed the bars and thrashed wildly. Runes on the cage glowed, heating the metal until it burned him.
The Succubus crossed her arms coldly. "Don't bother. This cage is custom-built for devils.
If I don't stop the array, you'll be charcoal in ten minutes."
The imp quickly knelt, slapping himself. "My lady, I won't run again! I was wrong!"
The Succubus nodded, pausing the array. "Be careful. Imps are slippery. Never let one escape."
The "golem" wiped his shiny bald head. "So this is the Bronze Fortress. No wonder it's a high-risk mission. I sense tons of strong, unfamiliar presences."
One of the "vampire bats" flapped and cursed, "Let me out! Damn crossdresser—who the hell is your pet?!"
The Succubus's expression shifted from elegant to disgusted. "You think I enjoy this disguise? Without me, you'd never get in!"
"Tsk tsk, I think you're just indulging your perverted kinks."
"Lang-brat, did you forget your humiliating loss to that old vampire? This is just crossdressing—you're the real freak!"
"You little—"
The vampire bat's face twisted in human-like rage.
The golem stepped between them, expressionless. "Shut up. Or the spined devils will notice."
The other bat stared into the air. "Look—so many missions! Destroy the portal to August, steal the Hellfire Cannon blueprints, kill Zariel's confidant...
Whoa, even infiltrate Zariel's bedchamber? Twenty-five thousand gold?! That's wild!"
The imp in the cage gaped in shock. His whole body trembled.
A talking stone golem and vampire bats? And this "Lady Succubus" was all wrong too.
Pointing a shaky claw, he stammered, "Y-you're outsiders?!"
He remembered Lord Zariel's decree—anyone caught consorting with outsiders would suffer 200 years of torment in the endless Purgatory.
The thought made his wings go stiff.
The Succubus—really Luck King—tapped the cage, grinning. "Dick, face reality. You're on our ship now. Spill your intel."
"Y-yes, my lord."
Dick's face turned ashen. He'd thought he'd met a benefactor—only to fall into a deeper pit.
Luck King interrogated, "Where's the portal to August?"
"Uh, maybe the fourth ring?"
"Where are the Hellfire Cannon blueprints?"
"Probably the third ring. That's where Lord Zariel's top smiths work—deepforge devils and 200 dragon devils building cannons nonstop."
"Where is General Alex Reaves, Zariel's confidant?"
"Last I read... he lives in a mansion in the second ring, built of obsidian. Over a thousand petitioners serve him. So enviable..."
Tian Born Battle Maniac glared into the cage. "Didn't you say you knew everything? Your intel's fuzzy at best!"
Dick wailed, "My lord, you misunderstand! I was kicked out of the twelfth ring—I don't know anything about the inner circles!"
Langli Baitiao pondered. "So you know a lot about the twelfth ring?"
Dick nodded frantically. "Like the back of my hand!"
"Then—how do we get from the outer to inner rings? The gates are all heavily guarded."
"Yes, my lord. Lord Zariel's plotting something big. Fortress security is airtight. Every entrant faces high-tier magical scans. Not even an Infernal Bat could fly in."
Dick glanced nervously at Langli Baitiao in bat form. "O-of course not you, my lord, I meant regular ones—"
Langli raised one wing. "I'm asking—any way to smuggle into the inner rings?"
Dick blinked, then snapped his claws. "There might be... actually, there is!"
Twelfth Ring—Burning Heart Casino.
Dim, eerie flames flickered. The air reeked of sulfur, cigarette smoke, alcohol, and strange fuels—a choking atmosphere.
Gamblers came in all forms—corrupt nobles, greedy mortals, even devils were addicted.
Some wore finery, others rags, but all had eyes full of hunger for victory and fear of defeat.
"I lost again!"
"No way!"
"Hahaha! I won! Your eyes, heart, and thighs are mine!"
"Don't gloat! I'll win it all back—I swear I will!"
"Too bad, you pauper. You're out of chips!"
"No, I still have one bet—my soul!"
"Now that's more like it!"
"Hahaha! Bankrupt and soulless—that's true gambling!"
Laughter, curses, cheers, and wails blended into a piercing hellish symphony.
Deep inside the casino, in a secret room, a lavishly dressed devil lounged on a human-skin chair, admiring a vase imprisoning a mortal soul.
"Heh, Dick, what will you use to repay your debt?"
The devil set down the vase, turning greedy eyes on the kneeling imp. "Or will you offer your soul?"
Dick looked up, his wrinkled face smiling flatteringly. "Just wait till you see—I've got something that'll blow your mind."