Chapter 8: The Calamity Demon’s Folly and the Evil God’s Wrath

Outside the capital, Truth, deep within the dark mountains and dense forest, a slender figure slowly emerged from the trees. This occurred under the wary gaze of Weidel and dozens of other black-clad figures, who watched as if facing a formidable foe.

It was a young woman, appearing to be around seventeen or eighteen years old.

Her hair was a striking white, cut in a slanted style that just brushed her shoulders, lending her an unusual charm. Her deep blue eyes sparkled like sapphires, shining with the cool resolve of the brightest stars in the night sky.

Standing at approximately 1.6 meters, her physique appeared lithe and agile. She wore a simple yet strikingly efficient black trench coat, its cut emphasizing her freedom of movement. On her head rested a military-style cap adorned with an unknown emblem.

The young woman showed no fear, her steps steady and unhurried as she advanced towards the sweating assassins.

A soft hum escaped her lips.

A wicked smile played upon her features.

She turned slightly, donning a strange black and white mask she had prepared, and with a solemn air, introduced herself to her observers.

“Good evening, esteemed guests. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Xianming, the most loyal servant of the great Evil God, Commander of the Starfall Palace, one of the Five Star Gods, and the renowned Twin-Souled Star. It is an honor to meet all of you on this tranquil yet tumultuous night.”

With her introduction complete, as if eager to observe their reactions, Xianming couldn’t help but steal a glance at Weidel and the others through the slits of her mask.

Then, in the very next moment, Xianming’s eager expression instantly fell.

To her chagrin, she saw none of the reactions she had anticipated.

“Ah, so it came to this? Is my aura still too overwhelming?”

Xianming sighed, a look of profound disappointment instantly clouding her face.

Yet at this very moment, reflected in her sapphire-blue eyes, most of the black-clad figures who had been vigilant moments before had already transformed into grotesque, horrifying corpses. Blood streamed from their orifices, their faces twisted in expressions of unspeakable agony, as if they had endured suffering beyond all comprehension.

Even those who had not yet died, the remaining black-clad assassins had devolved into monstrous, inhuman specters. They writhed in extreme pain, as though subjected to unimaginable torment.

Clutching their heads, they shrieked in unbearable anguish.

Some assassins lost their minds completely, descending into frenzied acts: one repeatedly slammed their head against a sturdy tree trunk, producing dull thuds; another, consumed by terror and agony, began to gnaw on the corpses of their fallen comrades, a gruesome sight impossible to witness; still others wielded their knives, repeatedly stabbing themselves, seeking escape from their internal torment through self-inflicted wounds.

The entire dense forest transformed into a scene of utter hell. Xianming’s power, unconsciously unleashed, seemed to tear open a portal to the abyss, dragging all the assassins into endless agony and madness.

The forest echoed with their wails and moans, the air thick with the scent of blood and death. A chilling, eerie atmosphere settled over the entire dense woodland.

Yet, confronted by this horrific spectacle, Xianming remained utterly unfazed.

“Hmph, humans… as pathetic as ever. They can’t even withstand the most basic… hmm?”

Suddenly, Xianming raised an eyebrow, her gaze turning playfully towards the front.

There, a human man was staring intently at her.

As if discovering an intriguing new toy, Xianming advanced with keen interest.

“You managed to regain consciousness? Not bad, human.”

****

Meanwhile, the human Xianming was observing was none other than Weidel, the leader of these black-clad figures, a warrior of peak sixth-tier strength.

After brutally gouging out one of his own eyeballs, Weidel experienced a sudden surge of clarity, as if granted a fleeting reprieve. He then fixed a horrified gaze upon Xianming, who was steadily approaching him.

“Mon… monster…”

The hoarse, terror-filled words involuntarily tore from his throat.

Though Xianming’s face was undeniably alluring, Weidel harbored no thoughts of appreciation. He knew all too well that the girl before him was merely a monster in human skin.

A Calamity Demon.

This was the true identity of the girl before him: a terrifying creature from the abyssal planes, a monster that devoured all living beings and annihilated all tangible matter.

Possessing a maniacal consciousness, the highly corrosive power of the Black Abyss, and a physical form nigh-impossible for ordinary beings to contend with… the arrival of each Calamity Demon heralded the demise of countless lives and the destruction of numerous towns.

Harbinger of calamity and death—such was the meaning of a Calamity Demon’s name.

Fortunately, since the ‘Day of Reckoning’ five millennia ago, sightings of Calamity Demons had been exceedingly rare. Otherwise, not just human civilization, but all sentient life on this world would have been utterly consumed by such monsters.

But why? Why? Why would a Calamity Demon suddenly appear here?!!

Moreover, in human form? And seemingly intelligent? How—how was this possible?

Alongside the terror surging through Weidel’s heart came an endless torrent of questions.

“Why… why are you here…”

As he watched Xianming approach, his spirit teetered on the brink of collapse.

Hearing his words, Xianming playfully raised an eyebrow.

“Oho? Still able to speak? Your will is quite resilient, I see.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Xianming’s tone abruptly shifted, becoming grave and somber, even laced with a hint of anger.

“Because you wretched, lowly trash disturbed the Evil God’s slumber!”

Ah, no, perhaps ‘slumber’ isn’t quite the right word. A being of the Evil God’s caliber doesn’t require sleep.

Xianming knew perfectly well that the Evil God wasn’t merely sleeping in her chambers. Rather, she was using the nightly ‘sleep’ period to allow her consciousness to erode the world’s barriers, corrupt its cycle of reincarnation, and construct a passage between this world and the Starfall Palace! All for the sake of summoning the Starfall Palace sooner and bringing an end to this repulsive world!!

Therefore, the Evil God’s “sleep time” was absolutely not to be disturbed. Anyone who dared to disturb her was simply courting death!!

“In short, the grand endeavor of our great Evil God! It was disrupted by you despicable scum! To dare disturb her, I won’t let you off without a les—hmm?”

Before she could finish, Xianming’s eyes inexplicably drooped with confusion. She realized that, driven by her anger, she had seemingly released a bit too much of her aura. This had caused the human man to foam at the mouth, bleed from the corners of his eyes, and exhibit a vacant, idiotic expression.

“Heh, so this is all you’re capable of…”

With a disdainful chuckle, Xianming casually waved her hand. Weidel’s upper body was instantly obliterated into a bloody mist by a terrifying blast of wind pressure.

His remaining lower half slumped lifelessly to the blood-soaked ground, crimson liquid pooling and staining the nearby grass.

“Hmph, how boring. Not worth my effort. As for the cleanup, I’ll leave it to you.”

As Xianming’s words faded, terrifying, grotesque black figures slowly began to crawl out from the shadows. With guttural growls that would shatter one’s sanity, they relentlessly devoured the corpses of Weidel and his men, along with the lingering souls that had yet to dissipate from the scene.

Having dealt with these troublesome nuisances, Xianming casually strolled away from the blood-soaked ground, her hands tucked into her pockets.

Her disappointment was plain to see on her face.

“Hmph, I had hoped he’d entertain me a little longer. Who knew he’d break so easily? How dull.”

However, regardless, the mission was successfully completed~

At this thought, she shed her previous coldness and disappointment, her face lighting up with excitement, her eyes sparkling as she gazed towards the distant Holy Royal Palace.

Hehe~

Mission accomplished~

Time to go seek praise from the Evil God~

Just imagining the Evil God stroking her head and commending her filled Xianming with such delight that she began to skip and hop.

Yet, just as Xianming eagerly prepared to rush off and meet the supreme Evil God in her heart, You’s voice, like a bolt from the blue, directly echoed within her mind.

[Once the mission is complete, stay put. Do not return yet.]

“Eh?!!”

Upon hearing this, a wave of disappointment and indignation instantly surged through Xianming’s mind. An enraged Xianming stomped her foot, the powerful impact instantly shattering several slumbering demonic beasts in the caverns below.

Receiving praise from the Evil God, Xiamiya, was the highest honor for everyone in the Starfall Palace. Hence, Xianming’s eagerness to seek commendation.

If the opportunity arose, she might even get to personally experience the utterly delightful power of the Black Abyss emanating from the Evil God! Xianming had been looking forward to it for a long, long time.

Her disappointment at You’s refusal was thus immense. Had it been anyone else, Xianming would have unhesitatingly dispatched them to the afterlife. But constrained by You’s authority, Xianming could only swallow her displeasure. She mumbled plaintively,

“W-why, though?!”

You, naturally, understood Xianming’s thoughts. And so, the Grand Steward of Starfall Palace provided an answer Xianming simply couldn’t refute.

“The Master is furious about tonight’s attackers. She is currently performing a ritual to condemn these souls to eternal suffering, preventing them from ever reincarnating. So, don’t get in the way.”

“Oh, I see…”

“But don’t worry, the Master is already aware of your achievements. She’ll reward you in due time.”

“R-really?!!”

“Of course.”

The silver-haired youth gave an affirmative reply, then silently glanced towards the nearby bathroom.

Enmmm,

It seems, next time, I’ll have to save an extra portion of the Master’s bathwater…