Chapter 18: Demon Arena (16)
“Finished barking?” Qiong asked coldly.
Manster sneered, “You’d better show some respect, bitch. Don’t forget—you’re the one being tested right now!”
“It’s exactly because of scum like you,” Qiong’s expression darkened, “that no one has ever passed this Revival Match normally.” She turned in a slow circle, facing the hostile crowd around her. “Do you all really want to keep living like this? Every move you make to hold me back today will one day turn into a bullet aimed straight between your own eyes—unless you’ve truly given up all hope of leaving this place!”
The stands roared with noise and laughter. Manster’s smirk deepened. Everyone knew those words were true—but in this arena, where every rule was built on sin and selfish survival, trust no longer existed. Words alone couldn’t move these demons’ hearts.
But Qiong had never intended to rely on words.
She kicked open the sack beside her. Silver coins spilled out like a waterfall, dazzling under the lights. Tang Mobai’s eyes nearly popped out of his head—there had to be at least five or six hundred coins there. How the hell did she save that many? What is she, a hoarding rat?!
Then Qiong did something that sent the entire arena into chaos—she hurled all of the coins in every direction, not keeping a single one.
Instant pandemonium. People dove for coins, shouting, clawing, fighting each other bloody. Even Tang Mobai hesitated for a moment—until he saw Yan Wuzhen casually bend down to grab a few, and hurriedly followed suit.
Before the chaos could explode into a full brawl, several of the fighters at the center of it suddenly screamed. They collapsed, clutching the slave collars around their necks.
“Silence!”
One of the black-robed overseers looked toward the stands. His voice wasn’t loud, yet every ear in the arena heard it clearly: “Any further incidents—and all illegally gained property will be confiscated.”
Instant quiet. Everyone suddenly remembered—gladiators were just another word for slaves.
“You,” the overseer turned to Qiong. “Do not cause another disturbance. Otherwise, the Qualification Trial will be terminated.”
Qiong raised her hands, shrugged lightly. “I can’t do it again anyway. As you can see, that was all I had.”
Manster frowned. “You’ve lost your mind. You just gave up?”
“I’m not crazy,” Qiong said evenly. “I’m just taking the Qualification Trial properly. Those coins were my answer—my faith and my offering. I doubt there’s a better way to knock on the door than this.”
The power of those coins was undeniable. Even Manster, who had been itching to mock her, sat back down to see what she would say next.
“It’s funny,” Qiong began, her voice calm but resonant. “Of all the Revival Matches, only here is the Qualification Trial out in the open—straightforward, simple, and yet utterly impossible. For more than ten years, no one has ever passed it.”
“Because what traps us here isn’t the game. It’s not even Lost Paradise itself. What traps us are the evils in our own hearts—greed, Envy, wrath, and pride. We’re the ones who keep awakening them!”
Some people nodded in agreement. Others laughed—mocking, not denying. Why bother saying what everyone already knew?
“I know none of you are kind enough to let someone crawl out of the mud,” Qiong shouted. “Even if I begged on my knees! So I’m begging you—use those shriveled brains of yours and think smart for once!”
The crowd froze.
Wait—was she insulting them? The very voters who held her fate?
Yes. Yes, she was.
And she didn’t stop—her words became sharper, filthier, and fiercer.
“Even if you’re selfish, even if you’re brain-dead, even if you only think with your crotch—look at your situation! Do you really want to rot here for the rest of your lives? To be slaughtered at will? To live as slaves crushed under NPCs’ boots and spat on by those who think you’re worthless?”
“Even the dirtiest rat, when trapped in a box, will build a ladder to help its kin escape.”
She swept her gaze across the stands. “Are we worse than rats? Or do you admit you’re trash fit only for this garbage dump? If so, then do the world a favor—go earn yourself a ‘Model Citizen’ medal while you’re at it!”
Damn, she’s good at this, Tang Mobai thought, stunned.
Even Yan Wuzhen chuckled. “Well, I always thought she was just riding on her guild’s coattails. Didn’t expect her to actually have skill—and the tongue of a real agitator.”
“So basically,” Manster said with a sneer, “you just want us to throw you a bone, give you hope?”
“Not give me hope,” Qiong said coldly. “Give yourselves hope.”
The crowd blinked. That bold, huh?
“I’m the third-in-command of the Watchtower Guild. My win rate in the arena exceeds 90%. Most of these soul coins are the result of years of hard work. And I still have the full support of my guild. I swear in the name of the Watchtower: if you vote for me, anyone who later passes the Revival Match will receive an 80% discount at all Watchtower shops—and one personal favor from me.”
She looked around. “Can anyone here offer a better deal? If even I can’t pass the Qualification Trial, what chance do the rest of you have? What hope do you have?”
The entire arena fell silent.
“I’ve heard people say Lost Paradise has six levels of Hell. They’re wrong. This is the seventh.”
Her tone was calm—but beneath it seethed the pressure of a coming storm.
“If there’s hope, it’s called a Revival Match. Without hope, this place is nothing but a landfill, a cesspit. Higher demons trample the lower ones, the bottom-feeders trample us—and once hope is gone, the water here will never stir again. We’re just meat waiting to be butchered.”
“So I’m not begging you. I’m telling you—you need to let me pass.”
Her scarred face twisted into something fierce and mesmerizing, madness gleaming in her eyes. “Now—make your choice. Will you rise with hope, or drown in despair?”
Gulp.
Tang Mobai swallowed hard. He’d only been here two days—he couldn’t understand what the veterans had suffered—but even he felt something stirring inside him, drawn by Qiong’s words.
This place was a swamp, a pit of humanity’s rot. Stay too long, and you wouldn’t even realize you’d boiled alive.
His mind flashed back to his fight with Xiu Weiyi—the rush of emotion, the faint spark of something real. Qiong’s words fanned that spark into clarity.
Desire—the thing you’d risk everything to achieve.
Even he felt it. And judging from the shifting mood in the stands, so did everyone else. Even Yan Wuzhen’s smirk had faded.
[Honestly? I’m starting to respect her.]
[Same. The Watchtower’s third-in-command really isn’t just talk.]
[Ahhhh why can’t we vote? If I could, I’d totally vote “No” :)]
[LOL the guy above—unshakable troll energy.]
[Not really, I’m just in Beastblood Guild… (awkward scratch)]
[Even if I had nothing to do with either guild, I’d still vote “No.” No way I’m letting them climb up.]
[Exactly. Trash should stay in the trash heap.]
Then suddenly, a vibrant, glowing announcement streaked across every live broadcast:
[This is the Watchtower Guild. Anyone who votes for Qiong will receive an 80% discount at all Watchtower shops. Even if you remain in Lost Paradise, this right can be transferred to friends or family inside. This promise will remain permanent.]
[Damn, the guild itself stepped in. The guild master really does treasure her.]
[That’s a massive move!]
The chatrooms exploded like ponds struck by stones. Even the Demon Casinos outside began opening bets on whether someone would finally pass.
And under everyone’s watchful eyes—the voting time ended.
Tang Mobai, of course, voted “Yes.”
Not only because Qiong’s words moved him, but because he realized—if no one ever becomes the first, then no one will ever escape this place.
And maybe, just maybe, he wanted to see her slap Yan Wuzhen’s smug face.
The vote was anonymous. Even up close, no one could tell who chose “Yes” or “No.” Not even the viewers could see the individual results. When the countdown ended, all eyes turned to Qiong.
A beam of light descended from the ceiling, spotlighting her like the star of a grand play.
Success… or failure?
Everyone held their breath—Tang Mobai, Yan Wuzhen, a bearded man in the corner of the stands—waiting for the moment that could change everything.
Then the result appeared.
The light around Qiong slowly dimmed. She lifted her head, gazing up at the silent rows of faces—slaves, masters, spectators—all staring back at her as the big screen displayed the verdict:
[Total votes less than 60%. Trial failed.]
The arena fell into a suffocating silence.
Hahahahahaha!” The silence was broken by a burst of laughter, and the person who laughed was none other than Qiong, who had already jumped off the platform.
She wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes and said calmly: “It seems that I can only fight with you trash forever. No matter what time it is, the devil is not worth saving.”
The barrage of comments in the live broadcast room was carnival, and the people present watched Qiong leave in silence.
Tang Mobai exhaled slowly, but his heart felt like it was being pressed by a heavy stone, and he couldn’t get rid of it. To be honest, he almost thought Qiong was about to succeed, at least he didn’t think he would do better than her.
But as Qiong predicted, even if she failed, who else could succeed? Is there any hope of revival?
“It’s not like there haven’t been guilds that have tried to rescue people before,” Yan Wuzhe n spoke again, a hint of lethargy in his voice, perhaps an illusion. “There have also been guilds like the one behind you that have tried to send people in to investigate the origins of alchemy.”
“But no one can rescue anyone from here, and no eliminated candidates can advance. The pass rate here is an absolute 0%.”
“So now you know…” Yan Wuzhen said softly and firmly, “You’ve been tricked. The people behind you have no intention of rescuing you.”
Tang Mobai turned his head in confusion. Huh? What did he have to do with this?
He struggled to connect the dots between Yan Wuzhen’s previous words. Yan Wuzhen seemed to assume that the organization behind him was similar to the guild behind Qiong, and that they had been sent here for the purpose, most likely the alchemy mentioned in the comments.
Tang Mobai was about to clarify when he noticed a string of encrypted characters from a familiar ID in the livestream’s comments.
[A reasonable disguise, neither admit nor deny, time’s up.]
So he shut up.
Yan Wuzhen noticed his hesitation and felt his suspicions were correct. The commentary suggested his hesitation was simply a warning from someone behind the scenes, telling Tang Mobai not to reveal any information.
Based on Tang Mobai’s performance so far in the arena, his “violations” were within reasonable limits, making it almost certain that he had a backer. Unfortunately, during his time in Lost Paradise, Yan Wuzhen had come across intelligence about the higher hells.
The Jade Society’s primary business was alchemical products, a fact common knowledge within Lost Paradise. Knowing that alchemy originated from this world was common knowledge, countless demons had attempted to enter the area in search of clues, but all had failed and perished. Furthermore, the restrictions of Lost Paradise prevented even the greater demons from descending to the lower levels, and the Jade Society’s prosperity had gradually diminished.
But now, it seemed that perhaps the situation in the higher hells had shifted during his time there.
Yan Wuzhen carefully observed Tang Mobai’s expression, his suspicions growing more certain.
However, this person sent in seemed unaware of the struggles between the major guilds.
Based on Yan Wuzhen’s recent observations, he wasn’t feigning ignorance.
He was truly ignorant. He hadn’t even ignited his destiny. No guild would ever consider such a demon. He was merely a pathfinder. The people behind him likely had no expectations of him achieving anything, simply using him for fun. If they could use him to further test loopholes in the revival match, that would naturally be the icing on the cake.
Would Yan Wuzhen have the heart to reveal such a tragic fate, this cruel truth? Of course!
He would not only reveal it, but also cruelly shatter the last shred of hope in Tang Mobai’s heart. Only when he fully understood his future would his defenses break, anger rise, and despair. Without his greatest support, calmness, his emotions would turn him into a toy in the hands of the information dealers.
“So, do you understand your situation now?” Yan Wuzhen narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“You’ve been used. He didn’t tell you the truth about this place at all. No one can make it through this revival arena. You’re just a pawn he or they’ve pushed forward.”
Yan Wuzhen undoubtedly had a beautiful voice. He paid close attention to the impact of every tone and intonation. When he wanted to, his clear, masculine voice could be as sticky and delicate as a spider’s web, snaring its prey in the center without anyone noticing.
From the moment he sought out Tang Mobai, the spider had been weaving its web, waiting for this increasingly delicious prey to take the bait.
He closely watched every expression and reaction on Tang Mobai’s face. But surprisingly, Tang Mobai showed neither the anger of betrayal nor the despair of impending doom. It seemed that knowing the truth hadn’t affected him in the slightest.
Yan Wuzhen’s smile slowly faded. “What? You don’t believe it?”
“No, I do. I believe what you said about me not being able to pass the qualification test in three days… But I also believe he won’t give up on me,” Tang Mobai said.
Yan Wuzhen doubted his ears. “Huh?”
“Also, you’re wrong. Although I don’t quite understand all this, I came here of my own free will. No one forced me, and there was no calculation… As long as I can do it, I’m willing to do it for him. There’s no need for such a conspiracy between us.”
At this point, Yan Wuzhen’s smile finally froze completely. He carefully studied Tang Mobai’s expression, trying to find the mask of pretending because of the live broadcast room.
But unfortunately, there was nothing. Tang Mobai’s expression was calm and determined, without any pain of betrayal. Yan Wuzhen swore by his professional ethics that this was the voice from his heart.
Damn it, this guy is still in love.
Yan Wuzhen felt a bit dazed. “Haven’t you considered what you’ll be facing in three days?”
“I’m not stupid, of course I know,” Tang Mobai curled his lips. “And I also know this is your goal.”
“If I don’t want to be torn apart by the greed of the others in three days, I have no choice but to fight you. It would be best if I lose to you publicly. That way, I’ll be giving you all the attention and coins l’ve accumulated these days.”
From the very beginning, Tang Mobai was a pie he had deliberately pushed.
He used mystery to deceive gamblers and his reputation to lure other gladiators.
He made the former place bets blindly and the latter suspect.
All of this was aimed at taking a piece of Tang Mobai’s pie, a pie he had carefully prepared and gradually baked to perfection.
Xiu Weiyi was just a test to ensure everything was foolproof. The truth was, he had indeed discovered one of Tang Mobai’s trump cards. He would definitely be prepared for future fights, and would even avoid the deathmatch, a format that allowed weapons, from the beginning.
Step by step, the net tightened until the butterfly could no longer flap its wings and lost its freedom.
As his name suggests, the information dealer Yan Wuzhen is a spider who weaves a web using human hearts and intelligence, waiting for his prey to wander to its center.
“Come to think of it, would you cancel your plans just because you know I have a backer?”
Yan Wuzhen was still half asleep when he heard Tang Mobai ask.
“Of course not,” Yan Wuzhen snapped back to his senses, scoffing at Tang Mobai, thinking he was still clinging to naive illusions. “Let’s not even mention that I’m taking refuge here because I offended the guild in the first place. I’ve worked so hard to raise this guy, are you going to let go of something that’s already in your grasp?”
“That’s great,” Tang Mobai nodded. “After all, I’d really like to give you a bet.”
[You’ve received a challenge from Tang Mobai. Do you agree?]
Mini-theater:
Yan Wuzhen: (sowing discord) (sowing discord crazily) Your sponsor has abandoned you! He does n’t love you at all!
Tang Mobai: I don’t want to listen to you, he loves me the most! (I am his most beloved child) I a m willing to do anything for him!
Yan Wuzhen: 6 (love-brained (gritting teeth))
Thank you for reading 🙂 I hope you all liked my translations. If you enjoyed my work, please consider buying me a Ko-Fi 😉
