The sound of cicadas echoed endlessly—this was the symphony of midsummer.
In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. The young man finally arrived at the entrance of the City of Slaughter.
Here, he learned a new term: Bloody Mary!
"Kid, if you don't even dare drink a Bloody Mary, you're not qualified to enter the City of Slaughter!"
A group of men armed with swords and knives surrounded Wang Chen, their eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty red light.
Yet these fierce-looking men had no idea what kind of fate awaited them.
Wang Chen faced this without the slightest hint of panic.
He hadn't even entered the City of Slaughter yet and already encountered its loyal devotees!
From one small glimpse, he could see the full picture. It seemed that the rumors were not false.
A cruel smile tugged at the corners of Wang Chen's mouth, and the battle lust in his eyes was almost palpable.
"Kill!"
"I'll cut my way into the City of Slaughter!"
With his resolve set, an amber glow flashed across Wang Chen's body, and he took the initiative to strike.
Meanwhile, Zhongli had already entered the City of Slaughter ahead of him.
The "spatial rules" of the City of Slaughter had no effect on Zhongli whatsoever.
"These people are drained of vitality and deeply poisoned. Even if they left the City of Slaughter, they wouldn't survive for long."
Wandering through the outer city for a while, Zhongli shook his head. Ninety-nine percent of the people here were utterly wicked.
Only a very small fraction came to this place seeking refuge from enemies or were drawn purely by its reputation.
The stories told outside painted the City of Slaughter in a beautiful light, but upon arrival, people quickly realized that this place was only favorable to the strong.
For the weak, it was hell—hell within hell.
The outer city was bustling, relatively peaceful compared to the inner city. There was little fighting here. As long as one contributed a Bloody Mary to the King of Slaughter every month, they would receive his protection and need not worry about their lives.
In the outer city, one had to follow its rules.
But the inner city was different—the only rule was that there were no rules!
With strength, one could do whatever they wished.
"Staying in the outer city is nothing but a slow death."
For those who didn't dare venture into the inner city, they could manage to provide a few months' worth of Bloody Marys upon their arrival. But after that?
In the outer city, survival was guaranteed but food and water were not.
Contributing Bloody Marys each month only made things worse for these destitute degenerates.
After arriving in the City of Slaughter, Zhongli confirmed one thing:
This place was not part of the Douluo Continent but a separate sub-dimension that depended on it.
There was even a sun here—a crimson "sun" hanging ominously in the sky.
After some time, Zhongli began heading toward the King of Slaughter's palace.
The City of Slaughter wasn't very large, and sensing the King's location was not difficult.
Several minutes later, Wang Chen finally stepped into the City of Slaughter.
Since he had used a special method to enter, he had to pass the Death Knight's trial.
Death Knight: Who's testing who, really?
"Huh?"
After defeating the Death Knight, Wang Chen's expression flickered momentarily.
Weren't people saying that soul skills couldn't be used in the City of Slaughter?
Yet he didn't feel restricted in any way…
After thinking briefly, Wang Chen came to a realization.
He wasn't a Soul Master, so naturally, he wasn't bound by the rules of the City of Slaughter.
As a vision holder, he was immune to the constraints here.
Clap, clap, clap…
At that moment, a beautiful figure appeared before Wang Chen. Smiling, she said, "Congratulations, sir, on passing the Death Knight's trial.
"Your strength truly inspires admiration."
"And you are?" Wang Chen was momentarily taken aback and instinctively asked.
The girl's appearance betrayed her humble origins; her dress was scant and tattered.
"I am an emissary of the King of Slaughter—"
"Hmm?"
Before the woman could finish, something utterly bewildering happened!
This rule-breaking powerhouse actually attacked her directly!
And it wasn't the kind of "attack" like a ravenous beast pouncing on prey; it was an actual assault.
Those who had foolishly underestimated her in the past had all died by her hand.
After all, no one entering the City of Slaughter was innocent, and her attire was one reason—enticing opponents to make a move gave her a legitimate excuse to end their lives.
But now, she only saw a blinding flash of light. In the next instant, a hand that seemed to control the heavens itself was gripping her throat.
The immense power left her eyes wide in shock. She struggled feebly, but it was futile.
"M-Master…"
"Please… spare me…"
At that moment, the emissary of the King of Slaughter felt fear for the first time!
She mustered all her remaining strength just to utter a plea for mercy.
"I… I can do anything for you…"
Crack!
Wang Chen tossed the emissary aside without a trace of emotion and walked toward the outer city.
As the emissary lay dying, her last thought was: Am I ugly?
To be chosen as the King of Slaughter's emissary was proof enough of her beauty, but she had chosen the wrong opponent!
Killing the emissary was a significant act, akin to slapping the King of Slaughter in the face. Yet, the King, who should have been enraged, made no response at all.
Wang Chen continued on his way to the outer city, and the sight before him left him stunned.
The people here looked almost like mummies—emaciated and lifeless. Were these supposed to be the so-called villains?
Their eyes, however, didn't lie. They were undoubtedly bad people!
"You, kid, all alone?"
A pale-faced, hollow-eyed old man addressed Wang Chen. He was clearly a seasoned survivor of this place, adept at reading people.
Wang Chen, looking as normal as could be, was a glaring anomaly in this depraved city. It was obvious he was a newcomer.
But why didn't he have a guide with him?
The so-called "guides" were usually emissaries of the King of Slaughter.
Before Wang Chen could respond, over thirty people suddenly sprang into action, charging at him with knives raised!
"Kill him! I want his arm!"
"I only need two cups of Mary!"
"Hey, hey, I want…"
Seeing this, Wang Chen's already emotionless face grew even colder.
The rumors he had heard from Shi Nian had initially left him skeptical. But now, the reality was far worse than he had imagined!
Wasn't the outer city supposed to be peaceful?
That only applied to those who had paid their dues in Bloody Mary.
Wang Chen's appearance screamed newcomer—someone unlikely to have made any contributions yet.
A newcomer was a prime target. If they didn't kill him now, they might lose their chance later.
"I wanted to have a proper conversation and ask why you all turned bad."
"But since it's like this…"
"Kill!"
In an instant, Wang Chen's martial spirit manifested. He didn't need to use spirit rings—he was the most terrifying war machine.
In the shadows, an observer murmured,
"Master, this young man of yours is truly a prodigy!"
"Uh, I'm just a little bat. Wouldn't catching me dirty your hands, oh mighty one?"